A push lawn mower consists of a horizontal axle on two wheels, with the help of which the reel is made to rotate during movement. Attached to this is the long guide bar with which the mower is pushed and manoeuvred. On the spindle itself are cutting blades running in a slight helix. These rotating cutting blades run parallel past a fixed counter-blade and use the scissor principle to cleanly cut off the blades of grass that have been collected. By adjusting the counter blade, the desired cutting height can also be set on this type of lawn mower.
The push lawn mower is also called a roller, which makes the term roller mower representative of the reel mower.
Top 10 Best Push Lawn Mowers
Things to know about push lawn mowers
How well does a push lawn mower cut?
The cutting quality of a walk-behind cylinder mower depends mainly on the number of blades. Most devices usually have four to six cutting blades, more expensive cylinder mowers sometimes have more. Models available for the home garden also usually have a cutting width of between 30 and 45 centimetres. There are also lawn tractors with reel blades that work as several mowers side by side.
At the rear of the reel mower there are also support rollers that serve as spacers. These enable the popular striped pattern of football pitches to be achieved when the lawn is mown alternately.
Which is the best push lawn mower?
Very good push lawn mowers are available from GARDENA, Einhell and AL-KO, among others. However, which is the best model for you depends mainly on the size and condition of the plot as well as the desired functions. In our large reel mower comparison, you can quickly and easily find an overview of the best models. Use the filter functions to adapt the selection to your needs.
How much does a good push lawn mower cost?
Good push lawn mowers are already available for under 100 pounds. Models with more functions or even a wheel drive, on the other hand, cost from 200 pounds upwards.
What are the advantages of a push lawn mower?
Hand-held lawn mowers ensure a gentle and precise cut. They are quiet and inexpensive to buy. A reel mower is particularly suitable for smaller areas or narrow spaces in the garden for which a conventional lawn mower is unsuitable.
For which lawns are push lawn mowers suitable?
Push lawn mowers are particularly suitable for smaller areas of up to 200 m². Beyond that, it is advisable to purchase a model with wheel drive. For areas larger than 500 m², on the other hand, you should consider purchasing an electric or battery-powered lawn mower.
Best Push Lawn Mowers
GARDENA Comfort reel mower 400 C: Hand lawn mower with 40 cm working width of up to 250 m² lawn blade roll made of quality steel, non-contact cutting technique (4022-20)
Features
- GARDENA offers a wide range of products for all jobs in and around the garden
Einhell 3414114 GC-HM 300 Hand Push Lawn Mower | 30cm Cutting Width, 16L Grass Box, 4 Cutting Height Levels | Cordless Manual Walk-Behind Cylinder Lawnmower, Red/Black, Up to 150 m²
£55.00
Features
- The einhell gc-hm 300 manual lawn mower is a robust, functional lawn mower without a motor drive, for the clean, quiet and mowing of lawns of up to 150 m in size,
- The ball-bearing mounted mower spindle with 5 high-grade steel blades is designed for a cutting width of 30 cm. the cutting height adjustment facility with 4 levels can be adjusted to individual requirements between 13 mm and 37 mm
- The plastic roller has a diameter of 45 mm. the manual lawn mower has lawn-friendly large wheels. the 16 liter grass catch basket is removable and easy to empty, A curved long handle provides optimum on-the-job ergonomics, and there is a parking position for easy and secure storage of the lawn mower
- 3 YEAR WARRANTY - Einhell Power Tools Come With A 2 Year Warranty As Standard With An Extra 1 Year Available On Registration
- Note: When cutting grass the expert advice is to aim to reduce the lawn height by one third. Therefore if the customer has very long grass (such as the 3 inch example given) it should be cut with the mower at the highest setting initially, lowering to the required length over time, Even when doing this the first pass is going to offer a lot more resistance to the blade and therefore be harder to push, this will become significantly easier each time.
GARDENA Classic reel mower 400: Hand lawn mower with 40cm working width of up to 200 m² lawn blade roll made of quality steel, non-contact cutting technique, silent and precise (4018-20)
Features
- Fine grass clippings: the knife roller and the bottom knife made of hardened quality steel allow a precise grass clippings like a pair of scissors, ideal for smaller gardens up to 200 m² mowing area
- Effort-saving and easy to handle: thanks to the non-contact cutting technology, The reel mower is particularly quiet and easy to push
- Easy storage: The boom can be folded up so that the reel mower can be tidied up to save space
- Easy to clean: the knife roller is non-stick coated and prevents annoying drying of wet grass
- Delivery includes: 1x Gardena classic reel mower 400
GreenWorks 25062 18-Inch Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Catcher
Features
- 18" cutting path gets the job done quicker and more efficiently
- 2-in-1 feature provides mulching and rear bag capabilities
- 9 position height adjustment offers a range of cutting height from 1 3/4" to 2 3/4" for the perfect cut on all grass types
- 10" front wheels and 4" rear wheels makes it easy to maneuver across your lawn
- Zero fumes, No Gas, Quiet and Easy to Use for a Green healthy lawn
Fiskars 17 Inch Staysharp Push Reel Lawn Mower (6208)
Features
- The smart design of our eco-friendly reel mower offers a cleaner cut without the hassles of gasoline, oil, battery charging, electrical cords or loud engine noise
- A combination of advanced technologies make the StaySharp Reel Mower 30 percent easier to push than other reel mowers
- Patent-pending InertiaDrive Reel delivers 50 percent more cutting power to blast through twigs, weeds and tough spots that would jam other reel mowers
- International products have separate terms, are sold from abroad and may differ from local products, including fit, age ratings, and language of product, labeling or instructions.
Einhell Universal Hand Mower GE HM 38 S 3414165 – 38 mm – 250 m²
Features
- Contactless, quiet and energy-saving cutting technology
- Ball bearing mounted mowing spindle with 5 high-quality steel blades
- Precision ground cutting blades made of high quality steel
- Low noise and
- "Golf lawn-suitable" cutting result
Bosch AHM 38 G Manual Garden Lawn Mower (Cutting Width 38 cm, in Carton Packaging)
£68.50
5 used from £44.97
Features
- Simple, quick and easy mowing of small areas.Lower blade setting : Click lock
- Convenient, tool-free click-adjustable cutting adjustment
- Efficient cutting system cylinder with 5 helical blades curved in hardened steel
- Stepless cutting height adjustment and 38 cm cutting width. Height of cut: 12 – 40 mm
- Cylinder mounted & amp; oacute; on bearing & amp; agrave; maintenance-free balls
Snow Joe Sun Joe MJ501M - lawn mowers (Manual lawn mower, Cylinder blades)
Features
- Easy to push and maneuver on small lawns
- 9 position manual height adustment; Comfortable foam grip
- Maintenance free. Rust resistant deck
- Grass catcher holds up to 6.6-gallon and detaches easily
- Two large 10-inch wheels and two small 6-inch wheels
Einhell GC-HM 30 Manual Hand Push Lawnmower with 30 cm Cutting Width
Features
- Wide cutting width (30 cm) for a speedier finish when cutting the lawn
- Strong and light weight hand mower
- Large 16 L collection bag for grass cuttings
- Generous range of cutting height settings: 15-42 mm
- Five robust steel blades for effective cutting
Murray HM400 Hand Push Cylinder Mower, 40 cm (16 Inch) 20 Litre Collection Bag
£65.20
Features
- Sharper cylinder mower blades result in sharper-looking lawns
- Adapt the cutting height of this hand mower to fit your lawn and weather conditions: Single lever, 4 positions, 13 - 38 mm
- Convenience and comfort with ergonomic foam padded handle bar
- Collect all your clippings in the 20 Litre catcher for a clean finish
- Cut down on noise around the home with this light reel mower
When should I buy a manual lawn mower?
In the professional sector, push lawn mowers are mainly used on sports fields, golf courses or in parks. But many private garden owners also like to use the hand-operated mowers for a precise lawn cut. This type of hand lawn mower is still very popular with the English in particular, as it makes the famous English lawn possible.
If you also attach great importance to a well-kept lawn cut that is between 20 and 40 millimetres high, you should consider purchasing a reel mower. As a rule, you can still mow lawns up to approx. 200 m² very well. Electrically powered mowers, however, can also mow considerably larger areas of up to 500 m². Beyond that, you should rather use a normal lawn mower, lawn robot or tractor, as otherwise the time required for mowing will increase enormously. The plot should also be as level as possible.
A push lawn mower can also be useful for very small or winding plots of land, as it is considerably lighter and narrower than a twin-axle lawn mower. The gentle mowing method of push lawn mowers is also good for the growth of your lawn.
Naturally, these handy garden tools also come out better in terms of price. Since there is virtually no noise pollution, a cylinder mower can also be used to mow around the clock without having to be considerate of the neighbours.
What types of push lawn mowers are there?
In the area of push lawn mowers, one must distinguish between manually and electrically driven models. In most cases, a simple mower is sufficient. For larger lawns, however, it is advisable to choose an electric or battery-powered cylinder mower to assist you with the mowing work.
Some reel mowers come with a grass catcher box that directly collects the freshly mown grass and saves you from having to rake it afterwards. Some machines can also be retrofitted with a catch bag as an accessory. If the cuttings are to remain on the lawn as mulch, you can detach this from the device if necessary.
Which manufacturers offer push lawn mowers?
Many lawn mower manufacturers also offer cylinder mowers. Well-known manufacturers with many models include AL-KO, Einhell, Hecht and GARDENA. But Bosch and WOLF-Garten also have some manual lawn mowers in their range. Rather unknown are the manufacturers Fiskars and Skil.
Maintenance and care of a push lawn mower
Due to the comparatively simple design of a push lawn mower, maintenance is very easy. After mowing, the lawn mower should be cleaned of grass residues with a water hose and then stored in a dry place. Depending on the frequency of mowing, the cutting blades should be resharpened regularly. Some manufacturers have thought of this and have installed self-sharpening blades so that no maintenance is necessary.
History of the push lawn mower
The push lawn mower is the original form of today’s lawn mower and was invented around 1840. They brought about a revolution in lawn care, as from then on the lawn could be cut very precisely and, above all, evenly to the desired length. In the course of time, the hand-operated push lawn mowers evolved into the more modern, motor-driven lawn mowers. The push lawn mower itself, on the other hand, has hardly changed in its mode of operation to this day.
Buying advice: Tips for buying a push lawn mower
To find the right reel mower for your lawn, you should make a few considerations before buying. Our buying guide tells you what is important in a manual lawn mower and which model makes the most sense for your purposes.
Lawn area
When it comes to push lawn mowers for the home garden, the size and location of the lawn area that is to be mown with it is what counts most. This also determines many other criteria that can make the work considerably easier, especially for larger areas. For gardens up to 150 m², simple models are usually sufficient. For slopes and larger lawns, a larger cutting width and additional functions such as a wheel drive are recommended.
Cutting width
The wider a cylinder mower, the faster it can mow larger lawns. However, hand-operated models require a little more effort. If there are some narrow passages in the garden, for example between flower beds, trees or bushes, the cutting width of the mower should be taken into account.
Cutting height and cutting height adjustment
The cutting height can be conveniently adjusted on all models. The cutting height can be adjusted either in individual steps or steplessly. With a push lawn mower, the lawn is usually cut rather short, which is why the minimum height of most devices is around 10 to 12 millimetres. This aspect is therefore only interesting if you want to leave your lawn longer than 30 millimetres. Here, the respective lawn type and personal taste are the deciding factors.
Number of cutting blades
You can also safely disregard the number of blades on the roller when buying, as almost all devices for the home garden rely on five cutting blades. Although more blades promise better cutting quality, they are more commonly used on large machines.
Wheel drive
If you have a lawn area of more than 150 m², an assisting wheel drive can make working with the push lawn mower considerably more pleasant. You will also appreciate the support on slopes. Of course, it is only used with electric and battery-powered cylinder mowers.
Catch baskets and box volume
If you mow regularly, the grass cuttings can be left on the lawn as mulch and thus return important nutrients directly to the soil. Otherwise, an enclosed or at least optionally available catcher box is a helpful push lawn mower accessory that saves you having to rake up the cut grass. The larger the lawn area, the larger the catcher bag should be. Otherwise you will have to interrupt the mowing work more often.
Weight
The weight of a push lawn mower is between 8 and 12 kilograms. Only some larger models weigh more. Therefore, the reel mower weight plays a rather subordinate role when buying.
Special features / comfort functions
Additional comfort functions can make using the manual lawnmower easier. For example, ergonomically shaped handles ensure fatigue-free working and foldable booms for compact storage. Here you have to decide for yourself which additional functions of the push lawn mower are important to you.
How do we compare push lawn mowers?
The overall result of a push lawn mower review is made up of various criteria that we examine individually and weight differently. This starts with the packaging of the machine. After all, you want to unpack a flawless lawn mower at home.
Instructions and assembly
Just as important after unpacking is the enclosed instruction manual. Are they clear and comprehensible, do they give tips on assembly and commissioning? Any warranty periods also have a positive effect on the result.
Workmanship of the push lawn mower
Incidentally, workmanship is a very important criterion and is rated highly accordingly. Is the mower made of high-quality steel or robust plastic? Both materials have their advantages and disadvantages. This also determines the total weight of the manual push lawn mower, which should not be too high. The materials used also make it easy to draw conclusions about the expected service life of the new lawn mower. After all, you want to enjoy your reel mower for a long time.
Increased attention should also be paid to the installed wheels, which play a particularly important role with a hand-operated mower. Only with a smooth-running cylinder mower that can be pushed comfortably through high and damp grass will lawn mowing be fun in the long run.
Cutting quality as an assessment criterion
With manual push lawn mowers there are also differences in the number of cutting blades installed on the reel. Basically, the more blades there are, the better the cutting quality.
Another aspect is the cutting width, which determines how much lawn area can be cut per path. Narrow reel mowers are more suitable for small and winding gardens, while wide ones are ideal for larger properties, which can be mowed more quickly.
Ergonomics and comfort functions
As with electrically powered lawn mowers, ergonomics also play a major role with hand-operated cylinder mowers. Only an optimally adjusted lawn mower, preferably with a soft handle, prevents pain in the back, arms and hands. If the guide bar can also be folded, the hand mower can be stored in a space-saving way.
Some models also offer helpful comfort functions such as a catcher box or even an electric motor. Such electric reel mowers make mowing work even easier by using a small motor to drive the mower, so that even sloping ground can be mowed without any problems.
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Susan Brown
Susan Brown is a seasoned DIY expert and construction professional who has a passion for home renovation and improvement. She provides comprehensive evaluations of the latest tools and products for home renovation, and she provides expert advice and recommendations to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions. Whether you're looking to remodel your kitchen, upgrade your bathroom, or tackle any other home improvement project, Susan is your guide to finding the best products available in the UK.
