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I had one when i lived in my first rent house, in my current house I had 4 gas mowers in the 16 years since I lived here, all of my gas mowers were only good for the first 2 years I had them and then 3 - 4 years of taking forever to get them started, reel mowers just work as long as you keep them sharpened and oiled and even that is a once in a blue moon thing. with all my gas mowers maintenance was a constant thing after the 2nd summer of use. and I no longer have to cut my grass in the heat of the day, last night I cut my grass by porch light at 3AM, with a gas mower someone would have called the police lol. but my neighbors saw me cutting last week one mourning and were saying how they hate those things, I'm curious on your opinions.
I had one when i lived in my first rent house, in my current house I had 4 gas mowers in the 16 years since I lived here, all of my gas mowers were only good for the first 2 years I had them and then 3 - 4 years of taking forever to get them started, reel mowers just work as long as you keep them sharpened and oiled and even that is a once in a blue moon thing. with all my gas mowers maintenance was a constant thing after the 2nd summer of use. and I no longer have to cut my grass in the heat of the day, last night I cut my grass by porch light at 3AM, with a gas mower someone would have called the police lol. but my neighbors saw me cutting last week one mourning and were saying how they hate those things, I'm curious on your opinions.
Whatever works for you is all that matters. Some people just buy things to change with the times because they don't want to be "old school". To me old school is the best school for many things.
I had one when i lived in my first rent house, in my current house I had 4 gas mowers in the 16 years since I lived here, all of my gas mowers were only good for the first 2 years I had them and then 3 - 4 years of taking forever to get them started, reel mowers just work as long as you keep them sharpened and oiled and even that is a once in a blue moon thing. with all my gas mowers maintenance was a constant thing after the 2nd summer of use. and I no longer have to cut my grass in the heat of the day, last night I cut my grass by porch light at 3AM, with a gas mower someone would have called the police lol. but my neighbors saw me cutting last week one mourning and were saying how they hate those things, I'm curious on your opinions.
3.5 acres. Need I say more?
But.. I just went out today, since Lowe's is running an 18 mos no interest deal and bought a new lawn mower and weed eater.
Sta-Bil is going to be a regular thing with this set. The last weed eater was a 4 cycle and hoses went out, then the carb.. So, was cheaper to just replace it this year.. The old push mower is still running, but not well.. So, will donate both to the repair shop, since they're good guys and have helped me out several times.
But, I have a lawn tractor and now a self-propelled mower for the ditch and close to the house.
If you have a tiny quarter acre lot.. A reel mower would work fine. Takes some muscle, but gets the job done. I just don't have the luxury of a small amount of grass to cut.
But.. I just went out today, since Lowe's is running an 18 mos no interest deal and bought a new lawn mower and weed eater.
Sta-Bil is going to be a regular thing with this set. The last weed eater was a 4 cycle and hoses went out, then the carb.. So, was cheaper to just replace it this year.. The old push mower is still running, but not well.. So, will donate both to the repair shop, since they're good guys and have helped me out several times.
But, I have a lawn tractor and now a self-propelled mower for the ditch and close to the house.
If you have a tiny quarter acre lot.. A reel mower would work fine. Takes some muscle, but gets the job done. I just don't have the luxury of a small amount of grass to cut.
Thanks for your input, make me wonder how people with alot of land cut their grass prior to gas mowers existing. I imagine most people only cut their grass within a 30 - 40 radius of their house and a path to the street leaving the rest to grow wild or for growing food. and those who could afford it hired people to do it, gas mowers must have killed a lot of jobs. were today a lawn service may send 3 - 4 people they may have sent 10 - 20 back then.
I've owned and used a reel mower, worked great for the small (flat) space I had to mow. But I moved, I now have 3/4 acre lot, on a substantial slope. Even with a self-propelled it takes 2 hours and I'm fairly tired at the end (am completely tired after the next hour of using the string trimmer, edger and blower ~ I have to break it up if I need to do any hedge/tree trimming or temps are above 90). I simply couldn't do the same job in even close to the same time with a manual reel mower, maybe a powered unit would be better.
But then I have the last complication of not having a perfectly flat lot. My last reel mower didn't like any inconsistency in ground level/flatness.
Beyond that, a simple gas mower is stupid easy to keep running (I'm a MC mechanic by trade), either drain the gas or use a fuel stabilizer if it's going to sit for more than a month. I'm 3 years out with my current mower and it still starts the first pull. I can slip the blades off and touch them up on a whim, actually I have 2 sets so I can easily swap and touch up whenever. It's just easier, makes the work easier, doesn't take up much different space, and works for me in my current situation.
No hate for reel mowers here. I wish I still had that small yard where it worked great because I *hate* mowing, with a passion. To the point where I'm working on landscaping my entire back yard (about 100'x100') so there is zero grass. I could and would do the front with a reel mower if I build a retaining wall and level the yard... mmmmm, daydreams.
I'm old enough that I grew to hate them as a kid, aged 7 or 8 that had to help mow the lawn. Hard to push! Then my father bought us a gas mower. Heavenly! Actually, reel mowers do a better job cutting, and often large public properties might use a ganged set of reel mowers to do the mowing. But it is a 'reely' cool idea to be able to cut your lawn with a reel mower in the middle of the night. Just don't go near any neighbor's bedroom windows!
Thanks for your input, make me wonder how people with alot of land cut their grass prior to gas mowers existing. I imagine most people only cut their grass within a 30 - 40 radius of their house and a path to the street leaving the rest to grow wild or for growing food. and those who could afford it hired people to do it, gas mowers must have killed a lot of jobs. were today a lawn service may send 3 - 4 people they may have sent 10 - 20 back then.
Sheep. Or harvest for animal food.
I'd hate to have to keep one of those mowers sharp. That's all I hate about them. I've seen Amish using them. If your lawn if nice and smaller it should work fine.
I'm old enough that I grew to hate them as a kid, aged 7 or 8 that had to help mow the lawn. Hard to push! Then my father bought us a gas mower. Heavenly! Actually, reel mowers do a better job cutting, and often large public properties might use a ganged set of reel mowers to do the mowing. But it is a 'reely' cool idea to be able to cut your lawn with a reel mower in the middle of the night. Just don't go near any neighbor's bedroom windows!
LOL actually that would be a built in excuse for being near the neighbors window depending ho close your house is to theirs lol.
But seriously I live in texas where the temp is 100+ most of the summer so cutting at night is much better lol.
I'd hate to have to keep one of those mowers sharp. That's all I hate about them. I've seen Amish using them. If your lawn if nice and smaller it should work fine.
but sharpening once is good for a few years.
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