Reel vs Rotary Lawn Mowers // Pros and Cons, Cut Quality, How To Mow Low
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- Опубликовано: 7 июн 2024
- What is a reel mower and what is a rotary mower and how do they different in the lawn? Today l'll show you the pros and cons to reel mowers aka cylinder mowers vs rotary lawn mowers and what situation you may want to use one over the other. I'll discuss cut quality with examples from both mowers as well as the process of how to transition your lawn to mowing low with a reel mower if you decide to go that route.
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I feel like having a great lawn is low key one of those super addictive things that goes under the radar.
I'm obsessed now lol
Yup lol. I didn't even realize but your Right
But I always notice lawns! I don't want to be one of those people with the Tru-Green or Chem-Lawn sign in the front! I want to do it myself, with the fewest chemicals possible to achieve the look. I'm willing to put in the time.
I’m hooked now
don't worry the East Siberian Arctic Shelf Methane Bomb has been triggered. Abrupt global warming will be doubling soon. The Fungi are definitely gonna take over the lawns. haha. arctic-news.blogspot.com
As a veteran of using manual reel mowers on 419 Bermuda hybrids, I’d like to offer s few observations from my experiences:
1) when getting very low (1” and below) the lighter, less expensive reel mowers (such as the otherwise excellent Scott’s 20”) just don’t work well. Once your grass thickens up from the low cut, the mower (even the Scotts at its lowest setting of 1”) will bounce off the grass, making it necessary to go over areas repeatedly and from various angles.
2) heavier manual reel mowers add much needed momentum to the job, making hangups due to surface irregularities or super-dense areas a breeze to push through
3) the over all time to manual reel mow often vs using a typical 21” rotary less often will be about the same, the key difference is you can not afford to miss a manual mow by more than a day or two, making a rotary mower as a backup essential. With a higher quality, heavy manual reel mower, you can mow FAST. I typically sprint across the yard, and my mower never bounces, it just shreds through (it gets cuttings hitting my neck, but whatever)
4) the Fiskars is a great mower for the price but it will not get you down to 419 Bermuda low low levels
5) the $300+ 21” Mascot Silent Cut does sub-1/2” cuts with ease. It’ll eventually level your yard for you (by shaving off high spots). After one pass with it I realized it was worth the money (which is dirt cheap by rotary standards but around 3x the cost of the Scotts). It’s low scissor like cut changed the nature of my grass and had both neighbors and their lawn care professionals claiming that I had replaced my grass with something new. I can’t praise it enough. Takes me 30 min to do a very complex 4000 sq ft front yard and 20 min to do a 5000 sq ft simpler backyard (I sprint on the runs, like an offensive lineman hitting the practice skids). I’m 56 years old, fwiw.
I'd like to try out that Mascot
Thanks!
Is there Any heavy duty Manuel reel mower under $200? I just need it for some spots that I can’t get on with my stand on mower because of the angle I would fall of my mower so I don’t need a big one a 14”-17” would do. I don’t need the 21” that’s too wide for the spot I need the reeler for
Awesome, i hope your 60s treats you well!
@@astroid9924 Ha! TY! I have to take care of too many lawns now to use the manual reel and still have the time and energy to lift/ride/etc. I am thinking maybe of just doing it on my front yard (4000)..... But if anyone has smaller area to mow and doesn't mind the clippings getting all over them (keep some reel-mowing-only junk pants and socks and shoes around) it can't be beat. Everyone should exercise, but this way you get to admire the results of your exercise.
I’m so glad you made this video. This is what initially got me in trouble with my lawn many years ago. Having tall fescue and not aware of its proper cut height, I initially purchased a reel mower with a battery assist (Brill). I was trying to be more environmentally conscious, and I heard reel blades gave a better cut. Plus I thought the battery power was great. For a while I could cut it with this mower, but as time went on, it became increasingly difficult. Over time the lawn turned into a weed salad. I’m so grateful for this lawn care community. I have been watching your videos since the beginning of this year, and thanks to your advice, I’ve been able to turn this lawn around. 👍🏻
or just stop being anal about lawns n fill your lawn w garfens that produce foods instead of chemicals
I cannot thank you enough for all the great content. My yard is looking a hundred times better than it used to and I tell everyone about your channel when they ask about my lawn
I’ve been watching everything you put out. I’m about one year behind you but benefiting from it all, keep It coming
Thanks for the tip Ryan. I’ve been cutting at 1.5” -1.75” on the same hrx you have. Tonight I went down on a test strip to ~1” and that’s when I realized I can’t go that low without leveling. I’m encourage to try but that maybe a project for next year.
Enjoy all your videos..thanks!
Thank you Ryan. I bought a manual mower and it worked just fine. . . I had to run over a few more passes and the outcome was excellent. . . I have saved myself of the running cost of these machines. . .
Love the video! I got into reel mowing when I bought a townhouse. Front lawn is 270 sqft. House had a reel mower in the basement. I didn't want to store oil and gas and a rotary mower because space is at a premium. Reel it is and I love it!
Great video again. 2 things: Frequency of fertilizer app at low mow can be still kept in check with an FMS fert (Fast, Medium Slow). Prill size also matters when mowing low. It improves distribution a lot. I personally will be using SGN 145 of FMS 21-4-12, 2% Fe and micros as probably a single late spring app at 1lbN/M.
The dethatching/power raking step is crucial. I had the same experience taking my front yard down. Made it so much easier. Feels much softer and more enjoyable to walk on after as well!
Completely agree
Dethatching Bermuda is not good
So inspiring to watch - I get addicted to these vids.
Initially I bought a Gardena Sileno Smart 500 - but just borrowed a AL-KO Gudenaa GU 400 from one of my friends - and what a cut! Dont think Im gonna keep my Gardena Sileno Smart 500, might as well gonna sell it again.
Cheers from Denmark!
Underrated video. For the novice, you presented great information between the different types of walk-behind mowers as well as their pros and cons. Great job as always Ryan!
Just started following your channel three weeks ago, wanting to get a better lawn. 10 days ago I dethatched, topsoiled and prepared the (now extremely bare) lawn. 8 days ago I sowed (with some RPR I got from the greenkeeper at my golf club), and today the first few leaves of grass has shown. Now I just need to convince my wife that a Swardman is essential.
P.S. Temperatures are hovering around 15 C (60 F) at the moment.
Nice
Once the crappy weather is on it’s way out and the grass starts to finally grow,. I get into the mindset of mowing as I feel it’s getting too long, this in turn helps with my mindset and depression a lot. After watching thing I’m looking forward to seeing some more sunshine and a nicely cut lawn. Thanks for your show, you pass on tips and trick that I would have gotten from my grandfather who was a greens man for a local outside bowling club. Keep up the great work and I will keep looking forward to seeing some of your new videos...Phil in the UK 🇬🇧
Thanks for watching!
Reel all the way. No need to worry about gas, oil, tire replacement, belts, battery replacement..
Sure do that with 2 acres 😂
@@mdanielp2I can, with my remote controlled reel lawn mower 😎
@@mdanielp2Good exercise !
i like my reel mower. great channel by the way. anyway im not into a short grass look yet and the reel mower cuts extremely well. after using it i am amazed as to how even it cuts and takes the same amount of time if i had used a rotor mower. my opinion the rotor cant compete with the reel mower if you stay on top of your lawn mowing. i think i even hear my grass applaud and breath a sigh of relief when i use it.
Great video, Ryan! I learned a lot and you answered a lot of questions I had! Love your channel, and I never miss a video. Keep up the great work!
Dethatching is key! That dead stuff, if thick enough, will big down any mower. Awesome video!
👏
Very interesting and educational video, Ryan! In 1953, my father bought our first self-propelled reel-style lawn mower, manufactured by REO, a division of the car/truck manufacturer, at the time. Years later, we replaced it with a rotary mower. It seems like our experience with the reel mower was that it seemed to cut the grass, instead of tearing it, as our rotary mower did. Maybe it was because my dad sharpened our reel mower blades regularly? Either way, it was an interesting experience. Thank you!
quality information Ryan - the worst thing for a new lawn person is the sight of browning - knowing the reason behind it definitely helps
Your lawn is pristine I enjoy your video's and the way I see my lawn
Very informative video, thanks! Learned things about grass height. For my asthmatic family and some neighbors, air quality trumps cut quality so I've always used a push reel mower, which for me is the traditional mower dating back to the 1800s. Although I suppose scythes and livestock date back even further.
Ryan I enjoy watching all your videos. I appreciate all the time and effort you put into it.
Probably your most informative video to date, imo. Thanks so much!
I'm so happy that I grabbed my fiskars 18 inch off marketplace. My fella was a little annoyed cuz I just bought a toro super recycled last year BUT I still use that on the backyard, and now I get to mow every day 💛💛💛
Very good video. I've gone back to a reel mower. I don't want to use gas and oil anymore and I need and want the exercise using a reel mower.
I have just started to get interested in having a great looking lawn mind you I am 51, at your age it was really low on the priority list.
But videos like yours contain invaluable knowledge and experience.
Thankyou!
Your lawn looks great.
Very informative Ryan. I last used a reel mower many decades ago, and as nostalgic as it could be for me, I'm probably not going back there....... Thanks and Blessings Ryan!
I've watched many of your videos, but this is your best one to date. I've had a successful 2019 kbg renovation but fell victim to many o fthe things you touched upon on this video, grass crowns upon low cutting and dethatching, and fungus issues this late summer early fall. thanks again for the content
So it’s good to cut the grass really short ? I thought that was the cause of my grass eventually dying and becoming mostly dirty brown grass
A very well-done informational video. A beautiful lawn that obviously is perfectly maintained. It`s a real art to manage a healthy lawn like this one. Much appreciated from up here in Canada!
Thanks for this video.
Amazing grass! I hope that my yard starts looking that good. I am working on it. I clicked on because I wanted to compare a Reel Mower to a gas powered mower.
gas powered reels are also available.
Try a UK cylinder (reel) mower with 16 or 20 blades, the finish is amazing. We use them for cricket squares, bowling greens and tennis courts, they make them look like velvet.
Much appreciate the in-depth info on the lawn mower pros and cons.
I think I found what I am binge watching for the next week!!!
Another great video Ryan.
You have quickly become one of my favorite RUclips channels.
Thanks!
@@ryanknorrlawncare You ever consider providing lawn care tips based on user submitted photos?
Plus, I am Zone 8B (plants), so I typically cut my lawn at 2 1/2"-3 1/4".
As these Northern Grasses are healthier at "longer lenghths".
Any suggestions are WELCOME!😎
Thank you for sharing your video series!
Take care,
🤓 -Thomas
Western Washington State
I just finished the second mow on the front with the reel. Such a huge difference in quality of cut and the grass is responding better.
👍
@@trevormuggeridge4560 Trevor!!!
That was a great video explaining what dedication it takes to mow low! It’s definitely not for everyone.
Your yard is beautiful! Thanks for putting this up!
My family is planning on getting the reel mower which I’m happy with🤗
You are a God send for Joe six pack trying to keep up....Thanks Buddy!
I've got a 900 square foot putting green and a 200 square foot "fairway" in my backyard. I sodded it last spring with 007 bentgrass and it's a hell of a project. I spoon feed nitrogen roughly every two months but the fungus and keeping bluegrass at bay are my most expensive efforts. I cut at least 5 days a week and use a Toro Eclipse reel mower. I keep the green at 1/10th of an inch during the spring and fall and 1/8th of an inch during the summer. The fairway is easier at 1/4th of an inch. People have a tendency to use too much fertilizer and burn out lawns cut low so glad you mentioned the light fertilizing part. I expect it to be another year or so before the green really hits it's stride but it's a lot of fun in the meantime.
“If you mow infrequently like once a week.”
*laughs in Utah during a drought*
I have a VERY small yard. I got rid of my lawn mower and getting a reel mower. I'm excited 🤗
It's fun!
Nice placement of the SLS!!! I just received my Ryan Knorr Lawn Care sticker!!!
As a greens keeper I feel you covered alot of good points. Consistency is key.
Amen brother, great vlog to fill in the old school people
If you love your lawn, have the time and money then a powered reel mower with a cartridge system is what you want, if not then the rotary is for you. If you have steep hills then a rotary probably works best. Btw, Ryan, you should do a video on how to backlap your reels mowers.
Nice series by the way watched them all!!
What a Brilliant channel! Frequency is the key👍
I love the Gladiator Garageworks in the background!
You are definitely one of those "Get off my lawn!" guys. :-)
Yeah, mowing once a week is not often enuff...wow!
Just bought an 18in American push reel mower after watching this!
Good sample video Ryan and information very helpful for those that don't know. I think👍
I haven’t fired up my Honda rotary in over a month now. Manual reel mowing 11,000 sq ft twice a week I’ve gone full lawn crazy now.
Sissy ryegrass! 😜
here in TX and i do my 7500 sq ft 2 times a week maybe 3 for my Bermuda. Its a workout, my goal is to get one of those Swardsman mowers.
tim borski curse you for bringing this mower to my attention! Thing looks freaking amazing!
Lmao we are losing it, I’m with y’all now
Fantastic information! I'm loving the manual reel mow on my bermuda.
Just ordered my first reel mower, only a small 30cm width for my front lawn. Looking forward to seeing the results
How did it go? any regrets? I got electric one for my front lawn , reel one is definitely easier to use though ...
Thanks for the video. Just got a 16" scotts elite and my bermuda is loving it
I enjoy mowing, but not enough time doing it every day or every other day....therefore I’ve tried a robot mower which is mowing every day. I’ve started with the highest setting, and week by week I went down to 1”. The lawn looks really great and thick....no thatch built up so far.
But how do you keep the golfers off your lawn?
Lol
You don’t...
We will find your yard... And we will golf it!
Hire a grumpy old man to sit on your step and yell at people
Paddywhacker93 we are the grumpy old men
The rodenator!
Literally fills their burrows up with explosive gas and blows them away search on RUclips it's epic!
This makes me so glad I'm not a suburbanite. I'm out in the woods and the vast majority of my lawn is moss. So it is basically no maintenance outside of leaf raking season other than the semi-sunny area down at the bottom of the front lawn where the septic drain field is located, that is basically the only spot that gets any sustainable grass growth.
Thinking about getting a manual reel mower just to deal with that area, so I don't have to mess with all the expenses that come with maintaining and fueling the old rotary mower. There is a big row of shrubs blocking the view of the yard from the road, so no one but us living here see that grass anyhow, so I don't particularly care if things end up a bit uneven when just doing it once every week or two the way we already do. Still would be worth the savings. And besides, we don't go crazy with the sort of fast growth regiments you put your lawn through, so the grass growth is naturally slower, meaning we don't have to do it every other day just to keep it at bay, heh. Whatever nutrients the septic drain field is providing is the only fertilizer this lawn ever sees, lol.
Thank you for being so helpful and all the information.
Great videos, Thanks Ryan!
Great video I needed this info thanks Ryan
As always, you hit this one out of the park. I cant to seem to get enough of your videos. For me personally, i have some health issue with being overweight and need to get out and exercise more. Mowing every other day or every day is a big deal for me. I'm almost as old as Conner and Alan but they seem to put in the time to stay fit. hahahaha :)
Lawn's looking great Ryan
This is a good reference video for the future on compare/contrast the different mowers.
Question and apologies if I missed the answer: how level does the land need to be to benefit from a reel mower?
Super helpful. Thank you.
I am glad that you talked about how it is a bit more work to keep up with a shorter cut lawn. You definitely have to be dedicated to it.
Or you get a robot mower ;)
Every other day for me, but I can do it just before dawn and begin the day with a nice warmup! Much faster than how long it takes me to mow with my 21” Toro, too.
Dude I’m mowing 2x sometimes 3x a week right now at 1 1/4” lol. It’s a lot of work.
@@DIYDad1 I'm at 2 now. Not sure I can go much lower.
Jason G yeah that’s about as low as I can go with my Honda. Don’t get me wrong it still looks fantastic at that height with a rotary!
Great video. I'll need to level my lawn before getting into reel mowing. A project for spring! For now, it's a bumpy ride on the rotary.
The backyard is the same story for me but the manual reel still works fine on the bumps
@@ryanknorrlawncare good to know. I might give it a go early!
Best video yet!
You're lawn looks great! You're the only one I know in RUclips that explained it that made total sense. Good job! I do have a question. Does it matter what kind of grass you have to go as low as you did. I have Florida's famous centipede grass. I don't see that type of grass works the way you did. But maybe you can enlighten me a little bit. Thanks!
Always great information!
LOVED this.
Excellent!! Thanks for sharing!
As always great information
Another amazingly informative video. Thanks, perhaps touch a bit on leveling the lawn before going to a reel mower so you won’t have scalp marks all over the lawn.
Having a nice flat surface makes reel mowing possible
Very true but with dual rollers it can actually be fairly bumpy...ask me how I know? haha
that fiskar reel mower at 4 inches is awesome, I switch to that fiskar reelmower for that reason ( I love 3-4 inch cuts)
Next topic, bagging versus recycling clippings, please. Thank you
Mulching grass is far better for the lawn and environment.
I got a small yard and use a rotary. I do it every other day when I get home from work to unwind a bit and get some fresh air for 10-15 minutes. It's much more gentle on the yard but does not look anywhere as nice as Ryan's, dang his lawn is beutiful.
That's a beautiful lawn.
Thank you very much for the great informations.
Can you go over which types of grass you have around your yard? KBG, Rye, monostands, mixes, I can't keep up.
Thank you for this video!! Awesome!!
you forgot to talk about the use of PGR and its importance with low cut turf. good video! thank you.
I’m stunned, Ryan. Beautiful work. I put in a pool and scraped my entire half acre for a massive landscaping job. Long story short, I’m going to get rid of my new 31” professional turf master for a reel mower.
What are the key differences of the swardman and allett reel mowers?
I live in Minnetonka, Mn (love your hats... btw). I have 14 oaks and, lots of debris (sticks, acorns, leaves, etc). I’m wondering what the issues will be for more shaded lawn? What seed blend do you recommend for shaded areas?
I know this this will be an evolving issue as the tree canopies get bigger and bigger. I would love to share some photos off line with you or if you could point to other resources for guidance.
I’m starting from scratch. I have a rocky clay base. I’m currently planning on 4” of pulverized top soil. Thoughts?
Thank you.
Which regards to rotary mowers, the speed that you walk has an affect on the cut quality. If you walk more slowly the blades rotate more times over a given area and the suction has more time to lift the grass.
Makita makes a cordless scarifier marketed in UK, I would love to get my hands on it. I would dethatch the power cable with my luck if I had a GreenWorks or SunJoe 😉
I bought a manual 16" reel mower. I figured that it is better at mowing tight corners and against fences. Give me your professional opinions. Thanks for your educational videos.
Excelente contenido!! eres un gran maestro de la materia ,gracias por compartir tu sabiduria y talento saludos desde ALASKA !!!!
Hi Ryan. Great video's!! Thank you for your help. Is there a better time of the year to begin the process of shortening your lawn? Is spring better than summer or fall? I live in New Jersey. Thanks.
What a beautiful yard 😫
Hope, to bring you on my back yard, to fix my grass and make easy mowing
It's fairly dry in my area and I never water the lawn so I cut it at 4" about once every week on 10 days so it doesn't dry out and burn.
I had a motorized reel mower in the 60's. 18" wide with a briggs motor on top. To bad they dont make them
anymore.
I'm not paying $2000 for a small yard.
Thank you for the video sir.
I’ve been watching your videos and in the past 4 months my yard has become beautiful! I’ve been applying your ideas to my back yard and it’s stunning, I’ve left the front mainly alone since I didn’t want to destroy it and get an HOA fine lol
Great clip Ryan. The only thing I would say not all grass types can go as low or at least look good with a reel.
I have TTTF and I bought a manual reel mower really only to test it but also run over my grass a few days after cutting with my rotary to help me take it down on my next rotary mow. Also, to mow earlier in the morning without the noise.
What is the lowest do you think TTTF can be cut at to give that tight knitted look? I currently cut at 3” with my Honda rotary... I cut at 2.5” for my late Fall winter cut.
Great video!
I’m glad you used the Time Master since I’m considering one.
I think I’ve mentioned this butI would love a Swordman but my lawn is a little rough for those I think.
Brian Gallant cant go wrong with the TimeMaster. I’ve had one for three seasons now and the quality of the cut is better in my opinion then other rotaries.
tjm f100 Thanks!