I still have my rotary, but I've been using a push mower for about 4
years now. I got the Lee Valley 20 inch model, which is well made and
they also have a sharpening kit. My sole complaint is that the handle
feels flimsy, but everything made now has light tube handles that don't
seem strong. I think a 16 inch mower would be too small. I spend less
time and money on mowing with the push mower, since I don't have to be
filling the gas tank, checking the oil, starting the motor, etc.

Advantages of the push mower a
1. The cutting action is superior. My mostly bluegrass lawn looks much
better since I have switched to the reel mower. I have no experience
with other types of grasses.
2. Its virtually impossible to scalp the grass with a reel type. My
rotary would occasionally draw dirt in some of the rougher areas.
3. It is the easiest mower to push that I have ever had (I resisted
getting one for a while because of childhood memories of a much heavier
mower). It is quite light and easier to push than my mother's electric
or my rotary.
4. It never needs gas or plugs or recarburation. I think it is the
only non-polluting mower available. I know some say the electric motors
are non-polluting, but the electricity they use is, in most cases,
generated by some polluting plant.
5. It takes little storage space. I can hang mine on the wall.
6. It handles a lumpy yard better than my rotary does. The blade stays
fairly level and it doesn't chop of the tops of the bumps as my rotary did.
7. Since it is not powered, it is safer. There is a thread here about
someone who wants to mow a 45 degree slope and is apparently unconcerned
that the mower could overturn and mow him!

Disadvantages a
1. It has no vacuum effect, so its no good for mulching grass or
leaves. In fact, I bought the optional catcher bag with mine, but it
didn't work well so now I leave it off and let the clippings fall in
place and decompose.
2. It absolutely won't handle tall grass. One spring we went on
vacation for a few weeks and the lowlife I had hired to mow my lawn
didn't. When we got back the grass was quite tall and I had to break
out the rotary to chop it down. With a reel mower you have to mow
fairly frequently, which of course is better for the grass.
3. If you have a lot of debris in your yard, such as sticks or stones,
the reel will jam easily. I'm not sure this is a disadvantage. I think
I would rather have the reel jam, than have a rotary propel the debris
in my direction, or anyone's direction.


JC wrote:
X-No-Archive:yes

Lately I've been seeing lots of ads for old fashioned 'push mowers' -
light weight, 16". I have an average sized yard, sloped in several
places and was wondering just how good and helpful a push mower would
be. Does anyone have any comments about these mowers?
TIA