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Bringing Back the Green Lawn Mower
Posted on Tue May 13 2008
Reel Mower A reel mower is the old fashioned mower that cuts grass as you push it around. It doesn’t have a motor. You are the motor. And reel mowers today are not the reel mowers of yesterday. They are easier to push and better to deal with. Our first experience was great, and we had never touched a reel mower before this. Blast from the Past Reel mowers have been around since 1827, when it was invented by an Englishman named Edwin Budding. His invention was the first of its kind, and it only continued to develop from there. Conventional mowers now typically come in options of gas powered or electric. And that is where the reel mower has been forgotten. But maybe not for long. Cost and Benefits One of my main ideas in getting a reel mower was simply for the reason of rising gas prices. With gas being such an expensive commodity these days, who wants to waste it on a lawn mower? And for that matter, with electricity going up, getting an electrical one was still not as appealing an idea as the mower that works for free when you give it a push. Another great feature of the reel mower is the fact that it doesn’t pollute. Plus it gets a person to exercise--two great benefits out of one simple machine. These mowers are not only simple, good for the environment, and free to operate, but they are also cheap. Chain hardware stores carry them or you can order them online. And the prices range from around $85 to $250. And the investment is a long lasting one. With proper care, like oiling the blades and making sure it is adjusted correctly, the blades can last for years without needing to be sharpened. Since this is a simple machine, it doesn’t have all the parts that can go wrong. So breaking down isn’t really an option for this kind of mower. It is also better for the grass by cutting the blades of grass rather than tearing them like a motorized mower does. And it also distributes the cut pieces evenly over the yard, which makes a natural mulching system. We have enjoyed our purchase so far and know that all the benefits of this first model make a little work pushing it worth all the effort. CommentsLet us know what you think! |
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When our gas powered lawn mower started giving us a tired “putt, putt, putt” sound as we tried to mow our yard, we knew it was time to get a new mower. And this time around, a Reel Mower is what came to mind first.
Hmmm...Health, financial, and environmental benefits. Sounds like a good combination to me! Glad to hear yours is working out well for you.
You can save money on gym fees: your back, arms, butt, hips and thighs will be getting toned for free!
We actually just picked one of these up at a garage sale. Figured it would be one more less thing to have to put gas in. It actually does a very good job.
Katie, I wish I'd read this a week ago when I went out and bought a new gas mower. Funny enough, just this morning I was thinking about how much gas it's going to use over the summer. I didn't even know you could get reel mowers anymore but I remember my dad having one when I was a kid. I'd definitely have looked into them! Thanks for the article. I'll keep it in mind if I hear of anyone else that's looking for a new mower.