Join us in finding the best push lawn mowers online and find out why reel mowers are better for your grass.
We will help you find the best push cylinder lawn mower to keep your lawn in tip top condition.
Reel mowers or manual cylinder mowers are the cheapest lawn mowers on the market, and ironically, give a better cut than most other types of mowers.
We advise you to get the best manual, electric or petrol cylinder mower for sale that will suit you and your garden.
So, if you are here looking for a new manual lawnmower – you are in the right place.
Whether you are replacing your old push mower or buying one for the first time, this guide will uncover the best manual lawn mowers in the UK.
Best Review For Push Lawn Mowers
Manual garden lawn mowers are the most traditional lawn mower you will find on the market.
The very first manual cylinder lawn mower was invented in 1830 by Edwin Beard Budding, and the design has changed very little since then.
Today these mowers are known by a myriad of names:
or any variation of these words.
Manual Cylinder Mowers For Sale
In the hand push mower market there are several brands that rise to the top of the pile.
These include Einhell, Fiskars and of course, Bosch.
They are all good mower manufacturers in all the lawn mower categories and are definitely brand names that you should look at.
Good reputations come from good quality, long lasting machines that have proven their worth when it comes to cut quality, durability and ease of use.
That is not to say that other lesser-known brands compromise on quality. There are a variety of other models that give a brilliant cut and perhaps at a cheaper price outlay.
You will find some of these included in our selection of reel mowers.
The best thing to do is read the Amazon reviews and take note of the pros and cons of any machine you are interested in purchasing.
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How Many Types of Cylinder Lawn Mower Are There?
Within this category of mower, there are 3 options.
Below we will explain the benefits (and disadvantages) of these 3 differing options.
Manual Cylinder Mower
The most popular and most purchased option is the hand push lawn mower.
Manual mowers are ideal for the small to medium sized garden, and with a little exercise, achieve the perfect looking lawn.
The power of this garden tool is – yourself!
So being reasonably physically fit is important, as well as having the time to get out into the garden regularly.
Benefits of Hand Push Mowers
Some benefits of using a totally manual machine is that you dont have to worry about power cables getting in the way or having enough fuel stored in your jerry can to finish the job.
Now there are some savings straight away – no fuel or electricity bills to concern yourself with!
An added advantage is being able to mow at any time of the day without disturbing the neighbours. You won’t be disturbing anyone’s late morning lie-in or afternoon siesta on the weekend.
There are also safety benefits with a manual grass cutter. A powered mower – whether by electricity, with a hover lawn mower, or a petrol powered mower – can be dangerous if left unattended around young children or pets.
Children can be inquisitive and do themselves some serious harm doing something they shouldn’t be by fiddling when mom or dad are not watching.
I have been in the vicinity of a powered mower and been caught by a flying missile kicked up from the blades of the machine a few times. I can tell you that they do not have to be very big to be very painful!
That happening with a push grass cutter would be extremely rare.
Petrol Cylinder Mowers
There are a few models available that have a petrol option.
These models are very useful for the gardener who has a larger lawn to look after but still wants the quality of cut that hand push mowers are famous for.
The principle of a petrol cylinder lawn mower is exactly the same as it’s manual counterpart – but the petrol engine provides a lot more power and continuous torque to the cutting cylinder than a manual operated mower.
This makes mowing a larger lawn much easier, less physically exerting, quicker and therefore more efficient.
The extra torque makes mowing taller grass much more effective and far less strenuous. This fact allows you to leave your grass to grow a little longer than you would normally do when using a hand powered lawn mower.
Depending on your choice of petrol cylinder lawn mower, the starting mechanism will be either a crank or an electric starter.
Some models have a throttle control which enables you to control the engine speed. Other models have a set speed that is not adjustable.
However, the same principle applies to a petrol cylinder mower as to a hand push cylinder mower.
They are best on flat lawns that do not have complicated bed shapes and paths to work around.
However, if the lawn is a little bumpy, it can manage the undulations better than a traditional push mower. This benefit comes with the helpful torque that assists you in getting over them.
Benefits of a Petrol Engine
Petrol provides more power to the cylinder than an electric engine or you are capable of producing.
Petrol-engine lawn mowers have a greater range than electric-engine options, and there are no long cords to contend with.
Disadvantages of Petrol Cylinder Mowers
The internal combustion of petrol engines emits fumes, and maintenance of the machine is required eg. changing the oil and replacement of spark plugs.
Having the petrol engine on the machine does make the mower heavier. However, when mowing the torque does counteract the added weight keeping it manoeverable and manageable.
There is the inconvenience of having to store petrol and filling the machine before using.
The noise factor can also be an issue for the neighbours.
These mowers do tend to more expensive than the hand push and electric varieties.
Engine Capacity
The most important features of the engine are its capacity and speed.
This capacity determines how much torque the engine can generate for the mower’s cutting cylinder.
Electric Cylinder Lawn Mower
These mowers are perfect for a small to medium sized garden that has a convenient power supply point.
They are not easy to find and not often seen on Amazon – although there are a few brand names that make them.
They are ideal for a neat finish but are for a lawn that gets mowed regularly. Unlike the petrol model, it cannot manage longer grass as the torque is not as strong.
A regularly mowed lawn is the answer for this machine.
A corded cylinder mower can have a fair sized grass collection box attachment, although it is generally smaller than rotary mowers options.
This is ample for this type of mower as mowing often with this type of machine is advisable, therefore does not require a large box. Regular trimming is the order of the day.
The electric version is placed in the middle price range of these mowers. Not as cheap as manual models but not as expensive as petrol machines.
It all comes down to personal taste and requirements when deciding which is the best push lawn mower for you and your garden.
Find Out Why Reel Mowers Are Better
In the United Kingdom, the name used most commonly is ‘cylinder mower’ or ‘reel mower’.
This is an accurate description as the body of the machine is a cylinder shape.
Within this cylinder are the rotating blades (reels) mounted between the wheels. The handle is attached at the centre protruding upwards.
There are up to 5 blades housed in the cutting cylinder which cut with a scissor action creating a very clean, precise cut of the grass blades.
Now comes the real reason why reel mowers are better for your grass than any other mower:-
This clean-cut enables push reel mowers to keep your grass in good health, rotary mowers chop and tear with spinning horizontal blades.
Torn and shredded grass allow your lawn to be vulnerable to disease and insect attacks.
Whereas grass that is cut cleanly and sharply with a reel mower tends to heal faster and is less vulnerable to attack by garden pests.
The reel mower gives a sharp, clean look to your grass rather than a shredded and torn result sometimes produced by other mowers.
That is something you don’t want to experience!!
The fact that you get such clean cutting with these machines is why groundsmen for golf courses and bowling greens prefer cylinder mowers to keep their grass in mint condition.
Cost is also a motivator. Even a top-of-the-range manual lawn mower will come in cheaper than the most basic alternative which will be a hover mower when accounting for size and price.
What To Look Out For When Buying A Hand Push Cylinder Mower
There are a couple of points that you need to ask yourself when looking to buy a mechanical lawn mower.
Remember that you are going to be using this machine on a regular basis and you want your experience to be pleasurable and hassle free every time.
So here are a few tips to consider and bear in mind:
Push Mower Design:
Push Mower Maneuverability:
How to Use a Reel Mower
This mower is an extremely safe option as the blades stop spinning the instant you stop pushing and the wheels stop moving.
How To Maintain Your Push Mower
Buying a mower is the easy part of owning and using it.
Keeping it in good condition and running optimally is important and will stand you in good stead. A well maintained machine will last you many years and become a good friend.
A reel mower is easy to maintain, it just takes a little diligence after every use.
Their mechanism system is simple with few parts – meaning very little can actually go wrong.
Even so, be aware of safety precautions. The blades are suprisingly sharp so wearing protective gloves is a good idea.
Cleaning
This is the first, and important, step you should take in the care of your machine.
After every use, especially if your grass was damp or wet, it is advisable to brush the blades free of grass, pieces of weed and small twigs.
This keeps the blades from rusting and also clogging up the next time you use it.
Blade Upkeep
The blades should stay sharp for several years – as long as you keep your lawn debris free when mowing.
It is a good idea to sweep the leaves and twigs off the lawn before you begin. (And don’t forget any doggie doo too!)
When you notice that it is getting harder to push, then you may have to do a little sharpening as the blades could be a little blunt.
This is not hard to do.
Safety first. You want to ensure that the blades are static when trying to sharpen them. You don’t want a trip to the emergency because you have nearly taken a finger off.
To do this, jam a piece of wood or sturdy twig between the blades to stop them rotating. Simple.
Now you can run a coarse sharpening stone along the length of the blade smoothly and evenly a couple of times.
A good idea is to apply some cutting oil to the stone before sharpening and make sure you follow the angle of the blade as closely as possible. This should sharpen each blade sufficiently.
Try to make each blade matching in sharpness for an all round even cut.
When your mower is put away for the winter, a good idea is to spray some WD40 on the blades to stop any rust that may occur in damp conditions.
Oil Regularly
As with any machine, the oiling and greasing of moving parts are essential.
There are a series of gears that push the mower forward, check them and add lubricant where required.
Check The Tyres
Just like your car or bicycle, tyres need checking regularly.
The mower needs to move forward easily and efficiently to make your experience easy. If the wheels don’t turn properly, neither will the reel.
So make sure there is no build up of dead grass round the tyres and rods and check that there is enough tread to give traction on the grass.
If the tread has worn off, either put new ones on or you can try a little home repair.
You can attempt to add tread by making grooves in the tyres with a knife. This does depend on how much tyre is left to work with though.
Why You Should Invest In A Push Lawn Mower
Here comes another reason why push lawn mowers are better than any other mower.
The owner of a traditional manual mower will have the pleasure of good exercise, and the self-satisfaction of a job well done.
The smell of freshly cut grass on a warm, sunny day is hard to beat – especially if you are the generator of said aromas.
You can then enjoy the fruits of your labour with a cold drink of your choice in a comfortable chair.
Bliss!