Best Reel Mowers of 2026

The 18-inch cutting width is the first thing we look at on a reel mower, because it decides how many passes a normal lawn takes. The Great States covers a useful strip without becoming a barge, and the five-blade reel leaves a clean scissor cut on grass you have kept up with. Its 0.5-to-2.75-inch height range is wider than most of the 14-inch models here, and the six positions give you room to raise the deck for the first cut of spring.

The 815-18 is the one we recommend as the default because it balances that width with a 27-pound body and a cushioned loop handle that does not fight you on flat ground. We noticed the 10-inch wheels roll over small dips better than the 8.5-inch wheels on the smallest mowers, and the five-blade reel is a sensible middle: more cuts per turn than a four-blade. On a lawn that is mowed regularly, that combination feels efficient rather than fussy.

The catch is the debris you leave down. Twigs, pinecones, and matted clumps stop the reel, so walk the lawn first and mow before the grass gets ahead of you. On a clean, level lawn, the width and height range make the extra prep worthwhile.

Seven blades is the detail that sets the Earthwise apart here. The 1715-16EW uses a 16-inch, seven-blade ball-bearing reel, and it is built for bent grass, Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede, St. Augustine, and Seashore Paspalum. That is a specific brief, and it makes sense: a reel with more blades makes more cuts per turn, which is what fine turf wants.

At 21.8 pounds, it is light enough for one person to move around a small yard, and the 10-inch composite wheels roll smoothly on a flat lawn. We appreciate the quieter whir of a reel mower, and this one keeps that calm, mechanical sound. The steel side plates and seven-blade reel give it a more substantial feel than the 14-inch budget mowers.

The Earthwise is the pick when the lawn is already in good shape and you want a finer finish than the 14-inch American can give. The seven-blade reel is more demanding about grass height and debris, so it rewards weekly mowing. If your lawn is rough or you skip weeks, the extra blades are not the help you need.

A 20-inch reel mower is a commitment. The Scotts 2000-20S cuts a wide swath, which is exactly what you want on a big open lawn, but it is a lot of mower to steer around beds, trees, and narrow gates. We found the width pays off in long straight runs and becomes a liability in a cramped yard.

The five-blade reel and nine cutting positions from 1 to 3 inches give you room to set the height for the season, and the cushioned handle is comfortable on a long pass. We appreciate how quiet it is; you can hear the reel working rather than an engine. The dual-tracking 10-inch wheels keep the deck steady on a flat lawn.

For a large, open lawn with few obstacles, the 2000-20S is the efficient choice, and the nine positions make it easy to drop the cut as the season changes. In a courtyard or a lawn broken up by beds, the width turns every corner into a three-point turn. Check the wheels and handle fittings when it arrives; a loose wheel is the one fault that undercuts the wide cut.

The LawnMaster is the budget entry in this group, and it makes its case with a 14-inch five-blade reel and 10-inch front wheels. Those bigger front wheels are the practical detail: they roll over small bumps and make the mower feel less likely to dig in on a flat lawn. We like that the deck is narrow enough to fit between a stoop and a fence, which is where a 14-inch mower earns its keep.

We found the four-position height range from 1 to 2.5 inches easy to understand, and the mower is light enough to push without a running start. It is a simple machine, and that simplicity is the point: no gas, no cord, no battery, just a reel and a handle. The five-blade reel matches the 18-inch models here, even though the deck is the same 14-inch size as the American.

For a small, tidy lawn, that is a useful step up from the most basic reel without asking you to pay for an 18-inch deck. It is a simple, low-cost way to try the manual method, and the five-blade reel is the part that matters most.

The 1804-18 is the only pick here with a grass catcher in the box, and that changes the daily routine more than the spec sheet suggests. Instead of leaving every clipping on the lawn, you can collect a portion of them and keep a tidier finish around a patio or walkway. The catcher is compact, so empty it often; it is not a bagging system in the rotary-mower sense.

We think the 1804-18 is the right catcher-equipped reel mower for a small-to-medium lawn: the 18-inch five-blade cut and seven height positions give it useful range, and the catcher is the practical bonus. The red finish is easy to spot in a shed, and the 10-inch wheels roll steadily on flat ground. The handle and controls are simple, with no engine, cord, or battery to manage.

For a lawn that needs a cleaner finish near the house, the catcher is the reason to choose this over the Great States. For open grass where clippings can stay, the catcher is simply not needed. The rest of the mower is a familiar 18-inch reel, so the choice comes down to whether collection matters enough to empty a small bag.