No engine, no cord, and very close cuts
A reel mower turns its blades through the wheels, and it cuts like scissors. All eight here cost $82 to $150 and weigh about 18 to 28 pounds. Choose by height range first. Several stop at 1.75 inches, which only suits short warm-season lawns. The Scotts 2000-20S is the only one that reaches 3 inches. Blades run from 4 to 7: more blades mean more cuts per wheel turn, which suits dense Bermuda and Zoysia. Only the LawnMaster LMRM1801 includes a bag.
Manual · 14 in cut · 4 blades · 0.5 to 1.75 in · 8.5 in wheels · 19 lb
The best-known reel mower on Amazon, with more than 15,000 ratings. It has a 14-inch cut, 4 blades and a low height range that ends at 1.75 inches.
Best for: A small flat warm-season lawn kept short and mown often.
≈ $82
Manual · 14 in cut · 4 blades · 0.5 to 1.75 in · 8.5 in wheels · 1-year warranty
A 4-blade 14-inch reel mower with a 1-year warranty, close in every figure to the American 1204-14 but with fewer ratings.
Best for: A small short lawn where the warranty tips the choice.
≈ $87
Manual · 14 in cut · 5 blades · 0.5 to 1.75 in · 8.5 in wheels · 18.1 lb · 90-day warranty
The lightest reel mower here at 18.1 lb, with 5 blades, a 14-inch cut and a short range for lawns kept low.
Best for: A small short lawn and a user who wants the lightest mower possible.
≈ $91
Manual · 14 in cut · 5 blades · 1 to 2.25 in · 10 in wheels · 21 lb · 90-day warranty
A 14-inch reel mower with 5 blades and 10-inch wheels, cutting higher than the 1204-14 for about $12 more.
Best for: A small lawn kept around 2 inches.
≈ $94
Manual · 18 in cut · 5 blades · 0.5 to 2.75 in · 27 lb · 1-year limited warranty
An 18-inch reel mower with one of the widest height ranges here, from 0.5 to 2.75 inches, and a stated 5-year protection plan offer.
Best for: A flat lawn up to a modest size, kept short to medium.
≈ $120
Manual · 18 in cut · 5 blades · 9 positions · collection bag · 10 in wheels
The only reel mower here sold with a collection bag, an 18-inch cut and 9 height positions. Its height range is given inconsistently.
Best for: A buyer who wants a reel mower without clippings left on the lawn.
≈ $99
Manual · 16 in cut · 7 blades · 0.5 to 2.5 in · 10 in wheels · 21.8 lb
The most blades on this shelf: 7 on a 16-inch reel, aimed at dense Bermuda, Zoysia and St. Augustine lawns.
Best for: A dense warm-season lawn in the South.
≈ $120
Manual · 20 in cut · 5 blades · 1 to 3 in · 10 in dual-track wheels · 26.9 lb
The widest reel mower here at 20 inches, and the tallest cut at 3 inches, with dual-track wheels for about $150.
Best for: A cool-season lawn kept tall, or the biggest lawn a reel mower can sensibly handle.
≈ $150
Poorly. Makers say performance drops above about 4 inches.
Yes, eventually. The listings say heat-treated blades stay sharp for longer.
No. Clear them first, because a stick stops the reel.
Start with the American 1304-14 for a small lawn, or the American 1815-18 for a bigger one.
A figure published by fewer than four machines in five gets no column. It would describe the makers' silence, not the machines.
| Model | Price | Blades | Cutting height | Cutting width | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Lawn Mower 1204-14 | $82 | 4 | 0.5 to 1.75 in | 14 in | 19 lb in the bullets; the table’s 1 kg is an error |
| Great States 204-14 | $87 | 4 | 0.5 to 1.75 in | 14 in | Table lists 1 kg, which is an error |
| Scotts 304-14S | $91 | 5, ball-bearing reel | 0.5 to 1.75 in | 14 in | 18.1 lb |
| American Lawn Mower 1304-14 | $94 | 5, heat-treated alloy steel | 1 to 2.25 in | 14 in | 21 lb |
| LawnMaster LMRM1801 | $99 | 5 | 9 positions; table 0.75 to 2 in, bullet starts at 1.1 in | 18 in | 12.94 kg, about 28.5 lb |
| American Lawn Mower 1815-18 | $120 | 5 | 0.5 to 2.75 in | 18 in | 27 lb |
| Earthwise 1715-16EW | $120 | 7, ball-bearing reel, alloy steel | 0.5 to 2.5 in in the bullets | 16 in | 21.8 lb |
| Scotts 2000-20S | $150 | 5, ball-bearing reel, heat-treated alloy steel | 1 to 3 in, quick-snap | 20 in | 26.9 lb |
Specifications: the Amazon.com listings, read from a US address. Live prices: Amazon.com, through Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: November 1, 2026.
The live figure beside a product went and asked the shop for it the moment this page opened; any amount written into the text has not moved since the sentence was drafted, and it is the first of the two that counts.
