The universe works in funny ways sometimes. Take a few weeks ago when we were lamenting the death of our lawn mower on Facebook and Twitter (though we later resuscitated it with some basic DIY maintenance). After we sounded the Twitter and Facebook alarm, not only did we get lots of suggestions from you guys, but our friends at Lowe’s noticed our online call for help. In fact, they – along with the kind folks at Fiskars – generously offered up one of their newest mowers: a Fiskars Momentum Reel Mower, which just happened to be one of the more frequent recommendations that we got via Twitter and Facebook. Coincidence? We thought not. So we gratefully took Lowe’s up on their generous offer. And they even agreed to extend the offer to one lucky reader- so stay tuned for that prize as part of our Lowe’s Fathers’ Day Freebie which we’ll be posting later today!
But back to the matter mower at hand. I’ll admit that I was a bit skeptical of a reel mower at first, since it seemed like such a low-tech, high-effort, and mixed-result way of mowing your lawn. Especially a pretty large front and back yard like ours. But all the online suggestions from helpful and enthusiastic readers (plus a bit of my own reasearch) proved to be very convincing. We soon realized that not only would a reel mower be a better option for the environment (no gas fumes) and for my wallet (no buying oil or gasoline – plus it’s only $199 itself at Lowe’s) but it also complies with my apparent aversion to mower maintenance (no more oil changes, filter changes, or spark plug replacements necessary). It’s even healthier for me (no fumes in my face, plus a bit of a workout thrown in there for good measure). Oh, and I loved how easily it fit into the back of our Altima for the ride home. Definite perk.
So here’s the play by play when it comes to my maiden voyage with our brandspankingnew Fiskars Momentum. Right off the bat I was immediately won over by how few parts it had and how easy it was to put together. This is what it looked like out of the box…
…and here’s what it looked like about 8 minutes, 4 screws and 2 cotter pins later. Ready to roll.
In case you’re still scratching your head at this thing, a reel mower is a human powered machine. You “walk briskly” with it (as the manual suggests) which spins the blades and cuts your grass. And this reel mower claims to have innovations that make it easier to push (bonus) but since I only have experience with self-propelled gas mowers I realistically knew that this guy was gonna be a bit more work than I was used to no matter what. But one of the other improvements that Fiskars talks about is that the blades never touch each other, meaning that they need to be sharpened far less often than the average reel mower (perhaps even never). Again, not a difference that I really have anything to compare it to, but it’s nice to know that it’s a top of the line contender in the category that’s both lower maintenance and easier to push.
One difference that I was able to immediately pick up on and enjoy was the ease of setting the cutting height. My Troy-Bilt mower required that I adjust each of the four wheels separately and the levers were getting so old that it was quite the chore to move them. The Fiskars only required that I shift one lever to change the cutting height anywhere from 1″ to 4″ (anything over 3″ is said to be the greenest option for your lawn since it allows the blades to soak up more sun and water than closely cropped lawns do). And this easy height change capability is yet another listed improvement over other reel mowers, which can be notorious for cutting grass to short.
But enough about features. What was the whole mowing experience actually like?
Well, it was kinda fun. For one, it was virtually silent compared to the engine roar that I was used to, meaning I didn’t have to crank my iPod up to deafening volumes just to rock my way across our yard. Plus, the way the mower stealthily sprayed grass clippings out the front was not only mesmerizing to watch, but I loved the fact that it wasn’t kicking them back at my feet or off to the side (like the ol’ gas mower did – meaning I often sprayed the driveway and patio with messy looking cuttings). I tried to capture the front-spewing feature on film several times for you guys, but I had limited success. I guess flying blades of grass on a background of more grass isn’t the most high contrast subject matter.
Here’s a close up so you can (hopefully) see those flying blades a bit better. And yes, I was totally mowing with one hand and snapping pictures with the other. I don’t even want to know what the neighbors were thinking. But that does go to show you that it’s not dauntingly heavy or super hard to push.
Actually, the neighbors were probably thinking: “Who is that weird kid trying to manually mow that big lawn with a reel mower?“
I can’t blame them. Between just the front and back yards (not including the wooded area out back) we have over a third of an acre of grass. And the neighbors on either side of us both use rider mowers, so you can probably guess what they thought of the sight of me and my new orange friend. Even Fiskars themselves admit that reel mowers aren’t typically a good fit for people with large yards, so off the bat I knew we weren’t prime candidates to fall in love with the Momentum. But the odd thing is that after mowing both the front and the back yard once, I found myself looking forward to the next trim session, which occurred just about a week later. And the second time was even more fun than the first since I knew what to expect and welcomed the fume free workout that it was sure to provide.
As for the overall experience with our new reel mower, I think the Momentum is great (especially in being a greener option), but I discovered a few things that made me realize that this mower isn’t for everyone (just as the fine Fiskars folks proclaim on their website). So in an attempt to share what I’ve learned and help people end up with a mower match made in heaven, here are a few points to consider when deciding if the Fiskars mower is just the ticket:
- The size of our front and back yards (plus the fact that both have a slight incline to them) meant that mowing took a bit longer and was more of a workout than using a self-propelled gas mower. However if you have the time and energy and welcome the exercise, it could be just what the doctor ordered (but it’s not the perfect tool to squeeze in a quick mow before the sun sets if you have a spacious lawn).
- It doesn’t seamlessly chop weeds or grass over 6″ (and we unfortunately get a smidge of both from time to time). Some weeds are just too tough for its blades and tall stalks get flattened instead of sliced (both things that Fiskars warns potential buyers about upfront). So I did find myself having to go back and pull a few weeds by hand afterwards. In a way, it may actually lead to a healthier lawn if I’m forced to deal with my dandelions instead of just mowing them over. But again, it’s not the easy or fast solution for those without time to tend to a few things that may be left behind.
- It doesn’t do sticks either, and with all of our trees we get our fair share of ’em. Again, Fiskars says upfront that you need to remove any large or medium sized sticks as not to jam the mower or damage the blades (and generally this is a good idea for regular mowers too) so I found myself stopping a few times because a few twigs momentarily stopped the blades. It wasn’t a bit deal to get them out, but it added a few seconds here and there to the project.
The verdict? I think moving forward I’ll probably go steady with our new Fiskars but occasionally date our old-but-revived gas mower. After all, we’re used to going a bit above and beyond to be greener, so I’ll put in the extra effort with the Fiskars whenever I can. But I do plan to rely on my gas-powered Troy Bilt on the rare occasions when I’m super short on time (and once or twice in the fall when I like to mulch leaves right into it). But if your yard doesn’t pose the same problems as ours (big and sometimes stick-riddled) then the Fiskars is probably a one-mower-fits-all option for you. After all, it still leaves a darn good looking lawn behind:
Do any other Fiskars Momentum (or other reel mower) owners want to weigh in on their experiences? Anyone else have a mower that makes their heart go pitter patter? Do tell. And don’t forget that you’ll have the chance to win a Fiskars Momentum for yourself as part of this afternoon’s giveaway from Lowe’s (along with another pretty sweet Dad’s Day prize) so stay tuned…
jules says
Sarah S.- Thanks for the hill comment. We’re 2-day old homeowners on the hunt for the best mower- for our yard, new neighbors, and Earth. Maybe electric is the best option for our steep front lawn. All the haters just make me laugh a bit and cry a bit. It stinks for us happy people to have to weed through garbage just to learn some lawn cutting tips but in the end they are providing more hits and adding to the success of our beloved YHL site. Funny that their jealousy is fueling the source, but isn’t that always the case? So let them come and disagree and hate on everything, because in the end they are still clicking away on YHL, and isn’t that a good thing? They take risks we all dream about. Quitting your day job to do this? We’re a husband, wife, and baby team at our casa, and I can’t imagine going without our company provided health insurance. <3 <3 <3 YHL <3 <3 <3
Mish says
I read some of the snarky comments. I would just like to say you handled answering them very well. Which goes to show that you are kind people. I think it is great that you try to pay it forward also. I really enjoy reading your blog. On to the topic. The mower looks amazing. We moved to a town that actually has grass. Coming from a town that having grass was a sign of insanity due to the heat we didn’t know what to look for in a mower. Thank you for posting this along with the giveaway! (I wonder if those snarky commenters are entering the giveaways even though they don’t agree with your blog and such) Thank you for taking time to post. I know having children is a job all on its own so being full time bloggers well you both are awesome. Thanks!
Nancy Wyant Barr says
You know in life there is always someone that is jealous, and I am sorry that they are striking out at you! I absolutely love your site and check it everyday and get some amazing ideas! As far as the reel mower I remember using one as a kid and thought it was great fun!! My late husband was in “upper management” in a prison system and they bought a number of these for the inmates to use!! Quite clever I thought!! Prison isn’t supposed to be a picnic! I will probably get bashed for that one!
Keep up the good work, Blessing to you and the family!!!
Kristen says
Thanks for the review on this mower! I think this would be perfect for our small little patch of grass in the city. I live in a condo and was really annoyed when the guys in the building went and spent $300 on a gas mower for our 20×20 area of grass, this Fiskars one sounds much better and we wouldn’t have to worry about the maintenance. Also, kind of cracking me up that Fiskars makes my little cutting board for scrapbooking and also apparently lawnmowers, who knew!
Meredith says
I realize lots of other people are chiming in but I just wanted to echo the sentiments; I LOVE your blog. I am so appreciative that you guys post twice a day and provide tons of original content. Every morning at 9 (CST) I take a break and check the new post and after I come back from my lunch break, there’s another one waiting for me. You’re awesome about answering comments/questions, and even taking negative jibes in stride. (Also, I found it really interesting to read your explanation of the blog expenditures; it’s not home-improvement related but I think it would make an interesting post to go in-depth into what it takes to run a blog). Keep up the good work!
Laura @ youngDCliving says
So glad you posted this review! It was extremely well done and you really pointed out all the pros and cons. While I am in not in the position yet where this really pertains to me, I’m definitely going to look back at this in the future.
Katy says
My husband and I purchased a reel mower a few months ago when our inherited 1969 John Deere riding tractor quit working. We thought the reel mower would help us in the meantime while my husband fixed the John Deere. The cost was low and it is more eco-friendly. We also have a third of an acre with lots of trees and with the reel mower it takes about 2 hours to cut the entire lawn. It proved to be a bit much for an “all the time” mower so we now switch back and forth between the John Deere and the Reel Mower.
Andy says
Congrats on your new mower! We have a new super cool “Get Reel” euro-style bumper sticker coming soon…Watch our Facebook page for more info – Facebook.com/ecomowers
Cheers!
becky says
So I’m wondering how many of the haters will sign up to try to win their own mower and grill. :)
Melissa says
That would be the perfect mower for a small area! In fact, it totally brought back memories to the time we borrowed our landlord’s reel mower to ‘help’ the neighbor down the street… their grass was nearly a foot long and though we thought we were doing a favor, they called the cops on us! Haha — what do you do… Oh, and I love your blog too. :o)
Kasey says
Thanks so much for this review! I might actually go and check this thing out at Lowe’s. It has been in the back of my mind for awhile, to get a new mower. We are slowly changing our ways at our home. Going more ‘Green’. This mower would definitely help on the Environmentally Friendly list.
The current mower we have now is gas and I hate it. It’s loud, smells and the one thing that I have found hard to do is mow around our pool [we have an in-ground]. With the gas mower, it shoots and spits grass, rocks, dirt and other debris it chews up and depending on which way the wind/breeze is blowing, those clippings go RIGHT into the pool [ugh].
lastly, don’t let the negative comments bring ya down. You just gotta ‘love’ how people will criticize someone else’s success. I think you guys have worked hard for it and if it’s what you love and it works, why not??!!
Jill Stigs says
Love this post………shows with a bit of effort, you can get your lawn looking great. Now, as far as the blog– for as much time as you put into it and tweeting, and facebook I think you are underpaid whatever you are making (which is NONE of our business). Keep up the great work, so many of us love you guys and truly VALUE what you ALL do for us.
Kristin K says
I was so surprised to come for my daily post fix and see my Facebook comment in the post! Very happy that you were able to get the Fiskars reel mower, we are still very happy with ours although our yard is a bit smaller. I wish more tools could be so eco-friendly and quiet (as I hear my neighbor start weed whipping early on weekend mornings!).
Love the blog, keep doing great posts like these! I never buy products without reading reviews first, and I’m glad I can turn to blogs like yours with people I feel like I can trust, instead of just basing decisions on reviews by random customers elsewhere. :)
Nat in Australia says
I think some people are forgetting that they get to read this blog for FREE! So in order for you to be able to continue to provide this fabulous FREE info you have ads. To be honest I have never even clicked on an ad so it is possible to just ignore them and still love the blog.
And with regards to any gifts you receive and review, I like to believe that you are professional enough to give your honest opinion and not just write a heap of rubbish to keep the supplier happy.
Thanks Youngsters. Keep doing what you are doing.
Nat in Australia says
Oh, and about the reel mower…I had never heard of them. I told my mum and she laughed saying that that was how they mowed the lawn in the “old days”. Maybe it is an Australian thing but there is no way I could even think about using one on my lawn. I love the idea though. So “green” and a free workout too.
Steph says
Hi guys!
My fiance bought a reel mower before Christmas last year and mowed our reasonablly sized backyard once a week to once a fortnight. It works beautifully and he said he really enjoyed doing it! It’s winter here now (Australia) so he hasn’t mowed since, like, February!
And for those asking about catching clippings, ours has a catcher made of some sort of fabric on the back, maybe some brands over your way have an attachment?
P.S. Thanks to your fantastic blog, I have managed to mini-makeover my hallway, study (not quite finished!), kitchen pantry, and have started the bedroom. The laundry is next on the list! So a massive thankyou from an Aussie fan for all your hardwork, inspiration and swoon-worthy, swankerific ideas :)
Sarah Richardson says
My husband and I love our reel mower. One thing to be careful of is to not let your grass get too tall. Otherwise you practically have to take a running leap at the grass with the reel mower to get it mow anything.
Wilson Aldahondo says
Those lawn mowers are the best!!! Happy Father’s Day!!!
Tami says
We bought this mower this spring after our rechargeable electric mower died for good. I love it, it is super easy, cuts nice and smooth, even with our uneven ground. Our 9 year old son is who mows the laws and he can push this. My only complaint is if there is anything besides grass in your yard, it won’t cut it. For example we have not found a good organic/environmentally friendly dandelion prevention product and always have a few dandelions in the yard, the mower won’t cut them.
Laura in LA says
We mow two acres in the hot Louisiana sun, so gas guzzling riding mower it is. Thanks for sharing the new reel mower with us though, I have always wondered how well they worked.
As for the negative comments, I really hope you make more per month than what was stated, so you can sit back and laugh at someone who is rude enough to throw numbers out there. As you can see, you get a zillion more positive comments each day from folks that enjoy the entertainment and knowledge you share.
Julia says
Would love to see posts on organic ways to fertilize the lawn and ways to keep on top of the weed issues. Dh dug up all the dandelions by hand because we couldn’t find any other solutions that wouldn’t involve chemicals in the yard that might hurt our pugs. Our backyard is a hot mess of clover and all kinds of various weeds, with a bit of grass. We have yet to figure out a way to eradicate the weeds and get some real grass growing without risking the pugs and our organic garden. So I would welcome a post on such topics!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julia,
You’re not the first person to ask about this! We’re not experts in this area (we fall more in the category of just letting the lawn be) so I’ve actually been doing some reading on it lately and plan to share some thoughts once I feel like I’ve gotten a better grasp of the topic. So stay tuned!
-John
Lindsay says
I regularly read your blog but don’t usually comment. However, I agree with everyone that those snarky comments were uncalled for. I feel that you’re very honest about the gifts and sponsorships you receive. Not many people can turn a blog into a full time job, and I’m personally impressed that you made it happen with your hard work. You definitely deserve the success.
Kristina says
We’ve been using out reel mower on our weedy, slopy little yard for more than a year now, and we love it. Sticks are a problem, but we hear the neighbors’ magnificently loud gas version hit stuff and stall constantly, too. Par for the course.
It does choke on super-tall grass, but once weekly (or every 10 days) keeps it well in hand. It does push the dandelions over (I go after them with the rechargable weed whacker, no big deal), but it slices right through the plantain.
And as John said, the dandelion problem (and ours was BAD) encouraged us to start pulling them out. After a few hours of serious weeding over a few months, our lawn looks much better, and it’s even easier to mow. It’s actually fun. I’ve never used a gas mower with self-propulsion, but ours (can’t remember the make) gets a head of steam up when you push it, so it may be an option for people who are hesitating.
Liz says
i found an old (OLLLLLD) reel mower for $75 on craigslist, and i love it! i have the same issue with tough weed stalks that get flattened rather than chopped, and my yard has an awful lot of mossy hillock, which doesn’t go well with a reel mower either. but i still love it. my yard is wee (just a backyard, and lots of raised beds) so it takes me 20-30 minutes to do all the mowing and pulling of recalcitrant weeds, and it’s a little bit of a workout and silent too! actually, the whirry-choppity noise is very soothing. :) i recommend reel mowers! (i’m also not too concerned about having my lawn look perfect, so there’s that)
RJ says
We have a 16-inch Yardworks reel mower and love it! Our yard is much smaller than yours, but I don’t find it takes any longer than it would with a gas or electric mower.
We have the same issues with weeds {darn dandelion stems!}, and have noticed that if you let the grass get too long it does take a little more oomph to get it cut, but the trade-off of no extra bills and being green we find to be totally worth it!
Jill says
Your product review posts are among my favorites! I can only dream of having a house with a yard right now, but when we do, this site will be a great reference for us as we buy things we’ve never bought before–like a lawnmower.
Jessica Horton says
We have one and LOVE IT!
Caroline says
We have an old reel mower that we got for $80 at our local Ace when we moved into our house. It’s perfect for our tiny little yard, although it requires sharpening every couple of years. For the size of our yard space, it is perfect — even messing with the cord of an electric mower seems more trouble than its worth.
Lisa says
We just bought the Fiskars Momentum a few weeks ago and we are very happy with it. Our yard is flat (.33 acre but not all grass) and my husband and I both like using it. I didn’t like using our old lawnmower because I didn’t love the noise and emptying the bag always made my allergies act up. My husband will even get out there at 6 am for a quiet, early morning mow. :)
And, whenever neighbors or people passing by see us mowing, they always stop to ask about the mower and want to give it a try.
Lisa
Jen @ New Shade of Green says
We’ve had our Fiskars Momentum reel mower for a couple of months now and we love it! Love that it’s not powered and so it’s quiet and the lawn can be mowed any time of day without disturbing our neighbors.
We have the same problem with weeds that have been mentioned and I look forward to any future posts you have on organically tackling them.
As always, love your blog and wish your family the best!
Jules says
If we had a small lawn this would be something we would look at for sure. Enjoyed learning from your experience with this mower. I remember my Great Grandmother mowing her lawn with a reel mower she never had a gas power one.
Try using straight white vinegar in a spray bottle on your weeds. That is what Great Grandma had us kids do to the weeds in the cracks on the sidewalk and drive. It takes a while but it works. Salt water does the same thing easy thing for the kids to do after making ice cream.
Elizabeth says
I chuckled a bit when I got to this post of y’alls (love your blog btw). We recently purchased a reel mower of another brand and thought it would be ideal for our very small yard. We were paying $30-60 a month to a lawn service but that was getting too expensive and since I enjoy lawn work, buying a mower seemed the logical thing to do. We also thought storing a reel mower would be easier and cleaner. Both true but when it came to the actual mowing….uh, not so much. Our yard size was perfect for it but our grass type would not allow it. The St. Augustine was much too thick for it and even the Bermuda seemed to laugh at my efforts. In the end our grass looked like it had just gotten a bad haircut and that was only the back – 3 small patches. No way was I going to attempt the front. So, we took it back and are looking for a used gas mower. I am glad to hear though that it is working so well for you. I would have kept ours and enjoyed using it had it worked just as well for us.
Matthea says
YHL — yay y’all! Thanks for being the perfect bloggers!
@Elizabeth — thanks for the feedback re: St. Augustine grass — the folks at Home Depot laugh at me when I ask them about these mowers, as this is what we have — I think the neighborhood assoc. may actually require it! :/ So for now, will keep the lawn service. He’s a nice guy anyhow!
Essie says
YHL – Keep up the great work!! I came by your blog twice this week solely for product recommendations – polyurethane and this reel mower. I really appreciate and value your opinion, and it cut down on my researching time.
Also, I just wanted to echo all of your supporters’ comments. It takes an amazing amount of skill and grace to write up so many interesting posts each week.
Missy says
We’re on the reel mower bandwagon as well! Do you know where to get it sharpened/serviced? I’m sure you DIY-ers, well DIY, but I’m scared to work with such sharp blades. Any suggestions? Home Depot is clueless…
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Missy,
The beauty of this model is that it doesn’t have to be sharpened since the blades don’t rub against each other. We have no idea where to take one though- does anyone else know?
xo,
s
Missy says
That’s amazing. We have the Scott mower which gets dull as a nail file after about 6 months. I did a little research and found a mower repair place outside of Nashville (where I live) who does it for $6.50. Can’t beat that price!
YoungHouseLove says
Niiiice! Such a deal. Glad you found something affordable!
xo,
s
Shannon says
I recently got the Fiskars mower. It has been very eye opening. After seeing how easily and quietly I can cut my grass – and quickly – it really puts power mowers (especially riding mowers) in a whole new light: ridiculous overkill!
By the way, the Fiskars really doesn’t need to be sharpened because it uses a non-contact design. So instead of every 2-3 seasons, as you said earlier, think “once a decade”.
I love how easy it is to mow my grass now. The gentle T-t-ting” the mower makes cutting the grass… and I find myself having so much fun with it that I am actually contemplating how to mow my yard more often! My uncle thinks I am nuts, and is “waiting for me to get over the novelty of it”, but you know what? I’m just gonna go mow his yard too! lol
gina says
Hi J&S,
Are you still using this at your new house? I just bought one and it’s very good, but it feels like the handle loosens up after a while. Do you find yourself tightening it often, or did I maybe not go tight enough the first time?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we’re still using it as much as we can when it comes to the front yard (our back yard is too curvy and hilly to accommodate it). No issues with the handle for us, though. Maybe you just didn’t tighten it as much in the beginning as you mention? Good luck with it! I think they’re a company with awesome customer service so I would call or email them if you continue to have issues. They might just offer a free replacement handle or entire machine or something if it keeps loosening up.
xo,
s
Erin says
After reading this post I guess last year, the idea of a reel mower stayed in the back of my mind. I finally bit the bullet & made the purchase this season.
I was wondering though, how often do you sharpen your blades? Everyone I know has warned me that this will turn into a common occurance if I want it to stay working as well as it did on my ‘first run’.
YoungHouseLove says
The type we got mentions in the instructions that it should never need sharpening (since they don’t rub together like some mowers do when they cut) so they shouldn’t dull over time or need maintenance. Maybe just consult the manual for the one you got (and if you got the same one we did- do the happy dance!).
xo
s
Karen says
Has Sherry mowed with it? I ask because I am about her height and wonder if it’s hard/awkward to push. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
I didn’t do the whole yard, but I had so much fun for a row or two until John said I wasn’t going straight and took over. Haha. But yes, short gals can do it!
xo,
s
Ted says
Also, I appreciate the fact that you’re always upfront about which posts are “ads” for your sponsors or when you’ve received something for free. Nothing wrong with that, imo. :)
Katie G says
I bought the Scott version of the “reel mower” this year, and I have used it over the past 2 months with very fast-growing grass. I agree with some of the commenters that it is not great with weeds. Often, it never even cuts them, and my end result looks like I purposefully left the weeds standing tall. My question is – since this blog post is a few years old – about the need to sharpen the blades after so much time has passed. Are you still using it? Have you sharpened the blades, or do you feel like you need to?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We actually haven’t sharpened them! We hear our model has blades that don’t grind against each other so it shouldn’t need sharpening. So far, so good.
xo,
s
Shawn Murphy says
Hello:
Just curious – it’s been about three years since this post and a whole new house later (congrats!) – do you still use the reel mower? My gas powered push mower is on it’s way out and will need to be replaced soon. We have just under 1/2 an acre though so I’m a little concerned going the reel mower route.
Also, is it bad that the grass clippings are left on the lawn or is that better for it?
Thanks for the advice and great resource for new home owners!
YoungHouseLove says
We loved our reel mower for our first house where the yard was flat so it worked well. In the current house we learned that a bumpier more hilly yard doesn’t get a great result (picture spiky and uneven grass in some areas) so we use a gas mower here. I would recommend it for a small flat area, but if you have a larger hilly/un-level yard a traditional mower might give you better results.
xo
s
tom sherman says
per patent #2,329,383 i’ve invented a way to modify a reel mower that allows me to top the grass enabling me to cut g,rass as high as 1 foot high. Also I can push it faster than a standard reel or even a gas powered mower. ///what i’ve done is remove the rollers and then bolted the handle to the reel body to make the mower function like a wheelbarrow in its up & down motion.
Instead of bolting one can take a cord and tie one end to one of the now vacated roller holes then wind its other end 1-2 times around the handle section above the hole then 1-2 times around the handle section above the other hole then tie to the hole below that section. The weight of the mower body will prevent motion of same relative to handle so the mower body moves as one with the handle like a wheelbarrow