American Lawn Mower #1815-18 Company 18-Inch Reel Mower

Nickname:
Rating:	5 (Excellent) 4 (Good) 3 (Average) 2 (Poor) 1 (Very Poor)
Summary:
Review:

Hand pushed reel lawn mower is solid, sharp, and easy to use; Cutting heights adjust from 1/2 to 2-1/4 inches; 5 tempered alloy steel blades with ball bearing reel design; 2-inch welded shrub bar frame; assembly required; 10-inch wheels and radial tires handle any terrain; cushion-grip handles for comfort; 18-inch cutting width. The business end of this hand pushed reel mower is solid, sharp, and easy to use, with five heat-treated, knife-sharp tempered alloy steel blades that can be adjusted for varying grass heights from 1/2 to 2-1/4 inches. With its 10-inch wheels, radial tires, 18-inch cutting width, and 2-inch welded shrub bar, this mower should enable you to cross whatever terrain and reach whatever hard-to-access rogue patches of grass you desire. Plus, the soft foam cushion on the handlebar is a nice -- and much appreciated -- touch. However, assembly can be a headache, even though the only tool you need is a wrench. The instructions could be clearer, and the handle parts could fit together better.

This mower is a good alternative to gas powered mowers for small to medium yards. The just-mowed look of a lawn where this is used looks much healthier than that of a gas-powered mower. The only problems are with crab grass and non-level spots in the yard. Crab grass tends to spread out (not up as much) when it grows. You have to go over these spots a few times to get it cut.

We have been pleasantly surprised by this wonderful mower. It it is quiet and easy to use....and peaceful

I've been interested in switching from a gas mower to a reel mower for a few years now. Last weekend I fought my last fight with the gas mower. After reading pages of reviews and visiting manufacturer's web site, I chose this model. Amazon had the BEST price, plus free shipping. It arrived in one business day. Lucky me, the mower only had to travel 70 miles; boy am I glad I didn't upgrade the shipping.

The disappointment grabbed me by the throat as I was openning the box. Right on the side were the words "MADE IN CHINA." I thought that the American Lawn Mower Company in Indiana made these. I keep imagining some Hoosier driving to work in a pick up to make my mower. Just another American company outsourcing to Asia.

Assembly was a cinch. First cut was a burden. I think I need to make adjustments already. It's harder to push than the old wooden one I tried at a garage sale. I don't buy the precision setting from the factory. It's tight. Something's wrong.

I so wanted to love this buy.

This mower is lightweight, easy to assemble, and very quiet. Does a good job in thick grass and rarely jams when you hit twigs and sticks. As with other reel mowers it doesn't cut tall weeds very well. Some of the information in the manual was unclear.

This is a great mower. We got it about 4 weeks ago and we have used it three times. It was very easy to put together. My husband does most of the work, but I tried it and it even worked for me. You have to pick up a bit of speed to get a good cut, but it's not too hard. I am not very big/strong and I was able to cut a nice chunk of our yard going up and down the hill with no problem. Our lot is half an acre and it does not take my husband much longer to cut the grass using this reel mower versus a self propelled gas mower (he thought that the self propelled mowers were too slow). We like that the price was low and we never have to buy gas. It helps us feel like we are being more "green".

The main differences between this mower and a gas mower:
1. You really have to pick up all the sticks in your yard before you start to use it because even fairly small sticks will cause it problems. I had a few sticks get stuck and to get them out you can usually just back up a little and they will fall out, sometimes you need to reach down and pull them out, but it's easy (not enough of a difference to switch back to gas).
2. You don't have to start an engine. In the past I have had trouble pulling the string fast enough to start a gas mower. With this one I could use it without anyone helping me to get it started.
3. It does not smell as bad as a gas mower.
4. It cuts the grass versus tearing the grass.
5. It is not as loud as a gas mower.
6. It costs a lot less to buy, use and maintain than a gas mower.
7. It is a lot lighter than a gas mower.

We did buy the sharpening kit, but we have not had to use it yet.

We were very excited to get our Reel Mower and after using it we highly recommend it to everyone.