Lawn Care On A Budget
Written: Aug 28 '05 (Updated Sep 02 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive
Cons: Takes some work
The Bottom Line: Not for everyone, but in some cases this mower is just the thing.
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| rbinck's Full Review: |
Introduction
Sometimes simple is just better. We moved into a house that has a very small backyard and the thought of getting into a bunch of lawn equipment was not something I wanted. The neighborhood association cuts the front yard and the side yard, but I have to cut the back yard, inside the fence.
My wife suggested we get a reel type push mower. She said her dad used one when she was a kid and said she would mow with it if we got one. What a deal, huh? After shopping at Home Depot and Lowes with not much success - they had one each, but it looked like a returned unit - my wife suggested we try Sears. Of course - Sears!
Logged on to the Sears website and after a couple of searches, I found the model 37613. The price was right and it was ordered to be picked up at our nearest store.
Assembly
The mower comes in a box that contains the basic reel mower and four handle pieces. Also there is a bag of hardware and a pretty good instruction manual. I had the mower ready to mow in about a half hour. All that is required is to assemble the handle onto the mower which is accomplished with simple hand tools.
Mowing
I found the unit surprisingly easy to use. I was expecting it to be hard to push, but it is not. The gearing to drive the reel is very smooth and quite efficient. What works best is when someone comes to visit when the grass needs cutting. So far everyone wants to give the mower a go and since it only takes about 15 minutes to cut the backyard, they finish wanting more! For some reason people think this is the coolest thing.
Cleaning
I don't know if it is the design or what, but the mower is very easy to clean. I use my leaf blower that is supposed to deliver air in excess of 200 mph and all of the clippings just disappear.
Maintenance
It is recommended the unit be oiled periodically and other than that the unit is pretty much maintenance free. The reels cut with a scissor like motion so the blades do not get dulled very often. There is a cut bar that can be adjusted to allow for wear.
Adjustments
Really the only adjustment is the rollers behind the reel. This is the cut height adjustment and there are about 5 different locations. The factory setting seemed to work best for me, but I like the grass cut a bit long.
Conclusion
This mower is not for everybody for sure. I would hate to have to cut an acre with it, but it would probably do fine on a full sized city lawn. It would certainly be less expensive to operate than a gasoline powered mower and it could be used as part of your exercise program! Combine it with an inexpensive trimmer and you have lawn care on a budget.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
rbinck
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Richard Binckley
Location: Houston, Texas
Reviews written: 125
Trusted by: 26 members
About Me:
Retired A/V professional, likes Hawaii and Classic Cars
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