Scotts Outdoor Power Tools 2000-20S Review
20-Inch 5-Blade Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower, Green
89Good!
4.2 / 5 from 2785 users
$149.99
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We spent 8.7 hours reading reviews from customers and experts. In summary, here's what users think:
9 reasons to buy
The lack of a motor in the Scotts Outdoor Power Tools 2000-20S eliminates the need for gasoline or battery charging, reducing pollution and making it a more environmentally friendly option. (54 reviews)
“This does the trick with no gasoline or battery charging.”
“Don't smell like gas-NO pollution”
“Saving the planet, one step at a time.”
“I'm happy to sell my gas mower; things I won't miss about my gas mower: gas, oil, air filter, spark plug, noise, fumes, changing the oil, winterizing it.”
“I have always wanted a gas-free, oil-free, filter-free, spark plug-free, choke-free mower”
“Its nice not having to buy gas, pour gas, spill gas, breathe gas, deal with oil and oil changes”
“There are no gas fumes, which is also a plus. It's definitely more eco-friendly because it relies on human power.”
“No gas to buy, spill or transport, or store. No fuel means no fuel stabilizer or winterizing.”
“Even if I'm hopelessly naive, I like to think I'm being at least a little more eco-friendly using this thing.”
“Push reel mowers use no gasoline, which means no more fumes and emissions to harm you and the environment.”
Users found it easy to use compared to power mowers, highlighting its lightweight nature, ease of maneuverability, and the simplicity of carrying it with one arm. (53 reviews)
“it is simple to own and operate”
“Assembly was straight forward, assemble the handle with thumb screws and attach it to the mower.”
“It's a snap to put together and I mowed the lawn that weekend.”
“Assembly was very easy.”
“Easy to push. I inverted the handle for greater comfort and fit”
“It's very lightweight and easy to move around”
“The mower is significantly lighter than a similar-sized gas-powered mower”
“The handle is sturdy (it does not flex when I push the mower).”
“I am a fit middle age lady and had no trouble assembling or using this mower myself.”
Compared to gas and even electric mowers, the reel mower operates much more quietly, with the only noise being the 'swishing' of the reel blades. (50 reviews)
“There was much less noise, the noise stops as you turn around to start the next row, and you don't smell like exhaust when the mowing is done.”
“The biggest difference is how genuinely silent the job of lawn mowing is now.”
“the reduction in sound, even compared to an electric mower was very noticeable”
“It's also quiet enough to cut anytime of the day or night.”
“less disturbance (noise and smell) to neighbors and animals”
“it’s quiet so i can mow any time and hear my audio books”
“This is much quieter than an electric or gas-powered mower, so I am able to cut grass at 7:00 a.m. before it gets very hot or the day gets busy, and not bother anyone.”
“it's kind of a cute slicing noise - nothing compared to the blare of a gas or even an electric mower”
“You can use this at the crack of dawn on a Sunday and not wake anyone up.”
“It is quieter than a powered mower. It is by no means silent, but I can wear my .mp3 player and mow.”
Without the need for gas or battery power, the reel mower is noted for its convenience and low maintenance. (47 reviews)
“Oh, don't bother ordering the sharpener that Amazon tries to pair with the mower...it cuts perfectly out of the box and the manual states it shouldn't need to be sharpened for a number of years with normal use.”
“This does the trick with no gasoline or battery charging.”
“guaranteed to "start" first time, every time”
“I have always wanted a gas-free, oil-free, filter-free, spark plug-free, choke-free mower”
“I wanted to simplify things. I really don't want to stress over spark plugs and oil and gasoline, and hoping that my engine will start when I pull the cord.”
“Its nice not having to buy gas, pour gas, spill gas, breathe gas, deal with oil and oil changes”
“There are no gas fumes, which is also a plus.”
“The obvious - no gas and less noise.”
“No gas to buy, spill or transport, or store. No fuel means no fuel stabilizer or winterizing.”
Using the Scotts Outdoor Power Tools 2000-20S manual mower provides a moderate level of physical activity. While it may not be as intense as some may expect, it still offers more exertion than operating a powered mower, thereby contributing to a healthier lifestyle. (34 reviews)
“While I worked up a good sweat (about the same as with the gas mower) it was a very different feeling (and smell) than you get with a gas mower.”
“this is good exercise for me”
“To me the Scotts mower gives you the same workout as a gas push (non self-propelled) mower.”
“But if you're an active person in reasonably good shape, chances are you won't notice or mind the extra effort.”
“Our lawn is mostly level, yet this does give me a bit of good exercise, though nothing too extreme at all.”
“This mower is best for people that are OK with a physically exerting chore”
“It's a bit more work than my power mower...and the extra work is great exercise.”
“You've got to use some elbow grease, and it can build up a little sweat, but it isn't arduous.”
“Over the summer, just from the effort of pushing this mower, I probably lost about 5-7 pounds”
Many reviews appreciate the adjustable height, with a maximum of 3 inches, which is beneficial for lawn health. This feature is not commonly found in other reel mowers. (32 reviews)
“I like that this particular model allows you to adjust the height to a maximum of 3 inches.”
“Bringing out the scotts onto the lawn we set it at the highest height setting - expecting to get a 3 inch cut well within reasonable - even easy- test limits.”
“I love that the height is virtually trivial to adjust, and over a fairly wide range.”
“Maximum cutting height is 3 inches.”
“With several blade height settings that are as easy as popping a little handle out of a notch and then back in around the wheel, it's also possible to cut the grass much shorter like golf course style than other styles of mowers, if that suits your needs.”
“I set mine a little below 3" height - it comes adjustable 2"-3" - with manual instructions on how to change that to 1" - 2".”
“This feature is not commonly found in other reel mowers.”
“I chose this lawn mower because it was the one that has the highest setting (3 inches), and because it has the widest cutting path.”
“I like having a 3" height setting”
“9 different heights that span 1"-3"”
The blades make a clean cut on the grass, which helps prevent the rough 'tearing' that can happen with other powered mowers. (31 reviews)
“The cut was clean and efficient.”
“I've even noticed that the grass blades themselves get a nice, clean shear”
“The actual cut of the grass, when it did work, looks good.”
“It cuts beautifully and easily”
“I'd been reading up before my purchase, and I learned that a reel mower is better for your grass due to its cutting method, working much more like scissors rather than a rotating horizontal blade that tends to leave the tips of grass brown and leaves behind a trail of “hay” unless you use a bagger on your mower.”
“its cut is far superior to any other I have used”
“The scissor cut makes for a very clean cut that doesn't create a lot of brown tips and is better for the grass.”
“The cut is very clean, like using scissors.”
“the grass does look HEALTHIER and has a better cut than my neighbors”
“The blades cut evenly and smooth, and did not leave white tips on the grass after a session, indicating a very sharp, quick cut.”
The compact design takes up less space in storage, particularly in comparison to bulkier powered mowers. (23 reviews)
“It takes up much less space in the garage, and I can just pick it up with one arm and carry it outside.”
“compact storage”
“Width measured from wheel-to-wheel (outer edge) is 26.5 inches.”
“takes up only a small amount of garage space”
“It doesn't take as much space in the garage, or need a lot of accessories (like gas can).”
“Easy clean-up and storage. It fits easily in your garage.”
“It's also nice to carry it from the garage to the yard with one hand and store it easily”
“Easy to store”
“I like that I can hang the whole thing on the wall in my entryway”
“It has an amazingly small footprint in the garage.”
The Scotts Outdoor Power Tools 2000-20S mower is observed to scatter grass clippings evenly, avoiding the clumps that are sometimes left behind by other powered mowers. (9 reviews)
“A real plus was there were no clumps of grass left behind the mower.”
“Cuts the grass and leaves individual blades behind, not the big clumps that sometimes fell out of my mulching mower.”
“This Pro wasn't mentioned directly in the review, but the lack of negative comments on clumping may imply an absence of this issue.”
“The advantage to this, however, is that I don't get a lot of 'lawn pesto' on the sidewalks and drive.”
“The catcher can be used on those 'monsoon' rainy days when you can't mow for weeks on end to take up those long grass stems so you don't choke out the cut lawn with 9"+ clippings. then remove the back to mulch.”
“I also purchased the grass catcher for this mower. It works fine, but I have found that I only need to use it when the grass gets inordinately long.”
“The cuttings are small enough to leave down.”
“Our grass seems to like the trimmings that the Scotts leaves behind.”
“doesn't sling grass or rocks (much safer)”
3 reasons not to buy
Some users find the Scotts Outdoor Power Tools 2000-20S mower difficult to push, especially if the grass is very tall or wet. This is due to increased resistance, which requires more effort to maneuver the mower. (41 reviews)
“But if you let your grass get high, the mower is going to be harder to push. And if your grass is REALLY high, the mower might just sort of push it all over instead of cutting it.”
“As predicted, it choked on thick wet grass, pushed down the taller stuff - including dandelions, and generally did a poor job of mowing.”
“The first time I used this mower, I was surprised by just how much effort it took to push it.”
“Will it cut thick grass? Yes, but you do feel more resistance to pushing. Not bad, but perceptible for sure.”
“Definitely have to stay on top of mowing. It doesn't plow through tall grass the same way a gas mower would.”
“Tall grass/weeds will not be cut with this; anything taller than 4-5 will be left standing.”
“I've actually cut 6" tall grass, but it was a workout that I kind of had to muscle through... but I also didn't need to hit the gym later either.”
“When the grass is long, this thing is a pain to use so constant grooming is essential.”
“It pushes over tall weeds”
The reel mower sometimes misses patches of grass or fails to cut tough weeds like dandelions, requiring the user to go over the same area multiple times or manually remove the weeds. (39 reviews)
“Any grass or weeds that grow sideways, or that are tall and flimsy, don't get trimmed. I did have to bend down to pick a few dandelions it didn't get. And there were a couple of little spots where I had to go over them a second time, because a few random blades were still sticking up.”
“It helps to have a weedeater for the taller weeds that will never cut, no matter how many times you make a pass.”
“The downside of this kind of mower is that it does indeed tend to miss spots, and requires going over the same area more than once since the mower folds them over. Dandelions and other thick-stemmed weeds also get missed.”
“Sometimes you have to go over a spot 2-3 times to make sure it's been cut”
“doesn't cut "floppy" weeds or floppy grass (certain species, or grass that has grown too tall) well.”
“As predicted, it choked on thick wet grass, pushed down the taller stuff - including dandelions, and generally did a poor job of mowing.”
“It is not perfect, particularly with weedy parts of the yard”
“When you turn it's a hassle because you kind of miss the area where you're turning (due to the blades not moving fast enough) and you have to go back around.”
“It will not cut tall weeds. I have a few spots of crabgrass that this simply will not cut, no matter how many times I go back over it.”
“Some tall grasses will simply lay down when this mower passes over it.”
The mower performs best on even ground and can struggle on uneven terrain, which can lead to an inconsistent cut or the mower being harder to push. (28 reviews)
“Sticks were a minor problem: most of them went under the reel but the few that stuck up, did get caught and stopped the mower in it's tracks -- even very small sticks.”
“if the grass is too long the mowing will take longer because you will have to go over spots several times to make sure it's all been cut.”
“Earthworms have aerated our lawn but also made it lumpy. With the old mower, roller hit and jounced over every one. With the trailing wheels rather than a roller, most bumps are missed and the ride is much smoother.”
“until I hit a hole (which are numerous in my yard) or very thick grass (which is also abundant).”
“Also, keep in mind that the exertion will be that much more magnified if you are mowing in hot weather, or if you have an uneven lawn, lots of sticks, weeds, etc.”
“The slightest bump in the yard causes problems for me. Small hills or dips aren't too much of a problem...it's the sudden bounces that mess me up.”
“I immediately noticed that because of the 4 wheel design, the high height means that pushing down on the bar (something that you do frequently at even the slightest inclines), lifted the front two wheels and made the entire mower useless.”
“This is probably due to the unevenness of the ground where the wheels are bouncing over and, as a result, not getting a consistently even flat cut.”
“If your lawn isn't very level, the cage will stop spinning and can cause your mower to come to a dead stop”
“Best on relatively flat ground: ... If you have a lot of jutting roots, bumps, or any kind of widespread interruptions that stick out like that, over the course of your entire yard, this might not be a good experience for you.”
Bottom Line
The Scotts Outdoor Power Tools 2000-20S is a user-friendly reel mower with no need for gas or batteries, making it eco-friendly and low-maintenance. It's quiet, lightweight, and easy to store, cutting grass cleanly while promoting a bit of exercise. Adjust the height up to 3 inches for a healthier lawn. However, it can be tough to push on tall or wet grass and may miss weeds or uneven spots. Ideal for small, even yards, it's a practical choice for the eco-conscious worker.
Facts
| Brand | Scotts Outdoor Power Tools |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width (in) | 20 inch |
| Max Cutting Height | 3" |
| Min Cutting Height | 1" |
| Power Source | Manual |
| Category | Reel Mowers |
| Warranty | 2 Years |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs. |
Video Reviews
Special Features
- Eco-Friendly Operation: This mower doesn't use gas or electricity, so it's better for the environment.
- Precision Cutting with Heat-Treated Alloy Steel Blades: The fancy metal blades are made to stay sharp and cut grass really clean, like using a good pair of scissors.
- 20-Inch Wide Cutting Path: The mower is wide enough to cut more grass in one go, meaning less walking back and forth to get the job done.
- Quick-Snap Height Adjusters: You can easily change how short it cuts the grass without needing any tools, just by snapping the adjusters into place.
- Smooth Maneuverability with Dual Tracking Wheels: It's got special wheels that make it easier to push around bumps and rough spots in your yard.
- Ergonomic Handle with Cushioned Grip: The handle is made to fit your hands comfortably and has a soft grip to make pushing less of a strain.
- Low Maintenance: Since there's no engine, you won't have to deal with oil changes or fixing complicated parts.
- Convenient Storage and Tool-Less Assembly: It's light and doesn't need tools to put together, so you can store it easily and get it ready to use fast.
- Durable Steel Construction: It's built tough with strong metal, so it'll last a long time and handle the rough stuff.
- Quiet Operation: Since there's no motor, it's really quiet, which is great for early morning or late evening mowing without disturbing the neighbors.
- Two-Year Warranty: It comes with a promise to fix or replace it if something goes wrong within two years of buying it.
FAQ
- Q:
Is this mower suitable for a small, young lady to use in terms of height and weight?
- A:
Yes, this mower is designed to be easy to use and cuts smoothly. The handle is angled to accommodate users of varying heights, making it suitable for a small, young lady.
- Q:
How effective is this mower with high grass and overgrown weeds?
- A:
This mower is not ideal for tackling tall grass and overgrown weeds. It performs best on regularly maintained lawns.
- Q:
Does this mower come with a grass catcher?
- A:
No, this mower does not come with a grass catcher. However, there are ones you can buy to fit it.
- Q:
Will this mower still work effectively if used at a slow pace?
- A:
Yes, the mower can effectively cut grass even when pushed at a walking pace. If any spots are missed, you can easily go over them again for a complete cut.
- Q:
Where is this mower manufactured?
- A:
The Scotts reel mower is manufactured in China.
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| Final Score | 92 Great! | 92 Great! | 92 Great! | 91 Great! | 91 Great! |
| Category | Reel Mowers | Reel Mowers | Reel Mowers | Reel Mowers | Reel Mowers |
| Power Source | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| Cutting Width | 14 inch | 18 inch | 14 inch | 18 inch | 14 inch |