Great States 815-18 Review: A Reliable And Environmentally-Friendly Option

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Need to handle small lawns in your garden with a limited budget? Don’t want to use gasoline or electric lawnmowers because of their environmental impact? Push reel mowers like the Great States 815-18 will be your ideal solution.

Not only does it save you upfront costs, but it also runs smoothly for years without you spending money on gas or electricity in the long run.

Additionally, the reel lawn mower is compact and easy to store, allowing you to move around a bit while mowing. If you are still curious about its performance details, features, and design, keep reading this Great States 815-18 review below.

Great States 815-18 Review

Great States 815-18, 18-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower, Grey

“The Great States 815-18 is a good budget model suitable for handling small yards without too many weeds.”

Product highlights:

  • High-quality alloy steel
  • Loop-style lawnmower handle
  • Easy to assemble
  • Adjustable cutting height

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Great States is a famous brand that has been providing lawn maintenance solutions for decades. Accordingly, the upsides that you can find in their products are optimal design, low maintenance, and environmental friendliness.

The Great States 815-18 is such a product! With this product, the manufacturer has put effort into improving manual lawnmowers to create modern designs.

Let’s see what’s so special about it in this review below!

Product Information

Great States 815-18 is the perfect replacement for your gas lawn mower. It cuts grass precisely with a smooth rotating blade and many unique features that users should consider.

  • Cutting Height: 0.5 -2.75 inches.
  • Cutting Width: 18 Inches.
  • Mower Type: Manual Push.
  • Handle: Cushion Grip.
  • Cutting System: Standard.
  • Blades: 4 spiders 5 blades.
  • Weight: 27 Pounds.
  • Grass Catcher: Optional.
  • Warranty: 2 years.

Great States 815-18 Description 

In this Great States reel mower review, I will help you understand how the Great States 815-18 lawn mower excels in construction, performance, ease of use, maintenance, and user experience.

Construction

It comes with the perfect frame

When I first saw it, I was amazed by its perfect frame. Its material is stainless steel, with a soft, durable padded rubber handle.

This design helps me work with heavy workloads on a larger garden area without hurting my hands. When mowing the lawn for a long time, this cushion will maximize its effect, helping me always to work comfortably.

After a few initial tests, I found its slim rubber grip more breathable than I had imagined. If you are a person who often sweats your hands, this feature is an excellent advantage for you.

The Great States has a 5-bladed ball-bearing reel design with the correct size. It’s just big enough to handle the average lawn for hours.

Unlike the frame, its blade is a sharp and heat-treated alloy. So, after a long time, it stays strong even when I don’t do regular maintenance.

Performance

You must expect a manual lawn mower model to have a different output power than an electric mower. In return, at an affordable price, it gives you a decent performance for your small grassy garden.

It quickly helps me handle small lawns. So, using it will save a lot of time on cleaning. I have its 5 blades attached to the reel and occasionally push it to the garden corners twice a week. And after testing weeks, its mowing performance ultimately convinced me.

Since the blades come with a durable heat-treated alloy, they’re still very sharp after months. What this mower leaves behind are cleanliness and precision.

Its flexible blade design also impressed me, which can handle heights from 0.5″ to 2.75″. So, I can quickly clean even the tall Kentucky Bluegrass fields in my yard.

With all the above upsides, this model can handle a quarter or a third of an acre well in a single cut. With larger lawns, you should divide it into several amounts for a perfect workload.

Read More: Lawn Mower Vs. Scythe: Which Is Better For You?

Ease of use

It is very easy to use

The Great States 815-18 is the easiest-to-use mower model I’ve ever owned.

Its cutting shaft is on a four-recipient ball-bearing assembly. The new Great States design is easier to use than the traditional lawn mower. I had no trouble accelerating the cutting reel to get precise cuts.

Besides, the 10-inch wheels also make this lawn mower more accessible than ever. This design is ideal for dealing with suburban lawns. I’ve only had trouble moving the mower on grassy grounds.

The loop handle is easy to use when handling long, thick leaves. Yet, this design did not provide the grip I wanted when I turned the car around or into a tight corner. I had to replace it with a new gardening glove to make it easier to control its loop handle.

Maintenance

During my time using the Great States 815, I only maintained it occasionally. I only periodically adjust and sharpen the blades. After an extended period, the blades retain their edge and do not require seasonal sharpening.

I also regularly lubricate the moving parts in the springs after 4-6 cuts. Apart from the above, I don’t do any other complicated maintenance. The great States 815 still completes the task well, with no errors or unsafe damage.

User Experience

When I first saw the Great States 815-18, I almost didn’t believe it could help me handle tall, spiky plants. With a reel lawn mower model, I put in more work but got inconsistent output across my lawn.

Yet, what this version does is completely convincing me. Its cutting experience is smooth, which doesn’t require me to apply too much pressure.

Plus, the way it works is also straightforward. So, even those who have little prior experience can immediately get started on their lawn-cleaning projects.

I encourage people with small and medium lawns to purchase this simple lawn mower. Although it doesn’t have many unique protection features, its cutting blade is safe enough to avoid accidents.

In contrast, if you own large, wide, and thick lawns, manual models like the Great States 815-18 could be better. In this case, you should choose a fuel or electric lawn mower.

Great States 815-18 Special Features 

Great States 815-18 is a product line in the low-cost segment. It only possesses a few new features. But what the manufacturer offers is enough to bring a relatively satisfying experience.

Alloy steel materials

The Great States 815-18 has a very solid steel alloy frame, which helps to reduce the whole mower’s weight.

Accordingly, its dimensions are 25 “D x 14” W x 10.5 “H, respectively, but the overall weight of the machine is only 27 pounds.

The alloy steel material also makes the manual mower more durable. So, you can use this mower daily for many years without any trouble with the frame.

Its blade is also made of alloy steel. Unlike the frame, the blade steel material has undergone heat treatment. So, it maintains good strength and sharpness for a long time.

Compact Size

Compact size

Compact size is one of the ideal upsides of this manual lawn mower model. In particular, the Great States 815-18 is the lightest 18-inch wide mower on the market.

Its less than 30 pounds weight and compact design make it accessible to any storage places like on the wall or at home corners. It also only requires you to apply a little force to create perfect cuts.

Great States 815-18 is a compact and easy-to-use lawn mower model. Whatever your age or height, you should have no trouble pushing it on regular lawns.

Easy Assembly

Great States 815-18 includes only the frame, wheels, blade, and others. Since there are few parts available in the machine, assembly is relatively simple.

All you need to do is attach the handle to the frame and other accessories to complete the perfect mower setup. With no electricity or fuel, your lawn mower is ready to go.

Precise Cutting

Some manual models need uniformity in each cut, causing users to spend too much time dealing with bad cuts.

Great States 815-18 is another exception. It is as sharp and flexible as a pair of scissors. Hence, you can safely remove freshly cut grass with just one transfer.

Radial Rubber Tires

Great States 815-18 uses 10-inch wheels with round rubber tires. This design makes moving the Great States reel mower around the lawn relatively easy. On rough terrain, rubber tires grip the road relatively well.

In short, thanks to the optimized tire design, users will not feel like they are dragging the lawn mower heavily. Instead, you walk your lawn to remove the long plants and smooth out the remaining grass.

Easy To Change The Cutting Height

Most traditional reel lawn mower models can only change the cutting height from 1.5″ – 2″. With Great States lawn mowers, you can change more than that.

Accordingly, adjusting the cutting height from 0.5 -2.75 inches is the most crucial feature of the Great States 815-18.

The maximum limit of 2.75 inches helps me handle long plants quickly. Meanwhile, the lowest cutting height, 0.5 inches, allows users to neatly trim their growing lawn.

The flexible height helps Great States 815-18 become a year-round lawn mower. To keep your lawn moist during extended dry spells, you’ll need to adjust the cutting height as high as possible. In contrast, mowing the grass to the lowest altitude in the rainy season will adjust its growth rate.

The Cutting Reel Is Wide

The cutting reel is wide

The Great States 815-18 cutting shaft measures 18 inches. It’s durable and quite a lot wider than I ever imagined. This size can be equivalent to both electric or gas motor rotary lawnmowers.

The Great States 815-18 is the most expensive reel mower model in its price range. The wide cutting shaft makes the user no longer have to cut the lawn too many times and get the job done in the shortest time possible.

If you’re used to handling a medium power breaker, when you switch to the Great States 815-18, you won’t notice a difference in performance.

Motor-Less

Great States 815-18 is a manual lawn mower model. It requires no power or fuel supply to operate. If you don’t have enough money to pay fuel bills, a motorless lawn mower model like the Great States 815-18 is worth considering.

The advantage of the motorless lawn mower model is that it does not emit noise and emissions like many other high-end options. So, at least you won’t disturb your family members or neighbors while cleaning your garden.

Low Maintenance And Needs Sharpening Less Frequently

The 815-18 manual reel mower only requires some maintenance. Its standard cutting system comes with simple and durable construction. The blades don’t need to be sharpened every year but still maintain the sharpness they need.

Its other parts are also quite durable over the years. Users hardly need to maintain or worry about it during their lifetime.

Environment Friendly

Not using an engine means the Great States 815-18 does not cause carbon emissions. Meanwhile, this eco-friendly mower model still has enough power to take care of your lawn efficiently.

In addition, it also does not make as loud a noise as other engine models. You will not affect the sleep of those around you when you take care of your lawn throughout the day.

Safety Features

The Great States 815-18’s safety comes from its simple and minimalist design, so it retains the excellent cutting performance.

Its wheels and blades will stop moving whenever you don’t need to mow the lawn. And like every other reel mower, it’s safe enough for you to buy even if your family has small children.

Comfortable

It is comfortable

You’ll love spending hours mowing the lawn with this model. Its handle is specially designed with a flat top, providing a good grip. You do not feel too uncomfortable even when used for a long time.

The handle also supports quite flexible height adjustment. So users can adjust the comfiest height for the expected user experience.

Read More: How Often Should A Lawn Mower Be Serviced?

Cost-effective

The low price is a big reason why the Great States 815-18 has become one of the most popular manual lawn mower models in small apartments.

In particular, it completely satisfies users who are unwilling to pay much for lawn care. This cost-effective model has the best quality in its price range. And during use, you also do not have to pay extra amounts.

Finally, it does not require complex maintenance and does not fail frequently. In addition to no cost for repairs, you also do not have to worry about fuel and environmental problems.

Exercise Benefits

Exercise benefits

Pushing a reel mower is physically demanding but can provide low-impact exercise with several health benefits. In this section, I give you the most obvious benefits that this machine has to offer:

  • Pushing the push coil mower can help improve heart health by increasing your heart rate and blood flow to your muscles.
  • It provides more excellent support for your joints than high-impact activities like running. So, if you’re looking for a sensible way to train your feet, the Great States 815-18 is an excellent choice.
  • Pushing push reel mowers can help burn calories and contribute to weight loss. You can burn up to 400 calories per hour depending on your weight and lawn mowing intensity.

T-Style Handle

The T-style handle on the Great States 815-18 push reel mower is for comfort and ease of use. Here are the benefits this design can bring to you:

  • Easy grip: The T-style handle provides an easy grip while mowing.
  • Secure grip: This handle offers a secure grip that helps you maintain control of the mower while cutting.
  • Ergonomic design: It comes with an ergonomic dsésign to fit the natural curves of your hand and arm. Thus, it helps reduce strain and fatigue while you’re mowing.

Great States 815-18 Review: Pros & Cons 

The Great States 815-18 is a budget lawn mower suitable for owners of small to medium-sized gardens. 

In short, it offers an impressive user experience with many ideal upsides. Yet, sometimes, you may be depressed by its minor downsides.

Before making your final choice, carefully consider the pros and cons of the Great States 815-18 below:

Pros 

  • Wide cutting area
  • Lightweight with compact size
  • Easy to store and maintain
  • Can use for a long time
  • Suitable for the budget.
  • The cutting shaft rotates freely for precise cuts.
  • Not many errors while using
  • Easy to change the cutting height
  • No need for complicated maintenance

Cons

  • Does not handle tall and thick grass well in one run
  • Difficult to handle grass in narrow spaces such as walls and fences.

Conclusion

In short, the Great States 815-18 is a good budget model suitable for handling small yards without too many weeds.

This hand-reel mower will deliver precise cuts with a comfortable experience without a converse effect on the environment. 

Through the Great States 815-18 review above, you will better understand this product’s pros and cons. Hopefully, you can make the right decision and complete your work efficiently. Thanks for reading!

5/5 - (1 vote)