Finding a great push reel mower can be difficult; especially with the sheer amount of options available to you online.
We wanted a battery-powered push reel lawn mower, but we didn’t want to be attached to a power cord. We found one with the CEL CY1 POWERmow 16-Inch 24-Volt 7 amp Cordless Electric Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Bag.
The CEL CY1 is a higher-priced battery-powered reel lawn mower that comes with….
- A 24V rechargeable battery
- A 16-inch reel cutting system
- A push power mode along with battery power
- An electronic and mechanical safety and protection system
- An adjustable cutting height
- A removable grass catcher
We ordered the CEL CY1 reel lawn mower online from Amazon for $234.99, and shipping was an additional $9.99. It arrived quickly in six days, and assembly of this push reel mower was very simple and straight forward and we had this CEL CY1 ready to go to work on the lawn in about 30 minutes.
Manufacturer: CEL
Cutting Width: 16 Inches
Manufacturer’s Warranty: 1 Year
List Price: 249.99
Best Price: Click here for the best price.
Availability: Click here for availability.
CEL CY1 POWERmow 16-Inch Cordless Electric Reel Lawn Mower – You Make the Call
We have mixed feelings about the CEL CY1 push reel mower; so we’ll relate our experiences and you can make your mind up for yourself.
We liked having the option of using the battery-assisted power mode or the push mode. We used this mostly with the battery on, and it is very easy to push, even in the long grass.
Learn How to Use the CEL CY1 Push Reel Mower
The battery life is excellent and more than enough for an average-sized yard. It lasts right around one hour per charge, and re-charges in about 3 to 4 hours. And the LED battery life monitor is an excellent extra option.
The larger wheels and lightweight (total weight with battery is right around 30 pounds) make the CEL CY1 easy to maneuver around the yard, and we liked the onboard electronics that protect the motor, battery, and gearbox from any overload; which can happen if you run over a larger stick that jams up the reels.
And with a 16-inch wide cutting path, and cutting height adjustments from ½ inch to 1 ¾ inch, you are not spending all day getting the grass cut.
The CEL CY1 Will make Your Yard a delight
There are a couple of issues with the CEL CY1, however. The included grass catcher is not very effective at catching grass, and the side mounts on the mower are poorly designed so that the grass catcher drags across the ground as you mow.
We have had mixed results with this mower; sometimes it cuts the grass to golf course perfection, and other times we constantly go back over the same patch of lawn two or three times.
We checked in the manual and adjusted the reel blade several times (using a simple Allen wrench on the inside of the wheels) so that the reels are just hitting the cutting bar, but we cannot get it right.
So whenever you pull the CEL CY1 electric reel lawn mower, you are not quite certain what kind of result you are going to get.
Lastly, the plastic covering of this reel lawn mower extends over the front and sides; so you are going to have some problems trying to get close to trees and shrubs. Rather than continually mowing back and forth around these impediments, you will need to get a trimmer to touch up these spots.
CEL CY1 POWERmow 16-Inch 24-Volt 7 amp Cordless Electric Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Bag – Mixed Results
The CEL CY1 electric reel lawn mower has a lot to like. The design is intelligent, it is easy to push and maneuver, it is well built, and it cuts the grass pretty well (at times).
But the adjustments necessary to get this reel lawn mower dialed in for a consistent and even lawn cutting were beyond our capabilities, and they may be impossible for others as well.
And with a price tag of almost $250, you’ll have to make the decision if the CEL CY1 POWERmow 16-Inch 24-Volt 7 amp Cordless Electric Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Bag is right for you.
If we had to do it again, we would probably have tried a different battery-powered reel mower, such as the Gardena 4025-U 15-Inch, which has gotten pretty amazing reviews from both consumers… and we liked it a lot when we tested it too.