Great States 415-16 Review
The Reel Mower Size Most Lawns Actually Want
The Great States 415-16 is a 16 inch 5-blade push reel mower that weighs 20.9 lbs and cuts from 1 to 2.5 inches. Owners call it smooth and easy at that weight, and the catch is the same as every reel mower here, which is that twigs stop it dead.
The verdict
Most reel mower roundups open with a 14 inch mower because the 14 inch mowers are cheapest and have the most reviews. Width is the thing that decides how long you spend behind the handle, and 16 inches is the size that pays for itself without making the mower hard to shove.
The Great States 415-16 cuts 16 inches and weighs 20.9 lbs. Compare that to the 14 inch American Lawn Mower 1304-14 at 21 lbs. Two extra inches of width, no extra weight, and about $6 more. Rated 4.3 stars from 2,433 ratings, it is also tied for the highest rated mower we looked at.
What you get for 16 inches
Five blades on a ball bearing reel, 10 inch composite wheels, heat-treated alloy steel blades and a T-style handle with a cushioned grip. Cutting height runs from 1 inch to 2.5 inches, which covers where most cool season lawns are kept.
Assembly needs no tools. Owners put the figure at around 10 minutes, and the usual advice applies, which is to attach the lower handle to the mower base first and build upward from there.
What owners actually report
Galery bought one in August 2026 while her powered push mower was being repaired, and she uses it in a 30 ft by 75 ft fenced dog run. Her verdict is the most useful single line we found in this whole category: “Twigs 1/8″ and larger will stop it quick. Your yard needs to be clear of twigs, and larger sticks as well.”
She also says the mower does cut a nice looking lawn without destroying the tips of the grass, that it misses the odd blade here and there so keeping it sharp matters, and that the weeds in her St Augustine turf are harder work than the grass.
Erika, in September 2025, gives the best description of how a well matched reel mower feels: “just the right weight to not jump when pushing it and not feel like you are pushing a shopping cart with a broken wheel.”
Amazon’s own review summary for the listing lines up with both. Owners find it performs well, assembles easily and runs quietly enough to use early in the morning or late at night. Cutting performance gets mixed feedback, with thick coarse grasses named as the weak spot, and twigs getting stuck named as the common complaint.
Reel mower vs rotary, in plain terms
A rotary mower spins a blade and smashes grass off at speed. A reel mower works like a pair of scissors, pressing each blade of grass against a fixed cutter bar. Nothing gets cut unless it stands up tall enough to reach that gap, which is the whole story of what a reel mower can and cannot do.
American Lawn Mower Company, who make Great States, put it on their own listings: a push mower only cuts what gets between the reel and the cutter bar. Keep the lawn under about 3 to 4 inches and the mower works. Let it run long and you will be making two or three passes over the same strip.
Who should buy it
Flat lawns up to about 5,000 sq ft, kept between 1 and 2.5 inches, on ground you walk often enough to spot sticks before you mow them. For that lawn the 415-16 is the right size at the right weight.
Two reasons to look elsewhere. If you cut shorter than 1 inch, the Earthwise 1715-16EW does the same 16 inch width down to half an inch with seven blades. And if your lawn is over about 8,000 sq ft, a 20 inch deck will save you passes, though you pay for it in pushing effort.
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What stands out
- Four inches more cutting width than a 14 inch mower for under two extra pounds
- A 1 to 2.5 inch range covers the height most cool season lawns are kept at
- 10 inch composite wheels and a T-style cushioned grip
- Tool-less assembly, and owners report about 10 minutes
- 4.3 stars from 2,433 ratings, the joint highest in our set
What to watch
- Twigs an eighth of an inch thick will stop the reel, per one owner
- Struggles with thick, coarse grasses according to Amazon's review summary
- No grass catcher in the box
- Will not reach a half inch cut, so wrong for close mown Bermuda
- No warranty length stated anywhere on the listing
Full specification
| Cutting width, inches | 16 |
|---|---|
| Cutting heights | 1 to 2.5 inches |
| Drive | Push |
| Grass bag capacity | None included |
| Mulching | No mode to set. Clippings drop back onto the lawn where they fall |
| Weight, lbs | 20.9 |
| Suits lawns up to | Up to about 5,000 sq ft |
| Warranty | Not stated on the listing |
Buy it if
Your lawn is flat, under about 5,000 sq ft, mostly clear of sticks, and you keep it between 1 and 2.5 inches.
Skip it if
You want a cut shorter than 1 inch. The Earthwise 1715-16EW cuts the same 16 inch width down to half an inch with seven blades instead of five.
Questions people ask
How big a lawn can the Great States 415-16 handle?
Up to about 5,000 sq ft comfortably. The 16 inch width makes it quicker than a 14 inch mower, and at 20.9 lbs it does not punish you for the extra width. Amazon's review summary says owners find it good value, with one comparing the price to two visits from a lawn service.
Will it cut weeds?
Some, not all. Galery, reviewing it in August 2026, mows St Augustine grass and says the weeds that popped up in her yard are the ones it does not mow as easily. A reel mower cuts best what stands up straight.
Does it come with a grass catcher?
No. Clippings fall back onto the lawn, which most owners treat as a feature rather than a problem. Only the Sun Joe 20 inch in our lineup ships with a catcher.
How hard is it to push?
Easier than the weight suggests. Erika, in September 2025, says it is "just the right weight to not jump when pushing it and not feel like you are pushing a shopping cart with a broken wheel".
How often will the blades need sharpening?
Great States says the heat-treated alloy steel blades stay sharp longer and gives no interval. Galery notes that when the edge dulls you start missing the odd blade of grass and have to roll back over a strip, which is the signal to sharpen.
