American Lawn Mower 1304-14 Review
Bigger Wheels Than the Cheap One
The American Lawn Mower 1304-14 is a 14 inch 5-blade push reel mower on 10 inch wheels, cutting 1 to 2.25 inches at 21 lbs. Bigger wheels and an extra blade make it easier work than the 4-blade 1204-14, and the trade is $17.78 and a half inch of low end range.
The verdict
American Lawn Mower Company sells two 14 inch reel mowers that look nearly identical in photos. One costs $82.21 and one costs $99.99, and the listings do a poor job of explaining what the extra money buys.
Here is the full difference. The 1304-14 has five blades instead of four, 10 inch wheels instead of 8.5 inch ones, and a cutting range of 1 to 2.25 inches instead of 0.5 to 1.75 inches. Weight goes up by about two pounds.
Wheel size does more than you think
Bigger wheels roll over small bumps instead of stopping against them, and on a reel mower the wheels are also the drive. Every turn of the wheels turns the reel, so a wheel that keeps rolling is a reel that keeps cutting.
Ten inches is what the 16, 18 and 20 inch mowers in this lineup all use. Getting that on a 14 inch mower is the main physical upgrade here, and it is the reason the 1304-14 feels less fussy on uneven ground than the cheaper model.
Where the cutting range lands
One inch to 2.25 inches is a useful window. Low enough for Bermuda kept tidy, high enough for a fescue or rye lawn that you are not trying to keep like a putting green.
Worth being clear about what gets lost. The 1304-14 will not go below 1 inch, where the cheaper 1204-14 reaches half an inch and the Earthwise does too. Anyone chasing a very short cut should look at those instead.
The listing contradicts itself twice
Amazon’s structured spec block for this mower says the power source is self-propelled. The mower has no engine, no battery and no drive system, so the figure is simply wrong. The same block lists product dimensions of 23 inches deep by 13 inches wide, on a mower that the title and bullets both say cuts 14 inches.
Neither error changes how the mower works, and both are worth knowing because the spec block is what price comparison sites scrape. Read the bullets on these listings, not the table.
What owners say about the cut
Kinzie bought hers in February 2013 and her review is the most specific on cut quality we found anywhere in this category. She reports it cutting delicate newly grown rye grass, and also the stiffer and more robust weeds and fescue in her side yard. Her verdict on quality is direct, saying the cut is significantly more even and straighter than a power mower.
She adds a detail nobody else mentions, which is that the mower does not kick up loads of dust when rolling over bare sections, something she values on very hot days.
DTB, in August 2026, came to this mower after an orange LawnMaster failed on her when the screws came out mid mow and she could not source replacements locally. Her grass grew long while she shopped for a replacement, and she was worried a new reel mower would not handle it. Her report is that the 1304-14 managed, that assembly was easy, and that the clippings left on the lawn filled in dry patches that had persisted while she was paying crews with gas mowers.
Who should buy it
Lawns up to about 4,000 sq ft, kept between 1 and 2.25 inches, where bigger wheels and a fifth blade are worth $17.78. At 21 lbs it is still light enough to carry one handed, and Amazon’s review summary describes it as particularly effective on small areas.
Above about 4,000 sq ft the 14 inch width starts costing you real time, and the 16 inch Great States 415-16 covers more ground for about $6 more. Below 1 inch, go for the 1204-14 or the Earthwise.
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What stands out
- Ten inch wheels instead of 8.5, which rolls over bumps better
- Five blades for a finer cut than the cheaper 1204-14
- Reaches 2.25 inches, half an inch higher than the 4-blade version
- Owners report it cuts weeds and fescue, not just soft grass
- 4.3 stars from 3,646 ratings
What to watch
- Will not cut below 1 inch, so wrong for close mown Bermuda
- Fourteen inches means a lot of passes past about 4,000 sq ft
- Amazon's structured spec calls it self-propelled, which it is not
- Listed dimensions are 13 inches wide on a 14 inch cutting mower
- No warranty stated and no grass catcher
Full specification
| Cutting width, inches | 14 |
|---|---|
| Cutting heights | 1 to 2.25 inches |
| Drive | Push |
| Grass bag capacity | None included |
| Mulching | No mode to set. Clippings drop back onto the lawn where they fall |
| Weight, lbs | 21 |
| Suits lawns up to | Up to about 4,000 sq ft |
| Warranty | Not stated on the listing |
Buy it if
Your lawn is small, flat and kept between 1 and 2.25 inches, and you want the smoother roll of bigger wheels.
Skip it if
You mow shorter than 1 inch, or your lawn is over about 4,000 sq ft and the passes would add up.
Questions people ask
Is the 1304-14 worth $17.78 more than the 1204-14?
If you mow above 1.75 inches, yes, because the cheaper mower physically cannot go there. You also get a fifth blade and 10 inch wheels instead of 8.5 inch ones, which makes the roll smoother over bumpy ground. If you mow short, the 1204-14 does the same job for less.
Will a reel mower cut weeds?
Some will, some of the time. Kinzie, reviewing this mower in February 2013, says it handled delicate new rye grass and also the stiffer, more robust weeds and fescue in her side yard. Other owners on other mowers report weeds being the part that does not cut. Anything woody or stemmy will bend over instead of cutting.
Does it leave clippings on the lawn?
Yes, and owners rate that. DTB, writing in August 2026, says dry patches that persisted when she paid crews with gas mowers filled in over time once the clippings were left where they fell.
Is the cut better than a powered mower?
Different, and some owners prefer it. Kinzie says the cut from this mower is significantly more even and straighter than a power mower, and that it does not kick up dust when rolling over bare patches. A reel mower slices grass, where a rotary mower tears it.
Why does Amazon say it is self-propelled?
A listing error. The structured spec block says "Power Source self-propelled" on a mower with no engine and no drive. The same block gives product dimensions of 13 inches wide for a mower that cuts 14 inches. Treat the bullets as the better source on this listing.
