Great States 815-18 Review
18 Inches and the Widest Height Range Here
The Great States 815-18 is an 18 inch 5-blade push reel mower that cuts anywhere from half an inch to 2.75 inches, the widest range in our lineup. Worth knowing before you buy that the American Lawn Mower 1815-18 is the identical machine in a different color.
The verdict
Eighteen inches is the width nobody writes about, sitting between the popular 14 inch mowers and the heavy 20 inch ones. The Great States 815-18 makes a strong case for it, mostly because of a spec that has nothing to do with width.
Cutting height on the 815-18 runs from half an inch to 2.75 inches. No other mower we researched covers that much ground. The Earthwise starts as low but stops at 2.5. The Scotts 20 inch goes higher but will not drop below 1 inch. Only the 18 inch does both ends.
Why a wide height range is worth paying for
Lawns do not want the same height all year. Warm season turf gets cut short through summer, and cool season grass wants extra height in spring and fall.
A mower that only reaches 1.75 inches cannot follow that. A mower that only drops to 1 inch cannot either. The 815-18 can sit anywhere across that span, and for a single mower household that flexibility is the practical argument for picking it over a cheaper 16 inch.
One mower, two brand names
Here is something no other reel mower roundup will tell you. The Great States 815-18 and the American Lawn Mower 1815-18 are the same machine.
Both cut 18 inches with 5 blades. Both adjust from 0.5 to 2.75 inches. Both weigh 27 lbs. Both measure 25 inches deep by 14 inches wide. Both sit at 4.2 stars, one from 2,823 ratings and one from 2,832. One is gray and costs $116.00, the other is black and costs $119.99.
American Lawn Mower Company owns both names, along with Scotts and Earthwise. The giveaway is on a third listing, where the Great States 204-14 carries a bullet reading “For best results from Scotts push mower”. Nobody proofread the copy because nobody needed to.
Where the two 18 inch listings genuinely differ is warranty wording. The black 1815-18 leads its bullets with a 5 year manufacturer protection plan. The gray 815-18 says nothing about warranty anywhere, and instead offers paid Amazon protection plans at $15 for 2 years or $21 for 3. Same mower, $3.99 apart, and only one of them promises you five years. Read both listings on the day you buy.
Assembly is the one real complaint
SusanK bought hers in June 2025 and everything was in the box, parts, instructions and hardware. Her warning is specific and worth having in advance: “unless you can bend steel, you will be quite frustrated at attempting to fit the lower handle on to those inner posts.”
Her solution, taken from another reviewer, is to attach the lower handle onto the mower base first and then build the rest of the handle on top. Every reel mower in this category assembles the same way and the same advice keeps appearing, so start at the bottom.
What owners report about the cut
Amazon’s review summary for this listing is unusually warm on effort. Owners find it incredibly easy to push and maintain, one says it needs no more effort than a powered push mower, and another calls it a fraction of the price of a gas mower.
Two caveats come with that. Owners disagree about long grass, with some saying it does not cut long blades effectively. And tight turns divide people, with some finding it very maneuverable and others finding it awkward to push forward through a turn.
Who should buy it
Lawns up to about 7,000 sq ft where you want to change cutting height through the year. Eighteen inches covers ground reasonably, 27 lbs is manageable on flat ground, and nothing else here spans half an inch to 2.75 inches.
Skip it if you mow at one fixed height. A 16 inch mower weighs six pounds less and costs $10 less, and your lawn will not know the difference.
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What stands out
- A 0.5 to 2.75 inch range, the widest of any mower we researched
- Eighteen inches wide for the same 27 lbs as some 20 inch mowers
- Five blade ball bearing reel and 10 inch composite wheels
- Loop handle with cushioned grips, assembles without tools
- An owner says it needs no more effort than a powered push mower
What to watch
- Fitting the lower handle onto the inner posts is genuinely hard
- Owners split on tight turns, with some finding it awkward to push through them
- Amazon's summary says it does not cut long blades effectively
- No warranty stated on this listing, unlike its identical twin
- No grass catcher included
Full specification
| Cutting width, inches | 18 |
|---|---|
| Cutting heights | 0.5 to 2.75 inches |
| Drive | Push |
| Grass bag capacity | None included |
| Mulching | No mode to set. Clippings drop back onto the lawn where they fall |
| Weight, lbs | 27 |
| Suits lawns up to | Up to about 7,000 sq ft |
| Warranty | Not stated on this listing. The identical 1815-18 lists a 5 year manufacturer protection plan |
Buy it if
You want one mower that can cut short in summer and higher in spring and fall, on a lawn up to about 7,000 sq ft.
Skip it if
You never change cutting height. A 16 inch mower is lighter and cheaper, and the 20 inch Scotts covers more ground per pass.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between the Great States 815-18 and the American Lawn Mower 1815-18?
Paint and $3.99. Both are 18 inch 5-blade reel mowers with a 0.5 to 2.75 inch cutting range, both weigh 27 lbs, both measure 25 inches deep by 14 inches wide, and both sit at 4.2 stars. The Great States version is gray at $116.00, the American Lawn Mower version is black at $119.99. One real difference is on paper: the 1815-18 listing leads with a 5 year manufacturer protection plan, and this listing mentions no warranty at all, so compare both listings before you pick.
Is the Great States 815-18 hard to push?
Owners disagree, which is normal at this width. Amazon's review summary says it is incredibly easy to push, and quotes one owner saying it needs no more effort than a powered push mower. The same summary says others find it difficult to push forward in tight turns.
What is the hardest part of assembling it?
Fitting the lower handle onto the inner posts. SusanK, in June 2025, put it best: "unless you can bend steel, you will be quite frustrated at attempting to fit the lower handle on to those inner posts". Her fix is the one other owners recommend, which is to attach the lower handle to the mower base first and build the rest of the handle on afterward.
How tall can the grass be before it stops working?
Keep it under about 3 to 4 inches. American Lawn Mower Company state the limit themselves on the matching 1815-18 listing: suited for dry grass under 4 inches for single pass performance, and multiple passes may be needed on taller grass.
How old is the Great States brand?
The brand store says Great States has been around for over 120 years. The reel mower design has barely changed in that time, which is part of why these mowers have so few parts to fail.
