Scotts 304-14S Review
The Lightest Reel Mower in This Lineup
The Scotts 304-14S is a 14 inch 5-blade push reel mower weighing 18.08 lbs, with tool-less assembly and a 0.5 to 1.75 inch cutting range. Being the lightest mower in our lineup makes it the easy choice for a small yard or a shed with no room, and the short height range is the limit.
The verdict
Weight gets ignored in reel mower reviews because reel mowers are all light compared to a gas mower. Weight is the spec that decides whether the mower is annoying to live with, because a reel mower gets lifted a lot. Out of the shed, over a step, into a car, up a flight of stairs.
The Scotts 304-14S weighs 18.08 lbs. Nothing else in our lineup is under 19 lbs, and the two 20 inch mowers weigh 30 and 33.9 lbs.
What you get at that weight
A 14 inch cutting width, a 5-blade ball bearing reel, 8.5 inch composite wheels, heat-treated alloy steel blades and a T-style handle with a cushioned grip. Assembly needs no tools. Cutting height runs from half an inch to 1.75 inches.
Five blades at 14 inches is the interesting part. The cheaper 1204-14 is the same size and weight class with only four, and five blades put more cuts into every step. For a small lawn kept short, the finish is noticeably tidier.
The mower for renters
One review from May 2021 explains this product better than the listing does. An owner moved into a rented house in an HOA and needed to mow for the first time in his life. Renting a mower from a store looked fine until he worked out it would cost more than buying after a few goes, and he did not want to spend much because work might move him again.
His report after the first use is worth quoting. He says he truly just pushed it up and down the lawn and it would cut it all down, with nothing to yank and no gas. Assembly took 10 minutes. The mower is easy to store in the backyard shed and light enough for him to carry out.
No fuel to go stale over a winter, no battery to die while the mower sits in a garage, nothing to service. For anyone who might not be in the same house next year, a reel mower is the lowest commitment way to keep a lawn legal.
The height ceiling is the real limit
One point seven five inches is the highest setting, and plenty of lawns need more. Fescue, bluegrass and rye all want 2.5 inches or more. Cut them at 1.75 and you stress the grass in summer and open the door to weeds.
Honest advice is to check what your lawn actually is before buying any 14 inch reel mower. If the answer is Bermuda, Zoysia or a lawn you already keep short, this mower fits. If the answer is fescue, buy the 20 inch Scotts that reaches 3 inches instead.
Spec sheet oddities
Amazon’s structured spec block for this listing gives the cutting width as 35.6 centimeters, which is 14 inches expressed in the wrong units for a US listing. The same block lists product dimensions of 41.73 inches deep by 19.61 inches wide by 26.18 inches high, which do not match the equivalent 14 inch mowers from the same company.
Across the whole category we found four listings whose own numbers disagree with themselves, and that is why every review on this site names where its specs came from.
Who should buy it
Small lawns under about 3,000 sq ft, kept short, where the mower has to be carried or stored somewhere tight. At $99.99 it is not the cheapest 14 inch mower, and the extra over the 1204-14 buys you the fifth blade and nearly a pound less to lift.
Anyone needing a taller cut should spend up rather than sideways. The 1304-14 gets you to 2.25 inches for the same money, and the 20 inch Scotts gets you to 3 inches for $50 more.
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What stands out
- The lightest mower in our lineup at 18.08 lbs
- Five blades at a 14 inch width, so a finer cut than the 4-blade mowers
- Tool-less assembly, with one owner reporting 10 minutes
- Cuts down to half an inch for short kept turf
- 4.3 stars from 2,632 ratings
What to watch
- Tops out at 1.75 inches, too short for a cool season lawn
- Amazon's review summary says opinions on value for money are mixed
- Gets stuck on grass and branches, with jamming cited 45 times
- 8.5 inch wheels, smaller than the 10 inch wheels on wider models
- Amazon's spec block gives cutting width in centimeters and the wrong dimensions
Full specification
| Cutting width, inches | 14 |
|---|---|
| Cutting heights | 0.5 to 1.75 inches |
| Drive | Push |
| Grass bag capacity | None included |
| Mulching | No mode to set. Clippings drop back onto the lawn where they fall |
| Weight, lbs | 18.08 |
| Suits lawns up to | Up to about 3,000 sq ft |
| Warranty | Not stated on the listing. Scotts covers parts for 3 years per an owner quoting the manual on the 20 inch model |
Buy it if
Your lawn is small, you keep it short, and the weight you have to lift and store matters more than the width you cut.
Skip it if
You mow above 1.75 inches. No setting on this mower reaches a normal cool season lawn height.
Questions people ask
What is the best reel mower for a small yard?
For a yard under about 3,000 sq ft kept short, the Scotts 304-14S at $99.99 is our pick on weight alone. At 18.08 lbs it is the lightest mower here, which matters when you are carrying it out of a shed or up steps rather than pushing it. Amazon's review summary describes it as particularly suitable for small yards and level areas.
Are reel mowers good for renters?
Very. One owner who moved into a rented house in an HOA in May 2021 bought this mower because renting one from a store would have cost more after a few goes, and he might be moving again for work. He had never mowed a lawn before, says it took 10 minutes to assemble, and that it is easy to store in a backyard shed and light enough to carry out.
How is it different from the Great States 204-14 and the 1304-14?
All three come from American Lawn Mower Company. The Great States 204-14 is the same chassis with only four blades. The 1304-14 has five blades like this one, but runs 10 inch wheels and a 1 to 2.25 inch range instead of 8.5 inch wheels and 0.5 to 1.75 inches. Pick on height range first, then on wheel size.
Does it cut easily?
Amazon's review summary quotes one owner saying it cuts through grass like butter with minimal effort, and another owner in 2021 says he truly just pushed it up and down the lawn. The same summary notes other owners find it difficult to maneuver, which is the normal split in this category.
What gets it stuck?
Grass that is too long and branches, which Amazon's summary names directly, with jamming mentioned in 45 reviews. Clear the lawn of sticks before you mow and keep the grass under about 3 inches.
