Greenworks 25052 Review

(Rated: 4.1 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
Noise
Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
Cut Quality
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When you own a yard with a lawn that is on the smaller side, you have the option of switching over to a manual reel lawn mower. These can offer a number of advantages. First of all, reel mowers are the only ones that are truly 100% emissions free. If you are concerned about your household’s overall carbon footprint, a manual reel mower can significantly reduce it.

Beyond that, these lawn mowers are basically free to use after you’ve purchased one. You never have to pay for gas or electric to keep one of these working, and aside from occasionally sharpening the blades, they do not require any maintenance to keep them running smoothly. The Greenworks 25052 offers all of these advantages, and it has a few features that help make it one of the better manual reel mowers available today. It is also very reasonably priced, so practically any home and garden budget should be able to fit it in easily.

Review Summary

The Greenworks 25052 is a manual reel lawn mower with a sixteen inch wide cutting reel. The cutting reel has five durable blades made out of hardened steel that will last longer without needing to be sharpened. Reel mowers such as the Greenworks 25052 are the only option for lawn management that are completely emissions free, so switching to one will significantly lower your overall carbon footprint. There are a number of features that make the Greenworks 25052 one of the better manual reel mowers available today. In addition to its wide cutting reel, the mower is designed to be as ergonomic and convenient as possible. It’s very easy to maintain and keep running smoothly, and it is compact and lightweight for easier storage and maneuverability. I’ll discuss each of these features in more detail in the Pros section.

In the Cons section, I’ll cover a few areas in which the Greenworks 25052 is less than perfect. Like many similar reel mowers, it tends to struggle with taller grass as well as tougher varieties of grass. While it comes with a rear bag attachment included, it is not very well designed. And assembly is a bit complicated. I will also provide a detailed Product Comparison section that looks at how the Greenworks 25052 stacks up against similar models, and briefly discuss pricing.

Specifications

The Greenworks 25052 is a manual reel mower with overall dimensions of 22 x 29.75 x 47 inches. That gives it a fairly compact footprint, but it still has a sixteen inch wide cutting reel. There are five durable steel blades on the cutting reel, and the cutting system is a standard one, in which the cutting reel makes contact with the rear blade.

The Greenworks 25052 has several height adjustment options that range from 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 inches. The height is easily adjusted using a lever at the rear of the cutting reel. A rear grass catcher is included in the initial purchase prices. The mower weighs 32 pounds. It comes with a 4 year warranty.

Description

The Greenworks 25052 is a manual push reel mower with a sixteen inch wide cutting blade that is perfect for homeowners with relatively small lawns who are concerned about the impact they are having on the environment. Manual reel mowers like this one are the only kind that is truly 100% emissions free. Also, these lawn mowers are considerably less expensive to purchase and virtually free to maintain. You will never have to pay for any gas or electric power to keep it running, or deal with the hassle of maintenance or servicing the engine. The only maintenance the Greenworks 25052 needs is periodically sharpening the blades, which is easy to learn how to do yourself.

The mower’s sixteen inch cutting reel is housed in an overall footprint that is just 22 inches wide from one wheel to the other. That means the Greenworks 25052 will be easy to find storage space for in your garage or tool shed. And it only weighs 32 pounds, which means you can even hang it on a sturdy nail on the wall. It also means that it is light enough that just about anyone will have an easy time maneuvering it around their yard.

The cutting deck on the Greenworks 25052 can be adjusted to a number of different heights that range from 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 inches. It’s important to have a range of options so you can always be sure you are cutting your lawn at the best possible height to keep it at its optimal health. While the height range means you may have difficulty cutting taller grass with this mower, it will be just right for homeowners who cut their grass fairly regularly.

All things considered, the Greenworks 25052 is a solid manual reel mower that is perfect for small yards. In addition, it is one of the more reasonably priced lawn mowers you can find.

Pros

There are a number of great features that make the Greenworks 25052 convenient and easy to use. Not only will it never produce a single pound of emissions, it also has one of the wider cutting reels you can find on a manual reel mower. It’s ergonomically designed for greater comfort while you are using it, and it’s compact and lightweight so that it will be easier to use and store. Let’s look at each of its advantages in more detail.

1. Zero emissions and no fossil fuels : One of the main reasons consumers opt for manual reel mowers over gas or even electric ones is because these are the only ones that are completely emissions free. Switching to a manual reel mower is a great, easy way to significantly reduce the amount of pollution your household is producing each year. And because you won’t ever have to pay to power it, the mower will save you a lot of money over the long term as well.
2. 16 inch wide cutting reel : Wider cutting reels allow you to finish cutting your lawn in fewer passes, which means less time spent on lawn chores and more time spent enjoying your weekend with your family. At sixteen inches, the Greenworks 25052 has a cutting reel that is above average for a manual reel mower, and is even comparable to many cutting decks on electric lawn mowers. But it also isn’t so big that the mower will be too bulky and difficult to maneuver.
3. Ergonomically designed handle : The handle on the Greenworks 25052 is shaped to allow you to choose from one of a few positions so you can find the most comfortable grip for you. And it is conveniently padded with thick foam so your hands and wrists will not get sore, even if you are pushing it through denser patches on the lawn or over uneven terrain. When you’re providing all of the power to a lawn mower, you want it to be designed to be as comfortable to use as possible.
4. Easy to maintain and use : Unlike gas powered lawn mowers, which require extensive and complicated maintenance to keep them running smoothly, or electric lawn mowers, which have heavy batteries that have to be charged or bulky extension cords, the Greenworks 25052 is easy to use. It’s a completely self contained grass cutting machine that starts every time. And the only maintenance it will ever need is occasionally sharpening the blades, which is very easy to learn how to do.
5. Compact and lightweight : The Greenworks 25052 is just 22 inches from wheel to wheel, which means it will be easy to maneuver it in and out of tight corners on your lawn. And it has compact overall dimensions that will not take up too much storage space in your garage or tool shed. In addition to that, it’s so lightweight – at just 32 pounds – that just about anyone will be able to use it regardless of their age or body type.

Because of all of these excellent features, the Greenworks 25052 is one of the better manual reel mowers at its price level. It is very easy to use, maintain, and find adequate storage space for it. It has a wide enough cutting reel that it will cut most small lawns quickly and efficiently. And it’s great for the environment and will save you a lot of money over the long term.

Cons

Of course, no lawn mower is perfect, and this is often especially true for the more inexpensive ones. There are a few issues in the design of the Greenworks 25052 that do reduce its overall performance quality somewhat. Some of these are chronic to manual reel mowers, such as the difficulties it has with tall grass or tougher varieties of grass. Others are unique to the Greenworks 25052 itself. Let’s take a look at the mower’s cons in detail.

1. The mower may have trouble with taller grass : This is one of the issues that tend to crop up a lot in manual reel mowers. With the Greenworks 25052, because the highest setting for the cutting reel is just 2 1/4 inches, the problem is a bit more pronounced, and it will have a lot of trouble cutting through grass that is more than four or five inches tall. Due to that, you may want to look for a different mower if you let your grass get long.
2. It may struggle with tougher varieties of grass : Again, this is a problem that many manual reel mowers face, and the Greenworks 25052 is no different. If you have tough varieties of grass such as St. Augustine or Bermuda grass, you may find that it takes a number of passes to get through all of it. The mower may also have difficulty getting through dense patches of the lawn, especially on the first pass. Be prepared in either case for the possibility that using a reel mower may be more work than you expected.
3. The rear bag is not very well designed : The rear grass catcher on the Greenworks 25052 is small and wide open, and it attaches to the mower with hooks. As a result there are two problems associated with it. First, grass clippings do not tend to stay in it on uneven ground, and it also tends to fall off more often than not. If your lawn is very small and on very level ground, this should not be a problem, but it will be for just about any other type of lawn.
4. Assembly is a bit complicated : Unfortunately, unlike many manual reel lawn mowers, the Greenworks 25052 is not nearly assembled when you receive it, so you will have to spend a good deal of time putting it together. If you’re the type of person who likes to tinker with their tools, this may be an enjoyable challenge, but for anyone else it will be a bit of a chore. It will take about twenty minutes to put the mower together.
5. Does not cut edges easily : Because the wheels on the Greenworks 25052 are 22 inches apart while the cutting reel itself is just sixteen inches wide, there is a three inch gap on either side of the reel. That means that anywhere your lawn abuts a fence or wall, you will have a strip of grass that will need to be trimmed after you are finished mowing. This will add a bit of time to the overall job.

I consider most of these Cons do be minor inconveniences, rather than major design or manufacturing issues that would draw a negative review. And I don’t think any of them outweigh the real advantages this mower offers. Even so, I think it is important to be aware of the limitations of this lawn mower before you buy it rather than be disappointed after the fact. But if you do not mind complicated assembly or edging your lawn after you’ve mown it, the Greenworks 25052 shouldn’t present too many problems.

Product Comparison

I think that it’s always a good practice to compare a particular lawn mower to at least a couple other similar ones before you make up your mind. Doing so can give you a better idea not only of what a particular lawn mower has to offer but also what is available over the entire market. In order to help you do this quickly, the following table compares the product specs of the Greenworks 25052 with those of the American Lawn Mower 1404-16 and the Great States 204-14.

	Greenworks 25052	American Lawn Mower 1404-16	Great States 204-14
Cutting Width	16-inch	16-inch	14-inch
Mower Type	Manual Push	Manual Push	Manual Push
Handle	Cushion Grip	T-handle	T-handle
Cutting System	Standard (contact)	Standard (contact)	Standard (contact)
Blades	5 blades	4-spider 5-blade	3-spider 1-blade
Cutting Height	1-1/4- to 2-1/4-inch	1/2- to 1-3/4-inch	1/2- to 1-1/2-inch
Weight	32 pounds	25 pounds	20 pounds
Grass Catcher	Included	Optional	Optional
Warranty	4 years	90 days	90 days

As you can see, the Greenworks 25052 and American Lawn mower have the widest cutting blades. All three mowers have standard cutting reel designs, although the other two are mounted on spider ball bearing assemblies to make them easier to get going. The Greenworks 25052 has the widest range of cutting heights as well as the tallest. It’s also the heaviest of the three, and the only one that includes the grass catcher in the initial purchase price. And the Greenworks 25052 has the longest warranty by far.

Conclusion

A manual reel mower like the Greenworks 25052 offers a lot of advantages to anyone with a smaller yard who is concerned about their carbon footprint or who wants to save money on lawn care expenses. But there are disadvantages to manual reel mowers as well. Let’s take a second look at the Pros and Cons of this mower before we wrap up the review.

Conclusion Pros

1. Zero emissions and no fossil fuels.
2. 16 inch wide cutting reel.
3. Ergonomically designed handle.
4. Easy to maintain and use.
5. Compact and lightweight.

Along with the fact that the Greenworks 25052 is 100% emissions free, there are a number of other advantages it offers. It has a wide cutting reel so you can finish mowing your lawn in fewer passes and less time. Its handle is designed for comfort and to reduce strain. The mower is very easy to use and requires minimal maintenance. And it is small and light enough that anyone should be able to use it with ease.

Conclusion Cons

1. The mower may have trouble with taller grass.
2. It may struggle with tougher varieties of grass.
3. The rear bag is not very well designed.
4. Assembly is a bit complicated.
5. Does not cut edges easily.

Like many manual reel mowers, the Greenworks 25052 may have trouble getting through tall grass, tougher varieties of grass like St. Augustine, and denser patches on the lawn. The rear grass catcher has some design problems, and does not work very well. There is a bit of complicated assembly required. Finally, if your lawn touches walls or fences, you will have to do some edging after you mow it.

Final Word

When you have a smaller yard, you can opt for a convenient manual reel mower instead of an expensive and bulky gas or electric mower. Doing so allows you to save a lot of money on fuel and maintenance over the long term, and it also significantly reduces the emissions your household is producing. As a result, it makes sense to switch over to a reel mower.

The Greenworks 25052 is a solid manual reel mower that is perfect for small yards. It has a wide enough cutting reel that it will be able to get the job done more quickly and efficiently, but it’s also compact enough that it will be easy to maneuver in tighter spaces. Storage is effortless, and it is lightweight but durable. It will provide quality performance over the long term. All things considered, the Greenworks 25052 is a good manual reel mower that is very reasonably priced.

Best Price

The Greenworks 25052 is one of the most inexpensive manual reel mowers you can find today. It is considerably less expensive than the market average, but it is not cheaply made in spite of this. As a result you get quality performance without having to spend a fortune to get it. In addition, because you will never spend a dime on gas or electricity, and because the only maintenance the mower will need is an occasional sharpening of the blades, it’s virtually free to use and maintain it. Frugal homeowners will be very pleased with this money saving machine: it is good for your lawn, great for the environment, and easy on your wallet.