Frequently Asked Questions
Topics ::Technical Questions
Push verses Power
Reel verses Rotary- Lawn Health
Pollution caused by Gas Powered Lawn Mowers
Children and Teens using the Brill Luxus Mower
By Request...A Calorie Burning Chart!
Return Policy and Warranty
Questions for Current Brill Luxus Owners
Technical Questions about the Brill Reel Mower:
|
How can the Brill Luxus weigh less than half of other push mowers and yet be more powerful and durable?
New mower design + new materials + new blade system design: Brill uses only advanced, high-tech, lightweight materials that offer greater strength with less weight. The sophisticated Brill mower design eliminates unnecessary weight and increases efficiency. Its revolutionary non-contact silent blade system allows for greater torque to the reel, with lower resistance. The result: increased cutting capacity in a lightweight-easier-to-push mower.
Please explain how Brill has used modern technology and engineering to make their reel mowers?
high-tech, lightweight materials, welded blades, and a non-contact cutting system... deliver greater torque to the reel, less resistance when you push, and blades which rarely need sharpening. more>> |
- Brill completely redesigned the traditional push mower to increase efficiency and power.
- No unnecessary weight: By using high-tech lightweight materials, the Brill is considerably lighter and thus easier to use.
- Unique Blade Design: On most other models the reel blades make contact with the bedknife which explains why they need frequent sharpening. Brill engineered the reel mower so the blades miss the bedknife by .05mm, thus the blades cut better and last longer.
- Brill made adjusting the height of the blades user friendly by making it easy to adjust the blades to several heights. On most other models, adjustment heights are selected for you and limited to three settings.
Do I need a grasscatcher?
It depends. For the health of your lawn and the environment, we recommend leaving the clippings on the lawn every other time you mow. They usually disappear in a day or two. However, if you're very picky about how your lawn looks, or you collect the clippings for composting, a grasscatcher is a good idea.
Can the height of the cutting blades be adjusted?
The mower adjusts easily. You turn two plastic setting knobs to loosen, adjust the height with setting handles, and tighten the setting knobs once you have the desired height. The heights you can set range from 14mm to 45mm. On most other models, adjustment heights are selected for you and limited to three settings.
| Reel Mowers verses Power Mowers |
Is it more difficult to push a reel lawnmower?
|
Modern reel mowers are not at all hard to push. The Brill weighs 16.1 lbs. Power mowers weigh about fifty pounds or more. It does take some energy to get the Brill going, but once it is in motion you keep it going by walking at a regular, enjoyable pace. Yes, you are powering the blades yourself by pushing the mower, but the lighter weight offsets the difference.
How do I know if a push mower is right for me and my lawn type?
A push type mower is a good choice if you have a small lawn ( 6000 square feet or less) and if you are not mowing overgrown St. Augustine grass which has been allowed to have thatch. Most of our returns last year were from people with thatched St. Augustine grass. Brill mowers are not recommended for Bermuda grass.
| Reel Blades Verses Rotary - Lawn Health: |
Why is cutting with a reel mower better for my lawn?
Reel push mowers are widely recognized as the superior cutting method for the health of the grass plant. Lawn grass forms a dense interwoven network of growth just above soil level. This network is a key element in the lawn’s desirable ability to retain moisture and crowd out weeds. The scissors-like cutting action of the reel mower cuts the grass blades cleanly, gently and precisely, with a minimal disturbance to the grass plant's natural growth pattern.
How is a reel mower's cutting different from a rotary mower?
A reel mower scissors-cuts the grass in its place as it lays. Grass blades are cut cleanly and precisely, with minimal disturbance to the plant. A rotary mower sucks all the grass up to vertical and then chops it off with the fast-moving blade, tearing and bruising the grass, and disturbing its natural growth pattern. This often causes the lawn to dry out and to brown.
How does this difference in cutting technique of reel mowers and rotary mowers affect my lawn?
The more healthy the grass, the thicker, greener and more beautiful. Reel mowers promote the health of the lawn by minimizing the impact on the grass plant and allowing it to maximize its own inherent properties. In other words, a reel mower helps the grass plant to help itself!
Furthermore, reel mowers without grass catchers recycle the clippings back into the lawn to provide moisture and nutrients--a process called mulching
| Environmental Issues of Gas Mowers |
|
How much air pollution does a power mower cause?
Garden equipment engines emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation's air pollution and a good deal more in many metropolitan areas like Los Angeles.
A conventional lawn mower pollutes as much in an hour as 40 late model cars (or as much as as much air pollution as driving a car for 100 miles).
A typical 3.5 horsepower gas mower, for instance, can emit the same amount of VOCs -- key precursors to smog -- in an hour as a new car driven 340 miles, say industry experts. A recent California Air Resources Board report shows lawnmowers statewide emit 8.28 tons of VOCs per day.
The replacement of every 500 gas mowers with non-motorized mowers would spare the air:
- 212 pounds of hydrocarbons
(smog ingredient) - 1.7 pounds of nitrogen oxides
(smog ingredient) - 5.6 pounds of irritating particles
- 1,724 pounds of carbon dioxide
To top it off, lawn and garden equipment users inadvertently add to the problem by spilling 17 million gallons of fuel each year while refilling their outdoor power equipment. That's more petroleum than spilled by the Exxon Valdez in the Gulf of Alaska.
How about noise pollution and its affects on the environment?
At this time we don't have any statistics on the noise pollution caused by gas powered mowers. However, landscape professionals are encouraged to wear noise reduction ear covers when they are using gas powered tools, and many neighborhoods discourage power mowing during weekend and evening hours.
| Teens and Children Using the Brill Mower |
Would the Brill Reel Mower be a safe machine for my fifth grader to use?
This is an ideal tool/machine for a child, ten years and older to begin using. Of course, your child would need to observe the same safety precautions adults do. When our daughter was ten and began helping us, she tired after mowing a small section, but she enjoyed the challenge and the sense of accomplishment.
We state that it is not advisable to cut wet grass, and cutting very high grass is difficult and would not be appropriate for an inexperienced user. Given normal conditions, this is a machine a fifth grader can operate with satisfaction. We think this is an ideal tool with which an enterprising youngster could earn money.
See our JET program for details on how 1 teenager + 1 responsible adult + PPM = a summer job!
| Burning Calories: |
How many calories will I burn using a push reel lawn mower?
Here is a chart showing calories burned while mowing for one hour:
| calories burned | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
| weight | mowing |
watching mow-1hour |
||
| 130 | 323 | 88 | ||
| 140 | 348 | 95 | ||
| 150 | 373 | 101 | ||
| 160 | 398 | 107 | ||
| 170 | 422 | 115 | ||
| 180 | 447 | 122 | ||
| 190 | 472 | 128 | ||
|
|
|
|
|
| Return Policy and Warranty |
What is your return policy?
If you return the Brill Luxus Reel Mower in good condition, with original paperwork, and in its original box within thirty days of purchase, you will receive a full refund less shipping and a modest restocking fee.
What is your warranty?
We provide a full one-year warranty. If your Brill Luxus is defective, we will repair or replace at our cost for the period of warranty.
| FAQs for Current Brill Owners.... |
Congratualtions, you've bought a Brill Reel Mower and now you want to know about....
What in the world is this thin metal strip that comes inside the wingnut bolt bag? I think i'll just throw it away....
STOP! STOP! STOP! DON'T THROW THIS AWAY!
You must keep that thin metal gauge and the manual! This gauge is regularly thrown away by customers (yup...even our web designer threw hers away)!
Here's what it is for:
After 12-18 months of use (depending on size of your lawn) you'll notice the mower is not cutting as well as when new. This means it is time to take 5 minutes and reset the gap between the bedknife and the reel blades. The gauge determines the optimal distance. The manual describes the 5 minute task needed to reset the gap.
OK...I just realized I threw my gauge away. What do I do now?
Email us and for ten dollars, we will send you a replacement.
Other Brill Dealers talk about sending in the warranty card to Brill. Should I do this?
No, PPM guarantees the warranty for one year from purchase. There is no need to send the postcard to Brill. We stand by the product.
Do you recommend oiling the mower before using?
To keep the moving parts lubricated and working most efficiently we recommend spraying them with a silicone spray.
Do you recommend any cleaning of the mower?
Yes, gently brushing away any buildup of grass blades or leaves helps your reel mower to perform better. You can use a gloved hand or a brush.
How do you store the Brill mower?
It easily stands by itself. However, if space is a consideration, PPM suggests hanging it from hooks on a ceiling or wall--it's out of the way and takes up very little space.
Help...I can't find my manual?
Email us and we will send you a PDF version.