A Poll: Reel or Rotory for St. Augustine Grass

[Duper]

Lots of differing opinions out there on this one I think... but I'd like to hear what the guys w/ the experience think!

St. Augustine Grass:

Reel...

or

Rotory...

What cuts the best and gives the best looking results?


Secondary Poll (optional):
What type of mower works best on what type of grass?
Is reel the king of the hill? Or is Rotory the unsuspecting champ?


NOTE: Do not consider 'ease of use' or speed as a factor in your vote... just quality of the cut and the best looking end results.

[Scott]

I'm down here in the SE and I've never seen a St. A lawn cut with a reel mower, along with bahia.
I've seen them used on centipede and bermudas.

I'd have to say that with new or sharp blades a centipede lawn or bemuda lawn looks just as good with either mower. I choose to use a rotary due to the differing lawn types I have and ease of maintenance. It's a trade off.

If my own lawn was Princess or Tifway 419 bermuda, I'd definetly get a reel mower but if I was approached by a single homeowner, I wouldn't go out and buy one just for his/her lawn. As a matter of fact I'd probably have to be offered a good 10 lawns or so before I'd even think about running this mower commerically.

[Duper]

Tried 'em both (rotory and reel: Tru-Cut model P20 vs a TORO model 20038 respectively) side by side in St. Augies and the rotory won the battle hands down. Wasn't even close. Learn somethin' new everyday!

End of discussion.

Thanks Scott for your time and feedback on this.

-Duper

[Scott]

where's the pic's?

[Duper]

uhh... err....

that would've been a good idea if I had thought of it at the time!!!

Sorry Scott, that would have required too much thinking ahead on my part. Mowed the whole lawn over again w/ the TORO soon after and returned the Reel Mower. ...sigh... so much for being scientific about it.