I have both a reel mower and an electric (battery). I sharpen the reel mower once a year, cost me $15 for a sharpening kit 5 years ago. I use the reel mower for play areas (short grass). The electric I use for everything else, which include overgrown areas with japanese arrowroot (called bamboo around here). The only power issue is that the shoot tends to clog. I can't imagine grass being a problem. I have 11 acres, so the most important thing I do is take areas out of mowing. I tend to clear scrub bushes, and 'bamboo' and other invasive 'furhners', convert to clover and grass, mow for a few years, and then plant in something productive (fruit trees, nut trees, fruit bushes...) or just wildflowers, for the bees. Except for places I actually walk, I don't want any more lawn than the minimum.
The American I have came with a jar of lapping compound. I can take the wheels off, put them on backwards, put on the lapping compound and push the mower up and down the driveway a few times to sharpen it. Or it can be done with a file. It has only one sharp cutting blade.
For years we used a corded electric lawn mower. Two extension cords were run over and ruined in that time, so I really advise the battery electric lawnmower as preferable. We switched to a battery electric before moving to a larger yard, I just regret not getting the self propelled version of the same mower as my yard is sloped. I can do my whole yard in one charge if it isn't overgrown, or half of it if I let it go too long. Always recycle the batteries at the end of their life btw as many of them have toxic metals in them and all lead batteries are completely recycleable. The battery has lasted two years so far in my cordless electric mower. I don't have a large enough area to justify the expense of a robot mower but if you do that is a great way to go from what I've read. The robot mowers are safer due to smaller blades and more auto safety shutoff features.
Consider avoiding the middle man,, reduce or eliminate your lawn with native plantings so you don't have to mow at all! That said, We have reduced ours ~50% and still use a gas mower. The biggest problem is the Orchard which I hate having to mow, but if I don't mow it regularly the grass is waist high and becomes a fire hazard. The rest of our acreage is either in native plantings, or in hay that is cut and baled and fed to local cattle. Icarus
Just about there. Only part of the back yard left to go. Not having to mow and trim every week is great, but I can't say gardens are any less work over all. I got fancy with a retaining wall, sifting the dirt to use little stones as part of the landscaping, and making nesting rock rings as borders around the feature plants. Sure looks good, though. I find gardening to be far more therapeutic than lawn mowing. My Father thought I was completely nuts putting blueberries in the front yard, but the neighbours think it's wonderful.
I do minimal "gardening" (My wife does a bunch) but we do a CSA share from our neighbor. We provide the space and she supplies the veggies. Our native plantings are integrated both for wind break as well as bird habitat. We do keep a small front lawn for summer lounging, but it gets smaller every year as the natural verge takes over. If I could figure out something to plant in the Orchard (15 fruit trees) that doesn't require regular mowing or week whacking I would do it in a heart beat. Icarus
Yes, that's hard to find. Grass makes for a pleasant groundcover under trees, and can be a good indicator of when watering is needed. It also restricts the growth of weeds, compared to giving them bare soil to colonise. You might be able to squeeze in a few berry bushes or raspberry canes, but obviously you can't restrict access to the trees for care and harvesting.
I've heard of clover as option for ground cover under the trees. It's available in annual and perennial varieties. I don't think it can choke out weeds as well as grass, but that likely means water has an easier time soaking into the soil. It does provide better cover for predatory insects than grass.
