I'm completely intimidated by all things mechanical, so I was worried about assembling this mower, but it really is easy. The only thing you have to do is screw the five sections of the handle together, then clip it onto the mower body. The instructions were adequate even for an assembly-phobe like me. The current configuration does not require any tools for assembly, but there was an add-on bag of washers and nuts included with my mower that are recommended for a more securely assembled handle. If you opt to use the new nuts instead of the original wingnuts, you'll need a wrench.

After just fifteen minutes or so, I was up and running. To my delight, the mower pushes easily, even through long grass. And it's very entertaining to watch the grass being rapidly snipped off. I felt like Edward Scissorhands. Who would have thought mowing grass would be so fun? I was a little tired and winded when I finished (in a good way), but I had been practically running with this thing because I enjoyed it so much. I kept looking for stray patches to go over again, but, alas, the mower did such a good job, when I was finished, my yard looked like a golf course.

A few facts about me and my lawn to see if my wholehearted recommendation will apply to you: I'm female, plus-sized, totally out of shape, and usually quite sedentary (one reason I thought this would be a good idea). I had never mowed grass before in my life (didn't have a yard before last summer, and then I accepted the fine services of a neighborhood girl with a ride-on mower who worked cheap). My yard is about 6500 square feet, level, fairly flat, and covered with long pine needles all over the place (the mower didn't even notice them).

Some older reviews address a couple of problems that are no longer an issue: Scotts as of late April 2007 packages the mower with the cushioned handgrip already on, and the apparently easily loosened wingnuts (as already mentioned) can now be replaced with regular nuts (not mentioned in the current manual, but included in the box with a note). Scotts should have included shorter bolts with the new nuts (since you now don't need the extra length the wingnuts required), but this is a trivial point. Put your wingnuts on after the new nuts for a more "finished" appearance.

Conclusion:
A reel mower might not be suitable for everyone and every yard, but for me, it's fantastic. It's quiet, easy to maneuver, non-intimidating, good exercise, fun, environmentally sound, and inexpensive. I couldn't be happier with this mower.