When Eric King moved from his apartment in Pittsburgh to a single-family home with a lawn, he bought a manual lawn mower instead of the usual gas-powered kind. He figures he's putting money in his pocket and saving trips to the filling station.

He's got plenty of company. Sales of manual — or push reel — mowers with the cartwheeling blades are on the rise this year. Officials attribute the surge to increased environmental concerns because of emissions from gas-powered mowers and the faltering economy that makes the generally less expensive push reels more attractive.

"With the way gas prices are going through the roof and are going to stay there or increase even further, that was the main reason I considered one," said King, 29. "I don't consider myself an environmentalist; I consider myself an economist."

American Lawn Mower Co., a Shelbyville, Ind., manufacturer of manual and electric lawnmowers, says sales are up 60 per cent to 70 per cent over last year.

"It's unbelievable," said Teri McClain, inside sales administrator. "I think gas prices are playing a part in this."

McClain estimates that about 300,000 push reel mowers are sold annually in the United States. That's about the same number of electric mowers that are sold. Though growing, sales of both still are dwarfed by the roughly six million typical gas-powered, walk-behind mowers purchased every year.

Push reel mowers have evolved from those heavy iron beasts of the past into lighter, easier-to-push models and cutting heights that can be adjusted quickly. Accessories include grass catchers and sharpening kits.

Prices for push reel mowers usually range from nearly $100 US to $250 US. A sampling of websites show electric mowers selling for about $145 to $430. Walk-behind gasoline-powered mowers usually cost $150 to $400. The non-riding, self-propelled variety can go from $200 to $900.

People Powered Machines, an Ipswich, Mass.-based internet store, has seen a 25 per cent rise in the sale of push reel and electric lawn mowers so far this year.

"The increasing price of gasoline is one of the bigger factors," said spokesman David Temple.

Lawnmower and landscaping equipment company Toro declined to say how sales of its gas-powered mowers were faring. But spokesman John Wright said the faltering economy and the cool, wet spring that delayed lawn mowing are probably having a bigger effect than high gas prices.

"For the average homeowner, putting a little gas in their mower is not going to be a big deal," Wright said.

In King's neighbourhood, his push reel mower has become an instant hit. One neighbour told him she is buying one for herself and for her father. Other neighbours and passers-by can't resist trying the mower out.

"The way people are reacting you'd think it was the newest technology," he said. "They end up mowing half of my yard for me."