Suppose you are looking for the most fantastic spinning reel at a reasonable price currently available on the market. Then, the article below is for you to discover the best Spinning Reel Under $100, meeting your quality and price criteria. Whether casual or professional angler, owning a high-quality spinning reel certainly makes your fishing be the next level.
However, when choosing the right spinning reel, price, durability, and ease of use are common considerations to help you make the ultimate decision.
Read more at:
Best Saltwater Spinning Combo Under $100 (Top 6 Models)
Best Spinning Reels Under $50 (Review In Detail)
Best Spinning Reel Under $100 (Top 9 Recommended By Experts)
A good fishing reel not only makes fishing easier but also increases your motivation to complete your stuff in less time. The information below provides recommendations for the best spinning reels under $100 based on their features. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages are also provided to help you pick your favorite.
| Product images | Product names | Editor's rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | PENN Battle II & III | Smoothest And Quietest Operation Fishing Reel | |
 | PENN Pursuit III | The Cheapest Saltwater Spinning Reels | |
 | KastKing Sharky III Fishing Reel | Top Bass Spinning Reel | |
 | Pflueger President Spinning Fishing Reel | Best Spinning Reel For Trout | |
 | Okuma Ceymar Spinning Reel | Diverse Reels For All Kinds Of Fish | |
 | Piscifun Carbon X Spinning Reels | Best Ultralight Spinning Reel | |
 | KastKing Megatron Spinning Reel | The Best Saltwater and Freshwater Spinning Reel | |
 | KastKing Centron Spinning Reel | Best Value Spinning Reel | |
 | Abu Garcia Revo SX Spinning Reel | The Best Durability and Smooth Fishing Reel |
PENN Battle II & III – Smoothest And Quietest Operation Fishing Reel
Penn’s Battle II & III Spinning Fishing Reel is made of rigid materials and comes with various functions for fishing. It might be your finest choice if you are looking for a saltwater fishing reel.
It comprises a solid metal body and side plates, and five different stainless steel sealed ball bearings. Penn’s HT-100 Versa-Drag feature is keyed into the spool on the Battle II & III, allowing both sides of each drag washer to be utilized. It now has greater maximum drag.
This item also has an immediate anti-reverse bearing to prevent pullbacks. This reel’s drag washers have been well-treated with a special lubricant to ensure long-term performance. A rubber gasket is included with the spool to prevent it from sliding. Therefore, this spinning reel brings smooth drag and quiet while operating. You must be in love with this feature.
Because of the robust materials utilized in the construction of this spinning reel, it is incredibly durable and long-lasting. In addition, the metal body has a low impact and is a high-range spinning reel. The line capacity rings have been indicated at 1/3, 2/3, and total capacity on the superfine spool, so no backing is required.
Pros
- Relatively smooth
- Great drag system
- Firm construction thanks to the all-metal body
Cons
- A bit heavy
- Not suitable for professional anglers
PENN Pursuit III Spinning Reel – The Cheapest Saltwater Spinning Reels
Pursuit III is one of Penn’s best-quality machines. In addition, the technological innovations and materials used make PURSUIT III one of Penn’s most accomplished machines.
Penn Pursuit III has a graphite body with an aluminum side plate, an aluminum spool with line capacity rings, and five ball bearings for smooth operation. In addition, Penn changed the Pursuit’s drag system to the HT-100, a noticeable improvement. This system produces a lot of smooth, forceful drag, and the new, more giant rubber power knob adds comfort and performance.
Typically, Penn altered its Pursuit to improve its performance. When you turn the handle, you’ll notice a significant improvement over the previous version. These graphite reels are incredibly sturdy and long-lasting. These reels are designed for saltwater anglers, and Penn has equipped them with the necessary internals to handle a variety of species.
The Penn Pursuit III spinning reels can handle monolines and braided fishing ones. Furthermore, the versions include silver highlights, which provide a nice touch to your fishing rod. Buy a Penn Pursuit III if you want a fantastic saltwater reel with an extraordinary appearance at an affordable price.
Pros
- Nice drag system
- Easy to disassemble for cleaning
- Lightweight but strong enough
- The product material reduces corrosion from seawater
Cons
- Lack of reverse
- The reel makes noise when operating
KastKing Sharky III Spinning Reel – Top Bass Spinning Reel
The KastKing Sharky III Spinning Reel will be a good helper for your fishing trip and increase your chances of bringing home the freshest catch no matter what conditions you choose to fish in.
The drag system of this KastKing spinning reel is built of Carbon Fiber Matrix. In addition, a high amount of fiber graphite is also reinforced in the body and rotor, which offers them more excellent lightweight and durable fishing reels. Furthermore, the drag mechanism is accessible from the front, making it more consistent and potent.
This model has a graphite body is one of its outstanding features. In addition, this is a high-quality material that is noted for its corrosion resistance. For that reason, it can be used in various fishing situations, including saltwater, without fear of external harm, including corrosion.
An innovation of Sharky III spinning reels is the KISS seal. This feature is a unique water-resistant design that keeps the spool, rotor, and body from water and dust.
10 shielded ball bearings offer a smooth operation without causing any noise. Effortless to cast and wind is a massive bonus for this spinner reel. Because there is not a high learning curve, you will get used to it in no time.
Pros
- User-friendly
- Silky smooth rotation
- Easy to clean
Cons
- The plastics connector between the reel and the rod quickly broke
Pflueger President Spinning Reel – Best Spinning Reel For Trout
The Pflueger President Spinning Reel is an excellent all-around reel for most recreational anglers. The Pflueger comes up with blue and golden lines making its appearance more attractive.
The body and rotor are graphite, which reduces the reel’s weight and brings a comfortable fishing experience. Because it is composed of graphite, the material has a high level of reactivity while maintaining its stiffness. These fishing reels include a multi-drug mechanism with washers that provide vigorous drags and enough braided lines for optimum fishing.
This size 20 spinning reel has 7 corrosion-resistant stainless ball bearings that ensure the product’s durability and long-lasting usage. Plus, the Plueger reel comes with a lubricated sealed drag, which ensures a smooth reel with modest oscillation, resulting in a better lay line and less line twist.
The multi-mixed drag mechanism of the reel, which uses oil-felt washers for the firm, smooth drag, doesn’t give up under tremendous strain and has outstanding pulling strength.
Additionally, this reel has a single aircraft-grade aluminum handle. This improves crane control. Suppose you are getting into fishing but want a reliable, decent-quality reel that will last. Pflueger President Spinning Fishing Reel will not disappoint you.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Anti-reverse bearing
- Gorgeous design
Cons
- A bit noisy
- The size reel stalk is a little short
Okuma Ceymar Spinning Reel – Diverse Reels For All Kinds Of Fish
No matter what kind of fish you’re pursuing, Okuma Ceymar Spinning Reel has a reel for you. The noticeable feature of this reel is lightweight for your comfort control. However, this doesn’t mean that it sacrifices the powerful performance.
In particular, it includes a well-built bearing with elliptical gearing for optimal accuracy of the casting. Also, the metal spool with a sturdy base and braided fishing lines contribute to the reel’s great function. Accordingly, it is ideal for numerous targets from tiny species to heavy-duty loads.
Because Okuma’s design contains their Okuma RES II computer balancing, you can spin this top-rated spinning reel for trout fishing at high speeds. In addition, you will be casting off with a bulk-reducing, eye-catching spinning reel on all your fishing expeditions, thanks to the tiny Blade Body Design.
Pros
- Smooth performance
- Durable
- Well construction
- Computer balanced design
Cons
- The screw that holds the handle tends to unscrew itself very often
Piscifun Carbon X Spinning Reels – Best Ultralight Spinning Reel
The Carbon X is the most fantastic lightweight spinning reel, precisely designed with an all-carbon-fiber frame, rotor, and side plate, making it the lightest in its category, weighing only 5.7 oz. In addition, the Carbon X significantly reduces wrist fatigue, making it ideal for a long day of prize fishing.
In various styles, our most minor, lightest spinning reel has a lightning-fast 6.2:1 gear ratio and a buttery soft 5.1:1. These two gear ratios are the best combination, and the fast retrieve aids every angler in battling the most potent, fast-moving sequence of the largest fish. In addition, the average speed is ideal for fine-tuning the details of your next prize.
The sealed rubber ring protects your drag from being settled by water and dust, and three superior large carbon washers give the most generous amount of up to 33 lbs drag strength.
In addition, strengthened anti-corrosion stainless steel main shaft and Zinc Alloy drive gear, direct-drive screw-in aluminum handle, hollow nest-shaped spool, smooth, positive click-drag, and high-density EVA knob are just a few of the excellent characteristics of the Carbon X.
These capabilities are generally available in higher-priced reels, but this product made them accessible to everyone. Therefore, if you want to experience a high-quality spinner reel, this item is an ideal option.
Pros
- Compact design
- Solid frame
- High speed
- Powerful
Cons
- Poor drag
- The handle can quickly come loose
KastKing Megatron Spinning Reel – The Best Saltwater and Freshwater Spinning Reel
The KastKing Megatron spinning reel stands out from the crowd because of its precise geometric design and bionic innovation. This combination creates the perfect freshwater spinning fishing reel and saltwater spinning reel for anglers searching for the best performance and targeting large fish in both fresh and saltwater.
The KastKing Megatron spinning reel starts with a skeleton structure of robust aerospace aluminum alloy that gives the reel its strength. The rotor and body panels are graphite, which protects the inner workings while also reducing overall weight. Besides, a precisely machined zinc alloy main gear and brass pinion gear provide smooth performance.
There are eight bearings, including seven double-shielded stainless-steel ball bearings and an immediate anti-reverse. The exact arrangement of these top-grade saltwater-ready ball bearings results in a very smooth reel that can be used for both freshwater and saltwater fishing.
Smooth and robust carbon fiber drag also makes Megatron Spinning Reel become one of the top fishing gear products on the market. I highly recommend this product to those passionate about fishing and who want to challenge different types of fish.
Pros
- Nice appearance
- Excellent drag system
- Quality handle
- Sturdy reel
Cons
- Slow retrieve
- A bit too much wiggle within the moving parts
KastKing Centron Spinning Reel – Best Value Spinning Reel
KastKingCentron Spinning Reel makes fishing enjoyable with features at a low price and offers the best value. It is excellent for beginners and turns any angler into a Pro.
Lightweight: The narrow graphite frame design and computerized balance system combined with high performance in the compact Spinning Reel make the KastKing Summer / Centron suitable for beginners and experienced anglers.
High capacity: Offers impressive stopping power up to 17.5 lbs. Precision-machined cylindrical gear perfect for fighting fish strength.
Quiet performance: Durable ball bearings and instant-stop unidirectional anti-reverse bearings provide extremely quiet performance.
Durability: Screws and gears are made from different materials, but they will also maintain excellent performance and shape for a long time with proper care. Buy it with the rod combo. You will still enjoy the durability as the rods are also graphite and stainless steel, making them very sturdy. The gear ratio on KastKing Summer/Centron is 5.2:1, not the fastest. However, this medium reel is excellent for catching bass, snapper, Morwong, Tailor, Cod, Mulloway, or Drummer.
Pros
- Great for beginners
- Light-weight
- Compact design
- Great drag system
- Attractive look
Cons
- Not suitable for saltwater fishing
Abu Garcia Revo SX Spinning Reel – The Best Durability and Smooth Fishing Reel
Durability and smooth running features are the best points of this reel. This reel comes with nine stainless steel ball bearings and one roller bearing. It is a spinning reel of the highest level in function and performance. With the lightweight of the reel, easy to use even after a full day of casting. The body is made of IM-C6 carbon; that’s why it has managed to keep its weight down. With a corrosion-resistant, high-strength X2-Crafts frame, it can last for decades. The brass gear system is designed to prolong the life of the inner gears.
There’s plenty of other Abu Garcia tech built. This improved reel is much better than the previous models. The Rocket Spool Lip feature allows more lines to be stored. This spool can hold 230 of 10 lb mono on the largest reel (model 4000). On the Revo SX because of its braided inbuilt aluminum spool. You can tie the braid directly to the spool, and it won’t come loose. The AM gear system allows the shaft to rotate freely. You will notice a difference when you spin it under a large fish load.
Pros:
- The main shaft is stainless steel and is very durable and anti-corrosion.
- High-performance anti-corrosion stainless steel HPCR bearings.
- IM-C6 The carbon body of this crank makes it lighter.
- The durable AM actuators are designed with a computer configuration for extremely smooth spindle operation.
Cons:
- The highly light natural weight of the shaft makes it susceptible to air knots. When fishing near a large body of water, you may find it a bit.
FAQs About The Best Spinning Reel Under $100
What to Expect From a $100 Spinning Reel?
Typically, you will not know how much quality you may get from a product for the money you spend. However, the information below will help you determine what functions you can get when buying a $100 spinning reel.
Reel Weight and Materials
As producers employ less expensive materials that aren’t as well optimized for weight, the entire reel weight continues to creep up in this class of spinning reels. Heavy reels aren’t always a bad thing, but keep an eye on the ounces because long days of use may be taxing on your wrists.
More Plastic Components
To save money, reel makers would replace metal elements with plastic ones. Plastic isn’t always
terrible, but it wears out faster and lacks the solidity and refinement of metal components.
No Spare Spools
Under $100, reels usually only come with one spool; however, higher-priced reels usually come with a standard spool as well as a backup braid-ready spool. The good news is that the regular spools, which cost $100, are braid-ready, which is critical if you plan on using your spinning reels for bass fishing.
High-quality ball bearings and drags reference
The drag stacks are frequently not sealed on the low-cost reels to save money. This isn’t usually an issue unless you fish a lot on the bank or on the shore, where sand and silt can get into the components and mar up the smoothness.
Correct gear ratio
The gear ratio is a measurement of how many lines must be hauled in to counteract a certain level of drag: The more line required to resist drag increases as the gear ratio increases.
A reel with a high gear ratio produces more speed than a low gear ratio. A compact, lightweight spinning reel can be pretty powerful, but it will be very costly to produce.
For each handle turn, the gear ratio affects how fast the spool spins. For example, the spool spins 5.5 times for every revolution of the handle using a 5.5:1 gear ratio.
Besides, the reel with the best gear ratio might not cost you much. It may, however, make a significant impact, particularly when it comes to catching the fish you desire.
Line Rating and Capacity
The number of times you can recover a line spool from the reel is known as line capacity. The number of spool slots on a reel and the kind and size of the line used determines its capacity.
The capacity of a spinning reel’s line is indicated in pounds of line. Therefore, it’s crucial to know this number when buying a line for your spinning reel.
Quickset anti-reverse mechanism
The anti-reverse feature’s primary advantage is that it prevents the line from unwinding if you don’t want it to. As a result, many anglers employ the anti-reverse mechanism that comes standard on most freshwater reels. Switches or levers at the bottom of a reel are frequently used to control anti-reverse systems.
What Spinning Reel Size Should I Buy?
To figure out the spinning reel size to buy, think about where you’ll be fishing, what kind of fishing you’ll be doing, and how much money you want to spend. There are fantastic spinning reels for all forms of fishing to suit all budgets and sizes. In addition, there are three standard reel sizes that you can consult:
- Small: Tiny reels in 1000 to 3500 (or 10 – 35) class are intended for use with a lightweight 6 – 7ft rod targeting small marine species. The fishing line weight range is often 2-10lb (1-5kg) and 4-14lb braid for these smaller reels.
- Medium: Medium-sized reels in the 4000 to 5500 (or 40 – 55) class are suitable for a 6-7ft shark or fish rod. Monofilament line weights typically vary from 8-14lb (4-7kg) to 8-25lb braid.
- Large: Large spinning reels of the 6000 to 9500 (or 60 – 95) range are designed to fit various rod sizes, such as heavily loaded boat rods. Monofilament line weights typically vary from 6-15kg+ to 12-30lb braid.
Do You Want A Freshwater Or Saltwater Spinning Reel?
Budget will play a significant role in this case, but saltwater spinning reels are well worth the money because they may be used anywhere. There is no need to be concerned about damaging salt, and it may even be used in freshwater without issue.
When you are usually fishing in non-brackish waters, freshwater spinning reels have their place, but if you decide to attempt a salty water body, remember to always clean the reel afterward. Despite this, they are not a viable choice for long-term usage because as interest in saltwater fishing grows, you will need a corrosion-resistant reel sooner or later.
If money is an issue, the reel you should purchase should be a saltwater reel.
Conclusion
Do not worry that you will not buy a quality spinning reel on a limited budget. Many reels can fit the standard of your budget. All you need to do is do a careful search to find the type you want and the features you need.
Proper reel weight is one of the features of these fishing reels under $100, which includes lightweight, heavy, and ultralight reels. These spinning fishing reels will also come with excellent ball bearings. For day-long good fishing, you’ll have reverse bearings and anti-reverse bearings in addition to ball bearings.