Battery Powered Lawn Equipment

[CDGator]

Thoughts on battery powered lawn equipment like a leaf blower? I bought one at Costco for $150 on sale and love the concept but the battery life is awful. It will cost another $100 for a spare battery and I would need 1-2 more to do everything. Might as well get a nice Stihl gas powered at this point. Like all batteries, I assume these will lose capacity over time.

Has anyone has years of experience with one yet?

 

[Back Alley Gator]

I think you've already answered your question. I wouldn't own a battery powered piece of lawn equipment.

 

[CDGator]

I think you've already answered your question. I wouldn't own a battery powered piece of lawn equipment.

you are probably right. They have a particular market but we are not it. Seedy keeps saying it too but I keep trying to make this work.

 

[MJMGator]

They’re all designed for modern small lots. If you own more than half an acre, gas is the only viable option.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

The only reason I've heard for why landscaping companies use them is because they are quiet. This allows them to start work earlier and not run afoul of noise ordinances.

 

[CDGator]

The only reason I've heard for why landscaping companies use them is because they are quiet. This allows them to start work earlier and not run afoul of noise ordinances.

I don’t notice that it’s much quieter than our electric. There’s a lot to like about it but it’s not practical.

It reminds me of the “Ladies Tool Kit” that my dad got me when I was 21. It was light blue to give it that masculine feel but it had the smallest of hammers in it that was good for a tack. It works, but only in certain scenarios. We still laugh about it.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

If you had a smaller lot like my rental house they work pretty good. My tenant bought the whole set and is happy with it but when I lived there I could literally mow, edge and blow the entire yard in about 15 minutes and if fact used a non self propelled push mower because I can go faster pushing it myself.

The other thing as you mentioned is the battery capacity loss. I have landscapers at our house but because we have a lot of Oak trees on and next to our property, I bought a gas powered one for the annual mess the trees make in Feb./March(landscapers only come every other week that time of the year) and after Hurricane/TS clean up....Oh and it works great for touchless drying my cars after I wash them.

 

[CDGator]

If you had a smaller lot like my rental house they work pretty good. My tenant bought the whole set and is happy with it but when I lived there I could literally mow, edge and blow the entire yard in about 15 minutes and if fact used a non self propelled push mower because I can go faster pushing it myself.

The other thing as you mentioned is the battery capacity loss. I have landscapers at our house but because we have a lot of Oak trees on and next to our property, I bought a gas powered one for the annual mess the trees make in Feb./March(landscapers only come every other week that time of the year) and after Hurricane/TS clean up....Oh and it works great for touchless drying my cars after I wash them.

Great idea -I do like the idea of drying off the car with it.
I'm not sure if it's worth $150 to keep it for small jobs. It's currently "helicopter" season and the maples are dropping seeds like crazy. It sure is easy to use it for 5 minutes on the porch every day without having to deal with cords or gas.

 

[URGatorBait]

Thoughts on battery powered lawn equipment like a leaf blower? I bought one at Costco for $150 on sale and love the concept but the battery life is awful. It will cost another $100 for a spare battery and I would need 1-2 more to do everything. Might as well get a nice Stihl gas powered at this point. Like all batteries, I assume these will lose capacity over time.

Has anyone has years of experience with one yet?

You'd had been better off spending that $150 on the mulch you're complaining about in the chatterbox

I have an Echo gas powered back pack blower. Have had it for many years. we have someone cut the lawn so I probably only use it about 10 - 12 times a year to blow off excess leaves since we have a lot of trees over the house.

Never had a problem with it.

 

[CDGator]

You'd had been better off spending that $150 on the mulch you're complaining about in the chatterbox

I have an Echo gas powered back pack blower. Have had it for many years. we have someone cut the lawn so I probably only use it about 10 - 12 times a year to blow off excess leaves since we have a lot of trees over the house.

Never had a problem with it.

Touché
I can still return it. Costco has an incredible return policy.

 

[LagoonGator68]

Thoughts on battery powered lawn equipment like a leaf blower? I bought one at Costco for $150 on sale and love the concept but the battery life is awful. It will cost another $100 for a spare battery and I would need 1-2 more to do everything. Might as well get a nice Stihl gas powered at this point. Like all batteries, I assume these will lose capacity over time.

Has anyone has years of experience with one yet?

 

[Altitude Gator]

I'm in the Ryobi 40v line. I have small yard and battery life isn't an issue.

I have taken the self-propelled mower to my property in Wyoming and got a solid half acre on clump grass and cheat grass on a single charge in my 6ah battery. I now have a second power head with trimmer and push mower for use up there for around the camper and fence line.

The power head is interchangeable with trimmer, edger, cultivator (love this in my garden boxes...think electric Mantis), pole saw (don't have) and a goofy blower (don't have).

I have a big blower and it works great.

I also took down a dead tree with the 18" chain saw. But that took several batteries due to a dull blade.

Overall, I have been happy with them. I have been warned off of the snow blower. Most reviews say it sucks...and doesn't blow! Only gas powered gear at the house is my 28" Toro snow blower...it rocks!

I had a buddy that had the Ego stuff...and it was even better.

I am guessing you got the Greenworks stuff at Costco. I have heard they are under powered and hit and miss on battery life.

 

[g8r.tom]

I have battery powered hedge trimmers, weed eater, blower and an extenable tree saw. They work great. Too much lawn to do a battery powered mower.

 

[CDGator]

I'm in the Ryobi 40v line. I have small yard and battery life isn't an issue.

I have taken the self-propelled mower to my property in Wyoming and got a solid half acre on clump grass and cheat grass on a single charge in my 6ah battery. I now have a second power head with trimmer and push mower for use up there for around the camper and fence line.

The power head is interchangeable with trimmer, edger, cultivator (love this in my garden boxes...think electric Mantis), pole saw (don't have) and a goofy blower (don't have).

I have a big blower and it works great.

I also took down a dead tree with the 18" chain saw. But that took several batteries due to a dull blade.

Overall, I have been happy with them. I have been warned off of the snow blower. Most reviews say it sucks...and doesn't blow! Only gas powered gear at the house is my 28" Toro snow blower...it rocks!

I had a buddy that had the Ego stuff...and it was even better.

I am guessing you got the Greenworks stuff at Costco. I have heard they are under powered and hit and miss on battery life.

Thanks, good info. Maybe it's the brand that's more of the issue. I'm thinking this will go back soon.
I thought I paid $150 but I looked at the receipt and it was $250, on sale for $200. I really like the 15-20 minutes that it works but definitely not worth $200.



$249.99
Greenworks 80V Gen 3 800CFM Brushless Blower and 2.5ah Battery

• Powerful 26CC Gas Equivalent
• Quietforce technology for less noise and more power
• Variable Speed Trigger for Easy Control and Turbo Button for More Power
• Included: Exo-Flex Strap and Snap-On Nozzle
• Up to 60 min Runtime on Low, 20 min Runtime on high, 15 min on Turbo

 

[Altitude Gator]

Thanks, good info. Maybe it's the brand that's more of the issue. I'm thinking this will go back soon.
I thought I paid $150 but I looked at the receipt and it was $250, on sale for $200. I really like the 15-20 minutes that it works but definitely not worth $200.



$249.99
Greenworks 80V Gen 3 800CFM Brushless Blower and 2.5ah Battery

• Powerful 26CC Gas Equivalent
• Quietforce technology for less noise and more power
• Variable Speed Trigger for Easy Control and Turbo Button for More Power
• Included: Exo-Flex Strap and Snap-On Nozzle
• Up to 60 min Runtime on Low, 20 min Runtime on high, 15 min on Turbo

Yep, take that back. It could be the specific batteries or the whole system, but that is too much to pay for disappointment. And Costco's return policy is great.

Not sure how close you are to one, but the Direct Tool Outlet stores (all in outlet malls) are the TTY (manufacturer) outlets for refurb and blemished tools - mostly Ryobi and Ridgid, but also some Milwaukee, Hart (that cheap **** from Walmart) and Hoover. They run good sales - especially on the refurb stuff. I got my awesome blower from there for $75 (retail was over $150 at the time) - tool only since I already had batteries from my mower and trimmer set ups.

EDIT: If you buy something from Direct Tools Outlet, buy the kits until you have enough batteries. The batteries by themselves are stupid expensive - but that is true of all the brands.

 

[URGatorBait]

Buncha damn tree huggin communist hippies in here

 

[Altitude Gator]

Buncha damn tree huggin communist hippies in here

Nope...just sick of gas, mixing oil in, maintenance, etc. Fighting each piece of equipment every year after storage no matter how it is stored got old. Mower died and I took a chance on the battery version. Never looked back!

 

[URGatorBait]

Nope...just sick of gas, mixing oil in, maintenance, etc. Fighting each piece of equipment every year after storage no matter how it is stored got old. Mower died and I took a chance on the battery version. Never looked back!

Have you tried using better gas?
Or maybe not using schitty equipment



Disclaimer, I don't mow

 

[CDGator]

Have you tried using better gas?
Or maybe not using schitty equipment



Disclaimer, I don't mow

Tell me you don’t do yard work without telling me you don’t do yard work.

 

[URGatorBait]

Tell me you don’t do yard work without telling me you don’t do yard work.

I literally did....several times in the thread

And I've done my fair share. Did it as a job for a couple years when I was younger