OT: Battery Powered Mowers and string trimmers

[NTDawg]

My elderly parents are thinking about buying a battery powered mower and a string trimmer. I don't have any experience with battery powered outdoor tools. Recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks

 

[RocketDawg]

I have a Toro 48 volt string trimmer. It's quite powerful and will run about an hour on the highest power setting. Kinda heavy though.

Never have had a battery-powered mower.

 

[civildawg88]

I have a black a decker 48v trimmer for my small yard and it’s been awesome for 5 years. My grandma tried it out and loved it so much she bought one

 

[Dawg1976]

I've got a battery powered mower. I'm out of town and can't think of the name. But it works fine. Just don't let the grass get tall as it's not as powerful as a gas. Will bog down. But it's light and easy to push. This battery last about 40 minutes which is more than enough for my small lot. Don't have a battery trimmer tho.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

Had an electric and gas weed eater. The electric definitley held up. I would say the only downside is that you have to keep the battery charged or remember to charge it in advance, because it takes a day to fully charge. If you forget, you won’t be weed eating that day.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

If they have a small yard these new ones are fine.

 

[cowbell88]

Probably gonna get an electric trimmer this spring. I do have a 24 volt 10” bar chain saw. I was very impressed with what it will cut on a charge.

 

[MaroonCrusader]

I bought the 40V Black and Decker weed eater and blower set. I’ve had it about a year and they both are fine. I have an acre lot so it’s a lot of trimming. If you go this route, I would advise to buy an extra battery so you can rotate them.

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

I have a Kobalt weed eater and blower. They work great for my small subdivision lot and it is nice to have the two batteries so I can charge one while I am using the other. It only takes around an hour to get a full charge.

Only thing I don't like is the weed eater is a bit awkward to edge with. This is mainly due to do the shape of the weed eater. Other than that they are great.

 

[Dawg1976]

One other thing, most are made of a plastic type material. Plenty durable but not going to hold up if you bang it against trees. Mine is a Sun Joe 40v 16" cut. Small but fine for small lots....3000 sq ft or less. Lots of youtube videos on these btw.

 

[pDigital32Dawg]

I bought a Ryobi 40v lawn mower a year ago and I love it. The one I bought retails at $300, but I found one someone returned at Home Depot for $150. The battery that came with it is a bit of a dud, and I'm lucky to get 15-20 minutes of mowing time with it. However, Ryobi is good about discounting their 40v products, so we bough a hedge trimmer that had a battery included for $79 last summer. I'm able to cut the front and back with no issue.

Pros:
- Light and easy to push
- Able to cut through thin and thick grass. (battery will die faster with a thicker yard)
- Allows for vertical storage. Takes up very little space in a garage or outdoor closet
- Mulching is easy as well
- If you have time, Ryobi will drop the price of other 40v products, and it's a good time to stock up on new tools and batteries
- You can keep two batteries on hand in the mower, so if one dies it is an easy swap
- Very quiet
Cons:
- Battery life might not be sufficient for the size of your yard
- New batteries retail for $99 or more
- Thick grass will quickly reduce the amount of cutting time that your battery can provide

One last thing, whichever brand that you go with be willing to commit to that brand for other products. It can be annoying have electric tools from several brands and not being able to use that same battery across different products.

Lawn mower
https://www.ryobitools.com/outdoor/products/details/40v-20-brushless-lawn-mower-v2

Hedge trimmer:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-2...ttery-and-Charger-Included-RY40610A/203763427

40v Product Family
https://www.ryobitools.com/outdoor/products/list/family/40v

 

[Digging dog]

If they have a small yard, there is a Roomba type of mower out there. Fully programmable and automatic.
I have no experience with this. So I can’t say if it is good or bad.
No sarcastics.

 

[Wizard of bulldogery]

my elderly neighbor has a lawnmower that is a robot. He is sitting outside in his pajamas at 7:00 am couple of days a week just watching it mow the yard for him. He always looks really happy

 

[aTotal360]

My uncle bought one of the Husqvarna robots. It's pretty awesome, but damn they are expensive. He lives on around an acre lot and it just continuously (and silently) meanders around cutting grass. It's like the most badass roomba in the world.

 

[MSUDAWGFAN]

My uncle bought one of the Husqvarna robots. It's pretty awesome, but damn they are expensive. He lives on around an acre lot and it just continuously (and silently) meanders around cutting grass. It's like the most badass roomba in the world.

So, I haven't heard about this until I just read it on the Pack. With that said, how does it not get stolen? Are you supposed to sit outside and watch it, then put it up in the garage when it's done? I'm interested, but with that kind of cost, I would worry about it getting swiped.

 

[Digging dog]

So, I haven't heard about this until I just read it on the Pack. With that said, how does it not get stolen? Are you supposed to sit outside and watch it, then put it up in the garage when it's done? I'm interested, but with that kind of cost, I would worry about it getting swiped.

Don’t retire in Jackson. ***

 

[aTotal360]

Funny you ask. The first thing I did when I saw it was go lift it up. It fired off its siren and about make me go deaf. There are also other anti theft devices built in like it's use of GPS. I guess if someone stole it, unhooked the battery and never used it again, you'd be screwed. But if I understand it correctly, it will send some how send a report to the owner if it's started again.

 

[MSUDAWGFAN]

Funny you ask. The first thing I did when I saw it was go lift it up. It fired off its siren and about make me go deaf. There are also other anti theft devices built in like it's use of GPS. I guess if someone stole it, unhooked the battery and never used it again, you'd be screwed. But if I understand it correctly, it will send some how send a report to the owner if it's started again.

I'm sold.

Send it over.**

 

[Wizard of bulldogery]

if i had one i would sit outside and watch it mow my grass and when it pulled back up after it was finished i'd offer it a beer too

 

[RocketDawg]

Pretty sure the body of my Honda, with a gasoline engine, is plastic or some sort of composite.

 

[RocketDawg]

My uncle bought one of the Husqvarna robots. It's pretty awesome, but damn they are expensive. He lives on around an acre lot and it just continuously (and silently) meanders around cutting grass. It's like the most badass roomba in the world.

Probably cheaper than a lawn service. Do they also bag the clippings and carry them out to the curb?

We have a Roomba and they're pretty neat. They don't get bored and get in a hurry. We have all hardwood or tile downstairs, but on carpet you'd probably need to use a regular vacuum occasionally.

 

[RocketDawg]

I just looked them up. The Husqvarna is about $2250. Not sure if that includes installation or not. And, if you don't like it, supposedly you can get your money back withing 60 days. I may have to look into that.