Gas vs Electric Lawn maintenance tools

[Columbo]

If they can, as is the case with laws that just prohibit new sales, then the money just goes elsewhere, where it can be bought. That was proven by the quickly rescinded "sugary drink" tax that was instituted in Cook County Illinois. Retailers were hurting from loss of revenue, and over the county line, sales were booming.
Any point in California is only about a 5 hour drive to another state.

If they outright ban the product, people will accept the issues where they live, break the law, they will move, or they will change the laws.
When you get down to it, that's the only choices.

Did Prohibition teach these people anything? Apparently not.

Philly did this a few years back with those sugary drinks. Just across City Line Avenue, the cars were backed up outside the convenience stores every day, as all the stores on the City's side died.

I agree. People will just jump the state line and get what they want there.

So silly. Let the marketplace sort it out. Most people are smart enough to sort things out for themselves, and decide with their wallets.

 

[musicman1951]

Yep, I want to go out and get it done and not have to go out every couple hours. A few of my neighbors went to battery powered lawn mowers and what I do in 30 minutes with gas takes them over an hour. I can’t say where we live is hilly, but we do have slopes. It seems that extra effort it takes for battery drains it quicker. Battery is getting there, just not yet.

Mowers are a whole 'nother can of worms. I can't think of a single reason a battery mower wouldn't be as fast as a gas mower of the same size. Mine is self-propelled and is capable of going way faster than I like. And I can pop my battery in considerably faster than you can fill your gas tank. I mow my lawn twice on a charge, but I do have a big battery.

By the by, in my youth I worked for a golf course superintendent and he clearly told me in a stern voice (I thought I was doing a good job to go fast) that a rotary blade cuts much better/cleaner at moderate speeds.

 

[luvmysuper]

Mowers are a whole 'nother can of worms. I can't think of a single reason a battery mower wouldn't be as fast as a gas mower of the same size. Mine is self-propelled and is capable of going way faster than I like. And I can pop my battery in considerably faster than you can fill your gas tank. I mow my lawn twice on a charge, but I do have a big battery.

By the by, in my youth I worked for a golf course superintendent and he clearly told me in a stern voice (I thought I was doing a good job to go fast) that a rotary blade cuts much better/cleaner at moderate speeds.

I think the limiter for some would be size of the area to be attacked.
I have over 3 acres. Even though there's probably only an acre to mow, there's no way a battery operated or even corded mower is going to work in that scenario.
I have a two entrance driveway that cuts the corner on my corner lot. It's 200 feet long. There's not a battery operated blower that will do the whole driveway.
Likewise with snowblowing. No battery operated snowblower is going to do 200 feet of driveway with the snow we get up here near the Wisconsin/Illinois border.
The modern gas powered tools I own are pretty darned quiet, except for the chainsaw, but that is not a regular use item.
I have seen some ill maintained tools that are loud and annoying, but that's a manifestation of the owner more than the tool.
If, in my lifetime, they manage to create battery operated tools that will do the job, I'll be the first to switch - but they ain't there yet.

 

[Hopalong]

Electric mowers struggle with thick or long grass.

 

[Mojo88]

Mowers are a whole 'nother can of worms. I can't think of a single reason a battery mower wouldn't be as fast as a gas mower of the same size. Mine is self-propelled and is capable of going way faster than I like. And I can pop my battery in considerably faster than you can fill your gas tank. I mow my lawn twice on a charge, but I do have a big battery.

By the by, in my youth I worked for a golf course superintendent and he clearly told me in a stern voice (I thought I was doing a good job to go fast) that a rotary blade cuts much better/cleaner at moderate speeds.

I should have clarified. It’s not an apples to apples situation. This is what I use as compared to electric.

 

[Columbo]

I should have clarified. It’s not an apples to apples situation. This is what I use as compared to electric. View attachment 1842764

That looks like a Briggs-Toro. How's your newer small B&S holding up? Maybe they've gotten better.

We had a small push job with a Briggs about 20 years ago. It was a constant starting headache, then the factory service parts all started saying "Made in China", and that was the end of that. We replaced it with a Honda-Toro, and it has been trouble free going on a decade now.

The ancient B&S engines from our fathers' time practically created the genre, and were as reliable as the Sun. The classic American small engine. Which makes it all the more painful to relate that above story.

 

[Mojo88]

That looks like a Briggs-Toro. How's your newer small B&S holding up? Maybe they've gotten better.

We had a small push job with a Briggs about 20 years ago. It was a constant starting headache, then the factory service parts all started saying "Made in China", and that was the end of that. We replaced it with a Honda-Toro, and it has been trouble free going on a decade now.

The ancient B&S engines from our fathers' time practically created the genre, and were as reliable as the Sun. The classic American small engine. Which makes it all the more painful to relate that above story.

It’s the lawnmower of choice where I used to work. Several of the homes/shops had them so I had the benefit of asking around before I bought it. I had one small issue and the dealer fixed it, no questions asked. The shops usually had 20 or more acres and this was used for areas that riding mowers couldn’t get to. The only negative is the weight, you have to muscle it around, but it goes through thick wet grass easily. It’s a 30 inch deck so it does live up to the name Timemaster.

 

[Lord NSIC]

I got away with a gas walk behind and a corded weedeater for a long time, but now I have too much grass, and too many trees to manage a cord, and with only two outdoor outlets, it gets to be a pain to manage a cord. 42" Cub Cadet rider (gave the 46" to my son) to get around the trees and a Stihl trimmer and blower -- start everytime. My problem is that once the weather turns humid and rainy the grass grows so fast that I need the extra power and I hate cutting grass once a week much less twice.

 

[Columbo]

The shops usually had 20 or more acres and this was used for areas that riding mowers couldn’t get to. The only negative is the weight, you have to muscle it around, but it goes through thick wet grass easily. It’s a 30 inch deck so it does live up to the name Timemaster.

That's about what we use ours for: smaller areas where a big deck cutter can't comfortably reach. We need a high wheeler, and I could never imagine pushing that thing across multiple acres.

Glad to hear yours is more dependable. I think the "Guaranteed to Start" label is from old curmudgeons like me sending them unhappy letters!

If it doesn't have one, drop a fuel shutoff valve and inline filter on it. You'll be happy every late March that you did!

 

[BurnFree]

My kneejerk reaction is to jump on the gas bandwagon, but handheld battery equipment is at least worth looking at today, even though the technology undoubtedly needs to mature.

Picking on Stihl: They make an FSA135R trimmer that is $820 on sale with two batteries...yikes!!!

It weighs 14# and has a conservative 40min runtime (rotating 2 old batteries in hot weather), compared to a FS94R, which is roughly 11# fueled for about half of that price. Weight matters if you're going to use a trimmer for 40minutes, but so does the balance, so it might not be such a huge difference in-hand. There'd certainly have to be a demo trial for that price. Overall cost of ownership may very well be a wash over the tool's lifespan, but that's a chunk of cash upfront.

The combi head would reduce electric multi-tool expense, but remember they are heavier-yet than dedicated equipment. It should meet the power requirements for the tasks you want to do, and do it well for that kind of money. A 28cc 4mix Fs90/91 powerhead is a bare minimum for edging/cutting. There are reports that it does not run the blower attachment very effectively. The 2 stroke 94r I referenced is no slouch - it is every bit the rated 1.2hp with better throttle control than a 90, but it has very little torque, particularly at low rpm. It's a wonderful commercial trimmer in my opinion, but forget it for other work. The FS110/111 is the most versatile of the stihl engines. Not too ridiculous as a yard trimmer (the off-on throttle is same as the 90), but it has significantly more horsepower than the two smaller engines, including enough to make deep cuts on the geared-down pole saw model. I couldn't find a spec but suspect (armchair quarterbacking here) the FSA135 "engine" is somewhere between a 91 and 111 in real world power, so it might perform nicely depending on your needs. Battery power is definitely a Try before Buy in my book.

One thing to consider is actual runtime requirements for most homeowners are pretty short when it comes to trimmers, blowers, pole saw/small chainsaw/edger/pruners. Most of the time is spent walking around with an idling gas engine to make cuts before cleaning up. If you're gnawing away along a 300' embankment with a 1hp trimmer, then perhaps it is time to landscape it or buy a different tool anyway. What if you've got a big job once a year? Budget for batteries or break it up. If this is going to be a frequent problem, or you truly use it all day most of the time, then yeah, gas (or more batteries if the tool is otherwise effective) is the anwer.

There is no fuel mixing or fumes. Turning over unused fuel or using premix isn't free. Neither are batteries and electricity, but clogged carbs are #1 on the repair list at dealers, with frozen clutches probably at #2. It'd be nice to grab the blower and use it briefly without the odor.

My understanding is electric offers instant torque with less moving parts to wear out. Biggest Cons - not necessarily high horsepower, weight, battery expense/obsolecence.

This is just one person's experience, but my 3 Dewalt & 3 Ryobi drill batteries have all have lasted 10-15 years (except for one dud replaced early in life, no questions asked) while mostly just sitting around and being run down to zero on an occasion. There has been very little deterioration and replacements are still available. We'll see in another 15 years, but perhaps that is no longer a realistic expectation. If you start doing the math on the number of rated cycles, handheld unit batteries "should" last one heck of a long time for a homeowner.

Consider going Commercial or "commercial-grade" on hand-held/small engine equipment, particularly anything that gets used with any frequency or duration. No "pro" here, but it is more durable and just plain works better. Yes, a commercial trimmer costs way more than it really should, but whenever I was shopping, the price spread between the cheapest piece of junk & and a full commercial unit (perhaps except for mid-sized chainsaws) was pretty small over 10-30 years of ownership compared to other large expenses. I obviously like Stihl, but it's more important to find a nearby dealer of brand x/y/z that will fix what you break.

The mower? Run the gasser into the ground and buy whatever else is needed first. Charge duration and power are still probably a limitation for mowing a genuine 2 acres. Sustained horsepower needs big batteries and big batteries are expensive, so we're not quite there yet for the typical suburban/rural homeowner, I believe. Mowing is something where it is easy to get behind and then only have a 2 hour window to "make hay" for another week. That's where Toro's $30,000 electric Grandstand might come in handy. Or your gas mower.

 

[Jmp63]

My kneejerk reaction is to jump on the gas bandwagon, but handheld battery equipment is at least worth looking at today, even though the technology undoubtedly needs to mature.

Picking on Stihl: They make an FSA135R trimmer that is $820 on sale with two batteries...yikes!!!

It weighs 14# and has a conservative 40min runtime (rotating 2 old batteries in hot weather), compared to a FS94R, which is roughly 11# fueled for about half of that price. Weight matters if you're going to use a trimmer for 40minutes, but so does the balance, so it might not be such a huge difference in-hand. There'd certainly have to be a demo trial for that price. Overall cost of ownership may very well be a wash over the tool's lifespan, but that's a chunk of cash upfront.

The combi head would reduce electric multi-tool expense, but remember they are heavier-yet than dedicated equipment. It should meet the power requirements for the tasks you want to do, and do it well for that kind of money. A 28cc 4mix Fs90/91 powerhead is a bare minimum for edging/cutting. There are reports that it does not run the blower attachment very effectively. The 2 stroke 94r I referenced is no slouch - it is every bit the rated 1.2hp with better throttle control than a 90, but it has very little torque, particularly at low rpm. It's a wonderful commercial trimmer in my opinion, but forget it for other work. The FS110/111 is the most versatile of the stihl engines. Not too ridiculous as a yard trimmer (the off-on throttle is same as the 90), but it has significantly more horsepower than the two smaller engines, including enough to make deep cuts on the geared-down pole saw model. I couldn't find a spec but suspect (armchair quarterbacking here) the FSA135 "engine" is somewhere between a 91 and 111 in real world power, so it might perform nicely depending on your needs. Battery power is definitely a Try before Buy in my book.

One thing to consider is actual runtime requirements for most homeowners are pretty short when it comes to trimmers, blowers, pole saw/small chainsaw/edger/pruners. Most of the time is spent walking around with an idling gas engine to make cuts before cleaning up. If you're gnawing away along a 300' embankment with a 1hp trimmer, then perhaps it is time to landscape it or buy a different tool anyway. What if you've got a big job once a year? Budget for batteries or break it up. If this is going to be a frequent problem, or you truly use it all day most of the time, then yeah, gas (or more batteries if the tool is otherwise effective) is the anwer.

There is no fuel mixing or fumes. Turning over unused fuel or using premix isn't free. Neither are batteries and electricity, but clogged carbs are #1 on the repair list at dealers, with frozen clutches probably at #2. It'd be nice to grab the blower and use it briefly without the odor.

My understanding is electric offers instant torque with less moving parts to wear out. Biggest Cons - not necessarily high horsepower, weight, battery expense/obsolecence.

This is just one person's experience, but my 3 Dewalt & 3 Ryobi drill batteries have all have lasted 10-15 years (except for one dud replaced early in life, no questions asked) while mostly just sitting around and being run down to zero on an occasion. There has been very little deterioration and replacements are still available. We'll see in another 15 years, but perhaps that is no longer a realistic expectation. If you start doing the math on the number of rated cycles, handheld unit batteries "should" last one heck of a long time for a homeowner.

Consider going Commercial or "commercial-grade" on hand-held/small engine equipment, particularly anything that gets used with any frequency or duration. No "pro" here, but it is more durable and just plain works better. Yes, a commercial trimmer costs way more than it really should, but whenever I was shopping, the price spread between the cheapest piece of junk & and a full commercial unit (perhaps except for mid-sized chainsaws) was pretty small over 10-30 years of ownership compared to other large expenses. I obviously like Stihl, but it's more important to find a nearby dealer of brand x/y/z that will fix what you break.

The mower? Run the gasser into the ground and buy whatever else is needed first. Charge duration and power are still probably a limitation for mowing a genuine 2 acres. Sustained horsepower needs big batteries and big batteries are expensive, so we're not quite there yet for the typical suburban/rural homeowner, I believe. Mowing is something where it is easy to get behind and then only have a 2 hour window to "make hay" for another week. That's where Toro's $30,000 electric Grandstand might come in handy. Or your gas mower.

Great write up!! Thank you kindly!

 

[gpjoe]

There's a reason all the pro crews use gas equipment. It just works.

This.

I always observe what the pros use and very often base my purchase decisions on what I see...budget permitting, of course.

For yard work, and cutting and splitting firewood, I'm 100% gas powered.

 

[Jmp63]

Ended up with a STIHL FS91R! Super happy with my purchase so far! Got the free extended warranty with the purchase of their fuel mix. Thank you everyone for your input!

 

[gpjoe]

Ended up with a STIHL FS91R! Super happy with my purchase so far! Got the free extended warranty with the purchase of their fuel mix. Thank you everyone for your input!
View attachment 1848993View attachment 1848994

Very nice.

I settled on Husqvarna (trimmer, hand blower, backpack blower, chainsaw). They offered the same deal: Buy a six-pack of oil, get an extended warranty.