Battery vs gas powered equipment performance

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Orasserc
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I'm in the market for some lawn equipment - string trimmer, edger, and garden tiller. I'm looking at either Echo's PAS line or EGO's battery-powered stuff. The significantly lower maintenance of the battery-powered equipment appeals to me.

Aside from mowers (which aren't yet competitive cut- and power-wise with gas), how do battery-powered tools compare to gas in terms of performance? I'm looking to hear from people who have used both. The reviews across the internet on battery-powered equipment are stellar, but it seems many of them are from people who are buying their first set of equipment and don't have much to compare it to.

I'm also wondering about long term use. Gas engines are tried and true - it's generally known how long they last, what to expect from them, and how to maintain them. But what about batteries? How often am I going to replace them? Sure they're easier to maintain day to day (in that there is none), but what will these tools look like in 10 years?
Last edited by Orasserc on Wed Feb 19, 2020 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Colin2016
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I have been using Bosch 18 volt power tools (drill, sander, hedge trimmer, strimmer & circular saw) on the allotment for 2 1/2 years with no problems.

The make live a lot easier as there are no leads to cut or fall over.

I have a generator for other power tools but have only had to use it for grinder & shredder.
Stephen
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For urban garden use, I think battery is the way forward. Lighter and quieter with less maintenace demands.
If you have a large estate or huge grounds then petrol will allow you to go further and for longer. As you are stateside, you may easily have more space than battery can manage.
My biggest gripe is that domestic machinery doesn't have decent blades on strimmers, I'd like a blade with a edge rather than a triangular piece of plastic. I'd much prefer to cut rather than bludgeon the stuff I'm clearing.
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sally wright
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Dear Orasserc,
Buy a make that does interchangable batteries for all it's gadgets. That way if one machine dies there is a good chance that the replacement will fit the batteries that you have already bought; or if it doesn't then the batteries can still be used in your other machines.

Accept that they will not have the quite power of their gas/petrol equivalents and live with this.

Purchase a battery with each machine that you buy. Having more than one battery will significantly reduce the down time whilst you wait for recharging to take place. If there is an offer to purchase a second battery with any machine do take it; it will pay off.

Keep the batteries in the house when not in use as being cold will reduce their power output and if they freeze it may kill them off completely. For the same reason do not use the machines or try recharging when the battery is below freezing. The battery is the most expensive bit of the machines, this is a second reason to keep them indoors away from people who think that your stuff is their stuff.

You will still need ear defenders; these machines are less noisy than their gas/petrol counterparts but they can still make your eardrums meet in the middle. Every time you subject your ears to excess noise the damage is permanent and every bit adds to your total hearing loss.

We have the husqvarna range of battery powered machines and we have been very pleased with them and we will probably add more to our stock as the older machines die.

Regards Sally Wright.
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A good point about batteries Sally.
Bosch ones will also fit their domestic vacuum cleaners, so drills, garden and house devices all take the same power pack. (I wish I had known that before buying a Gtech strimmer).
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Colin2016
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"Bosch ones will also fit their domestic vacuum cleaners"

I did not know that, anybody know how they compare with Dyson for performance?
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Geoff
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Dyson used to make decent products. We had an early 'Animal' model for years and when it finally gave up we automatically bought the new model without doing any research. What a mistake, it is a rough assembly of a pile of random flimsy plastic components. The dust collecting cylinder falls apart when you are emptying it, 50% of the time it falls over when you click it upright and it has one of those ball mechanisms (what a load of *****) that leaves deep unsightly lines across the carpet. Never again!
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Liam starc
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Both of them have their pros and cons but i personally think that battery powered tools have bright future. Gas powered are no doubt the best, i have tried them myself but looking at the condition of the planet, global warming and stuff , its time that we shift to battery powered. Again both of them work just fine and the difference is negligible if you ask me so its better to use more sustainable tools.
robo
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It depends on the area you have to control ,we have a small finca in Spain with a four acre field which I haves trimmed a few times no matter what battery machine you use it would not touch the grass but a petrol one with 4 mm diameter nylon eats it ,if you have a small garden to maintain or a plot then battery
Monika
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We run a battery powered Stihl strimmer and are very happy with it. One charge lasts about 35 - 40 minutes, but as we are likely to buy a hedge cutter with an identical battery, we should be able to swap them as they are being used.
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oldherbaceous
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We have a Stihl HSA 56 hedge cutter, Monika, we use it just for topiary work, or softest growth and couldn't believe the run time...it uses the AK 10 battery...brilliant thing.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

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MarkMcL
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I have used a gas mower but now use a cordless battery powered lawn mower which I must say I prefer. Its just so much easier to work with and store. But as a few folk have pointed out it depends on the area you are using it for. I have 2 smallish lawns front and back so the cordless does just fine, however I wouldnt want to be using it on anything large scale. I do have a spare battery pack but have never needed it, its more for use in the cordless strimmer and hedge trimmer after I have done with the lawn mower.

https://www.cordlessgardenequipment.co.uk/garden-tools/warrior-eco-battery-powered-lawn-mower/
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