tool advice please

12 years ago

I would like to get a battery operated hedge trimmer and weed wacker. I am getting up there in age and I am finding my gas engine hedge trimmer and weed wacker are getting to be too much for me to handle. Is there such a thing as a good battery powered garden tool? How long can I expect a the battery to hold its charge? I plan on getting two batteries. Is there a system with interchangeble tools that is worth consideration? I know nothing about this so any and all advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

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Comments (10)

exmar zone 7, SE Ohio
12 years ago
IMHO, go to "corded" tools, they're cheap, work well, and no battery hassles. Personally, I no longer have any battery operated tools. Became really disgusted with the batteries being dead and then not taking a charge whenever I wanted to use them. Also, the replacement cost of the battery is almost as much as you paid for the tool, battery and charger on sale.

I don't know the terrain you're going to be using these in, how far away from outlets, etc. They'll work fine on a 100 foot extension, at least mine do.

Both the devices you mention would tend to use up a lot of battery-fast so interchangable tools might be something you'd pay more for then not be able to use.

Should you not be able to use corded tools, I'd plan on buying two new batteries every spring and hope they last through the summer.

Just MHO.

good luck,

Ev
txtom50
12 years ago
You might check out some of the user reviews for the string trimmers on Walmarts website. Some brands get pretty good reviews and some are pretty bad. One thing I noticed from reading some of the reviews is that some of the rechargeable batters are NOT user replaceable.
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slowpoke_gardener
12 years ago
A couple of years ago I started buying the 19.2 volt craftsman tools (all saws, lights, drills and impact drivers). I really like them at first, but now I have no battery life and batteries are high.

You may want to think about weight, they are heavy. Next I would number the batteries. I have 6 batteries, some are better than others but I cant tell them apart.

I am in the process of installing electrical outlets out away from the house, hoping to get within 100' of any place I need to use a tool.
robertz6
12 years ago
It appears that 'slowpoke' is not using lithium-ion batteries.

Are they being made for outdoor tools yet? I have not tried any li-ion tool batteries yet. I hefted the DeWalt 12V li-ion cordless drill, and it felt superbly light in my hand. But at $160, I'm in no hurry to buy one until I hear the battery lasts more than two years.
slowpoke_gardener
12 years ago
Robertz, I use ni-cd only. I have been buying the impact driver and drill kits for about 2, maybe 3 years for $100.00, which is a better deal than buying batteries only.
I had rather have the li-ion but cost has held me back so far.

I think weather/temperature extremes play a part in my battery life. I love battery powered tools, but when it comes to purchase cost and operation cost there is no way they can match a corded tool. With that being said, I almost never go to a corded tool if the job is small enough to be done with a battery tool.
beigestonehill
Original Author
12 years ago
thanks guys for the advice, sounds to me like battery operated tools are not the way to go. I can use corded tools but some of the work I do gets sort of "down and dirty" (cutting back 50 -60 ornamental grasses in some gardens) and I keep cuting though electical cords. I will probably bite the bullet and buy a gas powered hedge trimmer and take some ibuprophen when I am done!
javert
12 years ago
Stihl has recently released a set of 36V tools, lithium ion batteries. They offer a blower, chainsaw, hedge trimmer, and weedwhacker. Don't know what they sell for.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stihl 36V tools
gator_rider2
12 years ago
HSA 65 $299.95
Battery $259.95
Charger $89.95
Rough adding $650.00+ tax battery and charge separate+ Tax.
javert
12 years ago
Ouch! Stihl stuff is really good, but I can't imagine how a battery-powered garden tool could be THAT good.
robertz6
12 years ago
I remember some time ago a poster wanted to know what the best weedwacker was. The answer came back Shin-die-wa (spelling) was suggested as the best weedwacker, with a price of $500-600. The original poster then wanted to know what the next best weedwacker was.

I liked the Ryobi price, but not the batteries. DeWalt and other professional brands were too hard to justify for my use, so I settled on Porter-Cable as something in-between.

tool advice please

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exmar zone 7, SE Ohio

txtom50

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tool advice please

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