Advantages of Cordless Lawn Care Equipment

Advantages of Cordless Lawn Care Equipment

With gas prices rising and more and more homeowners trying to make environmentally friendly choices, maybe it is time to think about cordless lawn care equipment. Technology has come a long way from the electric mower with the cumbersome 100 foot extension cord of years past. Cordless models are cleaner, quieter, odorless, don’t require oil and spark plug changes and are easy to start.

Cordless Lawn Mowers

Cordless lawn mowers are much easier on your ears compared to their gas counterparts. The average electric lawn mower makes no more noise than a washing machine (about 75 decibels), while a gas-powered lawn mower can make as much noise as a motorcycle (about 95 decibels).

Besides giving your eardrums a break, battery-powered  lawn mowers pollute much less than gas-powered mowers. According to a 2003 Environmental Protection Agency report, lawn-and-garden equipment accounts for 5 percent of all ozone-forming emissions. The same report concludes that one hour of lawn mower usage produces as much air pollution as driving a car 20 miles.

Cordless lawn mowers eliminate the cost of oil changes, spark plugs, air filters and tune-ups. In terms of energy cost, electric mowers use only about $4 to 5 worth of electricity each year which is much less than compared to the amount of money spent on fuel for a gas-powered mower. And beyond replacing the battery (which can be recycled) every five to seven years and occasionally cleaning and sharpening the blade, there’s little, if any, maintenance!

As for getting the job done cordless lawn mowers are best for small to medium size lawns. The batteries usually can handle cutting up to 8,000 square feet on a single battery charge but if your lawn is lush and thick you may be only able to do 4,000 to 5,000 square feet.

Probably the biggest disadvantage of cordless lawn mowers are they are not self propelled so that can be a challenge if you have a sloping lawn to mow. They also have a hard time handling heavy or wet grass. They do have a higher upfront cost but you will recoup that cost quickly due to their low maintenance and low energy costs.

Cordless Hedge Trimmers

Electric hedge trimmers have similar advantages to electric mowers – less noise, less pollution, ease of use, and most come with a battery and a charger. If you have only a few hedges or shrubs to trim manual clippers are your best bet, anything else you’ll need something with more power.

The most powerful models are 18V and will last 30-40 minutes while in use and will recharge in less than 3 hours. Look for a light weight model (6 to 7lbs) so your arms don’t fatigue after a few minutes on the job. Electric trimmers do a great job on small and medium size branches (less than ¾” thick).

Cordless String Trimmers

Cordless trimmers are great for adding the finishing touches to your landscape. They give you the power to trim along fences, your house, and landscape beds without the hassle of an extension cord. The best cordless trimmers are again light weight (6-7 lbs) and will run 20-30 minutes once charged. If you have a large yard to maintain you may want to keep an extra battery charged. Some of the newer models cut faster than their traditional gas powered counterparts.

If you just need to trim or edge a well-kept lawn, a cordless trimmer offers the most convenience, but it won’t work well on tall grass or weeds.

Cordless Garden Cultivator

Cordless garden cultivators make weeding and aerating garden beds a breeze. They also preps beds for planting and prepping dry and dead spots for seeding. Many gardeners prefer the small garden cultivator, to a rotary culitvator because it can get into tight spots and is usefull in small beds. Batteries last about 20 to 30 minutes on most models and their lightweight (9 to 10 lbs) means you won’t fatigue quickly when working.

For impacted soil or heavier work, a rotary cultivator is your best bet.