I'm faced with a decision: I have to either replace my trusty Weedeater brand gas edger, fix it (rebuild the engine, apparently) for almost that cost, or get an electric edger (also in about the same price range). Since the price seems predetermined by karma, fate, or whatever, one of the things I was thinking about was whether I'd be better off with the electric one to save the planet. Am I really going to reduce emissions by this decision? Won't I just be transferring the pollution cost to a utility company and having to pay extra in the hassle of hauling all that electric cord around (and I know I'm not going to be able to reach my whole yard.) On top of all that, I feel like I'm just asking for trouble for myself what with the Obama EPA threatening to close all those coal-fired power plants in the next few years. My electric bill, high enough already, will only get higher.
As if you'd care about emissions. Look at it this way: Electric yard tools are quieter and less likely to annoy your neighbors.
The noise doesn't bother me. I wear really loud headphones... Have you ever worked with them? I don't think there's a bit of difference in the noise level.
I have a gas weed eater, but an electric leaf blower. The weed eater is...finicky...sometimes, but isn't encumbered by an electric cord. The leaf blower's cord gets snagged on things sometimes.
I know what you mean. I purposely bought a name brand weed eater and had babied that thing for several years because of previous experiences. It started easily and ran like a champ until just this year. But, one of the disadvantages of living in a small town is that service / repair options can be limited.
I've used both. The electric is a pain in the ass due to the cord catching on everything. I think they make 24v battery ones now. Depending on your lawn size thar might be sn option.
Unless your yard is about an eighth of an acre, I would go for gas. ETA: The 4-stroke Sears Craftsman weed eater with edger and blower attachments are the best yard tools I've ever spent money on.
It's awesome. No more mixing gas and oil. No more yanking the pull-cord 50 million times until the fucker starts up. The Sears Craftsman brand has the kind of string trimmer head that takes pre-cut bits of line, instead of dealing with that useless wrap-around-and-bang-on-the-grass-for-more-line bullshit like they have at Lowes and Home Depot.
Problems getting your weed eater started? I bought a Ryobi about 10 years ago and haven't had one bit of problem with it. Now I want to get my hands on the twine that the commercial operation use. You never see them having to constantly replace theirs.
I went with a gas lawnmower and an electric string trimmer. I went with gas for the mower because I'm still old fashioned and I favor the reliability, simplicity, and power of a nice internal combustion engine. And I was able to get one for cheap on Craig'sList. I went with (corded) electric for the trimmer because even a mid-level model (bought that new) was significantly cheaper than a gas one. Electric can be lighter for the same amount of power, because your "fuel" is coming to you through the cord. I've got a 100' cord and a 50', but I've only ever needed the 100', never had to daisy-chain them. I start in one corner at the back of the garage, swing around the back yard, unplug, and do the same from the front door of the house. I'm happy with my electric trimmer. I've used electric mowers (but not trimmers) and used both a battery and corded mower. Both worked well enough, but the corded mower's blade was so light that it was easily damaged and it really more beat the lawn into submission than anything else. The battery mower, even on a lawn slightly smaller than mine, there was a battery change. And for a lawn my size, I'd either need a third set of batteries or make mowing a multiday affair. On another note, man, I'm torn. On one hand, since this is a RR thread, I feel obligated to point out 14th Doctor's sexual proclivities. On the other hand, the consensus seems to be that that meme is played out.
How does the power / life work out with a battery? I've seen these but didn't know anybody that had one.
I haven't had too good luck with Sears yard equipment. Craftsman's got a good rep but I've always associated them with hand tools.
Dunno. I just read about them. Best bet is get a couple of Batt's. unless you have a small yard I'd suggest gas.
I'm by no means rich and certainly not a large landowner so maybe electric really would work just fine. Maybe Obama could "convince" the country to buy Sears and subsidize my purchase of all new electric yard equipment. Oh, wait. I'd have to join a union but a) I'm not an illegal and b) I'm not Democratic. Boy, I'm screwed.
Gas engines are the devil. I either can't get them started or keep them running no matter what I do directions-wise. Thus, my lawn mower is an old fashioned "reel" mower with no engine. The wheels drive a curved cylindrical blade assembly - classic design, and obviously quiet. My weed-trimmer is electric. The cord is not that big a deal - you learn to lay it out with the least amount of having to mess with it as you go.
I have an electric of both. The cord is kind of annoying, even in a small yard. Not in a dealbreaking way, but still somewhat.
Right now I have just about 1/2 an acre of land. Its mostly grass. I have a 42" lawn tractor to mow it and it takes me about 2 1/2 hours to mow, trim, and edge. As part of my remodel I am going to re-do the landscaping. So with that much to do no way in hell could I do it with electric anything. If I did I would die of heat stroke. Now I can fuck up a carpentry project in no time flat. However when it comes to plumbing and landscaping I aint too shabby at it. My goal is to chew up as much of my land as possible with planting beds, a shed or two, and activity areas such as a fire pit, corn hole, bocci, maybe volleyball. one think I want to do is set up a trellis / pergola and build a dedicated smoker / bbq grill just outside of the pool screening.
Of course you don't. You're not with them the whole day. If you want the commercial operation ones they are in Home Depot, roughly $200 and up, oh and they sell lots of the twine too.
There is that and it's a good point. We've recently put in a fence and started doing some landscaping that's eating up a good bit of what I had been mowing. The good part is there's less mowing. The bad part is, of course, a lot more trimming / edging.
Our house is on about a quarter-acre, and of course some of that is house and paved driveway, patio, and two sheds. We have a Neuton electric mower. I use two batteries to do the whole lawn, but that includes trimming as the mower has a trimmer attachment. Only time I've had trouble is this past spring, when I waited too long before the first mowing (it was raining EVERY DAMN WEEKEND!!) and the grass was very long and lush. But I got it under control. My leaf blower is electric, but uses a cord. I have 50' and 100' extension cords and have never had to use the 100' to do my leaves. Everything else I do manually - chop brush with my machete, prune bushes with a hand-pruner, and so forth. I can get away with that on my small and relatively neat property. Sometimes I tell the wife that I wish we had a couple acres so that I'd have an excuse to buy bigger, shinier toys.
