SMF

Time for suggestions. My Black & Decker corded electric weed eater crapped out last night. I have about a 3/4 of an acre yard and I used a corded weed eater to trim around the sidewalk and the flower beds and the curb. Gas powered, the downside is the engine repairs are more expensive and then you have to put a stabilizing gas additive over the winter or else it'll gum up. The corded is always a problem with having to drag that electric cord however it has unlimited run time. I'm thinking about a battery-powered weed eater and I've read that you want to get a lithium ion battery and perhaps even a backup. Anybody got suggestions or experiences good or bad with battery-powered weed eaters? Also should I get a battery powered blower or continue to use my electric corded one? I'm wondering if a battery powered blower would have enough strength for wind force to move hedge clippings down the yard

I have a RYOBI cordless weed eater powered by a 40V lithium ion battery. The 40V battery has a longer run time, about 1 hour, than a regular lithium ion battery and is fully re-charged in about 2 hours. I bought it last summer when my B&D corded weedeater crapped out and I’m happy with it. It is quite powerful and the power does not fade in use. The ROBI has interchangeable parts, e.g. I have the hedge trimmer. As for the blower, I use a Cub Cadet backpack gasoline blower, which really saves my back compared with a hand held gasoline blower.

Used a 24volt, 4amp battery Kobalt. Not enough power. Fine for cutting but edging, no way. Yes 40 volt or more would be minimum. Though most rated over 60 volts get lower ratings than 40 volt ones!

Was looking at a Ryobi 25cc for $119 at Home Depot and the $199 Echo 225. They have a Stihl 56 and the guy at the hardware store said that the spool/head on the Echo was the best on the market and the starting was easy. Home Depot sells it too. The HD rep said try the Ryobi this weekend and I have 30 days to bring it back to get the Echo if I change my mind. If I was using it more than once a week, he said get Echo. As far as battery, he said most guys tell him that edging with a battery does not do the trench work great up against a sidewalk and if it does, it eats up trimmer line so fast

Regarding edging the lawn along the sidewalk, you have to develop your technique, but that’s not unique to battery powered weed eaters. I have a corded edger with a steel blade that I use at the beginning of the season to set the edge and trench, after that I use the weed eater to maintain it. As far as line consumption is concerned, it’s not surprising that line gets used up because it’s wacking cement, again that’s not unique to battery powered weed eaters. The one thing I dislike about all weed eaters regardless of how they are powered is removing and re-loading the line spool; however, I believe Echo now has an automatic line re-loader.

off topic somewhat, but the best 'gardening day' of my life happened when i decided to hire a grass cutting crew
clive

Go with cordless lithium if petrol power isn't your thing.

Going to look into the Echo with the line loading innovation. I've had two wonderful gas powered edgers, I think they were Homelite or Toro. I forget. Anyway the edging process is by far the least of my favorite things to do. Now I'm spending far too much time fooling around with the line.

I almost got the Echo. The Ryobi also had an easy load system but not as heralded as the Echo. I'd have gotten Echon if I edged more than twice a month

BTW Lowe's had their combo 24 volt blower and trimmer battery operated machines for $129. When I tried it out it was $50 more