[JohnN]

Alright, I'm tired of yanking out the extension cord. I've got a patio villa and I'm looking for a lighter weight cordless blower (vacuum optional) and a lightweight handheld cordless bush trimmer. Preferably the same brand so I can use the one battery.

I don't want something so light that it's a toy, but I don't need heavy duty landscaper quality either. Just something functional. Thanks for any suggestions. Be safe out there.

[collie1228]

I have a Black and Decker small cordless blower and a string trimmer that use the same lithium ion batteries, and I like them very much. The blower has a button you push to double the power when you need it, which is a really nice feature. The string trimmer has a very easy push button system for advancing the string, and I've never had to take it apart to make it work. I bought them as a pair from Home Depot about 18 months ago. I have a courtyard villa and use them weekly - and the batteries need charging maybe every three times I use them. Good value.

[Topspinmo]

I have EGO blower with turbo button and trimmer also. it’s not light, the battery weighs also most half the blower but at time I brought it one of the best rated blowers and trimmers. I don’t know if there a vacuum attachment? batteries are 56v and several sizes. Batteries are not cheap, so far I have not had to replace battery in 4 years.

[tophcfa]

I have a Greenworks blower, chain saw, and combination pole saw and hedge trimmer that all run on the same lithium battery. They are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased on Amazon. They are not commercial quality, but have been plenty adequate for my needs around our Villages home. Never store the batteries in the garage during the hotter months, keep them in the house.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by collie1228

I have a Black and Decker small cordless blower and a string trimmer that use the same lithium ion batteries, and I like them very much. The blower has a button you push to double the power when you need it, which is a really nice feature. The string trimmer has a very easy push button system for advancing the string, and I've never had to take it apart to make it work. I bought them as a pair from Home Depot about 18 months ago. I have a courtyard villa and use them weekly - and the batteries need charging maybe every three times I use them. Good value.

Suggestion to all who own rechargeable tools. Read the instructions-most people don't including me. Lithium Ion they claim so many recharge cycles. You will get far longer life out of the battery if you do not run it till the tool stops working. Properly designed you cannot actually run the battery all the way down-the tool shuts off before that. The reason is that the battery is a pile of cells strapped together. One battery in the pile is always going to be weaker than the others. If, you run it all the way down the stronger cells will reverse the polarity of the weakest cell and you will not be likely to be able to recharge the battery pile.

Also, storing them and charging them in a hot garage increases stand by losses and decreases the life of the battery. The batteries often cost as much as the initial purchase with the tool the charger and two batteries.

[Tbrazie]

I use the Ryobi plus 1 set. Same battery works with hedger, trimmer, saw, drill, blower. I love it. lightweight.

[stanley]

Hands down.........Dewalt..... been using the blower, trimmer and chainsaw for two years now without a problem...and plenty of power.

[JohnN]

I appreciate all the input, thanks.

[Toymeister]

Makita.

Why:
- once you buy into a battery system you may want to add more tools. Makita has more cordless tools than any other brand

- Makita has three trimmer models and four blowers. You want choices, you got choices

-makita uses a fan in the charger to cool the batteries while charging.

-makita did not fall in the ridiculous marketing claims (I am looking at you dewalt!) of '20 volt' batteries. All, repeat all, 18 volt lithium batteries are 20 volts at full charge

And finally makita is owned by makita not stanley who owns dewalt and black and decker and craftsman and porter cable. Your tool and your battery will not be an unsupported orphan in a few years because a corporate bean counter decided to push one product line over another. This is what has happened to porter cable.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by DAVES

Suggestion to all who own rechargeable tools. Read the instructions-most people don't including me. Lithium Ion they claim so many recharge cycles. You will get far longer life out of the battery if you do not run it till the tool stops working. Properly designed you cannot actually run the battery all the way down-the tool shuts off before that. The reason is that the battery is a pile of cells strapped together. One battery in the pile is always going to be weaker than the others. If, you run it all the way down the stronger cells will reverse the polarity of the weakest cell and you will not be likely to be able to recharge the battery pile.

Also, storing them and charging them in a hot garage increases stand by losses and decreases the life of the battery. The batteries often cost as much as the initial purchase with the tool the charger and two batteries.

Agree, Most cordless tool lithium ion batteries are computer controlled, you can’t run them dead. They stop at certain voltage drop. Example my EGO 56V batteries stop at 41 volts. What happen cell or two goes dead and the computer program won’t put charge to battery till those cells are replaced and have positive charge.


How do I know this? I check with meter And every time the battery stopped working at 41 volts.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by stanley

Hands down.........Dewalt..... been using the blower, trimmer and chainsaw for two years now without a problem...and plenty of power.

I had Dewalt, I like the tools, but got tired of buying 100 dollar batteries 20 years ago. I didn’t use them daily, so didn’t warrant cost of the up keep.

[TCNY61]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

I have EGO blower with turbo button and trimmer also. it’s not light, the battery weighs also most half the blower but at time I brought it one of the best rated blowers and trimmers. I don’t know if there a vacuum attachment? batteries are 56v and several sizes. Batteries are not cheap, so far I have not had to replace battery in 4 years.

I have an Ego String trimmer and blower. The string trimmer uses full size .095 diameter string. My lawn is four acres of grass that I mow and have about 50 trees in the lawn and a few hundred at the edges. The 2.5AH battery can in no way do the whole yard but a Villages size yard would be complete with one charge. I wanted to buy a second battery but Home Depot had a 2.5AH battery for $120. They had a pile of the older style leaf blowers with a 2.0Ah battery and quick charger with fan cooling for only $90 so I bought that. The battery died after one year (it was sitting on HD shelf for over a year uncharged) but EGO sent me a new 2.5Ah battery for free just be sending them the serial number and date code (the batteries have a three year warranty). I love the blower for the driveway and deck but it sucks down the battery fast at the highest speed but for a small yard it would be fine. I haven't used the two gas trimmers since I got the EGO but I still use my gas blower when I need a long run time.

[logdog]

I started with a WORX Power Share drill/driver and fold up 40V mower. Now I also have their edger, blower and hedge trimmer. All share the same batteries and do a good job.

[Jima64]

Switched to the basic battery powered black and decker for shrubbery trimmer and string trimmer. No more extension cords for me either.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by TCNY61

I have an Ego String trimmer and blower. The string trimmer uses full size .095 diameter string. My lawn is four acres of grass that I mow and have about 50 trees in the lawn and a few hundred at the edges. The 2.5AH battery can in no way do the whole yard but a Villages size yard would be complete with one charge. I wanted to buy a second battery but Home Depot had a 2.5AH battery for $120. They had a pile of the older style leaf blowers with a 2.0Ah battery and quick charger with fan cooling for only $90 so I bought that. The battery died after one year (it was sitting on HD shelf for over a year uncharged) but EGO sent me a new 2.5Ah battery for free just be sending them the serial number and date code (the batteries have a three year warranty). I love the blower for the driveway and deck but it sucks down the battery fast at the highest speed but for a small yard it would be fine. I haven't used the two gas trimmers since I got the EGO but I still use my gas blower when I need a long run time.

Agree, I have 2.o batteries, mine don’t seem to last as long when new, but pushing air takes a lot of juice especially in turbo mode. I have several bushes still after I took out several, the trimmer has never ran out. I would like to have the chainsaw, but I got two 14” electrics with cords off eBay for 30 bucks which were returns looked like only used once. I think you get can up to 7.0 battery which the lawnmowers take?

I watched guy on Utube repair ego batteries he gets of eBay for 10 bucks or so. He replaced the overheated and swollen cells with ones from parts. Also used the computer module which sometimes goes bad.