is battery powered lawn equipment better

There’s a giveaway below – stay tuned!

I’m a child of the 80’s. That magical generation where we roamed the streets freely on our Huffy bikes, consumed all things where the shelf life would outlive us, aspired to be the Goonies, and we all wanted to “be like Mike”. I really did think “Bo Knows”. I’m still grateful there were no cell phones to capture all our adventures to live on forever in cyberspace. And even though we were fresh off the gas wars of the 70’s, there was no real concern about the impact on our lives. We certainly weren’t asking “is battery powered lawn equipment better”. For starters, people would have looked at us like we were crazy.

Those were the days of being carefree in the summer. Before all the news outlets and social media overload scared parents into bubble wrapping their kids. Forcing them to attend all the camps, travel ball, and other obligations sure to look good on their college entry forms, starting at the age of two. If we went to camp, it was to slide down rock waterfalls in our jean cutoffs, no life jacket needed. And of course, to see that girl we met last year, thankyouverymuch. We played with knives, bows and arrows, and other dangerous objects after a 30-second safety briefing and minimal adult supervision. 

Things have changed over the last 30 years and some of it for good. We know that hamburger helper really isn’t a good staple for nightly meals, seat belts are actually a good idea, smoking is bad for you and skin cancer is a thing. {So applying baby oil before you lay out on the roof really is a terrible idea. Don’t act like I’m the only one who did it.}

We’ve been slower on adopting some other changes, but we’re making progress and becoming better humans. Our food is better, we’re talking about our carbon footprint, and we’re asking tough questions… which brings us back to lawn care.

via NPR

I grew up with the push lawnmower. The kind that wasn’t self-propelled, and a two cycle weed eater and hedge trimmer. You weren’t a real boy if you didn’t know how to operate them, and the best of the best could transform those engines into homemade go-carts.

Alas, I squirrel. So back to the question: is battery powered lawn equipment better?

Let’s just make this simple. Yes, I think we have arrived at a time in history where battery powered equipment is at least on par with, and in some cases performs better. That’s not to say all battery powered equipment is good, but some companies have made tremendous strides. Especially companies like Greenworks. They’re totally dedicated to battery powered, and not just dipping their toes in the idea.

So why is battery powered lawn equipment better?

We think there are a few good reasons.

• money savings

Simply put, in the long run, there is no gas to buy and the repairs of battery-powered products are significantly less. Why? There is far less to break or maintain. And everyone loves to save money.

• better for the environment

We’ve all heard the dire warnings about pollution, polar caps melting and sea levels rising. Going green on your lawn care equipment is just one way to lessen your carbon footprint.

• better for your health

Obviously, there are no fumes with batteries so the hazard to inhaling toxic air as you’re riding on, or working with lawn equipment is canceled out. This is a win for those airbags called lungs.

They’re also better for your joints, as there is significantly less vibration, if any vibration at all, with battery-powered equipment. The vibrating action of gas-powered lawn equipment and mowers can leave your hands tingling, and all that vibration is actually bad for you. Did you know it actually has a name? Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). Once the damage is done, there is no reversing it. 

• less noise

There’s a reason yard workers in the pro field wear hearing protection. Not just because they want to listen to the latest armchair expert or because they’re cool, but because gas engines are loud. Of course, we all know being exposed to loud noise over a period of time can be terrible for your hearing. (You can hardly hear our Greenworks mower. Check out the video in this post.)

Did you also know that a lot of cities are passing noise ordinances? They’re regulating when you’re allowed to have loud noise, but some are taking it even farther and banning gas-powered equipment altogether. Seems like a good time to stop investing in gas and make the switch. Either way with a battery powered mower or other lawn equipment you can mow and trim at whatever time your heart desires. Take that, Felicia.

• ease of use

There is no oil to change, gas to add, engine to prime or crank to pull. You can see how easy it is in the video above. Like our Greenworks mower, you simply pull a lever, push a button and you’re off. You don’t have to teach a kid about two cycle oil and worry about it spilling everywhere. You simply show them how to open the battery compartment, add the battery and they’re off and running, helping you with the yard work. 

Their tools are generally lighter weight than their gas counterparts, making them easier for kids and people with smaller frames to use. It really has been fun for us to have their help this summer, making family projects happen together.

• no loss of power

After testing and owning a variety of battery-powered tools it’s safe to say you can expect the same performance from each category of the product when compared to their gas counterpart, sometimes even better. Even the Zero Turn mowers.

The run time in a Greenworks battery product is comparable to that of a tank of gas! 

• safety

In general, battery powered is safer than gas-powered. However, I wanted to speak specifically to Greenworks. They are industry leaders in safety and are helping rewrite the policies in this area for the better. The crush test for their batteries exceeds and beats the industry. They are put through multiple failure testings, including a submersion test to mention a few, and safety is their number one priority.

One of my favorite features is on the mower; if a traditional gas mower hits a hard object like a pipe, it will simply power through it causing damage to the machine and possibly the operator. Greenworks technology powers the mower down, not allowing it to plow through.

 

 
To celebrate how awesome battery powered lawn care is, Greenworks is giving away up to $300 worth of tools to three lucky winners!

• To enter, simply follow Greenworks on Instagram and like their post.

• Want more chances to win? Simply @ a friend in the Greenworks Instagram post. Every friend you tag gains you another entry. So like the photo and tag 1o friends, you get 11 entries. Tag 15 friends and you get 16 chances to win! 

The contest winners will be picked on Friday, July 19 at 3 pm EST. Tag as many as you want until then. May the luckiest of ducks win, and we can’t wait to share more with you about these fun tools! 

Be sure to check out the Greenworks tools at your local Lowes.

And check out what some of our friends have to say about their experience with Greenworks power washers.

{We partnered with and are sponsored by our good friends at Greenworks for this giveaway. For more info on our branded content please visit our disclosure page.}