When manufacturers first came out with battery powered tools they were, while certainly evolutionary, too underpowered to be of any real use. Home owners were still left with only two real choices for many lawn and garden tools, gas or electric. Gas gave you power and freedom of movement but that came with greater expense and required maintenance, loud noise and greater weight. Electric options delivered less expense and required maintenance along with less noise but at a significant price...less power and mobility. Things were pretty limited inside the house as well where battery powered tools couldn’t keep up with electric. But things started to change when manufacturers began releasing their 18V lines of battery powered tools. There was, finally, useable power and freedom of movement paired with lower noise and lower cost of ownership.
One of the big names in this space is Ryobi. Sure there are other big brand names, all quality, but for price/performance Ryobi is hard to beat and their lines are quite extensive.
Ryobi 18V circular saw and finish nailer.
The 18V hand tools completely replaced electric in our home and have been used on everything from hanging trim (crown/baseboards, etc.) to framing decks. All worked flawlessly. Using multiple batteries and chargers there was never a lack of power. Many Ryobi battery powered tools have available bundles that come with a battery and charger as well as larger kits so having several batteries around and always charged isn’t really an issue and they’re surprisingly affordable. But the big game changer was the introduction of 40V battery power.
40V power available from 2Ah to 7.5Ah.
Ryobi Expand-It cultivator attachment.
4’x12’x12” tilled in only minutes.
Suddenly, for lawn and garden tools, we have the power and freedom of gas, with the lower maintenance and cost of ownership as electric along with lower noise and weight. And they’re affordable. I can do an entire acre of line trimming (edging) with gas like power on one full battery and move entire piles of leaves into the woods that laughed at 18V blowers.
Ryobi 40V 125mph 550cfm Jet Fan Blower
There are 18V and 40V versions of many tools available, from drills and reciprocating saws to air compressors and floor washers and from line trimmers to orbital buffers to sit-on lawn mowers.
Atrachments for cleaning? They make those too.
Cleaning three toilets in less time then it usually takes to do one...and better. What are you gonna do with all that extra free time? 😁
Dylan was right when he said the times they are a changing. And for home owners home maintenance they’re changing for the better.
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