Tag: Electric tools

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5 Powerful Electric Pressure Washers That Rival Gas

sun joe pressure washer

Electric pressure washers are on the rise because they have two underrated qualities: they are quiet and they are super easy to start. My favorite electric pressure washer is the Greenworks 3000 PSI pressure washer because it is extremely durable and provides a LOT of power.

You’re going to sacrifice a bit of power when it comes to these, but how much power do you need? For most homeowners, electric pressure washers are going to be more than enough power. 

I’ll explain more later, but my electric pressure washers are the second most satisfying tool on the planet. My sister-in-law bought one and finds excuses to use it. She is about as girly-girl as they come and she is constantly on the search for grime to blast away outdoors. 

But pressure washers are hard to compare. They all look the same, they have a ton of acronyms, and they cost a nice chunk of change. 

So today, we are going to break down what to look for in a pressure washer and give you the 5 best electric pressure washers in 2024.

We’ve reviewed all of these at length and even recorded videos of us using several of them on our YouTube channel.

Let’s get started. 

How I tested these electric pressure washers

I tested these electric pressure washers by checking out a few things. Obviously the PSI and GPM matter as well as the other technical specifications, but it’s also important to measure performance, bells and whistles (like number of nozzles and soap tanks), and portability.

I am using this pressure meter to test the claims!

With each of these, I did an actual test of the pressure (not the advertised test) and a similar test for gallons per minute using a 5 gallon bucket. It was a labor of love doing all this testing, but it helped me help you.

Seriously Powerful Electric Pressure Washers

Whereas most folks make you scroll down to the bottom to see the number one choice, I like to start at the top to not waste any of your time. I also think the number one choice is the absolute best, so you may not even need to scroll further. 

Here we go!

Updated Number One: Greenworks 3000 PSI pressure washer

The Greenworks 3000 PSI electric pressure washer is a VERY solid pressure washer. I got it, tested it extensively, and posted a review of it on my Youtube channel.

Not only does it look cool, but it is easily the best electric pressure washer I’ve ever used. Here are a few features that made me obsessed with it:

  • One of the highest PSI electric pressure washers on the market
  • A brushless motor that comes with a ten (10) year warranty. That is a crazy warranty and lets you know just how well this is constructed.
  • Really easy to store and wheel around. The wheels are huge and are never-flat, so you don’t have to worry about filling them up with air.
  • It comes with a ton of nozzles, including a turbo nozzle, that all store super conveniently on a little dashboard.
  • A high quality hose and a really good waterproof extension cord both come included in the purchase.

This thing did a great job cleaning off my deck and even concrete pavers in my backyard. I was impressed. It is also for sale on Amazon for a really good price.

1b. Ryobi 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer

We wrote about this Ryobi 3000 PSI electric pressure washer (which also ranked #1) on list of Ryobi Pressure Washer ranking. When I opened this post I said that electric pressure washers often exchange power for convenience and ease of use. The Ryobi 3000 PSI electric pressure washer does both.

We bought this one for our giveaway winner.

Yep – 3000 PSI is right up there with the Dewalt gas pressure washers and a whole bunch of others. This means you can likely take it beyond some household applications, such as spraying off graffiti or stripping paint off a fence. You can also tone it down to be used for washing a car or pressure washing your driveway.

While this has a really strong PSI, it is a little light on the GPM. Again, this means that you’ll have a strong stream but not quite the widest spray or most efficient surface.

But hey, it’s electric and this is about as good as it gets.

Here’s what I love about Ryobi’s 3000 PSI pressure washer BESIDES the power:

  • A push-button start
  • Never-flat tires that allow you to easily stroll it around a job site
  • A brushless motor
  • A big soap tank
  • BUILT IN NOZZLES on the tip of the sprayer, a cool treat

It’s easily one of the most powerful electric pressure washers on the market and the most powerful on today’s ranking. It’s extremely dynamic which is why we gave it such high marks.

It is a bit on the pricier side at about $450 and can be found at Home Depot.

2. Sun Joe SPX3500 2300 Max Psi Brushless Induction Electric Pressure Washer

Sun Joe is a slightly lesser known brand which is an offshoot of Snow Joe (and they also have Aqua Joe). They have one of the most popular pressure washers ever made and the top-seller on Amazon (also #5 on our list), the Sun Joe SPX3000. 

Definitely a cooler color scheme

The Sun Joe SPX3500 is basically the culmination of all the feedback received about the SPX3000. They went back and made it slightly more powerful, easier to carry around, more durable, and fixed a common problem – the hose connector. It used to be plastic and now it is brass on the 3500.

At 1.5 GPM, this is going to be more efficient at household jobs than the Ryobi, but won’t be able to deliver quite the same pressure.

Here’s what else we like about the SPX3500:

  • A solid 2300 PSI
  • The addition of a brushless motor
  • Black color – better looking
  • The ability to add a bunch of attachments
  • 1.5 GPM for an efficient job

Many people overlook the 3500 because it isn’t as popular as the 3000, but it went ahead and fixed all the complaints and is the superior option. 

Let me be clear – this is not the most powerful pressure washer in the world and doesn’t claim to be. But as far as electric pressure washers go, this one does a heck of a job.

You can grab it on Amazon for an extremely low price and I think that’s the only place you can get it.

3. Greenworks pro-2300 Max PSI 14 Amp brushless electric pressure washer

Greenworks is a great brand. They spend a lot of time making sure their claims are true and that their products hold up well. They nailed it with their PRO series 2300 PSI pressure washer. This  thing is sweet and the only reason I ranked it number three and not number two is that it is a bit more expensive than the Sun Joe.

Dominant.

Here’s what I love about this one:

  • Extremely sturdy – often underrated feature but it’s got a sturdy base and won’t topple over when you’re at the end of the hose
  • It has a brushless motor with water pressure-sensing technology that makes sure you have a consistent amount of pressure
  • It has a 25 foot hose and a 35 foot electrical cord which means you can go further than most
  • The power cord has an inline GFCI (little box with buttons), meaning you can plug it into just about any outlet without it getting in the way
  • It’s got a 2.3 GPM flow rate, which is extremely efficient. This means it is virtually the same pressure as the Sun Joe above, but at a much more efficient rate. Is it worth the extra money? I can be convinced by a good sale…

We’ve spoken with the guys at Greenworks who oversee pressure washers and they’re legit. They definitely know what they’re talking about. We’ve done a compilation of the Greenworks pressure washers, and this one is still number one – even when we compared it to the Sun Joe SPX4600.

If you’re looking for quality, this one is going to be your best bet. Just be prepared to pay a premium (which most of us will).

It’s available on their website or from Amazon for a moderate price, but still lower than most gas washers.

4. Worx Hydroshot Power Washer

While the Worx Hydroshot isn’t your classic pressure washer, I had to put this in the top five because it is so dang cool.

The Hydroshot is a battery-powered power washer that is totally portable. All you need is a body of water or a bucket and you’re good to go. It comes with this cool hose attachment that you can toss into a lake and use to wash off your bike, paddle board, or camping equipment.

You can also toss it in a bucket and wash off your kids shoes or your dog before getting back into the car. It’s like a high powered water gun designed to clean things.

Not your grandpa’s pressure washer.

Heck – you can even connect it to your pool and do some patio chair cleaning. The cool part about this is that it has a rotating nozzle on the end that can go from gentle spray to intense stream. 

These are really handy and if you’re an outdoor junkie, they are probably one of the coolest gifts you can buy.

You can grab it on Amazon for a great price (right now its like 40% off).

5. Sun Joe SPX3000 2030 Max PSI 1.76 GPM 14.5-Amp Electric High Pressure Washer

Yep, we still put the Sun Joe SPX3000 on this list because it is so dang popular. One of the best selling pressure washers of all time, they’re in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of garages across the country. 

We like the SPX3000 because it is super simple to use, provides decent power, and is dirt cheap.

We made a full Youtube video about the SPX3000 and even compared it to the next best seller on Amazon. It was quite the battle.

Just a classic.

But the SPX3000 is great for toting around your yard and cleaning off fences, windows, cars, mailboxes – whatever. It is the small-to-medium sized homeowner’s dream. I wouldn’t take it to any work site, but for about 80% of Americans, this is the perfect combination of price, power, and ease of use. 

The great soap canisters.

We love that this has a soap tank and a bunch of detachable nozzles that make it extremely flexible and great for anything light duty.

Why we started The Lawn Review

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our weekends.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

What to look for in a pressure washer

You gotta know what to look for on these pressure washers. Some of these pressure washers look identical, but have small, nuanced differences that you need to keep an eye on.

Pressure washer nozzles

When choosing a pressure washer, you should pay attention to the nozzles included in the package. Two types of spray nozzles are available, adjustable spray nozzles that can be controlled and quick-connect nozzles with predefined spray patterns.  

The predefined spray patterns typically come in different angles, allowing for you to quickly switch between a broad, lower pressure spray or a narrow, higher pressure stream.

Quick connect nozzles are super convenient, but they’re almost like airpods – you can lose them!

Soap tanks on a pressure washer

Additionally, you may want to consider a soap tank-equipped pressure washer. Some of these pressure washers have “foam cannons” where you can simply add some soap and it will mix it in with the water. Pretty cool.

I recommend a soap tank for cars and windows.

Wheels are important

Despite these seemingly minor features, they can have a big impact, especially with larger units. No sense in lugging around one of these in your yard and tripping all over the place.

Some pressure washers have a tendency to flip over and be top heavy, so make sure the base is sturdy.

Pressure washer hose types

There’s a big difference between how easy or difficult it is to use a pressure washer based on the kind of hose that comes with it. Stiff, rigid hoses make it extremely difficult to have any maneuverability without messing up the job or knocking over the base.

Portability and weight

Even if this has the drawback of making the unit less powerful, a portable, smaller pressure washer will be a better choice if you have to move around or carry the unit with you. Most of us do this, especially if you are doing the exterior of your house.

Totally depends on the job you are trying to do.

Pressure washer motor type

We are looking for brushless motors as they are more reliable, more powerful, and have a much longer life. 

Not interested in buying? Try renting a pressure washer.

GPM and PSI on electric pressure washers

GPM stands for gallons per minute. GPM measures how quickly water is leaving the end of the electric pressure washer. PSI stands for pounds per square inch and is a measure of pressure that is being applied out of the electric pressure washer.

Here’s how it looks on the real deal.

If this is confusing to you, you’re not alone. In reality, if you are looking for power, you want both. They work hand-in-hand to deliver water from the machine at a high rate and effective and efficient volume.

For reference, a pressure washer can have a high PSI but a low GPM, meaning it is able to have a high pressure but generally not over a large area. Having both a high PSI and high GPM means that it’s coming out fast and it’s producing a more effective stream.

Likewise, you can also have a low PSI and higher GPM. This is a good ratio for cleaning cars because you get a lot of water at a safer pressure.

So what’s a good PSI for a pressure washer?

It depends on the job you want to do. For heavy duty jobs, you will need 3000 PSI pressure or higher. This is for things like stripping graffiti and is not as common for homeowners, unless you have teenagers.

Anything under 1000 PSI is going to be pretty weak, but still has a place – like cleaning the mud off of a dirt bike or washing down a surf board.

Between 1000 and 3000 PSI is the sweet spot for most homeowners. This will provide a decent amount of pressure to do things like cleaning windows, cars, driveways, patios, decks, etc. Obviously the higher up you go, the stronger job you can do. And per our lesson above, the more GPM, the faster you can get the job done.

Best Electric Pressure Washers: Parting Thoughts

As long as you’re getting an electric pressure washer with a good motor that is easy to use and delivers the power you want, then you’re going to get a good piece of equipment. There are definitely more than 5 good electric pressure washers on the market, but the ones that made this list are ones we’ve found to be both reliable, popular, and affordable.

Is gas more your thing? Check out the Honda GCV pressure washer series.

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5 Best EGO Weed Eaters I Tested This Year

EGO Weed Eaters are top of the line battery-powered tools. My favorite EGO weed eater is the ST1511T because it has serious width and is highly reliable – from the motor to the cutting head.

We’ve reviewed a TON of EGO content and recorded quite a few YouTube videos with their stuff, even giving away an EGO 765 CFM blower at one point – totally free!

But today I want to break down their new line of weed eaters. They basically all look the same, vary wildly in price, and have features that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

So buckle up and let’s get going.

Full ranking of EGO weed eaters:

  1. EGO Power+ ST1511T 15 inch Weed Eater
  2. EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-inch string trimmer
  3. EGO Power+ MHC1502 string trimmer and attachment kit
  4. EGO Power+ ST1502 Battery String Trimmer
  5. EGO Power+ ST1524 String Trimmer

5 EGO Weed Eaters (Ranked)

One thing that I love about EGO’s weed eaters is that they are all straight shafts. Which means they check one of my boxes already. They also all have a brushless motor and use the awesome 56V battery that EGO has so famously committed to. The main differentiating points with these weed eaters are the bells and whistles, so I’ll be extra sure to pick those apart and the minute differences that can cause $100+ swings in each of these.

Let’s get started:

1. EGO Power+ ST1511T 15 inch 56V PowerLoad Weed Eater with Telescopic Aluminum Shaft

I like to cut right to the chase and start with number one – the EGO ST1511T. I’m not sure what the numbers mean, but I know what I love about this EGO trimmer.

This thing has Powerload technology, which if you reference our dictionary above means that you can run the line through the head of the trimmer, press a button, and it will automatically wind it to the appropriate length. On this weed eater, that is a 15 inch-wide cutting swath which is the gold standard for residential weed eaters. 

The absolute must-haves that this one has: a brushless motor, a 45 minute run time (with the 2.5 Ah batteries, you can go higher if you want), and the ability to carry a .095 inch weed eater string. The EGO ST1511T weed eater checks the boxes. Now for the bells and whistles.

Best value in our opinion. Photo cred: Amazon.

This one has two-speed settings, which in reality I always use max speed for a weed eater unless I’m trying to be extra delicate around a bed of flowers or something. But the reason I really liked this one is that it has a telescopic aluminum shaft. That’s a fancy way of saying you can super easily change the length of this without it being complicated.

For me, this was a huge selling point. If you spend any time using a weed eater, you know how easy it is to tweak your back. You can either deal with it, get a strap, or get a weed eater like this one to be perfectly sized to your dimensions. 

For me, this was the winner. It also comes with a foldable split shaft that allows you to fold it if you’d like.

You can grab this one at a number of places, but I’ve found Amazon to be super convenient and often has the best price. You can grab it on Amazon here to see the most recent price or from your local Lowe’s using this link.

2. EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-inch 56V PowerLoad String Trimmer

So this is a slightly more powerful, pimped out version of our number one rating. As a reminder,  this is probably the premium EGO weed eater, but I chose my number one option because it is about $100 cheaper and has nearly similar performance.

The belle of the ball.

The ST1623T EGO weed eater also has a 56V battery, brushless motor, Powerload technology, and more. But it really differentiates itself with the Line IQ technology, which keeps the string at a specific length (16 inches) regardless of whether or not some breaks off.

Up close on the Line IQ.

This Line IQ technology from EGO sounds great, but it can also rip through trimmer line really easily. Usually you can tell that you’re losing string when it starts to rip off and you notice it getting shorter. This is a good sign that you need to back off whatever surface you’re cutting against. With the ST1623T and Line IQ technology, you will quickly burn through string before you learn your lesson. 

Otherwise, this weed eater comes with a carbon fiber shaft and a 4.0 Ah battery, which will give you a nice run time of about an hour. 

This one is also available on Amazon and if you’re looking to spend a bit more, you can get it for a decent price – still better than most gas trimmers. This one is also available at Lowe’s for a great price.

3. EGO Power+ MHC1502 Multi Combo Kit Power Head

We LOVE the EGO multi-tool combo kit. In fact, we did a super long YouTube video about it and have written extensively about it. Yeah, it is kind of cheating that this isn’t purely a weed eater, but if you’re looking for a solid weed eater that can also add on basically every other lawn tool, then this is a no-brainer. 

The attachment still slaps.

The weed eater attachment is great and honestly one that we use all the time, including in some of our biggest weed eater videos. It still has a 15 inch cutting swath and is backed by a brushless motor. 

The full power head.

We love the edger attachment but were most surprised with how great the hedge trimmer attachment was. 

Either way, this is a great one that can be bought at a ton of places, but we got ours on Amazon and bought like 5 different attachments for it. 

4. EGO Power+ ST1502 56V String Trimmer

The EGO ST1502 is a great string trimmer and I can’t knock it at all. It is totally fine,but it doesn’t quite have the bells and whistles the others do.

This thing is more like the Honda Civic of the EGO weed eater world. Reliable, dependable, nothing that can really go wrong. I like that. In fact, it is very similar to our number one option, it  just doesn’t have the cool telescoping handle and the Powerload technology.

But if you’re a normal guy or gal, this thing is going to fit you just fine. I would definitely grab this one if I were testing out EGO for the first time. It’s a low-risk, low-reward weed eater.

Some of the features include a 15 inch cutting swath, a brushless motor, variable speed control (which is actually way better than only having two speeds), and a split shaft for folding. 

Again, not all the bells and whistles but this also means fewer parts that can break down.

This one is also competitively priced and can be found on Amazon.

5. EGO Power+ ST1524 15 inch String Trimmer with Carbon Fiber Shaft

Just like the number four EGO weed eater being a step down from the number one weed eater, this one is a step down from the number two.

It DOES have all the bells and whistles, with the exception of a telescoping shaft. Again, this one has the beautiful brushless motor, variable speed control, a 15 inch cutting swath, Powerload technology and even a freaking sweet black carbon fiber shaft.

The black shaft is really sleek.

This one frankly looks the coolest out of all the EGO weed eaters, but it doesn’t have Line IQ and is even more expensive than our number one choice.

If you have more money than you know what to do with, this one is absolutely sick. But for those of us not dripping in cash, this  one may be too expensive.

The EGO ST1524 string trimmer sometimes goes on sale on Amazon (currently 30% off), but if not then you’re going to pay a heavy price. 

How to instantly improve your weed eater

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Don’t settle for subpar string that breaks easily and leaves ragged edges. Our team has scoured the market and combined the best colors, shapes, thicknesses, and materials to create a superior line that cuts more cleanly and lasts longer.

With GrassKicker, you can take pride in your perfectly manicured lawn and make a lasting impression on your friends and family. And who knows, your envious neighbors might just start dropping by more often! Don’t wait, elevate your weed eating game with GrassKicker Weed Eater String today! Click the link now to buy.

The bottom line: EGO Weed Eaters 

When I’m looking for a weed eater, the two non-negotiables I have are a brushless motor and a straight shaft. EGO crushes it in both categories, plus adds a ton of cool features. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but I really liked the PowerLine function and the telescoping shaft. I didn’t like the Line IQ technology and the standard weed eater string that came with the weed eaters.

Why we review string trimmers

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our weekends.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

Why would I buy a battery-powered weed eater?

There are a few reasons to check out an electric weed eater when picking out your next lawn and garden tool kit. As compared to gas-powered weed eaters, electric weed eaters tend to be easier to use and maintain. At the end of a long winter season, you may have to refuel your gas powered weed eater and crank it a few times before you can get it to start. 

With the EGO 56V weed eater and other electric weed eaters, you simply place the battery and you are ready to go. 

Another benefit to electric trimmers is maintenance. You will not have to do anything to maintain an electric trimmer other than change out the line. No oil change, no filter change, and no messy gasoline spills. 

If you are a EGO loyalist and have one of their mowers, then you can actually use this same 56 volt battery in both the mower and the trimmer. More on that later. 

Translating EGO’s language

If you’ve been browsing EGO’s website, they have a bunch of different features that have fancy names, but don’t really make intuitive sense. We’ve done the research (and used just about every tool of theirs under the sun) to help decipher and decode what these folks are talking about.

  • Power+: basically anything from their 56V line, which is their most popular battery series line, is Power+. 
  • Powerload: The patented powerload technology basically just means that after you put the weed eater string through the head and even it out, that it will self-wind itself (with some help) to wind it all in there.
  • Line IQ: This is a device that keeps the cutting swath at the ideal length at all times. Most other string trimmers just have string that breaks off and you can bump the head to make it a little longer. 
  • Carbon fiber shaft: the shaft is made of carbon fiber which is super strong and light material.
  • Telescopic shaft: you can change the length of the shaft to be shorter or longer.
  • Brushless motor: a motor powered by magnets instead of brushes that generate electricity. Results in more torque, a cooler motor, and longer life. 
  • Cutting swath: the width from point-to-point of the sides of the weed eater string.

I think that covers it and will help make sense of the descriptions we use when talking about each of the EGO weed eaters.

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4 Best Stihl String Trimmers (w/ Prices): 2024 Update

The best Stihl String Trimmer is the Stihl FS 56 RC or RC-E because it is affordable, great for commercial or residential landscaping, and extremely reliable.

Stihl string trimmers are the standard when it comes to landscaping. Just about every landscaper you see around town is going to have one of these bad boys strapped to the back of their trailer. 

Now that’s why they are so dang popular. But there are many classes of Stihl weed eaters – residential, landscaping / professional, and even battery-powered. I’d like to cut through all of the options and bring the best right up to the top for you. 

Ready?

Let’s get started.

Curious at how Stihl stacks up vs ECHO?

The Ultimate Stihl Weed Eater Buying Guide

To really cut to the chase, we distilled down the dozens of Stihl weed eaters to a concise list, by category of user. No need to do a Top 10 when you just want the best, right?

Most Powerful Stihl String Trimmer for Landscapers: Stihl FS 240 R

When you’re looking for a weed eater as a landscaper there are a few things to keep in mind. First is how effective and reliable the machine is, second is how efficient it is, and third is how it feels to use. 

All of these are related to speed. Speed is the name of the game in landscaping. More jobs = more money. You aren’t going to be nearly as fast with a dinky weed eater that you’re constantly having to mess with. 

Meant to be on a landscaping trailer.

The Stihl FS 240 R is the answer to the speed issue. Here are a few of my favorite things about this Stihl Weed Eater:

  • A large fuel tank. Having a larger fuel tank allows for less re-fuels which means you can spend more time getting the job done.
  • Massive cutting width. The 16.5 inch cutting swatch on the FS 240 R is best in class. Having a big cutting swath means you can tackle thicker brush and absolutely devastate any grass. Another huge time saver.
  • An easy way of starting the string trimmer. This automatically returns the throttle to the start setting whenever the trimmer is stopped. Another time saver.
  • A shoulder strap. Again, not having to take breaks on your arms or shoulders when using this is going to get you from one job to the next in less time.

Stihl consulted with professional landscapers with each element of this design. Every element of it was meant to be focused on one thing: empowering the landscaper to move from one job to the next while providing consistent reliability.

You can check out more details on Stihl’s website.

The Stihl FS 240 R costs about $670, which is very expensive but also saves you a ton of time on the job. Tough balance. It goes on sale at Ace Hardware.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Green Landscaping: Stihl FSA 130 R

Green landscaping is using battery-powered lawn tools to get the job done instead of exclusively gas-powered tools. It is a growing trend, but still not the most practical way to run your landscaping business.

Frankly, gas-powered tools get the job done faster because refueling is way quicker with gas than it is with a battery. Most batteries take a few hours to fully charge, which is precious time you don’t have on the job site. Even if you buy multiple batteries, they still have to charge somewhere sometime. 

But Stihl has recently entered the battery-powered string trimmer space and has a mostly residential line of weed eaters (see below for more). The new FSA 130 R however, was designed for landscaping applications. 

The Stihl FSA 130 R differentiates itself from its gas counterparts by selling itself as the quiet weed eater. The reason this sells well with landscapers is that it simply isn’t practical to be an entirely gas-free landscaping company (yet). They aren’t going to be interested if that’s the angle Stihl takes.

So Stihl is playing this really well. Landscapers can use this for properties that require quiet environments. Think schools, churches, hospitals, etc. that are customers of the landscaping company. Having quiet features is a huge benefit to them. 

Simple speed control lever.

Here are some of the features on this that really make it best in class:

  • Extremely light at only 8.6lbs, compare that with almost 15 on the gas one above
  • No maintenance other than replacing string 
  • Starts with the push of a button
  • Has a quiet motor
  • Comes with separate “quiet” string trimmer line

Essentially, this is the ninja of commercial landscaping. 

See how it plugs in?

One major downside to Stihl’s commercial battery line is that you have to wear the battery as a backpack. You’re reading that right. There’s a backpack that fits their battery and connects to the tool with a cable. It’s weird and bulky, but it does give you the flexibility to have significant run time that an attached battery can’t do without throwing the tool out of balance.

Kind of weird.

If you’re interested in more, check this one out on Stihl’s website.

The Stihl FSA 130 R costs about $500, which is a heck of a lot of money.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Home / Residential Use: Stihl FS 56 RC-E

Not a commercial landscaper and just want a really high quality and reliable weed eater? Well Stihl has you covered here, too. 

We’ve written extensively about the Stihl FS 56 RC-E, which we also did a YouTube video review about as well.

The Stihl FS 56 RC-E is an amazing all-around weed eater for home use. Made right here in America, it provides the power and reliability of the commercial series at a size and price that fit the average homeowner’s needs well. 

Me using the Stihl FS 56 RC-E around my house.

I’ve owned this string trimmer for a few years and it has continued to be one of the most reliable tools in my shed. Here are a few things I love about it:

  • High end power with 5 more ccs of output than its ECHO SRM 225 competitor
  • Straight shaft and lack of vibration
  • 10.6lbs, super light for a gas powered weed eater
  • Easy 2 Start technology helps reset the choke and allows you to start on the first pull
Easy2Start – they mean it!

One complaint I have after owning this for a few years is that replacing the line is super difficult. It’s always a tedious task and it still takes a lot of guess-and-check for me to get it done right. 

I got mine at Ace Hardware, but the Stihl website should be able to guide you well.

The Stihl FS 56 RC-E comes in at about $229, which you can grab at Ace Hardware.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Small Yards: Stihl FSA 57

So you want a Stihl weed eater but don’t need anything big and fancy, just a reliable and easy to use trimmer with the brand power of Stihl?

Maybe you just downsized and sold your big bad gas trimmer?

Whatever your situation, if you have a small yard then you don’t need to go overkill and spend too much money. Stihl is trying to build a bigger footprint in the homeowner sector and has launched their battery line to appeal to lighter-duty needs. 

The Stihl FSA 57 (one of their newest) battery weed eater (which we reviewed as well in a long form post) is a great tool for the average homeowner in a smaller house. I love that it still has a straight shaft and it’s super easy to use.

As compared to the commercial line of battery lawn tools that require a backpack that you plug the tool into, the residential weed eaters from Stihl have a nice little battery you can pop right on. I also love that WITH the battery, this string trimmer comes in at 7.5 lbs. That is maybe the lightest weed eater on record. 

Look who they are marketing to…

Lastly, this thing has a really cool feature that auto-feeds string trimmer line when it gets short. Huge timesaver. 

The auto-feed feature is great.

One thing I don’t love about this Stihl weed eater is that it doesn’t have a brushless motor, meaning it may have a tendency to not last quite as long as its brushless counterparts. It also only has an 11 inch cutting width, which is probably fine for most small yards but definitely weaker than the bigger string trimmers out there. 

The Stihl FSA 57 Weed Eater comes in at about $199. 

Fuel Mixture for Stihl Weed Eater

Stihl Weed Eaters take a 50:1 gas to oil fuel mixture ratio. You can measure this out yourself or grab a pre-mixed fuel mixture from Stihl on Amazon.

Best Weed Eater String for Stihl String Trimmers

We developed the world’s best weed eater string by testing dozens of weed eater strings and taking the little elements of each one that we like the most. We found that a .095″, green, triangle shaped string was the most visible, durable, and had the best performance. It is incredible.

Final words about Stihl Weed Eaters

Stihl Weed Eaters are top of the line for a reason – they consistently deliver the most power, the best user experience, and absolutely unbeatable reliability.

From landscapers to homeowners, Stihl’s lineup is impressive. 

Not a Stihl person? Try our list of the competitor’s leading ECHO weed eaters here.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our time.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

Stihl’s reputation

Stihl is still at it! Pumping out high quality product after high quality product. They’re thought of as one of the GOATS of the yard product game. The boys in orange are known to have a superior product to their competitors. The Stihl Trimmers are obviously no exception to their already super strong lineup.

The world’s largest chainsaw manufacturer, the company moved some operations to Virginia in the 1970s and opened up their first factory dedicated to a single chainsaw. They have continued to master their craft and expand their product offers in the lawn care space. They have amazing blowers like the Stihl BG 86 C and the Stihl BR600 backpack blower.

Stihl has a great reputation that many commercial landscapers rely on each day. Many residential owners will be more than pleased with their products and they’ve recently launched a new battery line-up.

Gas vs Electric Weed Eaters

When purchasing a piece of lawn equipment in 2023 it’s important to understand your power source options. It basically boils down to gas or electric. Electric trimmers are typically easier to start and require little to no maintenance.

They also have less of a noise and environmental impact. Electric trimmers are usually a good bet for small jobs.

Trimmer powered by gas usually end up having more power and are more suitable for larger, more commercial type applications. Because some electric trimmers receive power by a cord they’re not super mobile, gas powered weed eaters can go where you can go. If you want to trim up the moon, it can go with you.

If you want to know more about weed eater string, check out our guide to finding the right weed eater string.

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5 Ryobi Pressure Washers With Serious Power

The best Ryobi Pressure washer is the electric 3000 PSI Ryobi pressure washer because it is reliable, requires no maintenance, and still has most of the power you would find from a gas powered Ryobi pressure washer.

The electric Ryobi 2000 PSI pressure washer.

Ryobi pressure washers are high quality and have a bunch of models tailored for different types of jobs. You’ve got your light duty, around-the-house pressure washer all the way to your gas-powered, super-powerful pressure washer. 

Today, let’s walk through exactly what to look for in a pressure washer, which one is right for you, and the best Ryobi pressure washer for each type of job,

SPOILER ALERT: 

The Best Ryobi Pressure Washers for Every Occasion: Breakdown

Well folks, we now understand what to look for in a pressure washer and the basic answer is: it depends. So let’s break down some scenarios where you might want a certain Ryobi Pressure washer and give you the best one for that scenario. Ready? Break.

Most Powerful Ryobi Pressure Washer

Sometimes, you just need some raw freaking power. I’m talking absolutely shredding off some paint on your deck, getting rid of graffiti, or stripping grime from a driveway. 

You need a pressure washer with higher PSI (pounds per square inch). Basically PSI is a measure of water force coming out of the pressure washer. High PSI = more power. You can modify this further by changing the angle at which the water comes out, with 0 degrees being the most powerful. 

Made for job sites.

Ryobi has a great solution here. The Ryobi 3600 PSI gas pressure washer with a Honda engine is an absolute unit. As made abundantly clear in the title, it has 3600 PSI, which means it is the highest PSI pressure washer offered by Ryobi. 

Basically any professional job you would do with a pressure washer can be tackled with this thing. It really is great for the true pros who use these day in and day out. Here’s what I love about this pressure washer:

  • Extremely powerful engine
  • 35 foot hose, meaning you can cover a large area without having to move the entire base
  • Ability to fold down for easy placement in your truck
  • Flat-free tires. Take comfort on the job site by knowing you’ve got tires that aren’t going to pop and force you to lug this thing around.

Honestly, this thing is made for professionals. It has all the bells and whistles that make it bulletproof and can be used in industrial settings. 

Great example: used outside of a warehouse.

You can grab this thing at any old Home Depot (link will check the price). It will set you back about $750 – an investment that will  make you a return after the first job.

Best Gas Pressure Washer: Ryobi 3200 PSI Pressure Washer

I know what you’re thinking – didn’t we just cover the most powerful Ryobi pressure washer and it was gas?

Yes, but the 3200 PSI pressure washer is also really good. It’s almost as powerful, but is $400 cheaper. So you’re getting a less industrial, slightly less powerful pressure washer for a WAY better price.

What really sets this Ryobi pressure washer from the rest of the gas-powered gang is the combination of power and residential usability. Or put more simply, the fact that it was designed for the normal dude. 

Convenient soap tank.

A few things I like about it:

  • It comes with a three-year warranty.
  • Soap tank gives you flexibility with lighter-duty jobs
  • It has accessory storage built into the tool, so no losing pieces
  • A nice Kohler engine, which is reliable AF
On board accessory storage

As far as gas pressure washers go, this thing is top notch. For the normal homeowner, this Ryobi 3200 PSI pressure washer will be your best friend. Reliable, powerful, and has all the “extras” that make it really attractive to operate.

This one can be found on Amazon for a great price, but also at Home Depot where they have an exclusive contract..

Best Ryobi Electric Pressure Washer: Ryobi 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer

Most folks think that once you go over to the world of electric tools, you end up with dinky, weak tools. And that’s partly true. There are some WEAK electric tools out there.

But the Ryobi 3000 PSI pressure washer is NOT one of them. We JUST broke down a really nice, 3200 PSI gas pressure washer. This is right up there with that one in terms of power, just a slight downgrade. But here’s what you get in return:

  • A much quieter running machine
  • Push-button start
  • No maintenance

Seems like a decent trade for a 200 PSI difference. This thing is a freak and there’s a lot to like about it.

No keys, push to start.

When it comes to electric motors, the most important thing you can have is a brushless motor. And this Ryobi pressure washer has got it. It also comes with an additional “turbo nozzle” which apparently speeds up the cleaning job. 

Still has never-flat tires.

This 3000 PSI Ryobi pressure washer has all the same attributes as the industrial-grade pressure washer we reviewed at the beginning. A 35 foot hose, flat-free wheels, and more. It is quite literally the best electric pressure washer we have reviewed – PERIOD. 

Would not guess its electric looking at it.

It also comes with a 3 year warranty, which is great for dispelling concerns around the reliability of electric pressure washers. It also has a Brushless Ryobi motor which is amazing.

Oh yeah, this one also is our top OVERALL electric pressure washer, too.

This one looks like it’s exclusively available at Home Depot for right at $400.

Best Light Duty Ryobi Pressure Washer: Ryobi 1800 PSI Electric Pressure Washer

Not everyone needs to pressure wash their entire driveway or remove graffiti or remove deep grease stains from the back of an 18 wheeler. 

Some people just want to wash off their deck, their outdoor patio furniture, or their car. So no reason to shell out $300 on a top-of-the-line pressure washer from Ryobi. 

If you’re one of these people, then you need a light-duty pressure washer. The Ryobi 1800 PSI pressure washer is right up your alley. 

These are great pressure washers because they are extremely simple, super portable, and really easy to store. The 1800 PSI pressure washer is a great one because it is about the size of a lunchbox. It comes with a handle. Compare that to the 74 lbs of the most powerful pressure washer listed above.

Its a lunchbox.

It comes with a soap nozzle, meaning you can strap soap right onto the front and get your car foamy and soapy before a deep wash. It is really the perfect pressure washer for stuff around the house. 

Its so tiny.

It doesn’t come with a brushless motor or any of the other bells and whistles, but it is about ¼ the price of the others. 

This is the pressure washer I would recommend to my mom and dad, who live in a townhome. It’s the perfect tool for washing their front door and front porch, their windows, their cars, and their metal fencing. 

This one is on sale for a jaw-dropping price on Amazon.

Best all-around Ryobi pressure washer

I think I did a good job making it obvious that I have a love affair with the 3000 PSI electric pressure washer from Ryobi. It not only has the power and durability of the industrial-grade pressure washers, but it comes with insane reliability. The brushless motor and three year warranty were what took this from a “wow” to a “holy crap”.

Completely unrivaled.

If you are in the market for a pressure washer and are willing to shell out a little dough, I would definitely go with this one. You can grab it at Home Depot online or maybe in store.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

Basically how we spend our time now.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

About Ryobi

I’m sure you already know a ton about Ryobi or at least own a few of their tools. They are HUGE in Home Depot. We love Ryobi products and have written extensively about dozens of their tools. Here are a few of our favorite Ryobi products:

What to look for in a pressure washer

You gotta know what to look for on these pressure washers. Some of these pressure washers look identical, but have small, nuanced differences that you need to keep an eye on.

  • Nozzles Matter
    • When choosing a pressure washer, you should pay attention to the nozzles included in the package. Two types of spray nozzles are available, adjustable spray nozzles that can be controlled and quick-connect nozzles with predefined spray patterns.  
    • The predefined spray patterns typically come in different angles, allowing for you to quickly switch between a broad, lower pressure spray or a narrow, higher pressure stream.
    • Quick connect nozzles are super convenient, but they’re almost like airpods – you can lose them!
  • Soap tank
    • Additionally, you may want to consider a soap tank-equipped pressure washer. Some of these pressure washers have “foam cannons” where you can simply add some soap and it will mix it in with the water. Pretty cool.
    • I recommend a soap tank for cars and windows.
  • Wheels on pressure washers
    • Despite these seemingly minor features, they can have a big impact, especially with larger units. No sense in lugging around one of these in your yard and tripping all over the place.
    • Some pressure washers have a tendency to flip over and be top heavy, so make sure the base is sturdy.
  • Hose types
    • There’s a big difference between how easy or difficult it is to use a pressure washer based on the kind of hose that comes with it. Stiff, rigid hoses make it extremely difficult to have any maneuverability without messing up the job or knocking over the base.
    • If you want to upgrade, check out our pressure washer hose comparison
  • Portability
    • Even if this has the drawback of making the unit less powerful, a portable, smaller pressure washer will be a better choice if you have to move around or carry the unit with you. Most of us do this, especially if you are doing the exterior of your house.
    • Totally depends on the job you are trying to do.

Check out how Ryobi and Greenworks’ top pressure washers compare!

Pressure washers: Gas vs. Electric

Gas pressure washers have been around forever and probably aren’t going anywhere – but electric pressure washers are on the up and up like all the other lawn tools.

Electricity and water! What can go wrong?

The maintenance and cost of gas pressure washers are greater, including things like air filter changes, spark plugs, and more. Gas pressures are also insanely loud. However, electric washers simply have a power source and a button and are far quieter.

There’s a big trade-in for power and convenience with pressure washers, with gas being much more powerful and electric being much more convenient. 

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4 Powerful Ryobi Weed Eaters: Buying Guide for Any Lawn

Ryobi Weed Eaters, also known as weed wackers or string trimmers, are some of the most popular weed eaters in the game. The best Ryobi Weed eater is the Ryobi 40V ExandIt Series (mine is pictured below) because it can handle many attachments and has a super versatile battery.

Ryobi weed eaters are sold everywhere including Home Depot and Amazon. Here’s why: almost everyone has at least ONE Ryobi product. Once you have the battery already, then you can buy the other tools without the battery for cheaper.

It’s called buying  the tool-only version. It’s how these brands sink their teeth into you for life.

Here is my ranking of the best Ryobi Weed Eaters in 2024:

4 Great Ryobi Weed Eaters

Ryobi weed eaters come in all shapes and sizes. Each yard size has multiple contenders, which is why we spent so much time pulling this list together. Our goal is to remove the confusion and serve up the best recommendation for you. Let’s start with small yards.

The Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Small Yards: The small ONE+ 18V Ryobi trimmer

Smaller yards generally require smaller tools. It’s not difficult. Fortunately, with Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V series you are going to get the perfect amount of power for the job.

And the best part is that Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V series fits a TON of other tools. 

But for a small yard, a lightweight, easy-to-use tool is going to fit the bill just fine. That’s why we recommend the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Electric Cordless String Trimmer. My neighbor has one that he uses and he let me borrow it. 

Lightweight, easy to use, and still plenty powerful.

It honestly looks a little dinky, but it was a powerhouse. It’s a ridiculously low price and has everything you need for small jobs. It has a nice little ergonomic handle and is easy to roll onto its side to act as a makeshift edger.

My neighbor who used it has a really steep yard and he was moving up and down the hill with relative ease, despite being older and recently having back surgery. If you have a small yard, this thing is going to be enough to handle all your basic needs. With a 10 inch cutting diameter, it can handle most grass and weeds but will struggle with thicker brush. 

You can get it on Amazon, but if you already own the battery you can get a tool-only version for a bit cheaper. Now that’s a steal!

But its actually available for an even better price at Home Depot – check it here.

Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Medium Yards: The Ryobi 18V Trimmer

What is a medium sized yard anyways? I consider anything between around 5,000 square feet to a half-acre medium sized. 

Lawns like these still don’t require commercial-grade weed eaters, but they do need something with a little more power than you’ll get from the string trimmer above. 

That’s where the ONE+ series 18V battery provides its highest-tier weed eater. The big brother to the string trimmer above. It has a similar name, but looks completely different and has a cutting swath that is three inches wider. Comparing the 18V and 40V Ryobi weed eater is tough, but this one is sweet.

This thing is a big deal – I love the long shaft (stop).

I love this one because it comes with a longer lasting battery than the one above. It has a 4.0 Ah battery whereas the smaller version is only 1.3 Ah. Basically they have the same strength but this one lasts longer. It also has an edge on cutting ability because of the larger cutting swath (more velocity on the edge of the trimmer). 

The other thing I like about this 18V Ryobi string trimmer is that it has a straight shaft. Many weed eaters out there have a curved shaft, which is nice for clearing out small plots of grass but SUCKS when it comes to doing any type of edging work. 

At just over 11 lbs, it is really easy to work with and handle. It was designed for medium-sized yards, which is where most Americans are going to fall. Lastly, I absolutely adore that this one has a brushless motor, which means it is going to have more torque and be much more durable. 

This one is available at Home Depot for a great price as well.

Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Large Yards: Ryobi 40V ExpandIt series weed eater

I have a love-hate relationship with this one, because it was my first string trimmer. It was also my first edger and leaf blower. More on that later.

But for large yards, I recommend stepping up to Ryobi’s 40V series. Their 40V Cordless Expand-It series weed wacker is the way to go for large yards and here’s why:

  • 15 inch cutting swath
  • Bump-feed string trimmer
  • Variable speed control (not just 1 or 2 speed options)
  • Operates just as well as some gas string trimmers if you take the guard off

Not sure if I can come out and say this, but two weeks ago I took the guard off of this weed eater and my mind was blown. I can’t believe I’ve been using it for 4 years with the guard. 

Looking good!

And what you may have missed there is that I’ve been using this weed eater for 4 years. It has held up amazingly that whole time just with a few string replacements.

Take that guard off! You just need a wrench.

The string trimmer attachment on this attachment-capable kit is the absolute all-star. And having the 40V batteries will save you big money on this one if you already own them. If not, getting them with this weed eater will allow you to save hundreds of dollars on their lawn mowers, snow blowers, and leaf blowers if you want to grab those as well.

The whole thang.

I’m 6 ft 7 in, so cranking my back with a weed eater is really easy. This one has never given me too much trouble because I can pop off the attachment and re-insert it at a different angle. This allows me to hold whatever grip is most comfortable with me and continue to use it for whatever type of job I’m doing. 

I got mine at Home Depot and still use it to this day – you can check the price now at Home Depot here.

Best Attachments for Ryobi Expand-It String Trimmer

Take it from me, I learned this lesson the hard way. If you are going to go with the Ryobi ExpandIt series weed eater, then you may as well add on some inexpensive attachments. 

Here’s what I recommend:

  • The ExpandIt Edger attachment:
    • The edger attachment is an absolute beast. I’ve had it for 4 years and haven’t had to replace the blade. It has consistently given me the best looking lawn in the neighborhood by creating deep borders around my yard.
  • The ExpandIt Brush Cutter attachment:
    • I love this because we have some kudzu growing behind our yard. It is a perpetual war to keep it at bay and out of my grass and off of my trees. The brush cutter once or twice a year keeps it from ever getting out of control and crossing the line. It’s basically like the flamethrower guys from Stranger Things. 
  • The Expand-It Pole Saw attachment
    • Pole saws are kind of an insane tool. You strap a chainsaw to the end of a big stick and hope for the best. So basically they are every man’s dream. The attachment takes a while to put together, but when you get it all figured out it is super fun to use. 
Me using the brush cutter attachment.

What I don’t recommend:

  • The Expand-It blower attachment:
    • I burned through three of these in the first year. For whatever reason, the little driveshaft that spins the blower keeps getting stripped inside the blower. No idea what’s happening. Luckily, I haven’t seen these for sale online in a while, so Ryobi may have completely pulled them.

How to replace the trimmer line on a Ryobi Weed Whacker

Check out our YouTube short where we give step-by-step directions on how to replace the line on a Ryobi Weed Wacker.

They aren’t all the same, but they should be similar.

Final review: Best Ryobi Weed Eaters

Folks, you really can’t go wrong with a Ryobi weed eater as long as you are matching the size and strength of the tool to your lawn. 

Smaller lawns are okay with smaller weed wackers. Larger yards are going to require a big, higher voltage weed eater with a large cutting swath. 

If you are interested in learning about more weed eaters, check out these battery powered weed eaters.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

How to instantly improve your weed eater

Upgrade your weed eating game with the ultimate GrassKicker Weed Eater String! While weed eaters and lawn edgers are great tools, it’s not complete without the right string. Our specially crafted line is designed to enhance your weed eater’s performance and give you flawless edges around your yard and garden.

Don’t settle for subpar string that breaks easily and leaves ragged edges. Our team has scoured the market and combined the best colors, shapes, thicknesses, and materials to create a superior line that cuts more cleanly and lasts longer.

With GrassKicker, you can take pride in your perfectly manicured lawn and make a lasting impression on your friends and family. And who knows, your envious neighbors might just start dropping by more often! Don’t wait, elevate your weed eating game with GrassKicker Weed Eater String today! Click the link now to buy.

About Ryobi tools

Ryobi is one of the OGs of the battery-powered lawn tool world. They have EVERYTHING. Stuff you had no idea was even a real tool or could be battery powered. Some of our favorite Ryobi products include (links to full reviews we have done):

Ryobi has both a 40V and an 18V series battery that you can use. The 18V series is often called their ONE+ series, which generally fits lighter-duty products of theirs as it is a lower voltage. Their 40V series fits more of their heavy-duty stuff like mowers. Ryobi has different configurations of weed wackers that can accommodate both their ONE+ and 40V series. 

They have this distinction because weed eaters are one of those tools that can go either way. Some are lighter duty and some are used for really big yards. More to come on that.

Why would I buy a battery-powered weed eater?

There are a few reasons to check out an electric weed eater when picking out your next lawn and garden tool kit. As compared to gas-powered weed eaters, electric weed eaters tend to be easier to use and maintain. At the end of a long winter season, you may have to refuel your gas powered weed eater and crank it a few times before you can get it to start. With the Ryobi 40V weed eater and other electric weed eaters, you simply place the battery and you are ready to go. 

Another benefit to electric trimmers is maintenance. You will not have to do anything to maintain an electric trimmer other than change out the line. No oil change, no filter change, and no messy gasoline spills. 

If you are a Ryobi loyalist and have one of their mowers, then you can actually use this same 40 volt battery in both the mower and the trimmer. More on that later.

You also want to make sure you have a nice weed eater string with the best size, color, and shape. 

Looking for gas? Check out our post comparing two super popular gas-powered weed eaters: ECHO and Stihl.

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Greenworks’ 80V Leaf Blower Packs Gas-like Power

The Greenworks 80V Leaf Blower is an absolute unit. A solid, extremely powerful battery-powered leaf blower that can easily rival gas-powered backpack blowers.

It is VERY nice.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on this blower and boy, were we impressed. 

Today we will break down the best parts about this blower, a few of the things we didn’t love, and give it an overall ranking.

But before we get started, make sure to check out our long-form video review of this blower where you can see and hear exactly what it’s like. And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel to enter into the free giveaway!

Let’s get started.

Greenworks 80V Blower: Features and benefits

Before we hop into the breakdown of this blower’s performance and feel, let’s give a quick overview of what’s included in the purchase.

In the box you will receive: three user manuals (blower, charging station, battery), a tapered nozzle tip, the funnel, the blower motor housing, the 80V charging station and the 80V battery itself.

Now we can get going!

Feel and usability

The first thing we noticed about this Greenworks 80V blower was how DENSE it felt. It feels super solid and like it just came in one piece, carved out of stone instead of a million little pieces assembled together.

Not sure how else to describe it besides dense and tight. I think once you pick it up for the first time you will understand. Their new 60V blower has an almost identical feel, but slightly less power and a different battery unit.

If you really want to try something fun and have the 80V battery already, check out their all-new electric backpack blower.

Versatility

A few features we loved about the versatility of this blower were:

  • Variable speed trigger
  • Cruise control setting for variable speeds
  • Turbo button

With these three features, which aren’t all that common among other, cheaper blowers, you can have total control over how hard you want the air to blow.

Cruise control below and Turbo button above.

Before owning some of these nicer Greenworks blowers, EGO blowers, and Ryobi blowers – I always just held the trigger down as hard as it would go. But with these mega powerful blowers, the air comes out so much faster that you actually need to calm it down some of the time.

Having control over the airflow really helps and having cruise control allows for you to relax your hand and prevent it from cramping (first world problems!).

Nozzle types

The tapered nozzle tip that comes with this blower will give you a little bit more power at the end.

This is the tapered nozzle and it can pop on or off.

If you remember our discussion of CFMs and MPHs earlier, a tapered nozzle tip vs. a regular nozzle tip at the exact same number of CFMs will produce a higher MPH.

That’s why you see some blowers out there with lower CFMs, but really high MPHs – they have very narrow nozzle tips. For me, I will probably keep the tapered nozzle tip on all the time so that I can destroy wet leaves and other things on my deck and driveway that drive me crazy.

Other bells and whistles

The Greenworks 80V blower has that sweet 80V battery that slides right into the back of the blower. This thing has a nice LED light indicator with three levels that can tell you when you need to head back inside – although I doubt you will get super low on battery any time soon (more to come on that).

Comfort and usability of a handheld Greenworks electric blower

Not all blowers are created equally. In fact, I used to own a Stihl BG 86 C gas-powered blower that was about as powerful as this one, maybe a little less, but was built in such a way that I had to crank my shoulder in a weird position to keep it down. Not this one! 

 At 8.9 lbs with the battery and tool combined, it isn’t tough to waltz around with – meaning you likely won’t need a strap unless you have back issues. 

But my favorite part about this blower is that the handle naturally forces the blower to point downward. This allows you to effortlessly hold onto the blower and have it at the optimal angle for blowing leaves. 

Well-balanced!

This is a huge wrist, shoulder, and back saver and something that only a true user of the tool would design. Major props to Greenworks for the design!

How loud is it?

Obviously one of the key things that’s important when using an electric tool is the sound. In fact, many commercial landscapers use electric blowers when they get close to buildings to make sure that they’re not too disruptive. Places like schools, nursing homes, hospitals, offices – all of them don’t want to hear the insane screech of a backpack blower.

We again invite you to watch our YouTube review of the blower so that you can hear it for yourself, but this is probably on the louder side for an electric blower. During normal operations, the blower is on par with other electric blowers, but when you hit the turbo button this bad boy has a little bit of a squeal.

Hard to hold this against the blower as it is one of the most powerful handheld battery-powered blowers on the face of the Earth. 

All about the Greenworks 80V Battery

As we always do, we put the manufacturer’s claims to the test when it comes to tool run-time and battery charge-time. This usually involves us zip-tying the trigger down with the turbo button on, without the turbo button and at full speed, and then at a low-speed setting.

Nice lil power indicator.

Here were our results:

  • Turbo button held down: 12 minutes of run-time
  • Full-speed, no turbo: 17 minutes of run-time
  • Lowest speed: 496 minutes

Whew! We stayed up late for that one, finishing at about 10:30pm waiting for the dang blower to die. 

Me to this blower at 10pm

The must-haves in any battery blower

If you read our introduction, you know that the most important thing to look for in a battery-powered blower is obviously the brushless motor.

Does the Greenworks 80V blower have a brushless motor? Yep.

Brushless motors just mean that it uses magnets to spin the motor instead of copper wiring. This results in less friction, less heat, a much longer-lasting motor, and even more torque. Wow.

Another must-have is battery interoperability. Does the Greenworks 80V battery work with other tools? You betcha. 

In fact, the Greenworks 80V battery works in probably our favorite battery-powered mower of all time as well. If you are in the market for a mower – this thing is what you’re looking for. 

Lastly, we talked about CFMs and MPH – this blower has both. Super high CFM at 730 and can blow up to 170 MPH. More than enough speed and power for any residential use.

Comparing the Greenworks blower to Ryobi and EGO blowers

We are working on a separate video and full write-up for this, but at a really high level here is our summary.

Ego, Greenworks, and Ryobi blowers.

Official Review: Greenworks 80V Battery-Powered Blower

The Greenworks 80V battery-powered blower is a thoughtfully-made, well-designed battery blower that stands out in how easy and comfortable it is to use.

Does it get our stamp of approval? Heck yes. It is much quieter than a gas blower and can go toe-to-toe on power without a doubt. 

You can grab this blower on Amazon for a great price and can get the tool-only version for significantly cheaper if you already own the battery. 

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

We take blower testing seriously.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

Greenworks makes some other cool products we’ve reviewed, like their Cordless Shop Vac.

What to look for in an electric blower

Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:

  • CFM – Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
  • Usability – what is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
  • Motor type – brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.

These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications. 

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5 Convenient Electric Backpack Sprayers For Home Use

The best battery backpack sprayer is the Ryobi 40V Backpack sprayer because it is inexpensive, easy to use, and leverages the 40V battery that can be used across hundreds of their tools.

Long gone are the days of walking around cranking the pump lever all over your yard. Or even worse, the little sprayers that you carry and set down and repeatedly pump then get maybe 1-2 seconds of spray. The new battery powered backpack sprayers keep a consistent amount of pressure inside and make your life way easier. I think the first time I used a backpack sprayer I was caught off guard with how quickly I was able to complete the job.

Here are the best battery backpack sprayers this year:

  1. Ryobi 40V Cordless Backpack Sprayer
  2. Ryobi ONE+ Cordless Backpack Sprayer
  3. Milwaukee M18 FUEL Backpack Sprayer (4 Gallon)
  4. Spraymate Lil Squirt Sprayer
  5. Dewalt Battery Powered Chemical Sprayer

5 Best Battery-Powered Backpack Sprayers: Ranked

Okay! Finally after careful consideration we have put this list together. We’ve gotten our hands on a few of these but also tried to get some more variety in new products. So let’s get to the bottom of it once and for all.

5. Dewalt 20V Battery Powered Backpack Sprayer

The Dewalt Lithium-Ion Battery-Powered Backpack Sprayer is sure to be a rugged, long-lasting tool. Not only does it come with Dewalt’s trusted brand reputation, but it’s a part of their 20V battery series.

Dewalt’s 20V Battery series is compatible with TONS of Dewalt tools. 

Trust the brand – but can’t see inside!

What I love about the Dewalt Battery-Powered Backpack Sprayer

  • Part of the 20V battery series
  • Padded straps with two wrap-around straps
  • 10 different flow settings
  • Several nozzles for different spray patterns

What I don’t love about the Dewalt backpack sprayer

This breaks rule number one! It doesn’t have a see-through tank. So you have NO idea how much fluid is left in there outside of the weight differential. 

Comfortable. Check.

The other thing I don’t love about this backpack sprayer is the price! It comes in at a steep $300 and can be purchased online from Home Depot.

4. Spraymate Lil Squirt Portable Backpack Sprayer

Candidly, we have not used this little guy but thought it was so cool that it needed to make this list. 

It isn’t really a backpack sprayer, but more like a satchel sprayer. It comes with a nice little strap that you can hang over your shoulder and waltz around your lawn to get the job done. 

Cheap and it works!

At just about $100, this thing is the most cost-effective way to get the job done with a battery powered sprayer.

So where is the battery?

The batteries are INSIDE the handle.

Great question. Looking at this, you would have no idea. But it is actually built into the handle of the Lil Squirt sprayer. It plugs into the wall and has a nice little charger that you plug in directly. It makes the product super intuitive and easy to use without having to pull out a separate battery.

Otherwise, this sprayer has a nice six foot hose, a quick-connect extension wand, and is super  lightweight.

If you are a more casual backpack sprayer user, then this is a really good cost-effective alternative to the others here. 

You can grab this one at Home Depot or get its big brother, a fully built out backpack sprayer with four gallons on Amazon.

3. Milwaukee M18 4 Gallon Backpack Sprayer

Milwaukee rocks. In fact, we’ve gotten our hands on a few of their pieces of lawn equipment. Like their new blowers and even their M18 lawn mower. 

They simply don’t miss. 

So when I saw their backpack sprayer I knew it would make the top five. 

What we love about the Milwaukee M18 Backpack Sprayer

  • The M18 battery line is incredible and can service TONS of tools
  • It can absolutely LAUNCH spray – like over 20 feet away if you desire
  • The shoulder straps are supremely comfortable
  • The battery placement is well-designed
Very comfy.

What we didn’t love

  • We didn’t have this problem, but from others have heard that the tank can leak
  • It’s a bit pricey.
Now that is pretty cool!

All in all this is a great backpack sprayer and perfect for those of us that already own M18 batteries, this thing is sweet. If you already own the batteries you can save a ton of money by purchasing the tool-only version on Amazon or getting it off of Home Depot, wherever you prefer.

2. Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Backpack Sprayer

The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless backpack sprayer is pretty slick. We loved using it and even filmed a long YouTube video that highlights all the different features and benefits.

Very nice!

It is a huge timesaver, just like the other battery-powered backpack sprayers, but is also really reliable. Ryobi products are super common as well, so chances are you already have one of their ONE+ 18V batteries to pop right onto this backpack sprayer.

Very nice!

What we love about the Ryobi 18V backpack sprayer

  • Super easy, ergonomically designed trigger that fits your whole hand
  • Battery interchangeability with all the other Ryobi 18V tools
  • You can use the tank 11 times on the same charge
  • Incredibly comfortable – way better than my Jansport backpack
  • Easy to use pressure control valve on the side
  • See-through 4 gallon tank so you know when you’re getting  low
Extremely easy to use.

Frankly, there wasn’t much to dislike about this backpack sprayer. It comes in at a great price WITH battery and charger on Amazon or at Home Depot for a great price.

1. RYOBI 40V Cordless Backpack Sprayer

Okay guys, we have a confession. This one is basically IDENTICAL to the 18V ONE+ battery backpack sprayer above. And we like it for all the same reasons.

But the 40V series from Ryobi is just much more popular than the 18V series. If you already own a Ryobi tool, you can get this thing for an insane price from a number of places. We found  the best price for the tool-only version on Home Depot’s site and it’s even cheaper than the 18V series. 

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

We take tool testing seriously.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

What to look for in a battery powered backpack sprayer

Again, these aren’t all made the same. With one of these backpack sprayers, you want to make sure to have the below features.

  • Comfort
    • It sounds silly, but if you are going to be personally hauling a bunch of chemicals on your back, you’ve got to make sure it is comfortable. Honestly, with how easy these things are to use, the main differentiator is what the experience feels like. Look for padded shoulder straps and an otherwise lightweight tool.
  • Battery run-time
    • There’s not really a point to a battery-powered sprayer if the battery dies and you can’t finish the job. Regardless of how long your job takes, you want to make sure to get one with a decent battery life. That helps you if you take the battery off and use it on another tool.
  • A see-through tank
    • This one sounds even sillier, but some of these battery-powered backpack sprayers have dark tanks. You can’t see how much fluid is in it. Not a huge deal but also a minor inconvenience that is so easy to avoid. Grab  one where you can see the fluid.

Those are the main things I look for. Of course there are other important things like different nozzles and a strainer to make sure you don’t get a clogged line, but those should come standard.

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7 Battery Powered String Trimmers That Can Take On Gas

My favorite battery powered string trimmer is the Greenworks 80V 16″ weed eater because it has a brushless motor, super wide cutting swath, and is part of a great battery system.

My EGO is great!

Luckily, we’ve gotten our hands on and tested dozens of weed eaters in our lives. 

But before we move forward, there’s one super simple thing we want to clarify.

Weed eaters, weed wackers, string trimmers – they’re all the same thing. Believe it or not, people ask us the difference between the three all the time!

Top Battery Powered String Trimmers: By Category

As we mentioned before, the most gas-like electric weed eater for you may not be the best for me. So we will provide the best from each category to help you really narrow it down. Luckily, the best weed eaters all have the above things in common – so keep those as your North Star.

Best battery powered weed eater for large yards

When it comes to large yards, you need a weed eater that not only has a wide cutting swath, but serious battery power. Basically you want to be able to cut thick grass without the battery running out.

One of the best battery-powered weed eaters that my neighbor owns is the Pro 80V 16 inch string trimmer from Greenworks. 

This is mine and it is the one I tested for this article.

I recommend NOT using the stock weed eater string that comes with it. We developed the world’s best weed eater string by testing dozens of different strings and taking the best elements of each. We created a green, .095″, triangle shaped weed eater string that is extremely powerful, visible, and durable.

Basically it’s the dream weed eater. It has a HUGE cutting swatch at 16 inches. For reference, the ones for smaller yards are like 10 inches. To put it into perspective, this is almost a foot and a half of cutting power. Not only does this make it good for weed eating, but it also has the ability to do some nice deep edging work if you forgot your edger.

Why we like the Greenworks 80V Pro 16 inch weed eater

Better question is what is there not to like? Check out a few data points here:

  • Brushless motor (more durable, run cooler, quieter)
  • The motor and handle are attachment capable for other Greenworks 80V tools
  • Straight, long shaft (please no jokes)
  • A great four year warrants on the tool itself AND the battery

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! This is the best weed wacker for large yards and probably a bunch of others, too.

We love the durability of this one.

You can grab it from Greenworks’ website directly or on Amazon for a massive discount.

Best battery powered weed eater and edger combo

When it comes to cleaning up your yard and you want to go the extra mile, you have to have an edger. Sure, weed eaters with big cutting swaths can do some light edging, but nothing is going to actually give you the crispiest borders like an edger will.

That’s why it’s great to get a weed eater that allows you to change out attachments. A ton of folks have this now. In fact, we wrote a whole long form post about the best battery powered weed eater and edger kits and we had a clear winner.

The EGO Power+ MHC1502 Multi Combo Kit: 15 String Trimmer, 8-Inch Edger & Power Head.

Yeah, it has a long name and a steeper price tag, but is WORTH IT.

That edger is actually pretty slick!

Here’s why we loved the EGO Power+ MHC1502 trimmer and edger

  • It isn’t a two-in-one, it is really a 8-in-1 – this thing has so many other attachments that it can do just about everything except mow.
  • EGO uses just one battery class – the 56V. Once you have that, you can buy any of their other tools’ “tool-only” version – which means batteryless. That amounts to YUGE savings.
  • Brushless, straight, yada-yada-yada you know my shpiel by now. This checks all the boxes.
We love the edger attachment.

This edger and trimmer combo is sweet. If you are going to get one and ESPECIALLY if you already have an EGO battery, then this is the one for you.

You can from Amazon, which lets you pick from a bunch of different options.. 

Best battery powered commercial weed eater

This is actually a hard one. There aren’t many full-on commercial battery-powered string trimmers because a lot of professionals still use gas.

That being said, there are definitely some battery weed eaters with enough power to keep up with the commercial ones.

It just looks professional

Our favorite here is a brand you probably recognize. Makita. We love Makita and have written extensively about Makita mowers, Makita blowers, and more. 

Here’s what we love about the Makita XRU15PT1 36V string trimmer

Okay this weed eater is a tank. It comes with four batteries, but uses two at a time. If you have existing 18V Makita batteries, then you can save money on batteries, or store up a lot and only have to charge after like 20 lawns. 

It is a killer.

We like this one because it almost directly mimics some of the gas powered string trimmers like  Echo’s SRM 225. It’s loved by us for the following reasons:

  • Super long straight shaft (over 6ft. long)
  • Minimal guard, which is great for visibility but make sure you wear eye protection
  • 15 inch cutting swath and massive RPMs of 6,500 (really fast)
  • Brushless motor

Basically you want the most powerful weed eater you can get that still has the performance of a commercial one. The Makita XRU15PT1 36V absolutely has it. 

This one we grabbed online at Home Depot and picked up in store for a great price.

Best battery powered weed eater with attachments

Why buy a weed eater alone? Just about every big brand is making a power-head or multi-tool or some other name for a nice handheld motor with attachments. 

We started out with the Ryobi multi-tool, but I legitimately burned through two of the blowers in a six month period. So I sent it straight to the trash. 

I picked up one of the EGO Power Heads and have never looked back. To date, we own the string trimmer, the edger, and the snow blower attachment. 

Our own footage of the edger attachment.

Why we like the EGO Power+ Power Head

First of all, you’re here for weed eaters, so if you are interested in the weed eater, you can grab the MHC1502 battery powered weed eater we mentioned above. It has a huge cutting swath, brushless motor, and all the bells and whistles.

But boy do we love the attachments:

  • Pole saw
  • Edger
  • Hedge trimmer
  • Blower
  • Snow shovel
  • Bristle brush
  • Cultivator/Tiller
  • Rubber broom

It’s pretty crazy how many attachments can fit on a single head of the dang EGO Power+ Power Head. If you’re in the market for a heavy-duty, attachment capable battery powered weed eater – this is your go-to. 

Look at all the dirt it kicks up!

You can grab it at Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, or on Amazon. If you’re grabbing it online, I recommend Amazon. If you want to put hands on it, then I suggest stopping by Lowe’s or Ace to get your paws on it.

Stihl’s battery powered weed eaters

Stihl has a reputation for creating some of the best gas-powered equipment on the planet. They lead the chainsaw market with their Stihl MS 251 C chainsaw and also their gas powered string  trimmer, the Stihl FS 56 RC weed eater.

The FS 56 RC is undefeated in gas trimmers.

Stihl recently launched a big line of battery powered weed eaters, chainsaws, and leaf blowers.

To our surprise, we weren’t thrilled with their features or performance.

Why we don’t love Stihl’s new battery powered series

Despite Stihl’s stellar reputation in the gas space, we were saddened by some of their new battery products. For the weed eaters specifically, here is what we didn’t love:

  • No brushless motor – how could they do this? They are market leaders! It’s truly pretty sad.
  • Generally small cutting swath
  • Expensive

I think they are trying to go for a more residential audience as compared to their commercial gas trimmers, but man were we disappointed. Our favorite Stihl battery powered weed eater was the FSA 90 R – probably the closest equivalent to the gas FS 56 RC. 

The Stihl FSA 90 R has great specifications and features, but no brushless motor. It is the most “tolerable” of the group. We wrote a full review of the Stihl FSA 90 R here if you are interested in learning more. 

This one is not THAT bad

Stihl has a contract with Ace Hardware as the primary place to pick these up.

Cheapest battery powered weed eater

Oh boy – balling on a budget. Cheap battery powered weed eaters are great if you have a smaller yard, a townhome, or a thin wallet. 

Honestly, some of them are REALLY convenient. For example, we have ranked a ton of the Black and Decker string trimmers as well as the Worx weed eaters.

Both of these are budget friendly, but also small, lightweight, and extremely easy to use. 

Best budget battery powered weed eaters

Our favorite budget battery powered weed eater has got to be the Black and Decker 20V Max string trimmer. 

It is definitely on the smaller side, with a 12-inch cutting swath, but not as small as some of the others.

Nice!

My favorite part about this trimmer is that the 20V battery on it can also be used on your power drill and a ton of other Black and Decker products. My parents have the 20V power drill, so they got this one for a steal and saved on the battery price.

It also has this little wheel on top that allows you to do some light edging in a straight line. V cool!

You can grab it on Amazon for an unbelievably low price. 

Best battery powered weed eater for a woman

Sexist! Women can use all weed eaters just as well as a man! And probably better!

Okay – we know that so cool your jets. But we do get this question a lot and it has nothing to do with ability. It isn’t about being a woman, but many women reach out asking for trimmers that are super easy to use, lightweight, and storable. Also minimal maintenance and easy trimmer line replacement.

So we have helped find what they are looking for and always come to the same conclusion. The Worx GT Revolution 3.0.

Why we love the Worx GT Revolution for women

Coming in at just over five pounds, this weed eater is extremely lightweight and easy to maneuver. It breaks down (see pic below) for easy storage and even has a telescoping shaft. So if you are looking for the most flexible and intuitive lawn tool on the planet – this has got to be it.

Foldable!

It has a decent 12 inch cutting swath, is compatible with Worx 20V and 40V batteries, and has a really easy to replace trimmer line.

My single mother neighbor down the street uses this in her lawn and had amazing things to say about it. Oh, and her yard looks incredible. 

This one is available on Amazon – including battery and charger.

Final thoughts on battery powered weed whackers

Folks, as we mentioned at the beginning of this article – weed eaters are highly variable depending on what you’re looking for. We hope this has been an insightful article. If you have any more questions or would like to join our mailing list – feel free to check out our contact page.

Why we started The Lawn Review

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

We take tool testing seriously.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

What to look for in a battery powered weed whacker

Cordless weed eaters come in all shapes and sizes. They aren’t highly complicated pieces of equipment, but they do have a few nuances. Here is how I see it:

  • Feel – Obviously this is subjective, but feel is everything to me. I have had weed eaters in the past where the handle is off to the side, making me torque my shoulders and back. If you can, get as many adjustable pieces as possible to make this customizable. It doesn’t seem like you use a weed eater for a long time, but the work is precision work that requires a steady hand and focus.
  • Motor – brushless motors are king here. They are longer lasting and more durable. Regular brushed motors are fine, too. The key difference here is that brushless motors use magnets, instead of friction, to power the motor. This means less heat, more durability, and a longer life. Brushed motors will still do the job, however they tend to have a shorter life. Brushless motors are relatively new, so if you have had an electric tool back in the day, it was probably brushed.
  • Interchangeable batteries – Get a dang tool that has batteries that you can use with other batteries. C’mon people – save money by doing this! You don’t have to keep buying new battery sets. There are a lot of tool companies that have batteries that work with a ton of different tools. But some of these companies have a bunch of different battery types. Be careful!
  • Curved vs Straight shaft – I always, always, always prefer straight shafts. They are so much easier to use and control and are much longer than curved shafts. Curved shafts are good for clearing out a small piece of land unable to be mowed. But if you want to actually do some good trimming and edging, a straight shaft is much better. Curved shafts are difficult to maneuver and to create a straight line for edging. 

How to instantly improve your battery powered weed eater

Upgrade your weed eating game with the ultimate GrassKicker Weed Eater String! While weed eaters and lawn edgers are great tools, it’s not complete without the right string. Our specially crafted line is designed to enhance your weed eater’s performance and give you flawless edges around your yard and garden.

Don’t settle for subpar string that breaks easily and leaves ragged edges. Our team has scoured the market and combined the best colors, shapes, thicknesses, and materials to create a superior line that cuts more cleanly and lasts longer.

With GrassKicker, you can take pride in your perfectly manicured lawn and make a lasting impression on your friends and family. And who knows, your envious neighbors might just start dropping by more often! Don’t wait, elevate your weed eating game with GrassKicker Weed Eater String today! Click the link now to buy.

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This Cordless Shop Vac Made Cleaning My Car A Breeze

Greenworks 24V Cordless Shop Vac is something out of the Jetsons home. This shop vac can be carried anywhere without requiring an extension cord.

We loved it.

Let’s face it – shop vacs are one of the most necessary items you can have in your garage. From cleaning out your car to cleaning up spills, shop vacs are truly one of the most underrated tools on the planet.

Bottom line: Greenworks went wild and made a cordless shop vac. Yep. A cordless shop vac. This thing is powerful enough for most residential use and is extremely convenient. Grab it on Amazon for a great price.

Greenworks 24V Cordless Shop Vac: Features and benefits

We were lucky enough to get our hands on Greenworks 24V battery-powered shop vac. We made a nice video about it that you can check on YouTube, but also wrote out our experience here.

What’s included with the Greenworks Shop Vac

When we got the Greenworks cordless shop vac, we did a nice video unboxing. Here is  what came with the vacuum:

  • Hose
  • Two nozzles
  • Battery charger
  • Battery
  • Vacuum
  • Foam filter
  • Two manuals – one for battery/charger and one for the tool

Using the 24V Greenworks Shop Vac

The first thing we noticed about this cordless shop vac was how solid it felt. All the fittings felt rock solid and well put together. With some of the other vacuums we’ve tried, you could see how a hose could fall out and everything felt a little janky.

Really solid build.

Hose size

The hose at first looked a little bit small. When we got it connected, we noticed just how much give the hose has. This means that it can extend quite a bit, much more than the harder plastic hoses that come with some of the other brands. It feels like with some of the corded models that the harder plastic tubes always put you a few inches away from where you need to be using the vacuum, but not with this one.

Weight and length

The Greenworks cordless shop vac comes in at about 9.6 lbs and honestly felt even lighter. It does a great job with weight distribution as well, making it easy to tote around without swaying  side to side.

Greenworks said the hose could extend to about 5 feet. Without pulling it at all, it sits at just over two feet. We put its claim to the test and to our surprise, it came out at just over 5 feet (a hair longer).

Stretchy = good.

Length is less important for this one because you don’t have to worry about the limits of an extension cord.

Battery set-up with Greenworks 24V battery system

The Greenworks cordless shop vac has a little cabin for the 24V battery. You simply lift the top and pop the battery in. It does have a spot for two batteries, although it only requires one. The second one can be used here to add on some run time if needed.

Greenworks thought of everything.

One little bell/whistle type of thing I like on this is that the little door that houses the batteries has magnetic clips. This reduces any chance of rattle when in use and is something that speaks to the amount of thought that went into making this shop vac.

Nozzle tip attachments

While most of the time I use a shop vac without any nozzle tips, this one does come with both a fan nozzle tip as well as a narrow nozzle tip for hard to reach spaces. 

One other cool thing about this shop  vac is that you can easily take out the hose and put it in the air-outtake opening, making for a light-duty blower to help clean up any remaining particles you couldn’t get with the vacuum.

Nifty!

If you ever feel like you are losing suction, there is a nice filter that comes with it that can either be replaced, washed, or blown off. If it gets to be too much, then you can easily replace it for cheap. 

Storage

This cordless shop vac is a little smaller than some you may see in industrial settings – it has a 3-gallon storage area for all debris. This is still pretty tough to fill up!

Lastly, the two nozzles are super easy to lose, so I like that the tool has little clips that allow you to store them right on the vacuum.

Is the Greenworks Battery Shop Vac any good?

Greenworks makes a few claims about the run time and charge time for this shop vac. A cordless shop vac is an amazing tool to have until the battery dies. That’s the remaining advantage that corded electric shop vacs still have over cordless. 

With a fully charged 2A 24V battery, Greenworks claims that this shop vac can run for about 20 minutes. Well, we actually used it on some clean up until the battery died. 

It ran for exactly 20 minutes. Feels like a long time when you’re cleaning!

With a completely dead battery, we timed how long it takes to get to a full charge. It took about 75 minutes.

Not bad!

Price and Warranty

One thing we love about this shop vac and all of Greenworks tools, is the 3 year warranty on the tool AND battery. Most tools have a 2 year battery and tool warranty. 

This can be purchased right now on Greenworks website for just under $150.

Official Review: Greenworks 24V Cordless Shop Vac

We absolutely loved the versatility of the cordless Greenworks shop vac. But what set this shop vac apart from all others, both corded and cordless, was the thought that went into its creation. It was extremely well made with the end user in mind. 

We are going to buy this for just about everyone we know come Christmas time. You can grab yours on Amazon for a great price.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

About Greenworks tools

Greenworks is one of the most innovative lawn tool brands. They create all-electric, predominantly battery-powered lawn tools that are of the highest quality.

We’ve owned and reviewed a TON of their products, including:

One consistent theme: they are all very well built.

Why Shop Vacs are the best tools

Shop vacs are the duct tape of the tool space. In fact, to not own one is a mortal sin. They have the ability to clean up dirt and fine dust from really tight spots and can be carried around outside. 

But the big differentiator from most vacuums is that the shop vac is able to suck up liquids without frying the electrical parts.

This means you can easily go from sucking up sawdust to cleaning up a spilled beer. 

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Stihl’s FSA 90 R Electric Trimmer Is Their Best One

Stihl’s FSA 90 R string trimmer is their new, professional-grade, battery powered string trimmer. I’ll cut to the chase – I was disappointed by this string trimmer.

Cool picture from Ace Hardware.

Stihl? Battery-powered? Yep, we are still (Stihl) getting used to the idea of it ourselves. But we checked out the Stihl FSA 45 and Stihl FSA 57 string trimmers as well, and weren’t all that impressed. I even tested out the new Stihl RMA 510 V mower (me with it pictured below).

But, we are ready to get hurt again! The FSA 90 brings the promise of professional landscaper-type quality and power to the table. So for now, we are listening.

Let’s put this Stihl string trimmer under the microscope:

Stihl FSA 90 R String Trimmer: Features and benefits

Now that we’ve given you a quick primer on Stihl, the world of battery powered lawn tools, and our motivation for writing these reviews, let’s get started actually checking out the Stihl FSA 90 R string trimmer.

Power: Finally a good one

Let’s cut right to the chase. When it comes to a string trimmer, power is of the utmost importance. The first positive piece of information I can give you about this string trimmer is that it has a nice 15” cutting swath. 

15 inches is consistent with the gas-powered professional lawn tools and is a non-negotiable for anyone who has a yard bigger than ¼ of an acre. Trimmers of this size allow you to cut through thicker brush with more consistency than smaller trimmers. It also allows you to tilt this thing sideways and do a pretty darn good job edging as well. 

They tried to create the battery version of their classic Stihl FS 56 RC.

If you need to go even further and do some brushcutting, Stihl has made a handy guide of add-ons that can be used with the FSA 90 R.

The power on this trimmer is definitely good for any homeowner and can even be used by the professional landscapers of the world. In areas that are noise-sensitive (schools, businesses, etc.), popping this trimmer off of the trailer and doing a bang-up job is super easy. While it wouldn’t be my main trimmer in my lawn tool arsenal if I were a pro, it can definitely be a good compliment and please your customers. 

Using this is easy

Where Stihl fell short with their other string trimmers, they made up for in usability. The Stihl FSA 90 R string trimmer has a nice long shaft (no jokes), which I prefer (please don’t joke) because of how much easier it is to use. It allows you to be much more precise in handling the trimmer, almost surgical. With this one, I didn’t feel like I had to crank my shoulder because it has a nice rubber loop handle and the battery is located in a well-balanced spot. 

One thing I liked about the battery’s location was that it didn’t hang underneath the handle or anywhere else. It compactly slides into the top of the trimmer, making the whole thing feel solid.

Battery slides into a little pocket.

At just under 10lbs with the battery on, it’s definitely one of the lighter weight pro-style string trimmers on the battery market. It also comes with this nice little built-in hook that allows you to hang it on a garage rack or even a nail. 

Hangs on the wall!

All-in-all, this thing was super easy to use and felt comfortable the whole time. 

The brushless motor makes it pretty durable

Durability is also one of the huge question marks on the FSA 90 R and all battery-powered string trimmers for that matter.

CORRECTION: I previously stated that this trimmer did NOT have a brushless motor. I was wrong! As one of our YouTube viewers pointed out (shoutout Milton), these do in fact have brushless motors that are electronically controlled.

Stihl highlights their brushless motor technology on this page, but not on the product main page or in the manual.

Brushless motors are great because they provide a more reliable, durable, cooler-running motor as compared to brushed motors.

Price and value

The Stihl FSA 90 R string trimmer is going to run you well over $400 for the tool, battery, and charger. If you are #blessed and already own a Stihl battery, you can get the tool-only version for just under $400 from Ace Hardware.

Unfortunately, I don’t think this is a great deal. If you are looking for a nice pro-grade string trimmer, I recommend checking out EGO string trimmers instead. 

String Trimmer Line for Stihl FSA 90 R

We developed an amazing string trimmer line that we tested against DOZENS of other lines. Check it out here.

The Final Verdict: Stihl FSA 90 R String Trimmer

Sad to say it, but this Stihl string trimmer falls into the same category as the other more residential offerings. It by far has the most power, but it comes at a steep price compared to some of its peers, like some of the more powerful string trimmers.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our time.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

How to instantly improve your weed eater

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Don’t settle for subpar string that breaks easily and leaves ragged edges. Our team has scoured the market and combined the best colors, shapes, thicknesses, and materials to create a superior line that cuts more cleanly and lasts longer.

With GrassKicker, you can take pride in your perfectly manicured lawn and make a lasting impression on your friends and family. And who knows, your envious neighbors might just start dropping by more often! Don’t wait, elevate your weed eating game with GrassKicker Weed Eater String today! Click the link now to buy.

Gas vs Electric String Trimmer

When purchasing a piece of lawn equipment in 2022 it’s important to understand your power source options. It basically boils down to gas or electric trimmers. Electric trimmers are typically easier to start and usually maintenance is a breeze. They also have less of a noise and environmental impact. Electric trimmers are usually a good bet for small to medium-sized jobs.

Trimmers powered by gas usually end up having more power and are more suitable for larger, more commercial type applications. This is mainly due to the issues the professionals have with keeping them charged. But not all of us are professionals, we just want a badass string trimmer from Stihl.

Stihl’s reputation

Stihl is still at it! Pumping out high quality product after high quality product. They’re thought of as one of the GOATS of the yard product game. The boys in orange are known to have a superior product to their competitors.

The world’s largest chainsaw manufacturer, the company moved some operations to Virginia in the 1970s and opened up their first factory dedicated to a single chainsaw. They have continued to master their craft and expand their product offers in the lawn care space.

Easily recognizable.

Stihl has a great reputation that many commercial landscapers rely on each day. Many residential owners will be more than pleased with their products.

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