Outdoor Power Equipment Guide: Tools to Keep Your Yard in Tip Top Shape

Having the best outdoor tools for your yard needs

Taking care of your own lawn and garden maintenance means making certain decisions about your choices of outdoor power equipment tools. Some folks love their gas-powered mowers and blowers while others prefer electric or cordless tools.

Whatever your preference, knowing a little about the various options will help you make the right decisions about yard tech tools. This outdoor power equipment guide highlights must-have power tools to keep your yard in tip-top shape so you can enjoy your outdoor living area year round.

Lawn mowers

Having a dependable lawn mower is important for any size of lawn. Whether you choose a gas-powered or electric model, either one will help you mow your grass in less time with less mess so you’re able to enjoy more free time this spring and summer.

Lawn mower models are available in manual, gas-powered or electric formats, including cordless models, self-propelled mowers, push mowers and self-operating robotic cutters.

The size of a lawn mower’s cutting deck is key to picking the right lawn mower. In general, 30-inch to 52-inch cutting deck models are ideal for yards up to 2 acres, 50-inch to 54-inch decks for up to 4-acre yards and 60-inch decks and up for properties of 5 acres and more.

Cordless mowers

Electric mowers come in both corded and cordless models and can help you get a superb-looking lawn. Cordless models work effortlessly with electric batteries. Cutting power on most cordless electric mowers ranges between 30 and 90 minutes on a single charge. If you take longer than an hour to cut your lawn, think about using a backup battery for when the first one runs out of juice.

Self-propelled mower

Self-propelled mowers can help you if you’re cutting uphill or over a hilly terrain in a yard. They are like push mowers but use the engine’s power to turn the wheels, propelling the mower across the lawn. These can go around tight corners and up and down hilly areas.

Self-propelled mowers are ideal for cutting a sloped yard or an area with landscaped bushes and trees. They require very little effort because you simply guide the machine to where the lawn needs cutting.

Push mowers

Manual push mowers, also known as “not-powered” mowers, are often the right choice for a yard that’s small and easy to cut. Push mowers cut cleanly with a good push and sharp blades. The faster and harder you push your mower, the faster the blades rotate to cut the lawn. When you push, you get a good workout as well.

Robotic mowers

Robotic lawn mowers are certainly the darling of many homeowners with flat terrain and easy yard cutting lines. Robotic lawn mowers run quietly and can mow a rectangular or square lawn easily on a single lithium-ion (li-ion) battery charge from 30 minutes to up to two hours.

If the shape of your lawn is complex, your robotic lawn mower will use more battery power to cut up and down sloping terrain or navigate around trees or lighting structures. With most robotic mowers, you need to set up the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity using a mobile app on your smartphone to program a cutting schedule.

Chainsaws and pole saws

Other essential outdoor tools include a chainsaw or pole saw. Typically, chainsaws are ideal for cutting logs for firewood, clearing dead wood or chopping up wood downed by storms. For trimming branches and limbs that are high above ground level, a pole saw is the ideal tool.

Chainsaws are available in various blade, or bar, lengths. Small maintenance jobs require less blade length, such as from 6 inches to 14 inches, while bigger jobs and heavy-duty use requires blades of 16 to 20 inches or more.

Gas-powered or corded

Chainsaws and pole saws get their power in different ways. Gas powered models are powerful but heavy and are used frequently for large trees or logs. Electric models with plug-in cords tend to run more quietly, are easier to start and need less maintenance. These saws are ideal for plant and tree pruning.

Battery-powered

Battery-powered models run on rechargeable batteries with no cords or gas. For small yard work jobs, these battery-powered tools may be right for you.

Trimmers and edgers

Experienced homeowners know that lawn and garden hand tools like trimmers and edgers are ideal for cutting hedges, bushes and shrubbery that decorate your property. Using these tools can help you maintain an aesthetically pleasing appearance in your lawn and garden areas.

String trimmers and edgers

String trimmers help you keep your lawn’s edges neat, framing the outline of your lawn for a better visual effect. Also known as edgers, these tools are available in rechargeable battery models and corded options. They’re essential to giving a terrific finishing touch to your freshly cut lawn.

Hedge trimmers

Hedge trimmers are easy-to-use power equipment tools for trimming your yard’s hedges, shrubs and bushes. Using these lightweight tools can help you finish your yard work more quickly with less muscle strain on your arms and shoulders. These tools are ideal for the home. Hedge trimmers come in several sizes and can be lighter or heavier, depending on the model.

Leaf blowers

For large properties with several trees, leaf blowers come in very handy during late summer and autumn when trees lose their leaves. Leaf blowers come in both battery-powered and plug-in versions. Homeowners can use leaf blowers to blow away dust, debris and leaves around front and back lawns, helping your home maintain a clean appearance.

Snow blowers

If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, a solid snow blower becomes an important part of your outdoor power equipment tools. Like lawn mowers, snow blowers are available in gas-powered models or electric, cordless models with rechargeable batteries.

Buying a gas or electric snow blower depends on how much snowfall you have each winter. Electric snow blowers are easier to move as they’re smaller and lighter, but they’re less powerful than gas-powered models, which can sometimes handle up to 2 feet of snow removal ― about twice as much as electric models.

Batteries and chargers

When you work with electric, battery-operated mowers and outdoor power equipment tools, you need to have reliable electric batteries and chargers to keep all your tools working well. It’s important to choose the best battery for each tool to ensure you get the most speed and runtime to complete your yard work.

Once you have all the essential outdoor power tools in your tool shed, you’ll find it easy to keep your outside areas in the best condition throughout the year.