I’ve never been a particularly keen gardener, much to my parents’ disappointment, but being a petrol head at heart, I’ve (obviously) always loved using petrol-powered garden machinery. There's something about the smell of the exhaust fumes and the squeeze of a hand throttle that always takes me back to my childhood, mowing and strimming the garden for pocket money.
In the last year or two, my green-fingered-ness (if that’s a word) has started to come through. I still don’t know the names of most plants, but there’s an app for that, so that’s fine. More recently still, I’ve started to realise that there are some serious drawbacks to petrol-powered garden machinery. Firstly, it seems crazy that with the change a couple of years back to E10 petrol (a higher ethanol content means fewer emissions) means that I now have to buy premium unleaded for my lawnmower. Something that hadn’t always been done before I inherited it from the previous owners of my house, meaning I was left with a bill of £140 to fix the bloody thing when the carburettor got damaged by the new fuel.
But, secondly, while we’re trying to make the move to EVs on the road, although the emissions are fewer, shouldn’t we be trying to do the same in the garden? In the past, corded strimmers and mowers were an option, but my garden is too long for that to be viable (first world problems, I know…) but there’s been a big advance in battery powered garden equipment recently, so is that the answer?
Aside from the environmental issues, I remember as a teen receiving numerous burns to my arms when a careless move made contact with the engine… but that’s more a cautionary tale about being a numpty than anything else!
Anyway… battery power… Battery-powered garden machinery is obviously much more environmentally friendly than petrol-powered machinery, and importantly it's also much quieter. Starting the bloody thing is also a lot easier than starting an ageing petrol mower… Flipside, though, the batteries don't last as long as a full tank of petrol, and they can take a long time to recharge. The technology is improving all the time, though, and battery life is getting better, so maybe that’s not a valid argument anymore.
I've recently had the chance to use some high-quality battery-powered garden machinery – namely an EGO cordless strimmer, and I was, in fairness, impressed. It’s so much quieter and easier to use – especially in terms of starting it up! It’s as effective, lighter and doesn’t get burnably hot, so that’s a plus.
The sticking point for me is still price. Battery-powered stuff isn’t cheap, and while the running costs are lower (not to mention the green element) I think it’d need careful consideration to make the switch completely. When I am looking to buy new, though, it’ll be a sure contender and a direction I would certainly like to go, if the budget allows.
I think the future of garden machinery is battery-powered. The technology is improving all the time, and the machines are becoming more powerful and more affordable. If you're looking for a more environmentally friendly and quieter way to garden, I would definitely recommend switching to battery-powered machinery.
Here are some of the benefits of battery-powered garden machinery:
• Environmentally friendly: Battery-powered garden machinery doesn't produce emissions, so it's much better for the environment.
• Quieter: It’s much quieter than petrol-powered machinery, so it's less disruptive to neighbours.
• Lighter and easier to use: The machinery is typically lighter and easier to use than petrol-powered machinery.
• No fumes or fuel spills: There aren’t any fumes or fuel spills, so it's safer to use.
Here are some of the drawbacks of battery-powered garden machinery:
• Battery life: Battery life can be a limitation, especially if you're doing a lot of gardening.
• Recharging time: It can take a long time to recharge the batteries in battery-powered garden machinery.
• Cost: Battery-powered garden machinery can be more expensive than petrol-powered machinery.
Overall, I think the benefits of battery-powered garden machinery outweigh the drawbacks. If you're looking for a more environmentally friendly and quieter way to garden, the future is, well, greener!
