Frigg'n Outdoor Power Equipment

Don't mind me, I'm just going to snarl for a moment about gas powered equipment.

The big gas snow blower grenaded its engine during the blizzard this year. The other one snapped it's pulley tensioner mount.

The commercial 2-stroke hedge trimmer split its transmission case last year.

The propane 4-stroke string trimmer burned up last fall (who makes an engine that holds 1 tablespoon of oil?).

The gas 2-stroke tiller just lost spark and won't start as of yesterday.

The big Aerins 2-stroke string trimmer just refuses to start, and has for about a year.

None of these tools (or several others) could be used at home by anyone but me, as neither my son nor my wife could get them to start. That is only after I spend at least 10 minutes doing the hokey-pokey to make any of them actually run. Something frustratingly difficult on a whole lot of them. Plus the smell and the mess.

I've had it. I just ordered the 40 volt battery Royobi trimmer that someone here raved about last year. The one that takes different attachments. No fuss, no muss, anyone in my house can use it. I hope.

I'm thinking very seriously about an electric Snow Joe snow blower, for about the same reasons. Anyone can start it, anyone can run it. Nope, not as powerful as the big gas two-stage unit. But again, adequate for most snow, and anyone can plug it in and use it. I hope.

GRRRRR!

I'm getting too old to put up with this. I've other things to do besides fart around constantly with gas powered equipment that refuses to cooperate.

foxtrapper wrote: I've had it. I just ordered the 40 volt battery Royobi trimmer that someone here raved about last year. The one that takes different attachments. No fuss, no muss, anyone in my house can use it. I hope.

That was me, and I'm still thrilled with it. I've been looking for the Ryobi 40v blower on sale to add next. I haven't invested in any attachment yet, but the ones I've borrowed from my FIL worked great on the 40v cordless.

In reply to slefain:

Very timely - I'll be in drastic need of a leaf blower as soon as the monsoon season is over and like both of you I loath the thought of another gas-powered POS to deal with.

I love electric motors for tools. I have even used an electric (and CORDED!! no less) lawn mower for a summer.

For small lawns the thing rocked. Light, quiet, no fuel or maintenance, and there was no front or back! the handle just flipped over the top so you could walk back and forth without spinning the whole dang thing around each time. Very nice.

I used to buy electric instead of gas powered because of those reasons. I've found that it depends a lot on what you do with it. The electric tiller, for example, was worthless. Ended up selling it and buying a gas one. Same with the power washer-- the electric one was too weak to do much. I can see an electric leaf blower working OK, but I dunno about a snow blower...