Lawn care is an important part of keeping a home looking its best, but it can be time consuming and expensive.
In the next few years, there are a few items you can add to your lawn care routine to make your work easier and more efficient. I am choosing the best overall for all them. Here are four of them:
Lawn Mower
Ryobi. 20″ RY40190 40-Volt Brushless Lithium-Ion Cordless Battery Self Propelled Lawn Mower
Our best overall pick for most yards is the RYOBI 40-Volt Brushless Self-Propelled Mower.
- It holds its own against gas-powered models, has a 20-inch deck that mulches and bags, and an optional side-discharge chute (sold separately). It can run for up to 40 minutes per charge.
We sent this mower to our tester to try at home. They were particularly impressed by the power of the self-propelled feature and found that it could cut through thick, dense grass with ease. They also appreciated that there were seven cutting height options. While it was a breeze to push up hills, it was harder to maneuver around corners, though it’s so lightweight it’s easy to lift.
- In addition to power and versatility, this mower offers other great features, like high-intensity LED headlights that allow you to see better at dusk.
- The mower has an onboard battery storage compartment where you can stash an extra battery, so you can swap it out quickly if you need a charge in the middle of mowing.
We also love that it has handles that can adjust to your height, lock in place, and fold nicely for more compact storage.
Trimmer
The RYOBI 40V Expand-It Cordless Battery Edger
- lightweight cordless design that you could carry all around your yard.
- As a bonus, you can use its power head with other RYOBI Expand-It Attachments, making it a string trimmer, brush cutter, hedge trimmer, and more. The edger has an 8-inch dual serrated blade, and when it starts to dull, you can simply reverse the blade to extend its lifespan.
- The tool has a variable-speed trigger for increased control, and a guide wheel on the head of the tool helps you cut beautifully straight lines around your garden beds and walkways.
- This battery-powered edger weighs less than 10 pounds, making it significantly lighter than many similar sized units, and its cutting depth extends to 6.5 inches.
The package includes a 40-volt 4Ah lithium-ion battery and charger, and you also can use the tool with batteries from other RYOBI tools you may own. A 3-year warranty backs the edger, and a 5-year warranty covers the power head. One downside: The tool creates clean, straight lines in most applications but can get clogged in wet or dense dirt.
Leaf Blower
Using a leaf blower can be cumbersome. For an electric blower that delivers powerful airflow, it’s hard to beat the Worx Turbine Corded Leaf Blower. It delivers air at speeds up to 110 MPH with an impressive 600 cubic feet per minute (CFM), which is enough to corral even wet leaves and gravel. Our tester found that she could move a good amount of leaves in far less time than it would take to rake or broom—”[It] made tidying up the patio, a task that would usually take 15 minutes with a broom, a 3-minute job.”
Chainsaw
While most battery-powered tools are best suited for quick, light-duty jobs, the EGO Power+ CS1401 is ready and willing to do more.
- A 56-volt lithium-ion battery powers its 6,300 rpm motor, and it has a 14-inch bar. Experts give it top marks for ease of use, handling, and cutting speed.
The CS1401 features a low-kickback design with a chain brake, tension adjustment, and a high-efficiency brushless motor.
- The battery can handle roughly 100 cuts on a single charge, and the battery recharges reasonably quickly. The tool is powerful enough to cut through limbs up to a foot thick—not too shabby for a battery model.
At nearly 12 pounds, this chainsaw is a bit heavier than some lighter-duty models. A five-year warranty backs it; the battery is warranted for three years.