Battery-powered garden tools: debunking myths and tips for a smart choice

As market data shows, battery-powered garden tools are becoming increasingly popular. However, they are still subject to prejudices and myths that are difficult to dispel, even though they are unfounded. Some people, who have always been accustomed to using gas-powered equipment for demanding jobs, find it hard to consider battery power as a viable alternative. Certainly, the spread of inaccurate or unclear information does not help them overcome their skepticism.

Over the years, battery technology has advanced significantly, becoming increasingly sophisticated and making the latest generation of battery-powered tools highly efficient: brushcutters, grass trimmers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, and so on. In this article, we debunk the myths that still hold them back in the eyes of some.

The most common myths regarding battery-powered tools

Let’s review the key advantages of battery-powered gardening tools: lightweight, maneuverability, comfort of use thanks to low vibration levels, quiet operation, and the absence of exhaust fumes. This translates to superior work quality, which is particularly evident with all handheld tools (brushcutters, pruners, chainsaws, etc.). This is especially true for battery-powered hedgetrimmers, whose motor is often at face level while you work. Now let’s take a look at the most common misconceptions about battery-powered tools:

• They’re all the same.

• They lack power and are only suitable for light-duty work.

• They have a short runtime.

• They require complex maintenance.

• They’re expensive.

As for batteries, you’ve probably heard that:

• They’re dangerous.

• They’re hard to manage.

• They don’t last long; they have a short lifespan.

• They have a significant environmental impact.

Let’s debunk the myths about battery-powered garden tools

Battery-powered tools may all look the same, but they’re not. For example, across the entire Oleo-Mac 56 V professional battery-powered range, we’ve incorporated smart batteries, which balance the lithium cells they’re made of, and state-of-the-art brushless motors that check for proper operation 30,000 times per second. In practice, this means more power for your work—consistent throughout the entire charge—less risk of overheating, and therefore greater efficiency and runtime, as well as greater reliability and less maintenance.

Power is determined by the voltage of the battery that powers the machine. As we’ll explain in more detail later, our catalog features a 40 V battery-powered line designed for home users, and a 56 V line designed for professionals. This range, for example, includes the BCi 530 S and BCi 530 T battery-powered brushcutters, and the BCi 530 D multifunction brushcutter, which deliver the same power as a 27-30 cc gasoline-powered brushcutter: ideal for intensive, continuous mowing, and for clearing overgrown vegetation. The high-level performance of the 56 V range in the field goes hand in hand with the quality of its mechanical components, which are the same as those found in other Oleo-Mac machines designed for intensive use.

The runtime of garden tools depends on the battery, which is typically a lithium-ion battery. Lithium is lightweight and has a high energy density, so these batteries can store and deliver a large amount of power relative to their weight. For example, with the GSi 30 battery-powered chainsaw from the 40 V range, you can make up to 160 cuts (on wood with a 10 cm diameter), while with the HCi 560 battery-powered hedgetrimmer from the professional range, you can work for a full 2.5 hours on a 4 Ah battery. To give you greater runtime, in addition to single-battery models, Oleo-Mac grass trimmers also work with dual batteries: with the Gi 548 P from the 56 V range, you can mow up to 1,600 square meters with 8 Ah batteries.

Using battery-powered tools for gardening and landscape maintenance requires a slightly different—more “strategic”—approach to work, specifically to maximize battery life. What does that mean? Have multiple batteries: at least one pair, so that while you’re using one, you can recharge the other. The time it takes to fully recharge the batteries is short, however, and depends on their capacity (in Ah, ampere-hours): for the 40 V range, it varies between 40 and 90 minutes; for the 56 V range, between 35 and 80 minutes. It’s also helpful to have batteries of different capacities and to switch between them strategically. For example, when using a hedgetrimmer, you can use the heavier battery (since more amp-hours means more weight) to trim the lower part of the hedge, and then switch to the lighter one when trimming the top.

Maintaining battery-powered garden tools is far simpler than maintaining gas-powered equipment. For routine maintenance, all you need to do is clean the machine and take care of the batteries (which we’ll discuss shortly). Each type of machine also requires specific tasks, such as sharpening the chain if you have a pruner or a chainsaw. In addition, every two years—or every year if you use it intensively—we recommend a general inspection: if you have an Oleo-Mac, contact our service centers, which are also available for special maintenance.

Turning to the financial aspect, to assess the cost of battery-powered equipment, you should consider the big picture over the long term. The cost of purchasing a machine complete with a battery and charger may be similar to or higher than that of the same tool with an internal combustion engine. Keep in mind, however, that with a battery-powered vehicle, you have no fuel costs or routine maintenance expenses (such as engine oil, inspection and replacement of parts such as spark plugs and filters, not to mention the time spent on maintenance). The cost of electric charging is a fraction of the cost of gasoline, and even less if you can charge it using renewable energy sources (for example, if you have a home solar power system). Are you buying a second Oleo-Mac battery-powered machine? You can use it with the batteries you already have, as they’re interchangeable.

Let’s debunk the myths about batteries

Are lithium batteries dangerous and difficult to handle? No, they just require a few precautions. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to use them, charge them, and store them:

• Use only genuine batteries of the type recommended for your specific machine, and recharge them only with the designated charger.

• Charge them in a safe place: in a dry, stable location, away from direct sunlight, with the charger’s ventilation grilles unobstructed, and at the recommended temperatures.

• Store them properly: in a cool, dry place, at temperatures that aren’t too high or too low, away from direct sunlight, and away from metal objects, preferably in their original packaging.

• If you won’t be using them for an extended period of time, fully charge them first and then charge them periodically to prevent them from discharging completely.

Unlike other rechargeable batteries, lithium-ion batteries do not suffer from the memory effect, so you can recharge them at any time, regardless of the remaining charge, without damaging them. In fact, letting them run completely flat causes them to age prematurely.

Regarding safety, during charging and/or use, Oleo-Mac batteries have a protection system that gets triggered, disconnecting the batteries themselves, in the event of overcharging or overheating. The 56 V range tools alert you directly if the battery overheats by lighting up an indicator on the display. It also features a safety system that stops charging if the ambient temperature drops below freezing or rises above 45°C. Here you’ll find more information on battery safety (it focuses on hedgetrimmers but applies to all gardening tools).

Lithium batteries have a service life of several years. As for our 56 V range, after 1,500 full charge cycles, the batteries still retain 80% of their capacity, as certified by laboratory tests conducted by the CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, National Research Council). To extend their service life, it is important to charge them correctly and pay attention to the temperature at which they are charged and stored (see above).

Once they reach the end of their useful life, used batteries fall under the waste category known as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). As such, they must be disposed of properly to prevent environmental pollution: generally, they should be taken to a recycling center (check the waste management regulations in your area). Only in this way can the recyclable raw materials they contain be recovered and reused in accordance with the principles of the circular economy. The raw materials used in batteries—lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other metals—are highly valuable and, not surprisingly, classified as critical raw materials. Their extraction, processing, and related activities raise far-reaching issues: ethical, environmental, political, and market-related. The processes for recovering and recycling them are complex and costly, which is why research in this area is also evolving.

Oleo-Mac battery-powered garden tools: buying guide

As we’ve already mentioned, in a nutshell, regarding battery-powered gardening tools, the Oleo-Mac catalog offers a 40 V line for home users, and a 56 V line for professionals. Our selection is actually more diverse: we’ll now provide an overview of both ranges, suggesting who and what they’re best suited for.

The battery-powered gardening tools in the 40 V line are ideal for mowing the lawn, trimming and pruning plants, and cleaning outdoor areas. The line is completed by batteries with capacities of 2 and 5 Ah (Bi 2.0 OM and Bi 5.0 OM), as well as the CRG standard charger and the FAST CRG rapid charger:

• This is the right choice for you if you do light-duty work and need basic equipment for the most common seasonal tasks, have a small garden (up to 300 square meters for mowing), and want to make the job as easy as possible. It’s also perfect if you’re just getting started in the world of gardening.

• Equipment for light-duty work: Gi 40 P push grass trimmer, BCi 30 brushcutter, HCi 45 hedgetrimmer, BVi 60 BOOST blower.

• This is the right choice for you even if you tackle more demanding jobs and want equipment that’s up to the task (up to 700 square meters for grass cutting), with more power, greater versatility, or, conversely, suited to specific tasks.

• Equipment for demanding jobs: Gi 44 P and Gi 48 P push grass trimmers, Gi 44 T and Gi 48 T self-propelled grass trimmers, BCi 35 brushcutter, BCi 35 D multifunction brushcutter, BCi 35 HL pole hedgetrimmer, PPi 35 pruner, GSi 30 chainsaw.

The battery-powered gardening tools in the 56 V line provide everything you need for mowing, cutting, pruning, and professional-grade cleaning. They are powered by batteries with capacities of 2.5, 4, and 8 Ah (Bi 525, Bi 540 and Bi 580), which can be recharged using the dedicated CRG 520 battery charger. They also make your job easier thanks to a comprehensive information display and the Oleo-Mac HUB app, which lets you keep an eye on them at all times.

This line was designed for professionals, but we also recommend it to discerning home users:

• It’s for you if you’re a gardener or landscape maintenance professional looking for sturdy, reliable tools with consistent power for intensive daily use, maximum performance until the battery is completely drained, high-capacity batteries with fast charging, and you want to work with less effort and all the comfort of battery-powered technology (reduced vibration, quiet operation, zero emissions).

• It’s for you if you’re a non-professional with a medium-to-large garden (up to 2,200 square meters for mowing), or if you need to cut or trim thick vegetation, whether in the city or the countryside, and want powerful equipment that’s easy to start and operate (without handling gasoline or fuel mix) and requires low maintenance.

• Available equipment: Gi 548 P push grass trimmer, Gi 548 V and Gi 553 V self-propelled grass trimmers, BCi 530 S and BCi 530 T brushcutters, BCi 530 D multifunction brushcutters, HCi 560 hedgetrimmer, BCi 530 HL pole hedgetrimmer, PPXi 530 pole pruner, BVi 570 blower.

We’ll wrap up by offering you an overview of our 40 V battery-powered line, a closer look at the runtime of our tools for light-duty work, and a rundown of our 56 V battery-powered line. Here, you’ll find a summary of the benefits of battery-powered tools, a feature on the ease of maintenance of brushless motor tools, and a comparison between battery-powered grass trimmers and battery-powered hedgetrimmers versus other power systems.