I recently bought a house with a 1.3-acre lot and I'm planning to use a sit-down mower. I'm considering whether to stick with Milwaukee battery-powered tools for my weed whipping and tree trimming, especially since I already use Milwaukee products at my mechanic job and for my fence contracting business. I have plenty of batteries, but I'm curious about how well the lawn equipment performs. Do the batteries drain quickly, or are they worth investing in? I'd like to know whether I should go gas or electric for these jobs beyond just mowing.
4 Answers
I've been using Milwaukee's outdoor power equipment (OPE) for a while now, and I'm really impressed with how well they perform. Just a heads up, the only tool that didn't hold up too well in the battery department was my push mower, but for everything else, especially the trimmers and blowers, they're solid. I usually go with 12ah batteries for those since I have a good stockpile of batteries, which makes it easier to get through the work without downtime.
I own the Milwaukee dual battery trimmer, and it's awesome! It's easy to reload and cuts through grass easily. I started with the supplied 8ah batteries, which get me through trimming my just-under-an-acre property without issue, except when trimming my ditch. If you get it, I'd highly recommend getting a double-shoulder harness for better comfort and handling since it only comes with a single strap. I also avoided the Quik-Lok system based on feedback about overheating, so a dedicated trimmer seems better if you have a larger property.
I have a similar setup with a lot of trees and also use the Milwaukee pole saw and M18 leaf blower. I've had a great experience with their tools; they really perform well, and I use them way more than my gas chainsaws now. Just ensure you grab decent battery sizes, at least 8ah, to keep you powered through the tasks.
I have an acre too and just switched to battery-powered tools, keeping only my riding mower and tiller gas-powered. For just maintaining your property, you'll probably only need to do edging and trimming occasionally, so one or two good batteries should be fine. I run on an 8ah battery, and it's managed everything without dying on me.