Line Trimmers and Blowers: Getting More Run Time

Line trimmers (whipper snippers) and leaf blowers are some of the most popular cordless yard tools. They're also two of the quickest to flatten a battery. Here's how to get more work from each pack.

1. Why they flatten packs quickly

Both run their motors flat out the whole time you hold the trigger. A blower on full power can empty a small pack in minutes. A trimmer working through thick grass and weeds draws much more than one tidying edges.

2. Line trimmers

Use the right line: thicker line cuts tough weeds but draws more. Use the size the trimmer is made for.
Don't over-extend the line: too much line drags and wastes power. Most heads trim it to length automatically.
Use the tip: cut with the tip of the line, not by pushing the head into the grass.
Low speed for edges: if your trimmer has two speeds, use the low one for lawn edges.
Little and often: regular trimming is far easier on the battery than hacking through long growth.

3. Leaf blowers

Use the lowest speed that does the job: full power or boost uses many times the energy.
Save boost for wet or stuck leaves.
Blow with the wind, and into piles, instead of chasing every leaf.
Dry leaves move far more easily than wet ones.