Summer is here, and that means it's finally time to enjoy your garden once again. But getting the most out of your outdoor space means maintaining it, and that means having the right tools. Between lawn mowers, string trimmers and other important lawn gear, you probably have a familiar problem -- how do you keep your electric tools safe when you aren't using it? You need to make sure that your tools are ready when you need them, and that means doing more than just throwing them into a shed and forgetting about them.
Lawn mowers, string trimmers, pole saws and other garden essentials have become increasingly electrified in recent years. Acccording to a report by AP News, “Stanley Black & Decker, a leading maker of outdoor products, estimates that the volume of electric-powered landscaping equipment that North American manufacturers shipped went from 9 million units in 2015 to over 16 million last year, an over 75% increase in the past five years.”
While maintenance for battery-powered equipment is less involved than that for their gasoline counterparts, there are still some steps you should follow to make sure your gear is ready now that peak mowing season is upon us.
How to store electric yard and outdoor equipment
I spoke with experts from some of the top brands of electric outdoor equipment to learn the best tips for properly storing battery-powered outdoor equipment. While the tips below are a good starting point for getting your electric equipment ready for summer, it’s always important to check your equipment manufacturer's recommendations to ensure proper care is taken.
1. Keep your battery charged
Battery-powered leaf blowers are perfect for quick clean-ups around the patio Chris Wedel/CNET
Battery care is paramount in ensuring the power cell can function properly and output the correct voltage and amperage to operate a device. While you may think CNET’s top-performing, battery-powered lawn mower, the Ego Power Plus 21-inch Select Cut XP or a chainsaw such as the Husqvarna Power Axe 350i, can be placed in a shed and be fine, there are necessary steps you should take to ensure the battery isn’t damaged over time.
“Before putting your battery away, make sure it’s charged to around half capacity, ideally between 40 to 50%,” said Chris Richert, product manager for handheld battery tools at Husqvarna.
As an example of different equipment requiring different storage solutions, robot lawn mowers have non-removable batteries and usually have special instructions for how to store them during prolonged periods out of use.
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