Black & Decker's 18V Cordless Lawn Care Center

Black & Decker's 18V Cordless Lawn Care Center

Let's just get this out there… lawn maintenance is not fun. It's usually hot, time consuming work and the equipment doesn't do much to make it any more enjoyable. Gas tools are heavy, messy and keep an ever-present exhaust cloud around your face no matter how you hold them. Not to mention the constant hassle and upkeep that all small engines entail. Electric gadgets are all right, but you have to make sure that you are near an outlet or generator and that you have plenty of extension chord. Then there's the chord itself: always ready to get into a bind, snag on every stray limb until it manages to find its way into a blade or trimmer line. There must be a way to combine the light weight and convenience of electric tools with the freedom and mobility of a gas powered units. Well rest your weary arms, for those Prodigies of Pruning over at Black & Decker have you covered with their 18V Cordless Lawn Care Center.

The big idea: Three 18V rechargeable batteries power Black and Decker's GrassHog 12" cordless string trimmer/edger, HedgeHog 22" cordless hedge trimmer and Cordless Broom hard surface sweeper. No pull ropes. No extension chords. No precarious mixing of gas and oil. No hunting for outdoor outlets. No harmful emissions of any kind. Simply pop in the battery, pull the trigger and carve some foliage.

All that sounds great on paper, but how well do they actually work? We tested a set and were simply blown away; these tools are without a doubt the only way to tidy up the yard. First up were the Grass Hog trimmer/edger and the Cordless Broom hard surface sweeper. The units were light, highly effective and went longer on energy than I had expected. After the initial overnight charge, I was able to trim, edge and blow clean a one-third acre lot with about eighty five feet of sidewalk, two car driveway and a good size patio with enough charge left in the trimmer and blower to do it again two weeks later without recharging. The Grass Hog doesn't skimp on the amenities either. With a fully adjustable shaft you can set the length to your own comfort. The "tapless" auto feed head also does a great job of keeping the trim line at just the right length at all times.

The Hedge Hog hedge trimmer was also quite impressive. The instructions say that you should be able to cut about 1,200 square feet of hedge per charge; we got at least that. And since the Hedge Hog cordless hedge trimmers weigh in at a svelte 6.5 pounds, there was never a second of strain. The twenty-two inch, dual action blades also ensured that there was no stray sprig out of reach. They boast the smoothest, sharpest cut on the market, producing smoother cuts with much fewer uneven spots than traditional clippers.

The 18V Cordless Lawn Care Center comes with a wall mount storage rack for stashing all three tools out of the way when not in use. It also includes a mountable 3-battery charging station so you always have plenty of juice on hand. And with a full two-year warranty, Black & Decker guarantees that these are the sturdiest, most reliable tools on the market.

Bottom line is if you have a lawn to maintain, then you must have Black & Decker's 18V Cordless Lawn Care Center to maintain it. Nothing can make it fun, but these babies will get you as close to it as possible. For about one hundred eighty dollars you can grab a set wherever lawn tools are sold or at one of the retailers listed at www.BlackandDecker.com.