Garden Power Tools
I sometimes look in my garden shed and wonder how on earth people used to manage 100 years ago before petrol and electricity combined with technology.
From a purely frugal point of view I guess that to save money altogether we ought to revert to that.
But modern age hustle and bustle deems it necessary that we have machines which will take the back ache away and give us more time to play.
We first have to look at what we really need, is it going to save us time, is it a gadget waste of money and will it generally make my life easier.
The two most popular and maybe justified garden power tools are the Strimmer and hedge cutter and encircle the two most regular jobs of cutting back the weeds, edging the lawn and keeping the hedge in trim.
Strimmer
You can choose electric or petrol with varying powers and widths etc.
For the smaller garden a cheap electric model would be fine, but has the drawback of cables which can be extremely dangerous. Using a CDR socket will prevent electric shock, but not any repair to cable and the twisting which inevitably happens after a few months of storage.
Petrol strimmers go from about the 25cc to a staggering 50cc (that's the same size engine as my Moped !!).
For normal use, around 25-30 should be sufficient.
Hedge Cutters
It is always advisable to speak to someone about what your needs are before buying a garden power tool and this is especially so with hedge cutters.
If you buy an under powered electric one for your hedge, you'll burn the motor out in no time atall.
There are various lengths and cutter types, so get the right one for you (with a thought you could move where there's a bigger garden maybe).
Electric cutters go from about 400watt to 700watt and have lengths from just about 12" - 24".
I believe that this is a petrol must. Think of standing on a ladder, leaning over with cable to fiddle around with as well.
Petrol cutters are more expensive but will give you better safety and will last a lot longer if well maintained.
Leaf Blowers and Vacuums.
These are items where we really do have to ask ourselves if we really need them.
But if time is short, the backs playing up and you can afford it, they will do the job in a fraction of the time albeit if only mainly used during the autumn months.
For real power and cost effectiveness, once again petrol is best and easier to store. You can dance around the garden, turning from side to side with ease.
Shredders
If your garden is big and has many trees with an ever growing population of leafs on the ground, a shredder is a very good idea. It'll not only tidy up the garden but will give you a compact size of waste which you can use as garden compost or soil protection. A good all round performer this and can save you a lot of work - and a lot of bonfires.
All in all, we really do have to ask the question as to if we need these things. Logic says yes, but reality says no maybe.
To set yourself up with a strimmer, hedge cutter, blower, vacuum and shredder will cost you around the £600 mark. That has to be weighed against time saved which could be spent on better things and money saved which can be better spent elsewhere - the debate goes on!
Blower
Hedge
Just one "I'll be OK" could see you down at Accident and Emergancy.
Cost effectiveness, saving money, reducing expenditure in the home and at play
