The 2024 Popular Mechanics Yard & Garden Awards

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Spring. There’s excitement in the air. The snow is gone and the grass goes from mottled to gloriously green. At Popular Mechanics, this is the season we test the latest products for our annual Yard & Garden Awards. We roll up our sleeves (well, assuming it’s warm enough to roll them up) and have at the newest batch of chainsaws, mowers, string trimmers, a variety of brush-busting tools, hand tools, wet-dry vacuums, grills, pressure washers, and watering tools. We tackle everything a landscape can offer: grass, briars, dirt on houses, a variety of evergreen and deciduous trees, weeds of every size, shape, and description–even bamboo, some of the toughest test material we’ve encountered. The work goes on in temperatures from 28 degrees to 68 degrees. That is, it’s cold and wet, or hot and sweaty. It’s dirty regardless of temperature. But here’s the thing. We love it. We hope our work eases yours. Here’s to well-maintained landscapes–and spring.

CHAINSAWS

DCCS674X2 60V Top Handle Chainsaw Kit

DeWalt’s 60-volt top-handle saw is an excellent power tool that cuts eagerly in hardwood. We can’t say that we did any the high-intensity, in-tree, testosterone-loaded cuts that you see in the DeWalt promo film for the saw. On the other hand, we did bury it in hardwood up to its bar length of 14 inches (most of our cuts were in 6-inch diameter stock) and found that the saw pivots nicely through the cut. This isn’t to say that it won’t stall– we know from many years of test experience that you can overfeed any saw. But the DeWalt’s thermal cutoff seems consistent with the work that people expect from such a tool.

DPPT-2600H 56V Pole Saw

Echo has considerable experience with gas engine pole saws (which we highly recommend, by the way) and this battery version does justice to the company’s expertise with these tools. Fully extended, the Echo measures about 12 feet long, end to tip, allowing a reasonably tall person to prune and trim at least 16 feet off the ground. We were amazed at what you could get at with it and marveled at the fact that the company even makes a 4-ft. extension (which we didn’t try). We tried it out exclusively on hardwood (maples) and found that its 10-inch bar will cut whatever we reached for. Keep in mind that it’s heavy (depending on the battery, it weighs roughly 16 pounds) and that it requires some degree of physical fitness. But if you need reach and power, the Echo delivers both.

CS2000 56-Volt Chainsaw

The EGO CS2000 is a beast of a cordless chainsaw, and was the other standout cutter in this spring’s testing in terms of raw power. When outfitted with a 5-Ah battery, and a 20-inch bar, it was the heaviest saw in our tests, weighing 18 pounds. The largest diameter test material we had was 10 inches, and that proved no contest for the 56-volt saw. It just pivoted cleanly through each disc. Aside from its power, we liked the excellent access to the bar oil cap and a design in which the battery compartment has a pass-through area (for lack of a better description). Lay the saw on the ground when you’re done and use a leaf blower to blast the saw completely clean. The only saw that we’ve seen with a better design in that regard is the hollow body Husqvarna saws. Other features that we appreciated are its metal bumper spike and an old-school wrap-around handle that will help you when the saw is turned horizontally.

2028502 60V Chainsaw Kit with 18-inch Bar

The Greenworks 40-volt saw was one of two standouts in terms of powerful cutting ability in this year’s testing (the other was the EGO). The saw weighs in at 14.4 pounds–with an 18-inch bar and a 4-Ah battery. That hefty weight shouldn’t come as a surprise. What did surprise is the way this power tool tore into hardwood, slicing disc after disc in our test without pausing once due to thermal cutoff. Realizing that we weren’t even close to testing the saw’s ability, we turned it 90 degrees to the log (we don’t recommend that you do this) and made a rip cut deep into the log–at the full bar length. With that complete, we turned the saw back to cutting discs. A pile of sawdust, chips, shavings, and discs later, we have to say it’s a great saw. We particularly like that it comes with a nice plastic carrying case, that keeps its battery, charger, and the saw itself all neatly contained. For the money, we see it as one of the best outdoor power tool deals this spring.

PA310 Combi Pole Saw Attachment

Husqvarna’s institutional chainsaw expertise shows up in this smooth running and capable attachment that fits onto its string trimmer. Of the pole saws we tried, the Stihl had the least vibration and the smoothest cut (by far) followed by the Husqvarna. The saw is a natural fit for homeowners or even commercial users who are looking to extend the usefulness of Husqvarna’s string trimmer (an outstanding power tool). If you are already on the Husqvarna system or planning to get on, this 10-inch pole saw is a sensible and powerful cutting addition to the string trimmer. A parting note: of the various plastic scabbards that came on every chainsaw we tried, Husqvarna’s had the best fit. It stays firmly in place yet slides off easily.

3013-21 M18 Pole Saw

It's been a good spring for pole saws. We tested several in this year’s batch of products. By itself, Milwaukee had two, one small and one large. This tool was particularly impressive for several reasons. First, we measured it as providing about 8 feet of reach and extending to 12 feet. That’s a lot of reach when a tall adult holds it up. But it’s got more than reach going for it. It’s also got power. Milwaukee equips the tool with an 11-inch bar and the tool’s 18-volt brushless motor will deliver enough power to that bar so that it will cut anything you lay it against, deciduous or conifer. Like a gas engine pole saw, it does make a demand on you, in the sense that with its battery it weighs about 15 pounds. Still, we managed to use it to good effect removing limbs from a variety of hardwood trees and a variety of conifers. And it's a whole lot quieter and more convenient than any gas engine pole saw we know.

PSBCW01K 18V Mini Chainsaw with 8-inch Bar

We’ve tested battery chainsaws since the category was invented and we like what we see happening, particularly with Ryobi’s saws which deliver a lot of wood-cutting bang for the buck. If you’re on the Ryobi 18-volt platform, we think you’re going to like this little 8-inch saw as much as we did. Our rapid fire tests in 4-inch diameter hardwood prove the saw’s worth. We really like its light weight. Even with the 4-Ah battery that comes with the saw, it weighs about 8 lb. Some of that weight saving comes from the fact that it has no bar oil reservoir. The lack of constant bar oil didn’t seem to inhibit its performance. It’s an eager beaver, making one cut after another with a minimum of vibration. Keep its chain sharp and shoot a little light weight oil on it, and you should be good to go.

GTA 26 Saw Extension Pole

Stihl invented a new category of chainsaw when it introduced the GTA26 pruning saw, a 10.8-volt saw with a 4-inch bar that is designed for one-handed use. It’s a potent little rascal, we’ve learned, and it’s made even better by mounting it on an aluminum extension pole with a trigger handle. Now you’ve got the best of both worlds. The 5-ft. extension allows you to reach into trees and shrubs to prune. Once the branch is on the ground, flip the latch and disconnect the saw from the pole and cut up what you just brought down. It’s the perfect combination. Although we don’t have a Grand Prize category in Yard & Garden Awards, if we did then this setup would easily qualify.

MS 172 Gas Engine Chainsaw

Stihl classifies this hardy little chainsaw as an entry-level tool. That’s all relative. An entry-level Stihl is pro duty to other less-capable manufacturers. We tried the saw on evergreen and hardwood trees and find it to be perfect for homeowner-scale landscape maintenance. The saw is light, weighing 12.6 pounds with a 14-inch bar. But it’s no lightweight. The saw has got enough torque to see it through any cut. We started the saw cold and we started it hot without flooding the engine. It started easily in both scenarios.

HT-KM Kombi System Pole Pruner Chainsaw Extension Accessory

We appreciated the long reach and big-cut capability of the pole saws shown nearby but if you need precision and a surgically-smooth cut, especially a cut delivered while minimizing vibration to the tool user, then count on this Stihl attachment to deliver. Because of its precision and cut cleanliness, we see it as a particularly good fit where plant health is critical–orchards, decorative plantings, and flowering deciduous trees are three ideal applications. We tried the version with a 10-inch bar (it also comes as a 12-inch) and like all Stihl chainsaws, it will cut effectively up to its full bar length.

TRIMMERS & EDGERS

ST60L414 60V 17-inch String Trimmer with Carbon Fiber Shaft

The Greenworks is expensive as string trimmers go, so we knew that when we tested it, we’d really have to give it a workout. After all, you don’t want to spend this much for a trimmer and be underwhelmed. So we took up the 60-volt power tool and went to work on 600 feet of wire horse fence. The 3-ft.-wide strip of weeds and grass at the fence’s border had grown luxuriously thick with all the rain that the Northeast had received in April, so it was an excellent test bed. The carbon shaft trimmer is lightweight, agile and extremely eager. Its 17-inch head turns counter clockwise and leaves a neatly-severed path. Turned vertically, it’s got more than enough power to cut a clean notch along pavement. The tool’s bump feed was perfectly reliable during the test’s duration. When we were done, the trimmer was plastered with clippings. We were, too. Our verdict: The Greenworks is a great, light-weight and productive power tool for outdoor maintenance.

HLST051VNM 40V Attachment Capable Carbon Fiber Shaft String Trimmer & HTEDGVNM 8-inch Vertical Wheel Edger Attachment

We like the product development we’ve been seeing with Hart power tools and that includes this 40-volt trimmer, available at Walmart. Hart is a brand of TTI, the parent company of Milwaukee and Ryobi, so this level of product development comes as no surprise. We gave the string trimmer a good, sturdy workout in grass and weeds and found that its power, lack of vibration, and the reliability of its bump feed were all commendable. Then we removed the string trimmer attachment and slipped on the 8-inch vertical wheel edger and used it to form the edge on a garden path and along some flower beds. That’s far more rugged work than we had a right to expect from the tool (it doesn’t have quite enough torque to keep the edger head from getting clogged with dirt), but the fact that we could do such demanding edge work was pretty remarkable.

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HLHT021VNM 40V Hedge Trimmer

Forty volts seems to provide more than enough power to get the job done, at least as it applies to this 26-inch hedge trimmer from Hart. During our testing, we paid particularly close attention to the company’s claims that the tool will cut a 1-inch branch. It will, if the branch is smooth and straight and consists of relatively fresh green growth. We can’t say whether this will hold true for the same branch later in the summer (we did all our testing in the spring). By the time we put the Hart down, we were satisfied that it’s a reliable power tool for shaping shrubs and doing minor brush clearing, both of which we tackled one fine spring morning at a rural house high in the Pennsylvania hills. Given that some of our work was on sloping terrain, and we were holding the tool at unusual angles, we came to appreciate its handle that rotates through 180 degrees. This gave us a good grip and a comfortable working position regardless of how we were standing or the shape of the shrub.

330iKL Combi Switch Power Head With String Trimmer Attachment

Husqvarna’s chainsaws are well known in commercial circles (ask any professional tree feller or sawmill operator) but its string trimmers are also excellent if not quite as well known as its saws. We spent more time with Husqvarna’s 36-volt trimmer in the weeds than we did in grass. It trims grass so readily, we found, we wanted to test it under more severe conditions. So went at it along a bike riding path, clearing its shoulder. Equipped with.095 line and a beautifully robust line head and a maximum cutting width of 18 inches, the Husqvarna is a savage weed trimmer. You have to go to a large gas engine trimmer to get more power than what this offers. We pounded this tool harder than any other string trimmer this spring and experienced no problems with line feed or power.

GHU02M1 Hedge XGT 40V Trimmer

This 40-volt hedge trimmer is a stand-out performer. Its 23-5/8-inch shear head is beautifully ground and extremely sharp delivering a high quality, plant-healing cut. Powered by a 40-volt motor, Makita rates it as capable of cutting through a 7/8-inch branch. Based on our tests in typical hedge material and brush-busting applications, we agree. If you do happen to jam it (we didn’t), it has a button operated reverse-oscillation function for clearing jams. An added benefit we noticed from the moment we hit the On button is how quiet this tool is, far quieter than a gas engine hedge trimmer and even quieter than typical corded electric models.

2825-21ST M18 String Trimmer/Power Head Attachment

Homeowners or professional users looking for a powerful string trimmer will do well to consider this Milwaukee kit. The tool is a powerful trimmer in its own right. We did experience some line breakage with it in the weed test; we’d advise running a high quality.095 line in it (it takes.080 and.095) but that’s no big deal. And besides, the head fits 25 feet of line, so you’ve got a lot at your disposal. Also, we emphasize that you’ll get your money’s worth from this tool because it accepts a bewildering number of attachments. See our review of the brush trimmer head nearby. And with the gigantic XC 8.0 battery that comes in this kit, you’ve got plenty of run time. We tested the string trimmer, hedge trimmer, and brush cutter and still had half the battery life left!

49-16-2718 M18 Edger Attachment

As powerful as Milwaukee tools are, we wondered whether this steel blade edger was up to the job. There was no need for concern, it’s a remarkably effective tool. We edged sidewalks and even wheeled it along a curved garden bed to slice a groove where the lawn met the mulch. We could see where in clay soils you might clog this tool and it might not have the needed torque to spin its blade through the soil and particles that will build up behind the blade. We emphasize that we didn’t experience that, but we could see where it could occur. All we experienced with it was quick, quiet, and effective cutting action, leaving a neat, deep notch in its wake.

49-16-2719 M18 Articulating Hedge Trimmer Attachment

If you do a lot of hedge trimming and wonder whether it’s worth it to spend the extra money for an articulating version of one of these tools, we think the answer to that is yes, particularly if you will use the tool for more than hedge trimming. We went to work with the Milwaukee on hedges, brush, fibrous weeds and briars (by using it like a handheld sickle bar mower). The Milwaukee gave a good account for itself in all these applications and the pivoting action of its head is smooth, simple, and it locks securely. Pull down on the spring-loaded locking collar, pivot the head to where you need it, and release the collar to allow the locking pin to set into its detent. The Milwaukee is a powerful cutter (if not in the same league as a dedicated hedge trimmer like the Makita) but it does have the added virtue of providing extra reach (about 58 inches) and locking nicely onto the powerhead for the company’s string trimmer.

3008-20 M18 Pole Pruner Attachment

This is not only the biggest pole pruner we’ve ever used, and the tallest (the 15-lb. tool extends from 7 ft. to 10 ft.), but it’s also the most powerful. Milwaukee rates it to cut a 1-3/4-inch branch (we agree with that) but it can cut even larger diameter material than that. In one of the most unusual outdoor power tests we’ve ever run, we used it to fell a stand of bamboo that was encroaching from a neighbor’s land on some institutional property. We found the best way to fell the bamboo was to simply stand away from it and, using the pruner unextended, just position the shear head at the base of the plant and pull the trigger. In no time, we cleared many dozens of the plants, with a clean cut level to the ground. We stacked the bamboo in a pile then sheared the stalks in half for easier disposal. The entire operation was quick and quiet. We went from a sun-blocking, property-encroaching mess to a cleared section in about 30 minutes. Stacking and halving the plants took another 30 minutes. If that isn’t effective, we don’t what is.

RY40HPST01B 16-inch Carbon Fiber Shaft String Trimmer

Grass and weeds have met their match with this formidable 40-volt carbon fiber shaft string trimmer. We found that it sliced nearly everything we pointed its head at, and its trigger is so sensitive that you can turn the head 90 degrees and just feather it along a sidewalk, cutting a clean notch where the grass meets the pavement. The tool comes with an accessory deflector shield; you can screw it on or leave it off, depending on how much protection you think you need. The primary deflector shield is length adjustable, with a clear marking on it advising you that if you run the line at the full 16-inch cutting diameter, you decrease battery run time. Conversely, you increase battery run time by moving the shield closer to the head (for a 14-inch cutting diameter) because the deflector shield’s built-in line cutter severs the string closer to the head. Working with a smaller diameter gives you a smaller cutting area and less tip speed, but the trade off will probably be worth it for most users doing normal suburban trimming. The kit we tested comes with a two-blade flail head (we didn’t test it). We did, however, test other slide-on accessories such as a leaf blower and bristle broom attachment. See those reviews nearby.

HL-KM Articulating Hedge Trimmer Accessory

By far the sharpest hedge trimmer that we’ve ever used is this articulating-head attachment from Stihl. The edges on its 20-inch blade are ground and polished with the precision you would normally see on high-quality cutlery. We’re not exaggerating; the cut surface it produces is likewise superb and that bodes well for plant health and the shrub’s attractiveness after you’re done. The tool mounts easily to the Kombi System power head (KMA 80 R) and the two together are quiet, fast-cutting, and vibration free. We used it on some very old and demanding shrubbery and then did some brush busting with it. Our results were excellent. Stihl says it redesigned the gear box to achieve these improvements and reduce the tool’s weight—a rare double header.

49-16-2738 M18 Brush Cutter Attachment

One of the tools we liked the best in this year’s Yard & Garden testing was this star-shaped brush cutter attachment that fits on the power head that came with the string trimmer (2825-21 ST). We tried it out on every form of brush that we encountered: tall grass, a variety of weeds and fibrous plants (milk weed), small saplings, briars, and bamboo (it will cut bamboo but we don’t recommend it). This is an incredible attachment, far exceeding the work you can do with a typical string trimmer. We used it extensively on a bike path through brush, clearing back the shoulder on both sides of the trail as easily as we would trim grass along a curb. The tool deserves and receives our highest recommendation.

BLOWERS & BROOMS

PB7910 Backpack Gas Engine Blower

When comparing leaf blowers there are two numbers you want to look at: air speed, in miles per hour (MPH), and volume in cubic feet per minute (CFM). Echo’s PB7910 has big numbers in both departments. Now, in practical testing, we rarely match a manufacturer’s claimed numbers, but we measured the PB7910 at 194 MPH, and 785 CFM. Those are impressive numbers. So, we weren’t surprised at how well it moved leaves. With that much power the PB7910, can peel up a thick layer of heavy, wet leaves and keep them moving, yards away. It’s among the best performing leaf blowers we’ve ever tested, at a price below many of its closest competitors. To make using the PB7910 convenient and comfortable, it features a adjustable discharge tube and hand controls to fit virtually any person—and, easy to adjust shoulder straps mean you can quickly adjust for different users.

49-16-2740 M18 Paddle Broom Attachment

Question: Why on earth would somebody need this thing, a gigantic rubber paddle wheel driven by a power head? Answer: Try the thing and you find out very quickly how effective it is at moving everything from twigs and leaves to wet debris stuck to pavement. That was our take after testing it. Sure, you can move some pretty heavy debris with a stout, backpack leaf blower–we do it all the time. But backpack blowers create a gigantic dust storm, they’re loud and they may blast loose things like delicate plantings that you’d rather leave alone. We can see a variety of uses for this attachment, such as cleaning up debris after storms, cleaning up a construction site, landscape renovation, litter removal. The device comes as a group of parts in a box; assembly takes about five minutes. Slide the attachment onto a Milwaukee 18-volt power head and get to work. Note: the accessory’s rotation is against the operator. You’ll get a workout using it, but compared to using a rake, broom or a backpack blower, you’re still well ahead of the game.

49-16-2741 M18 Bristle Broom Attachment

There are lots of ways to clean paved surfaces, such as using a broom, a leaf blower, a pavement scraper, even a wire brush, but this attachment was one of the fastest ways we’ve ever seen to scrub a sidewalk and its curb clean of a build up of moss and dried-on mud. In fact, we not only cleaned out various crevices and corners with the tool, we sent the debris flying. Boy, that was satisfying. The device consists of a cylindrical bristle head measuring approximately 10 inches in diameter by 23 inches wide that slides onto the end of the same power head that drives a string trimmer, edgers, a paddle broom, a chainsaw, and hedge trimmer. It ejects dirt from the bottom of its rotation, thus it pushes against you as you push it forward. The result: a very powerful scrubbing action.

PBLLBO1K 510 Cfm Brushless Blower Kit

If you’re looking for a pleasant handheld blower for sweeping pavements, pool decks, patios, decks, and walkways, we think this tool is a good choice. Even on its high setting, it just purrs along sweeping paved areas clean, and its trigger-controlled air speed is particularly useful when you want to sweep out fallen blossoms or a few leaves from an otherwise neat garden bed. We do differ from Ryobi rating of the tool in that we don’t find it’s powerful enough for general or heavy leaf clearing. It will move light leaf cover and dry debris off the grass. But we don’t think most people buy a machine like this for its power. They buy it because it’s quiet and because its balance and light weight make it a pleasure to use.

RYAXA22VNM 475-CFM Blower Attachment

We took an immediate liking to this attachment. We removed the head from the Ryobi string trimmer reviewed above (RY40HPST01B) and clicked on this blower attachment and went to work clearing grass clippings, leaves, twigs and pine cones. We’re so accustomed to using a backpack blower and hand-held blowers that using a blower on the end of a string trimmer shaft seemed odd–but only for a moment. The attachment’s leaf-blasting power (140 mph and 475 cfm) soon won us over. And we particularly appreciated that the tool’s design puts its tip so close to the ground, helping you get the maximum use out of the power it makes available.

BGA 60 Cordless Blower

This tool is enough to make us change our opinion of handheld leaf blowers. We’re not big fans of these tools, even though we own one and have tested dozens. But the tools can be useful and versatile for everything from leaf clearing to dusting out the garage. We used the BGA 60 on a lawn, clearing leaves, tree debris, and wood chips left from testing chainsaws. The tool rolled the debris off the lawn with no problem. Next, we turned our attention to a commercial application, and went after the pavement along a curb which was packed with wet leaves and pine needles, matted down over the course of the winter. The BGA 60 peeled back the debris and sent it packing right to the end of the parking lot. We particularly liked the tool’s extendable nozzle, which put the tip right above the pavement, promoting a peeling action (this is particularly important to lift debris that is heavy and wet). Aside from power, we liked the tool’s low noise and its complete absence of vibration. It just hangs nicely in your hand as you walk along clearing with it.

RYSWP Sweeper Attachment

This is a relatively expensive tool ($179) so its right to be skeptical about whether you need it, particularly if you already own a reasonably powerful leaf blower. We removed the string trimmer head from the RY40HPST01B, leaving the power head portion of the tool, and then slipped on this brush. The broom is 15 inches wide and its nylon bristles are very stiff. When powered by the string trimmers 40-volt motor, the head width and stiffness result in an aggressive cleaning action. The benefit to you may be that if you deal with a lot of heavy and wet debris, particularly stuff that really clings to pavement (pine needles, large wet tree blossoms, pine cones, large seed pods) you can probably put this tool to good use. We swept clean a concrete driveway, particularly focusing our attention on expansion and control joints. What little light debris was left we removed with a leaf blower.

MOWERS

DCMWSP256U2 20-volt Max Dual-Blade Mower

Of all the products we tested this spring, the DeWalt comes as close to a fresh sheet of paper approach as anything we’ve seen. The first thing you notice is its unusual shallow metal deck. Tip the mower on its side and you notice an X-shaped blade–unlike other X blades, this one has two blades at 90 degrees to each other. Fold the DeWalt on its handle and stand it upright and you see how little space this thing takes up–a distinct advantage in a crowded shed. Finally there are those unusually narrow tires with a sharp tread pattern. The mower’s light weight and its narrow tires helped to climb hills easily. As far as cut quality and bagging, the DeWalt certainly does the job, but we wouldn’t rate it as exceptional in those respects. What is exceptional is its ease of use, with single-point deck height adjustment and dial-adjust speed control.

RY401260 40V 20-in. Mower

Ryobi’s 40-volt mower is self propelled and a complete pleasure to operate. It’s quiet, and the quality of the cut grass surface it leaves behind is very good, thanks largely due to an X-shaped blade and a smooth dome-shaped deck. Bonus: the Ryobi is an outstanding bagger. We were amazed when we took the bag off and found it packed with fresh, green, moist clippings. Like all well-designed mowers, it has a bag that you lift off through the handle (instead of under the handle). You also get a big 6-Ah battery and charger, single-point deck height, satisfactory uphill climb capacity thanks to rear wheel drive, and a rust-free plastic deck. That’s a lot of mower and a great buy.

HLPM11VNM 40V Dual Blade Mower

Everything said about the Ryobi applies to the Hart. It cuts well, bags well, climbs well, and is a consistent and high-quality mower. It’s built by TTI, the same company that owns the Ryobi and Milwaukee brands; this is the Walmart version of the Ryobi mower (sold at The Home Depot). One small exception with this machine is that its battery is slightly larger (8 Ah, versus 6 Ah). Otherwise, we expect you will be as pleased with this mower as we were.

21491 60V Timemaster

Easily the most productive mower we used this spring is the Toro eTimemaster, a 30-inch 60-volt mower that fills the gap where light commercial equipment meets the residential customer. We ran through the battery of tests on our 20-inch mowers and then went to work with the Toro. Although we hadn’t intended that test sequence to render a verdict on the Toro’s 30-inch cut width versus a 20-inch cut width, the difference in deck diameter is immediately apparent–especially when combined with a cutting speed that is as fast as you can walk. If that level of productivity is important to you, and your yard falls somewhere between that which can be cut with a walk mower or riding equipment, we think the Toro is worth considering. Like all Toro mowers we’ve tested, the eTimemaster delivers an excellent cut quality. As a bagger, we would say its performance is adequate but not exceptional. Really, the mower’s strong suit is what it achieves with a combination of attributes: speed, width, quietness, ease of handling, and cut quality. And there’s also its storage. Fold the handle so that it’s vertical to the deck, dismount the bag and hang it on the handle. It’s a great, space-saving design. Finally, there’s the eTimemaster’s beefy construction, with a pair of steel bar rub rails welded under the deck, massive aluminum blade spindles and a motor and drive assembly for its dual blades all located above the deck and out of harm’s way.

PATIO & GARDEN

DWPW3000 3000-PSI Compact Pressure Washer

The 3000-PSI DeWalt is a study in just how good a second act can be. Prior to this, the company introduced a 2500-PSI power tool. This one shares the same attributes as its predecessor: outstanding industrial design whereby the wand and nozzle pack neatly into the top of the washer. The hose hangs neatly off the front. The power cord wraps neatly on the back. And a telescoping handle slides up and down permitting you to wheel the machine around like it was a piece of airport luggage. While industrial design and portability are good, they wouldn’t count for much if the tool didn’t clean well. The DeWalt cleans and soaps very well, with four nozzles (white, yellow, green and turbo) and enough power and flow (1.1 gpm) to get the job done. We used it mostly on concrete, cleaning, degreasing, blasting loose moss and dirt. If it can handle that, it can certainly handle the more-typical surfaces such as vinyl siding and your pressure-treated deck.

WDV0904 Wet-Dry Vac

One of the best cordless power tools we’ve used recently is this 56-volt wet-dry vacuum from EGO. Its power and sturdiness are such that you can use it confidently anywhere from your patio, deck, shop, garage, or even wild urban areas. How wild? We tested it on one neglected street that is a scene of various kinds of mischief (such as automotive break ins) and the dumping ground for rascal contractors who clean out their trucks, leaving behind a Who’s Who of construction site debris–everything from used-up welding nozzles to spent coffee cups. The tool has three speed settings, two standard speeds and Turbo. Expecting the worst, we set it to Turbo and went to work on the street’s curb line picking up all manner of debris. Among the nasty tidbits it devoured were chunks of mortar, crumbling asphalt, threaded and unthreaded fasteners–both rusted, various chunks of metal, shattered automotive glass, window glass, metal shavings from tin snips, and what appeared to be drug paraphernalia. While we admit that street cleaning, urban or otherwise, is generally beyond the purview of cordless power tools, we felt that sharing this sordid little backstory helps to clarify just how tough a cordless power tool can be, and how much you can get done with the right one. The EGO’s other attributes read like a wish list of the ideal shop vacuum. Its hose straps nicely to its top, all attachments fit neatly into designated holders.

HW142511 120V 2500-PSI Pressure Washer

We tried the Hart 2500-PSI pressure washer on every commonly available surface to which we had access and came away liking it. We washed vinyl fence and lattice, a stainless steel barbecue, concrete pavers, patio furniture, vinyl siding, two types of trim (vinyl and aluminum), painted wood, stained pressure treated wood. We also washed cellular PVC trim and panels and used the machine’s soap-dispensing tank on all of the surfaces mentioned above and to clean a pickup truck. The Hart sailed to an easy win in all this house and patio washing. We didn’t find it particularly effective in soap dispensing mode for vehicle washing, and we’re not quite sure of why that is. Perhaps we needed a more concentrated form of car wash detergent. The Hart is a reliable home-washing tool and it helped us get our spring off to a squeaky clean start.

RY40HF01B Air Canon, Corded-Cordless Hybrid

The aptly named Air Canon Fan is a whopping air mover that runs on a 40-volt battery or 120-volt power. It has three air-movement settings. On its highest setting, it moves 6300 CFM (cubic feet per minute). To put that air movement in perspective, unless you’re in an incredibly hot and humid environment, or far from the fan’s location, it’s actually too much air movement as you sit nearby (at least that was our take on it). We found the low setting optimal (2850 CFM) for nearby comfort and low noise. Ryobi says that when equipped with a large 12-Ah battery, the fan will provide 36 hours of continuous run time on its lowest air movement setting. The three air settings, its wheels, easily tilting head, dual power ability, and portability all combine to make the fan a perfect solution to keep flying insects at bay or helping you feel a little cooler working or working out.

PBLSV747K 18V Wet-Dry Vac

Many people are interested in the idea of outdoor living rooms these days, with all-weather couches and associated furnishings, and outdoor TVs, but until this 18-volt appliance came along, we haven’t really seen a good way to clean the floor of those spaces (usually, the floor is a deck or a patio). Sure, you can use a pressure washer at the beginning of the season or its end but its fierce cleaning action can splatter dirt everywhere. And while a leaf blower is great to remove dry snack debris, dried leaves, and pine needles, it won’t do much for dried-on barbecue sauce. Although primarily intended for indoor use, we put this unusual wet vacuum to work cleaning a patio, some pressure-treated stairs, and even a concrete garage floor. Even though these uses are well away from the interior jobs that Ryobi’s engineers imagined, it worked well. We were amazed at how quietly, gently, and readily it cleaned. Like a carpet cleaner, the Ryobi uses a tank for cleaning solution (an 8-oz. bottle is supplied with the machine). It applies the cleaning solution to a slowly turning roller that looks nearly identical to a good quality roller cover that you would use to paint walls and ceilings. It vacuums up the dirty water coming off the roller and ejects it to a dirty-water tank. You can manually clean the roller assembly or stand the vacuum up on a basin stand (included) and let the roller run itself clean. Of the two methods, we found manual cleaning to be more thorough and faster­–especially since Ryobi recommends that you rinse the roller assembly clean after use anyway. All parts that require cleaning are easy to disassemble and clean very readily–which is more than we can say for the average carpet cleaner.

24601 X-Stream Watering Wand

Whether you need to wash a pickup truck, wash your house’s windows, or water your plants, the Orbit X-Stream can handle the job. Thread the tool onto your gardening hose as you would any attachment, and extend the tool anywhere in the range between 42 inches to 72 inches. Next, turn the head ring to one of four spray patterns: jet, two fan patterns, and shower (for plant watering or window washing). Tilt the head angle to suit; it locks automatically in place. To turn on water, move the pivoting lever at the tool’s base, where it threads onto the hose. All this adjustability makes the X-Stream perfect for truck washing, allowing you to reach anywhere on the vehicle from the top of the cab to the undercarriage. We also liked how the jet setting producing a narrow stream that blasts out the crevice where the truck bed’s floor meets the headwall. The same feature would work well for blasting out sidewalk and patio crevices.

4-pack Children’s Gardening Tool Set

It takes more than supposed earth-friendly design and various kinds of green speak to win us over. As product testers, we’re skeptics. On the other hand, Rutabaga Garden Tools are legit. They’re made from post-consumer plastic, some of it separated out from trash floating in the ocean and from an elastomer that is biodegradable. The four-tool kit consists of a scoop, weed remover, hand rake, and trowel. Their small size is suitable for kids (the manufacturer says 3 +) but they are not so small as to be impractical, so we see them as great introductory tools for a small person eager to grow something or a big person who is likewise inclined. If either leaves them outside overnight, neither dew nor rain will cause them to rust. There’s no metal in them, ferrous or otherwise. And we pushed and pulled, bent and twisted them all without damage. We’re not saying you can’t break them, but that to do so (at least while they are still relatively new) would take a lot of doing.

Live-Fire Pizza Oven

The Live-Fire Pizza Oven is Breeo’s latest addition to their line of cooking accessories for their X24 smokeless fire pit—it also fits over the Luxeve, as well as the X30 with a separately available adapter ring. From the onset, Breeo has considered cooking over their fire pits a core feature, so it was only a matter of time before they offered a pizza oven. We enjoyed the process of cooking pizza in the Live-Fire, and quickly learned to manage heat to get our pizza just the way we liked it. Pizza stone and oven temps can range from 600 to over 900 degrees F, depending on the size of the fire and how much wood you add. But, consider, that since this is an oven—you can use it for a lot more than pizza. Drop the temperatures and you can bake bread, roast meat in cast iron pans, or cook corn on the cob—there are endless possibilities. The Live-Fire Oven, as tested, is made from heavy gauge Corten and stainless steel—it’s also available with an all stainless steel exterior finish—both of which are built to last for years to come.

Genesis SX-335 Smart Grill

It’s hard to beat the convenience of a propane grill. The Weber Genesis SX-335 ups the ante, with smart features that make grilling easier than ever. Pairing the SX-335 to Weber’s app on a smartphone allowed us to set a target temperature for the grill, set and then receive temperature alerts, set timers, monitor meat probes for internal temps, and check the fuel level in the propane tank. The app also provided access to a huge list of recipes. As for the grill itself, it heats up quickly with its three burners providing reasonably even heat—while a fourth burner creates an effective sear zone on the right half of the stainless-steel grill grates. Grilling traditional food like burgers and hot dogs was a breeze, but using the smart features to monitor roasting over longer periods takes all the guesswork out of getting the meat done exactly the way you want. The SX-335 also features a handy side burner, and plenty of storage for grill accessories below.

640-S Pellet Grill/Smoker

Yoder’s YS640S Competition is one of the best made pellet grills we’ve tested. The versatile YS640S will appeal to all stripes of grillers, as well as the low-and-slow smoker crowd. We couldn’t find any limitations as to what we could cook, thanks to its wide temperature range and the ability to cook over live fire. While the max set temperature on the controller is 600 degrees, cooking over the grill’s firebox yielded a much higher sear temp. And yet, we could set the controller at 225 degrees and cook long and low to smoke a massive brisket. To manage and monitor cooking, Yoder leverages the FireBoard app which can be paired to the grill. In the app, you can monitor cooking sessions using the two included meat probes, set timers and alerts, view temperature fluctuations across the session, and review previously saved sessions. The YS640S’s body is made in the USA, from super heavy gauge steel, with large 8-inch flat free tires. With all that metal, the grill weighs more than 400 lbs, but those large wheels make it easy to maneuver around the patio or roll into the garage when you’re not using it.

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CHAINSAWS

TRIMMERS & EDGERS

BLOWERS & BROOMS

MOWERS

PATIO & GARDEN

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