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Green Machine Battery-Powered Outdoor Power Tools Review

Green Machine Battery-Powered Outdoor Power Tools Review

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Paul Brown

I get way too excited about battery-powered yard tools. After years of struggling with clogged carburetors, fouled spark plugs, and the numerous other issues that plague gas-powered tools, the promise of “charge it and get to work” is extremely enticing.

Unfortunately, battery power has traditionally been a tradeoff on raw power. You could get the job done but with less overall performance and efficiency. That is until the battery systems started getting bigger and more powerful.

Green Machine, a brand sold exclusively through Home Depot, offers a line of massive 62v battery-powered yard tools that strive to bridge the gap between weak battery tools and powerful gas models. I decided to put some of their latest offerings to the test.

Note: Green Machine sent us these tools for review but had no input into the testing, findings, or recommendations. All options expressed are mine and based on actual experience using the tools.

Build Quality

It wasn’t that long ago that battery-powered yard tools felt more like toys. They were designed for very light-duty use and felt like they would break if you used them for real work. Today, however, battery-powered options are built with durability that rivals gas tools while offering performance that is closer than ever to combustion power.

Pulling the Green Machine equipment out of the box I was immediately struck with the reassurance that these are clearly solidly built tools. Hard-cased plastic casings and a hefty, solid feel while still weighing less than a gas alternative.

I’ll cover assembly in the breakdown for each tool but for now, let me just say that unboxing and assembling the tools is pretty intuitive and did not require breaking open the instruction manual.

Warranty

Green Machine is backing their entire line with a 5-year limited warranty on the tool and a 3-year limited warranty on the battery. This puts them on par with other leading companies, all of which offer limited warranties:

ManufacturerTool WarrantyBattery Warranty
Green Machine5 Years3 Years
Ego5 Years3 Years
Greenworks4 Years4 Years

There are other brands of course but the bottom line is that the warranty offered by Green Machine is in line with industry standards.

Let’s dig into the specifics for each of these tools and look at how they fared in my real-world testing.

String Trimmer

There are two models of string trimmers currently offered by Green Machine; an aluminum shaft and a carbon fiber shaft. I am using the carbon fiber shaft version for this testing. The string trimmer feels solid and hefty though noticeably lighter than my gas-powered Stihl.

Weight Distribution

A major issue with the prolonged use of string trimmers is the physical fatigue that comes from holding the device in a particular orientation and position while using it.

Green Machine clearly paid attention to weight balance which is an important part of reducing fatigue. With the battery inserted, the back is slightly heavier which allows the trimmer end to float easily along the grass while cutting. It’s a nice balance. Not perfect but none of them are.

What I’d really like to see in a string trimmer is a balance that puts the distribution of weight right at the middle handle. This would tremendously reduce fatigue because the outstretched arm would carry the bulk of the weight. No string trimmer hits this balance and Green Machine certainly does it better than those heavy gas-powered models.

I think the problem in doing this would be that to accomplish that balance you would need to weigh down the trimmer end which would just result in an overall heavier tool. Still, it’s on my wish list.

The bottom line here is that this tool is well balanced with a weight distribution that feels right when using it.

Specs

The Green Machine string trimmer uses a brushless motor, a highly appreciated auto-wind spool for fast line replacement, and a carbon-fiber shaft (aluminum shaft also available as mentioned previously). It offers two performance speeds; Econ and Sport modes (more on that later) and runs on the company’s standardized 62v battery system.

Assembly

This was a really cool tool to assemble. First off, the trimmer comes collapsed. It has a jointed piece in the middle of the shaft that allows it to be shipped folded up. All I needed to do was extend the shaft and screw down the large plastic knob that was already in place. I love this! If you need to, you could literally fold this thing up and put it on a shelf.

This easy-turn plastic knob locks the shaft in position for use during assembly.

Other than that, the only other assembly required was connecting the plastic debris shield which connects with two included screws.

So as far as assembly goes, it could not have been simpler.

Performance

When I first put the Green Machine string trimmer to work, I was a little underwhelmed. It was managing the workload that I was putting on it but it felt a little wimpy. I was somewhat disappointed until I realized that the tool actually offers two modes of performance.

It was set to ECON mode (short for Economy) which I suspect providers longer battery life. Once I switched it to SPORT mode, I immediately felt the performance that I had anticipated as 62v of power came to life. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement.

Green Machine string trimmer power settings: Econ vs Sport mode.

There is a clear delineation in performance between the ECON and SPORT modes. Econ feels right for trimming around flower beds, along driveways, and other locations where you are primarily dealing with overgrown grass. It’s a quieter, more subdued mode.

SPORT mode, on the other hand, is what you want when you are pushing into heavier weeds or really overgrown grass. I love that this trimmer has the option to select between the two. It doesn’t make sense to use more battery power than needed when maintaining a well-kept lawn and managing the day-to-day. But when you need more power, it’s there with the flip of a switch!

I put the trimmer through the paces with some really tough brush (I have two acres with a lot of overgrowth along the property line). It held its own and I didn’t experience any weakening of performance as I moved through the heavy stuff.

Run Time

Green Machine advertises a 30-minute runtime for this string trimmer and my experience showed that this is pretty accurate. You use more battery when cranking up the SPORT mode of course but I was still able to pull 20 minutes from the battery when running it hard.

The key thing to keep in mind is the type of work you’ll be putting the tool up against during average use. If you are simply cleaning up edges around flower beds and sidewalks, ECON mode is going to suit your needs just fine and you’ll get the maximum battery life.

If you are like me, however, and are putting this tool up against heavy weeds then you’ll use up more battery getting the job done. That’s just a fact no matter which brand of battery-powered tool you are working with.

Check the latest pricing on the Green Machine String Trimmer (link to Home Depot).

Blower

I am pretty sure that this is as close as I’ve ever gotten to the raw power of a gas-powered blower. With 655 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of blowing power, the Green Machine 655 really impressed me right out of the box with the amount of air pressure that it can push.

It’s rated to give up to 95 minutes of runtime on a fully charged battery and from my testing, that is not a stretch. Great battery life, especially when you take advantage of the 6-speed variable control dial that lets you fine-tune the force of air you are pushing.

I found that lower settings can significantly improve runtime since you are putting less demand on the battery. But honestly, there is nothing as satisfying as going full-throttle with this thing. When you press the Turbo button, the Green Machine blower holds nothing back.

Specs

Offering 655 CFM blowing power, a brushless motor, and a respectable noise rating of 65db, there’s not a lot to dislike about this tool. The Turbo Mode button unleashes an impressive 123 MPH Max airspeed while the variable control dial lets you adjust between six speeds for precise power.

I can see this feature being very handy around flowerbeds where you may not want too much power that can destroy the plants.

Assembly

The assembly process for this one couldn’t be simpler. The blower comes packaged needing only to connect the business end to the motor housing which is a quick and simple snap-into-place process.

Run Time

As stated earlier, Green Machine touts up to 95 minutes of runtime. I generally dismiss manufacturer claims but my testing bore this out for the most part. Just keep in mind that those 95 minutes are likely assuming you are not using the Turbo mode at all and are running the tool on the lowest variable speed setting.

In general, I’d say you should expect about 30-40 minutes of hard runtime if you are pushing it like I tend to do. Still, very respectable numbers.

Click here for specs and the latest pricing on the Green Machine Blower (link to Home Depot).

Chainsaw

Of all the tools in this arsenal, the chainsaw is the one that I was most excited to test out. Not because I use a chainsaw often but because as fond as I am of battery-powered yard tools, they tend to be best suited to tame jobs, not the brutal work that you would associate using a chainsaw for.

I’ve had good luck using battery-powered chainsaws in the past but I’ve always approached using them as a tool best suited for smaller jobs. Small branches and limbs around two to three inches thick just feels like an appropriate task to put them up against. Anything bigger always felt a little out of their league.

But I’d never had my hands on a 62v chainsaw.

Still, I felt compelled to start off with a smaller project, just to ease into this thing and get comfortable with it. For some time I have been ignoring an overgrown bush behind a small shed in my backyard. This is my dirty little secret of an otherwise fairly well-kept yard.

I decided to break the Green Machine chainsaw in by dealing with this ignored chore.

The tool handled this job without breaking a sweat but that’s to be expected. This is the type of job that I’ve traditionally associated battery-powered chainsaws with. And so, it was time to up the challenge.

I pushed the tool with different wood types including pine, sweetgum, and live oak. From a performance standpoint, the tool handled everything I threw at it. Where the challenge comes in is with the impact on battery life as you lean into hardwoods.

With softer woods like pine, however, I was able to work right through projects without difficulty. The amount of power packed into this 62v chainsaw is impressive.

The important thing to remember with a battery-powered chainsaw is to match the tool to the job. This thing is going to handle small to medium-sized limbs just fine, especially with softwoods. It’ll tackle decent-sized hardwood jobs as well but you will want to have extra batteries charged and on-hand.

I feel that a softwood diameter of about 10 inches or less should be just fine and maybe a 6-inch diameter on hardwoods. You might get by with larger cuts but I’d plan to stay within those guidelines to get the most out of your battery and tool.

Specs

This Green Machine chainsaw comes with a brushless motor, 16 in. Oregon® bar and chain, a really handy auto-tensioning system that uses a simple dial to tighten the chain. The tool also features an automatic oiling system to keep the chain and bar lubricated and up to 45 minutes of runtime. All in all, a well-thought-out tool.

Oregon is a registered trademark of Blount, Inc.

Assembly

This tool came fully assembled. In the box, you’ll find the chainsaw, battery, and charger, each packaged separately.

Oil

One common misconception with battery-powered chainsaws is that you do not need to use oil. While there is no combustion engine, the tool still requires a lubricant for the chain and bar. Do not make the mistake of running your chainsaw without adding oil. Green Machine recommends SAE 10W-30 or a similar bar and chain lube oil. This is not included with the tool so you will need to purchase this separately.

On the side of the tool, there is a semi-transparent window to allow you to visually see the amount of oil that it has. That’s a nice touch.

Run Time

If you are using the tool reasonably, it’s likely you’ll get close to the 45-minute runtime advertised by Green Machine. If you push it with hardwoods and really thick diameter cuts, you’ll shorten that time as would be expected. As for how much it will shorten the runtime, it depends entirely on how much strain you put on the tool. The harder it has to work, the more battery power is used to get the job done. Simple as that.

Check pricing and more specs on the 62v Green Machine Chainsaw (link to Home Depot).

Battery And Charger

You get a sense of the power that a big 62v battery can handle when it’s plugged into the charger. The charger has a fan that kicks on when the battery is connected to offset the heat produced from charging. It’s a large battery as you might expect.

An LED light on the charger blinks when the battery is charging and turns solid when the charge is completed.

Green Machine charger being used to charge the 62v battery. A green light on the charger blinks while charging.

Conclusion

I’m a strong believer in buying into an ecosystem when it comes to battery-powered tools. Part of my rationale for this is that you get more mileage from a system of tools when you can swap and share batteries. After putting these tools to the test and really evaluating the real-world usefulness, I’m confident that Green Machine is an ecosystem worth investing in and will be exploring additional yard tools from their offerings in the near future.

Shop Green Machine yard tools online (link to Home Depot).