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Battery-powered yard tools are making a serious push in the market and one of the leading brands is Greenworks. The company offers a variety of products for yard care but how does the quality of these products stack up against the competition?
Are Greenworks yard tools any good? Greenworks yard tools are a reliable option for homeowners who want a battery-powered solution to lawn and yard care. The company has a proven track record with over a decade of history in providing dependable performance. That said, there have been multiple complaints regarding their customer support.
I’ve owned a Greenworks chainsaw for years and have no regrets about my purchase (see Greenworks Electric Chainsaw: How To Start, Use, & Maintain). Although gas-powered tools continue to hold the top slot when it comes to raw power, there is a place for battery-powered yard tools, especially when it comes to the average homeowner vs a professional landscaper.
Let’s take a hard look at this company and why its lithium-ion product offerings are worth the money.
Why Choose Greenworks Products
With so many battery-powered yard tool brands on the market, is there any reason to choose Greenworks over the other brands? I mean really, does it even matter?
Are Greenworks yard tools worth it? The primary competitive advantage that Greenworks has over other battery-powered yard tool companies is in their history of time vested in the industry. While other companies have balanced their efforts between gas and electric models, Greenworks has been all-in on its commitment to non-fuel solutions since its inception.
Now, saying a brand is “worth it” can be very subjective but let’s go over some of the main reasons that the Greenworks product line is a reliable option as a battery-powered yard tool solution.
Company History
Greenworks was founded in 2007 as a marketing arm of its parent company Global Tools Group that would focus on lithium battery-powered outdoor equipment (source). Since that time, the company has grown to a global reach with both consumer and professional products.
Product Offerings
Greenworks offers a variety of battery-powered yard tools including chainsaws, hedgers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, and lawnmowers.
Below is a short product overview video from the manufacturer highlighting their 60-volt product line:
Reliability
There is a perception among some that Greenworks yard tools are “cheap”. I’m not here to debate that, I can only speak from personal experience. I have put my Greenworks chain saw through the paces and really tested it’s durability.
It’s easy to start and maintain compared to dealing with a gas chainsaw and though it’s not going to compete with a gas model when it comes to all-day professional use, it holds its own with small to medium jobs just fine.
From my perspective, Greenworks is a dependable brand and I never reach for it with even a moment of concern that it’s not going to perform. That’s about the best you can hope for from any piece of equipment that you rely on.
One of the criticisms that I’ve heard regarding this brand is concerning the fact that the casing of most (if not all) of their products have plastic encasing. That’s true enough but it’s also the case for just about any battery-powered yard tool on the market and many gas-powered models as well. Heck, my gas-powered Stihl Kombisystem has a plastic housing.
And at least in the case of the chainsaw, the enclosure is not thin cheap-feeling plastic. It’s a thick, tough, and durable hard plastic casing. Honestly, it feels solid… as solid as I would expect it to be. Take that for what it’s worth but this part of the equation is a non-issue in my opinion.
Performance
The majority of the products offered fall into the 40-volt or 60-volt category. There are also 80v products such as the lawn mowers where more power is generally needed.
The 40-volt product line is suitable for most homeowners with light-medium duty tasks but the 60 and 80v product lines will give longer battery life and more power. These are where your best price-for-performance will be.
I strongly recommend taking a look at what your long-term intentions are and investing in a higher power and maximum battery compatibility.
One of the key advantages of buying multiple battery-powered yard tools from the same company is the ability to switch and share batteries between products. The trick to this, however, is buying a line of products that use the same voltage batteries.
Which Greenworks Battery Line Is Right For You?
- The 40V product line is fine but you’ll be limited on expandability.
- The 60V line has a wide assortment of products at a lower cost than the 80V.
- The 80V line packs hard-core performance but the cost-for-performance is higher.
Each product line is perfectly fine for the right user but you really do want to consider the intended use and opportunities to expand your yard tools.
If there is one mistake I made in purchasing my Greenworks chainsaw, it was in buying the 40v version. Looking back, I should have opted for the 60v, not because I need more power from the chainsaw itself but because I would have more options for battery-sharing among tools.
So think that through before you buy. If this is a one-product purchase then go with what you need. If you may be adding other Greenworks tools later, I’d choose the 60V or 80V option.
Common Battery Questions:
Do Greenworks batteries work with Ryobi? No, the Greenworks and Ryobi batteries are not interchangeable.
Can I revive a dead Greenworks battery? This depends on just how “dead” the battery actually is but there are ways to essentially jumpstart a yard tool battery by connecting it to another charged battery. This is definitely not manufacturer recommended and does come with its share of risk.
Here’s an example video where the presenter is doing this using a pair of Dewalt batteries. The principle is the same regardless of brand.
What Other Brands Are Worth Considering?
Probably the biggest competitor against the Greenworks line up is EGO. They’ve really made waves in the battery-powered yard tools industry with their line of 56-volt tools including a multi-attachment tool similar to the Stihl Kombisystem.
I have to say, I’ve been really enticed by the EGO brand. I purchased their 650 CFM variable speed leaf blower (link to Amazon) and it’s a solid piece of equipment.
The latest brand that I’m using however is Green Machine outdoor power tools, sold exclusively at Home Depot. Their 62v equipment has blown me away with the power they provide. You can read my review on Green Machine tools here.
I’ve also been impressed with Ryobi’s offerings. Home Depot carries those and they have some very reliable yard tools including trimmers, edgers, lawnmowers, and even their own version of a multi-attachment yard tool. I own a large set of their shop tools but haven’t ventured into the yard tool offerings yet.
Honestly, you could get lost in options but before you go into analysis paralysis let me just say again that I’m been extremely pleased with the performance and reliability of my Greenworks Chainsaw. I would go for the 60V product line if I were doing it again but all in all, no regrets.
Customer Complaints About Greenworks Yard Tools
I have spoken with quite a few readers about Greenworks and their opinion of the company and its products are very polarized. Some, like myself, have had nothing but good experiences. Others, however, report a pitiful lack of customer support and poor quality control from Greenworks.
The company has very poor reviews on TrustPilot and the Better Business Bureau which echo many of the complaints I have heard from readers. I can’t speak to these issues personally as I have not experienced them but I do think it’s important to understand the concerns being voiced.
One file gentlemen reached out to me via email with this personal experience:
Paul,
found your website very informative and will rely on your knowledge on future projects but please investigate the Greenworks deceptive practices. Read the BBB (3.0) and Trustpilot (1.3) reviews to determine how their customers rate Greenworks customer service. Greenworks deletes the negative comments only to boast their ratings to increase their sales. I have yet to receive a refund from Greenworks even though UPS has verified return delivery over a month ago. If their Customer Service is this bad i’d hate to see how Greenworks handles a covered warranty issue.
Name withheld out of respect for the writer
And so, as with any purchase, your mileage may vary. I wish Greenworks would get a handle on these issues. While it would probably cost them some money on the front end it would improve trust in the company and would likely pay off in the long run.
Why Choose Battery Over Gas For Your Yard Tools?
Gas is still the first line of defense when it comes to raw power for grooming a yard but battery-powered varieties have made serious headway in recent years. The ability to simply charge and go, not having to deal with the hassles that go along with combustion-based small engines, can be really enticing.
If you lack the knowledge or inclination to perform preventative maintenance and repair on small engines, a battery-powered approach may be the perfect solution.
Also, if you have a smaller yard, battery-powered lawn tools can often give you the best bank for the buck, saving you money in the long term in gas and maintenance expenses.
To get a better understanding of this, I recommend you read my in-depth article Gas vs Electric: 6 Reasons To Use Battery-Powered Yard Tools.
Conclusion
Greenworks offers a variety of reliable battery-powered yard tools. The history and reputation of the company, along with my personal user experience, makes it easy for me to give this company a thumbs up.
They aren’t the only player in the game (heck even Stihl has started producing battery-powered versions of their lineup) but Greenworks has a head start and that gives them a competitive advantage with years of testing and tweaking under their belt.
While other manufacturers are playing catchup, Greenworks is focused on innovating and refining existing product lines.
You may also be interested in: Are Electric Lawn Mowers Worth It? Know These 4 Use Cases