ISSUE FOCUS A Helping Hand

The key to a dependable piece of handheld equipment is quality.

Just ask Scott Thomas. A 21-year landscape veteran,

Thomas knows all too well how going the cheap route can leave a landscape contractor with the short end of a broken string trimmer. In Thomas’ case, he made the mistake of purchasing a residential- vs. commercial-grade blower and paid the price.

“It just wasn’t cut out for the kind of work I needed it to do,” says Thomas, who operates Team, a landscape firm based in North Broward County, Fla. He received less than a year of service out of that blower – about half the life of a commercial model, he estimates. “It was fine for residential use, but wasn’t made for the type of use that’s day-in and day-out,” he says. “And, pricewise, you save a little money in the beginning when you buy residential equipment, but it won’t last as long so it becomes more expensive in the long run.”

Since committing to commercial-grade handheld equipment, Thomas hasn’t had a single regret. “You’ve got to buy quality equipment,” he says. “You’re just wasting your money if you’re not buying commercial-grade.”

Whether it’s a trimmer, edger, blower or hedger, a small arsenal of dependable handheld gear that contractors don’t need to treat with kid gloves can save them a lot of heartache and extra trips to the dealer.

“There seems to be two schools of thought,” explains Randy Saelens, manager of portable power equipment for Moline, Ill.-based John Deere. “Some contractors buy cheaper models that they ‘throw away’ often. And others buy equipment for the long-haul – they want to buy heavier-duty units that need to be maintained but will last longer.” The contractors who choose the latter, Saelens says, are the ones who usually find that their investments pay off.

ENGINE CONSIDERATIONS. The standard for most anything engine-related is power. And contractors tend to seek additional power when making purchasing decisions.

For example, a contractor may wish to replace his old blower with a new model, preferably an upgraded version with more power because he believes it will help him finish his work more quickly. But picking an engine on shear horsepower or blower speed alone can make for a hasty, if not ill-advised, decision, particularly now when the noise issue is so prevalent in many parts of the country, Saelens says. “Manufacturers are trying to make handheld equipment with the most power and the least noise by lowering the decibels,” he explains.

Restrictions in some communities say where and what times louder noises are tolerated, while other laws stipulate maximum decibel, or DBA, levels allowed. Either way, contractors should review their communities’ noise ordinances and buy suitable equipment. To determine how much noise a unit will make, contractors can find a piece of handheld equipment’s decibel rating on its specifications sheet.

However, to work in some areas that have more intense noise restrictions, the contractor might have to be satisfied with a smaller, less powerful blower that is quieter, Saelens says.

Sometimes, while less power can still be good, not having adequate power is pointless for certain work. For instance, if jobs typically feature light weeds and normal grass trimming and edging, Jay Larsen, marketing manager for Tualatin, Ore.-based Shindaiwa, says a 20- to 25-cc trimmer can be ideal. For more demanding work, like thick weeds and tall grass, a trimmer engine in the 25- to 44-cc range may be better.

“With blowers, they could require more power simply because they are being used on a larger job,” Larsen adds. “For example, a large parking lot would require more output than a blower for a smaller residential yard.”

In addition to noise and power balance issues, contractors also struggle with the choice of two-stroke vs. four-stroke engines. Manufacturers say it’s a matter of personal preference.

Some manufacturers say the four-stroke engine’s main advantage is it provides the contractor with more torque and power. Likewise, the engine’s design lends it to better fuel economy. “The biggest feature for four-stroke engines is that they’re cleaner burning,” Larsen says.

A four-stroke engine’s drawbacks include greater weight, as well as having more moving parts, resulting in more things that can go wrong, according to manufacturers.

On the other hand, two-cycle engines are lighter and also can produce a higher power-to-weight ratio than their four-cycle counterparts, manufacturers say.

Landscape contractors can be set in their ways, and when it comes to handheld equipment they tend to stick with what they like and are comfortable with, Saelens says. “It depends on their fleet,” he explains. “If they have a lot of two-cycles, they’re probably going to keep it that way.”

Engine life is another useful facet to consider prior to a handheld equipment purchase, experts say. For example, manufacturers say engines with higher “useful life” ratings are expected to last longer than other units. These numbers inform users how long an engine can operate before a major overhaul or replacement is necessary. Ratings in the United States and Canada generally begin at 50 hours and extend well past 300 hours. Sticking with a unit with a rating of 300 hours and greater ensures it will last longer, provided the landscape contractor follows the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations.

Thomas knows the value of purchasing handheld equipment with extended life. “When I buy a piece of equipment, I want something that’s going to last,” he says, adding that he has had several pieces of handheld equipment for five years or more.

Likewise, manufacturers encourage landscape contractors to investigate how much upkeep a piece of equipment will need. More time shuttling units to the repair shop is less time spent landscaping.

Aside from “useful life” ratings, equipment longevity depends on how often it is in use and for how long each day. If a trimmer tends to be the workhorse, it makes sense to buy higher quality, experts say. But one type of unit that seems to wear out quickly, at least for Thomas, is the hedge trimmer. “For some reason, hedge trimmers just don’t last as long as blowers, edgers and trimmers,” he says. “I keep searching for the hedge trimmer that will last as long as everything else does.”

COMFORT AND SAFETY. When purchasing handheld equipment, landscape contractors also should weigh the comfort factor into their decision-making process.

For instance, if a particular brand of trimmer is a pain to hold – due to weight or design – after only a short time period, it defeats the purpose. And since most contractors stray towards heavier-duty units with more power, Saelens says they may also need shoulder harnesses to increase comfort during longs periods of use. 

Also, landscape contractors should look for ergonomic handles that make handheld equipment more comfortable to hold and use on the job, manufacturers recommend. For instance, before purchasing a string trimmer a contractor can test the simplicity or difficulty of adjusting a loop handle.

Contractors also should try on the strap of a backpack blower to ensure it fits right and that the unit has a nice center of gravity that’s close to the spine so daily operation doesn’t become back-breaking. Likewise, contractors should be aware of anti-vibration devices that are in place, so that the engine will last longer and the user won’t continue to tremble after the unit is shut off.

In addition to weight and comfort issues, contractors should make sure the device is well-balanced. Manufacturers say balanced equipment is less tiring and is easier to control during the course of a long day.

ORDER UP. With power, comfort and safety issues finalized, landscape contractors are left with one final decision – how many units of each particular piece of handheld equipment to purchase.

The answer depends largely on the size of the crews in the field.

For Thomas, he follows the “two of each” rule. He typically uses a crew of four; and they use two of each – two blowers, two trimmers, and so on. That way, if something breaks down, there’s an extra one on site, since it’s unlikely that all of the equipment is in use at the same time.

Saelens suggests the typical contractor’s crew has a minimum of two trimmers and two edgers – he prefers the straight shaft version. Then Saelens recommends: “You round that off with a backpack blower and you’re ready to go.”