Sustainability

Craftsman Electric Zero Turn Mower – First Look!

Lawn Care, Sustainability /

Craftsman, a trusted name in lawn care equipment, has released their new electric zero turn lawn mower, and it’s turning heads in the industry. This innovative mower boasts a powerful electric motor, impressive maneuverability, and a range of features designed to make lawn care a breeze. One of the standout features of the Craftsman electric zero turn mower is its electric motor. Unlike traditional gas-powered mowers, this mower runs on electricity, which means no more trips to the gas station or the hassle of dealing with messy oil changes. The electric motor also provides a quieter, smoother ride, making it more pleasant to operate. In addition to its electric motor, the Craftsman mower also offers exceptional maneuverability thanks to its zero turn capabilities. This means the mower can turn on a dime, making it easy to navigate around trees, shrubs, and other obstacles in your yard. This feature is especially useful for those with smaller yards or tight spaces to navigate. Another benefit of the Craftsman electric zero turn mower is its range of features designed to make lawn care easier and more efficient. The mower comes equipped with a cutting deck that can be adjusted to various heights, allowing you to customize your cut to your specific lawn’s needs. The deck also has a washout port, making it easy to clean after use. The mower also has a comfortable seat and ergonomic controls, ensuring a more pleasant experience for the operator. And, with a maximum speed of up to 7 miles per hour, the Craftsman electric zero turn mower can tackle even large lawns with ease. Overall, the Craftsman electric zero turn lawn mower is an exciting addition to the lawn care equipment market. With its powerful electric motor, impressive maneuverability, and range of features, it’s sure to make lawn care a more enjoyable and efficient experience for homeowners and lawn care professionals alike.

EGO PowerStation Review

Reviews, Sustainability, The Workshop, Tools /

The EGO Power Station is a portable power source that allows you to charge your electronic devices on the go. This product is designed to be used outdoors, providing power to those who need it while camping, tailgating, or working on a job site. The EGO Power Station is powered by a 56-volt battery, which can be charged using a standard wall outlet or a solar panel. In this review, we will take a closer look at the EGO Power Station and see how it performs in real-world situations. Design and Build Quality The EGO Power Station has a sleek and compact design that makes it easy to carry around. It weighs only 21 pounds, which is relatively lightweight compared to other portable power stations on the market when the batteries are removed. The build quality is also impressive, with a sturdy plastic casing that feels durable and reliable. The top of the unit has a built-in handle, making it easy to carry from place to place. One thing that sets the EGO Power Station apart from other portable power stations is its weather-resistant design. It has an IP56 rating, which means it is protected against dust and water ingress. This makes it ideal for outdoor use, where it may be exposed to the elements. The power station is also designed to operate in extreme temperatures, from -4°F to 122°F. Charging and Output The EGO Power Station is powered by 56-volt batteries, which can be charged using a standard wall outlet or a solar panel. It takes about 10 hours to fully charge the battery using a wall outlet, which is relatively fast for a power station of this size. If you’re using a solar panel, the charging time will depend on the size and efficiency of the panel. The EGO Power Station has several output ports, including two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and two 120-volt AC outlets. This makes it easy to charge a variety of electronic devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and power tools. The USB-A ports are rated at 2.4 amps each, while the USB-C ports are rated at 3 amps each. The AC outlets can provide up to 300 watts of continuous power, with a peak power output of 600 watts. Performance In terms of performance, the EGO Power Station delivers impressive results. We tested the unit by charging a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The power station was able to charge these devices quickly and efficiently, with no noticeable lag or delay. We also tested the power station with a power tool, and it was able to provide enough power to run the tool for several minutes. The EGO Power Station has a built-in display that shows the remaining battery life, as well as the output wattage and voltage. This is a useful feature that allows you to keep track of how much power you have left and how much power your devices are drawing. One thing to note is that the EGO Power Station can be a bit noisy when it’s operating at full power. This is to be expected with any portable power station, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you plan to use the unit in a quiet environment. Price and Value The EGO Power Station is priced at around $600 without batteries, which is relatively expensive compared to other portable power stations on the market. However, we believe that the price is justified given the quality and performance of the unit. The weather-resistant design, fast charging time, and multiple output ports make it a versatile and reliable power source for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals alike. Batteries While the EGO Power Station can be purchased with batteries, I went with the “tool only” station without batteries. For me, the EGO Power Station was a great way to repurpose the batteries from my EGO Zero Turn Mower. For faster charging of the batteries, I simply drop them into the mower for charging with the fast charger it came with. During power outages, we’ve used it to temporarily power our refrigeration, charge our cell phones, power our Starlink internet service, and power laptops. It’s allowed me to continue working at the house with internet despite no power. We had heavier and more frequently windstorms this past winter and went without for 3 or 4 days at one point. Plugging this into our fridge kept the temperature from rising too far and risking food going bad. Conclusion Overall, we were impressed with the EGO Power Station. It has a sleek and durable design, fast charging time, and multiple output ports that make it easy to charge a variety of devices. The weather-resistant design. is also a standout feature, making it a great choice for outdoor use. While it may be a bit noisy at full power, this is a minor drawback compared to the overall performance and quality of the unit. Another great feature of the EGO Power Station is its compatibility with other EGO Power+ products. This means that if you already own an EGO Power+ tool, such as a chainsaw or leaf blower, you can use the same battery to power your EGO Power Station. This is a convenient feature that adds value to the product. In terms of its price, the EGO Power Station may be on the higher end of the spectrum for portable power stations. However, when you consider the quality and performance of the unit, it’s well worth the investment. The EGO Power Station is a reliable and versatile power source that can be used in a variety of outdoor settings. In conclusion, the EGO Power Station is a high-quality and reliable portable power source that delivers impressive performance. Its weather-resistant design, fast charging time, and multiple output ports make it a great choice for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals who need reliable power on the go. While it may be a bit expensive compared to other portable power stations, the quality and performance

EGO Z6 52″ Electric Zero Turn Mower Review

Lawn Care, Reviews, Sustainability /
ego 52 inch electric zero turn mower

Here’s the latest edition to our electric family. I recently took delivery of our new, 52″ EGO electric zero turn mower. The EGO is replacing our previous Ryobi zero turn mower which, like many other owners have experienced, had significant battery degradation after less than a year. The EGO Zero Turn Delivered! It was on Memorial Day I missed a call from Ace Hardware, they left me a voicemail stating the mower was ready for delivery. I called them back shortly after seeing the missed call and listening to the voicemail. They mentioned they still needed to attach the handlebars, or could deliver the mower fully crated. Since it would be easier and faster for them to deliver it on the crate, I didn’t mind having to go through assembly. Assembly After unbolting and removing the side walls of the crate, assembly consists of just a couple parts. The handle bars and seat which will be bolted on. You’ll also snap in the hose connectors to the deck. Batteries: Ryobi Zero Turn vs. EGO Zero Turn Some of the biggest differences so far between the Ryobi and EGO zero turns come down to the batteries, here are some key differences: Ryobi EGO Battery Warranty Only 1 year 5 years Battery Type Lead Acid Lithium Batteries Ease of Removal Cumbersome Easy How Do You Charge the EGO Z6 Zero Turn Mower? The EGO Z6 comes with a 110v charger. Simply plug the charger into a common household outlet and plug the other connector into the mower. You also have the option of charging the batteries with a standalone charger. How Much Does the EGO Zero Turn Mower Cost? Cost is certainly a major factor in just about any purchase. The EGO 52″ Zero Turn Mower certainly isn’t cheap, it has an MSRP of $6,999.00. The EGO 42″ Zero Turn Mower was at $4,999.00 last year, but was increased to $5,499.99; although certain retailers such as Lowe’s is currently listing it back down to $4,999.00 again. More to Come! It’s only been 4 days since I’ve owned the EGO, but I will continue to update this post with updates as we get more use out of it.

Ryobi Electric Zero Turn Mower – The Review Home Depot and Ryobi Don’t Want You to See

Lawn Care, Sustainability /
ryobi zero turn mower review

This is an update on my initial review of the Ryobi Zero Turn mower after less than one year of use and subsequent return. Both potential buyers and current owners should be aware of what may very well be imminent battery failure and actions they may need to take. I was genuinely excited when I took ownership of this mower, but less than a year later that quickly faded. Substantial battery degradation has happened to many other owners as well. I tried leaving reviews on both Ryobi and Home Depot’s websites, but they moderate them and chose not to publish mine, so here goes. During this process, I came to realize how terrible Ryobi customer service is. I’ll document these experiences and having to reach to both the Attorney General’s office and Better Business Bureau. Read on… The Battery The battery is the root of the problem. After only 3 months of ownership I already noticed I wasn’t able to mow our 1.86 acres on a single charge. Everything I’ve later researched on lead acid batteries shows that they are not designed to handle anywhere near as many “cycles” as Lithium-ion batteries. The lead acid battery used on this mower seems to be its achilles heal. Approximately 10 months into ownership, I was now charging 3-4 times just to mow our entire property. Knowing the 1-year warranty on the battery was coming up, I called Ryobi. They told me to take it to an authorized repair center that was about 45 minutes away. I called the repair center, and verified when I could drop it off. Dropping the Mower Off at the Ryobi Authorized Repair Center Upon dropping off the mower in May, I was informed it would take 3-4 weeks before they could even look at it. While certainly inconvenient, I realize this is likely peak season for them. In about a 3 weeks, I received a call from the service center who confirmed one of the four battery cores was bad. Worse yet, I was informed the batteries were backordered and weren’t expected for 8 weeks. Battery Backorder I called the service center after 8 weeks had passed for an update (July 2021). This update was not good. I was now told the batteries would not be available until October 22nd. This would now be over 5 months without the mower. That doesn’t include time for the vendor to ship the batteries, arrive at the service center. The service center would also need time to install the batteries. Home Depot and Extended Warranty Customer Service After hearing they didn’t expect batteries until October, I reached out to Home Depot (both a local store and their toll free number. Their customer service is pretty much useless if you haven’t experienced it yourself. They have a 90-day window on mowers so I knew I was outside of that. They advised I reach out to Asurion, who was their previous extended warranty company. I believe they now use All State. Asurion said they could not doing anything since it was still under the factory warranty and advised I reach out to Home Depot. The customer service bounce around was beginning. I’ll leave it at this, but this continued with Ryobi customer support also giving me a runaround and saying there was nothing else they could do. Consumer Warranty Protection Act Realizing I was getting no where with the Ryobi / Home Depot / Asurion 3-ring circus, I started researching other alternatives. For anyone else experiencing similar situations with warranty work not being completed in a timely manner, research the Consumer Warranty Protection Act. When the manufacturer doesn’t meet the Consumer Warrant Act, your next step is likely the Attorney General… Filing a Complaint Against Ryobi with the Attorney General This is what finally got me past some of the unknowledgeable customer service reps that kept giving me the run-around to contact one of the other companies. Ryobi seemingly trains their phone reps to say “I don’t know” or “you should try calling Home Depot” and “there’s nothing else I can do”. Reaching out to the Attorney General’s office (if in the United States, search the Attorney General for your specific state) and you should be able to fill out an inquiry online. At least, that’s what I did for Washington state. After filing a complaint with the Attorney General, I started getting calls from not only Ryobi, but also Asurion and Home Depot. The person from Home Depot who contacted me was part of their Executive Escalations Team. The initial conversations started out well, but then I started receiving several bits of contradiction. She would say one thing, then a week or two later I was told something completely different. The level of customer service was frustrating. It got to the point where I had to only use email to make sure I had everything in writing to send back over to show her “no, this is not what you said last time”. By filing a complaint with the Attorney General’s office the company(s) are given so many days to respond. This likely varies state to state. Home Depot Buy Back After several weeks and months, Home Depot agreed to buy the mower back. They had offered to replace the mower, but there was no way I wanted to deal with anything Ryobi again. During several weeks of conversations, the Home Depot rep tried placing the long delay on the service center. They can’t replace the batteries if Ryobi says they’re backordered and doesn’t send them any. The Executive Escalations rep at first tried telling me I could use my extended warranty from Asurion to have them transport the mower back to Home Depot. If I did this, I would not be eligible for a refund. The closest Home Depot to the authorized service center was only 1.5 miles away. Essentially having to pay $300 (voiding my warranty refund) sounded absolutely absurd. I also had to get my trailer from

Tesla Solar Tiles

Sustainability /

A report by Bloomberg on Tesla’s solar tiles, a technology they attained through the acquisition of Solar City.  They are apparently already on backorder, but it will be interesting to see first-hand customer reviews as they start to roll these out of the factories.