Amazon.com

Here comes power and efficiency in a great compact size. Before you even press the trigger, you'll love how this tool fits in your hand, how well-balanced it is. The rubberized grip gives you a sure, comfortable hold, even at odd angles. Performance is top-notch, thanks to dual ball bearings, precision balancing and a refined high-grade field magnet. We're really impressed by Makita's exclusive Shift Lock Drive. With a single touch, you shift quickly and easily "drill" to "driver" mode, locking out the clutch for superior drilling. And we love it when manufacturers include two batteries with their tools, because that means no down time. The charger handles multi-volt batteries, too, so it's good for a wide range. Maintenance is simple because the brushes are accessible. A great, hardworking drill/driver.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Includes side handle, bits, 2-batteries, charger and case
• Powerful 18-Volt Ni-MH batteries for longer run time
• Industrial metal gear housing and "high performance" Makita motor for long lasting durability
• 404 in.lbs. torque with16 torque settings
• Industrial 1/2" keyless chuck and externally accessible brushes for easy replacement

Reviews (7)

shock and awe, in a blue package...
Disregard all unfavorable reviews...this drill is yet another work of art from Makita! Perfect ergonomics and balance, even with a hefty 18V battery you still get incredible control and precision, instead of sweating and straining to keep the darn thing perpendicular to the drilling surface as with cheaper drills. This is my second Makita drill, the first one was a smaller 14.4v which I'll pass on to my wife because it's lighter.

I love America, born and bred, but gotta hand it to the Japanese: when it comes to anything electric (or gasoline-powered, for that matter) they kick our butts left and right! Sony TVs, Toshiba laptops, Lexus autos, Honda motorcycles...anything that doesn't blow up things and kill people, the Japanese simply have perfected.

Have used DeWalt drills before, they were just a little bit better than Black and Decker (the mother company) which doesn't justify the big price jump. Porter Cable has good power but tends to weigh a ton and their chucks are spotty.

Viva Makita!

solid drill with a few caveats
This is my third makita drill so I consider myself biased. I don't use it all day but I need a quality drill for household repairs. The electric makita drill I've had now for fifteen years and it still runs fine. My second, I bought one of those 9 volt drills when the first cordless drills came out. I good drill but it's for light work. The batteries on this I've used all day without a recharge, alot longer than the models a few years ago. I've had problems with the chuck though. On many occasions the drill bit will come loose with smaller bits. The cap has come loose. Still it's put up with all the abuse I've given it.

smoked and croaked
After using the makita for 6 months it smoked and croaked. I was unscrewing deck boards and after a hour and 1/2 I noticed it getting warm then suddenly began to smoke. My work partner was using a Miluakee 18 volt and it kept at it all day.

ALL THE POWER YOU NEED!
The Shift Lock Drive System is the easiest clutch lockout I've ever used. Two 2.6 amp-hour batteries and the quick charger can keep you going with out delays. Balance and the light weight make this easy to use, the 18-volt power makes it a pleasure.

Dissapointed
Transmission broke after three months of use. Had to buy a Porter Cable while I wait three business days for mine to be repaired. Being a diehard Makita guy I should have learned by now that while their saws and such are great, the drills still need alot of work. Too expensive for homeowner use, and kinda weak to rely on for the professional. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bravo to Black & Decker for two great innovations on this electric mower. First, the flip-over handle! You get to the end of a pass, flip the handle and head back the other way in an instant. Next, users will especially appreciate the one-touch lever that raises and lowers all four wheels at once from 1 inch to 3-1/2 inches, saving the trouble of adjusting each wheel’s height. It’s about time. In addition, the electric 12-amp motor means hassle-free starting, no gas/oil mixes, no fumes, less noise, and no battery to charge. The cushioned handle adjusts for the user’s height, another nice touch not available on most mowers. It mulches beautifully, but if you prefer, you can purchase a side bag. Electric mowers have their naysayers, but if you’re in the market for one, you can’t beat this.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• 18-inch cutting deck is made of a super tough polymer and guaranteed for life
• Electric 12 amp motor means no gas, no oil, and no tune-ups
• Unique flip-handle design lets you flip the handle over at the end of a pass--instead of turning the mower
• Side-discharge design allows for mulching or optional side bag (BA-075)
• Single lever height adjustment raises the cutting deck from 1- to 3-1/2-inch blade clearance

Reviews (47)

It actually mulches!
I have a quarter acre with a bunch of gardens and mowing was always a dreaded task. I used a 5.5 H.P. gas self propelled mower. It took about an hour and a half to mow the yard. And when I was done I was always covered in grass clippings and smelled of gas and exhaust. Not to mention that nice 'tingly' feeling in my hands. While I was mowing the other day I ran into something in the yard and killed my gas mower dead. It was damaged beyond repair so I needed a new mower.
At my wife's insistence I looked at electric mowers (less noise, pollution, etc.) I ended up getting the MM675. I couldn't be happier. It weighs about a third of what the old gas mower weighed, is very easy to move around, the flip handle makes cord management a no brainer and best of all I don't smell of gas and exhaust anymore.
This is also the first mulching mower that I have seen that actually mulches. With my gas mower (which was supposed to be a mulching mower) I would either have to rake up the clippings when I was done or go through the yard and break apart the "trail of mulch" that was left behind. With this mower I run over the yard once and it is all done. The mulched clippings are so fine and driven so far into the grass that I don't even get clippings all over myself and my shoes like with the gas mower.
It still takes about the same amount of time to mow, but it is a much quieter, cleaner, nicer experience now. I would highly recommend this mower. It is worlds better than my old smelly gas mower.

Oh yeah, the mower is also so light that there are no trails left in your yard when you are done. Your yard has a very clean manicured look to it, not the old visible mow lines that the heavy gas mowers wheels would leave behind. Very nice.

Why don't all mowers have a flip handle?
My mother had an earlier version of this mower, colored green and black, rather than the super bright orange and black of the MM675. Since that one worked so well, I decided to buy the MM675 for myself. It works even better than my mom's. The single handle to adjust the height of all four wheels at once is very handy and it has been able to mulch even 2 foot high weeds in my backyard (I need to mow more often). I love the flip handle concept, so I don't understand why there aren't a ton of different mowers that use it. It's just so much easier to not have to turn the mower around and it makes a well groomed lawn pretty simple to achieve. Plus it keeps the cord always on one side, so dealing with the cord becomes a non-issue. I've had no problems pushing the mower, it seems light weight, however my lot is flat so I don't deal with any hills.

So, overall, I'm obviously quite pleased. I'd definitely recommend this mower to anyone.

great lawnmower, but not this model
You do not want this model - you want the Black and Decker MM575. Here's why: The "flip handle" on the MM675 is a disaster for two reasons. First, no electric lawnmower is powerful enough to 'mulch' - it will just bog down (unless you cut your grass every other day, and you live where it never rains). So you need to be using it in the 'discharge' mode. If you try to use the 'flip' handle at the end of each pass, the discharged grass always goes in the same direction, and the mower will again bog down as it tries to recut ever more grass with each pass. (Take a minute to visualize the geometry and you'll see what I mean). Secondly and even more important, to make the handle 'flip', it attaches to the mower in the MIDDLE of the mower instead of near the rear wheels. This is critical because it means the force of your pushing goes half to pushing the mower forward, and half to pushing the wheels into the ground ! I've cut my grass with an electric mower for over 20 years, and my arms were screaming after only 10 minutes of pushing the MM675. I traded it in for the MM575 (no 'flip' handle: it attaches next to the rear wheels, and you pivot the whole mower at the end of each row, just like with a gas mower) and I can mow for 45 minutes to an hour without arm fatigue.

On the plus side, both these models are well balanced (no vibration), relatively quiet, and cut great. Best of all, the underside is one molded plastic piece - no nooks or crannies for cut grass to build up. My old mower had all sorts of screwheads and spots where different pieces of metal adjoined that jammed up with cut grass. I would spend 5 minutes with a putty knife scraping the underside of the mower clean after each use. After cutting with this mower the first time, I flipped it over to scrape out the grass, and it was spotless ! B + D, wake up and market that great feature !!!

great value, quiet, low maintenance...
I opted to go electric rather than gas eventhough a number of people recommeded otherwise. biggest complaint from people is that the cable that you have to drag around.. IT's NO BIG DEAL. You'll develop a system the second time you use one.

Pros:
1. Electric,
2. No gas, oil to worry about,
3. Mulches (with an option to discharge),
4. Shhhh... quiet (at least not as noisy as Gas),
5. and the one that did it for me is the flip handle (move handle from one end of the mower to the other). This will help you manage the extension cord. (the MM575 sells for $10 less and comes without the flip handle).

Cons:
I'll keep you posted!

Pretty good mower
With a fairly small lawn, an electric mower appealed to me. With the flip handle, this one is not too bad. You need to plan your mowing pattern carefully and yank on the cord once in a while. If you have trees and shrubs and flower beds it gets even more interesting. The power is a bit on the weak side though and in tough grass it bogs down. My teen ager is not too impressed with it. It probably takes us 30% longer to mow the lawn than with a cheap gas mower.
Over all, I do like it. It is fairly quiet and it does not smell like oil and gas and that is a big plus. Just the smell of newly cut grass! ... Read more

Features

• Protection up to 1/2 acre
• Easy to Bury, low voltage (12v) power cord
• Silent and odorless, 24-hour protection against mosquitoes, no-see-ums and other biting insects
• No Flame
• 1 Year Warranty

Reviews (32)

If you have Asian Tiger Mosquitos
Don't use the Octenol cartridge for Asian Tiger Mosquitos because it repels rather than attracts them. Read and follow the placement directions.

After getting 6-15 bites by those nasty critters everytime I went into the garden and being held prisoner indoors for a few months, I decided to spend the bucks on the Defender. My husband was skeptical, but I was desperate.
Initially, it wasn't properly placed and I thought that I had made an expensive mistake. After we read the placement directions, viewed the CD and moved it to the recommended area of our yard, the Tiger mosquitos flocked to the Defender to dehydrate and die. We have won the battle with the Asian Tigers and now are using the Octenol cartridges to catch the everyday garden variety mosquitos.

We started using the Mosquito Magnet on July 1 and are very happy with the results. We still have some mosquitos and I get bitten every now and then, but I don't have to coat myself with OFF and I can enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in the garden.

Works great for me!
I read these reviews before I bought a Mosquito Magnet Defender, and, though there seemed to be some disagreement as to whether this machine actually works, I found that Consumer Reports liked it, so I decided to shell out the money to buy one.
I just set up the machine in my backyard on July 3 after reviewing the placement assistant on the included instruction c/d. It was very easy to set up (once I had the propane tank, it took about half an hour including 20 minutes warm-up time). Mosquitoes started swarming around the machine after it had been running for an hour. In three days I've emptied the trap twice. I counted over 100 mosquitoes each time (a tip: open the trap in a plastic bag to prevent the live mosquitoes from flying out). I'm sure I that's a fraction of the probably three trillion mosquitoes living on my half-acre lot, but - hey - it's a dent.
I could actually go out on the deck today (in the rain) and not get bitten. I'm looking forward to see how it works over the next month (how long the manufacturer claims it takes to break the mosquito breeding cycle).
At this point, I'm very happy with my Mosquito Magnet Defender.

I Love This Thing!
The Mosquito Magnet is destined to be one of those indispensible items to have in-and-around anyone's home. This thing is terrific. Before I got my computer, DVD, and cell phone, I couldn't imagine life with them, now I cannot imagine life without them. So it is with the Mosquito Magnet.

I live in Maine, Mosquito and Black Fly Central. The bugs here are the size of small housecats, and are happy to hold you hostage until you pay a handsome ransom... of your blood. I researched bug-catching devices and bug killers galore, in Consumer Reports, all over the internet, everywhere. The Mosquito Magnet was hands-down the most-recommended item around. Amazon clearly offered the best deal. Free Shipping, $50 off my next purchase, and a free box of octenol cartridges. OK, I was sold.

The assembly was a breeze. Turned on the propane tank, plugged the thing in, and wahoo! I have had it for just three weeks, and upon emptying the bug box for the first time, it was absolutely packed with a solid brick of dead mosquitoes and blackflies! Ewww! Thousands and thousands of them! Unbelievable! Damnedest thing I ever saw! And everyone of those little buggers I "offed" was one less to bite me in the @ss. And more importantly, one less to survive thereafter, laying eggs and spawning the next generation of little fiends.

I have already noticed a dramatic decrease in ANYTHING buzzing about me while noodling around the garden and grill. This little darlin' works slick as snot on a doorknob! And my home is on a lake in the woods of Maine, with lots of fresh water and foliage everywhere for the little buggers to live in. Not anymore, thanks to the Mosquito Magnet. I was a skeptic at first (my wife, too, thought the money would've been better spent paying a high school kid 10 cents apiece to swat them one at a time!), but now having lived with it, I'm so thrilled that I'm telling EVERYONE about it!

A caution: When they say "Change the tank every 21 days", they mean it. I tried to weasel a few extra days out of the Rhino tank, and at the end of day 22, the propane tank was spent. Make sure you have a spare handy, so you can make a smooth transition. I've read about other folks' problems with gas flow and starting problems. No such problems here. It has worked perfectly in every regard.

The other deal is, I see no reason why you'd need the bigger, and much more expensive models. My property is about 5 acres of woods, but the little Defender is true to its name! Does a terrific job, and even the specs on the larger models fail to provide convincing data on why or how they should be superior.

You, too, will love this thing. It's crazy to spend umpteen thousands on a home, and then be held hostage by bugs such that you cannot enjoy it. The Defender is the best $300 you'll ever spend for your yard.

So far, great!
I live next to conservation land, and my Mosquito Magnet has caught 1/2 of it's basket full of mosquitos in less that one 21 day cycle. Mosquitos hover around it all the time.

The only downside is that it was hard to get running the first time. It may require level ground (my first try was at a slight slant), and I had problems with getting it to feed from my propane tank.

Don't bother in Maryland
Used one of these for 6 weeks on the Eastern Shore of MD and didn't catch 6 mosquitos in that time. They don't tell you until you open the box that you shouldn't use the octenol if you have Asian Tiger mosquitos which is what we mainly have.

Out the price of 2 tanks of propane and a third spare tank I had purchased, but I returned the "magnet" to Hom. Depo. for a refund.

They shouldn't sell these things in states that they don't work in. ... Read more

Features

• 1 Year Warranty
• Protection up to 1 acre
• Self powered - no power cord required
• Silent and odorless, 24-hour protection against mosquitoes, no-see-ums and other biting insects
• No Flame

Reviews (12)

Depends on your expectations
It took me a long time to decide based on reviews of other models whether or not I should buy it. The reliability of them seems to have a shaky history and people report various success rates. My machine started right up and has been running constantly without trouble for about 10 days. I have turned it off to move it 4 times and it restarted without issue. As for its effectiveness it depends what your goal is.

I am not expecting to acheieve complete abatement as we live 100 yards away from a swamp but I was hoping to reduce the swarming that made going outside at dusk a scary proposition.
It has caught several hundred mosquitos in the first ten days and this was in cool weather when mosquitos are less active. The first day we had 90 deegree weather after a rain we caught close to 200 that day. I still need bug spray at night, but when I envision 1000 mosquitos chasing after me followed by the birth of their babies chasing after me, I am happy with the catch. For those who have low catches I'd try moving the unit to a different location every night and monitoring the catch.

I have also become fascinated with watching this machine catch its prey. It is very discriminate in what it catches... We only have one dumb moth and two nosy flies amongst the 1000 mosquitos. It can be frustrating to watch as the number of mosquitos hovering around the machine is greater than it will ultimately catch. Many seem content to play around the exhaust fans and never make an attempt to head up the plume. Others 30 feet away seem oblivious to the machine and never wander over. It makes me very skepticle of the 1 acre claim. A little dirty trick I played was to shine an incadescent light right next to the plume. Then I sat behind my screen door and watched as mosquitos attracted to the light wound up getting sucked up the plume.

If you want this machine to alleviate a problem I think it is effective (though costly) If you want it to eliminate a problem I think you will be disapointed.

Still a killing machine: 7 week update
Original review below: So far 2 propane tanks, 3 weeks each. The machine is virtually silent. I skipped using the CO2 "quick clear" cartridge as recommended after the first tank and the machine shut down 2 weeks into the second tank. Quick clear solved the problem. Our large yard has embedded woods, shrubs, wet areas and this year has been very wet. Bugs are out in force and the machine continues to catch loads of mosquitos and no-see-ums but less than a few weeks ago. I change the net when the fan is covered... about every other day. I wash out the old net after the contents stop moving. I treat it like a vacuum cleaner bag with the cleaner = more suction theory. Compared to our neighbors, our pool area is mosquito free. Placement is critical and must consider shade and the downwind CO2 dispersion. Would I buy another Liberty Plus? Probably not. Am I sorry I bought it? No. The technology works but I don't understand how the Liberty series is rated for 1 acre. I assume it generates a larger CO2 plume. In hindsight, for the money I think I'd rather have two $300 Defenders and set up a perimeter. Of course, that presumes the Defender kills like the Liberty. I'm going to move the machine and see if I can thin the biting population in a different part of the yard.

(original review) We've had the MM for 4.5 weeks and so far it's worked as advertised. It was a big bite in the wallet but it's allowed us and the kids the use of our backyard pool and deck through twilight for the first time in 6 years. It's under an apple tree for shade and it sucks in an incredible amount of mosquitos and no-see-ums from the nearby bushes and damp areas.
First propane lasted 3 weeks, as expected. The MM shut down once by itself but started right back up. I empty the net every 2 days. I recommend swapping the full net for an empty one because dumping out the squirming mass into a trash bag is a horror show. You can tie off the full net and let the active ones die. After all these years it's great to be able to enjoy the yard and it's sweet revenge on the biters.

Works Great once you get it started
My mosquito Magnet is sucking down a bagful of sceeters every day. (I'm guessing that's about 1000 or more mosquitos per day). It has returned our back yard to us. Well worth the price and the struggle to get it running.

And it was a struggle to get it running; most of which had to do with the propane supply. They aren't kidding when they tell you to open the valve on the propane tank very slowly. I now do about 1/8th of a turn in 30 seconds. Once I did that, my starting problems came to an end. In my case, I also learned to open the valve only partially....Only to the point where I could begin to hear the gas flowing and no further. The Mosquito Magnet has a very sensitive regulator that will slam shut if too much gas presure is applied to it. This makes the machine think its connected to an empty tank. (That's my theory... for what's it's worth...I'm not an expert on propane and propane accessories)

If you are not the type of person who is willing to patiently twiddle with something until it works, you may not want this. I wouldn't call it a typical plug and play consumer appliance. Hopefully, they will develop it further so that it will be easier to start in the future.

If a little twiddling doesn't scare you and you are ready to buy, but are torn between the two models "Liberty" and the "Liberty Plus" , get the the Liberty Plus. I had a Liberty last summer and it got fried sometime during our numerous power outages (there were about five caused by storms). It seems the mosquito magnet needs to have its internal fan running for about 1/2 hour after it shuts down. If it doesn't, it will burn up on the inside. Since the Liberty is connected to household current, the fan goes off whenever power is interupted. This does not allow the machine to cool off and thus it becomes damaged. The Liberty Plus has a battery operated fan and is therefore not subject to this kind of failure. In addition, you need to plug it in only once at the beginning of the season to charge it up. When its operating, I'm assuming that the fan is somehow run by propane. The battery is just for start ups and cool downs.

I am sort of peeved that I didn't realize that my first machine got fried until after the waranty was out (Isn't that the way it usually works?), But when machine worked, it worked so well, that I was willing to buy another. I guess you could say I'm a sucker----a sucker for a mosquito free back yard. That's what Mosquito Magnet has done in my case.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY
I've had the Freedom 2000 for several years now. I have had multiple problems with it and I figure it has caught about one mosquito for each tank of propane I have bought. I have seen a total of about 7 unlucky mosquitoes captured in a year.

I didn't even bring it out last year because I figured I didn't want to spend any more money on propane. It turns out that my wife has a friend of a friend that works for American Biophysics and she said they were awesome, so I figured I would try it again.

After trying it again, I still think it is a complete waste of the $900 I spent on it.

Complaints:
1) It takes 3 or 4 tries over several hours to get it running.
2) It mysteriously shuts down.
3) It doesn't consistently run the fan fast enough to suck even a tiny piece of tissue paper up the horn.
4) I was paying for an attractant for a whole year that actually repelled Tiger mosquitoes.
5) American Biophysics sticks to their one year warranty, so if you buy one, get them to buy it back before the year is up. They are unyielding after 12 months!!!!

Funny enough after talking to several of their tech support people over the last few days, they realized that my MM is a piece of junk and offered to let me part with some more money to get a replacement--Uh, I may look funny, but I didn't just fall off the turnip truck!!!

I'd recommend buying a hose-end bottle of insecticide and spraying your yard. This ended up working much better than the MM.

Avoid this Product
You should avoid Mosquito Magnet products. They are poorly made. They catch a handful of mosquitos, but not enough to make a difference. They are very expensive, and require constant add-on purchases. Use Deet or screened porches instead. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This battery-powered trimmer converts to a rolling lawn edger with just a turn of the handle. The 24-volt Power Core will give you up to 45 minutes of cutting time on just one charge. A 10-inch cutting swath makes quick work of yard trimming, and when you need more line, just bump the head and it feeds out more .08 commercial-grade line automatically. We like the symmetry and nice balance of this trimmer in hand, too. The unit stores in its wall-mounted charger, which indicates battery status with red and green lights. A great two-in-one yard tool for the homeowner.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Two comfortable grip and hassle-free start switch
• No gas, no cord, and ready when you are
• 24-Volt Power-Core double ball-bearing motor and battery
• 10-inch cutting path, and 0.08-inch commercial grade line
• Wall charge rack included

Reviews (25)

End Your Research... The YardStick is #1
Ease-of-Use and Versatility! That's why you should buy the 24-Volt YardStick Cordless Edger. I did. Think about it, why do you avoid trimming your lawn each and every week? The trimming and edging really doesn't take that long. In my case, the reason I only trimmed about once every three-weeks was, (1) I needed to uncoil one 100 ft. extension cord for the front yard, (2) secure and tie the cord at the source and around the trimmer's handle (to avoid the "Houston, we've got a problem" power outage), (3) avoid the cord itself, (4) work a strategy for getting the cord around trees and flower beds, (5) trim the yard, (6) then rewind and store the cord... only to repeat the process for the backyard! All the real work was in the prep and storage time. What needless pain.

So, I did the research, and my wife got me the YardStick for Father's Day. I looked at other cordless trimmer/edgers, but the recommendations on Amazon for the YardStick, countered by user cautions/comments about other battery (awkward position of start/power switch) and gas edgers (noise/hassle), helped me take the plunge and try American Gardener. A look at American Gardener's web page will help anyone understand that "trimming is their thing."

I knew I'd received a quality product right out of the box. The YardStick, although not a lightweight, was balanced, comfortable to hold, easy to maneuver while being rugged with an elegant/practical design. I'm a tall person, so the "turn style-like" handle adjustments and easy conversion to edger-mode were important. The test drive was a blast. I was amazed at the "quiet" torque created by the 24-volt powerhouse. Cordless has come a long way. This is also the only dual ball-bearing motor I could find, and it hums. The precision of the edging feature was a welcomed surprise.

The chore that used to waste a good 35 minutes, now only took about 12- front AND back! Then, I just placed the YardStick in the charger for next week. Cool.

Five star potential, but...
I purchased my unit two weeks ago after reading the rave reviews. I too was ready to abandon my stinky gas trimmer.

I was initially optimistic when I opened up the unit. The unit was a bit heavy, but well balanced, and I liked how easy it was to spin the handle on the unit to switch the head from horizonal to vertical. The symmetric switch arrangement was intuitive and easy to use.

After charging overnight, I headed out to start trimming. Almost immediately the spool feed became a real pain. The line would not feed smoothly, making it necessary to remove the spool to advance the line manually almost every time. (I now know why they include a second spool for free...).

This weekend I brought it out for its' second use. This time, the spool kicked out a double length of line. This extra amount of line should have hit the line cutter and been trimmed off. Instead, the line wrapped around the cutter and SHEARED IT OFF, sending the nice sharp chunk of metal flying. Since the line cutter is riveted to the line guard, it is not a user replaceable item.

I'm sending it back in the morning and looking at other models. I haven't ruled out other American Gardner products, but I think I will pass on this one.

A little disappointing.
Given the prominently featured rave reviews, I wonder what changed at American Gardener in the last year. I've just taken it out for a spin, and was deeply disappointed in the runtime off a fully charged battery. After 15 minutes of trimming weeds along the perimeter of our jungle-surrounded lot, it was still willing but wimpy. Perhaps runtime varies with the nature of the trimmee: whispy grass along the flower bed edging might not use much battery power. Vigorous, rampant growth might eat the battery alive.

String advance is, if anything, a little too easy. Bumping the ground accidentally advanced the string more than I intended. But that's a good thing, compared to the wrestling matches I've had with string and pliers on other trimmers.

I'm still glad we purchased this unit because frankly, my attention span doesn't last much longer than fifteen minutes anyway, and the mere touch of my hand is death to a 2-cycle engine. We have a gas-powered string trimmer, but I can't start it to save my soul, it's loud, it's stinky, and it's too heavy for me. So this trimmer will actually get a lot of use around our weedy lot, in spite of the lackluster runtime.

Nice idea, questionable quality
Strengths
-----------
* Cordless
* Well balanced
* No gas, no oil, no exhaust fumes!

Weaknesses
------------
* Charge doesn't hold up for larger yards
* Blade that cuts off excess trimmer line broke after 2nd use

Bottom line: Nice idea, run time would be OK for smaller lots, but quality, especially on the the trimmer line blade, is lacking.

If the blade wouldn't have broken, I might have rated it 3.5 stars, instead I will be giving it to UPS to return to Amazon.

American Gardener YS24 24-Volt YardStick Cordless Trimmer
As a previous reviewer also experienced, the trim line cutter broke off the first time I used this product. I was hoping this product would do the job as it seems well built, but with the ease at which the line cutter broke off, I wonder. I have to now return mine and reconsider a gas powered unit. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Here’s huge cutting capacity in a surprising size. This 8-1/2 inch single-bevel miter saw really does cut a 3-inch post in a single pass, just like DeWalt says. And it’s also the only saw its size we’ve seen that will trim 3-1/2-inch crown molding vertically, because of DeWalt’s taller fence. With its smooth slide action, you’ll choose this over your table saw when it comes to cross cutting—-even a 12-inch board. It’s got all the features of the bigger, high-end saws, and then some. Five preset bevel stops zero your blade in at 0, 33.9, 45, 48, and -2 degrees, and there are 11 dead-on accurate miter stops at the most common spots: 0, 15, 22-1/2, 31.6, 45, 50 (left), and 60 (right) degrees. What we like best about this saw is the awesome ergonomic details. Anyone who’s used comparable saws repeatedly will tell you that the vertical handle causes some fatigue, especially on saws with a safety button. But this saw’s got a horizontal handle, keeping your hand and arm in a more natural position, cut after cut. Most saws’ miter adjustment involve turning a knob a few revolutions to lock and then to unlock the miter setting, but this DeWalt has a really nice cam lever lock that eliminates all that twisting and is just as reliable. This saw does throw a lot of dust, but we’ve not seen a saw that doesn’t (even those with dustbags still make a mess). We’d recommend building a little jig to hold your extraction system hose close by. This is a fabulous saw for the contractor. It weighs only 43 pounds and is easy to tote because of the handle. But it’s also the perfect choice for the woodworker. An aside: DeWalt makes a great miter saw stand that fits this saw like a dream.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Includes saw, 30T carbide blade, and blade wrench
• Capacity to vertically cut 3-1/4" base molding and 3-1/2" crown molding nested vertically
• Bevel-stop system with manual override provides five pre-set bevel stops at 0, 33.9, 45, 48, and -2 degrees
• 11 positive miter stops including 0, 15, 22-1/2, 31.6, 45, 50 (left), and 60 (right) degrees
• Push-button miter cam lock for better ergonomics

Reviews (7)

Good but not great
Let me start off by saying that I have yet to find any miter saw that I would rate at five stars(although I do believe I rated the 12" Dewalt slide at 5 stars) because every manufacturer does put profit above product. However, I do like this saw very much. Slide is smooth, fence height good(when will Makita and Hitachi finally get the fence height right and even on both sides), lever action miter lock is awesome(knobs stink), blade deflection is good(it is only a 8-1/2 blade afterall), overall a really good saw. Dust collection complaints are irrelevant, as anyone expecting a slider miter saw to have good dust control lives in the world of clean radial arm saws too. I have yet to figure out what a "material hold down clamp"(or work clamp) is, but if I ever do, it means that I cut off on of my arms/hands and should not by using this saw anyway(we pros dont have time for clamping down wood prior to cutting it[short pieces should be cut from a long one, afterall]). I would buy another one in an instant.

Nice saw for cabinet/furniture makers
I've had this for about 6 months and it's never let me down. It takes a little getting used to if you've never used a sliding miter saw before, as the technique is somewhere between a radial arm saw and a normal fixed miter saw. As a couple of other reviewers pointed out, you have to make sure you slide the saw all the way home or you'll leave a little bit uncut.

One thing I've found is when I'm cutting narrow planks (4" or 6") I've gotten into the habit of pulling the blade toward me past the front edge of the piece, dropping it down, and then sliding it back through the piece - instead of just plunging the blade straight in, as you'd do with a fixed chop saw. This seems to significantly reduce bottom tearout.

It's undeniably a very pleasant tool to use; if you've only used saws that have a vertical handle you won't believe the difference the horizontal handle makes. The switch is well designed, it's not easy to trigger by accident but not fatiguing to hold. The action of the slides is smooth as silk, and setting the miter angles is quick, easy, and very positive. The motor has plenty of power for any kind of wood I've ever sent its way.

The 8 1/2 inch size has some advantages - the blade seems to be more stable, even without a stabilizer, than most 10" blades. Also in my experience 8 1/2" blades are a little cheaper than the equivalent 10" blade. But, it won't cut a 4x4 (or a 2x4 on edge) in one pass - a 10 incher will. Whether or not that matters depends on the kind of work you do.

You'll want to replace the blade that the saw comes with, it's fine for chopping up 2x4s (but if that's all you want to do you don't need this saw) but not good enough for finish work. There aren't a million blades available for this size of saw, but there's a decent selection - although not all the catalogs carry them. My favorite is a 60 tooth DeWalt finish blade that you can find most anywhere for about 50 bucks and does great work for me in all types of hardwood. Freud makes one that's pretty good as well. Forrest makes one of their chopmaster blades in this size, I'm sure it's great but it's $100+ and since I'm happy with my current blade I've never tried it.

Overall fit and finish is very nice - as you generally expect from contemporary Italian manufacture. After taking it out of the box, I went over it completely with my machinist square and couldn't find anything out of alignment. The only quality complaint I have is the crummy screws holding the blade guard on - blade changing is not exactly a snap with this saw and they really don't help.

There's no clamp included, unlike some other manufacturers - since I prefer to keep all 10 of my fingers I bought one - but they soak you on this item - $35!! Actually I bought two but you only need one - you hardly ever use both at once and it takes a second or two to swap it from one side of the saw to the other. Also, while it holds well, it's a screw type and I would prefer some type of cam action - I think that would be faster and easier to use.

But overall if you want a really sweet, pleasant to use saw and you don't normally need to cut large timber, I'd recommend this saw - I'm certainly very happy with it.

dewalt 8-1/2' miter saw
Overall I think this saw is an excellent saw,it cuts smooth and acurate and is lightweight.Ther are a couple of things I was dissapoionted with,first of all the if you are going to do any kind of finish work you need to replace the factory blade which is only good for cutting 2x's and a good blade is going to cost you and extra $100 or so.I was also dissapointed that the saw was not manufactured in the USA,the technical details provided in the review stated it was, and that played a large part in my descision to purchase this saw.Last of all the saw could of least came with dust bag which costs an additional $15.Whith the addition of a new blade and dust collection the performance of this saw is very good.

Nice saw
I picked up the Dewalt 712 to replace my 10" makita. Cuts smooth and was cutting square out of the box. The one thing I found was when you finish the cut, you have to make sure the saw head has been pushed all the way back or else it leaves a small amout of material uncut. They need to push the fence forward a 16th of an inch. Also for $400.00 they should include a dust bag! Overall a good quality saw.

A Really Nice Saw
I got my DeWalt saw a month or so ago for use on job sites. The first project I did with it was to build a 100 square foot sauna with three rows of benches.

The saw was dead on accurate right out of the box. I was immediatly impressed with its light weight and compact size. The saw cuts beautifully and slides nicely on the rails. It is also much quieter than other miter saws I have used. The cutting capacity rivals bigger saws, except you can't cut a 4X4 in one pass (something a trim carpenter/woodworker like myself never does). The horizontal handle is very comfortable to use, even after long days. The depth stop is perfect for jobsite dados.

Dust extraction was good. It does not come with a bag, but I noticed most of the dust escaping through the port. When I hooked the saw up to my Fein vacuum, the dust collection was very good.

The supplied blade is suitable for most carpentry, but is not sufficient for nice trim work. The nice thing about an 81/2 inch blade though is that a new one won't break your wallet like the 12 inch blades will.

Overall, a very nice, light, and compact saw, which exceeded my expectations for the $399.00 price. It is the first saw that I have seen designed for the woodworker or trim carpenter. If portability is important to you, this is an outstanding saw. If you are going to set it up relatively permanently in your shop, then I would suggest a 10 inch slider (Makita makes a nice one). I can't imagine a need for a 12 inch slider. ... Read more

Features

• Exclusive 3 - speed all metal transmission
• DC390 cuts 2X4's at 45 degrees in a single pass
• One-year warranty through the Dewalt factory or an authorized service center
• DC385 with keyless blade clamp for quick blade changes
• DC988 drill/driver/hammerdrill has 500 in.-lbs. of maximum torque

Features

• 1 Year Warranty
• Protection up to 1 acre
• Ideal for large yards, in-ground pool areas and small commercial applications
• Silent and odorless, 24-hour protection against mosquitoes, no-see-ums and other biting insects
• No Flame

Reviews (27)

My two cents
I purchased this unit in June from Home Depot. It took 2 hours to assemble (and I'm pretty good at assembling things). It wouldn't complete the warmup cycle properly so I called their tech support line. The wait wasn't too bad for me but the result was that I had a defective unit. I opted to return it to the store rather than wait for the replacement. I complained to the manager about having wasted two hours and another trip to the store and he knocked off $25 bucks on the second unit. I complained because I had read several reviews from people that have received defective units and I think the dealers need to get a message that customers are not happy with quality of the merchandise from this company. Anyway, second unit has been working fine. It did start catching mosquito right away and I noticed a difference within a few days. It's quite fun to check the trap each day to see how many of the little blood suckers are in there. It is hard to get an accurate estimate because the do bunch up and dehydrate but you can see several still buzzing around inside the net and you can point at them and say - HA! For me, the results are proven by less mosquitoes biting or flying around me so I don't worry about counting. My other complaint about this thing is cost. You're dropping a pretty penny for this unit and then don't forget to add on the cost of the tank and the propane - another $40-$50. The propane lasts for 21 days and then you have to refill the tank. You are also suppose to replace the octenol cartridge which run you $20 for 3 (that's less than a three month supply), plus they tell you to buy CO2 cartridges (3 for $10) and run that through the system every second tank. So, doing the math, say a tank refill every 21 days runs you $15 (and that's cheap right now), $7 every 21 days for octenol, $1.50 for CO2, plus electricity - you're looking at upwards of $25 every 21 days in extra hard costs to keep the thing running. That's $35-$40 a month if you like to break it down that way. With that said, if that doesn't scare you off then give the unit a shot. It does make a difference. I won't say there are no more mosquitoes or no-see-ums but I can regularly go out in the yard for a few minutes and come back inside without any bites when before that would not have been possible. It's just hard for me to believe this company charges so much for this thing and then half of them don't work. That aggravates me, but mosquitoes biting my son aggravates me more.

Problematic
Don't waste your money; unless you have a lot of it to waste. I have the Freedom model and have had it for two seasons. It works great for a couple of months, depending on placement of course if you've read up on these things. But after that it won't start. The first season I was still under warranty and sent it back. They sent me a rebuilt one after about two months and after mosquito season was over. So I lost two months of use. So with my rebuilt one, which now had a clear valve, I was optimistic this season. Deja vu! Same thing happened. It would not start after a couple of months. And now my warranty is up! PS: They won't answer angry emails. Their service is bad as well!

Bad Quality product, 2 year life or less, good when works
I now own three American Biophysics Mosquito Magnets. The oldest one I have is two years old and cost me about $900 to purchase. The two year old unit no longer works, so AB technical support wants to sell me a replacement part for $500 or you can buy a new unit, after returning the Power pack, for $425. What a racket. Build an expensive product that doesn't last more than 2 years and then charge a lot to fix or agree to buy another unit that also has shoddy quality. I agree it catches the mosquitos that they claim when it operates properly. But because of the cost of the units and their limited life I would not recommend this product unless you have a lot of money to burn.

It works in New Hampshire!
I read all of the reviews for a whole year before we invested in this unit. Its been about 4 weeks now, I can't tell you how many ,thousands, of mosquitos and deer flies this unit has grabbed! We love it, it works for us! Read the directions carefully and it will work for you too! It says 4-6 weeks before you see a difference, and we are just starting to be able to go out in the pool at night and not get attacked! Now how can we get rid of our wasps? They are nesting everywhere this season!!

Expensive, but it works
We had been debating the Mosquito Magnet since the summer of 2003. It was a wet spring in New England in 2004 and in May when my mother-in-law drove her car up in midmorning (not peak misquito time) and I saw 2 dozen of the blood suckers throwing themselves against her car hood I started to worry. I looked at my 18 month old son, wondered how he was going to play outside with out being dunked in DEET, and then went online that morning and ordered one.

We have 4+ acres of land, mostly woods so the empty all your standing water advice is not helpful to us. The area around the house is clear and is about 1 acre. We located it on one side of the house, about 10 feet into the woods, which I think helped the catch ratio since misquitos prefer shade.

RESULTS: Within 24 hours I noticed a difference in my front door area. I could be outside during the day with my son and never see a misquito. At dusk I would see some and eventually get bitten, but I wouldn't be swarmed like I had been previously. After 3-4 weeks there was definately a reduction in the local misquito population. Everytime we checked the net there were too many misquitos flying around to count. When we empty the net bag out every 2-3 weeks there is a mass of dead, dried out misquito bodies about the size of my fist. (Impressive, considering a dead misquito really doesn't tak up a lot of space.)

WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR LIFE: We have two dogs an a child, so the door is always being opened and shut. Last year there was ALWAYS a misquito in the bedroom. Now we get one once a week, maybe. My son has one bite on him now, I'm not even sure he got that in my yard. He can go weeks without a bite. We can sit out on the deck in the evening, an impossibility before. In general I am enjoying my yard much more this summer.

DOWNSIDE: It is expensive, and you have to buy propane & the attractent every 3 weeks. The company is clearly run by a bunch of engineers, and the instructions & set up reflect that. So if you are non-engineerish, get an engineer geek you know over and offer them a 6-pack of beer to set it up. I friend of mine had problems with hers and when she called the company they said she shouldn't use the propane tanks that are from those "swap tank" places, since the lines are not fully purged of air. Air in the line is a frequent cause of problems with the device.

Placement can also be tricky. If you have a big house and are surrounded by breeding grounds you almost need two for both sides of the house, but we do make do with just one. We did have to move it once to get the best coverage. It obviously isn't cheap, but I haven't found a better alternative. ... Read more

Features

• Includes impact driver, (2) 18V XR+TM PACK extended run-time battery packs, 1-hour charger, and a heavy-duty kit box
• 1,170 in./lbs. of maximum torque for tightening and loosening large nuts and bolts and driving fasteners
• Only 6-1/2 inches long to get you into tighter spots
• Heavy-duty impact mechanism provides the power while delivering less kickback
• Heavy-duty magnesium gear case and all-metal transmission for job site durability

Reviews (2)

Loads of power, but is that enough to make the big leage?
We use this driver for running in ½ x 12 lag bolts through pilings. This putts a lot of stress on a driver. The DeWalt has more then enough power to handle this and all lesser tasks. I have used several hammer drivers and hammer drills in my business, this is truly the undisputed "Power King"; however, after running hundreds of lags and screws I encountered a few shortcomings with the DeWalt:\

1. On two of these drivers the anvil (hammer thingy) inside stripped out in less then 3 months. On the plus side, DeWalt replaced them, no questions asked.

2. It a nightmare to get inside and replace the brushes on the work site. Combine that with the reluctance of our rep. to even get the brushes addes up to sending them in for R&R (repair and rebuild) at the cyclic rate. Time = money. I still don't know if the brushes can be replaced, how to do it, or if that is even the problem. I suspect it is due to a small amount of graphite looking dust around the air exhaust vents after long use.

All in all, not bad for hundreds of BIG lags, but to put it into perspective, we also use Makita 24 volt hammer drivers. These have run thousands of big lags with no problems at all! The Makita brushes are a few bucks for a pack and can be replaced in a minute.
My bottom line is: Get the DeWalt for lower production work that needs lots of power, but if you have your driver turning day on stay on, you might want to consider a Makita hammer driver in the 18 - 24 volt range.

More than i expected!
I own a few Dewalt tools so i have a lot of experience with the
quality of the brand and I am more than impressed with this impact drill. It drives self tappers in 3/16" steal with no problem. If your in the market for a light weight
impact with lots of power this is the ticket. ... Read more

Features

• No more cutting 1/16-inch oversize to allow for resurfacing
• 10-inch by 40-tooth, 1/8-inch kerf
• One blade does rip, combo, and crosscut
• No more scratchy saw cuts
• No more second-step finishing

Reviews (63)

Smoothest Cutting Blade I've Ever Used!
I use this in my 5hp Jet Table Saw and it is absolutely super! I do have the Forrest 5" dampener that I use with it which limits the depth of cut to 2 1/2". Without the damper, it will cut almost 3" in my saw. The cuts are so clean that you can literally go to the 220 grit sandpaper as the first grade! I figure I'll save the difference in cost on sandpaper alone (maybe)!

Forrest offers resharpening service for these blades that restores them to factory specs. They do require a special grind that most "locals" can't do. Buy this blade and you won't be sorry - buy once, cut twice as long!

The blade resurfaces so precisely, I sold my jointer
I bought my first Woodworker II at the AWFS show in 2001, and was so impressed with the quality of the cut that I snatched another up on eBay soon thereafter.

Before I bought a Forrest blade, I'd have to have to plane, joint, and then finish cut on my table saw to get precise 90 degree corners, and even then, the edges of my stock I couldn't use for a glue-joint.

Then I found the thin kerf Woodworker II. Wow, I've saved considerable time and sold my Delta jointer as a result of this sawblade. Even with over 1500 lineal feet of stock previously cut on the blade, I've been able to joint an edge straight from the tablesaw to the clamping rack. Impressive!

Make sure that you buy the Forrest blade stabilizer, and a zero clearance insert for your tablesaw, in order to get the most finished cuts. It'll reduce the depth of cut by about 1.5 inches, but you'll still be able to cut 8/4 stock with no problem.

Sharpening will [cost you]..., but you'll get a lot of use from it before you have to do that.

And, now I'm in the hunt for the Forrest 8 inch dado.

p.s. You can probably find it cheaper than here on Amazon[.com], look at eBay and at Forrest's website

Expensive But Worth It!
I have found that you generally get what you pay for when it comes to power tools, drill bits and saw blades. The Forrest WW II is no exception. I have one mounted in my 10" 3HP Jet cabinet saw and couldn't be more pleased with its performance. Like the other reviews, it cuts extremely smooth in both the rip and cross cut directions, saving un-necessary blade changes for each operation. I couldn't believe how smooth this blade cuts and is also a quiet blade. I also ordered the Forrest stablizer, but have not used it- I don't think you need it. I have used the blade for several months now and have cut 8/4 red and white oak, hard maple, and ash. The blade cuts so smooth that there is no visable kerf marks in the wood resulting in an edge that looks like it came off of a jointer! Forrest also offers a quality sharpening service which is highly recommended when you need it. I have friends that have been cutting with this model blade for over a year now and it still cuts like new. I know it seems expensive, but when you consider how much two high quality (one rip & one cross cut) blades would cost, plus the time to change blades, then it is really more economical in the long run. I have really been very pleased with its performance. Hope this helps you in your decision making. Happy Sawdustmaking!!

What's the big friggin' deal???
I was looking for a new saw blade because my Freud was good, but not as good as I thought it should be. I read everywhere that Forrest blades were the best around. After reading this for months, I decided I'll try one and I don't see the big deal I will return it.

Well, first I unwrapped the box and held the blade in my hand and could tell this is one well built blade. It is sturdy and heavy, very solid. Second, I mounted it on my tablesaw and mounted my zero clearance insert. I noticed immediately how well balanced the blade is because the blade did not chatter against the zero clearance plate like my Freud blade did. Third, I cut a piece of oak plywood and was amazed how the blade cut through it like a hot knife through butter. Fourth, there was not one splinter hanging from the plywood, whereas my Freud blade would cause a splintery mess. I would not hesitate to buy this blade again.

Well worth the money in my opinion!!!!
I had recently bought a Jet 3hp table saw and also bought the WWII blade...I was so impressed with the quality of the cut that I went out and bought the 12" Chopmaster and the 8" dado....I recommend their blades to anyone that I've encountered...I only use these blades for the better grades of wood...for cutting up 2X I'll use some Freud blades which do fine for that purpose but don't even come close to the Forrest Blades...

For those of you that have burning problems...you must not have your table saw set up right...cause I cannot see how you could be burning your wood on cuts when I don't experience this nor do a whole bunch of other people...

Get the Forrest Blades you won't regret it... ... Read more

Features

• One full year parts and labor warranty, 30 day risk free performance guarantee
• Environmentally friendly method of paint removal
• Reversible carbide blades
• Safety clutch
• Low vibration reduces fatigue

Reviews (9)

Paid for itself the first job
This paint remover does the job; takes the paint off down to the wood and it never gums up with paint. I used it to strip paint from a fifty year old house with many layers of paint. It took me 4 days to strip the whole house. I estimate it would have taken twice as long to scrape the house by hand, and I would not have done nearly as good a job. I dulled four of the carbide blades to strip the whole house. The tool is light enough to operate with one hand. However, there are some tricks to using this tool:

- You have to wear goggles, (not just safety glasses) earplugs, a dust mask, gloves, and I'd recommend coveralls. This tool throws a lot of dust and small chips. I did not use a vacuum because I felt the hose would slow me down too much, but a vacuum should make the job much cleaner.

- Watch out for nails. You have to set the nails before you strip the paint. Just give the nails a wack before stripping. If you do snag a nail, it will either shave off the top or rip it out of the board. It's something you don't want to do too often.

The tool is well made except for the little doors covering the rabbet blades; I busted one off the first day. It has a nice long and flexible cord. Pet peeve: the switch turns off too easily.

It's not perfect, it's just better than any other tool for stripping paint. And, it'll pay for itself on the first job.

Professional Painters Need This Tool
I just spent the last two days using this paint stripper and I gotta tell you this is an amazing tool. It will shave (no pun intended) hours off the time it takes to strip paint from a house. I was worried about the price, but it has paid for itself already. I am ripping paint off of cedar siding in 1/4 of the time it usually takes. The depth-of-cut adjustment lets me adapt to different paint millage, and it is really easy to use. If you have read other reviews, you will know that the little plastic doors that protect the 90, 180 and 270 degree cutters are really flimsy and WILL pop off, but it is still the best paint stripping tool I have come across. Make sure that you set any nail heads that may be in your way, because this machine will rip and warp any nail haead it comes in contact with. You will need ear protection, and the 3M full face mask is a must when working in warm climates. Try this tool. It will save you so much time and so much hassel. If you don't like it, send it back.

Fast is the right word
I bought this tool about a year ago, and has you've read in the other reviews it's all true. I took down some 6" redwood siding, 4" fir and pine boards to the bare wood in no time. A word of caution on softer woods wider than 3", take your time and get use to the machine. It will gouge on the edge at times, depending... how your reach is to the work. You either even it up with a pass from the oppisite side, sand with a 6" inch orbital down to finer grit, or patch and sand. I used it on latex paints so far and gumming was not a problem, plus good life from each edge of the cutting bits (4)... if you counter sink any nails. Attching my shopvac made less to clean up! Also rough grain wood texture will be smooth flat when done, you may do some light sand blasting to match the texture or stick with chem/citrus strippers. Goggles recomened.

Worth every penny
I bought this tool to take about 17 layers of paint off the cedar siding of my house. It works great! My choices were the Metabo, Porter Cable and The Paint Shaver (which was by far the most expensive). The Metabo was the only tool of the three not listed on eBay the day I purchased it.

This tool does a great job on siding and even facia and window casings. You need to be careful on softer wood like pine with this tool. It can easily take off the paint as well as a hefty slice of wood.

Be sure to purchase plenty of extra blades if you are taking off lots of old hardened paint. They will get dull, however you can turn the blades 180 degrees and use the other side before you have to replace them.

This tool is extremely loud. Be sure you have good ear protection. Also, it throws chips everywhere at high velocity. So good goggles and a dust mask or respirator will save you some agony.

Overall, for the money this is a great tool. I highly recommend it over manual scraping or liquid/paste strippers.

Savings outweigh expense
I purchased the Metabo paint reomover about 2 months ago. I used it to remove about 6 layers of paint from the fascia boards on my house. This tool works amazingly well and is very easy to use. When all of the paint was removed, i gave the fascia boards a quick once over with a random orbit sander. When finished, the fascia boards looked brand new. One coat of primer and two top coats of paint and presto, my home looks great. Doing a thorough job in the first place prevents you from having to return and "fix" it in a couple of years.
Initially I was very skeptical of how this tool would work as well as the seemingly steep cost. I wondered how a hand held power tool the size of an angle grinder could cost sooo much. In the end, I feel this tool easily saved me money because a paint contractor would probably charge me a small fortune to take all of my homes fascia boards down to bare wood before repainting.
My home was built after paint containing lead was banned so I opted not to use the dust collection built into this tool. One gripe is that I broke one of the small tabs on one of the plastic blade covers within 2-3 hours of use. The plastic covers should be made more durable considering the cost of this tool.
If you are removing paint on a significant amount of wood or on a home with very much wood siding, I would suggest you purchase the extra 10 piece blade set ).
Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase of this tool. The tool was delivered in about 4-5 working days (as stated). ... Read more

Features

• 1/2" metal ratcheting chuck with carbide jaws helps to prevent bits from slipping
• DEWALT built high torque motor delivers 450 in-lbs of maximum torque
• One-year warranty through the Dewalt factory or an authorized service center
• XRP™ extended run-time batteries provide long run-time & battery life
• Patented 3-speed transmission features a max 3rd speed at 1,800 rpm

Features

• 1/2" ratcheting chuck with carbide jaws prevents bits from slipping
• Superior ergonomics provides optimal balance, comfort, and control
• DeWalt built high torque motor provides 500 in./lbs. of maximum torque
• Exclusive 3-speed transmission features a maximum 3rd speed at 2,000 rpm
• Hammerdrill mode: 34,000 bpm drills faster holes in masonry applications

Features

• 19-3/4" cast aluminum base is 2X more rigid than a standard 10" base and folding tables
• One-year warranty through the Dewalt factory or an authorized service center
• Three knife cutter-head delivers 30% longer knife life and makes knife change faster and easier
• Two speed gear box allows users to change feed speed to optimizing cuts per inch at 96 or 179 CPI
• Fan-assisted chip ejection vacuums chips off of the cutter-head and exhausts them out of the machine

Amazon.com Product Description

Point-and-shoot used to be a term reserved for easy-to-operate cameras; who knew it could be so easily translated to the world of sprayers? This Gilmour 4-gallon wheel pump sprayer requires no hand pumping or heavy lifting. Merely roll it to your target, aim, and spray. The unique wheel pump apparatus pressurizes the contents as you push the sprayer back and forth. Use the built-in pressure relief valve to depressurize the sprayer upon completion of your job. The unit has an extra-wide 4-1/4-inch mouth opening for quick filling, an easy-to-clean filter, and a drain at the bottom of the unit. It also features a flexible, 16-inch, rotating polymer wand with an adjustable polymer nozzle and a 72-inch premium PVC hose. Now spraying your lawn or garden is as easy as taking a stroll. ... Read more

Features

• Flexible 16" rotating polymer wand with adjustable polymer nozzle
• Pressurizes as you walk or roll it back and forth
• Easier to handle, wheels carry the weight
• Extra wide 4-1/4" mouth opening for easy fill and cleaning
• Chemical resistant polymer discharge valve with comfort grip

Reviews (8)

Great Product and a Huge Time Saver!
Here in Texas, we have just about every kind of pest or annoying plant immaginable...fire ants, johnson/crab grass, huge grass hoppers, scorpions, nasty spiders, tough-to-kill weeds, etc.

Needless to say, I have to spray a variety of garden products on my yard, both to keep it looking presentable and to keep it safe for bare feet. I've used a common two-gallon pump sprayer and a 4-gallon backpack sprayer for years to apply weed killers and insecticides, but carrying a 16-30lb container around a 10,000sqft. yard gets old pretty quick.

This Gilmour 4-gallon sprayer is awesome! No carrying, no pumping, and no backache. You just push it about 25-30 ft, and it's pressurized. From there, movement around the yard keeps the pressure up. The sprayer also has a nice long hose, so you can reach pretty far back into planted areas, without having to push the sprayer through mulch and soft-earth.

Compared with my old sprayers, this thing has a nice wide mouth, so it's tough to spill chemicals down the side. It's also transparent enough to actually see the fill-points and measurement marks, so overfilling is much less of a problem than with opaque sprayers.

I haven't experienced any problems with leaking or spillage from the filled container, as reported by other reviewers...perhaps the model has been modified since they were written?

This product is also a big time saver, even over similarly-sized backpack sprayers...the push-to-pump (actually, I pull it along behind me) action just leaves you much more nimble, and able to move around smoother. I find that I over-spray much less, use less chemical, and finish about 15 minutes faster (less refilling, less waste, smoother motion and action, etc).

This is definately one of the best garden products I've ever purchased. A truly wonderful and smartly-designed lawn and garden sprayer!

Good Sprayer but...
This is a good sprayer when compared to other sprayers on the market. However, I found that the pressure was not as good as I expected. My use is for spraying larger areas such as driveways and paths rather than spot spraying of individual weeds. The lack of pressure just didn't work for me. I returned the product.

It Will Pay for Itself (not to mention time savings)
No only did I experience all the good things the other 4 Star reviews said, but I only used about 2 gallons on a spray job that usually takes me 3 refills using a 2 gallon pump sprayer - that's using only 1/3 of chemical as with the pump sprayer for the same job!! (and it also only takes about 1/3 - 1/2 the time because of not having to stop and pump, and not having to go back and refill the tank)

Good but a Few changesnges Could Make Great
I just purchased this from Amazon being the anly place that I could find a sprayer on wheels since I have about 1/1/2 acres of grass and weeds that needs to be sprayed. I must say that I am very pleased with my purchase. It only takes about twenty feet worth of rolling to get it going enough for spraying weeds and the more you walk around the better it becomes. When you are done all you have to do is put the hose into a hole in the handle and keep the switch that lets spray flow out on and it will drain back into the container of the fluid. Since the fluid and the pressure contianer are separate which is good because then you can add stuff wihtout worrying about your pressure. When you are done you have to remember to clean out the filter or it won't work otherwise. And the only other thing I would add would be a stirring mechanism to keep the solution from settling.

Terriffic Sprayer
I really like this item, especially the fact that you don't have to hand pump it or carry it around. It holds 4 gallons which is another plus, you're not having to refill it all the time as with a smaller sprayer. I did have a problem with it not pressurizing once but it turned out to be because I missed cleaning out the plug thing. The only thing I would like to see added to this sprayer is some sort of stirring or mixing mechanism to keep your sprays from settling.
I don't regret buying this one in the least, and it qualified for free shipping also, which didn't hurt any :) ... Read more

Features

• On-board hose, cord and accessory storage provides convenient transport and storage
• Runs off of 12-18V DEWALT battery packs or 120V AC
• Gore TM wet/dry filter traps 99.7% of drywall dust
• Wet/dry filter eliminates changeovers
• Heavy-duty rubber hose provides durability and flexibility

Amazon.com Review

Removing layers of old paint from siding is never fun or easy, but Porter-Cable's power paint remover goes a long way toward making the task more tolerable--and a lot quicker. The tool uses a thin metal grinding disc spun between two easily adjustable guide rollers, so the user can remove paint without damaging the underlying wood. We found the tool relatively easy and comfortable to work with--certainly less tiring than trying to remove the same amount of paint using a regular sander. It does take a little time to get the guides adjusted right, but, once done, the tool really does work wonders. Adjusting one of the guides a little further in than the other, so paint is removed with only one edge of the disc, seemed to work quickest while producing the least amount of paint clogging on the disc. We also like that all adjustments to the power paint remover can be made without the use of additional tools and can be performed quickly. While this is a highly effective tool for its purpose, there are a couple of concerns to keep in mind. First, to avoid grinding the siding, make sure you have the guide adjustment set correctly before you go too far with the tool. Second, because this is basically a grinder, it will leave some small spin marks in the siding, and you'll generally have to go back over the wood with a random orbital sander to get a perfectly smooth finish. We also recommend getting a few extra discs, as they will clog, and it's nice to have a fresh one handy while the clogged disc soaks in solvents. In the end, though, this tool is a huge improvement over more common paint removal methods, like using a regular sander or scraping with a heat gun and putty knife. --Brian Trinen ... Read more

Features

• One year warranty/30 day performance certification
• Efficient material removal
• Easy disc changes
• Helical gearing
• Well balanced design

Reviews (26)

Porter Cable Power Paint Remover
After spending hours trying to remove layers on our 124 year old farm house, and after reading the reviews I purchased the Porter Cable Power Paint Remover. I used it today for the first time. Last weekend I spent six hours on one four sided pillar on the front porch. The process involved scraping and sanding with a high speed random orbital sander with 80 grit disk. This evening I used the Power Paint Remover on the next piller (total of five). The process took a total of about 15 minutes to have the entire pillar down to bear wood, unreal. I'm looking forward to tackling the rest of the house. I am sure that this unit will pay for itself just in the cost of the lumber that I was going to buy to replace old molding just because the paint was too thick and cracked. Now I am sure that I'll be able to just go down to the bear wood with no time or effort.

I had to stop shortly after starting to use this unit and run down to the hardware store to purchase a good quality dual filtered respirator mask, the unit puts out the removed paint big time in a very fine dusk. A good shop vac is needed to clean up afterwards. Safety goggles are a must. I love it. A big 5 STARS +++++

Power Paint Remover saves the day.....
Restoring a 1875 Victorian has a true challenge. The outside of our house is lap siding (1"x8") and has not painted for over 20 years. After using everthing possible to remove the old finish including sanding, scraping and sand blasting, I tried the Porter Cable 7403P Power Paint. After a little work and finally reading the limited directions, I was able to remove numerous layers of paint with minimal effort. The final finish was perfect to apply a good primer coat before the final finish. The Power Paint Remover saved the day. Things to consider using the 7403P. 1)If sanding lead based paint, wear proper breathing equipment. 2)Keep the rpm's of the 7403P low so that the paint does not melt on the sanding disk, which is difficult at to remove. 3)Take your time..the 7403P is slightly heavy and working over your head is difficult. This is componded if you are working off a ladder.

With a little work, the 7403P is a very versitale piece of equipment and can handle a wide range of projects for both the professional and the amature.

Also consider....
I haven't used this tool, okay? I have needed to remove multiple layers of paint from window sills and a garage door before, and am looking to do so soon again for a different house.
I am hoping to find a tool that can do paint removal better than what I've used so far. I thought I would post my experience here for others to learn from.
I've used a torch, heat gun, belt sander, finishing sander, and an air-powered dual-action disc sander. I just wanted to post that if you want light weight, the air-powered dual-action sander isn't bad. Use 50-grit sticky discs and plenty of compressed air (6hp and 230V is probably better. I used 4hp/120V and paused to allow the compressor to catch up.)
The torch makes for larger, less windblown rubbish, but is somewhat slower and when I got annoyed sometimes scorched the underlying wood.

Rented it, now want it
ONLY PROBLEM is the weight!
I have been removing the paint from my 2 story, cedar shingled house with a 3 inch belt sander, part time since May (now August), with time off for an injury and the heat. Chemicals were too costly, ineffective and I did not want bad residue. I got 1 side done, some of another side, but the edge about 1 inch below each course was still left. Turning the sander sideways to get that area, killed belts FAST! The dust kicked up by the belt sander was terrible, going everywhere!!!!

I rented the 7403 for 4 hours. My results: tired arms, more paint removed and less wood eaten than the belt sander. This thing WORKS VERY WELL!!! It takes getting used to. So did the belt sander. It works MUCH FASTER (2 to 3 times) The rollers prevent gouging. It works better on flatter, harder surfaces. (My warped shingles are not as warped anymore) The areas where paint was sticking well to the wood went almost as fast with this as the areas with the paint flaking off.

I also found that it created MUCH LESS dust, that settled more directly to the ground. Belt sanding dust included wood that made it drift much further. Dust from the 7403, in a light breeze, was found to fly straight about 5 feet at ground level, drifting very little. The dust is denser. The particles fly faster off the work, ABSOLUTELY necessitating mask and goggles! Glasses were not enough at all.

Some paint buildup on the middle of the metal grinding pad, was easily removed when hot by fingers(with sander unplugged). The metal grinding pad distributes the heat evenly. It is cooler than belt sanding.

The belt sander will help to quickly touch up the light circular marks, once my skills are improved. There appear to be ways to adjust it to reduce the marks and/or making them go with the grain while maximizing the paint removal.

I am looking forward to impressing my friends and family with my new set of muscles! Big arm builder at 9+ pounds. I have to put this into my budget to finish by winter.

Critical Instructions for use!!!
This machine works but is heavy, like other reviewers said. Myself and my coworker are each 6 foot tall men in good condition. We can barely put in 6 hours a day with the tool and that includes two half hour breaks to allow for muscles to stop spasming.
BUT--if used correctly, this tool does remove paint. It is slow, paint dust goes everywhere, and you must wear a respirator mask and a face shield.
Contrary to the instructions included with the tool--I found that the "cutting" side (leading edge) of the grinder needs to be set to about 1/16 inch lower than the grinding disc and the back side (trailing edge) needs to be about 1/16 of an inch TALLER than the total depth of the paint you are removing. In my case I am removing approximately 1/8 inch of paint (typical for an 80 year old house). Therefore the trailing edge of the grinder needs to be set at about 3/16 higher than the disc surface. The measurements are made by laying a straight edge (I use a square) across the disc and raising and lowering the black rails to the appropiate height.
Plan on using an inconspicious place on your house and practicing for about 2 or 3 hours until you get it right. Don't give up. My first day was very frustrating. Lots of clogging. At first I could only use the tool for about 10 seconds before it totally gummed up. Uggh. But with practice, clogging (gumming) is actually quite minimal when you find the right "angle of attack" for your application. Gumming usually occurs when you hold the grinder in one place too long or try to cut too deeply in one pass. You can't expect to realistically remove more than about 1/64 of an inch per pass, maybe even as little as 1/128 of an inch per pass. This equates to about 4-6 passes, sometimes up to 10 passes for severly cupped and warped wood. But this type of use allows for almost constant grinding with very little gumming. When the tool does gum up use a small, wooden-handled ice-pick to "pop" the gum chunks off of the grinding disc. A cleaning session takes about 1-2 minutes or even less. An occaissonal brushing with a wire brush helps prevent re-gumming on paint covered, problem spots on the disc. This techinique works so well that I only change the disc when the teeth wear down and stop cutting effectively (4-8 hours of use, depending). I have only soaked the discs in mineral spirits one time and generally find it unneccessary.
Beware--this tool pulvarizes the paint into a fine powder that goes everywhere. You will need ridiculous amounts of plastic drop cloths and bricks to hold them in place. Then you must sweep the powder at the end of each day. The amount that you collect is astounding. You can expect to collect about 10-20 gallons of paint powder from an average, 3BR/2Bath, one level home. This must be done for both legal and ethical reasons. Would you actually dump 10-20 gallons of lead and enamel paint into your yard?
In closing--this tool works great. It is a bear to use. You must use scaffolding. It is slow. Expect about three weeks of all day work to get your old house scraped and ready to prime. Buy lots of discs, about 10 for an average size house. Use only the 24 grit as the discs wear out and you need all the cutting power you can get. But beware as a new 24 grit disc cuts viciously and leaves severe swirl marks. But after about 10 minutes of use it wears down to a managable level.
If you can afford it--replace your siding. New poplar siding is about 15 cents a foot in the US. Materials for an average home would cost about $4,000. Plus lots of labor. Vinyl siding is usually a poor choice. It costs $5,000, looks fake, and causes wierd moisture issues between the vinyl and the old siding.
But if you, like me, have little money and lots of time--this is the tool for you. ... Read more

Features

• *Sawhorses sold individually
• Can level a pair of Bronco's from 4" to 68" on any type of ground condition or contour
• Folds flat for easy transport
• Non-skid working surface on each horizontal support member
• Over 30" of adjustment travel per leg

Reviews (11)

Everything It Says It Is!
I'll have to admit, I was skeptical. I was considering renting a cherry picker to repair and paint the eave and facia of my house. The entire length of the front is above the roof line with a 6/12 pitch and midlevel dimensional shingles. At $240/day, I knew I would need it for at least two days. When I ran across the Bronco sawhorses, they looked like the trick. I also bought a Werner 7' aluminum walkboard. These things really work!! I started out by lashing them together and then to the house. After relocating them the second time as I worked my way down the length of the house, it was apparent that they were not going to slip. The only improvement I could add, was to number the adjustment holes with a sharpie to make mirror image set-ups quicker. They are so simple to set up and use, they come with only a single page of instructions. They come from a company called Reechcraft located in Fargo, ND... that's right! MADE IN U.S.A.! This is truly an innovative product that I am sure I will find many uses for in the years to come.

Bronco
I ordered my first pair of Bronco's from the company when I saw them in one of my trade magazine's, when they arived I took them to the job site, we were shingling a ranch house we set them up and put one of oue pics on the Bronco's and were able to install drip edge and the first few rows of shingles,the only problem I found was one pair was not enough, so the next day I ordered my second pair, with their adjustable legs I haven't found a place where I couldn't set them up.You won't go wrong with these.

Ultimate sawhorse! You must get them if you can afford them!
Cut & dried, these puppies ROCK!! They'll NEVER wobble on the ground, and are EXCELLENT as staging, as they claim to be. They are SUPER STRONG, and will NOT leave you hoping that they won't collapse. (They are NOT like the picture shows them, the connecting arm to the third leg has obviously been improved since they were first invented, and the frame is NOT square tubing as shown, but round. The adjustments of ALL LEGS is in 1.5" increments, not just one leg). I built a 16' gazebo with them, and used them ON TOP OF SCAFFOLDING PLANKING to reach the top of the roof to complete the shingling, and to affix the cupola. Using ratchet-strapping to hold them down, to insure that they wouldn't budge, I planked from these to the 6/12 pitch roof, in a level fashion. I was ecstatic with the performance of these things. If you can afford them, and have a need for these, then DON'T PASS THEM BY! My personal safety is important enough to me to not skimp on, and these allowed me to do a challenging job safely.

Sawhorse is misleading
Calling this a sawhorse is misleading I think. I delayed buying a set because the price and sawhorse did not go together. These are more like staging. They do an excellent job of supporting both ends of my 12' walkboard and they really shine on uneven ground and as mentioned before, repairing/replacing above roof line siding (the job I bought them for). Custom building a sawhorse to match the roof was an option but manuveuring it around was not an exciting prospect. This does the job and is plenty strong.

I waited too long to buy these
I looked at these for over a year before I decided to buy. As soon as I took one out of the box I wondered why I waited so long. Man this is a money making tool. they set up easily and already have a thousand uses. They're rugged too, I feel very safe on them even at the highest setting. If I have one complaint it is that the leg screws used to secure the legs (in addition to easy to use stainless pins) are not quite long enough. After some use I can see that the srew handle will bottom out before the leg screw is sufficiently tight. also the handle on the screw is plastic. Very durable but could have been metal and would have lasted forever. In the end though I'm very pleased. I bought two already and plan to buy a third. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The business end of this push reel mower is solid, sharp, and everything a reel mower should be, with five heat-treated, knife-sharp steel blades that can be adjusted for varying grass heights from 1/2 to 2-1/4 inches. With its 10-inch wheels, radial tires, 18-inch cutting width, and 2-inch welded shrub bar, this mower should enable you to cross whatever terrain and reach whatever hard-to-access rogue patches of grass you desire. Plus, the soft foam cushion on the handlebar is a nice--and much appreciated--touch. The rest of the construction, however, isn't quite as reliable. Assembly can be a headache, even though the only tool you need is a wrench. The instructions could be clearer, and the handle parts could fit together better. Limited two-year warranty. ... Read more

Features

• Soft foam cushion on the handlebar adds comfort
• 5-blade ball bearing reel delivers a 18-inch cutting width
• Cutting height adjust from 1/2 to 2-1/4 inches
• 2-inch welded shrub bar assembly
• 10-inch wheels and radial tires handle any terrain

Reviews (26)

Lawn mowing can be fun
I bought my mower a few weeks ago and have used it a couple times on my 1/2 acre lawn. It cuts beautifully, and nearly as quickly as my old gas powered mower. I have enjoyed being able to hear the birds and enjoy the fresh air while I mow. The mowing is a little bit more of a workout than pushing a small gas mower, but anyone who can walk should be able to push it easily. A couple of caveats though, the mower does not cut wet grass well, but I have had good experience cutting grass up to 6" long when it's dry. Also, it requires a clean lawn, even the tiniest twig will stop the blades, but the sticks are easily removed from the blades. The Amazon reviewer thought it was difficult to assemble. While I agree it could be easier, I was not frustrated and had the mower assembled in less than 15 minutes -- and I'm no genious at assembling products. Also, height adjustments could be simpler, it takes 5-10 minutes to readjust the height with a couple of wrenches. Overall, I'm very pleased with the mower -- I now view mowing the lawn as pleasant recreation rather than slavish noisy work!

Five Years of Successful Mowing
I've been using this mower for 5 years now. As others have said, it is quiet and does not smell bad or require gasoline.

I am particularly pleased with its easy operation. It is not really much more difficult to use than a gas mower. When sharp, it cuts about as quickly. It also cuts taller grass better than some here would make you think. However, the tall grass can't be too thick.

It should be kept sharp. I recently sharpened mine. The time it took to mow my lawn went from three hours to one and a half.

Although adequate for mowing my lawn, I do have a few issues:

1. It is difficult to sharpen. The process itself isn't bad: reverse the gears, smear lapping compound on the blade, and walk back and forth on the sidewalk. The difficulty is finding lapping compound and in applying the lapping compound as well as removing the excess after.

2. It does not deal well with sticks. If I don't walk my lawn first and pick them up, any sticks will bring me up short.

3. It got out of adjustment easily in my previous town. The street sweeper there sprayed its metal bristles into my lawn and every time I got one, the blades would hit each other, dulling their cutting surfaces quickly.

4. On an uneven lawn like mine, it will miss the excessively tall blades of grass. If you look at my lawn you will see random tall blades here and there. At the rough spots you will see many tall blades.

Overall, it's adequate for its purposes, but it fails to impress.

A green consumer
I got this mower because I like the idea of not adding to the pollution problem. It lives up to that all right, but doesn't exactly deliver when it comes to a clean cut. My lawn is hybrid Bermuda, which is thick and about as tough as grass can get. I raise my power mower deck to 3" in the summer to protect the grass from drought. At a little over 2", this mower isn't quite high enough for a Bermuda lawn. Forget about twigs, the grass alone can stop the blades! Also, the cut was nowhere near as clean as with my power mower. I gave up after an hour and used the power mower to finish the lawn. Once the lawn was cut I found that I could get this mower to work reasonably well if I set it to its maximum height. I also found that lubricating the blades with WD-40 is essential. Overall, this mower is not great, but is not bad either. It won't completely replace my power mower, but I'll use it in late fall and winter when I mow the grass at a lower height.

Nice idea, but can't handle the rough stuff
I picked up this mower hoping very much that it would work out. I have always liked the idea of a reel mower - the quiet, the lack of gas fumes, the pleasant exercise of it. All of these things were what I had expected, and I quite enjoyed using it. I would also like to add that unlike many "assembly required" yard care items, this was easy to put together, sturdily built, and comfortable to use.

Unfortunately, the results were less than stellar. The mower did OK on low even grass, but could not handle tall grass, thick clumps of grass, and tall seed-heads. It either passed over them while only cutting about 40-60% of the grass, or in the case of thick tall grass, stopped cutting altogteher and just slid over it. As my lawn was, admittedly, rather "well-grown" when I used it, this meant a fairly thick haze of tall seed-head stalks all over it and some patches of grass that really never got cut down to size, even after (literally) mowing each area several times over. It took out the lower grass and the lawn did look better than when I started, but it didn't look exactly "cut" either. In the end I returned the mower and borrowed the neighbor's Toro Personal Pace to finish off. Wow, was *that* a nice mower!

My instinct on this is that if I'd started with a near-level, short lawn, I might have had some success with this mower, but in practice that's not often what I am cutting. If, on the other hand, you mow frequently and have a fairly even lawn, this might be the mower for you.

Far better than I expected
I do not have a nice lawn. It's uneven and dotted with bare spots and weed patches. This mower did beautifully on my lawn with the original factory settings. It was easy and quick to assemble the handle (the only part not assembled in the box). It's easy to push- I think easier than a gas-powered mower. It's quiet, hassle-free, and not at all the monster most people expect reel mowers to be. The lawn looks better after mowing with this than with other types of mowers. What's not to love? The same preparations used with other mowers will do fine for this. Remove rocks and sticks, even twigs, anything you would remove for other mowers and this one should work great for an average or small size yard. ... Read more