With the price of gas going up everyday, many consumers are looking for alternatives to run their lawn care machines. In addition, many states have come out with abatement laws making it mandatory for commercial and residential properties to cut back vegetation.

 

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The Black and Decker 36 Volt high performance rechargeable cordless trimmer is a great alternative to gas-powered trimmers. 

 

The 36 Volt trimmer, once charged, starts and stops easily using the variable-speed trigger on the handle.  By the way, this is easy to do even while wearing a pair of large, garden gloves. Of note here also is that you won't have to hassle with the unpredictability of a pull cord. 
 
The Black and Decker 36 Volt trimmer packs quite the punch. It provides a 14" cut swath which is good for cutting down a sizeable area on the perimeter of the lawn.

 

The big difference between this model and previous ones is the power. The trimmer comes with a shoulder strap to balance the weight of the engine that is comparable in performance to a gas-powered unit.

 

The telescoping shaft also allows you to set it at the right height for use, and can then be adjusted for compact storage.

 

One caution is the weight of the trimmer - 11.9 lbs. The elderly and people with impairments or reduced physical strength may want to exercise special care. While the strap is constructed of heavy-gauge material and provides for ease-of-use, unless you can easily lift and move the approximately 12 lbs you might want to opt for the lighter weight previous models. For seniors, this might present a problem; so try lifting and wielding the floor model prior to purchasing.

 

It's important to point out that the 36 Volt Trimmer has also earned the Energy Star mark meaning it has met the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) guidelines for being energy efficient.

 

Estimated Battery Life: 30 minutes per charge. 

 

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Diana Forbes, a.k.a. Gadget Grrl™, loves sharing the latest and greatest technology with consumers. Her "Gadget Grrl" column runs both online and in print with a circulation of 3 million readers. She appears on national and local television shows featuring live demos of the latest trends in consumer products. For more information, visit Gadget Grrl.