What's better - electric or petrol-powered?
Archive
It's an age-old debate: What sort of equipment should you use for your DIY projects? Petrol-powered or electric?
There are great arguments for both sides, and the type of job you need gear for is probably the most important factor in choosing. Electric and petrol cars are competing for the transport market at the moment, and with impressive figures such as 80 per cent less emissions than gas-powered vehicles, as stated by Energy Wise, electric might become the norm.
Can the same be said for our tools?
What are you using them for?
If you're doing regular garden maintenance, such as mowing the lawn, for example, you'll want a tool that gets the job done effectively and efficiently. If you have a large lawn area, something with a little power is preferable. Further to that, you aren't going to want a long power cord or extension cable getting in the way - it can also be quite dangerous. For this reason, petrol-powered lawn mowers are perfect for this job, and while electric mowers have their applications, they are limited.
The same can be said for chain saws. A 300-millimetre two-stroke chain saw is going to be fantastic for heavy work, and anything that might require a little more grunt. It'll also be better for versatile movement, again, because there is no cord in the way. For more intense lopping needs, a 450-millimetre electric chain saw is recommended, however, because a petrol one would be inefficient to run for the longer periods of time required to complete larger jobs.
Does the work really need high-powered tools?
A petrol motor would need to be turned on and off between usage, whereas an electric version will only need the flick of a switch.
Some work does require very high-powered equipment to get the job done right, but then again, many household jobs don't. In these instances, it'd be much more effective for you to use electric tools so as not to waste petrol.
In the case of polishing a car, it's of the utmost importance that you treat your paint gently. A 240-volt car polisher from Kennards Hire is a great example of gear that is designed to be gentle and used periodically. A petrol motor would need to be turned on and off between usage, whereas an electric version will only need the flick of a switch. If you'll be turning the motor off a lot, staying away from petrol-powered versions is highly recommended.
What sort of equipment will you need for your next project? Kennards Hire has a huge range of options available, get in touch to talk about what you should be using.
