Black&Decker- 18VDC Sweeper cleans up big and small yard messes- Easy on the Wrist!
Written: Jul 10 '08 (Updated Jul 10 '08)
Product Rating:
Pros: Lightweight, comfortable grip, easily maneuvered into corners. Remember the rake when leaves pile up.
Cons: Although I dislike battery-powered anything, is a fun tool- Nothing objectionable noted by the Partnership.
The Bottom Line: Hide it in the closet where no one ever goes. For it's for you Mr & Mrs America. And all the ships at sea. Also for all yard warriors.
ASourdough4's Full Review: Black & Decker Cordless Blower (Ns118)
Black & Decker's entry in the Cordless Tool Category games
The NS118 Blower is a handy addition to the Yard Work Inventory.
INTRODUCTION
We live on 5.7 Acres of Oak Forest; most of the trees in which are supposed to be evergreen and they are. Leaves in February, leaves in June, lots of them in the Fall. Although most of the land is open range, most of the leaves are programmed to land on the driveway and the view decks. For many years, my lovely partner had used a rechargeable Blower to rearrange those leaves but it had worn out and was too weak to have much effect. It had trouble moving dandelion seeds. Last Year, I 'lost' that device; replacing it with a Toro 51586 Power Sweep, 120VAC (840 Watts!) that could move small rocks and lots of leaves. She could use it but it was a bit too heavy and she disliked the cord; which obliged her by tripping her up when she trying to sweep the deck. The cord was always just a tad short. And a mess to untangle and store. The noise was ferocious and it was so powerful she had trouble controlling it - if the aim is off a bit, you might clear the dishes off the table. (Toro advertises a 140mph blast. That's what makes jet aircraft fly.)
Last week, she got loose in Orchard Supply and took advantage of the situation by getting herownself another rechargeable blower, 18VDC; that is lighter by a pound, ever so much quieter, will not clear the table, and makes her happy.
WHAT IS IT?
One of a family of battery powered Yard and Shop tools by Black & Decker. Many of that family use the same 18VDC Battery Pack; P/N 244760-0, $43.00 plus tax. Used with moderation in light cleanup tasks; the NS118 will run 2 to 3 hours after being fully charged (12 Hours, so start out early.)
The Black&Decker NS118 is almost 36 inches long, the last 3 inches of the nozzle are bent upward slightly to allow the user to direct the blast right at the target without having to scrooch down. (The Toro tends to pin leaves down on the asphalt pavement.)
USING IT
The nozzle, motor and handle are arranged to balance around the hand, the switch is a 2 inch long flap that is easy to find. It bottoms out in either position. No guesswork needed. As I was attending to business in the office, I gradually became aware that 'Partner' was using the NS118 to caddy up the front porch, light duty, few leaves up close to the house. She had already cleared the upper deck and part of the lower deck, again light leaf loads.
I couldn't resist; tried it out by blowing a path the length of the driveway, through a week's supply of dry oak leaves. I could move along at a walking pace, pushing everything along until I reached the end of the driveway. It becomes a narrow forest path at the gate; I just kept going down the pathway for about 50 feet. The leaves had collected in a fillet pattern on the uphill side of the path so I had to slow down a bit; a terrific cloud of dust marked my progress. Dry leaves are nearly as slick as ice at this time of year and we have had deaths from falls that started with an unwary step. On the way back up to the driveway, the path was clear and much safer. I liked the new toy and hope 'Partner' will let me use it again.
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