Author Scott Carbonara

Scott is a leadership author, coach, and speaker specializing in building engagement. He comes from a long line of farmers and avid gardeners but claims he can’t tell wisteria from poison ivy. However, he happily serves as his wife’s muscle in the yard. Learn more about Scott here >>


Craftsman 60V Max Hedge Trimmer: Product Review


This cordless hedge trimmer is good for light- to middle-duty residential use due to its long battery life (60 to 80 minutes on a single charge), light weight (under 10 lbs.), good maneuverability, and reasonable price. It makes clean cuts on thinner stems, perfect for users with small gardens and hedges who need to keep a manicured look. But if you’re looking for a hedge trimmer that can muscle through thicker vegetation, you might want Continue Reading


Craftsman 60V Max Handheld Blower: Product Review


This is the lightest cordless blower I’ve tested to date, as well as one of the most powerful. At just over 5 lbs (10 lbs with the battery installed), a 90-minute run time (on the low setting), and 600 CFM blowing at 110 mph, this is one heck of a blower. It doesn’t have a shoulder strap but it simply doesn’t need one; it’s light-weight and well-balanced enough to be easily held with just one Continue Reading


Craftsman V60 Max 60-volt Cordless String Trimmer (CMCST960): Product Review


If you have weeds, tall grass where it doesn’t belong, or hard-to-clear areas around your yard, look no further. This cordless Craftsman trimmer is light-weight (10.2 lbs), simple to use, adjustable, highly maneuverable, and very reasonably priced. With 60V of power, it has the oomph needed to whack through thicker grass and weeds, and I was easily able to trim my 1-acre lot with only a single charge. The battery isn’t as heavy as 120V Continue Reading


LaCrosse Alpha Muddy Mule Shoes: Product Review


If you’re looking for durable, comfortable, easy-to-clean gardening shoes, you’ll love LaCrosse Alpha Muddy Mule shoes. From the first wearing, the shoes help you comfortably complete gardening chores with no “breaking-in” needed. Your feet stay clean, as the stretchy nylon around the heel keeps muck out of the shoe—and your foot in it. The waterproof material prevents soggy socks. A perfect addition to your gardening wardrobe for hours of comfort. Continue Reading


Earthquake 1-Man Earth Auger Powerhead: Product Review


If you’re looking to make quick work of digging holes, the Earthquake 1-Man Earth Auger Powerhead offers an ideal solution. Even in heavy clay or rocky soil, the auger cuts through tough terrain, reducing the amount of time and effort needed to create multiple holes for fence posts or planting trees. The auger assembles quickly, and it starts easily without much effort. Its 37-lb. weight works with gravity to speed digging performance—but mobility can be Continue Reading


Fiskars Chain Drive Extendable Pole Saw & Pruner: Review


This lightweight, extendable pruning tool easily and cleanly cuts through 1 ¼ inch branches with the bypass pruner head and 8 inches with the saw. It extends from 8 to 16 feet and locks securely in place at either extreme or anywhere in-between. The chain-drive and pulley system operates the pruner smoothly, without any tangling or twisting, and the rigidity of the pole means no bouncing when using the saw. This is a quality tool Continue Reading


Corona DualLINK™ Extendable Tree Saw & Pruner: Product Review


The lightweight Corona DualLINK Extendable Tree Saw & Pruner has some benefits, such as the DuraLINK 3X compound action which makes pruning 1” branches much easier and the terrific Razor TOOTH Saw® which cut through hard wood with ease. However, the pruner head needs 6 inches of clearance to make a clean cut (something you often don’t have when pruning overgrown trees), the fully extended pole is too springy so it makes the saw blade Continue Reading


Yardmax Chipper Shredder (YW7565): Product Review


For the price (under $800), I love the Yardmax chipper shredder. It’s a better chipper than any unit I’ve used, and it’s almost as good as others when it comes to shredding. The self-feeding feature makes it much easier to feed material into the large hopper, and the combination of a powerful engine and heavy cutting blades makes quick work of branches up to 3 inches in diameter. It’s a well-built, heavy-duty unit that should Continue Reading


Earthquake® Tazz Chipper Shredder (30520 K32): Product Review


For the price-conscious homeowner wanting a powerful, compact chipper/shredder to use a half-dozen times a year, the TazzTM is a fantastic choice. It excels at shredding all sorts of yard debris and the 20:1 reduction ratio turns it into a nice mulch. It does a very good job chipping long, straight branches, although somewhat less so when it comes to very short or forked branches. It’s lighter weight than comparable machines, easy to maneuver and Continue Reading


Redback 120vRX Lithium-Ion Cordless String Trimmer: Product Review


Redback does it again with a lightweight yet powerful offering with its new120vRX Lithium-Ion Cordless String Trimmer. It’s simple to use, runs non-stop for about 70 minutes (the weeds will run out before it does!), operates at 6,000 RPM to easily tackle even tall, shrubby weeds, and is highly maneuverable. Plus, it’s very competitively priced. Of all the string trimmers I’ve reviewed, this is the one I most recommend. Continue Reading