Since being introduced on the market, battery operated outdoor power equipment (OPE) has found a substantial audience with DIY homeowners in the United States.
Customers are drawn to battery OPE for several reasons: a belief that it’s better for the environment, the ease of use, the convenience of not having to purchase gas, and quieter operation.
How has the OPE Market Evolved in 2024?
The growth of battery OPE has slowed some in 2024 as gas purchases rose, although both continue to take share from corded products in numerous OPE categories, according to our 2024 Consumer Attitudes on Battery v. Gas OPE Survey, which our market researchers conduct regularly on behalf of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.
Yet while battery OPE is still preferred by homeowners, adoption appears to have hit a bit of a plateau. Some of the main culprits for this may be low consumer confidence and a strong budget-sensitive mindset among homeowners as 2024 comes to an end. Other reasons have to do with homeowner attitudes toward battery vs. gas OPE and how perceptions have shifted over the years.
As a whole, homeowner preference for battery OPE is two times that for gas alternatives, but actual purchases do not reflect that same ratio. In 2022, about 69% of homeowners preferred battery OPE compared to 21% who preferred gas products. In 2024, that shifted to 62% for battery compared to 28% for gas-powered equipment.
Still, in 2024, a larger percentage of homeowners purchased battery operated blowers and hedge trimmers than gas-fueled alternatives. Purchases of battery operated lawn edgers and gas-powered options were about even—30% for the former and 29% for the latter.
However, when it comes to walk-behind mowers, chainsaws, and pressure washers, customers seem to decidedly prefer gas-operated products.
Barriers to Adopting Battery Powered OPE
Understanding homeowners’ usage and attitudes toward battery powered OPE and the reasons homeowners consider—or don’t consider—products that rely on this power source will help building products manufacturers adapt messaging and product development strategies accordingly.
Here is a look at several persistent barriers to the widespread adoption of battery powered OPE and how they might affect sales in 2025:
1. Perception of Lower Performance
One of the main barriers to usage of battery OPE is a lingering perception that it isn’t as powerful, or doesn’t perform as well, as gas-fueled products. However, the perception gap regarding these two primary power sources has been steadily narrowing over the past several years, according to our bi-annual study. The difference between the mean performance ratings has decreased from 1.1 in 2018 to 0.7 in 2024, which means that the perception gap is shrinking. But for battery OPE manufacturers, there is still work to be done to shift this perception among homeowners to increase their consideration of OPE, especially since performance is a top attribute evaluated when choosing power equipment. Speed and durability go hand-in-hand with performance, and gas products are also perceived as superior when it comes to these two characteristics.
2. Cost of Battery Powered OPE
Budget is a key factor for non-buyers—both the expense of the equipment itself and the cost of new batteries. Among homeowners who consider buying battery powered OPE, but then decide against it, cost is the biggest deterrent, with 26% citing battery OPE as more expensive than their gas counterparts.
Roughly one-fourth of individuals who didn’t consider buying OPE in the first place also felt cost was a major obstacle. As our researchers have studied the OPE category, we’ve also seen the concern about expense increasing since 2018, which is a reflection of market conditions and consumer sentiments around inflation and the current cost of living. With homeowners making tradeoffs in discretionary spending, it’s important to know your customers’ challenges and respond accordingly. To not lose market share, manufacturers might consider offering a breadth of price points for power equipment and value props to accommodate the range of needs among different homeowners.
3. Inconvenience of Charging
It’s no question we live in a culture that values convenience and comfort, and that value set influences how customers perceive power equipment, as well. Some homeowners are put off by the perceived hassle of having to charge the batteries on their mowers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, and other outdoor power equipment. Battery OPE is still more highly regarded than gas when it comes to ease of use, but the perception gap on this feature has decreased since 2020. It’s important that manufacturers work to shorten the length of time it takes to recharge battery OPE, to decrease the amount of time the equipment is unable to be used.
4. Questionable Battery Life
Battery life is the main concern for homeowners who did not consider buying battery OPE. Nearly one-third said they wouldn’t consider purchasing battery-operated products because they worry the battery charge wouldn't last long enough to finish the job. This concern is more prevalent among male than female customers, with Gen Xers and Boomers also more likely to cite it as a reason why they wouldn’t go for battery OPE. Property owners with more extensive outdoor spaces—including lawns, gardens, and areas used for agriculture—may especially desire assurance that their OPE has the appropriate battery life to tackle the scope of their projects without the inconvenience of needing to be recharged in the middle of a task.
5. Hard to Service
To a lesser extent, some customers also worry about maintaining and caring for their battery OPE. We’ve also witnessed the perception of this factor shift since 2018. Battery OPE used to be perceived as easier to repair than gas-fueled products, but that has changed since 2022. This is a perception that can be confronted by manufacturers in product development, marketing and advertising, and efforts in building strategic partnerships with suppliers and professionals with the skills to service equipment. If DIY homeowners feel empowered to maintain battery OPE and have easily accessible information into how and where to get their equipment fixed and maintained, it will help to alleviate this concern.
Dig Deeper into Customer Usage and Attitudes Toward Battery vs. Gas OPE
You can unpack more insights into homeowner usage and attitudes towards gas versus battery outdoor equipment by downloading our 2024 Consumer Attitudes on Battery v. Gas OPE Report. This report delves deeper into how homeowners currently perceive battery vs. gas OPE and how their perceptions and preferences shape their current purchasing attitudes. To further explore customer usage and attitudes regarding OPE—and other home improvement products—we can help you conduct customized research into your specific customer base and for your specific products. This will ensure you get timely insights from real target customers, to help you make informed business decisions - from guiding product development to tailoring marketing campaigns to increase impact.
