Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) has experienced a number of shifts over the past few years, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer confidence, and how homeowners perceive and use specific power sources for their products.

The category, as a whole, has experienced a couple years of sluggish growth, with purchases falling in 2022 among DIY homeowners, but we are seeing indications that category growth is picking up, and returning to pre-pandemic levels, namely among lawn edgers, blowers, ZTR mowers, and chainsaws.

Homeowners are reporting feeling more confident to make planned purchases of OPE across numerous categories, with gas-powered products maintaining their stronghold in the industry, despite the presence of battery-powered alternatives.

The Market Outlook for OPE in 2025

According to data from Fortune Business Insights, the global OPE market size was valued at approximately $33.74 billion in 2023. It is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4%, from $35.51 billion in 2024 to $54.23 billion by 2032. In the U.S., the market is forecast to reach about $24.94 billion by 2032.

This growth is anticipated to come from an increasing demand for equipment to use for gardening and landscaping projects, including lawn maintenance.

Data from our recent, publicly available study on Consumer Attitudes on Battery v. Gas OPE, shows that lawn edgers are the most frequently purchased OPE among homeowners, looking to accomplish DIY projects on their property. This is followed by blowers and walk-behind mowers, which were each bought by 48% of homeowners who purchased OPE in 2024, followed by chainsaws, which were purchased by 38% of homeowners.

Planned Purchases of OPE Post-COVID

A top question we've been hearing from our clients and others in OPE is this: what was the impact of the response to covid on planned purchases of various OPE products?

What our team has found through conducting market research is that while OPE purchase activity remained stable throughout 2020—particularly as residential owners had discretionary funds to spend and homeownership rates increased—tighter finances and shrinking homeownership rates have created impacts in the OPE category these past couple of years. Not only were homeowners purchasing fewer OPE products, in general, but there was also a drop in planned purchases, with fewer homeowners intending to make such investments in 2022.

Now, as our 2024 iteration of the study indicates, there’s been some recovery. Planned purchases of OPE are starting to return to pre-pandemic levels, and we expect increases in 2025.

In our 2024 study, more homeowners stated plans to purchase lawn edgers, blowers, pressure washers, hedge trimmers, lawn tractors, and ZTR mowers in the next 12 months, compared to responses in our 2022 study. While no category of OPE has reached the same level of planned purchasing as in 2018 and 2020, there are positive signs of intent across the board.

A couple of exceptions include chainsaws and walk-behind mowers, with stated purchase intent for both of these product categories remaining lower in 2024 than in 2022, indicating a hesitation among homeowners to plan for these OPE purchases.

In 2024, lawn edgers had the highest planned purchase rate, or 45%, followed by walk-behind mowers at 39%. Robotic mowers and the chippers, loggers, and splitters were on the opposite side of the spectrum, with only 7% being planned purchases.

When it comes to adoption of different power sources, gas-powered products are seeing an upward trend across most categories, despite trends in legislative action and environmental concerns about the use of gas for fuel. For example, 28% of individuals planning to purchase walk-behind mowers are looking for gas-powered mowers, compared to 26% in 2022. Meanwhile, planned purchases of battery-operated walk-behind mowers dropped from 16% in 2022 to 11% in 2024.

Our findings also show that while corded OPE tends to capture the smallest percentage of planned purchases across most categories, there also have been slight increases from 2022 to 2024 in certain categories—including lawn edgers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, and pressure washer—but they haven’t returned to pre-COVID levels.

Tapping into Middle-Aged Consumers for OPE

OPE is used for a variety of tasks to cultivate inviting and functional residential properties and green spaces. This includes everything from tree care and lawn maintenance to snow removal, hardscaping, and landscaping. Those individuals who produce a yield off their property, through ranching, gardening, and agriculture, also have specific needs for OPE.

Middle-aged consumers—between ages 37 and 51—present the strongest market opportunity across most OPE categories. About 47% are planning to purchase lawn edgers and walk-behind mowers in the next 12 months, and 39% are planning purchases in the blower and pressure-washier categories.

Older customers, ages 52 to 70 years old, plan to buy less in general. The only categories where they plan more purchases than other demographics include hedge trimmers, lawn tractors, and snow blowers.

OPE manufacturers and suppliers can tap into the purchasing intentions of middle-aged homeowners, making tools user-friendly and easy to operate. It’s also important to cultivate brand loyalty among these customers, who will invest in products and brands with which they’re familiar and have a positive track record. Making sure these products are available where middle-aged customers prefer to shop is also vital.

Roughly 1 in 3 first-time homebuyers—who tend fall into the 21- to 36-year-old age category—tend to plan OPE purchases. In general, they plan less than the older age groups, as they are newer to homeownership and all the responsibilities that it entails. It takes time for them to grow a deeper understanding of what products will be needed for outdoor maintenance and upkeep. As a result, they may be less likely to plan ahead for these types of purchases, and instead buy them as the need arises.

A few categories where we observe exceptions include remote-controlled mowers, robotic mowers, and rear-engine riding mowers. Younger homeowners seem the most willing to consider these types of purchases than their older peers, although, in general, our data shows that there’s been an increasing awareness around and even exposure to robotics, without a significant change in ownership.

Responding to OPE Growth in 2025

With an expectation for a return to pre-pandemic growth rates in the OPE market by the end of 2025, industry stakeholders have to regain a competitive mindset to both maintain and capture a larger market share. Knowing your consumer intimately can help you curate products tailored toward their preferences and provide the support they need. Our market researchers at The Farnsworth Group will work with you on customized studies among the right audience to help you keep up with shifting demands, innovate using new technologies and stay ahead of disruptive competitors.