One battery for the hedge trimmer, another for the grass trimmer, and yet another for the leaf blower, each with its own charger. Start like that and after a few years you have a drawer full of batteries that don't fit anything else. It's smarter to choose one battery system and build your garden tools around it. But which system? In this comparison you can read how the systems from Bosch, Gardena, Husqvarna, AL-KO, Makita, Einhell, Greenworks and Kärcher work, what volts and amp-hours mean, and how to choose the system that suits your garden.
In short: a battery only fits machines from the same system, even if the voltage is the same. POWER FOR ALL is the largest shared system: Bosch, Gardena and Husqvarna Aspire use the same 18V battery. Makita and Einhell combine two 18V batteries for heavier machines. Greenworks works with lines at 24V, 40V and 60V. Choose the system you already have, or the one that has all the machines you need.
What is a battery system?
A battery system is a range of machines that use the same battery and charger. If you buy a lawn mower, hedge trimmer and leaf blower from the same system, you can move one battery from one machine to the next. That saves money, space and the hassle of chargers.
Important: voltage alone doesn't tell you whether a battery fits. Two 18-volt batteries from different systems have a different connection and usually won't fit each other's machines. So look at the name of the system, such as POWER FOR ALL, LXT or Power X-Change. That name often already appears in the product title.
Many machines are sold in two versions: with battery and charger (often called "set" or "kit") and without ("solo", "body" or "basic"). If you already have a battery from the system, buy the next machine solo and only pay for the tool itself.
Choice test: which battery system suits you?
Answer four questions to see which direction suits you best. Then read what to expect from each system.
Which battery system suits your garden?
Do you already have battery tools at home?
- Yes, something from Bosch (green), Gardena or Husqvarna Aspire
- Yes, a drill or other tool from Makita or Einhell
- No, I'm starting from scratch
How big is your garden?
- Small to medium, with a lawn up to a few hundred square metres
- Medium, and I also do DIY in and around the house
- Large, with a lot of grass to mow
Which machines do you want in the coming years?
- Hedge trimmer, strimmer, lawn mower and blower for the garden
- Garden machines and tools for indoors too, such as a drill
- Mainly heavy machines: a large mower, a powerful blower
What do you find most important?
- One battery that fits many brands
- A very large range of machines from one brand
- High power and a long run time
POWER FOR ALL 18V suits you. One battery for machines from Bosch, Gardena and the Aspire series from Husqvarna, ideal for an ordinary garden.
Makita LXT or Einhell Power X-Change suits you. Large systems with garden machines and DIY tools, and heavier machines running on two 18V batteries.
A system with more voltage suits you, such as Greenworks' 40V or 60V line, Husqvarna's 36V machines or Makita and Einhell's 2 x 18V machines.
The battery systems compared
This overview shows which systems you'll encounter with the brands in this comparison. The names come from the product titles and product information.
| Brand | System | Voltage | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch | POWER FOR ALL | 18V, some machines 36V | Battery also fits Gardena and Husqvarna Aspire |
| Gardena | POWER FOR ALL (P4A) | 18V | Recognisable by "P4A" in the name |
| Husqvarna | Aspire (P4A) and own 36V | 18V and 36V | Aspire on POWER FOR ALL, the 36V machines on their own batteries |
| AL-KO | Partly Bosch 18V, own Energy Flex | 18V and higher | Check which system per machine |
| Makita | LXT, XGT and CXT | 18V (2 x 18V), 40V Max, 12V Max | XGT and CXT are separate lines |
| Einhell | Power X-Change | 18V (2 x 18V for 36V) | Garden and DIY machines on one battery |
| Greenworks | Own lines | 24V (2 x 24V), 40V, 60V | Battery fits within the same line |
| Kärcher | Own batteries | 18V and 36V | Two separate lines |
| Wolf-Garten | Lycos | 40V | Check which battery per machine |
Choose a battery system the way you choose a phone brand: not based on the first machine, but on everything you want to do with it in the coming years.
POWER FOR ALL: Bosch, Gardena and Husqvarna Aspire
POWER FOR ALL is a battery system that Bosch uses together with other brands. The idea: one 18V battery for machines from different brands. In this comparison you can see it across three brands:
- Bosch (the green line for home and garden): hedge trimmers, strimmers, lawn mowers and blowers at 18V, such as the UniversalLeafBlower 18V-130.
- Gardena: 18V machines with "P4A" in the name, such as the PowerJet 18V P4A and the EasyTrim trimmers.
- Husqvarna: the Aspire series, also recognisable by "P4A", such as the Aspire B8X-P4A cordless blower.
You also see 18V machines that work on Bosch batteries at AL-KO, such as the AL-KO CS 1825, "compatible with Bosch 18V". AL-KO also has its own battery system, so check the product information for each machine.
Note: the blue Bosch Professional line for tradespeople is a separate line. If you want to combine it with the green machines, check the product information to see whether the battery fits.
Look for the logo
Machines and batteries from the system carry the POWER FOR ALL logo or "P4A" in the name. If you don't see that, don't assume the battery fits.
Makita LXT and Einhell Power X-Change
Makita and Einhell both have a large 18V system with not only garden machines but also drills, saws and other DIY tools. Handy if you also do jobs around the house.
Makita: LXT, with two batteries for heavy work
Most of Makita's garden machines run on LXT 18V. Heavier machines, such as the DUB362Z blower and the DLM382Z lawn mower, use two LXT batteries at once (2 x 18V). That gives you more power without a new system. Makita also has the XGT 40V Max, a separate line with its own batteries, such as the 43 cm XGT lawn mower, and the smaller CXT 12V Max.
Einhell: Power X-Change
At Einhell the system is called Power X-Change. The 18V battery fits Einhell garden and DIY machines. Machines at 36V, such as the GE-CH 36/61 hedge trimmer, work with two 18V batteries. Many machines are sold as "Solo", without a battery.
Greenworks, Husqvarna, Kärcher and Wolf-Garten
A few brands work with their own systems, often with more voltage for larger gardens.
- Greenworks has several lines: 24V, 40V and 60V. Machines at 48V, such as the G24X2LM41 lawn mower and the 48V blower, work with two 24V batteries. A battery only fits within its own line: a 40V battery won't fit a 60V machine.
- Husqvarna has, alongside Aspire, a range of 36V machines, such as the 215iL trimmer, the 230iB blower and the LC 142i mower. Those run on Husqvarna's own batteries, not on POWER FOR ALL.
- Kärcher has an 18V and a 36V line, for example the LBL 2-18 V and the LBL 4 Battery at 36V.
- Wolf-Garten works with 40V machines in the Lycos series. Check which battery goes with each machine.
Volts, amp-hours and watt-hours explained
Every battery shows two numbers. Here's how to read them:
| Term | What it means | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Volt (V) | The voltage, belongs to the system | Must match the machine |
| Amp-hour (Ah) | The capacity of the battery | Higher means longer run time |
| Watt-hour (Wh) | Volts x Ah: the energy in the battery | Useful for comparing batteries |
A worked example: an 18 V, 4 Ah battery has 72 Wh. Two 18 V, 4 Ah batteries in a 2 x 18V machine have 144 Wh together. For a hedge trimmer a smaller battery is fine; for a lawn mower or blower that runs for a long time, a battery with more Ah is worthwhile. How long you actually keep working also depends on the machine and the setting you use it on.
Two smaller batteries or one large one?
Two batteries let you keep working while one charges, and you can have two machines ready at the same time. One large battery is handy for a machine that runs for a long time non-stop, such as a lawn mower.
How to choose in four steps
Lay out all your batteries and chargers on the table. If you already have a system with a few batteries, that's almost always the cheapest route.
Which machines do you want in the coming years? Think of a lawn mower, hedge trimmer, strimmer, leaf blower, pressure washer and perhaps a chainsaw.
Look at garden tools and the brand pages to see which machines are available per system, including the heavier ones.
Start with one set with a battery and charger, then buy solo machines. For a large garden, a second battery with more Ah is a good investment.
Six machines, six systems
To make the systems concrete, below you'll find six available machines, each from a different system or brand. The specs come from the title and product information; you can see the current price and shop on the cards.
| Machine | System | Battery included? |
|---|---|---|
| Bosch UniversalHedgeCut 18-55 | POWER FOR ALL 18V | Yes, with charger |
| Gardena EasyTrim 25/18V P4A | POWER FOR ALL 18V | Set |
| Husqvarna Aspire LC34-P4A | POWER FOR ALL 18V | See product information |
| Einhell GE-CH 36/61 Li | Power X-Change 2 x 18V | No, solo |
| Makita DLM382Z | LXT 2 x 18V | No |
| Greenworks G24X2LM41 | 48V (2 x 24V) | Yes, 2 x 2 Ah and charger |
Bosch UniversalHedgeCut 18-55: getting started with POWER FOR ALL
A hedge trimmer with a 55 cm blade, supplied with an 18V battery and charger. That gives you a battery straight away that also fits Gardena and Husqvarna Aspire machines.
UniversalHedgeCut 18-55 with battery
Gardena EasyTrim 25/18V P4A: a trimmer on the same system
A Gardena grass trimmer on POWER FOR ALL. The set includes a battery, which you can then also use in your Bosch hedge trimmer.
EasyTrim 25/18V P4A set
Husqvarna Aspire LC34-P4A: mowing on the same battery
A cordless lawn mower from the Aspire series, according to the title suitable for lawns up to 500 m². It runs on POWER FOR ALL 18V. There is also a version without a battery.
Einhell GE-CH 36/61 Li: 36V with two 18V batteries
A hedge trimmer with a 61 cm blade on Power X-Change. The machine runs at 36V with two 18V batteries and is sold solo.
Makita DLM382Z: mowing on two LXT batteries
A lawn mower with a 38 cm cutting width that runs on two 18V LXT batteries. Sold without battery and charger, so it's ideal if you already have Makita batteries.
DLM382Z 38 cm lawn mower
Greenworks G24X2LM41: 48V from two 24V batteries
A lawn mower at 48V that works with two 24V Greenworks batteries. Supplied with two 2 Ah batteries and a charger.
Also worth a look:
AL-KO CS 1825 on Bosch 18V
View saw →
Makita XGT 40V Max mower
View mower →
Husqvarna Aspire blower
View blower →A quick way to choose
- Already have batteries: stick with that system and buy solo
- Ordinary garden, several brands: POWER FOR ALL 18V
- DIY in and around the house: Makita LXT or Einhell Power X-Change
- Large garden, lots of mowing: a system with more voltage
- Always: look at the name of the system, not just the voltage
Common mistakes
Only looking at the voltage
An 18V battery from one brand usually won't fit an 18V machine from another brand. The name of the system is what counts.
Buying a machine with its own battery each time
A set with battery and charger for every machine is more expensive and leaves you with a drawer full of chargers. After your first set, buy solo machines.
Choosing a system based on one machine
A great deal on a lawn mower is less attractive if the system has no hedge trimmer or blower that suits you. Look at the whole range.
A battery with too few Ah for the lawn mower
A battery with low Ah is fine for a hedge trimmer, but a lawn mower on such a battery will need charging halfway across the lawn. For mowing, aim for more capacity or a second battery.
Storing batteries badly
A battery that spends the winter in a cold shed or sits completely empty for months won't last as long. Read how to winterise your garden tools.
Checklist for your first or next machine
- You know which batteries and chargers you already have
- You have a list of the machines you want
- The system has all those machines
- The name of the system is in the product information
- You know whether you're buying a set or a solo machine
- The capacity (Ah) suits the machine and your garden
- You have a dry, frost-free place for your batteries
Ready to choose? Compare lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, trimmers and leaf blowers by system. You can also read leaf blower buying guide: battery, corded or petrol? and trimming a hedge in autumn.
Frequently asked questions
Do batteries from different brands fit each other?
Usually not. A battery only fits machines from the same battery system. The exception is brands that share one system, such as POWER FOR ALL: Bosch, Gardena and Husqvarna's Aspire series all use the same 18V batteries. Always check the name of the system in the product information, not just the voltage.
What do volts and amp-hours mean for a battery?
Voltage (V) indicates the power level and belongs to the system: 18V, 36V, 40V. Amp-hours (Ah) indicate capacity: the higher the number, the longer you can keep working. Multiply the two and you get the energy in watt-hours (Wh): an 18V, 4Ah battery has 72Wh.
Which is better: 18V or 36V?
It depends on the machine and your garden. For a hedge trimmer, strimmer or small leaf blower, 18V is often enough. For heavier work, such as a larger lawnmower or a powerful blower, many brands use 36V or more. With Makita and Einhell, 36V machines work with two 18V batteries, so you stay within the same system.
What does solo or body mean for battery tools?
Solo, body or basic means the machine is sold without a battery and charger. This is good value if you already have batteries from the same system. If you don't have a battery yet, choose a set or kit that includes a battery and charger, or buy a battery and charger separately.
Which battery system is the best?
There is no single best system for everyone. First look at what you already have, then at which machines you want in the coming years, and whether the system offers all of them. For an average garden, the large 18V systems are a safe choice; for a large garden with a lot of mowing, a system with higher voltage may be a better fit.
