We took a trip to South Carolina to attend the HART Be Free Outdoor Event and got the very first look at HART Tools’ brand new fully electric riding mower. PS: I drove it! Written in partnership with HART Tools
Just one year ago I didn’t even know how to use power tools. Aside from a drill and a sander, I was clueless. But as a homeowner of a new (old) fixer upper, I was determined to up my DIY skills so I could renovate our home. I was immediately drawn to HART Tools, sold exclusively at Walmart, because they were not only affordable, but they were approachable for me as a beginner.
Fast forward to April 2022, one year after partnering with HART Tools as an ambassador, and my life has turned a full 180. Not only do I know how to use just about every type of power tool in existence, but I’m confident in my skills as a DIYer. Through working with the team at HART Tools, I can turn an idea into reality without having to ask for help or hire a pro.
Earlier this month, I received an “unconventional” invitation fro my friends at HART…a giant box with grass printed all over it. Nigel and I opened it up to find all kinds of goodies inside, along with an exclusive invite to visit their headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina to be the very first to see a new product that hadn’t been released yet.
So we hopped on a plane and flew to SC completely unaware of what was in store for us. This was the first media trip Nigel has gotten to attend with me, so this trip was extra special for us. He’s has gotten more involved with my business lately, and we were excited to find out that he was invited, too.
When we arrived at the GSP airport, a van was there waiting for us along with a few other bloggers, influencers, and YouTubers. We all shared our guesses on what the new product would be and chatted about how we got started with HART Tools as ambassadors.
The van took us to HART’s main headquarters at TTI Group. This campus was huge! Fun fact, HART Tools, Ryobi, and Rigid are all headquartered in this building, so walking inside was a tool-lover’s heaven.
We were greeted with a big wall of tools from all three brands, with HART’s lawn equipment front and center. To be honest, it felt a little surreal to be standing there with all these other people who also create content for a living. I’m used to documenting everything I do in public, but being in an environment with other influencers felt so incredibly inclusive. We all were filming and photographing, which was fueling our creative energy like nothing I’ve felt before.
We were led down a long hallway and into what HART calls “The Walmart Room.” And it’s exactly what you think it is…a room staged to look just like Walmart’s tool section! They had the tool aisles, the home improvement section, and even the lawn and garden area. HART uses this room to film all their content so it looks like they’re inside a Walmart store. It was amazing!
Inside this room, there were tables set up for us to test out some of their most popular power tools, along with an area to try out the new vacuums and spot cleaners that are coming soon. I immediately fell in love with the spot cleaner, which should be coming out later this summer. I can’t wait to get my hands on one to have at home!
After we finished up in The Walmart Room, we were taken into a top secret room to see top secret things that I can’t tell you about. We weren’t allowed to photograph or video this space, but let me tell you…HART Tools is an impressive company. I am blown away at their attention to detail when it comes to designing their products.
After a little more time playing around in The Walmart Room and filming some fun videos, we hopped back in the van to head to our second location for lunch. As we turned onto a long road that led to a big event barn, we all saw it…
Two fully electric HART riding mowers parked right outside. Everyone in the van lost their minds and we all collectively cheered. We knew there would be a new product reveal, but we had no idea it would be this awesome. We hurried off the bus and b-lined it straight to the mowers.
Before we could even get in line for lunch at the BBQ food truck, Steve Ford from HGTV’s Restored By The Ford’s was already doing donuts on one of the mowers. That’s when we knew this was going to be an awesome afternoon because we didn’t just get to see the mowers, but we were going to get to drive them! There’s Nigel in the photo above taking it for a spin; more on that later.
After lunch, we were split into groups and cycled around six different stations to try out every single type of HART outdoor power tool in their current lineup.
From trimmers to augers, chainsaws to hedge trimmers, blowers to lawn mowers, we got to use it all. HART pros demo’d each tool and how it works, and we got expert tutorials for rocking our lawn maintenance better than ever before.
The chainsaws were my favorite station. I have used chainsaws in the past, but they were gas powered. Let me tell you, if you haven’t tried an electric chainsaw before, it will change your life. No pulling strings and sputtering engines.
With one push of a button, the chain was rolling. And it cut through wood like butter. I was having so much fun with both the tiny baby sized chainsaw and the big daddy largest model.
The final station was the mowers, and it’s what Nigel and I had been waiting for. We got a quick lesson on how the new riders work, then we were set free to drive them all over a big field. The HART Tools Electric Riding Mower was SO much fun to drive! It was just like a go kart.
It’s super quiet when it’s not cutting and still very much quieter than a gas-powered mower when the blades are in use. It turns really well, too. The mowers will be available later this spring in Walmart stores nationwide, and there is an optional bagger accessory available, too.
I’m still pinching myself that Nigel and I were invited to be a part of this event. I’m so honored to be an ambassador for HART Tools because I believe in this company so strongly. They really care about their customers, their ambassadors, and their employees, and they take pride in developing great products. HART Tools isn’t just “a Walmart brand”, they are a brand of innovative tools accessible to anyone with any experience level.
I can’t wait to share more about the products I tried last week, and I have some fun giveaways coming soon! Make sure you’re following me on Instagram to see when the prizes drop, and check out this video recap of our full day at the 2022 HART Be Free Outdoor Event.
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