E5 OR E10? - Kitchen Garden Magazine

With the introduction last week of E5 and E10 petrol options many will be wondering what can be used in petrol driven gardening tools.

E10, the cheaper option and introduced to reduce CO2 emissions, is made up of 90% regular unleaded and 10% ethanol, hence why it is called E10. On the other hand, E5, the dearer alternative, is made up of 95% regular unleaded and only 5% ethanol.

The issue for garden tools is that ethanol absorbs moisture from the air inside the tank. This means that if E10 left in the tank, especially over winter, there may well be corrosion of fuel system components.

Mowers- Online recommends adding a fuel stabilizer to the tank to prevent this, whether you are using E5 or E10.

The main issue seems to revolve around storage but the best advice is consult with the manufacturer for specific guidance relevant to your model.

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Tony Flanagan

Tony Flanagan is Kitchen Garden’s staff writer. He has been an enthusiastic grower of fruit and veg for many years. His favourite things to grow are peppers (sweet and chllli), tomatoes, herbs and beans. When he is not gardening or not writing about gardening, he is an avid Wolverhampton Wanderers fan. 07587038039 | [email protected]