Is it safe to use and store gas with ethanol in lawnmowers, tillers and trimmers with additive added?
That is all figured into the price. It might be hard to find gas that does not contain some ethanol at this point. Ethanol added to gas will not significantly reduce the cost of the product at the pump.
Unleaded petrol (gasoline) will clog the jets in the carburretor if left unused over winter. Additives will most likely exacerbate the problem. I would run the engines until the fuel tanks are dry and the engines stop for that reason. That is really the only way to ensure no fuel remains in the carburettors.
Most gas engined tools recommend that they be stored for extended periods of time with no gas in the tank or in the carburetor. They suggest we pour out the gas into a safe container, then run the device until it is out of gas. Most also suggest removing the plug and putting a small amount of motor oil in the cylinder, then rolling the engine over with the pull cord before putting the plug back in. These are good suggestions but, in the Pacific Northwest, I have been known to cut my grass at least once in every month of the year. Sometimes I skip a month or two but I usually have to cut the stuff so it doesn't get my socks wet when I walk across it. My mower rarely goes long enough to have problems with gas. I do, however, fill the tank to the top and put the lid on it. With less air, there is less space for evaporation. Gas here always has up to 10 % ethanol in it. Where you live, you may want to get some gasoline stabilizer additive for your gas can. You mix it according to their instructions then fill the mower tank. It stabilizes the chemical makeup of the gas to prevent problems with the engine. If you use that stuff, you shouldn't have any problems next spring.
