Got a Stihl for general use but looking for a decent cordless trimmer for quick, no fuss, grab and go use. Probably would change head to get rid of string feed which I've always hated. Just grass/light weeds.
Anyone have a cordless/rechargeable string trimmer they like?
- Thread starter Waorani
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Oldest daughter gave me a Dewalt. Seems to work good the few times I've used it. Lots of Dewalt batteries, so it was a good fit for me. You could move up to a pair of 60 volt 6AH batteries, they last a long time.
I have a Black and Decker 20v with lithuim ion batteries I picked up at Lowes a few years back that has been very reliable thus far, trimming upwards of .4 ac worth of typical suburban property. I cut once a week most of the time, so it has probably close to a hundred runs on it. I didn't pay over $100 for it and I don't have the noise or have to fight with a finicky gas engine like I have had in the past.
The auto feeding string on them isn't bad at all, I am only on the second spool so they have a lot of length and last a long time. I would definitely recommend getting a second battery if you have a larger type property, quarter acre I got away with one but on the bigger one where I had a sizable ditch on two sides to trim up too, it needed the second battery every run. It's definitely homeowner grade and can't think of doing brush or tall grass, but for what you say you need it for it will 100% handle with ease.
The auto feeding string on them isn't bad at all, I am only on the second spool so they have a lot of length and last a long time. I would definitely recommend getting a second battery if you have a larger type property, quarter acre I got away with one but on the bigger one where I had a sizable ditch on two sides to trim up too, it needed the second battery every run. It's definitely homeowner grade and can't think of doing brush or tall grass, but for what you say you need it for it will 100% handle with ease.
I have Echo and love it. Push mower also. The riding mower is still gas but the day they have a rider that will do an acre on one charge i will probably be all over it. The blower works, not quite as powerful as gas but a shit ton less hassle.
Ryobi 40V, you can either use the spools or cut 16 or 18 inch pieces and feed them in and go. I just buy a couple spools and cut the sections and have a few in my pocket. I use mine on some thick stuff and it does well. I have 2 batteries also, which helps.
It's not electric, but Echo makes two different motors and several attachments so a weedeater can turn a saw blade, a tree topper attachment, an extension attachment, a blower, trimmer, etc. It's pretty nice and for the price it was hard to beat.
Thanks all. Sounds like folks are generally happy with several brands so that addresses main concern that all cordless trimmers might suck. Dewalt 20v is appealing given I can use battery in other stuff I already have. But also have a Ryobi vacuum I bought on a whim that has worked surprisingly well and a couple of B&D blowers that turned out to be good. Echo is great for gas engine but that's part of what I'm trying to avoid with cordless. I hate yard work - what I really need is a yardman.
http://www.echocordless.com/
I will probably get the hedge trimmer next. running 200ft of cord is a pain in the ass.
Dewalt 40v works like a champ. Haven't had a need to run it on high speed.
My only dislike is the head runs counter clockwise compared to the gas engines., and I do the house in a counter clockwise direction. This causes the string to run the opposite direction on the cut and it wears prematurely.
My only dislike is the head runs counter clockwise compared to the gas engines., and I do the house in a counter clockwise direction. This causes the string to run the opposite direction on the cut and it wears prematurely.
As I said above I have the string timmer, mower and blower. along with 3 chargers and 4 batteries. 3 4.0 batteries and 1 2.0. last year they had a killer end of season deal on the mower. My gas trimmer had taken a shit and the push mower was on its last leg.
The mower holds 2 batteries (uses one at a time) will do about 1000 sqft per battery. Which is just about what we do and then jump on the riding mower to do the big area. I only put both batteries in the mower to keep grass from getting in places it should not.
Take the good battery out and do trimming with it while wife does the riding mower. do about 800 ft of trimming and the battery is about 1/2 done, put it in the blower to blow the driveway and patio off and that battery is about dead also. still have 2 batteries (a 4.0 and a 2.0) in reserve if needed.
blower is the only thing that seems under powered. I run it in "turbo" mode the whole time, gets the job done.
Thanks, I've got/like both Stihl and Echo gas stuff but didn't know either had rechargeables. I'm going to stop by the local Stihl dealer tomorrow to have a look. Original intent was something cheap just for quick touch ups and but I hate screwing with the gas trimmer enough that a higher end replacement for it might also be in the cards.
Sthil is hard to beat. One thing that impresses me is that they dont sell through the big box stores like many.
My gas one with a saw blade would cut a 1.5 inch oak sapling like nothing. It'll do the same thing to your foot if your not careful.
My gas one with a saw blade would cut a 1.5 inch oak sapling like nothing. It'll do the same thing to your foot if your not careful.
I had an Echo gas trimmer for a long time that I liked. When I saw their battery trimmer I made an impulse buy. That was a couple of years ago. The experience has been good.
I have gotten and use their edger attachment for it and even the bed definer. The bed definer works at maintaining some beds around the house. Just go slow because it is under powered for that.
I have gotten and use their edger attachment for it and even the bed definer. The bed definer works at maintaining some beds around the house. Just go slow because it is under powered for that.
Fuck no! I like my 2-stroke, smelly, polluting, carbon using, global warming enhancing Stihl string trimmer.
I leave battery powered cars and yard tools to the metrosexuals
Tell'm gawd dammmit. lmfao
Fuck no! I like my 2-stroke, smelly, polluting, carbon using, global warming enhancing Stihl string trimmer.
I leave battery powered cars and yard tools to the metrosexuals
Big talk until you have tried one.
Same attitude people still riding horses everyday in 1919 had.
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I swear you're part teenage girl. I didn't notice the snap. You should PM and text me when you snap, then I will be aware.You shut your Pie Hole Mister. No Snap For a Bit...... You Mad Bro ?
Local Stihl dealer didn't have a lot of rechargeable stuff to look at but learned enough that Stihl is probably not an option at this point. Their lower end trimmer seemed on par with most of the other brands but pricier. The one higher end unit (FSA90) they had was almost $600 after tax so not going there. HD had a good selection of most others that have been mentioned. Liked the feel/quality of the Echo best but it had a crappy little handle on the shaft. Ryobi seemed pretty decent too. I've got just about every Dewalt tool there is but the trimmer didn't appeal to me. Probably ok but it gets a lot of bad reviews and that sticks in my head. They also had Milwaukee and Ego but I haven't read anything about them. After all that, I'm cheaping out for now and getting a B&D 20v bare trimmer off ebay for $40 shipped. I've already got a couple of batteries/chargers for a pair of blowers that I like and if it's as good as folks here have said it may be fine for the limited intended use.
I have 6 20v batteries and I helped clear an overgrown lot with my B&D. It's not the most powerful but I think I was whacking weed for close to two hours straight before the last battery went dead.
I think that was a decent torture test.
I think that was a decent torture test.
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