Category: Weed Eater

Introduction.

Though there was some skepticism at first after spotting a few negative reviews, I was keen to try the Worx WG190 as I have never had a cordless trimmer before, and thought that having a battery powered trimmer would enable more agility when I was sprucing up the garden. With a 48-volt battery, a gas-like throttle control, adjustable handle and a pull out metal guide, I was keen to try out the Worx WG190 string trimmer. Taking away the smell of gas when gardening, this no gas yet gas-like throttle control maximizes usability time when trimming different lengths and in different conditions. The Worx WG190 has an impressive 13-inch cutting diameter, plus a rotating head for edging, it seems to be the ultimate product for trimming gardens.

Setup and Assembly

The initial set-up of the Worx WG190 did not require any previous knowledge of this model or any other trimmers for that matter, as the parts snap together. It would be easy to assemble even for a beginner, and therefore doesn’t take very long to assemble.

Cutting Head and Autofeed
With a single line cutting head the Worx WG190 avoids any bump issues when using it through a thick weeds patch or similar. Though a dual line cutting head can provide a better cut in that it can handle weeds better, it still did a good job of the garden.
The autofeed works a real treat, as instead of having to focus on the length of the string, you can pay attention to what you are indeed trimming – avoiding your planted treasures and trimming on the grass or weeds! An autofeed also speeds up the process of trimming your garden, and when you are able to focus more on the task in hand, you’re able to finish with a more professional look, which is something you can get from using this trimmer.

Ergonomics

With ease of use key to any gardener, this lighter trimmer provides a much more agile experience when working around the garden. The balanced weight of it makes it more comfortable to use than previous models or other types of trimmers, and the adjustable handle is a great feature for not only extra personal customisation but also for reaching trickier areas. At around 8 pounds, it’s easier to use and carry for long periods of time.

Battery Life

With most of the previous versions having some troubles with the battery life, the updated battery for the Worx WG190 has a high capacity 48-volt battery, making it last longer than expected. It also has a handy low battery indicator, great for avoiding getting half a garden done before your trimmer suddenly runs out of juice. The battery charger that comes with it recharges it quickly, another useful feature for the Worx WG190.

Conclusion

The Worx WG190 has the capability and power to trim whatever is in your path, and with the maneuverability of the lighter weight and cordless product, it can pretty much handle anything. Though it may be light it is still a strong trimmer, and is very much able to put the professional touch to any lawn.

Specifications

The Worx WG191 weighs 13.89 lbs and is a lithium battery powered electric start trimmer coming in a total of 56 volts and operates at 2.0 amp/hr. There is no additional battery included, neither is a shoulder harness. Assembly for this product is required and it does not have antivibration nor is it capable of attachments.

How long does the battery last?

The battery lasts me about 45 minutes at constant use. This is enough for me to whack anything I need in my yard and I gain the convenience of not pulling around a cord or using gas to power the Worx WG191. Unfortunately the charge time takes a while if you needed it for long time maybe more than the 45 minutes of constant operation, and there is no backup battery that comes with it.

Is it easy to assemble?

The product overall was not a hassle to assemble at all and I was able to put it together myself in just a quick few steps.

Is the cutting head single line, or dual?

The cutting head of the Worx WG191 is a single line, but it does not sacrifice any maneuverability as it pivots a full 90 degrees. It is actually quite amazing how this product manages to cut such a variety of terrains and can be used for so many purposes. The trimmer even can quickly be converted to a wheeled edger so that you can edge your lawn more precisely. The quality of the edging comes out to be quite professional looking and I was very satisfied.

Is it a bump head, or automatic feed?

This product actually comes with a command feed system that allows the line to advance as you need it and there is no bumping or unnecessary wait for the line to advance.

Does it feel heavy? Does it feel balanced?

The Worx WG191 actually does not feel heavy, especially when compared to other gas trimmer which can weigh considerably more. The balance is not in question either, as it seems to be very easily held and the weight of the machine is very easy to bear. I have not had any issues when it comes to comfort in using this product. I feel like I can use it all day long and I would not get tired, and it certainly does not feel unbalanced.

Is it strong?

I was skeptical at first when switching from my gas powered weed-eater, but the Worx WG191 gets the job done in a good way without a significant loss to power. Granted, obviously the gas powered options are stronger than this product, but the Worx WG191 is lighter and is still strong enough to accomplish any of my lawn care needs for a whacker.

Overall

Overall, the Worx WG191 is a fine product and I would love to recommend it to other consumers. I would give it 5/5 stars as I am very impressed with its adaptability and maneuverability, all the while allowing me to free myself from unnecessary power cords or gas consumption.

Introduction – The Oregon ST275 AX is a dual line cordless string trimmer. It features a loop handle and a straight shaft.  Backed by a 40 Volt battery, the ST275 means business.

Electric over Gas? – The biggest concern most people have over making the switch from electric to gas is power.   With today’s advanced battery technology, power is not really an issue.  And as batteries get better and come down in price, reliability increases and having a spare becomes less of an issue. The real benefit to switching to an electric powerplant over a fossil fuel power plant comes down to the fuel.  Keep your battery charged (ideally indoors, your hot garage is not doing any favors to keeping a big battery charged), and that’s pretty much it.  With a 2 stroke or a 4stroke engine, you have to buy proper gasoline, stabilize that gasoline in the gas canister, mix motor oil with the fuel, make sure that the fuel lines do not rut, nor befoul the carburetor.  And that’s even before you get it started.  That can be a hassle, and keeping it running in the heat is another problem.  Finally the vibration, noise, and fumes aren’t much fun to deal with either.

The Oregon ST275 AX eliminates all of that fuss and still gets the job done.

But how well?

Specs –  Right out of the box, you get a shaft, plastic guard, and a handle.  The 4.0 Ah model comes in around ~300, the smaller battery 2.4 Ah is around 250, and without a battery is close to 180.  By simple subtraction the batteries are not cheap.  This 4.0 should run for 45 minutes, which is enough for most lawns. The line is a nice .08″ with the bump head able to run up to a .095″ line.

Assembly – Putting the Oregon ST275 AX is very simple. Connect the handle to shaft and then plastic guard to the lower mount and you’re done.  With a bit of charge you’re ready to go.

Operation

Starting and Power Control  – It’s a button.  It starts when you press it.  That’s the power of going electric.

Vegetation Strength – We got differing reports.  The Oregon could take down horehound weeds but struggled with tall St. Augustine grass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Generally, most users said the unit had plenty of power.  So much so that a couple of users wanted a larger debris guard.

Bump Head –  There are two sorts of line feeds in string trimmers, an automatic feed and a bump head feed.  The ST-275 uses a bump head.  By all accounts the bump head works well and delivers additional line on demand as the job progresses.  As we discussed in our buying guide to string trimmers, bump heads typically are better than automatic feeds.

Ergonomics – A typical complaint for most electric weed eaters is that they are heavy and unbalanced.  That is not the case case with the Oregon unit.  It’s been reported as well balanced.  With a straight shaft and loop handle it should be easy to manage.

Edging – The ST-275 has a nifty U-shaped feature that makes it very easy to edge.  We hope that more trimmers adopt this.

Run Time – The company advertises 45 minutes and most users find that under normal conditions the 4.0 AH battery keeps the trimmer running for 45 minutes. That’s pretty good battery life.  And if your yard or job is big, the battery reportedly charges quickly, sometimes in only 2 hours to recharge.

Another good sign about this unit is that like a gas tank, the battery tells you how much charge you have left.  That’s very useful.

After Market Care – With respect to what happens after the purchase and you actually try it yourself, the warranty is a decent 1 year.  But there are mixed reports on initial support.

Conclusion – Overall we definitely like the Oregon ST275-A6.   Definitely a good replacement for an aging gas unit, or a great addition to a person new to lawn care.

Introduction  – The Makita XRU07Z is a new model from the Makita family.  As cordless trimmers go, this has most of features you’re looking for.  As well as the drawbacks that are common to this breed of weed wacker.  The main draw here is that you can add two batteries to get 36V of power in this baby, and those same batteries can power your other tools as well.

 

 

Why Electric?  It is a simple question really.  If you are concerned

• No More Gas Engines
• No carburetors being gummed up because there is ethanol in the gas
• No rotting fuel lines because of ethanol
• No oil mixing with motor oil and fuel stabilizer
• No Hard starts
• No noise and vibration

Specs  – Right out of the box the Makita is a good machine.  A nice straight shaft that can reach in a lot of places is coupled with a nice loop handle.  The debris shield is a decent size.  The line is 0.08″.  The bump head is present, and that can be replaced with any other applicable tool.  What it does not include are two batteries.  That means it makes more sense to add this cordless trimmer to your Makita tool family.

Assembly – The assembly of the unit is pretty simple.  Rather than the typical Phillips head, everything connects with hex head screws.

Operation 

Starting – Unlike a gas trimmer, cordless trimmers start at the push of a button.  The key here is to have a fully charged battery.

Ergonomics – No one would describe this trimmer as light weight.  With both batteries plus its 14.65 lb shipping weight, taking care of your lawn might take some out of you.  The equivalent gas trimmer is lighter.  The Makita does not shift with a strap.

Weight issues aside, the Makita is as quiet as you would expect a cordless trimmer to be.  There is little vibration.

Trimming – Doing the actual work is why you buy the trimmer in the first place.  It has enough power for a decent size lawn, but it is definitely not commercial grade, nor will it replace your brush cutter.  Some users were able to handle a 1/4 acre with it.

Run Time – Most users with average use were able to get 1 hour from the Makita, with a 60 minute to 90 minute recharge.

After Purchase Care – Our research found that Makita was fairly responsive with any post sale issues.  But when a machine fails, it’s hard to be happy.

Conclusion

What we do not like about the Makita is the 1) weight, 2) having to buy two batteries, 3) having to buy a charger.  That being said, we do like that the battery system is ideal for connecting with all of the other tools in our shed. So that defrays some of the cost.   With respect to weight, it would be fairly easy to get a harness to fit.  On the other hand, it should ship with a harness like the better cordless trimmers that we have reviewed.  All in all this is not a bad choice, but there are better ones to choose.

Introduction

The Greenworks GST80320 80V is a serious weed whacker.  With the power equivalent of a 32 Cubic Centimeter gas powered string trimmer, the 80320 packs quite a punch without all the hassle of a gas trimmer

Why Electric?

• no noise or heavy vibration
• no fumes
• no mixing fuel or carburetor issues
• no starting issues
• no spark plug

The 80320 is cordless, so you do not need to worry about tangling the wires as you work your way around the your front and back yard.   Enough dilly dallying, let’s get to to it.

Specs

Right of the box you get a handsome straight shaft electric weed eater.  It has loop handle, debris guard and 16″ cutting head.   The head takes attachments from other manufacturers, though not all.  At the time of this writing, apparently Echo Tools did not fit.  Poulan Pro, Ryobi, and Trimmer Plus did fit.

It also comes with a harness, and you will need it, because the battery makes this trimmer quite heavy.

What it does not come with are the battery and the charger.   By it’s lonesome, the Greenworks tips the scale at 14.7 lbs.  When you add the battery, that only increases the weight.   Still, after you understand the potential of the 80320, you will see that the weight is a great trade off.

Operation

Assembly – Once you make heads and tails of the manual, you just need a Phillips head screw driver.  It is pretty straight forward.

Starting – Charge the battery, either a 2 AH or 4AH and slap it in.  No priming the pump, the adjusting the idle, no pulling so hard that you strip the gears in the pulley.  Just pull the trigger and it gets going.   Some users felt that it should get going a little faster.

Ergonomics and Creature Features – Once it starts, you’re off to the races. In comparison to a gas trimmer, this is like a tiptoeing through Librarian’s Hansen’s hallway.  It’s very quiet.  You also do not have the to worry about the vibration of a gas engine sputtering next to your elbow.

No noise, and not a lot of vibration in comparison to the gas versions.  What you do notice is the weight of the battery.  The unit ships with a harness that should take some of the load off.  Ideally the weight of the battery will come down in a few years as technology progresses.

 

Trimming – With the unit, the good folks at GreenWorks included a 0.08 line.  Some users moved to the 0.095 that fits nicely.  Not a lot of complaints about threading and rethreading the unit.  That’s always a good thing to not see.

The line cuts through pretty much what it was designed for.  If you want to tackle a bramble or a brush, you should change the bump head to a grass blade or a brush cutter blade.

When it is time for new line, the bump head works reliably.

Users have handled lots as small as 800 square feet to 1 acre (with a second battery)

 

Run Time – For the smaller battery (2 aH) users have been getting between 30-45 minutes.  For the larger battery (4 aH), 60-90 minutes.  Anything longer than that would require a second battery.

After Purchase Care and Maintenance – Like all lithium batteries, it’s a good idea to take it out of the charger after it has reached 100%.   When parts did not ship right, or were missing, most users found that GreenWorks stood behind their products, and were able to send out replacements quickly.

Conclusion

There is not too much downside to the 80320.  The main issue is that it is heavy, but that’s part of the trade off with a gas trimmer. (Something about energy density my professor told me once)

Aside from the weight issues, the 80320 is a good bet.

Electric String Trimmers have advanced significantly over the years.  The Green Works 2100202 14″ inch Electric String Trimmer is one of the most popular models available. 

Is it right for you?  Can it handle your lawn?  Will it be powerful enough?

Why switch from gas to electric? 

1. No more mixing motor oil and fuel
2. No more adjusting the idle
3. No more worrying about bad carburetors or fouled fuel lines
4. No more looking for 100% gasoline
5. No more fumes

The list goes on an and on.  Just think, never having to pull another cord, just pulling a trigger.

Specs

Let’s look at the specs.   The 2100202 fits a 40 Volt 20 Ampere Hour battery and a 40 Volt 40 Ampere Hour Battery.  Unsurprisingly the 40 aH ways more than the 20 aH battery.   The Digimax has a straight shaft, a healthy debris shield, and a “D” loop handle.  And the reviews let us know that the Digimax can accept other attachments from other manufacturers.

Operation

Assembly – Right out of the box, the Digimax is easy to assembly.  Some users did not get all of the parts they needed, so be sure to check the box for everything.  Customer service from Green Works get good marks when it comes to sending parts that were supposed to be in the box.

Starting – Unlike the gas trimmers, all you need to do is put in the battery and get it started.  Restarting is the same.

Cutting – The most surprising thing about the Digimax is the power.  Some users were able to clear blackberry brambles by changing the bump head string trimmer to a brush cutter blade.   For standard weed whacking,  the line feed is generally good.  The bump head works as advertised.

Run Time – Depending on whether you use the “turbo” feature or you have heavy grasses and weeds to get through, most 40 aH users are able to get an hour of out of the unit.  Recharging the battery is pretty straight forward, however one has to let the battery cool down in order for it to take a full charge.  That also means you can’t let it charge up in a hot garage either.

Ergonomics – The unit ships with a harness.  It’s set up like a brush cutter with it’s straight shaft, but the length and the D loop handle are not the best set up for weed whacking.  The real problem is the heavy battery.  Many users found the Digimax to be quite heavy.  The harness is necessary to use it properly.

Concerns – Our first big concern for every electric weed eater is power.  For the most part the Digimax 2100202 meets our needs.  In terms of design, the sounds and trigger mechanisms could be tweaked to be louder and bigger for easier use.  After purchase care was one of our concerns,

Conclusion

Overall we’re big fans of the 2100202.  Green Works did a great job with this unit.  And with the swappable power system and the trimmer often sold in a package that includes an edger, blower, and other lawn goodies, the 2100202 is a good bet.

Specs

Engine – This model is a two-stroke engine.  Two stroke engines always require a fuel mix of oil and gas. And as usual you have to make sure that the gasoline is pure gasoline does not contain any ethanol.  And in storing the fuel, add some fuel stabilizer to the gas tank.  You can always buy premix if you prefer, but it’s generally more expensive.  And given these modern times, adjusting the carburetor may be necessary for it to start, and not run lean or rich.

Shaft – The shaft on this model is not the straight solid steels shaft that we prefer but rather a curved shaft. What a curved shaft does allow more precision work.  The curve  allows the user  to see the cutting head.  All curved shaft trimmers use multi-linkage transmission in order to get the power from the engine to the cutting head.  Adding pieces between the motor and the head increases complexity, increases points of failure, and decreases power. (In most cases)  For brush cutting, we have found that a straight solid steel shaft is the standard when dealing with brush, brambles, saplings, and very woody grasses.

Handle – The handle is a “D” Loop handle.  Again, this is appropriate for weed eating but not for brush cutting.

Attachments –  The Poulan Pro takes its all attachments from other models as well as Ryobi attachments.

Assembly – Our research did not uncover many people complaining of difficult assembly.

Operation

Starting  and Restarting – With most gas powered two cycle engine power tools,  there’s always a question of how easy is it start. The Poulan Pro is not very easy to start when compared with other modern models.  Even after getting it going, some users found that the restart (which is typically easy) to not be so easy.

Sometimes the hard start issues are about adding enough gas to the choke in order to get the fuel to the engine. Sometimes that can be resolved by reading the manual carefully.  There is usually a factory prime/choke procedure.
What also might be happening is that the carburetor might need adjusting. If carburetor is not adjusted correctly engine will not enough fuel or error in order to work properly. Not many users are familiar with small engines. Adjusting the carburetor by not be easy, some of these new brush cutters and weed whacker’s require a special tool specifically to adjust the carburetor.

Ergonomics, Weight and Vibration – When you get the Poulan Pro going, intensive vibrates a lot. This on top of it being particularly heavy. Although I’ve read some reviews were women had no problems using it mulls reviews say that the Poulan Pro is a bit unwieldy to use.

Break in – Now if this is your first usage of the of the Poulan Pro, it’s important to break in the engine.  In an automobile, the engines are typically broken in at the factory.  And even in that case, most manuals and careful drivers do not put the car under heavy load for the first 500 to 1,000 miles.  With 2 stroke engines, break in usually starts in the first 30 minutes to an hour.  Some even say that the machine is not totally broken in until 10 hours.

Power – Many users felt that the Poulan Pro’s were under powered. In addition to not being up to snuff, some said the unit would get hot and then stop. Once an engine overheats, you have to wait certain amount of time in order for it to cool down and then restart.  Weedwhacking is rarely a  pasttime, so prolonging a chore is never good.

Hours, Fuel and Consumption – Again when it comes to fuel the two stroke so requires mix in the fuel and motor oil. And it’s always a good idea to use pure gasoline or something like Tru gas.  Users found that the machine had good fuel economy and could go hours before it needed more gasoline.

Line Feed and Use – Most said that the string was fine for cutting, though sometimes hard to find.  The real source of contention was how hard it was to reload.

Conclusion

Our overall impression of the Poulan Pro is that there are too many real world reports that say it does not keep running.  With overheating issues a concern, this would not be on the short list.

We do not review too many electric string trimmers on Brushcutter Central, but battery-powered car garden tools have vastly improved over the years. That brings us to the Dewalt DCST990H1 40 volt Max.

Advantage of Electric over Gas

Now the advantages of having a electric powered garden tool are many. First you do not have to buy gasoline or any other fuel, you just need to plug-in the battery so that you can recharge. By not buying fuel you no longer have to buy ethanol free gasoline nor do you have to buy motor oil. Both of which are required for two-stroke and four stroke engines. On top of that you do not need to worry about changing oil, changing air filters, changing spark plugs, or noise and fumes associated with the gasoline engine. Another advantage is that you do not need to pull the motor to start, just pull the trigger and go.

Specs and overall Power

The unit itself also comes with a low setting  so that you can attack different types of foliage easily. In terms of power some have even found that the trimmer could get through 1 inch thick saplings.  Saplings?  Could we use this as a brush cutter?

Operations

Heavy Battery – What you do have to worry about an electric powered garden tool is that the size of the battery is as heavy or heavier than the motor that it replaced. And whenever you have a heavy garden tool, it requires the use of a harness. This particular unit does not come with a harness the box so you will have to use one that you already have or purchase new one.

Ergonomics – In the case of this Dewalt string trimmer, it has straight shaft. We like straight shaft. But the heavy battery does not allow for good balance. If you have a shoulder strap you should definitely use it. Overall when using the string trimmer the vibration is low and because it is not an engine strapped to your back.

No Fumes – With a power string trimmer there aren’t any fumes from the gasoline, and more importantly the headaches associated with those fumes.

General Ease of use –  Many female users were not bothered by the weight, and one older woman said that she used it very easily.  Tall users thought that this machine was great. Long straight shafts make it easier for tall people to use garden tools because they do not need to bend over as much.

Power – Power is the usual the concern of people who switch from gas to electric. In the past electric power tools did not have the will nor power to do the job. If they did not run out of charge, there was not enough charge in order to cut the necessary weeds.

In the case of this Dewalt string trimmer you can use it for 60 to 90 minutes before you need to recharge. Many were surprised by the nice torque.  A lot of users realize that would’ve been a better idea to get larger battery volts rather than two small batteries at 20 V.

Line Feed – Now it comes to cutting the actual lawn many found that the feet of line from the head needed to be changed. The design requires the user to follow the head line, which is not optimal. And when it comes to adding more line to the spool it was very difficult.

Debris – Now when the line is actually trying many found that the debris would come back at them. Especially if they were right handed. And one user in particular found that it was hard to cut wet grass with this Dewalt string trimmer.

DeWalt vs Black & Decker

One user made a comparison to Black & Decker the walls found that the B&D was better for small lawns, and the Dewalt better for larger lawns. I don’t personally agree with that.

The Black and Decker Unit is lighter, so that makes it easier for small lawns – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a small lawn doesn’t have big lawn problems. The DeWalt is a heavier machine because of the big battery. Larger battery means both more power and more endurance. If the B&D can get the job done by all means, choose that one over the DeWalt, but if you’re not sure – go with a DeWalt or higher powered option.

Conclusion

All in all this has been the best electric string trimmer that we have reviewed. We wholeheartedly recommend the string trimmer for people to small lawns big lawns and the occasional farm.

Have we entered the future?  When we started this website a few years back, the idea that you could drive around town in a battery powered vehicle that was not some hopped up golf cart was ludicrous.   But technology has improved and the costs have been brought down to the point that a lot of us could be picking up groceries in something like this.

Can you pack enough battery power into a brush cutter to make it useful?

This review is for the GreenWorks 21362. This is only the second electric weed whacker that we covered. In an earlier review we look at the Dewalt electric string trimmer, and we really like that one and recommend it.

 

Why electric gas trimmer over a gas trimmer?

Engines are heavy, and is required gasoline, two-stroke engines require gasoline and oil, there are air filters, there are fuel lines that get corroded or broken, there are fumes, there is a lot of noise, and there’s a lot of vibration.  This does not even get into any environmental concerns.  Most of us have had to buy special carburetor tools to tune our Carb Compliant 2 Strokes, or settle for inferior 4 stroke power tools.

For decades the primary advantage of a gasoline powered device has been twofold,

• first it has the power necessary to do the job and
• second energy density of gasoline or another fossil fuel allows one to do a job for a long time.

With electric string trimmers you no longer have all of those issues.

So now, the main concerns are is there enough power?  And what about obsolescence?

Will this Greenworks weed eater review as well as a standard? string trimmer?

Battery versus Corded

Now why a battery over a corded electric model? That is a good question. The main problem with the corded electric string trimmers are that the courts are not long enough for a typical size lawn. And even when it cord is long enough for you use an extension, cord gets tangled up. So for backyard duty, a corded trimmer is an option, but it’s not the best option.

The GreatWorks string trimmer eliminates all of those things. It has no cord. It is not a gas engine, so there is excessive noise, nor are there any fumes.  There vibration comes from the cutting action, not the working of the motor.

The user no longer needs to mix the motor oil and fuel. (Although you could get a 4 stroke to eliminate that, we’ve talked about 4 strokes before) With an electric,  you just press the trigger go.

You also don’t have to worry about the idle nor do you have to worry about carburetor issues. You do not have a story about fuel line issues either.

Downsides to this Electric String Trimmer

What we found was that  string trimmer was surprisingly  heavy.  It makes that sense that in order to get the power necessary to do the job you need a big battery.  But that batterycan be as heavy as a two stroke or four stroke engine.

Operation

Attachments – Some users have reported that they can still use some of their attachments from other devices on this particular unit. Anytime that you can use different wellhead or a grass blade or a brush cutter so that saves money. Saving money is a good thing.

Ergonomics – With a heavy battery,  this model ships with a harness. Even with a harness many users found this unit to be awkward and hard to use.

It does have a nice long straight shaft which is useful for brush cutting, but the typical user for this is only tending to a small lawn and may prefer to having curved shaft so that they can do the necessary detail work for that lawn.

Run Time –  Many users said the battery could last quite long. Some said they were good up to one hour of usage.  That’s more than a typical brush cutter.  But if you have more to do, you need additional batteries.  Many advised to get four ampere battery and 72 and. This was necessary so that they have more time to use the device.

Also when recharging the battery, it makes sense to do so  in a climate controlled environment, as opposed to a garage which might be warmer than the interior.  There was discussion over whether there might be a temperature sensor within the charging unit that does not allow the charge when it is too hot.  At press time, we do not have an unit in the office for an official tear down.

Usage – When it comes time to actually doing the work, many found that the multi speed is very useful. They also found that it had very good torque. So much torque that some users were able to use the string trimmer as a tiller.  Will it brush?  We’re not sure yet.  Stay tune for a more indepth review.

Overheating – On the downside this matter unit can over heat just like a gas engine. On top of that some of found it was hard to use the string trimmer as an edger.

Feedback from the Unit – The way that trimmer works requires you to hear a signal weighing it is losing power.  Apparently its easy to miss

If there were any complaints or a need to get repairs made some found that customer service is good in others found customer service.

Long Term

Customer Service – The customer service reports are hit and miss, but reports that is to be expected

Conclusion

Have we gotten to the promised land of electric brush cutters?  Sadly, not yet.  This is however very high on our list of string trimmers.

This is more of a string trimmer than brush cutter.  But it does come with both a 17″ line and a 8″ weed blade.  The unit will also fit a edge, blower, cultivator, and pole pruner.  On top of that, you can probably use your other attachments from other manufacturers.

Let’s do the numbers first.

Specs and what’s in the Box

The unit weighs in at 12 lbs. The two stroke motor clocks in at a nice 25 cubic centimeters. A straight two piece shaft connects the motor to the cutting head.  All of that is controlled by simple handles.

The engine requires 100% pure gas.  10% ethanol fuel mixtures will undoubtedly befoul the carburetor and rot the fuel lines.  And for the serious, adding fuel stabilizer to the gas tank for refueling will also extend the life of the any 2 stroke unit.

As usual, when ordering things online, please make sure that all of the necessary pieces are in the box, including the manual.  And do this BEFORE you put gas in the tank.  The Post Office and a lot of retailers will not take back a unit that has had gasoline in it. (You might get away with it, but do not be surprised if a unit with gasoline is refused)

Operation

Starting – After assembly, most users found that this unit was easy to start.  No mentions of broken pulleys or cords that would not retract.

Ergonomics – As string trimmers go, this is not a light unit. So keep that in mind when if you’re considering it.  We believe that a heavy string trimmer should come with a harness and use a bicycle bar style handles to make the work of keeping your property maintained easy.  This unit comes with a shoulder strap.

Weed Whacking and Brush Cutting – This is not a unit that does quick changes.  It requires an Allen wrench to swap out the blade from the string head. Keep that in mind.  The blade that it comes with may need sharpening at first.

Long Term Impressions, Service and Warranty

Build Quality – Some of the reviewers were mixed on this.  There were instances of the shafts not fitting together, and air filters falling off

Conclusion

This does not make our short list, not at this price point and availability.