I have been using the 18V version of this trimmer for about 10-12 years and have been reasonably happy with it. It did not quite have the power of a gas trimmer but it did the job with far less hassle than the gas trimmers we had been using. The biggest drawback to it was the battery consumption. I have an acre property, with about 120 feet of driveway with lawn on both sides. Edging the driveway alone required more than one battery. trimming around the half-acre of fenced backyard and various backyard objects (kids swingset, grill, etc) would require more than one battery. In all we needed 3 batteries to get through all our trimming and edging needs, and sometimes (not often) we would use up all 3 before getting it all done. We had to take care to get the most important parts done first just in case, and go back out after a battery recharge to complete the job.
When the 18V batteries began to fail I went looking for replacements and came across this 40V model and based on other reviews I decided to give it a try, and I can say I am extremely happy!
The trimmer itself is mostly the same as the 18V model with the exception of the power control. More on that later. It uses the same line spool so I was able to use the line we already had on hand, and save a couple of parts from the spool head of the old model for later use.
The two features that really set this apart from the old model are Power and Battery Consumption. Firstly, the POWER: This model easily rivals the gas powered models I have used (admittedly not 'professional' grade models). With the power control set on 3 it gives me enough power to get that really sharp edge on the driveway that the 18V model simply could not. With the power control set to 1 I still have sufficient power to trim around the fence line and other objects. Occasionally I will set it to 2 to get through some weeds or to trim a larger area of grass where the mower doesn't fit.
The biggest advantage to me however, is that this model gets through everything I need it to do with just ONE battery, and with power to spare! The power meter on the battery still has 2 of its 3 status lights on when I am done.
There are some reviews on the replacement 40V battery which point to the lack of a cut-off circuit on the trimmer to protect the battery, and this is true. The trimmer will not cut off automatically when the battery is low, and this can be a big problem for a Lithium Ion battery of this type since this type of battery will suffer irreparable damage if it is drained below a certain point. Care must be taken not to allow this to occur. As I mentioned previously, this model is able to complete all the work on one battery that the previous model needed 3 to perform, and has power to spare, so the first thing to know is you should ALWAYS recharge the battery after every use, even if you use it only a few minutes. A small charge will not damage this type of battery, there is no 'memory' effect with this battery type. It also is not a problem to leave the battery on the charger between uses.
Secondly, keep a careful eye on the battery power meter when using it. There is a small button next to 3 LED lights. Push the button and the lights will indicate the battery state. When only one LED lights, you can still continue to work but check the battery state even more frequently and STOP as soon as no lights come on. Continued use below this battery charge state may cause the battery to fail prematurely. Such failure is likely to be complete, meaning the battery will no longer take any charge at all. This is typical of Lithium Ion batteries and is not a manufacturing fault.
Thirdly, use only as much power as you need. The power control has settings of 1-6. The higher the power setting, the lower the runtime you will get from a battery charge. As stated previously I use 3 for edging on my driveway and 1 for regular trimming. I have not had a need to use a setting higher than 3 but I have no thick weeds to trim.
Some other reviewers have complained about the string feeder using too much string. This may be true, I have not personally compared the usage with a bump feed trimmer, but I can say the feed mechanism works much more reliably than the bump-feed mechanisms I have used in the past. It is a very simple mechanism, just a single moving part which is replaceable. The cap which holds the spool in place will wear out after a few years. After all it is spinning and does at times accidentally make contact with the ground. It is easily replaceable and is not expensive. I have not found the string usage to be a problem. I think overall, when one compares the cost of the gas+oil plus the bump-feed string usage of a gas powered trimmer with the cost of electricity to charge the battery plus the cost of string, I suspect this model still comes out ahead and it wins hands down in convenience and ease of use.
Update 8/30/2017: After a year and almost through our second season with this, I am still very pleased with this product. It still gets the job done on a single battery with power to spare and I've had no issues with it whatsoever.
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This Item  BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX* 13 in. 2in1 Cordless String Trimmer/Edger with POWERCOMMAND Kit (LST136) |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $149.99 | -15% $135.99 List: $159.99 | -22% $109.00 List: $139.99 | -30% $82.98 List: $119.00 | -12% $69.73 List: $79.00 | -20% $86.67 List: $109.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 30 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 30 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 30 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 1 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 30 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 30 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Maneuverability | ||||||
| Light weight | ||||||
| Battery life | ||||||
| Easy to use | ||||||
| Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| power source | Battery Powered | Battery Powered | dc | Battery Powered | Battery Powered | Battery Powered |
| cutting width | 1300 inches | 13 inches | 12 inches | 13 inches | 1300 inches | 12 inches |
| voltage | 36 volts | 40 volts | 20 volts | — | 40 volts | — |
| assembly required | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| weight | 7.8 pounds | — | 6 pounds | 6.3 pounds | — | 5.7 pounds |
Reviews with images
Love this trimmer
Love this trimmer. I used to work for a professional landscaping company a long time ago, and thought gas powered was the only way to go. Probably makes more sense if you're going to use it all day long, but for me trimming my lawn 1-2 times per week, this is perfect. I have had this for two years now and never had a problem. I am really impressed with the fact that it took me almost two years before I needed to replace the spool of string. I read that some people rewind them, I'm perfectly happy to pay for a new spool every 1-2 years at the rate I'm going, and I don't have a small yard. The battery sits on the charger when I'm not using it, I even kept it there over the winters with no problems. I personally don't use the variable speed, I keep it on max and don't change it. The only thing I found annoying was the "safety" button that you're supposed to push before you can pull the trigger and make it work. The button is uncomfortable to push and really annoying. I found an easy solution to that... Push the button all the way in from one side, drill a small hole in the black button close to the handle, then hammer in or glue a small nail. This locks the "safety" button and you never have to push it again, just pull the trigger and weed whack away (see pictures). I don't use the 180 degree rotation feature, I just flip it upside down for edging driveways / sidewalks, the metal guide is pretty cool, it's not the most robust, so would be easy to break if your are not careful, but it works well. I don't usually write reviews, but am impressed with this product, and hopefully the nail tip will help prevent some thumb pain and annoyance as it did for me.
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