CyndiA's Full Review: 14 in. Single Line 2-in1 Trimmer & Edger
I have trouble starting the pull cord outdoor tools so prefer electric. That's why I got a Black & Decker Grass Hog Electric Trimmer. It was the only option for electric in the weed wacker category down at Lowe's which is the only big home and garden store in this area.
I've had the Grass Hog for three years now, and I like it. The cord can be annoying, but that's what you get with cords. So, the trade off to avoid the pull cord which I can't pull very well was worth it.
The Black & Decker electric weedeater works like others I've had that were gas powered but no need to worry about gas. Just plug it in, and you're ready to get the edges around the house and yard.
The plug guard was a bit challenging. You have to push both black buttons on each side at the same time to lift the cord guard which holds the cord in place, so the trimmer does not cut off due to lack of power. Then, you plug in the cord and place the guard back down. Once I got that down, it's easy to do now.
I have some pretty tough weeds in this yard that were planted, I suspect, by the elderly ladies who lived here prior. There's bamboo and some kind of hedge stuff that comes up all over and grows fast. If I catch these invasive plants early, the B&D Grass Hog works. If not, I have to get the little electric saw out. Fair enough I guess. The gas powered weedeaters didn't have much more power. Maybe a little but not enough to make me consider going back to gas and a pull cord.
The swing on the string is reasonable, so it does not take very long to trim up the yard. I would say the feed is a little more generous than some I've used before. Also, I've had a couple of times where a piece of the string came loose and wacked my leg. That cuts and leaves a bruise. Long pants are a good idea when using this or any other string trimmer.
Changing out the string spool is easy. There are two push buttons. They are large enough to be easy to use.
I did try to wrap my own sting on a spool, and that did not work out well at all, but that is the case with all the string trimmers. I guess I don't wrap tight and well. This and other trimmers jam when I try to save money and wrap with lower priced spool string. So, I just buy the ones that match to this model and call it good. The weedeater spools last a pretty long time, and the prewrapped spools have never been a problem.
I did buy the Black & Decker string trimmer with the battery that charges up and then allows you to walk around with the trimmer and not be tied to a cord. That was a piece of junk and was used a couple of times and now lives in the garage. I went right back to this electric string trimmer (same brand I might note), and when I need another string trimmer, I'd go with this Black & Decker electric weedeater. It's easy to use and does work well.
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