The Black & Decker LST136 is one of the best selling cordless electric trimmers that you can currently buy and succeeds where many other cordless trimmers fail - it has a battery that lasts. Its innovative features and ease of use have seen it be used by gardeners across the country, helping to keep outdoor areas looking beautiful and tidy.
Corded electric models are great, but on a larger yard, the hassle of trailing dozens of meters of cable behind you can become too much. With the Black & Decker LST136 there's none of that. It is really easy to start and when you are trimming you have the ability to move around your yard freely. In terms of maintenance, all you need to do to ensure consistently high performance is give it a wipe down from time to time and re-place the spool of line when it runs out. Easy, hassle free trimming at its best!
Here are the Benefits of the Black & Decker LST136 String Trimmer:
- The main consideration when buying a cordless trimmer is always the battery. You want one that provides enough power, lasts long enough to get the job done and recharges fairly quickly. The 36 Volt battery that is used by the Black & Decker LST136 ticks all of those boxes. It is surprisingly lightweight and at 36 volts provides the motor with enough power to deal effectively with pretty much anything you could come across in your yard. In terms of runtime, it depends which power setting you put it on (see info about Power Command controls below). On lower settings (1 & 2) you will get around 45 – 60 minutes of runtime, which is unheard of for many cordless trimmers and allows you to cover a fairly big yard. On the highest setting you will use the battery’s charge up much quicker, with 15 – 20 minutes of runtime being pretty standard. Where this battery really comes into its own is when you need to recharge it. There’s no waiting around for half a day (or in some cases a full one) for the battery to charge up like with the NiCad batteries. This one can be fully charged in just 1-2 hours, allowing you to get a lot of work done in a single day. If you bought an additional battery you could virtually use this weed eater constantly all day.
- The Power Command dial found on the Black & Decker LST136 weed wacker is something you don’t see on other string trimmers. It allows you to choose from 6 different power levels, which is a clever idea as not everything you trim requires the same amount of power. For light trimming (of a well maintained lawn or small weeds) you can choose one of the lower settings and as a result you preserve the battery charge and get a longer runtime whilst still efficiently completing the task at hand. If you have something more challenging to take care of (grass or weeds that are long overdue a cut) then you can ramp up the power to plough through them. This is a great feature for getting the most out of the battery.
- A string trimmer heavily relies on the line being at the right length to get the job done properly. If your line is half the length it should be you will find it much harder going. This model comes with an automatic feed spool, which uses centrifugal force to constantly ensure the string is at the right length. If it is shortened, extra line will be fed out automatically. This means you don’t need to turn off the trimmer and fiddle around with the line while you are in the middle of the job. When the spool of line finishes it’s really easy to snap in a new one too.
- Want to tidy your edges up without doing it manually or going out and buying another power tool? No problem. The Black & Decker LST136 can be turned into an edger with the push of a button and a twist of the cutting head. There’s a metal guide that flips out which takes a lot of the weight of the trimmer for you and helps you to tidy up these areas accurately.
- This trimmer has a number of features that make the whole experience as comfortable as it could possibly be. For starters the metal shaft is adjustable, so you can slide it to a length that suits you. If you are tall there’s no more slouching over and hurting your back, and if you aren’t so tall you won’t have to fight with this trimmer in an uncomfortable position. There is also an auxiliary handle which helps you to easily support the trimmer. Overall the balance, lightweight and lack of vibration make this a pleasure to use.
Here’s the Reported Disadvantages of the Black & Decker LST136:
- Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to the line advancement features on string trimmers, and some users argue that with the automatic system Black & Decker have implemented on this model, there is no way to control line consumption and you can burn through a spool pretty fast when edging pathways.
- If you have a large area of rough land to maintain and are likely to need to use the highest power setting, the Black & Decker LST136 may not be for you. As already mentioned when set to 6 on the Power Command Dial, the battery typically lasts 15 – 20 minutes before needing a re-charge. Unless you purchase a second battery this probably won’t be enough for a large yard.
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