Troy-Bilt TB57 12-Inch 20-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Electric Straight-Shaft String Trimmer Review
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Review By Les Morgan (Rockford, IL United States) 3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Nothing but problems, May 5, 2009
The review starts off by saying:
This trimmer lasted less than one year: it worked for the few months I had it last summer, but failed to recharge over the winter. Also, it is impossible to remove the existing battery in order to replace it. Which is something I should not have to do in the first place with less than three months of usage on the original battery.
It's clear that Les is referring to another trimmer or the review itself is bogus in an attempt to give the trimmer a poor review only to discourage others from buying it.
My review:
First off, the trimmer does come with a removable, rechargeable lithium ion battery. It has convenient indicator lights that show how much charge is left. I've charged the battery a couple of times, but I haven't paid much attention to how long it takes to charge. I do know that I charge it for less than 24 hours. After the battery is charged, I unplug it since the instructions recommend that you not leave the battery charging continuously. It remains charged for a long time. I usually trim every other week, so I have been able to charge the battery, use it two weeks later, and then use it again in another two weeks. I can trim the yard two times on a single charge.
I was quite surprised how much power this battery powered trimmer has. In the past I've been used to the internal rechargeable trimmer and would rate them fair at best. The TB57 is powered by a 20 Volt Lithium-Ion and the power it supplies is surprisingly refreshing. Another surprise is how long the battery lasts before it needs recharging.
The trimmer itself is a little on the short size for me, I'm 6'1", but I read the specifications before I bought it and besides, it's primarily for my wife, she's 5'4" so it's a perfect fit. Even though it's a little on the heavy side, I'm used to the cheep ones that don't last, it's very well balanced.
The trimmer also has a feature that automatically feeds out more line and when it's working, it works pretty good. Occasionally, the line tends to get stuck and won't automatically feed and I have to manually un-stick the line on the spool. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to get to the spool compared to my old, corded trimmer, so it doesn't take very long to fix the problem.
No keep in mind, this is NOT a direct replacement for a heavy duty gas powered trimmer. It does not have the same power and it's much shorter. This said, it's the best rechargeable string trimmer I've had the pleasure of owning and using.
I rated it 4 out of 5 stars because of the line advancement issues, other than that I would have rated it an honest 5 out of 5 stars.
Troy-Bilt TB57 12-Inch 20-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Electric Straight-Shaft String Trimmer Feature
- 20 Volt Lithium Ion battery powers the trimmer at 9000 RPM for high speed precision cutting and longer use between charges
- 4 hour quick charger provides a fully charged battery more quickly
- Automatic line release quickly and easily advances trimmer line every time you pull the trigger
- Telescopic shaft can be adjusted quickly from 42 to 56-inches to suit any operator
- .080-inch diameter single line -- can be replaced with a new spool or wound on the old spool by hand
Troy-Bilt TB57 12-Inch 20-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Electric Straight-Shaft String Trimmer Overview
This cordless trimmer uses a 20V Li-Ion battery to spin a .080in. cutting line as it cuts a 12in. diameter swath. Great for trimming areas you couldn't get to with the mower. Cutting Width (in.): 12, Engine: 20V, 6Ah lithium ion battery, Line Diameter (in.): .80, Shaft Type: Straight
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Customer Reviews
they still sell this piece of junk? - DW - Colorado
All the complaints about the poor ergonomics and stiff trigger are true. In addition, my charger died after the FIRST recharge although TB was good about sending a replacement. Now I find out that even though I kept the battery inside over the winter and topped off the charge several times, it is now dead. High price and low quality - avoid this model.
Almost perfect - R. Smith - Crown Point, IN
I am a yard pro, and have used a lot of gas trimmers in my time. I am a stickler for creating edging that looks like a flat top haircut with a perfect vertical edge along the sidewalk. When I saw this trimmer in the store that was battery powered and much lighter than my gas trimmer, I went ahead and bought it. (9 at Lowes).
Proper trimming depends on proper technique, and most people just hold the head horizontally and cut into the grass and it does not look good. I set up my trimmers so that the head is naturally at an angle. I rotate the trimmer such that the string runs almost vertically when I cut along sidewalks, and horizontal along fences.
First and very important is the battery life. I did my son's entire yard, including the first trim along the sidewalk and street curb, and all along a very big fence, and along the landscaping. I estimate that I trimmed for over 30 minutes straight, and the battery went down from 4 lights to 3 lights! Very impressive.
Second, is the power. This unit is obviously not as powerful as a gas trimmer, but I found it works fine for all the trimming that I do. If you are going to do a lot of heavy grass and weed trimming, then you will want a double string gas model.
Third, the string length- I wish it was a couple of inches longer. The single string (.080) is thick enough, but the string does not extend far enough for me. I recommend that you buy the heavy duty "titanium" string for long lasting trimming
Fourth, the automatic feed. I prefer a bump feed so that I do not waste line, but this one fed properly and did not over-use the line.
Fifth, I am 6 feet tall, and I use the unit fully extended. I use a technique that is ergonomically good for the back: hang your arms completely down and keep your back as straight as possible. This unit is so light that I do not get tired at all like I do with my gas trimmer.
Sixth, one drawback that I found is that the trigger is a bit hard to hold fully down, and it would be very nice if there was a trigger lock.
Finally, the unit comes with an extra trim head already loaded with string. Nice to have your backup ready at all times if you run out of string in the middle of the job. Only takes a minute or less to replace with new head.
Faulty Switch, Poor Warranty Support - EcoGuy - PA
I'm trying to do my part for the environment. Small gas powered engines put out excessive amount of green house gases. I really wanted to love this rechargeable electric trimmer. As others, I found the straight shaft awkward and too short, but was willing to live with it. I used the product for only about 30 minutes the switch became intermittent and then failed completely. I called the manufacturer, and they gave me the name of the closest authorized repair shop, who never called me back. Fortunately, I was still within Amazon's great free return period, so I just packed it up and returned it. Thank you, Amazon!
Overall, based on my experience I can't recommend this product.
