Black&Decker GLC2500. We’ll see how it turns out. Very nice model even though cordless trimmers are of course severely limited in terms of runtime. 17 minutes to be precise for this specific model. If that is enough remains to be seen but clearly one can’t be a slouch or one will never finish.
Then again, combustion engines and corded trimmer have their respective drawbacks as well. The former being carcinogenic, loud and too powerful for the average garden and the latter having that damn cord that one needs to drag, find an outlet for and roll up neatly after every run.
(Update) First run: Battery had been charged for 5+ hours and according to the manual would have had 80% charge or thereabout. Grass was thick (first trimming) and moist but not wet. Verdict: What a piece of shit. Unfortunately I didn’t clock the run but I finished maybe 1/4 - 1/3 of the garden before the battery ran out. Maybe. Seemed like 5 minutes tops. And on some areas I should have probably stayed longer or gone over them again. So far I’m underwhelmed, even disappointed. And not just because I’m used to professional trimmers and brush cutters. No, this just didn’t live up to even the most basic requirements.
(Update) Second run: Recharged the battery 3.5h. Grass was now relatively dry and patches not as thick as during the first run. Was able to complete another 1/3 of the garden before the trimmer ground to a halt. The watch stopped at around 9 minutes but the trimmer started slowing down considerably already after 7 minutes. Did do some edging but not at all to the extent that I needed. Another thing that is also clear now is that the trimming must be done much more shallow than before. Even the old 200-something Watt B&D corded trimmer was able to grind its way into the dirt if need be. The GLC2500 would not be able to do the same and even if it endured the torture, the battery would only deplete faster. So basically, it would seem this is a trimmer for the small garden and shallow, weekly trimmings.
(Update) Third run: Recharged the unit overnight. Grass was dry and sparser. Runtime = 12 minutes tops before the trimmer became too slow but probably around 10-11 minutes in reality since I had to move around more and didn’t bother to stop the watch every time. That covered the last 1/3 of the garden. I noticed a neighbour trimming with a similar device and lets just say that the person in question was just skimming and skipping instead of a thorough and sweeping approach. If you have any sort of eye for detail and want to do a meticulous trim, this just isn’t good enough.
I will start over at the end of next week and perhaps the thinner, lower and fresher grass wont drain the battery as fast. But if there are no grassy green miracles, I reckon I will be returning the trimmer for a refund applying B&D’s 30-day satisfaction pledge.
(Update) Forth-fifth-sixth run: Sure, I eventually got the runtime up to an unimpressive 13-14 minutes or so under suitable conditions. A far cry from the 17 minutes advertised and what I needed. I returned the B&D GLC2500 trimmer for a refund. What annoys me the most is that I fell for the idea of a cordless trimmer. Not because of advertisement or such, but because I wanted to believe in cordless. Not B&D’s fault either. This is what you get for the price and using a measly 18V battery. A twice as big a battery with more voltage and amperage and you’d have a working trimmer, but probably at twice the price.
So, what is left now? Combustion engine or corded I suppose. I haven’t given up on B&D entirely either. I’m looking at their GL701 for instance. Looks and feels very sturdy compared to their toyish cordless model and the competition.
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