Black & Decker Lawn Tools

I am not sure what you think of when you hear the name Black & Decker.  For me two things come to mind.  First is a company that has a long history of making products.  Second is the Dust Buster.  I remember those old Dust Busters. While they were a cool invention and meant you didn’t have to break out the vacuum, it would last for about two minutes.   Just enough time to pick up those 8 Cheerios.  Good thing battery technology has changed because now they are night and day.  Speaking of that, we will be having a review coming up on the new Black & Decker series.  All I can say is these new vacs rock.

In regards to Black & Decker lawn tools, I really can’t say I have a ton of experience with them.  I see some people around the neighborhood using them, but I don’t have any first hand experience with them.  So this is really my first use with them.  Granted we saw them at the Black & Decker event, but it’s always different using them in your own environment.  Before I jump into them, I wanted to give you my initial thoughts on them.  The tools themselves are very light.  While they aren’t the most powerful OPE tools we have used, they have plenty of power for most homeowners with a smaller yard.  Considering they have a pretty large line of OPE tools, it’s not a bad buy since you can expand into more Black & Decker lawn tools down the road.  All three of these tools run off the Black & Decker 20V line of batteries.

Black & Decker String Trimmer/Edger – LSTE525

I have to say out of the three Black & Decker lawn tools we used, this was my favorite.  I think the reason being is because this is a multi tool.  Not only can you trim your grass, but you can also edge with it.  Turning it from trimmer to edger is fairly easy with no tools required.  One cool feature to this tool is the no bump option.  If you are familiar with string trimmers you know you always need to bump your trimmer on the ground to advance new line out.  With the Black & Decker trimmer, just push a button and you will have new string to keep on trucking, I mean trimming.

This trimmer features two speeds.  You can boost your power for those tough areas, but you will also lose a little run time.  So for most of us who stay up to date on their yards, you probably won’t be using the boost much, so not an issue with run time.

In regards to the handle and shaft, Black & Decker added a nice feature to this tool.  You can turn a knob and lower the shaft into itself if you want it short or for storage options.  When the shaft is fully extended, it’s not a bad height.  I do wish it was a little longer since I am 6′ tall.  While I have to bend over a tad, it’s not too bad.

Black & Decker String Trimmer/Edger Specification

• Amp Hours – 1.5Ah
• Cutting Swath – 12″
• Feed System – Push Button
• Line Diameter – 0.065″
• RPM – 5500 – 7200 rpm
• Weight – 5.3 Lbs.

Black & Decker Sweeper – LSW321

Don’t let the size of this sweeper fool you as it does a great job.  Now don’t get confused with the sweeper and blower.  A blower is much more powerful.  A sweeper is smaller and pushes less air, so don’t expect hurricane forces.  Also don’t expect all the weight with the sweeper that you have with a blower.  A sweeper is for smaller production.  It’s not designed to blow big piles of leaves.  It’s designed to blow off your driveway after you get done cutting your grass. However this does have a feature if you do get into a spot where you need more power.

Black & Decker designed this tool with a powerboost function.  So say you come across a place where there is more grass piles or wet leaves, just press the powerboost button and you will get a kick of power, up to 130 mph.  However when you use this button it will lower the run time between battery charges.  Without using powerboost, you should get about 25 minutes of run time.  One thing to watch out for is where the powerboost button is located.  While the button is convenient and should be, it’s also easy to hold this button down the whole time without even thinking about it.  You will wonder where your 25 minutes of run time went.

Black & Decker Sweeper Specification

• Air Speed – 130 mph (Powerboost mode)
• Weight – 3.7 lbs

Black & Decker Hedge Trimmer – LHT321

Since you are already taking care of your lawn with the string trimmer and sweeper, why not take a look at the hedger?  This is a great way to make your yard look like the Buckingham Palace.  I have the Ego hedger which I love, but it comes at a higher cost.  I have to say this Black & Decker does a great job and some features I wish my Ego had.

First, I love the size and weight to the tool.  Using a hedger can take a toll on your arms and tire them out quickly. Now I am not sure how much it weighs, but it is lighter than the Ego.  Here is the cool part to this hedger.  This tool features a Powercut.  Have you ever been hedging a bush and you get it stuck on a thick branch?  What happens?  It just dies out and you have to rip it out hoping you don’t break the tool.  With Powercut, just press a button and it will oscillate the cutters to get through the thicker branch.  I have tried this and it does work as advertised.  One thing I did notice on this hedger is the low vibrations.

Black & Decker Hedger Specification

• Blade Length – 22″
• Cutting Stroke Per Minute – 2,400
• Max Cutting Capacity – 3/4″

Overall these tools have some pretty cool features that you don’t even see on some of the more expensive brands. While I think they are a little pricey, they are good lawn tools for the homeowner.  Considering they are lightweight and easy to use, I think a lot of homeowners who aren’t into the fancy stuff and don’t want to drop a bunch of money, these are a great alternative.