Written by: Cary Riker
My husband and I bought an acre property last fall, and found ourselves with a lot of yard work this spring. Overgrown hedges, tons of grass, and lots of lawn needing edging. This is our first house, and we didn’t know much about yard maintenance. To help with the edging and the areas of grass inaccessible to the lawn mower, I purchased Black and Decker’s Grasshog 14 inch electric trimmer and edger. It seemed inexpensive and easy to use. This little tool has lived up to my expectations! I’ve never used a string trimmer before, but with a little trial and error, quickly learned to edge the yard and trim back weeded and tall grass. I’ve even been able to trim around and under perennials without damaging them! This trimmer has been worth it! As a woman who is not that strong, I’ve been able to handle this and work with it easily.
Features:
• 14 inch cutting path
• Groom N’ Edge™: Black and Decker’s edge guide, permitting you to switch from edging to trimming
• Adjustable height
• 5.4 lbs
• 6 amp electric motor, corded
• Dual-line AFS Automatic Feed Spool™: the string automatically extends
Pros:
It is really easy to switch from trimming to edging by turning a knob located just under the handle. Also, it’s electric—no smelly gas to deal with. I haven’t had to mess with the string at all, except for the very first time I used it, when I didn’t know what I was doing. Since then, I haven’t had to touch it. I’ve motored through tall, thick weeds that I couldn’t mow over, and the trimmer plowed through them without missing a beat. Also, I’m not very strong, and don’t know anything about motors, so I need something that is plug-and-play.
Cons:
For me, sometimes I find it a little hard to control if I’m not paying extremely close attention. This might not be the tool for a yard maintenance expert. It’s not as exact as I would like, even though I have been able to work around small plants. Sometimes I bump the ground, and end up shoring off a little more grass than I intended. The electric cord occasionally gets in the way, so use a heavy-duty extension cable!
Overall, this is a great tool if you want an easy-to-use trimmer and edger with low maintenance. I’ve grown to enjoy using it because it’s powerful, easy to use, and the results are surprisingly good for such an inexpensive tool. Since this is the first string trimmer I’ve owned, I can’t speak for the competition. But from what I’ve read, at only $49.97 at Home Depot, this one seems to be the best deal for overall usability and convenience.