SKIL 40v trimmer/blower set, a review.

I've lived in this home for 15 years, and in that time I've used up two expensive gas weed-eaters.  The latest was a Cub Cadet 4-stroke that gave me 6 years before the head quit.  Luckily I have a bladed shaft that fits, so it's not dead-dead.

I decided this time to go battery, and spent a day researching. I arrived at this one for a balance of value, good ratings, and features.  Trimmer, blower, 40v battery, and charger for $180. This morning the set got their first work out as I tried to beat the heat.

First impression:  So light and quiet, it CAN'T work that well, yet it does.  No sturm and drang, no waking the neighbors, no looking like I fought the weed wars.  It just whacks down the weeds and grass.  From seedlings up to 5 foot tall poke, all slaughtered easily and quietly.  It's the grim reaper scythe of weed whackers.  In addition, it doesn't splatter me with weed guts from head to toes.  No more stripping on the front porch and marching to the shower.  I'm sure the neighbors will be pleased with that.

Line usage was less than half what the Cub Cadette burned through.  It seems raw (and loud) power uses line like crazy.  This SKIL thing just chewed through green stuff and soldiered on, miserly on the trim line.  I also found it easy to operate in close quarters around my veg plants and roses.  Precision is a snap compared to the big gas model.

Assembly was silly easy, taking all of 5 minutes.  If I had gotten a real Torx driver instead of the crappy thing  that came with it, it would have been 2 minutes.  Two screws for the handle and two screws for the line guard.  That's it.  A note on the crappy included tool, it bent in my fingers.  Be gentle with it, or throw it away and use a real tool.

Operation is intuitive. Slide a charged battery on and GO.  Variable speed is handy and the 'safety' button is well placed for a natural grip.  Not having to deal with a finicky gas engine is why I went this route.  Getting too old and too crotchety to put up with that when THIS tech is right here.

The blower is even easier.  Snap on the tube (.5 seconds), slide on the 40v battery, and it's go time.  One variable speed lever and no waiting.   Just blowing. Plenty of air moving to clear the road, walk, and drive...and quietly too.  I ordered a reducing nozzle to increase air speed and I expect it will work even better with that installed.

Battery life?  Juuuuust right for me.  This morning I did the front yard, around my garden and driveway, and all the road frontage.  Then I swapped the battery to the blower and cleared the areas I trimmed.  Putting the battery on charge when done, I see I used about half it's charge.  That means it would have also done the back yard and patio as well, if I chose to.   I expect to order another battery just because.  Not that I need to to weed whack for hours at a time (too old for that crap now) but it would be nice to let the wife play along at the same time.