Battery powered Strimmer

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,994
4,100
50
Exeter
As power tool battery strength and durability seems to have increased significantly over the last ten years or so I wonder if anyone uses a Battery powered strimmer with good effect? Not something that just makes the right sounds and whizzes around but is ineffective but something that has enough 'grunt' and torque applicability that makes it a direct 1-2-1 replacement of petrol or corded strimmers?
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,894
2,145
Mercia
As power tool battery strength and durability seems to have increased significantly over the last ten years or so I wonder if anyone uses a Battery powered strimmer with good effect? Not something that just makes the right sounds and whizzes around but is ineffective but something that has enough 'grunt' and torque applicability that makes it a direct 1-2-1 replacement of petrol or corded strimmers?
We have a DeWalt 18V XR strimmer. It's light and handy but not a patch on our 2 stroke Husqy in terms of power on nettles, brambles etc.
 
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Pattree

Full Member
Jul 19, 2023
2,177
1,169
77
UK
Wife uses a supermarket brand 18V strimmer
It does a good job on edges, grass and young weeds even though it only uses a single strand of 1.8mm nylon.

For anything seriously resistant we use a 240V x 1KW Ryobi on a 50 metre extension reel. It is close to the power of the 26cc petrol version and drives hedge cutter, chain pole saw and brushwood blade. If you can get a mains cable where you need it, I thoroughly recommend it over a battery.

My days off thrashing about with petrol equipment are long over.

Edited after checking figures.
 
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Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,618
1,411
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
I have a titan one for the allotment. Battery life is acceptable. I live close so never feel I need to lot out for the day and often just walk round with just that. Nettles are a struggle so I’ve recently just bought a titan battery hedge trimmer for those.

I didn’t want to go for petrol powered for ease of just plug and go and storage later.
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,496
8,374
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
We have a Makita one. It's effective on the grass borders and can even handle nettles but won't look at bramble. I find you can tackle slightly heavier/longer stuff by cutting from the top and working down. I'm often pleasantly surprised at what it can tackle (I won't us IC engine stuff on a Sunday :)) but reach straight for the Stihl bushcutter for anything slightly 'woody'.
 
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slowworm

Full Member
May 8, 2008
2,185
1,116
Devon
I have the domestic Stihl battery hedge cutter (HSA 56) and for a cordless tool it cuts thick brambles and shrubs with ease (I use it a fair bit for clearing nettles and bramble patches). I'm quite impressed with it so I would consider the Stihl domestic battery brush cutter if you can find some reviews - not cheap at over £450 for the brushcutter and battery and charger though.
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,496
8,374
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I have the domestic Stihl battery hedge cutter (HSA 56) and for a cordless tool it cuts thick brambles and shrubs with ease (I use it a fair bit for clearing nettles and bramble patches).

That's good to know; I'm considering getting one at this very moment. Cutting back bramble along a raised edge to the track is very tiring using the bushcutter.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,542
710
Knowhere
I have got an Erbauer strimmer and Hedge trimmer that use the same battery. So far as I am concerned the strimmer sucks, it feels underpowered and won't tackle the tough stuff but the Hedge trimmer is good.
 

FerlasDave

Full Member
Jun 18, 2008
1,859
624
Off the beaten track
I only use battery tools for our garden, I started with an einhell mower a couple of years ago as our lawn isn’t the biggest. I was that impressed I got the strummer and the leaf blower too, now with a 5.0ah battery I can strim, mow and blow the mess away all on one charge. (Provided the grass isn’t too long)

Not sure how strong the strimmer really is as I only use it for borders and edging, but I wouldn’t have thought it would tackle much more to be honest.
 
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RichardJackson

Forager
Jul 7, 2011
193
44
Beccles
www.greengrow.org.uk
I would bypass the battery strimmer and go for Austrian sythe witth 55cm ditch blade. Get some training and it is lighter, quieter, keeps you gently fit and flexible, has added zen...and another blade to play with.
I love mine.
Try scythecymru or the scythe shop; also other outlets.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk
 

66jj99

Full Member
Dec 22, 2011
62
37
Bristol
Yes, I ve been cutting brambles today with the Stihl FSA 86R. Other half uses it commercially as a gardener.

Loaded with the recommended 2mm line, it can do brambles, but is a grass etc strimmer first & foremost. It's one of the the lightest cutters in the pro range. ( The more powerful "brushcutters" start getting a fair bit beefier)

The gear using the Stihl AP batteries is the heavy use / pro range. It's all good kit however & I know if many pro's using the AK (domestic) stuff with great success too.
 
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