Customer Reviews

Black & Decker GH700 5.2 amp 14-Inch Grass Hog Electric Trimmer/Edger

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(32)

 

 

Wow. First review on this model. Here goes:

Pros:
- Powerful. It can take down tall grasses and weeds with ease.
- 5.2 Amps means you can use most 100' extension cords.
- Comfortable to hold and easily adjusted.
- Converts to edger with a flip of the head.
- If you're careful enough, the cord does not get in the way.
- Inexpensive!
- Quiet (Compared to a gas model...)

Cons:
- The AFS line feeder is sensitive and problematic.
- The 14" wide swath is more like 10-12" most of the time.
- Motor is located near the head which makes balancing a bit harder.
- Motor near head means you should be very careful in wet environments.
- Motor vents get clogged quickly -- it is near the cutting head.
- Noisier than you might think! (Almost but not quite as noisy as a circular saw).

While the manufacturer states that the AFS Automatic Dual-Feed Spool is better because there is "No Bumping Required", in practice I found that the centrifugal force does not feeds the line as well as it should. B&D's website has a troubleshooter for this issue (under FAQs), but in my experience it is a bit much to ask to wind the line extremely straight and even so that it should feed properly - especially that even after following directions I only got a 10-12" swath most of the time.

It seems that this is the main issue with these B&D trimmers, as both the GH600 and GH1000 models (the GH1000 is rated at the top of Consumer Reports (tm) Electric Trimmer list and a Best Buy) have these complaints by users posted in the Amazon Reviews.

It would seem that in the GH700 model the manufacturer would have corrected the problem but after using it there is still more to correct.

As to the motor being near the cutting head, I found that shredded grass gets into the vents and need to be cleaned regularly.

Finally, if you are over 6' tall you may find yourself bending down more than you are comfortable with.

Overall:

For the price of $50 I think it is worth a try. If you can deal with the line mis-feed issue and only a 10-12" cutting swath, you have yourself a powerful and relatively carefree tool.

TIP: As with any high RPM hand tool, Wear Anti-Vibration gloves or wrap foam around the grip handle if you use it more than 10 minutes. I felt my arm for the next 24 hours...

Loved the original "single feed" Hedgehog. The "twin feed" is a disaster. I spent almost as much time fiddling with the "automatic" feed as I do trimming. Line continuously jammed up motor. After 6 months, it died. I won't be buying another. Extremely poorly designed spooling. Not recommended.

It seems that the reviews here are for the older version of this product. I think B&D has had hundreds of returns or warranty claims and have now fixed the AFS line feed system. I have used for a month now and no issues at all. I wind my own spools without issue. Also, I suggest not buying on-line as it is more complicated to return....buy from local orange home center for the same price and if it doesn't work, return it with ease.

You will spend more time with the line tangling than it would take cutting your entire yard and trimming your hedges. The old model with the single line worked great; it just played out. However the new model with the dual line will not allow me to complete my entire yard without need to replace a new line...Took it back and will not ever purchase anything similar.

I had a B n D HEDGEHOG, single line trimmer for several years. It NEVER EVER gave me trouble. It only died because the CHEAP CHINESE MADE 100' electric cord MELTED onto the plug of the HEDGEHOG and when I attempted disconnection, the plug pulled away from the HEDGEHOG and remained in the cord ! UGH !!!

So, I happened to be around a LOWES and purchased this piece of TOTAL GARBAGE. It worked fine for about an hour, was comfortable to hold, but MUCH noisier than the HEDGEHOG. Suddenly it began making an odd noise, and I noticed that the lines were about a foot long and tangled into themselves.

I took the blasted cap off, which was MORE difficult to remove than the HEDGEHOG and ASSumed that because there wasn't much line left, perhaps this was a way of selling more line by making the unit malfunction prior to full line use.

OKAY, I thought...let's just carefully wind new line and I did EVERYTHING according to the pamphlet that comes with the device. It was a real pain in the hand to wind a "dual" line and I was already sorry that I didn't buy a "single" line trimmer, but I didn't notice one available that was electric.

I plugged the baby back in and returned to work...ALAS...it happened AGAIN almost immediately.

OKAY, I thought...let me double check my wind. I completely unwound the dual lines and REWOUND them as tidy as I could manage. It was pert near PERFECTION and I was disgusted for the effort it took.

Certainly, I noticed the little red lever on the cap and wondered if the positioning of that lever had something to do with this nonsense, so I made a conscious decision to "mind" in what position I placed that lever prior to clicking the spool back on.

Went back to work. IT DID IT AGAIN !!!

I confess, that I took that blasted thing apart EIGHT TIMES ! I must be nuts !
I could barely keep myself from taking a very conveniently placed sledge hammer to this piece of sh.....t.

I phoned B n D and received a very nice young woman from TEXAS who said that the little red lever in the cap was the culprit for ALL the trouble. She said that MANY complaints have come in and she was told that a tiny hairline crack in this lever caused this trouble.

She offered to send me a "new" cap, but that B n D didn't have them available until AUGUST 20 th...A LONG TIME TO WAIT if you like to keep your property trim around here anyhow.

Ultimately, SHE SUGGESTED TO TAKE IT BACK TO LOWES, she gave me a "situation #" to validate that B n D had been contacted. SHE SUGGESTED I BUY ANOTHER MODEL !!!

So...my question is WHO is going to reimburse me for the 75 miles I have to drive EACH WAY to take this sucker back to LOWES ???

Personally, I am totally DISGUSTED with the obvious demise of quality in most EVERY everyday item available. This "CHINESE" connection is ruining ALL of us and it is clearly apparent that their substandard mediocrity is costing big time.

DON'T BUY THIS ITEM. YOU WILL BE SORRY IF YOU DO. I SURE AS HECK AM !

The Automatic Feeder on this is HORRIBLE!! I cannot even do my yard once (and I have a very small yard) without running out of line. The Automatic Feeder is CONTINUOUSLY feeding out line, even when there is no need to do so!! And when the replacement spools cost anywhere up to $11.00, it gets VERY expensive to trim a yard.

We've had the same problem everyone else has had with this trimmer. Please note that the at LEAST one of the positive reviews of this trimmer are for a DIFFERENT MODEL and should not be on the page for this product.

Frankly, I'm not sure how this product ever got out of testing. Sure it's powerful, ergonomic, inexpensive, and easy to use...but it has one glaring fault. The "Automatic Feed" spool simply does no such thing. It does not feed automatically, as the name implies. This is especially noticeable if you're trimming near abrasive concrete. The line disintegrates within a matter of seconds, and you're left with an inch of line sticking out. So you flip the trimmer over, take the spool off, unwind the line, stick it back on, and you're back in business.......for another 8 seconds.

How can Black & Decker sell a product that says AUTOMATIC FEED on the box when it clearly does not feed automatically? Truly baffling...

I give it 2 stars because aside from the feed problems, it's a pretty nice trimmer. And the feed problems are less noticeable when trimming along less abrasive surfaces like a wooden fence.

Sorriest piece of junk I've ever used in a string trimmer. Automatic feed continuously tangles and doesn't work...bump feed worked better. Stay far away from this one or any B7D product with auto feed.

Plastic gear inside drive unit broke after short use. Replacement part not available. Have found many of the same complaints on other sites. I would not recommend this unit.