Customer Reviews

Black & Decker GS500 3.6-Volt Cordless Grass Shear

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

This item is very good if you have a small lawn and want to keep it neatly edged. If you have a large lawn, a string trimmer might be more appropriate, due to the fact that the shear may run out of charge before you are finished, and a string trimmer is a lot faster.

The shear is light enough to handle and does not wiggle around when cutting. The switch is a little hard to turn on but is probably engineered that way for safety. The blades cut the grass cleanly, and if they jam from the grass being too thick, they unjam easily. The blades last longer and cut better if you wipe off the grass sap between uses, and oil them lightly, as the manual instructs.

For a small area where you might ordinarily use hand clippers, this is a great little tool that saves a lot of time and keeps your hand from getting blistered. For me it was well worth the price--a great tool where hand clippers are not enough, but a string trimmer is overkill.

You better have a strong thumb to keep the lock disengaged.
OK for very light grass trimming.
A full charge will last about 5 minutes.
I have not been able to find a replacement/rechargeble battery.
Don't buy it !!

These shears are way too feeble for any serious use. They cut the tender tips of the grass fine, but when it comes to the beefier, possibly wet, root area, they totally fail. The overload shutoff kicks in every 5 seconds, making them totally unusable for me. I tried to trim the overgrown edge of my lawn and I gave up after 6 feet. If you are a serious gardener and want a strong, reliable tool that does its job, this is not for you.

The design of the previous model(s) of grass shears were all the same for about 25 years. I know this because I have seen them in all sorts of colors, but the design never changed. This newer model came out last year and while it is a fine unit, it's a little bit more difficult to use. The only problem is the lock-on button feature. For some reason a lot of strength is needed to secure the lock. People with arthiritis, and joint problems could have difficulties with this unit. I understand that this model has an extension sold seprately, but better design is needed.

Although the top button is a safety measure by design, it's very difficult to press the top button to unlock the shears and turn it on to use. Definitely not designed for the weak or elderly! As a result, we're shopping for new shears.

The old blades they use to make before 1998 for this unit were top quality and would last you like 50 yard cuttings. The ones you pick up today only last like 8 yard cuttings before they get dull. They are very hard to sharpen with a file or dremel tool. I cannot get them to sharpen right so I'm forced to buy new blades often. The battery life is avg 30 - 45 mins.

I can't say that this is the best grass shear made.
When fully charged, it will run for about 30-45
minutes before the charge is lost. It takes quite
a long time to charge this baby up.

The quality on the handheld unit it pretty good. The
long-handle accessory is just fine also. I don't like
the way they both connector together. Seems like it could
be trouble over time.

We have a yard that is close to 3/4 of an acre, with lots
of flower beds, trees, and things to trim around. Honestly
this is not the unit for us, but my wife wanted a rechargeable,
and there are not many out there.

It works. It gets the job done if you are patient. But there
could be improvements made.

To get 5 stars, the battery life should be longer, quicker
to recharge, and the connector for the long handle should be
more secure.

This product is good for females, as it is light weight, and you have complete control over it at all times not like weed eaters that seem to overpower you. You don't need jeans, army boots and goggles just to use this! I do have trouble with the on/off switch. Hard to keep the unit going at all times. Keeps cutting off. Easy to recharge and a delight to have no gasoline worries or electric cord worries.

This is not a guys tool; however my wife loves it! It trims extremely well and the battery charge holds every bit of a half hour if not longer. It cuts through almost any type weed or grass with little or no resistance. Ladies, put on your gloves and get a trimming! :-)

I really like the Black & Decker Grass Shear. Maybe it's my neat and orderly personality when it comes to gardening, but I found it really did a great job of cleaning up the edges of our yard that a mower couldn't tackle. It's light and easy to use -- and reminds me greatly of when my son was much younger and I used to cut his hair with an electric trimmer.

The grass in my yard now looks quite stylish and I'm buying the extension handle kit to make it easier to cover more territory while standing up. Parents will like the "lock-off" switch which prevents accidental start-ups. However, I find it so difficult to unlock this switch (when wearing gloves or if hands are sweaty) that it's almost "adult-proof" (which is why I only gave it 4 stars).