Black & Decker NST1024 24-Volt Cordless String Trimmer/Edger

by Black & Decker

• 24-volt, 13-inch cordless string trimmer/edger
• PowerCommand system with "boost mode" for up to twice the power of 18V string trimmers
• Adjustable aluminum light weight shaft is strong and comfortable
• Patented gear drive transmission amplifies motor torque for increased cutting power and performance
• Includes trimmer, 1 battery, and charger; weighs 8.8 pounds; 2-year warranty

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 4.4 x 46.2 inches ; 12.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 13 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002YK4UZ0
• Item model number: NST1024
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (140 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,555 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)
  • #51 in Patio, Lawn & Garden > Mowers & Outdoor Power Tools > Outdoor Power Tools > String Trimmers

Product Description

Designed to make yard work faster and easier than ever before, the Black & Decker 24-Volt Cordless String Trimmer and Edger (NST1024) provides unmatched power and convenience in a battery-powered, easy-to-operate design. This high-performance tool offers two cutting modes for improved control, making it the perfect solution for those in search of a reliable and powerful string trimmer.

The NST1024 Cordless String Trimmer and Edger At a Glance: Delivers high-level cutting performance without gas, oil, or pull cords Patented gear drive transmission dramatically increases power output Power CommandTM feature lets you choose between two modes: Normal and Boost Adjustable aluminum shaft and soft no-slip grip areas Releases zero harmful emissions; includes Energy Star certified charging system

The adjustable aluminum shaft and soft no-slip grip areas make this trimmer comfortable to use. View larger.

The NST1024 comes with a high-output 24-volt battery, so you can complete big jobs without interruption. View larger.

Powerful, Cordless Performance
Like all Black & Decker cordless string trimmers, the NST1024 delivers a high level of cutting performance without the hassles of gas, oil, or pull cords. It comes equipped with a long-lasting 24-volt battery pack and a newly developed 9,000-RPM motor. The motor gives the trimmer the juice it needs to quickly take down the tallest weeds and expertly trim along fences, houses, landscape beds, and more.

Two Cutting Modes to Meet Your Needs
The NST1024 boasts a patented gear drive transmission to dramatically increase power output over all other cordless trimmers on the market. And for optimum control of all that power, PowerCommand^TM enables users to select between two cutting modes. Normal mode maximizes battery runtime, while Boost mode delivers twice the cutting power of leading 18-volt string trimmers.

Versatile, Comfortable, and Easy to Use
The adjustable aluminum shaft and soft no-slip grip areas make the NST1024 comfortable to use. With the touch of a single button, the trimmer head rotates and converts to an edger. To cap it off, the NST1024 trimmer uses Black & Decker's patented auto-feed spool system, which automatically advances the cutting line as it wears down.

In addition to power and versatility, the NST1024 offers an array of environmental advantages. Unlike gas-powered engines that produce a total of over one million tons of polluting air emissions a year, the NST1024 releases zero harmful emissions when cutting. In addition, its charging system is Energy Star certified.

As an added bonus, the NST1024 is much lighter, starts easier, and has lower operating costs than traditional gas-powered models. It is backed by a two-year warranty and 30-day risk-free trial.

About Black & Decker: Nearly a Century of Innovation
As a global manufacturer and marketer of power tools and accessories, hardware and home improvement products, and technology-based fastening systems, Black & Decker has established a reputation for product innovation, high-quality, durable design, and value. The company enjoys worldwide recognition for its innovative product development, and its global distribution is unsurpassed in the hardware and tools industry.

Based in Towson, Maryland, Black & Decker was founded in 1910 by S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker. In 1917, the company invented a portable electric drill and quickly received a patent for the drill's pistol grip and trigger switch. In the years that followed, the company's success led to entry into foreign markets, and later, the development of individual tool lines.

What's in the Box
Black & Decker 24-Volt Cordless String Trimmer and Edger, high-output 24-volt battery, charger, and manual.

The trimmer head rotates and converts to an edger with the touch of a button.

	NST2018	LST1018	NST1024	NST2036
Key Feature	Two 18V NiCad batteries provide extended run time	40 percent lighter battery, smaller than traditional 18V NiCad batteries	PowerCommand system with "boost mode" for up to twice the power of 18V string trimmers	Long-lasting 36V battery with performance that rivals gas string trimmers
Battery Voltage	18V	18V	24V	36V
Multi-voltage	No	No	Yes	No
Battery Chemistry	NiCad	Li-Ion	NiCad	NiCad
Number of Batteries	2	1	1	1
Amp Hours	1.5	1.5	1.7	2.4
Cut Swath	12 inches	12 inches	13 inches	14 inches
RPM	8300	8300	6800-9000	7500
Tip Speed	290 mph	290 mph	350 mph	312 mph
Watt Hours	54	27	41	86.4
Runtime	23.2	24	14	15
Rate of Cut (square feet/min)	28	13	60	51
Area Cut square feet as sold	646	323	839	n/a
String Diameter	0.065-inch	0.065-inch	0.065-inch	0.08-inch dual
Weight	6.8 pounds	6 pounds	8.8 pounds	11.9 pounds
Charge Time	8 hours	45 minutes	9 hours	12 hours
Transmission	Gear	Gear	Gear	Gear
Line Feed Type	AFS	AFS	AFS	Bump
Edging Mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Warranty	2 years	2 years	2 years	3 years
	NST2018	LST1018	NST1024	NST2036

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 97 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Improved cordless trimmer/edger can still be improved upon April 6, 2010

By William W. Davis VINE™ VOICE

Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

QUICK SUMMARY: This Black & Decker cordless trimmer/edger has more power to cut through stubborn St. Augustine grass shoots, but a few minor design complaints and a short-lived battery life keep it from being a 5-star product. Recommended!

What I LIKED:

- 24 volt battery pack creates power that rivals a gas-powered trimmer
- easily mowed through thick, overgrown, St. Augustine grass
- quickly cut the St. Augustine grass shoots spreading over my sidewalk
- uses its predecessor's 18-volt battery packs, too!
- assembly was a cinch to do
- stronger shaft is now made of strong, lightweight aluminum (not plastic)

What could be improved:

- the trigger to activate the trimmer/edger requires too much pressure to hold down, so using this unit for more than a few minutes grows tiring after a while
- removing and reinstalling the allen wrench (used to reposition the handle) is hard to do
- the battery life still isn't long-lasting enough to fully trim/edge my lawn
- adjusting the handle requires using the allen wrench, so it's not easy to have two people of different heights using the same trimmer/edger

Background:

This is my second Black and Decker cordless trimmer/edger. My first one has just about died now after a few years of use. The shaft on my old unit is made of plastic, and the weight of the unit stressed the middle of the shaft to the point where it cracked and had to be kept together using duct tape. I was happy to see, then, that this new Black & Decker trimmer/edger has a shaft made of aluminum now, which should be more durable.

I live in Florida, and our lawn is made of St. Augustine grass. If you're not familiar with St.... Augustine, it's like crabgrass except it's highly heat tolerant and it isn't a weed. St. Augustine spreads via spreading grass shoots, and those grass shoots grow over my front yard sidewalk. They're very hard to cut while edging my sidewalk, even when I had a gas-powered trimmer/edger. My old B&D trimmer/edger, which uses 18-volt battery packs, struggled to cut the thickest grass shoots and it took quiet a long time to edge my 50-foot-long sidewalk.

Using the Trimmer/Edger:

In my first time using this trimmer/edger, I was pleasantly surprised at how much power it seemed to have over my 18-volt trimmer/edger. The 24-volt battery pack that comes with this unit delivers a lot power that, I think, rivals my old gas-powered trimmer/edger. I had a large, very overgrown patch of St. Augustine grass over my septic system's drain field that needed to be whacked away before I could mow over it. This trimmer easily cut through the thick St. Augustine grass with no trouble -- and this was without even using the power boost setting that is available on this model!

The harder task came when edging my sidewalk. I had St. Augustine grass shoots that hadn't been edged in months now, growing over my 50-foot sidewalk. Using this trimmer, I was able to pretty quickly cut through those hard-to-cut grass shoots. The task went much more quickly than when I was using my old 18-volt trimmer/edger.

Unfortunately, I ran out of power before I could complete the edging of my sidewalk. I got 75% finished before the battery pack's power noticeably waned. In sum, I probably worked about 20 minutes total whacking a large, overgrown grass patch in my front yard and edging 75 feet of my sidewalk (I completed one 50 foot stretch on one side of my sidewalk, but then only 25 feet of the opposite side of the sidewalk).

Here's one good thing, though: this trimmer/edger works with all my 18-volt battery packs! So, I was still able to finish my lawn using my 18-volt battery packs. If you've already invested in some of the 18-volt battery packs, you'll really appreciate the backwards-compatibility of this new Black & Decker trimmer/edger.

Because the handle requires loosening and retightening four screws, it's not going to be easy to share this trimmer/edger with another person in your family who is of a substantially different height than you are. It would have been better to design a handle that could be readjusted without screws.

My biggest design complaint is the finger pressure that's required to keep the power-on trigger depressed. It requires substantially more effort to hold down the finger trigger on this new, 24-volt trimmer/edger than my old Black & Decker trimmer/edger. After about 10 minutes of grass-whacking, I required frequent rests to my finger that was holding down the power-on trigger. I also don't like the safety lock that you have to slide and hold firstly before you can depress the power-on trigger -- I think it's in an awkward position for your thumb to get to.

Conclusion:

Black & Decker certainly improved their cordless trimmer/edger by giving it a 24-volt battery pack. It now has power that rivals a gas-powered trimmer/edger. It also has an improved build quality using aluminum instead of plastic in the shaft. But this trimmer/edger's power is short-lived still. Unless you have a very small lawn with very easy-to-cut grass, you'll run out of power before the job is done. And if that's the case, you'll want to buy a 2nd battery pack so you finish the job. I'm actually very impressed with this Black & Decker cordless trimmer/edger, and will be happy to use it more frequently now that the warm weather has arrived.

Recommended! Read more ›

136 of 152 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Let's get real about this trimmer April 18, 2010

By K. Brumfield

Purchased this trimmer several weeks ago and I've put it through it's paces since then. I have owned several Black & Decker products in the past and I must say I've never been more disappointed with one of their products.

You can talk all you want about what a nice job it does trimming and edging, but the bottom line is the current battery system they are using is woefully inadequate for all but the smallest of yards. 20 minutes of usable power is pathetic. Not to mention the 10 hours it takes to recharge the battery.

I almost choked when I saw they wanted $70 for a second 20 minute battery, and $35 for a 2-hour recharger. Are you kidding me? Black & Decker, if you're listening, prove to your customers you have their best interests at heart and come out with a corded adapter for this product. I would buy it in a heartbeat.

Otherwise, I cannot recommend this product in good faith.

45 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Minor Assembly Required - Powerful and adjustable March 22, 2010

By Roberta Karchner TOP 50 REVIEWER

Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Spring is on its way here in Kansas, but it hasn't arrived yet, so I can't do a video review showing really cool weeds, but, since all of our snow had melted by this morning, I was able to experiment with this a bit on an early patch of grass in our front yard.

ASSEMBLY: There were three parts to assemble together, the cover and the front "bale" handle needed to be assembled to the basic edger.

The cover for the edger went on using ONE Phillips head screw. It assembled easily.

The bale handle was supposed to go on equally easily, however I ran into a slight snag, when the hex wrench (included in the top handle) wouldn't come out. I finally was able to pry it loose using a flat-head screwdriver. After that, it was a simple matter of removing the four screws, lining it up where I wanted it on the edger, and replacing the hex nut screws.

BATTERY: The battery comes without a full charge and it is recommended that you charge it completely before using it. The recommended time is 10 hours. The length of time the battery operates is based on speed. Information on Amp Hours and run time are included in the specs above.

Tim from "Tooltime" (Home Improvement) would get really excited about this tool, because not only does this powerful trimmer/edger have a 24 volt battery (instead of the standard 18 volt), but it also has 2 speeds! At the top speed, it will cut 60 square feet a minute - and spins at 9000 RPM. It made ME feel pretty powerful just turning it on!

The lower speed is intended for regular use and will conserve your battery....

USAGE: When I tested it, on the lower speed, it cut the small patch of grass that had already come up easily AND did a nice job of edging along the sidewalk (it changed positions with the push of a button). The 13" swath is a nice size for a bit of grass trimming. Also, the safety switch can be held from either side, and it fit my small hand easily, making my task a bit easier.

Without any really big weeds to check it out on, I took a small tree branch (about 1/4 inch) and let loose. It went straight through without breaking the string. I am now looking forward to "hitting the big weeds" with it this summer and watching them fall as easily as the tree branch.

But the best part of all (for me at least) is its adjustability. I'm short and my husband is tall. This often means that equipment that I buy doesn't fit him, and I am unable to use equipment that he purchases. In this case, both the length of the handle is easily adjustable (a simple twist lets you expand or contract), AND the bale handle can be adjusted to the location that best suits your physical characteristics.

I was a little worried about the weight (about 2 pounds heavier than the standard one), but it wasn't the problem I expected. AND, it's a lot more handy for the area I normally "trim" since the yard area extends 60 feet - and the electric trimmer I've used in the past uses a 50 foot extension cord - so I'm always short a few feet, and I have to unwind and rewind the extension cord without "trimming it" along the way.

I've used battery-powered Black and Decker products in the past (including a hedge trimmer) and I have been pleased with the long-term battery use. Since this is a new battery, I will update my review if I experience any problems with it over the long haul.

However, after checking it out on my "early spring lawn," I am more than impressed with the power and capabilities of this trimmer/edger.

My only negative comment is that while it is advertised as "environmentally friendly," I do have to admit that an electric trimmer/edger with an extension cord does NOT have a problem of battery disposal - which is an environmental concern. It most likely IS more environmentally friendly than a gas powered trimmer.

Five Stars! Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent trimmer, made quick work of my messy yard April 3, 2010

By Mary Jo Sminkey TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I have a yard designed to drive non-gardening folks like me crazy. Weeds grow like crazy and I have all kinds of fence lines, patios, sidewalks, etc. that constantly need work. I always hate edging in particular, due to the large size of my yard and the hassle of dealing with power cords, so this battery-powered model is right up my alley. I have tendinitis in my arms so heavy power tools can be a real problem for me, particularly cordless models with those heavy batteries attached. This is certainly not the lightest model out there but I found to be quite easy to handle and not bad for the amount of time I had to use it. The assembly was probably the most painful part of using it, but even that took me only about 10 minutes to do, less if I had bothered to open the manual.

Safety features are well in place, the edger ships with a cable tie in place to prevent it turning on until fully assembled and ready to use (and of course, I am outside frustrated at trying to get it to start before I noticed it!) As with most tools of its type, you have a two-button power system for safety. After charging the battery overnight, I gave it a run for its money. Set it to work on the weed factory that passes for a garden in my yard, and it went through everything like it was butter. Awesome! I didn't even need to try the higher power setting, it went through everything I needed it to fast and easy. The adjustable handle makes it very easy to set the right height for your size, and the swiveling head is a great feature to easily go from trimming to edging.

The NiCad battery of course is the only downside with these kinds of power tools, they are slow to charge and have limited life, particularly if you are not careful how you use them.... But it's pretty hard to find anything else for a cordless trimmer, certainly in this price range. Hopefully we'll see lithium batteries for these kinds of tools start to come down in price and become an option as well.

Overall, I would highly recommend this tool, particularly if you have more than average trimming/edging needs and want a tool with sufficient power to handle fairly thick patches of growth. Read more ›