Customer Reviews

Black & Decker NST2036 Heavy-Duty 36-Volt Cordless Electric String Trimmer

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(44)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

I have used many gas trimmers in the past. When I say many, I mean many. I actually used to own a landscape company where we used commercial grade 2 cycle gas trimmers by Stihl. I am no longer in that business, but still like to have equipment with some power. How anyone uses those trimmers with extension cords is beyond me. I decided I did not want a 2 cycle trimmer, so I turned to a 4 stroke version by Honda and then came across this 36v by Black and Decker. I was skeptical, but seeing how they give you a 30 day free trial, thought why not. Is it as or more powerful as a lot of gas trimmers out there? Yes it is. Is it as powerful as my 2 cycle commercial grade Stihl's I used to use? No it is not, but it is damn close. This thing is clean, environmentally friendly, healthier for me to use and maintenance free. Some low rating reviews are listed here as well, but if you really read them, it's almost like they own Southfork Ranch and trying to trim the property on one charge. Those people should not have purchased something like this to begin with. This product is not made for them. It has a ton of power to trim with ease through the toughest foliage and I can actually do my "average" size yard 2-3 times on one charge. This trimmer is NICE! I would recommend it to anyone with a nominal sized yard. Try it! Disagree with me; send it back with in 30 days and write your review.

First, let me start off by saying that this is a powerful tool, for a battery operated trimmer. In fact, it is the only .080 dual-line battery operated trimmer that I have ever seen. And, it is powerful enough to cut through almost any kind of overgrowth. However, I did have a problem that caused me to return the trimmer (actually two trimmers since I returned my first trimmer for an exchange and then had to return the replacement trimmer for a refund).

The first trimmer worked just fine for about 15 minutes. I was trimming along a fence, when it suddenly stopped working without any warning. After an overnight battery charge, I tried to use the trimmer again. At that point, it would only beep and the trimmer head would not turn. And, after holding down the trigger for a few seconds, the battery started smoking. Needless to say, I immediately called Amazon and requested a replacement. Amazon Customer Service was very helpful and walked me though the return process. I decided on a replacement rather than a refund, since trimmer (while it was working) was exactly what I had been looking for.

I received my replacement trimmer the very next week. I was very careful with that trimmer and it lasted almost two weeks. During those two weeks, I trimmed using the slowest speed possible. Under those conditions, I did not experience any problems whatsoever. However, at the end of the two weeks when I was trimming along the fence again, the trimmer stopped working. I charged the trimmer battery overnight, but it never worked again. That trimmer went back for a refund.

Both times when the trimmers died, I was trimming at about 1/2 to 3/4 full speed continuously for about 5-10 minutes. It is my impression that Black and Decker did not take into account the amount of current that would flow through the battery if someone used the trimmer like they would a gas trimmer. With both of my trimmers, the battery seems to have completely shorted out (that, or or the trimmer motor burned out). If you use the trimmer at slow speeds or don't continuously use higher speeds, you should be ok. But, if you decide to use the trimmer at higher speeds continuously for any length of time, you may experience a problem. I think Black and Decker should have installed a circuit breaker or fuse between the battery pack and the motor.

I was skeptical - especially about the price. But in two years, I've been through 3 trimmers, all were either battery or electric cord. Hated them all. I've been waiting a long time for a powerful, battery powered trimmer with a decent run time. Love this trimmer. I used to believe that the only powerful trimmer was gas powered. Not anymore.

I've used it for two summers now. Does the basics perfectly. And even better, it handles ivy, vinca, young bamboo and other vines with ease for as long as 40 minutes! Do you want to trim vines and weeds for longer than that anyway?

The gear drive is far and away better than the drive shaft system found on any other trimmer - gas, battery or electric. Why it took someone so long to do this kind of drive set up is beyond me. Just common sense.

You do need to take advantage of the variable speed trigger to get the most from the battery, and that will take a little practice. When trimming grass and other "easy" stuff, you don't need to run it at full speed.

As with any battery, following instructions and good charging routines goes a long way. When I use the trimmer, I run the battery as far down as I can. Between the front and back yard combined, this can take an hour or more using it intermittently and at variable speeds. Just using it straight, variable speed, about 40 minutes. So, run it down completely, then charge it up completely. It's Ni-Cad, so after a full charge, take it off the charger and let it sit. The day before you plan to use it, top the charge off again. You will get a longer life if you do that.

What I would like to see is a faster battery charge time (lithium would be nice) and less weight overall, but the weight is due to the battery, moving to Lithium would also solve that. Other than that, it's perfect. Highly recommend.

I've had this for over a month now. First project was to clear a walkway about 100' long with severe overgrowth (vines, vegetation, tall grass) and this thing shined. It has plenty of power and I was worried about battery life so I knocked everything down and then came back and "cleaned" things up.
Standard use has been on my yard. Just under a half acre, takes me about 20 minutes to trim and I can usually get two yard cutting excursions done with one battery charge...running at full steam a majority of the time.
This unit has plenty of power compared to the 18v trimmer I tried previously and it actually maintains "gas" level power for a good solid 35-40 minutes. I will say it's a big letdown though when the battery does lose it's charge...especially coming from a gas trimmer. (with this you wait, with gas you refill...so you need some patience)
The main drawback so far is the line feed system. I think it works well, but from the factory the spool is over wound. I'd rather have less string on the spool and refill more often than the constant binding from too much string on the spool and having to take the cover off because the line won't feed while tapping the unit. This has been an issue with gas trimmers in the past as well and will just take some experimenting.
The unit is heavy, but no more than a solid built gas unit. If you have trouble holding 15lbs for any amount of time, maybe it's not the unit for you.
Edging is not a problem. I read some reviews before purchasing that said this unit would not function as an edger, but I've got curbs, flowerbeds and a driveway that say otherwise. Just tilt the unit, keep the head behind you as you move down the line and it works just fine.
I do wish an extra battery was more realistically priced, and if you have a larger yard (say an acre with flowerbeds and trees, etc) you'll probably want the extra battery, just in case. If you're like me and have an average sized yard, this will be fine. Re-charging usually takes an overnight period.

Overall, I give this unit four stars. It's tough, reliable, functions smoothly and only has a few minor quirks which I'm sure will be worked out as I get used to owning and operating. If you are like me and just can't mix gas for a 2 cycle motor, get this or pay another $100 ($350 total) and buy a 4cycle trimmer that does it for you. This one seems better for the environment.

and an update...after having this for multiple seasons, I can say that I'm even more impressed with this product. My neighbors are constantly asking to use this, especially when the gas in their trimmers has gone bad from sitting. I also use this to travel to the beach and trim our walkway...no gas smell in the car, compact and easily handles the 200ft of deck. I have had the "battery failed" light blink when trying to recharge immediately after using the trimmer, but after removing, letting the battery cool and then placing on the charger, it works fine and holds a great charge.
I'm a big fan!

I've always been a gas trimmer guy due to the power and not having to drag around an extension cord. Cordless trimmers are better for the environment, but the power and run time are challenging. Finally a trimmer that is the best of both worlds! Watch your toes on this one as the 36v has plenty of power. I don't have the biggest yard, but so far I only need to charge it every three uses after using for 30 minutes per run times. The Energy Star approval on the dual charger is another plus. The battery is a little heavy so the weight distribution is something to get used to. Overall this is the closest thing to gas I've seen and totally worth the money!

My gas powered trimmer, which is only a couple years old was having starting problems and when I got it running it was being temperamental. Later it would stall repeatedly. I changed the spark plug and tried adjusting the minimal adjustments available on the little two stroke engine. It was going to need some maintenance with a professional or replacement. This seems to happen a lot with gas trimmers. I opted for replacement.

Sound familiar?

I was expecting to have to get a corded trimmer if I was going to move away from the problematic gas engine. Those little two stroke engines seem to only work well for a short time and they take pretty regular maintenance - more maintenance than seems to be warranted for something that is only there to "trim." Never mind the gas fumes or gas prices. I just wanted the trimmer to work when I needed it and the several gas trimmers I have had over the years have all been troublesome at best.
I was thinking about a new trimmer when I happened on a display for a Black and Decker 18V Cordless Trimmer. I tried to buy one. It was out of stock at the store I was visiting, so I ordered it anyway. It just seemed like the perfect idea to be able to carry a lighter weight trimmer and not need to feed it gas or mess with stalling/hard start issues or spilling gas while filling.

While waiting for the 18V, I checked out Amazon and saw the 36 V version reviewed here. The reviews were good on usability and power but the short-lived nature of the battery seemed to be the only drawback. That theme ran through many reviews I read here and elsewhere. Batteries were dying too fast for the people who were used to gas trimmers.

Well, that's the nature of a battery. You can't instantly fill it up. When it's dead, it's dead, and it takes a while to charge. That's why satellites have solar panels constantly collecting the Sun's energy to replace the battery's quickly dissipated power. The best batteries in the world run out of power.

By the way, don't forget that someday ALL of our gas engines are going to completely run out of power too.

Understanding the limitations on using batteries, I opted to try the 36 V cordless because I have some pretty substantial weeds growing in areas needing trimmed. If you've ever used a 12 V and an 18 V cordless drill, you'll know there's no comparison when it comes to driving some 3 inch screw or some demanding task like that. I kept the 18 Volt on order because one of the nice features it had was it came with two batteries. At about half the price of the 36 V it had two batteries, so I figure if all three batteries are charged, I should be able to handle most of my normal trimming tasks. We'll see.

So, I am going to be able to do a comparison of the 18 V vs the 36 V in this review after I charge the 18 V batteries tonight. I figured my mountain property has sufficient trimming needs that I could use the big 36 V trimmer and the 18 V trimmer in tandem (or put one of my boys to work while I'm trimming)

I received the 36 V trimmer first. Power did not disappoint. This 36Volt cordless trimmer will easily cut through anything a gas trimmer will. I had one dense stand of some four foot tall thistles and it plowed right through. If you're using it as an edger, I could see how you could pretty much keep it running constantly but trimming for me is not a full-time-pressing-the-trigger kind of deal. You mow down some big weeds here, move to the next spot, edge around something there, mover over to a new position, etc. So, I don't know how long the trimmer would run at full throttle without letting off the trigger. But I was cutting for about 45 minutes before it ran out of power. I trimmed along a stone steps, along the base of about a sixty foot long retaining wall, around a corner section of another retaining wall, along about a 100 ft split rail fence, around the mailbox, around a 30 foot section of retaining wall, around two trees and two big shrubs, and was starting to eliminate some thistle growth from along the road boundary before the battery died. I was staying aware of not holding the trigger while I wasn't cutting anything, so I was probably being semi-efficient.

When the power goes, it is a disappointing feeling - but again, that's in the nature of batteries. If I had been using a gas trimmer and it ran out of gas, the thing would have sputtered and pretty quickly come to a halt. But of course you can go fill it up and five minutes later be back trimming.

If you want to do a lot of continuous trimming, you need multiple batteries, no question about it. This trimmer has 15 to 20 minutes of constantly-running trimming time on a single new battery, I am guessing, if you almost never let off the trigger. I got a lot of trimming done in about 45 minutes.

One nice feature of this 36 V trimmer is that the charger comes with stations for two batteries to charge simultaneously. You only get one battery with the trimmer but you could have two batteries charging while you're trimming. There is no fast charge; it takes a number of hours. So either buy a couple additional batteries or stick with gas. The batteries are expensive but if you have experience with the same type of batteries used in power tools, they recharge many times before you have to replace them.

The trimmer is pretty well balanced around the fulcrum that is the shoulder strap attachment point, so it doesn't take a lot of arm strength to maneuver it once you adjust the strap to you height. The length of the trimmer extends easily with the flip of a plastic lock, so along with the shoulder strap that makes for a very customizable fit to a user's height and arm reach.

The speed control at the trigger is very easy to control and the overall feel of the motor gives me a sense this trimmer is solidly built in the drive shaft. Despite the 36 V battery being obviously heavier than the 18 V trimmer, with the shoulder strap adjusted properly anyone should be able to manage this trimmer without tiring their arms or hands.

The cord spool jammed while I was using the trimmer, so I got to remove the retaining ring and rewind the trimmer cord. But that is not unexpected. I have used at least a half dozen trimmers before this, both gas and corded electric, and ALL have jammed in the cord spool mechanism. I offer a plea to all trimmer manufacturers to come up with a totally new design for the way cord is dispensed by trimmers. There has got to be a better way than winding it around a spring loaded bump spool. They ALL jam from time to time.

You have to assemble the handle onto the shaft and attach the shield but both are easy to attach and both seem to be very solid assemblies. The shaft is notched so that the handle attaches very solidly wherever you decide to mount it and you know it's never going to come loose or rotate on the shaft.

I think the cordless trimmers are a good alternative to gas trimmers but there is no doubt the batteries are the single most impacting limitation.

A few things one needs to really know about this trimmer. Yes, lots of people say it's the best thing since sliced bread, metaphorically, but the truth is this...and I live in Central Florida where we have lots of strong crab grass, called "St. Augustine".
1) The unit has incredible power. No doubt about it. It's almost equal to my Ryobi or Edge gas trimmer. Thing is, it's got no staying power. It will ALWAYS run down, within 20 minutes, MAXIMUM. How did I find this out? After the thing died, the first time out after 15 minutes, I couldn't believe it! I called B&D and spoke to customer service. They said the reviews on the Amazon website are "not exactly true" and gave me a case number (Ref #100507-002269). The customer service rep said, "yes it has lots of power, but runtime is ONLY 15-20 minutes...at MAXIMUM...less in hot climates. We actually get lots of complaints about the runtime being so short." I couldn't believe it. One guy on the Amazon site said he charged it once every three lawn cuts because it had so much "staying power". There were other reports on staying power being good, as well. NOT TRUE. The people leaving these reviews must have lawns the size of garden patches. Forget it, this unit is useless for any real cutting and their older $99 unit Lawn Hog (we've had for three years now and is finally dying), outlasts this unit by a full 35 minutes of MORE cutting time on St. Augustine "grass"...up to 45 min total!
2) As I bought it for my wife to use, she found it not only ran down in no time, but was twice as heavy as the cheaper $99 B&D unit...the NST-2018. So it sucks in that category as well. Save your money and buy the cheaper unit. I returned mine. B&D said they also might discontinue this unit because of this problem.

When gas hit $4 a gallon I decided to go electric or battery on everything I could. The B&D 36-volt trimmer more than met my expectations.
I love the variable speed trigger. There are many times when you really don't want to use full power. The balance and weight of the trimmer was ideal. As far as battery life, I was just able to complete my trimming (about 3/4 acre) in 30 minutes before the battery power ran out. After about 30 minutes of trimming I'm tired anyway. The unit is very powerful and cut through all the weeds I had to deal with. For those that need more than 30-40 minutes of trimming in one day I would recommend an additional battery. The string fed great and I found that I really didn't have to advance it that much. With my old gas trimmer I always had string issues and anything over 30 minutes I would run out of fuel anyway. It's such a joy not having to breathe in the fumes of a gas trimmer and hearing the noise it created. Overall I'm very satisfied with my purchase and would do so again. As far as cleaning, I'm not sure if you can hose the unit off with water or just take a wet rag and wipe it. I had a few people stop me and ask me about it since it does have a cool sound and look. If you're on the fence get this one. I'm very picky but found very little fault with this trimmer.

I initially ordered this trimmer so that my son & my wife could weed eat without the hassle of trying to start a gas engine with the choke, pull rope, oil & gas mix and such. But I really enjoy using it myself because it is quiet, odorless, and vibration free. This unit will easily replace your gas trimmer. It has more than enough power for the job. I ordered an extra battery, as I have over three acres to trim, but I usually get it all done on the one battery. Now after owning this unit for three years, the throttle switch has decided it likes to be on full throttle all the time. Hard to use without a working throttle, I plan on writing Black & Decker about this. I will follow up.

I've used this trimmer twice. I have a 150 yard driveway and this trimmer ran out of power before reaching the end. The product worked well enough, cutting large swarths of tall wet grass. The sholder strap helped support the weight (most of which is due to the 36v battery). However, in both cases the battery only last about 20 to 30 minutes. The battery charges two at a time and takes about 24hrs to fully charge. Additional battery is $100. I expected more for my $299. Until they get the battery to last longer, this product is not a viable alternative to a gas powered product.