Black & Decker ST1000 9-Inch 1.8 amp Electric Grass Trimmer

I was just looking for an edger and noticed this little trimmer that I purchased in May 2009 and never reviewed. Very surprised to see a considerable number of 1-star reviews so felt compelled to chime in as this has been definitely the most economical and hard-working mechanical garden tool I've ever owned! I'm a 5'6" woman and find the size and weight perfect and very manageable. The 9" head doesn't bother me; I've actually found it to be a bonus since I do a lot of maneuvering between plants and around posts, etc. when weeding. I do always wear a pair of old jeans when operating as it does spray grass at you (I sometimes hold it backwards to avoid this!) This trimmer seems less noisy than the huge units my neighbors use. Takes up little space to store as it's short, compact, and lightweight. All for 20 bucks! We had a small yard when we first purchased it and used it in place of a mower as well as for weed control. There's only 1 type of weed that it has a problem with around here, which is a reedy type that is very tough. Other than that, I've used it to trim bushes and other tough items without a problem (string does need to be spooled out often for very tough jobs). No problems with it, still going strong after 4-plus years, less than 20 buck tool = a WINNER!! Thanks Black and Decker!

What you get for twenty bucks! You get this little string trimmer that whacks a path through 3 foot weeds. Nice! Did not expect much and was used to a heftier trimmer which kind of set expectations low. Surprisingly, this little trimmer was able to cut down 1/4 inch stalks and easily clear away the fox tails and other grasses. The trick is to let it speed up between large hack jobs rather than plunging straight in and hoping for the best. That didn't seem to go well, but the battle proven hit and run strategy worked like a charm. It has no real guard so your legs will get pelted and any clothing you have may get a nice coating. It's weight is perfect and does not tire your arms, however you get only one angle as the grip does not rotate. If you are looking to edge, then this is not the best tool in the shed, but to clear away patches, or in my case, a path, then this thing did the trick. Another down side is the lack of a locking mechanism for the plug. My extension cords fit snugly and I did not have an issue with it pulling free, but is something that was noticed. Admittedly, when it came in the mail, my first thought was that this thing had the construction of a kid's toy. It comes in three pieces and in a rather compact box. Because it is light weight, it had not real bulk to it. But screw the pieces together and, for a towering five foot seven person, it is just right. Now if you are taller, this may prove to be a back bender and not the right tool for you. But that is assuming you don't have the arm strength to hold the sucker in one hand. Overall, it did the job gracefully and without much complaint. Again, not heavy duty and if you finesse your approach, it will do the job. And who doesn't like to get outdoors on a nice day anyway!

This product was lightweight and easy to use. Even a person with back problems will be able to use this product with ease and minimal strain to back. It was easy to assemble and I had no problems with using this trimmer. This product was good for trimming; however, it did not work well for cutting thicker grass and weeds. I found it fairly easy to change the spool wire on this product. I recommend buying the trimmer bundle that comes with extra wire and spool. Over all, this was a good product and served its purpose and the price was right. My husband loved it.

I am VERY happy with this product. It assembles in 5 minutes. 2 screws...2 bolts. It is so light weight, you can use it with one hand. It is perfect for small areas and does an excellent job. This is perfect for an older person. (I'm 68) I have no negative things to say about this small but sturdy Grass Trimmer. Realize tho that it is only trims a 9 inch area at a time. But it's so easy to use, you can use it longer without pooping out. The price is right too. It arrived within 5 days of my order.

I received my Black & Decker ST1000 two days ago and used it for the first time today. When I first opened it, it was a lot smaller than I expected and it is all plastic. It does't really feel like a garden power tool but then again for $20 I don't think it matters. In general, is is a pretty competent l little power trimmer. I would not use it to clear lots of brush or weeds (I used to have a B&D Grass Hog that worked well for that until the movers stole it!) but for edging grass and cleaning up walkways and along fences, it works just fine. I found I had to go over an area a few times to get it cut properly and that the trimmer tends to cut as well as push down grass so it took longer that I would have liked to edge along the perimeter of the house. We have heavy grass here in Texas because of the heat and I imagine the trimmer would work even better on thinner, softer grass. Bump line feed worked without a hitch but the line breaks pretty easy and I used a lot of it. If I use it every two weeks and don't let the grass grow too high this little trimmer will work just fine for me- until I put out more money for a higher power trimmer. PROS: $20 is hard to beat for a trimmer like this. Electric (cleaner air), light, small and easy to store. CON: a bit too short for someone tall like me, the trimmer line it came with is pretty flimsy, not for heavy brush

So glad I bought this thing after reading reviews for about 10 different trimmers. Ultimately, price and that this was the only trimmer that was still shipping out that day were the deciding factors for me. After using this for 3 hours yesterday to beat back nature's bounty, I can't imagine what the guys who write lengthy reviews on these products are doing with trimmers that they need, in some cases, 10 times more power than this thing has. The device comes in three pieces connected together by the wiring inside - looks like a regular wire u would find on any plug. You snap the three pieces together- if they dont fit nicely u probably have them turned the wrong way. There are 2 screws with nuts that hold it together. Took me less than 5 to put it together with my bare hands. give a glance to the instructions and make note of how to advance the line by pressing a button on the bottom, stay away from chain link or any wire or wire like thing, and cut big weeds starting from the top and work down. Let me assure u I have a variety of interesting and large weeds in my yard at this point in the season. The only ones this couldn't cut were the thickest parts of the stalkiest weeds. I have what looks like several asparagus stalks in the yard now but that just makes it easier to pull them up. By working from top down u can see what exactly the trimmer will do without serious risk of hurting the machine... I suppose ... worked well for me. After that its all about the angle you use. Technique matters. It does throw crap very hard and fast in all directions - if portions of your ankles are uncovered the wipped weed can hurt. I would recommend wearing glasses of some kind as I nearly took a hit to the eye. at this price, even if the machine only lasts one season it will be worth it to me. I don't like, and am frightened of electric/gas mowers. I have a manuel push mower and don't have time or desire enough to use it as often as I should and this machine means I can make it through the season on my own steam without having to pay someone 40 bucks a time to do it for me. Then I can spend the savings on prettier slower growing plants. ** have used the machine half a dozen times now ... the only people who like it better than me are the neighbors

For 4 years I owned a home, but no lawnmower-- owing to uhhh, well, it's too much to explain here. Let's just say good old dad deserves to retire from yard work (forever) with honors. So, this year, I just didn't have the heart to ask him to cut my grass for yet another season. Instead, I purchased this grass trimmer thinking I'd at least cut the edges until figuring out how to address the issue of cutting the entire lawn. (Honestly, in my head, I was mulling over the pros and cons of reel mowers vs conventional mowers --a subject for another review.) Anyhoo, as I plugged in the cord and got going I realized I was having so much fun, never having tended to my own yard before, I couldn't put the thing down. And, before I knew it --sort of serendipitously-- I had cut my entire lawn-- front, back and curbside (I live at the corner) with little effort. The cord never came loose, and the "bump" spool feed feature functioned flawlessly and proved to be quite handy. I'm also amazed to find the spool has yet to run out after trimming my entire property on one occasion and then using it twice more for trimming. I'm happy to say that since buying this machine I've purchased a "reel" mower which is equally as efficient (for now). And, while the job of a grass trimmer is not to do the job of a lawnmower-- it's kind of nice to know that this particular grass trimmer can stand in for a sec if the mower ever goes on the blink. The price was just right too --especially considering I paid no tax or shipping.

After 6 months and 4 uses, this Black and Decker toy just died, power cord is good, pulled trigger but no action. I threw it away today. Bought a Craftsman 74500 for $40 to finish the job, it is many times more powerful than this peewee Black and Decker toy. It works, but a weak machine that requires triple or more efforts to do the job of more powerful trimmers, some of which cost just a little more. Instead of one sweep to cut down the grass, you need to do it slowly at the right angle, and do it 2-3-5 more times over the same spot. This is especially such if the weed is tall and thick, or those spinny weeds with big leaves closer to the ground, it simply does not cut to the base no matter how many times you go over the same weed, at different angles or directions, and hold it over the same spot to repeatedly cut it down. The shorter stick also means I (6' tall) need to slightly bend down, when this went on for hours, the fatigue builds up. It is light weight so easier to handle, the weaker force is safer as it does not break thing nor cut into wire or your shoes. Feels like a toy. Light weight does make the job easier as I cut weed on steep hill. Not worth it, triple time, triple effort for the same job, and it is not that cheap comparing with far more powerful trimmers. But should be okay for small area without nasty weed.

The trimmer arrived before it was supposed to. Does an excellent job. Could only find it on Amazon. Would definitely order again if needed.

GREAT TO WORK WITH