I bought the WorxGT 151i string trimmer for two reasons: (1) I got completely fed up with my existing gas/oil 2-cycle string trimmer. It always seems to ooze the gas/oil mixture which invariably got on my shirt. It was occasionally difficult to start,. It required me to bump the trimmer on a hard surface to advance the line which was always an issue when trimming along the fence line in my backyard as I had to go back to the patio to tap it. My 2-cycle trimmer is a well-known, highly rated brand and all of these issues are common to 2-cycle machines. And (2) I wanted a greener solution to string trimming. My existing 2-cycle trimmer put out a lot of exhaust smoke into the air which I was never happy about, particularly in terms of not wanting to breathe it.
The WorxGT solved all of these issues. It is relatively green by using a Lithium Ion battery for power. To advance the line you only need turn the machine off and back on and the line advances automatically to the correct length. No more spools to wind either. When the spool runs out you merely put in a new one (about $1 each from the WorkGT website). Is the WorxGT as powerful as my 2-cycle trimmer...no, but it is more than adequate to meet my trimming needs. It has many good features, including a guard you can use to run the trimmer along fences or flowerbeds to protect them from damage. It's very lightweight and easy to hold and use. The trimming head has a number of positions available for whatever angle you need. The handle is also adjustable as is the length of the machine. It performs nicely as an edger too. Just tilt the head 90 degrees and roll it along the built-in wheels. I used it in the edger mode to sharpen up the edges on my mulch beds and it did a nice job.
Is the WorkGT capable of being used by commercial landscapers every day? No, not in my opinion. Though well-made it probably is not made for such heavy use. Nor is it good for anyone who needs to string trim large thick grassy areas that haven't been mowed in months. But I am very satisfied with it and I think it is a great option for the average homeowner. My property is about 1/3 of an acre and the lithium ion battery has plenty of life on a single charge to handle that size. So far I have used the trimmer three times after the initial charge without recharging it and it is still going strong (just wanted to see how long it would last on a single charge). WORX GT WG151 18-Volt Cordless Electric Lithium-Ion String Trimmer/Edger
I purchased this to replace a 5 year old B&D cordless string trimmer. I have been impressed by the built quality of this unit compared to the B&D. It is light weight however it is built with quality materials. It has plenty of power and the power does not degrade quickly like the B&D. Since this unit uses lithium batteries, the power is consistent from beginning to end. The items that I did not like about this trimmer is that it is only 10" compared to 12"-14" found on most cordless trimmers and the spool is small. The spool will need to be replaced frequently since it is a less than 1/2 the size of a standard spool string container. The string that this unit uses is of highly quality and is textured which does cut through grass and weeds easily. Even though it is only 10", the quality of the string and power provided by the motor makes up for it only being 10". B&D did recently release a lithium powered trimmer. I was able to check out the B&D trimmer at my local hardware store however the quality construction and ergonomics of the Worx is superior to the B&D lithium trimmer. On the down side of having the Worx instead of the B&D is that replacement spools will need to be ordered online since no one that I know in my area carries them. B&D lithium trimmer uses the spool string as the non-lithium model that is easy to find. One thing I do want to point out about the B&D lithium trimmer is that the string is very thin and wears out quickly. It does not have the same cutting power as the Worx string.
First off I want to say I do like the engineering of this trimmer, that is why I bought it. I am however concerned that the lithium battery or the battery charger may have a problem. I also think that the instructions that come with the product are inadequate so I have no reference for how long the battery should last. I just know that my previous electric trimmer that did not have a lithium battery lasted longer than this one before running out of power.
I have only had the opportunity to use the trimmer three times and two of the three times the battery has worn out before I have finished my lawn, and I don't have a very big lawn. I'm talking the trimmer shutting down after approximately 5 min of use. Maybe something else is going on, not sure yet, so I'm reserving judgment until I have used it a half dozen times. If I continue to have the problem, it will be interesting to see how the WORX customer service (and Amazon as well) responds to my issue.
If I did not have this battery concern, I would rate the product at 4 stars. I could not give it a 5 star rating as I think it is a bit expensive.
thx, jp
I bought the WorxGT for trimming my garden and edging the sidewalk. This is my one-month review, and I encourage you to read it completely. I think you'll agree with my 2-Star rating by the end. Here we go...
The claim: Long battery life, enough to go around an outdoor running track THREE times (that is 1320 yards if you do the calculation)!!!
The truth: This is a lie. I live on a corner lot and there-and-back, this is about 400 yards. On a 24-hour charge, this machine has trouble making it there and back. This cannot POSSIBLY last 1320 yards. Under ideal circumstances, expect no more than 600 yards at the very most. I guess if you buy an additional battery, though, it would come close.
The claim: Cuts through anything you have on your lawn!!!
The truth: This is a lie, unless all you have is thin blade grass that is not in clumps. The WorxGT had no luck with crabgrass or clumps of thick grass. Anything that is difficult to pull by hand, the WorxGT will not be able to handle. Trust me, it just won't. You'll need a gas-powered trimmer for that in my experience. I am impressed, however, with how it does edges where the grass is relatively thin. There it works as advertised.
The claim: This is entirely bumpless, so no more hassles with line feeding!!!
The truth: This is true, but there's a CATCH. There is a little metal guide underneath that, when the line is longer than 4.5 inches, it cuts it down to length. The problem is that when the line gets shorter (as it does whenever it hits something hard and gets cut down to a smaller size), it does NOT feed any more line out. Every 30 seconds, I have to stop, turn it over, and press a button (yes my dear readers, there is a BUTTON on the side of the spool specifically designed for you to push) to feed out any line. I have to stop, push the button about 3-4 times, and it is about 4" again. Then, as soon as I start using it, I notice immediately it stops cutting edges, or reaching down into the space (gutter) between the sidewalk and grass, because with the line constantly about 1-2", it just isn't long enough to cut anything. So, back over it goes, push the button, turn it back over, edge/trim for 30 seconds, lather, rinse, repeat. I think you get the idea. To say this is bumpless is a joke. It is no such thing. Autofeed means YOU feed it every 1 minute. If you don't mind doing that, then this is the one for you. And this isn't just an idiosyncrasy of my use. It is DESIGNED that way, which is why the BUTTON is there! Why else would they include a button if they did not intend for the user to push it???
I have attempted every day for two weeks to get their comment on this matter through their website query line, and I have not received a response. Not very encouraging.
The claim: It has wheels which make lawn edging a snap to roll along the sidewalk!!!
The truth: This is TRUE. The wheels make it super easy to guide it along the edge of the lawn. Of course, I'm turning it over so often to advance the line with the button, it really doesn't matter much that it has wheels. But it is true, when the line is fully deployed (after pushing that dreaded button four times), it does cut through thin grass as the wheels guide it merrily on its way along the sidewalk.
The claim: Their braided cutting line is far superior to standard line!!!
The truth: This is a lie. Regular blue 0.065" trimmer line from Lowe's works exactly the same. I WISH it were true, but it is not. In fact, I think the braided line is a BAD thing, as it makes feeding line out more difficult than necessary.
The claim: It flips from edger to trimmer with just the simple touch of your foot!!!
The truth: This is a lie. If you try to flip positions by holding the head steady with your foot (as they do in their video) and pull/pushing the handle, I can guarantee you will break off the plastic edge guard. The fact is, there is no place to even PUT your foot to accomplish this task. Rather, you have to flip it over and move the head position with your hands. I tried every conceivable way to flip it back and forth, and every time I used my foot, it came close to breaking. As in, a part was about to literally break off. No kidding. I would NOT advise you try at home what they do on their infomercial. Of course, since you only have to switch it once per session (I do my edging then trimming) this is not a big deal, but it IS a misrepresentation of the facts (and physics for that matter) to say it is easy to do with your foot.
The claim: Free spools for life!!!
The truth: This is a lie. There is shipping and handling of about $6. If FREE means "without cost", then this is not true. As in, "gotcha".
The claim: It telescopes in/out to find the most comfortable length for any user!!!
The truth: This is a lie. It telescopes, but not very much. I'm about 5'10" and with the WorxGT fully extended, I still have to bend a bit, making it uncomfortable to use over extended periods of time.
The claim: The Lithium battery maintains peak power, with no power drop off until it is used up!!!
The truth: This is TRUE, but that is a property of ALL lithium batteries. They maintain peak power supply until they run out of juice. So, as long as the battery is powered up, the WorxGT spins and cuts the same in the first as the last minute. But when it is OUT of juice, POOF!! It just stops. This is to be expected. Lithium batteries are far better than NiCad, which slowly peter out until they die. That's why I hate NiCads and love lithiums.
The claim: This is the very best edger/trimmer you'll ever buy!!!
The truth: This is a lie. My neighbor has an electric one that is much more powerful and cuts a much better edge. But since I live on a corner, I can't run it off a plug unless I have about 300 feet of power cord, and I'm not going to bother with that. But this claim is so out of line it's quite remarkable the FTC has not fined them for actually putting it in their advertisements (TV and print).
I wish the guy who does the infomercial could come to my house so I can steal his, because he obviously has a supercharged one. Or, more likely, somebody off camera is changing his batteries out and pushing the darned button to feed more line like a mouse pushes the lever for cheese to pop out of the chute in a lonely metal cage.
I give this 2 stars ONLY because it does a decent job on lawn edging with the wheels. Otherwise, I feel this product is GROSSLY misrepresented in all their ads, and I really hope the FTC looks into this product more closely.
If you buy it, be prepared to get carpal tunnel syndrome from pushing the line feed button so often. And when I write OFTEN, I mean it.
Good luck, and write me with questions. - Weed Eater - Edger - Cordless String Trimmer - Trimmer'
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