EGO Trimmer Review: EGO Power+ String Trimmer with POWERLOAD
Overall Review of the EGO Power+ String Trimmer with POWERLOAD
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Quality
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Features
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Battery Life
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Performance
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Price
Overall Summary
The EGO POWER+ 15″ POWERLOAD String Trimmer is one of the best lawn trimmers I’ve ever used. Lightweight, durable, easy to use, and affordable.
The short answer if you’re looking for a new string trimmer or your dad is asking for one as a gift, you have to go with the EGO Power+ ST1521S String Trimmer with POWERLOAD.
Ever since I got my first batter-powered lawn tool, I’ve been hooked. When we bought our first house, the homeowner was moving into a condo and sold us all of her lawn and gardening equipment and some tools on the side. One piece of lawn equipment we received was an electric trimmer which I used along our fence. We also got an electric edger which I used along the driveway and sidewalks. It was hell having to pull the extension cord through the grass and around the landscaping just to keep power connected. I knew I needed an upgrade, and going battery-powered was the only way to go.
For Father’s Day last year, I told my wife I wanted a new battery-powered string trimmer (but of course I wanted to pick it out). My wife likes it when I get her ideas since I’m so hard to shop for. I did my research online, and kept seeing the EGO String Trimmer at the top of a lot of lists. I already own an EGO leaf blower so I was very familiar with the brand and quality. So I told Mrs. Dad Really Wants to get me the EGO Power+ ST1521S 15-Inch String Trimmer with POWERLOAD, and without question it is now my favorite piece of lawn equipment I own.
Let’s dive into what makes this battery-powered string trimmer so damn impressive, and why you should get one for your dad or yourself!
Pros
- Push-button powered line loading
- Low vibration (doesn’t feel like my arms will fall off after use)
- Extremely lightweight carbon fiber shaft
- Good balance for even trimming
- Superior cutting power
Cons
- Front handle flexes more than desired
- Battery charger fan is a little noisy when charging (I’m splitting hairs now)
Carbon Fiber Shaft
What I love the most about this lawn trimmer from EGO is how lightweight it is. Its shaft is made of carbon fiber. The advantages of a lighter and more durable shaft are self-evident to anybody who has ever used a string trimmer or pole saw. Carbon fiber provides for a nearly indestructible shaft that weighs far less than steel. When using this equipment for an hour at a time, the stress on your back is reduced. (Thank you God!)
Powerload String Feeder
If there was one thing I hated more about my old electric grass trimmer than being tethered to my extension cord it was reloading the spool. It was horrible and so frustrating to get the spool and spring out, reload the line just right, and twist it around the reel just right so it wouldn’t break once I started up again. EGO felt my pain, and everyone’s pain about reloading your string, so they developed a brand new system.
The design is fantastic, and the method is simple. Run your line through the eyelets in the head until you reach the middle (the whole length depends on what line diameter you’re using). Press the Powerload button above the motor to wind up the string. Before you know it, the string is getting sucked in like magic! The speed is fast enough to make it a quick process, but slow enough not to risk whisking the line in your face.
The longer you hold the button down, the more the string feeds in and the shorter your line length when you’re ready to trim. Want more length? Bump the trimmer’s head on the ground to feed more line out. Boom!
Using The EGO Lawn Trimmer
When I say it’s easy, I’m not kidding you. It’s so easy. Near the top of the carbon shaft where the battery sits are a run trigger and starter button. These are here for safety purposes. To start the trimmer, simply press down on the safety switch on the side. It’s quite simple to operate and can be done with just one hand, making it ideal for right-handed users. The trigger must be pulled to start the motor, which is why you’ll need to hold down the safety switch on the side. Once it’s going, variable speed control allows you to crank up the juice and reduce spinning speed depending on what you’re trimming.
As you’re running it and the string begins to deteriorate, you hit the head on the ground and it will advance line. If you bump too much line out, you can hit the Powerload button to pull the line back in to your desired length.
You’d think it would get loud the more juice you give it. It’s actually super quiet to use. I don’t use ear protection and really don’t feel like I need to. My ears don’t ring after trimming my whole yard, and I felt the bulkier electric one I had before (or even the edger) gave me a headache after use. Not the case at all with this EGO.
It’s real comfortable and easy to balance in use. Whether I’m trimming grass lined along my fence or around our kids wooden playset in the backyard, or I turn it 90 degrees to edge along my driveway, sidewalks, and garden beds, I don’t feel like I’m ever having to wrangle it. It’s actually fun to use!
Battery Life
As with any battery-powered tool, eventually you’ll need to recharge. My yard in just a hair over a third of an acre (.36 to be exact). I have the entire back fenced in, a vegetable garden box, the kids playset, as well as a pretty long driveway with sidewalks and walkway up to our front porch. I can edge and trim my entire property in a single charge. Our property even backs up to a farmer’s field and we’ll get some field weeds growing up against the outside of our back fence. I’ll still have enough battery life to go and trim down the weeds too.
Obviously, if you run the trimmer wide open the entire time in use you’ll use the battery up faster. For most average sized yards of a quarter acre or third acre (like me) you shouldn’t have any problem worrying about the battery dying on you before you’re finished trimming.
How Much Does a EGO String Trimmer Cost?
The trimmer with 2.5Ah battery and standard charger runs $249. Right now on Amazon, you can purchase it here!
There are other alternatives with the Powerload head, though. If you want a telescoping aluminum shaft rather than carbon fiber, the ST1511T is available.
Wrapping Up: This Is The Best Battery-Powered String Trimmer
I could really go on and on about this. Like I said, this string trimmer from EGO has become my favorite piece of lawn equipment hands down. From how lightweight it is, to the battery power and long-lasting battery life, ease of use, and just fun of using it, you really can’t go wrong with the EGO Power+ ST1521S 15-Inch String Trimmer with POWERLOAD. This will make a great gift for yourself or for your dad looking to save some time doing yardwork.
