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The Black & Decker NST1118 is an inexpensive cordless weed eater designed mainly for lighter duties, cleanup or edging – very light, easy to handle, but doesn’t have enough power for heavier trimming.
Pros:
- Not expensive
- Lightweight, easy to use
Cons:
- Only for light trimming
- NiCd battery
Key specifications:
- Edger:
- Weight: 6,4 lbs
- Battery time (according to users): 15-20 minutes
Note: This video actually shows a different Black&Decker trimmer – we have put it here just to show what can you expect from a machine of this type.
Cordless
The NST1118 shares all the advantages of cordless weed whackers – complete freedom of movement, no messing with the cord (and winding it up after trimming) or switching outlets. Also no maintenance, noise or vibrations typical for gas trimmers.
It is very light (and the balance is also fairly good), easy to assemble and use.
Power and line feeding
It is one of the older battery powered trimmers designed for light trimming and cleanup jobs – so don’t expect the power of modern 40V units or even brushless or gas machines. It’s ideal for smaller yards when you just need to clear areas not accessible by a mower – around trees, fences or walls. It doesn’t have enough power to cut through thick grass, brush or tough weeds.
An autofeed is used to advance the line, so you won’t have to do any bumping – several users report problems (that it either feeds too much or not at all), but most of them are pleased with the system.
Battery
The NST1118 uses 18V NiCd battery which presents several disadvantages if you compare it to the newer 36 or 40V lithium-ion pieces. The running time is lower (15-20 minutes per battery) and the recharge takes about 9 hours – so you may need a spare battery even for a smaller yard.
Also, there’s the memory effect which slightly reduces the running time as the battery gets older, if not recharged properly (read more in the FAQ section below).
On the other hand, they are also a lot cheaper – you can get two of them for the price of one 40V. Also, if you have some other tools from the Black and Decker’s 18V lineup, you probably already have some spare batteries.
Edger and adjustments
It’s rather a standard for cordless string trimmers to be equipped with an edger adjustment and this machine is no exception. The shaft can be easily rotated to enable edging tasks and a little metal guide is also present.
This tool doesn’t offer many adjustment, but a nice plus is that the shaft is telescopic so you can set its length to match your height – it’s pretty okay even for 6′ tall, but you would probably have to bend over if you are taller than that.
Conclusion: Black & Decker NST1118 is completely adequate for lighter trimming, cleanup jobs and edging – particularly if you don’t want to spend a lot of money.
However, if you need more versatile tool, we would recommend you to spend some extra cash and get the newer 40V LST136W.
>> Read more or buy the Black & Decker NST1118 here
Specifications:
- Brand: Black & Decker
- Type: Cordless
- Edger:
- Tilting head:
- Battery time (according to users): 15-20 minutes
- Battery power indicator:
- Weight: 6,4 lbs
- Cutting swath: 10″
- Line: 0.065 single string
- Feeding: autofeed
- Warranty: 2-Year limited
- Includes: 1 battery, charger, 1 spool
Frequently asked questions:
How to change the line spool?
Show Video
How should I treat the battery to ensure maximum lifetime?
Always store the batteries inside your house in reasonable temperatures – never leave them on direct sun or outdoors during winter!
To prevent the memory effect of NiCd batteries (you can also learn more here):
- perform “full recharge cycles” – use the battery until it runs out of power and then fully recharge it (yes, the problem is you shouldn’t recharge it, if there’s still some juice left)
- don’t let the battery fully discharge – for example not using or recharging it for several months
What is included in the package?
The weed eater itself, 1 battery, charger and 1 spool.
Are there any accessories I should buy?
We recommend getting the 3 spool replacement package and also a spare battery if you don’t have any yet.
It’s also possible (and not difficult, see the video below) to save money and wind the spool yourself with a line of your choice, for example this one.
Show Video
Is there any maintenance needed?
No, the motor is an enclosed unit so no maintenance is required. Just ensure a proper care to the battery (see above) and clean the machine from dead grass occasionally.
