Gardens

Stihl FSE 60 Trimmer

The best electric trimmer

I have used several borrowed models of both electric and gas powered trimmers. The electric plug-in Stihl FSE 60 is my favorite by far. It is quiet and strong. The only concern is that when used continuously for half an hour or more, it gets very hot. I find that it is better to use it in shorter intervals.

It works better than other models and is easier to clean. While I have to wear earplugs when using it, it is far from the teeth-shaking monstrosities that disturb the neighborhood. I couldn’t see going to a gas powered trimmer unless I were very far away from an electric outlet. It is a bit more expensive than big box electric trimmers, but way better. The only reason to buy something like a Black & Decker or McCullough electric model is if you were only going to do a few light jobs one season and never use the thing again.

I was surprised that this dealer distributed model was so much better than the big-box online-marketed alternatives. In value, it’s one of my best tool purchases ever.

— Bill Owens

I initially bought my Stihl FSE-60 reading a review at Consumer Search. The Stihl FSE-60 is not available at big boxes. They are only available at stores who function as local Stihl dealers. Presumably, this makes customer service a more personal experience and does a positive service to those smaller hardware stores trying to survive the big box onslaught. In any case, I bought mine a year ago in Kearny, NJ.

The balance is a bit weird. In your hands it has a bias to the rear, which is helpful, but necessary because it is powerful. VERY powerful. It uses a two-string configuration, and it’s a bump-feed. I found it to be efficient and effective. I may have only bumped it twice during a day’s use, whereas the Black and Decker it replaced was more bump than trim. It’s heavy, but not so heavy as to make it a terrible chore. It’s solid and quiet for a trimmer. Cleaning is easy after use as well. I suppose in comparison to the old B&D I had it’s superior, but I don’t do enough yard work to say definitively that it’s the best. I like it a lot, and I’m glad I bought it from a local dealer.

— Christopher Wanko

05/25/12

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