Review: Troy-Bilt TB57 string trimmer
Troy-Bilt sent me a lithium ion battery-powered string trimmer to review a few months ago. My husband is the lawn-care guy at our house, so I handed it over to him and asked if he’d write the review. Here is his assessment.
The Troy-Bilt TB57 12″ string trimmer is powered by a removable, rechargeable lithium ion battery. The only trimmer I have used before was a corded, electric trimmer, so I can’t really compare how this trimmer functions compared to a gas-powered trimmer.
The trimmer requires some assembly, which was pretty straightforward. I put it together in about 30 minutes. The only snag I hit was in attaching the hand grip to the shaft of the trimmer. You have to screw together a couple of plastic pieces that clamp tightly to the shaft of the trimmer and hold the hand grip in place. However, the groove on the screws where a flat-head screwdriver should fit isn’t cut all the way across the head of the screw, and none of my screwdrivers was the right size to fit into the groove. I ended up using one that fit well enough, but it was still tough to tighten the screws without damaging them.
The trimmer comes with a removable, rechargeable lithium ion battery, which is a little smaller than a brick but weighs about the same. It has convenient indicator lights that show how much charge is left. I’ve charged the battery a couple of times, but I haven’t paid much attention to how long it takes to charge. I do know that I charge it for less than 24 hours. After the battery is charged, I unplug it since the instructions recommend that you not leave the battery charging continuously. It remains charged for a long time. I usually trim every other week, so I have been able to charge the battery, use it two weeks later, and then use it again in another two weeks. I can trim the yard two times on a single charge.
Even with the battery’s weight, I have found the trimmer to be fairly lightweight and easy to operate. It does have a safety feature that I found a little annoying initially. In order to pull the trigger to start the trimmer, you have to push a button. When you release the trigger, the button pops out, and you have to push it again to start the trimmer. However, after using the trimmer a few times, I have gotten used to doing it, so it’s no big deal. I also have learned to keep the trigger engaged slightly when I know I will be trimming again in a few seconds. Keeping the trigger engaged is tiring, and I usually have to switch hands when one hand gets tired of holding down the trigger. I switch hands several times when trimming the entire yard.
The trimmer has plenty of power and is perfectly adequate for the trimming that I do. Mainly I edge the lawn next to the street, driveway, and flower beds. I also use it to trim live-oak root sprouts. These sprouts are pretty tough, but the trimmer doesn’t have a problem with them.
The trimmer also has a feature that automatically feeds out more line when needed. When it’s working, it works well. However, as I use up the line on the pre-wound spool that came with the trimmer, the line tends to get stuck and won’t automatically feed. I have to manually “unstick” the line on the spool. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to get to the spool compared to my old, corded trimmer, so it doesn’t take very long to fix the problem. The spool has a small diameter, and I wonder if that may be causing the line to get stuck more often than it should. However, the advantages of the trimmer being cordless outweigh the issues I have encountered with the automatic line feed.
On the whole, I am pleased with the trimmer, and it is definitely an improvement over my corded, electric trimmer. —D. Penick
Disclosure: Troy-Bilt contacted me to ask if I’d review this product on my blog, and I accepted. The trimmer was mine to keep, regardless of the content of the review, and there was no other compensation for this post. My reviews of products are always my own, honest opinion. The same goes for my husband, who wrote this review. —Pam
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I have a big heavy duty gas trimmer and last summer I found a rechargable one at Sears for 15.00! It was on clearance. Mainly because they said it was not very powerful! I bought it anyhow cuz all I do is trim around the edges! I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited because not only does it hold a charge for going on two months now it works fantastic! Its just a cheap little Sears brand trimmer and I am not sure how much it cost to start with but I love it. It is lightweight and easy for me to use.
I would still use the gas one for cutting weeds but I don’t need that much power to trim around the lawn!
I am glad you like your new trimmer too! Free is better then 15.00 but I have never got a better deal then the 15.00 I spent on that thing! My back loves it too! I would buy another one if I had a chance just to have a back up incase this one ever breaks. I never realized how much easier cordless is! Now I want to get a cordless hedge trimmer! I hate having to haul around the electric cord when I do the hedge! I will be watching for a special deal on those!(-:
I have a corded trimmer and have been contemplating getting a battery powered one. Troy-bilt, it seems, gave a few out to bloggers and they all have had similar experiences. Some issues getting it assembled, a few initial irritations getting used to it, but overall a good experience.
I hate gas weed wackers…should try this one…….
Like at your house, my husband usually does the weed whacker. We used to have a battery operated one and I would use that, but when we got a gas powered one I don’t like to use it. (I am usually doing more weeding and other gardening when he is cutting the grass– then he just picks up the trimmer and goes at it. Suits me)
I’ve never even considered a batter powered weed whacker. It would earn it’s keep in our yard with all those beds to edge. With the battery powered you wouldn’t be smelling all those gas fumes. Some time my eyes are burning miserably after I get finished.
I loved my electric weed wacker but since my husband does most of that edging work, he got a new gas one- for more power he says. Good to know this one keeps up. Of course, now I use my tiller and change the attachment to an edging attachment and it works awesome. Then we just use the weed wacker for horizontal trimming along edging blocks. not sidewalks.
I am in the market for a weed-whacker, having gone through three Black & Decker corded models in the last three years. I loved the first B&D model I bought, but it stopped feeding the line, and they don’t make that model any more. The other two from Black & Decker were a nightmare to use. One was very difficult to wind the line onto the dual spools, and the other wouldn’t feed.–I only used it twice and am returning it.
I need a whacker where I don’t have to touch the head frequently as I often weed-whack poison ivy.
I’m curious if the battery for the Troy-Bilt whacker
is a standard lithium battery? I know manufacturers of some of the cordless drills have made these drills obsolete after a few years because the battery packs are no longer available. Also, did this whacker have one line or two? I need a whacker with one line that is VERY simple to use. The more complex the weed whacker, the less able I am to use it.
How about the warranty? One or two years?
I’d be willing to pay more $$ for a weed whacker made specifically for a woman.–Easy to use, light, durable, long-lasting. I don’t know why lawn care equipment manufacturers don’t make some of their equipment with women in mind.
I recently bought a TB57 TroyBilt. I really like it except for the Trigger pull. I can only hold out for about 3 minutes and my finger is cramping. It really needs a lighter spring in it. It has amazing power and I was very impressed with the battery life. I’ve been trying to figure out how to contact TroyBilt to find out if they have an updated part for the trigger. If not I may try to re-engineer the trigger myself……………