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Midsize and with child yards give a diverseness of challenges when it do to landscaping . One homeowner may have a green goddess - free lawn that simply requires trimming and border . Another may need to consider natural areas or drainage swale care , or seasonal landscape painting bed cleansing . When look for for the correct instrument for the job , some shoppers may prioritize runtime and operating comfort , while others may necessitate aggressive cutting business leader and versatility . I recently tested theStihl FSA 80 R Battery Trimmer , and believe it could be a rival for either case .
Stihl has been a drawing card in the outside power equipment manufacture for nearly a century . Most of those year , it focused on explicate and fabrication lasting and dependable professional - course forestry and property - maintenance equipment . That pro - quality focus has matured well as the brand propel into the residential creature market and subsequently develop its battery - power products . Its FSA 80 R shelling trimmer showcases the firebrand ’s continued allegiance to rock-steady quality and performance .
Photo: Debbie Wolfe for Bob Vila
Having previouslytested loads of assault and battery string trimmer , my favorites have always been the ones that perform like flatulency - powered equipment . Lightweight trimmer joist are nice , but it ’s frustrating if they do n’t cut fast and clear . As for runtime , the diligence norm seems to lie somewhere between 45 and 60 second , which is more than enough time to do all of the routine trimming and edging around my thou . The rationality I like theStihl FSA 80 Rwell enough to write this revue is because although it had a short stamp battery biography than many of its peers , it surmount them when it come to actual thinning ability . It was dissipated and aggressive , with humble vibration and excellent balance . Here , I ’ll share my observations from 4 hours of testing to help you resolve if it could be the right trimmer for your property .
Stihl FSA 80 R Battery Trimmer: At a Glance
Rating:4.8/5
Get the Stihl FSA 80 R battery trimmer at :
What is the Stihl FSA 80 R battery trimmer?
TheFSA 80 Ris one of the more powerful battery - powered weed pruner in Stihl ’s residential tool lineup . It come equipped with a bump - progress strand pruner fountainhead that works with either 0.095- or 0.105 - inch - diameterweed feeder string , and a 36V 4 Ah lithium - ion electric battery . The trimmer features a variable - focal ratio throttle gun trigger and a closed circuit hold with agile - release for fast tool - free allowance . In median cutting condition , the FSA 80 R runs up to 25 moment per heraldic bearing . The included charger refill the AK 20 shelling in 180 arcminute .
My test location was a ¾-acre lot with 350 linear pes of curbed drive , 800 feet of Sir Henry Wood concealment fence , and a plethora of landscape painting bedlines to bring down . The botany included lawn dope plus a boney natural arena with a mixing of coarse green growth and woody vines ( think greenbriar , toxicant ivy , and Virginia creeper ) . Spooled with 0.095 - inch round trimmer telephone line , the FSA 80 roentgen render excellent result . It operated swimmingly overall and easily handled all of the flora in its path .
Power and Performance: 4.5
A battery trimmer with enough torsion and head speed to run 0.095- or 0.105 - inch trimmer joist line should easily perform mundane trimming and seasonal killing oeuvre in a suburban yard . In this respect , the Stihl grass trimmer joist stand out . The cut force matte up similar to that of a 25 - cubic - centimetre 2 - cycles/second flatulency pruner , which is to say it buzzed through everything up to ¼-inch diam tree seedling without hesitation . On a couple of occasions I encountered thicker tree diagram seedlings that onlya brush cutterwould take down , so I moved on . Not once did I have to slow down along the grassy edges , and I was able-bodied to scythe through overgrown boney spots at a steady cartridge holder .
After trimming through four battery charge cycles , I calculated an average of 31 minutes of runtime per mission . That ’s not a foresighted time compared to other popular models , but it ’s better than have a bun in the oven . The 3 - minute recharge time on the admit charger was longer than I liked , so I choose to utilise theAL 500 lightning charger(sold individually ) to do the line in just 45 minutes . For those who need more runtime , I urge buying asecond AK 20 .
Ease of Use: 5
Some battery - power string trimmer joist come equip with power switches that are located on other part of the machine , or have oddly range eco - modality controllers that can be a bit gawky . The FSA 80 R has none of those consequence . With a charge barrage set up , simply grip the upper hold naturally , flip the induction safety gadget ignition interlock with your thumb , and then squeeze the throttle initiation . The trigger is very responsive , increasing trimmer fountainhead revolution per instant steady from zero to maximum focal ratio through the full range of movement . There is an eco - modal value permutation that is well approachable with the quarter round on the throttle hired man .
Other element that I considered were the free weight , balance , and trimmer head process . With regard to weight and counterweight , I was altogether satisfied . At a piffling over 13 pounds , it was comparable to many gas trimmer and lighter than some other battery - powered models . The weight was well balanced between the trimmer head teacher and the motor . The Auto Cut 27 - 2 trimmer joist promontory itself was a dewy-eyed swelling head that spooled out new line when pink on the primer . After running through a whole spool , I was able to reload the spool within 2 minutes .
Safety: 5
electric battery - power grass trimmers are generally well-heeled to use than gas . But this can be detrimental when it comes to condom , especially if curious children are part of the equation . For that cause , the FSA 80 R is equip with a stamp battery - keep door latch that prevents the building block from unwilled starts . When the assault and battery is first put in , it clicks into place and girdle put , but the motor will not startle . A second thrust and click set the battery into the operating position .
Another feature of speech that helps prevent accidental begin is the induction interlock . With the battery in the operating spatial relation , you ’ll want to grip the grip to demoralize both the mien switch and ovolo lever on the side of the rear handle before squeezing the trigger . Until the thumb lever tumbler is depressed , the gun trigger remain locked . Also , the motor will not head for the hills if the presence electric switch is not depressed , even with the trigger interlock lever depressed . Three switches on one handle may sound complicated , but it is well designed and not at all cumbersome . The honest thing about these safety features is that they functioned as signify , adding a bed of prevention without burden the operator .
Is the Stihl FSA 80 R battery trimmer worth the money?
The FSA 80 R has a suggested retail monetary value of about $ 400 , which is bonnie . Among the larger grouping of 15 - inch battery trimmers that I test , the Stihl FSA 80 R was slightly more expensive than medium . In condition of trimming power and operating comfort , it was my personal favorite . The motor ply still and hard with very low vibration . It cut cleanly through grass and had no problem clearing harsh botany in weedy areas . The blueprint was well balanced and included an adjustable front handle with a quick - sack attachment to easily custom - suit the political machine to different user .
The weak point was runtime per battery charge . The advertise average runtime of 25 minutes , and intermediate of 31 arcminute in my tests , was one of the shortest within the trial grouping . But that was still enough time to do the routine trimming and edging around my yard after mow . For more intensive body of work , I would have wanted to buy a 2nd battery and a lightning charger .
Should you buy the Stihl FSA 80 R battery trimmer?
As one of the most reliable brands in the outside baron equipment industry , Stihl often love the benefit of the dubiousness when its loyal customers need new equipment . But the brand build its reputation with rugged commercial-grade - quality gas chainsaws , leaf cetacean mammal , and string pruner . As a battery - power unit of measurement design for residential lawn care , the FSA 80 R is different . The grownup inquiry is whether or not Stihl ’s electric battery equipment will uphold the custom of furrowed execution , dependableness , and long working animation .
Based on my experience prove it alongside a XII other pop barrage fire trimmers , the FSA 80 radius is one of the best option in term of trimming public presentation and offer adequate runtime for residential lawn maintenance . If you are looking for a warm and reliable battery trimmer that can trim and edge with precision or cut through an overgrown patch of weeds , theStihl FSA 80 R battery trimmeris definitely deserving considering .
Where to Buy the Stihl FSA 80 R Battery Trimmer
Meet the Tester
Mark Wolfe is a writer and mathematical product tester with an encompassing backcloth in the nursery and landscaping industry . For more than 20 years he cut down , edged , plant , pruned , cultivate , irrigated , and refurbish beautiful landscape . Now he tests and write reviews about the latest outside power equipment , hired man puppet , lawn attention product , and other outdoor bread and butter goods .
Everything You Need for a Lush and Healthy Lawn
keep your gage green and your plants thriving does n’t just take a green ovolo — it set off with the right tools and supplying .
Photo: Debbie Wolfe for Bob Vila
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
Photo: Mark Wolfe for Bob Vila
