Managing a 1/4-acre zoysia lawn may not seem like a lot, but I care about the details. Switching from gas to the 60V Toro battery string trimmer let me see just how close to gas power I could get. As it turns out, this tool comes very close—at least when used for residential upkeep. Highlights include a lightweight design and easy-to-restring winding head. Downsides might include a Low speed that didn’t deliver as well as I’d hope. For small or even medium-sized yards, this 60V battery-powered string trimmer should easily replace your gas weed eater without missing a beat.
Key Takeaways
- Strength of a gas powered trimmer
- Two speeds and variable trigger make it easy to control the RPMs
- Easy winding head makes restringing easy
- Lightweight and ergonomic
- Price: $139 (bare tool), $199 (kit w/2.5Ah battery & charger)
Toro Battery String Trimmer Features
So far, the Toro 60V line of outdoor tools has managed to impress up. Particularly, the Toro 60V self-propelled lawnmower demonstrated sufficient run-time for the yard. It also had great cut-quality and plenty of power to handle both bagging and mulching. While cut quality doesn’t factor into string trimmers, cutting power certainly does.
Assembly and Basics
The 60V Toro Battery String Trimmer comes folded in half in a box. You just click it into place and use an Allen wrench (provided) to fasten a single screw to the shaft connector. After that, you attach the plastic front handle using four socket head screws, affix the guard with two more screws, and go.
Bump-feed Trimmer Head
This trimmer, like many cordless models, uses a bump-feed head. Toro’s works really well and uses a stepped nylon feed spool that didn’t hang up on me. Before you begin, decide if you want a 14- or 16-inch cutting swath. You want to flip the string cutter on the guard accordingly to match your desired cut diameter.
Loading string couldn’t be simpler either. You line up the arrows on the bump head, load the string, and twist the bump knob counter-clockwise. Regarding the string, the Toro 60V string trimmer takes either .080″ or .095″ line. Note, however, the amount you can load changes based on the diameter used:
- For 0.080 inch string, you can load 16 feet into the head
- For 0.095 inch string, load just a 10-foot length into the head
Using the 60V Toro Battery-powered String Trimmer
The brushless DC motor on this string trimmer definitely gave me enough run-time to tackle the yard. While the variable speed trigger let me feather the speed as needed, the 2-speed switch on the handle stayed in High for most of my cutting. In that mode, it felt a lot like a residential gas trimmer. Low speed simply didn’t make me feel like it had enough oomph.
Battery and Runtime
Runtime impressed me. I got nearly 45 minutes and tackled quite a bit of tough material. You may find you get a bit less if you use 0.095″ line and/or tackle thicker grasses. The bottom line: I’ve had to refuel gas trimmers in roughly the same amount of time.
The Flex-Force 60V L135 battery delivers 135 watt-hours. Knowing this is a 2.5Ah battery pack, that reveals the nominal voltage of the system as 54V (60V Max). Charge time is around an hour for a depleted pack.
Trimming a 1/4-acre Zoysia Lawn
I used the Toro 60V string trimmer on my 1/4 acre zoysia lawn. It quickly took care of basic edging around the perimeter, but I wanted to see if it could do more.
Setting it to work on some overgrown sweet potato vine, I found the Toro trimmer didn’t even hesitate. In High, speed was sufficient to quickly beat back the thick stalks of this ground cover. Even after sustained trimming, I felt as if the tool could continue this kind of work for the duration. Fortunately, I only had a small patch to worry about.
I also trimmed grass against a fence line. I found the ergonomics of the trimmer easy to balance and manipulate—giving me a nice clean line. Even though Toro placed the brushless motor on the business end of the tool, it never felt too front-heavy. Balance remains even while in use.
60V Toro Battery String Trimmer Specs
- Model: 51830
- Engine: Brushless DC
- Battery: 60V L135 (6.0 Ah, 135 Wh)
- Charge time: 60 minutes
- Cutting width: 14 in. or 16 in.
- Bump head with easy-wind string loading
- Line: .080 or .095 in.
- Speeds: Low/High
- Warranty: 3-year full warranty (tool); 3-year full warranty (battery)
Price
You can buy the Toro 51830 60V string trimmer as either a bare tool for $139 or as a kit with battery and charger for $199 . It actually presents one of the better values out there given its performance, price, and warranty.
Multiple retailers carry Toro 60V battery-powered tools, including Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Acme Tools.
Final Thoughts
The Toro 60V string trimmer really feels like a smooth transition from gas—but without the noise and vibration. The weight of gas nearly offsets the weight of the battery—making the tools very similar. We estimate less than a pound difference between the two. As a platform, Tor has impressed us. The three-year warranty on tool and battery matches some of the best out there. The line also includes the necessary components—blower, hedge trimmer, and mower—so you can assemble a nice system.
Finally, I simply love the way this tool works—and I’ve used dozens of gas-and battery-powered outdoor tools. For medium to small yards, this is an impressive and compelling replacement for your aging gas trimmer.
