Makita Cordless String Trimmer: Review

Makita Cordless String Trimmer

Review of the Makita Cordless String Trimmer

The Makita Cordless String Trimmer had 64 customer reviews and 24 answered questions on Amazon as of this writing.  I’ve condensed the results into this review. I hope that this helps you when shopping for a string trimmer.

Best Fea​tures

  • check ​Light weight
  • check ​No need for gas nor oil
  • check Reverse rotation system
  • check Adjustable speed dial
  • check Battery indicator

Item Specifics

The Makita Cordless String Trimmer runs up to 90 minutes on a single charge.  The BL Brushless motor delivers up to 6,000 RPMs for faster cutting.  The motor is electronically controlled to optimize battery energy use for up to 50% longer run time per charge.  The motor eliminates carbon brushes, which enables the BL Motor to run cooler and more efficiently which expands the life of the machine.  An adjustable speed dial lets the operator to match speed to application.  A reverse rotation system allows operator to quickly clear the trimmer head of entangled vegetation.

Weight

The Makita Cordless String Trimmer weighs only 8.6 pounds with the battery.  The battery however is not included with the purchase of the string trimmer.  The lightweightness of this string trimmer helps to reduce fatigue for the person running it.  Being so lightweight, it offers the operator options when transporting it to the area it will be used in.  The weight also helps to reduce fatigue.  Because it does not weigh much, one person explains how they carried it only on their riding lawn tractor.  The customer left feedback stating, “I would buy again. super light weight and can easily ride along on my lawn tractor for quick spot trimming.”

No Need for Gas or Oil

The Makita Cordless String Trimmer gives off zero emissions and it is close to being maintenance free.  There is no need for gas nor oil.  A happy customer reported, “This is exactly what I needed in a trimmer. My old WeedEater 2-cycle trimmer became a ‘stick ‘o hurt’ due to both age and poor line feed. I didn’t want to buy another 2-cycle gas trimmer because I have lawn maintenance at my home and the hassle of mixing oil and gas with the expense of a really good gas trimmer just didn’t make sense. In the past I’ve had good luck with my Makita cordless drill and heat gun so when I saw this model I just had to give it a try.”

Reverse Rotation System

The reverse rotation system allows the operator to quickly clear trimmer head of entangled grass and weeds.  If you work with a string trimmer long enough, you will know that vegetation wrapping around the trimmer head is hard to avoid.  A nice feature on the Makita Cordless String Trimmer  is the switch to reverse the direction of the head for when long stems get wrapped around the trimmer head.  A customer summed it up by saying, “Try that with a gas trimmer!”

Adjustable Speed Dial

An adjustable speed dial (0-3,500 to 0-6,000) allows the operator to match the speed to the application.   The speed dial is a great feature that people liked.  However one explained why it is hard for right handed people to operate the dial.  ” If you are right handed it is quite difficult to adjust the speed dial while the unit is operating. You have to stop, slow the dial down, bump feed, then stop and re-set the speed dial to the max and start going again,” the customer explained. 

Price

There were mixed feelings about the price among the customers.  Many felt like the Makita Cordless String Trimmer is overpriced, while others felt like you were paying for the good name and a quality machine.  The price is definitely on the high end compared to similar string trimmers with similar features.

Battery Indicator

The L.E.D. battery indicator monitors battery charge status.  People liked this feature because it helped them to take care better of the battery.  A customer commented, “When on, there is an indicator light that shows when the battery is getting low – handy because you want to treat these expensive batteries well.” 

Does Not Come with Battery

Unfortunately the Makita Cordless String Trimmer does not come with a battery.  Keep that in mind when comparing prices.  I’ve found that the majority of string trimmers do include a battery.

best string trimmer

Pros

  • plus Light weight
  • plus Reverse rotation system
  • plus Adjustable speed dial

Cons

  • close Adjustable speed dial hard for right handers to work 
  • close Does not come with gattery

Makita Cordless String Trimmer Conclusion

The Makita Cordless String Trimmer is a lightweight string trimmer that has some nice features. Weighing in at just 8.6 pounds is really nice because the operator has minimal weight to carry. Less weight means less hand and body fatigue.  There is no need for oil nor gas, which makes the Makita Cordless String Trimmer very easy to care for.  The reverse rotation system is a great feature for those times that you get grass caught in the head.  Simply press the reverse button and remove the vegetation.  People also liked the adjustable speed dial and the battery indicator light.  However, a disadvantage to this string trimmer is that it does not come with a battery.  This is too bad, because the price is already higher than similar string trimmers.  Some felt like the elevated price was because of the brand name that they were paying for.  Overall, the Makita Cordless String Trimmer got good reviews on Amazon.  It is not a heavy duty trimmer, but for the size, it does a good job.

Common Questions

Here are some top questions that I found for people considering buying a Makita Cordless String Trimmer.

  • chevron-circle-right What thickness of string does it use? It comes pre-wound with clear round string that is 1/16″ in diameter (One spool worth; 10′-20′ per the manual).
  • chevron-circle-right Does this fit a string head where pre cut string can be used?  The nylon cutting head is a dual grass trimmer head provided with a bump & feed mechanism. The included Makita Bump and Feed Spool Set is Makita Item 123235-7 or B-60143 when purchased as an accessory.
  • chevron-circle-right How much does this string trimmer weigh?  It weighs only 8.6 pounds 

Related Article: Best String Trimmer-The 10 Best Choices and our Top Pick

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