Kobalt 80-Volt Max 16-in Straight Cordless String Trimmer Review
Kobalt 80-Volt cordless string trimmer uses 0.080″ line (but 0.095” fits well too) and has adjustable cutting swath from 14 to 16 inches. It also has two speed settings: 5,000 RPM and 5,500 RPM – the difference between the two modes is surprisingly big considering they only differ by 500 RPM.
Whereas Kobalt 40-Volt string trimmer turned out to be a major disappointment, the 80-Volt has improved in multiple areas including performance. It has brushless motor that outputs more power and with 80 volt power supply it’s very powerful – it trims overgrown stuff with ease, yet remains very smooth and relatively quiet which feels a bit weird after using gas trimmers but in a good way for sure!
Electric string trimmers often are underpowered but this one certainly isn’t – it can handle nearly everything you can throw at it.
Durability & Quality
Build quality, durability and reliability was one of the major flaws of 40-Volt trimmer – it just isn’t built to last. Kobalt certainly have learned from some of their mistakes and the 80-Volt model is a big improvement in this areas. It’s still not a heavy duty machine that you can abuse but you can actually expect it to last if you operate it with care.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics have also improved. Kobalt 80-Volt weed eater is a lot more comfortable to use than 40-Volt model due to multiple improvements like putting the motor towards the middle of the shaft which improves balance significantly and decreases arm fatigue, however it’s still a bit heavy with the battery and might be too heavy for some.
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Features
Kobalt 80-Volt weed wacker has bump feed and dual-line features that work well. It’s also a lot more attachment friendly than 40-Volt model.
You can also press a button and check how much charge on the battery is left – from 1 to 3 bars.
Kobalt 80-Volt weed wacker measures 9 x 9 x 37 inches and weighs 13.22 pounds.
Conclusions
Kobalt 80-Volt Max string trimmer is a beast however it’s a bit heavy. Although ergonomics and build quality have improved significantly compared to Kobalt 40-volt model there is still room for improvement.
Overall Kobalt 80-Volt Max is a pretty good electric weed wacker with impressive performance but it’s not quite among the very best cordless electric string trimmers.
Alternatives
If you have come across this review you are probably looking for a good string trimmer to purchase. So to help you make the right decision here is a list of best string trimmers we have reviewed so far:
- Best Electric String Trimmers:
- Best Gas String Trimmers:
- Best Budget Priced Weed Wackers:
For 6 years I owned a landscaping company. This ain’t my first string trimmer. It is, however, far and away the biggest turd of a tool I ever wasted money on.
The winding mechanism is a nightmare. Although it has good power, the battery life per charge is nowhere near as advertised. Maybe it can live on a steady diet of trimming 4″ grass along the sidewalk down to 2″, but it quickly gives up if you try to whack your way through anything remotely heavy.
It’s very heavy. After working with it through a couple of battery charges, it magically becomes VERY heavy.
I really can’t think of any reason that anyone else should buy one of these monstrosities. When I say it has good power, I mean that it’s comparable but not equal to any gas trimmer I ever used.
Overall, for my money, it’s junk.