DeWalt 60V MAX Brushless Cordless String Trimmer Kit

A few minutes into the first pass around my fence line, I forgot this trimmer runs on a battery. The gear-drive head puts a lot of torque to the line, and the brushless motor never felt like it was laboring—even in thick, waist-high grass and weedy patches. This DeWalt trimmer isn’t trying to mimic a gas tool; in most of the cutting I did, it matched one.

Power and cut quality

The motor/gearbox combo is the star. With a 15-inch cutting swath and room for 0.095-inch line, it chews through dense growth that stalls lesser cordless models. On Hi, I was cutting shoulder-high brome and reed-like weeds without feathering the trigger, and the head recovered to full speed quickly after bumps into tougher stems. On Lo, it’s controlled enough to work around landscaping, posts, and fences without sandblasting mulch everywhere.

Line choice matters. The prewound 0.080-inch line is fine for light yard trimming, but I switched to a tough 0.095-inch round and saw fewer breaks and cleaner edges along concrete. Expect a slight runtime penalty with thicker line, but the cut is more confident, especially if you often hit chain-link or rock.

Noise is a high-pitched whir rather than a gas drone. It’s comfortable without hearing protection for quick touch-ups, though I still wore muffs for extended sessions. Vibration through the shaft and handle is low for the class.

Runtime, batteries, and charging

The kit includes a single FLEXVOLT battery that’s 3.0 Ah when used at 60V (the same pack is labeled 9.0 Ah for 20V tools). In practical terms, here’s what I saw:

• Light trimming around beds and fences on Lo: roughly 40–45 minutes per charge
• Mixed trimming with frequent bursts on Hi: roughly 25–30 minutes
• Heavy clearing on Hi in tall, fibrous material: about 18–22 minutes

That’s in line with what I expect from a high-torque brushless head and a 15-inch swath. The included charger got me back to full in around an hour-plus, so having a second pack makes yard sessions smoother. FLEXVOLT is backward compatible with DeWalt 20V MAX tools, which is a genuine advantage if you’re already invested in that ecosystem.

A reality check: FLEXVOLT packs are not cheap, and this head can consume power when you keep it pinned on Hi. If you’re maintaining a small to medium yard and you can work in 20–30 minute stints, one battery is workable. If you’re clearing acreage or you want uninterrupted run, budget for at least one additional pack.

I did encounter one battery hiccup over a season: a pack that declined quickly under load and was replaced under warranty. Charging and storage habits matter with high-capacity packs. Let them cool before charging, avoid running them stone dead when you can help it, and store them near half-charge if they’ll sit for weeks.

Ergonomics and balance

At around 15 pounds with the battery installed, this trimmer is on the heavier side of cordless. The straight shaft is long, which helps reach under shrubs but can feel nose-heavy with the big FLEXVOLT attached. The included auxiliary handle has enough range to dial in your grip, and once I adjusted it, I found a comfortable neutral balance. Still, for longer sessions, a shoulder strap makes a difference; it’s not included, but the mounting point is there.

The variable-speed trigger is responsive, and the two-speed rocker is simple: Lo for finesse, Hi for plowing. The safety interlock is easy to engage with a gloved thumb, and the guard offers decent visibility to the cutting edge.

Line management and the head

The bump-feed, quick-load head is convenient once you learn its rhythm. The loading process that worked reliably for me:

1. Cut a single length of line (I prefer 14–20 feet of 0.095).
2. Align the arrows on the spool.
3. Thread the line straight through until both tails are even.
4. Rotate the head to wind until only 6–7 inches of line remain on each side.

From there, bumping to advance line is consistent. If you run 0.095 and keep the swath at its intended length, you won’t be feeding constantly.

Two caveats from extended use:

• In fibrous weeds (think straw-like grasses or pond-edge reeds), the cavity around the spool can pack with fibers. When I ignored it, the head started to slow and the line stopped advancing. Popping the cap and clearing debris every battery swap kept it trouble-free.
• The bump cap and housing are molded plastic and can wear if you’re frequently scraping along concrete or rocks. I learned to float the head rather than grinding it, and I keep a spare bump cap on hand. It’s a consumable on any bump-feed head; this one is no exception.

If you’re coming from a gas trimmer with a heavier-duty, bolt-on head, the DeWalt head feels lighter. For most homeowners, it’s a fair trade for the convenience of quick loading, but pros pounding curbs all day may want to factor in periodic head maintenance.

Build quality, service, and maintenance

The shaft and gearbox feel stout, and the brushless motor has held up well. Exterior plastics are par for the course—nothing fragile, but not overbuilt. Keep the vents clear and the head cleaned out, and it’s a low-maintenance tool. I appreciate the straightforward design: no oddball fasteners, good access to the spool, and a guard that actually catches debris.

Warranty coverage on the tool is solid, and my experience with service on a faulty pack was straightforward. Even so, I treat batteries like wear items. If you’re relying on one pack to do everything, you’re putting all your yard work on a single point of failure.

What it’s best at

• Dense growth where torque matters: the gear-drive keeps the line moving in heavy grasses and weedy tangles
• Mixed residential work: trimming, edging, and cleanup around beds without gas hassle
• Owners already on DeWalt 20V MAX/FLEXVOLT who can leverage the battery ecosystem

Where it comes up short

• Weight: heavier than many 18–36V cordless trimmers, especially with the big pack
• Battery costs: expanding to two or three packs adds up quickly
• Head durability: the bump cap is a wear item and needs occasional replacement, especially with aggressive edging
• Fibrous plant debris: periodic head clean-outs are part of the routine if you clear pond-edge or straw-like grasses

Practical tips from testing

• Step up to 0.095-inch line for fewer breaks and cleaner cuts; accept a small runtime hit.
• Use Lo around landscaping and for edging; reserve Hi for thick stuff to stretch runtime.
• Don’t overextend the string. Keep it within the guard for best power and fewer jams.
• Keep a spare bump cap and a pre-cut length of line in your pocket; reloading in the field is quick.
• Add a shoulder strap if you’ll run more than a single pack at a time.

Recommendation

I recommend this DeWalt trimmer for homeowners and property managers who want gas-like cutting power without gas maintenance, especially if they already own DeWalt 20V MAX or FLEXVOLT tools. It excels in tough trimming and small-scale clearing, and the quick-load head makes everyday use simple once you learn it. Be realistic about runtime and battery costs: heavy cutting on Hi drains a pack in 20–30 minutes, and additional FLEXVOLT batteries aren’t cheap. If you need day-long runtime or you frequently grind a head along curbs, a lighter-duty cordless or a pro-grade gas unit might be a better fit. For most residential yards, though, the power-to-convenience ratio here is excellent, and the tool’s torque and cut quality set it apart.