Black & Decker 40V MAX 1.5 Ah Lithium Ion Battery

Why I tried this 40V battery

I’ve spent a lot of time with Black & Decker’s 40V outdoor tools, and a compact pack has real appeal for quick yard touch-ups. This 40V battery is the smallest-capacity pack in the line at 1.5Ah (about 60Wh), promising low weight, a compact size, and a long shelf-life between uses. On paper, it’s a grab-and-go option for string trimming, light hedge work, and quick cleanups with a sweeper. After using it across several 40V tools over multiple weekends—and letting it sit on the shelf for months to test standby drain—I have a good feel for where it shines and where it falls short.

Design and build

Physically, the pack is compact and light at around 1.6 lb. You notice the difference immediately compared to older NiCd-era bricks—this is roughly a quarter lighter and about a third smaller than those legacy packs. The housing and rails feel sturdy, and it clicks into my tools with a positive latch. I didn’t experience any wobble or intermittent connection issues.

There’s no built-in fuel gauge, which is a miss for usability. With small packs, it matters even more to know how much juice you have left before you head down the driveway or up a ladder. You’ll be relying on the tool’s behavior near cutoff to judge remaining runtime.

The voltage rating is listed as 40V max, 36V nominal. That’s normal for lithium-ion: you’ll see about 40V at full charge, and it spends most of its time around 36V while working. It’s compatible with 40V Black & Decker tools like string trimmers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, and sweepers.

Note: this battery is sold on its own—no charger in the box. If you’re new to the ecosystem, budget for a 40V charger.

Charging and storage

Charging time depends on your charger. On the standard Black & Decker 40V unit, a fully depleted pack typically took me around 1.5–2 hours to recharge. The pack remained cool during charging and under moderate use, even on warmer afternoons.

One thing the battery claims—and actually does pretty well—is holding a charge on the shelf. I left it unused for roughly four months over the winter. It wasn’t full afterward, but it still powered my hedge trimmer for a short session before I topped it off. As with all lithium-ion batteries, it’s smart to charge it before a new season and avoid storing it fully dead.

I did encounter one hiccup early on: a pack that refused to take a full charge, with the charger indicating a fault. It was replaced, and the replacement has behaved normally since. It’s a reminder to test your battery thoroughly within return/warranty windows.

Performance and runtime

At 1.5Ah, you’re working with about 60 watt-hours. That’s a small fuel tank for a 40V system, and the use case needs to match.

Here’s how it performed for me:

• 13-inch string trimmer (light to moderate grass): 10–15 minutes of continuous trimming, closer to 10 if I leaned on the power in thicker patches.
• Hedge trimmer: 18–25 minutes on mixed privet and boxwood, with normal residential trimming.
• Sweeper/blower (hard surfaces): roughly 20–30 minutes, depending on power setting and how much debris I was moving.
• 12-inch chainsaw (limbing/pruning): 5–8 minutes of actual cutting time on small branches. Enough for quick pruning, not for breakdown of a full pile.

These figures landed right where I expected for a 60Wh pack. If you need to mow or tackle dense brush, this battery isn’t the right match. Where it shines is touch-up work: edging a small front yard, trimming a couple of shrubs, or blowing off a patio. Power delivery is steady until it nears empty, then it drops quickly—another reason a fuel gauge would be helpful.

In cold weather (mid-40s Fahrenheit), I saw a noticeable dip in runtime versus warm afternoons. That’s typical of lithium-ion, but with a small pack, the effect is more pronounced. If you plan winter work, keep the battery warm before use.

Usability and ergonomics

The lightweight design genuinely improves tool balance. On the trimmer and hedge trimmer, the reduced rear weight made the tools feel nimbler and less fatiguing, especially for overhead hedging. For short sessions around the yard, that’s a meaningful advantage.

The downside is the abrupt stop when the battery is done. Without a gauge, you’ll either bring a second pack or be comfortable with the occasional mid-job walk back to the charger. For some tasks—like trimming along a sidewalk—that’s just an inconvenience. For work in the tree or on a roof, I’d absolutely want a second pack or a higher-capacity one.

Durability and consistency

Over a season, the pack’s performance was consistent and didn’t show early fade or unusual self-discharge. The shell and latching mechanism held up to normal residential use and a few drops in the garage without issue. As mentioned, I did experience one defective unit early on. The replacement has been solid. With lithium packs, quality control matters; I recommend a quick initial test cycle: charge to full, run it down once, and recharge to confirm the pack behaves normally.

Who this battery suits best

• Small-yard owners who need short, frequent sessions.
• Users prioritizing low weight and compact size over long runtime.
• Anyone looking for a backup pack to minimize downtime between charges.

Who should look elsewhere:

• Larger properties or weekly deep-yard sessions. A 2.0Ah, 3.0Ah, or 4.0Ah option in the same 40V line is a better fit.
• Chainsaw-heavy work or thick, wet grass trimming—tasks that draw high power consistently.
• Users who want an on-battery fuel gauge.

Tips to get the most out of it

• Match the task to the tank. Think trim-and-go, not all-afternoon maintenance.
• Keep blades and line sharp/fresh to reduce load and extend runtime.
• Avoid running the battery completely flat in storage; recharge before putting it away for weeks.
• If you work in the cold, store the battery indoors and insert it right before use.

Pros

• Light and compact; noticeably improves tool balance and comfort.
• Holds charge well in storage; minimal standby drain.
• Predictable, steady power delivery for most of the discharge.
• No memory effect; partial charges are fine.
• Good fit and finish; secure latch in tools.

Cons

• Small capacity (1.5Ah) limits runtime, especially on high-draw tools.
• No built-in fuel gauge.
• Charger not included.
• Cold-weather runtime dips quickly with a small pack.
• I encountered one defective unit; test early to catch issues under warranty.

The bottom line

This 40V battery is a classic trade-off: portability and convenience over capacity. For quick jobs and small spaces, it makes 40V tools feel lighter and more pleasant to use. It also does a credible job at holding a charge on the shelf between sporadic tasks. But at 60Wh, it’s not the right choice if you want to power through heavier work or a larger yard in one session.

Recommendation: I recommend this battery as a secondary or light-duty primary pack for users with small yards and quick, frequent tasks. If you expect longer runtime, plan to step up to a higher-capacity 40V pack or keep a second battery on hand. That approach preserves the ergonomic benefits without running into the hard limit of a small fuel tank.