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Black+Decker LST136 Review

If you are shopping on a budget and don't need an extra powerful tool, then this is the string trimmer for you
black+decker lst136 cordless string trimmer review
Credit: BLACK+DECKER
Price:  $195 List
Manufacturer:   Black+Decker
By David Wise and Michelle Powell  ⋅  Jun 23, 2020
72
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#2 of 9
  • Weed Eating - 30% 7.0
  • Ease of Use - 30% 7.4
  • Battery - 25% 6.8
  • Noise - 15% 8.0

Our Verdict

If you are shopping for a new cordless string trimmer on a budget, then we think the Black+Decker LST136 is a great choice for you. This cordless string trimmer is quite effective at clearing weeds and vegetation and is fairly comfortable and easy to operate. It's very lightweight and easy to handle and is one of the quieter trimmers that we have tested. If you are trying to get the most bang for the buck when shopping for your next tool and don't need a heavy-duty option, then we can't recommend the Black+Decker LST136 highly enough.
REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Quiet
REASONS TO AVOID
Not the most powerful

Compare to Similar Products

 
black+decker lst136 cordless string trimmer review
Awards Best Buy Award Top Pick Award Best Buy Award Top Pick Award  
Price $195 List
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$139.00 at Amazon
$179 List
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Pros Inexpensive, quietQuiet, lightweight, easy to controlLightweight, relatively quiet, easy to serviceFantastic at weed eating, easy to useRelatively inexpensive, exceptionally powerful
Cons Not the most powerfulPricey, short reachNot super powerful, short battery lifeRequires additional motorized head, decently loudLoud, throws debris everywhere
Bottom Line If you are shopping on a budget and don't need an extra powerful tool, then this is the string trimmer for youThis is a fantastic all-around string trimmer that especially excels at maintaining large vegetated areasIf you need a string trimmer in your tool arsenal but don't have much money to spend, this one is the one to buyThis versatile tool takes out dense vegetation with easeIf you don't mind sacrificing some comfort in order to save some cash, this is a good value option
Rating Categories Black+Decker LST136 Husqvarna 115iL Craftsman V20 Weedw... Ego Power+ STA1500... Ryobi 40V Expand-It
Weed Eating (30%)
7.0
7.0
7.0
8.6
8.1
Ease of Use (30%)
7.4
6.1
7.4
6.7
4.4
Battery (25%)
6.8
8.5
5.5
3.5
5.3
Noise (15%)
8.0
6.8
7.8
5.0
3.0
Specs Black+Decker LST136 Husqvarna 115iL Craftsman V20 Weedw... Ego Power+ STA1500... Ryobi 40V Expand-It
Line Feed Mechanism Auto Bump Button Bump Bump
Cutting Path (in.) 13 14 15 15 13-15
Shoulder Strap Attachment No No No No No
Measured Sound Level from 36" Away 85.9 dBa 95 dBa 84 dBa 104.6 dBa 105 dBa
Measured No-Load Runtime 43 min. 92 min. 35 min. 21 min. 43 min.
Number of Speed Settings 6 2 2 2 1
Measured Weight 7.8 lb 10.0 lb 7.0 lb 12.4 lb 12.1 lb
Nominal Voltage 36 40 20 56 40
Tested Amp-hours 2 4 4 2.5 4

Our Analysis and Test Results

We did find that the Black+Decker LST136 can get a little overburdened when cutting through dense vegetation so it might not be the best cordless yard tool around if you have heavy-duty lawn maintenance tasks ahead of you.

Performance Comparison


black+decker lst136 cordless string trimmer review - this string trimmer is a great bargain buy.
This string trimmer is a great bargain buy.
Credit: Laura Casner

Weed Eating


Our most important rating metric for these cordless tools is how effectively and easily they cleared weeds and other nuisance plants. We compared and scored the weed-eating efficiency of each product, how much power they have, and how easy it is to make precision cuts around fragile plants or objects. The Black+Decker LST136 isn't the most powerful or heavy-duty option by any means but it still scored quite well compared to the rest of the tools in the group.


We found the Black+Decker LST136 to have plenty of power for most jobs but it will start to slow down when cutting through very thick stems or burly weeds. We did find it to be very effective when cutting through grasses and weeds using a side-to-side motion.

black+decker lst136 cordless string trimmer review - the black+decker lst136 trimmer does well with all but the toughest...
The Black+Decker LST136 trimmer does well with all but the toughest weeds.
Credit: Laura Casner

However, we did find that the guard can get in the way a bit when clearing particularly tall grass and it can get caught up and tangled if you move it in a straight line and don't sweep it side-to-side. We did find that the guard can act as a nice guide when cutting close to the ground.

We also found it pretty easy to make detailed cuts with this string trimmer, especially since it has a low-speed setting and you can pivot the head to the side to make precise cuts.

We found that the relatively large guard can get in the way for certain cuts, especially in more confined spaces around your yard.

black+decker lst136 cordless string trimmer review - the rubberized grip of the black+decker lst136 is easy to hold, and...
The rubberized grip of the Black+Decker LST136 is easy to hold, and you can easily rotate through the six speed settings by thumb to dial in the speed needed for the plants you're trying to cut.
Credit: Laura Casner

Ease of Use


Next, we rated and ranked how user-friendly and convenient each cordless string trimmer is to operate, looking at the difficulty of replacing the line, the comfort and ergonomics, and the weight of each tool, as well as the effectiveness of the guard. The

Black+Decker LST136 again did quite well, finishing just behind the top models.


The Black+Decker LST136 has an automatic feed to dispense more line, making it an exceptionally easy process. It also is very easy to replace, with a simple and straightforward design with only a single spinning string.

We think it's very easy to swap the string on this cordless tool.
We think it's very easy to swap the string on this cordless tool.
The single cutting line makes it very user-friendly to replace.
The single cutting line makes it very user-friendly to replace.

We found this cordless tool to be very lightweight and extremely easy to handle, making it one of the least cumbersome string trimmers to operate.


It's a very comfortable tool to hold with a grippy texture on the handle that allows you to securely hold the Black+Decker LST136 for both weed eating and edging. This trimmer is very maneuverable due to its lower weight and it's easy to reach the speed controls with your thumb without letting off the trigger.

black+decker lst136 cordless string trimmer review - it's easy to change speeds without letting go of the handle.
It's easy to change speeds without letting go of the handle.
Credit: Laura Casner

However, it is a bit on the shorter side compared to other models, so taller users will need to either hunch over a bit or trim a little closer to your feet. This trimmer's guard is also decently effective at stopping debris from getting thrown back at you but it tends to get in the way a bit. This model also lacks a shoulder strap.

Battery Life


Our next round of tests dealt with how long each of these tools could last on a single charge. We timed how long each trimmer could last running freely on a fully charged battery for the majority of the score, as well as awarding points for different operating modes that let you balance power and battery life. The Black+Decker LST136 did fairly well, scoring in the upper portion of the group overall.


The Black+Decker LST136 has a slightly above average runtime, lasting for just under 45 minutes when using the stock battery — about half the time of the top trimmers.


The Black+Decker LST136 does offer plenty of adjustability — almost to the point of overkill. It has six different settings, providing plenty of ability to balance power and battery life for whatever your weed-eating application is.

black+decker lst136 cordless string trimmer review - the black+decker lst136 is one of the quietest and easiest trimmers...
The Black+Decker LST136 is one of the quietest and easiest trimmers to handle.
Credit: Laura Casner

Noise


The last series of tests looked at how loud the Black+Decker LST136 and the other cordless string trimmers are. We used an SPL meter to measure the sound levels for the operator when holding the trimmer at an arm's length away. The Black+Decker LST136 scored very highly, as it's one of the quietest models we have tested.


This string trimmer measured at 85.9 dBa for the operator on our meter — around 20 dBa quieter than the loudest model we have tested.


It does have a little bit of a higher-pitched whine but it isn't too bad.

Value


This string trimmer is a great value, making it very attractive to anyone shopping on a budget. It holds its own against other models that cost quite a bit more.

Conclusion


If you are shopping for a new string trimmer on a budget, then we can't recommend the Black+Decker LST136 highly enough. It's decently effective at clearing all but the toughest plants and vegetation. It's very lightweight and easy to handle and is a great bargain option if you don't want to pay top dollar for a high-end trimmer that probably won't be all that much better.

David Wise and Michelle Powell
 

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