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Snapper XD 82V Review

This big and bulky string trimmer is far from our favorite and we wouldn't jump to recommend it
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Price:   $300 List | $290 at Amazon
Pros:  Fairly quiet, so-so weed eating performance
Cons:  Pain to change the line, heavy, cumbersome to use
Manufacturer:   Snapper
By David Wise, Michelle Powell, and Jenna Ammerman  ⋅  Sep 4, 2019
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59
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#6 of 7
  • Weed Eating - 30% 6
  • Ease of Use - 30% 5
  • Battery - 25% 6
  • Noise - 15% 7

Our Verdict

Scoring at the back of the group, we aren't overly fond of the Snapper XD 82V. It has a hard time cutting through tougher plants, is bulky and hard to hold, and is a gigantic pain to reload with a new line. It does cut through grass fairly easily and operates on the quieter side but we think there are plenty of other string trimmers out there that perform a whole lot better for quite a lot less.

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Our Analysis and Test Results

We found it hard to identify any particularly standout qualities for this string trimmer. At best, we found its overall performance in our tests to be impressively mediocre and are quite reticent to recommend it.

Performance Comparison



The Snapper XD 82V isn't our favorite string trimmer.
The Snapper XD 82V isn't our favorite string trimmer.

Likes


The Snapper XD does cut through tall grass and other easy-to-cut vegetation quickly and smoothly, making it an alright option for light-duty lawn care. The motor feels like it has adequate power for heavier vegetation but the thinner line can't seem to handle it. You bump the head to dispense more line and the shoulder strap attachment make the XD significantly more comfortable to use. We also liked that the weight of the trimmer helps engage the trigger once it is running, so you don't have to work to hold it down.

The thin line of the Snapper made it hard to visualize our cutting path and left marks in this fence more than once.
The thin line of the Snapper made it hard to visualize our cutting path and left marks in this fence more than once.

The XD does have a decent battery life, operating for 48 minutes or so before depleting when not under load. This weed eater is one of the least loud models of the group, registering sound levels of only 88.5 decibels on our sound meter 36" away. It also isn't particularly whiny while running.

The XD is on the heavier side and can be cumbersome to hold.
The XD is on the heavier side and can be cumbersome to hold.

Dislikes


The XD did severely struggle with tall plants in burlier weeds in our tests. We definitely wouldn't recommend it for any sort of especially large or heavy-duty lawn care tasks. Tall plants and tough stems also have an exceptionally annoying habit of getting sucked up into the head, causing a tangle.

The guard on the Snapper XD didn't do the best job at blocking flying weeds and grass.
The guard on the Snapper XD didn't do the best job at blocking flying weeds and grass.

The combination of the obtrusive guard and the thinner line make it quite difficult to see exactly where you are cutting, so precise cuts around breakable objects can be fraught with peril. It's also fairly horrible to replace the line — it never wants to wind neatly and always pops apart right as you almost get it back together. On top of that, we didn't find the guard to be particularly effective, with non-trivial amounts of grass and weeds getting thrown back in your general direction when operating it. The Snapper XD is one of the heftiest trimmers of the group, tipping the scales at just over 14.5 pounds.


The handle isn't the most comfortable to grab and the trimmer doesn't feel very well-balanced at all.

The Snapper 82V isn't the most comfortable to hold strongly tipping towards the battery end.
The Snapper 82V isn't the most comfortable to hold, strongly tipping towards the battery end.

The Snapper does have two different operating modes but we couldn't discern a huge difference between them and the low power mode seems like overkill for the stock line.

Value


The Snapper XD isn't a great value, costing quite a bit more than several models that performed quite a bit better.

Conclusion


All in all, we find it hard to recommend the Snapper XD. Its bulk suggests significantly more power than it actually has, with several smaller and lighter models being vastly more effective at eating weeds. It can be a huge hassle to change the string on and overall be quite fatiguing and uncomfortable to use for long periods.

— David Wise, Michelle Powell, and Jenna Ammerman