Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
The major strengths of this DeWalt 60V battery-powered string trimmer are its power and attachment versatility. The simplicity of its operation is likely a win for many folks as well. The trade-off is a bit more weight and lower runtime. If that's something you can work with, the trimmer's performance is sure to make short work of your trimming jobs.
We’re moving into the Spring season and folks are starting to think about updating their OPE for the new year, but with so many options on the market, how do you choose? We decided to bring in the DeWalt 60V battery-powered string trimmer to see what the latest edition has to offer.
We intentionally neglected our trimming for several weeks in anticipation of some cordless weed eater testing. Between grass and some beefy weed species, it was a tough chore. Even with the stock 0.080-inch line, we were impressed with the cutting power.
DeWalt’s brushless motor spins that or 0.095-inch line up to 5800 RPM in high and has the option of a 15 or 17-inch cutting swath. We recommend switching out the stock line (or just using it up) and moving to 0.095-inch Echo Black Diamond line to get the most out of the DCST972 weed eater’s impressive power.
Even though it feels like there’s enough power to go all the way up to 0.105-inch line, DeWalt doesn’t rate it that high, so avoid the temptation.
With a 17-inch cutting swath and excellent power, runtime is a trade-off we expect to make. Running in high gear and under no-load, we got just over 31 minutes of runtime with the 3.0/9.0Ah battery that comes in the kit. That’s shorter than many, but they’re not spinning as much line at those high RPMs.
There’s a big BUT here. You have some options to extend your runtime. First, the cutter has two positions and you can shift it to the 15-inch position to gain efficiency. You can also cut in low mode instead of high. At 4650 RPM, it still does an excellent job for routine maintenance cuts.
So use the full power and cutting diameter when you have a large area to clear that doesn’t lend itself to a mower or you don’t have more than 30 minutes of trigger time to worry about. Make the high-efficiency adjustments when you need longer runtime to get the job done on a single charge.
One thing we noticed during our field testing is the higher than average level of vibration. It’s less than most gas alternatives and we have tested some battery-powered models with more. However, it’s noticeable compared to brands such as EGO and Husqvarna.
There are a lot of things to like about this string trimmer but does produce more noise than some cordless weed eaters. Measured from our operator’s ear, it measured 87dB on high and 81dB on low. With the top models running 80 decibels in high, it’s a noticeable difference. That said, it’s still far quieter than a gas string trimmer.
For those of you looking for more versatility, the DCST972 is an attachment-capable string trimmer. Thankfully, it uses universal attachments, so if DeWalt doesn’t happen to make the one you need, you have options from other brands.
Thanks to the performance level of the brushless motor, it’s one of the stronger battery-powered models available and that makes tougher attachments such a cultivator more confident.
Even if you don’t need any of the attachments right out of the gate, the three detent holes let you turn the string trimmer head 90° and use it as an edger more easily.
This DeWalt weed eater is on the heavier side of the weight spectrum with the 3.0/9.0Ah 60V battery pushing the total weight to 13.5 pounds (10.3 pounds without the battery). The handle and trigger grip section is also a bit thicker than most, so you might not care for it if you have smaller hands.
The overall balance of this string trimmer is excellent. Even though the battery and motor weight are both on the back, it was very easy to maneuver around flower beds and driveway culverts.
Another aspect of this string trimmer I really like is the length of the shaft because gives me the optimal working angle for the head. I stand about 6 feet tall and I didn’t have to bend down while using it.
The DeWalt DCST972 retails for $319 and comes with a single 9.0Ah 60V battery and a charger. The bare tool is $259, so that kit price is awfully attractive. DeWalt takes it a step further by offering combo packages with different attachments so you can get exactly what you need to get the job done.
The trimmer is covered by a 3-year limited warranty, 1-year of free service, and a 90-day money-back guarantee.
The major strengths of this DeWalt 60V battery-powered string trimmer are its power and attachment versatility. The simplicity of its operation is likely a win for many folks as well. The trade-off is a bit more weight and lower runtime. If that’s something you can work with, the trimmer’s performance is sure to make short work of your trimming jobs.
Having worked in the automotive and metalworking trades, Josh has even found himself core drilling commercial properties for purposes of surveying. His knowledge and love of tools are exceeded only by a greater love for his wife and family.
A fan of all things that can stretch him mentally, Josh quickly dives into new products, tools, and product testing with ample amounts of both enthusiasm and precision. We look forward to many years of growth alongside Josh as he settles into his role at Pro Tool Reviews.
Worx has entered the high-voltage lawnmower game with the release of their Nitro 80V self-propelled 21-inch lawnmower. It is the first product Worx has released that uses four batteries together to achieve its rated voltage. Recommended for yards up to 1/2 acre, this electric lawnmower features a brushless motor and steel deck with mulching capability. […]
HART Moves Up The Charts With Brushless Carbon Fiber String Trimmer Your lawn mower can leave the best-looking cut in the neighborhood but it doesn’t mean much if you don’t trim and edge. The problem is high-performance string trimmers can strain your back and lightweight ones tend to lack the muscle to do the job […]
Four New Echo Sprayers Released Just in Time for Spring April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring weeds, bugs, and tons of yard work. Both the homeowner and the working professional need options when it comes to getting their yards looking spiffy again. Will Echo meet the challenge with their MS-4010BP 4-gallon, MS-5010BP […]
HART Enters the Battery-Powered Riding Lawn Mower Game With 30-Inch Model When HART invited us to Anderson, South Carolina for an OPE event, we knew we were going to see something brand new. We didn’t know that the Walmart exclusive brand was jumping into the riding mower segment, though. We were able to spend some […]
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn income when you click on an Amazon link. Thanks for helping us do what we love.
See our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Pro Tool Reviews is a successful online publication that has been providing tool reviews and industry news since 2008. In today’s world of Internet news and online content, we found that more and more professionals researched a large majority of their major power tool purchases online. That piqued our interest.
There’s one key thing to note about Pro Tool Reviews: We’re all about the professional tool user and tradesman!
Copyright ©2008-2022 Pro Tool Reviews, LLC. All rights reserved.
Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognizing you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Feel free to read our full privacy policy.
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
This website uses the following additional cookies:
Gleam.io - This lets us offer giveaways that collect anonymous user information such as the number of visitors to the site. No personal information is collected until or unless it is voluntarily submitted for purposes of manually entering a giveaway.
Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!