Reviews about Handheld Power Tools

BernieB says "I Love it!" about Craftsman Variable Speed Blower Vac

BernieB — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:18:16 GMT

I purchased the Craftsman Variable Speed Blower/Vac after reading many reviews. I was originally going to purchase the similar Toro model but the craftsman was on sale. Easy to assemble; I have used it for several hours so far without problems. Blowing power VERY good, love the variable speed capability since the blower is very powerful on highest speed. I found the vac to be good--just don't overload when vacuuming leaves, just vac with slow and steady speed. Mulches excellent, bag ok but of course fills up fast and opening is very wide and not so easy to dump the mulch into paper leaf bags. Best advantage of this model is its metal impeller. I found the blower to be ergonomic--comfortable to use. Noise is average for a power tool--I always wear ear protection so noise is never a bother to me. Only negative is the power cord but still beats gas/oil/exhaust/pollution. My neighbor bought the Worx TriVac and is not nearly as happy with her purchase as I am with mine. I would definitely...

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jospinks says "Without this attachment, I would have to hire a pro tree trimmer" about Craftsman Pole Saw Attachment

jospinks — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:29:43 GMT

Living on a sizable and well treed lot, this attachment has seen a lot of hard work. I also use it on my job as well maintaining trees for a few customers. While I only do tree work for my very best customers as a courtesy to them, this tool gives me the appearance of being much more of an arborist than I am. I have used this attachment with a rented 40 ft. cherry picker bucket, and with the additional 12 ft. of so of extra reach for more than 52 ft. total, I am comfortable using this tool in spite of my age (mid-60s). As with any cutting tool, due diligence is warranted, but with normal safety precautions, anyone can save money by doing the low-level tree work themselves.

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whining says "Battery life is just too low" about Craftsman 18V Convertible Cordless Line Trimmer/Power Handle Combo

whining — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:23:33 GMT

Yes, I knew from other reviews that the amount of work I could do each time I charged the battery was not going to be a lot, but my yard is small and I thought that only a few minutes of power would be enough.

Problems started when the battery would not even charge. I kept trying different ways, and for longer periods of time, but no luck. Worse luck was that because of my stubbornness, I wasted time, and when I tried to return the product, it was too late, and Sears would not take it back.

Advice: even if you are ok with how much work you can accomplish with each charge, you also have to consider how long the battery life will last, and it doesn't seem to be long.

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Greggory says "Why did I wait this long to purchase this time saver" about Craftsman 22 in. Hedge Trimmer

Greggory — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:08:04 GMT

I purchased this hedge trimmer after one of my neighbors forced me to use his trimmer. I was always used to using the hedge shears to trim my hedges. Well, this red devil cuts down my trimming time down to 1/3 of the manual shears and improves the outcome. I have not had any issues with the trimmer but had to read the directions to understand the trigger lock. The reason I picked this trimmer over the others was lock-on switch (trigger lock), large blade, bigger motor, and cord retention. Yes, I would purchase this trimmer again.

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TaylorConsulting says "Buy this, you won't regret it." about Black & Decker Grass Hog Cordless String Trimmer

TaylorConsulting — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:38:08 GMT

Black & Decker Grass Hog Cordless String Trimmer: I thought for a long time between buying a rechargeable cordless and a gas powered one. I finally pulled the trigger and bought the rechargeable one and it does a wonderful job. There is a guide for edging the grass that (once you get completely used to it) REALLY does a good job. You don't need to bump it, the string feeds automatically. I've had this bad boy for about a year now and am extremely pleased. Battery life is not bad (actually good when you consider that it comes with two batteries).

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tlnh says "fast, powerful, relatively inexpensive" about black & decker gh700 14" string trimmer

tlnh — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:56:48 GMT

The black & decker gh700 14" string trimmer is fast, powerful & relatively inexpensive. Our old Toro string trimmer unexpectedly went up in flames. My wife needed a replacement, light & powerful replacement. We looked at the available reviews & selected the black & decker gh700 14" string trimmer. This trimmer took approximately 1/2 the time to perform the same work as our previous trimmer. We have had this trimmer for approximately 6 weeks. It has exceeded all of our expectations except one thus far. It seems to use a lot of line. This trimmer used all of the included line within day one. I am now sleptical about the amount of line it will use over the long term.

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eagleowl91235 says "Cordless trimmer easy to assemble and use" about Craftsman Weedwacker cordless trimmer

eagleowl91235 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:46:47 GMT

This 18 V weedwacker is lightweight, easy to assemble (2 parts), and fairly light weight. Single line trimmer, no tap and go, automatically extends the line as needed. Easy to replace the line, and inexpensive. Well made, tight construction. Comes with the battery and charger, and a hang-up adapter for the wacker, and hang-up adapter for the battery charger. Well worth the money I paid for it. Good for light trimming, won't dig as deep as a gas powered one, but nice for a woman or young, inexperienced person to use. Not as heavy nor bulky as a gas or electric one. Says it has 8000 minutes of use, no load. Adjustable handle height, and head angle. Can also be used as an edger, with a simple twist of the handle. Good instructions, easily understood....

thatmanguy says "One of the best investments for homeowners!" about Craftsman Edger Attachment

thatmanguy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:36:31 GMT

When I had plants creeping onto my concrete, I knew i had to get an edger soon. Since I already had the 79197 4-cycle Craftsman trimmer, I knew I didn't need to worry about spending $200, $100, or even $75 on a gas edger, when I could just buy this jewel!

It cut through the creepers like butter and turned my edging job into a passing job that took maybe two minutes. I remember using the manual edger as a teen, and this makes this innovation just soooo much sweeter.

Save yourself the expense of having a gas edger, buy this!!!

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Doc-Riley says "This is an absolutely awesome saw." about Craftsman 18 in. Electric Chain Saw, 4 hp

Doc-Riley — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:30:14 GMT

The Craftsman 18" electric chain saw is an awesome saw!

It has way way more power than I ever expected and more. Right out of the box and after reading the manual I proceed to cut down (five) storm damaged 8 to 12 inch diameter and 25 to 40 feet tall trees without any delays. A job I thought would take all day was done in five hours. By that statement I mean all cut down cut up and all the branches and limbs in piles. Once getting use to the electric cord being attached I was able to work very smoothly around those 25 to 40 foot high trees on the ground. It sure beats pulling your arm off on that gas chain saw trying to get it started and messing with gas. The auto oiling is great, though rater expensive if you buy it from Sears. I used up the original quart doing this job, but never had to bother adjusting the chain so can't speak to the no tool need chain adjustment feature. I have read other reviews where they used regular motor oil, but can't comment on how that works and if...

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Gen2ux says "Very good trimmer with a bit of help" about Craftsman 25 cc Propane Straight Shaft Trimmer Powered by LEHR

Gen2ux — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:01:09 GMT

I just got my Craftsman Propane straight trimmer and am loving it. When I first opened the box I noticed it seemed a tad heavier than I thought but once put together and using the sholder strap it wasn't bad at all. I trimmed for about 30-40min and shut the unit down. Then about 5 minutes later I tried to start it back up again and nothing. I just kept pulling and pulling but it wouldn't start. If I gave it a little gas I could get it idling again. So today I went back out and started slowly adjusting the idle adjustment screw (after checking the air filter) and ended up turning it 1.5 turns to get it back to a normal steady idle. I went back and finished up what I had to do and it's back to idling when I release the throttle. I'll keep checking it but the issue seems to be fixed with adjusting the throttle.

I love the power of this thing!

I'm all for new technology and propane makes sence. I know there is still R&D for this product but everything had a few bumps and...

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volksgang says "My electric chain saw is great!" about Craftsmen 14" electric chain saw

volksgang — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:36:42 GMT

I never owned a chain saw before but wanted one for when storms knocked down large limbs. I did some research on the Sears website and decided to buy one. A few days later, a tall walnut tree was knocked down by lightning. I am very impressed with the 16" Craftsmen electric chain saw I purchased. It is lightweight and easy to handle. As I am only 5'0" and 130 lbs I didn't want some monstrosity I couldn't handle. Although I've never used any other chainsaw, I am very impressed with how well this one works. Had the tree cut up and wood stacked in no time! Oh yeah, and it has an automatic oiler!

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YardworkingJoe says "Junk...only stays running at full throttle" about Craftsman 19 in. Hedge Trimmer

YardworkingJoe — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:25:21 GMT

Don't bother...go get a quality electric one instead. I am usually a faithful Craftsman buyer of gas powered toys but this thing has been absolute junk since the day I bought it, which was several years ago so I obviously cannot return it. It is hard to start and when it finally does start, it only stays running at full throttle which I find to be rather dangerous. Take your finger off the throttle and it will stall. When it does run (at full throttle), it has power and cuts any hedge you throw at it, but I finally gave up and threw it out. I tried tinkering with the carb, but I couldn't get it running right and will soon try an electric model. I think that 2 cycle gas engines this small tend to be quirky. Maybe the local guy who goes through trash on our street on trash day can fix it...

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TASmi says "Great for Homeowner, bad for power tool enthusiast" about Craftsman 29cc 4 cycle Gas Trimmer

TASmi — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:00:58 GMT

I was very impressed with how easy the trimmer was to start, 3 pulls max. The trimmers works great on grass, however when introduced to high thick weeds it is less than ideal. First thing I noticed was the four-stroke engine is not tuned properly and hesitates at higher RPMs, almost like it's not getting enough fuel & air...... while a two-stroke engine is more comfortable at higher RPMs (and 5 times louder). I did like the hassle free head, most consumers say the string does not last, however when using the trimmer properly I found the string lasts a very long time (trust me I abused this trimmer after I opened the box), I still have yet to replace the original string.

The punch line - If there wasn't a 15% restocking fee I would return this trimmer and spend the money on a Stihl or Shindaiwa. If you're not OCD about power tools like I am (I have no need to cut thick brush and tall weeds, I just feel for ~$200 I should be able too) and just need something to cut grass quietly once...

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junebug1701 says "Handy strap for your WeedWacker!" about Craftsman Shoulder Strap

junebug1701 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:32:08 GMT

I recently bought a model 79117 gas powered line trimmer. It's been great, but the thing weighs 18 pounds. Even though it's well balanced it gets heavy after a while. This strap helps a lot. It comes with a plastic mounting bracket that clamps to the boom. The bracket has spacers to allow it to attach to 2 different size booms. You attach the bracket at the balance point between the handle and throttle grip. Then, put your head and right arm through the strap and adjust it so the trimmer hangs about waist high. This will allow you to operate the trimmer with your right hand, while your left hand is free to move low-hanging limbs out of the way. For less than 12 bucks, this strap is a must-have and should have been included in the box. If you buy the same trimmer with the brush cutter attachment included, they do throw in the strap. I only wish it were nicely padded like the one on the Craftsman Professional model.

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sangera says "Cuts through tall weeds with no trouble." about Craftsman 6.75 Torque Rating 22 in. High Wheel Trimmer

sangera — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 12:03:52 GMT

After reseaching weed trimmers online and doing comparison shopping I bought this Craftsman 6.75 torque, 22 inch high wheel trimmer to maintain the wilderness section of my property. When the weeds get to my thighs, I put on my boots and mow through the "bush" with ease. It is so lightweight my two year old grandson can get it out of my storage building and push it. (I have a video on Facebook to prove it.) My male neighbors sometimes come over to watch my Craftsman high wheel trimmer cut throught the weeds. Bob says he wished he had some high weeds so he could borrow it. The trimmer uses a spiral line that is .155 inches. Replacing the line is easy. I choose the pre-cut lines of 21-1/4 in. length and had no trouble at all.

Easiest machine to start that I have ever owned
Thick spiral line slices through weeds and small branches easily
22 inch cutting width makes quick work of a difficult job
Change height of cut and replacing line with no tools
12 inch high wheels moves easily through...

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JOJY says "This is strong chain saw" about Craftman electric 18"

JOJY — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:47:53 GMT

This I bought after a lot of research.I am allergic to the smell of gasoline as I develop asthma.I had been looking for a powerful chain saw which is electric and light weight so that my wife can also use it to cut the bushes and tree twigs.This met all my needs.It is powerful and also consumes less electricity.I used it continuosly for 4-5 hrs and found comfortble.The chain didnt slipped and we can easily tighten if we feel so.I would definitely recommend this.The biggest tree I cut with this was 22' diameter and it took only 4 minutes to cut it.

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rugame2 says "Love it!" about Craftsman 29cc 4 cycle Gas Trimmer

rugame2 — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:40:22 GMT

I bought this Craftsman 29cc 4 cycle Gas trimmer last week, after I finally killed my old Craftsman. Oh the luxury of not having to hold the trigger, to start the machine. It worked like a charm and cut like a dream. I am not disappointed, and looking for more opportunities to use the trimmer. I have a small garden that is about 25 feet x 140 feet, and it worked like a charm in between my rows. It cleared the brush of thick weeds and started over and over like a dream. My nephew has been eyeing this baby, but this is my new toy and he can not have it.

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Jasonatr0n says "great trimmer for smaller yards. very easy to use!" about Craftsman 18V Convertible Cordless Line Trimmer/Power Handle Combo

Jasonatr0n — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:18:22 GMT

I purchased this trimmer a couple weeks ago for my small yard (about 1/5 acre). I didnt want to use gas, and dragging a cord around is a pain. I was really surprised of both the power and battery life provided by this unit. I trimmed my enitre yard, front and back, on a single charge. Granted, I have a small yard, but that is the reason I wanted battery power. I really like the modular design and the different attachments you can get for this unit. I did get the warranty on it, just in case. Overall, if you have a smaller yard and dont need to cut down really tall/thick weeds, this is a great value. I hope that extra batteries will be available in the comming years when mine will need replacing.

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Nocrafts says " Limited warranty for one year-sears does not replace this trash" about Craftsman Convertible 32cc Gas Line Trimmer

Nocrafts — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:53:51 GMT

Like many of sears craftsman products, this one another trash!! It lasted only 8 months from Ocotber to May!!! And you do not weed wack the snow from Novemeber to March. So its life was only 3 months!!! I cut the lawn only every 10 days in summer , when I used this weed wacker to cut tall grass near the fence where lawnmower does not go close enough. Sear would not replace it, pointing out that it has limited warranty for one year and starter is not covered. The pull string is stuck and I cannot start it!!! No more buying craftsman from this crafty sears!!!

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hang42 says "Great cutter, easy use and simple operation" about Craftsman 17 In. 2.7 Amps Extended Reach Hedge Trimmer

hang42 — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:48:24 GMT

Craftsman 17 In. 2.7 Amps Extended Reach Hedge Trimmer I bought this trimmer this afternoon and put it to work on forty feet of hedges, 1 bush and a hundred and fifty feet of running vines. An hour later I was done and all the vines were removed from my fence, like cutting butter and not a single snag. Then I attacked the wild roses at the back of the yard and if not for the extended handle I would have had a slew of scratches from the thorns. By changing the angle of the handle I was able to remove the roses at ground level. When I was finished most of the yard was finished. I was able to cut upto one half inch branches. I had 2 of the black and decker hedge hogs and I managed to destroy them in a couple of days so this stood up to some abuse and did a great job. It went together in about five seconds or so.

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