Battery Operated String Trimmer Expectations? | New ECHO CDST-58V with 58-Volt 2.0 Ah Battery

ECHO Battery Power
The ECHO 58-Volt line uses some awesome parts from the normal ECHO gas line and incorporates them into the ECHO Battery powered line. You will notice that if you are on the normal ECHO website that there are only gas powered tool and not a single battery operated tool to be found. That is because TTI, the maker of Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi, has licensed the product name for a battery powered line sold in The Home Depot. With TTI having its hands in so many tools, that is a good thing for this line. While looking at this new tool and enjoying the power of the tool, we started to wonder if people would invest in the ECHO battery powered line if it does not continue to progress and morph into one of the better battery powered outdoor power equipment lines. Currently, ECHO 58-volt tools only have the option os a 2.0 Ah or 4.0 Ah battery. Today, people demand more runtime and the competition is boasting 12.0 Ah batteries.
String Trimmer with 2.0 Ah Battery
ECHO made some brushless motor upgrades to this string trimmer to allow for more torque, string speed and battery life. The provided 2.0 Ah battery will most likely give most users a 20 minute runtime, but for the few willing to run in slow mode and feather the trigger could see upwards of 50 minutes. With our finger on the trigger, we feel this string trimmer has a lot more power than many of the others we tested. The only downside to it is the smaller battery that comes with it and the limited line of tools. That would change if they had a mower that had a 7.5 Ah battery or larger. It would give us a warm happy feeling of the line growing with technology.
There is a lot of potential to this brand and this new string trimmer is something to look at, especially if you already have one of the other 59-volt tools!
Overall
We really think ECHO did a great job on this trimmer. It has excellent line speed and good torque. As a package, the string trimmer, blower, chainsaw, mower and hedge trimmer are all very nice units. The downside again is that Echo currently does not offer batteries larger than their 4 Ah battery. In the future, I hope to see them expand their battery options to ones with higher Ah ratings like some of the other companies in the market have.

[@ianpollard4501]

I'm buying my first trimmer and eyeing this one. I prefer battery powered so I won't wake up the baby when I'm trimming early morning. Your video was authentic, no pushing products.⭐⭐⭐

[@gerhardk98]

My second season using an Echo Battery trimmer and I love it. We have 2.5 acres surrounded by cash crop fields so I do a lot of trimming, usually trim about half the perimeter each time I mow. In my use I get about 20 to 25 minutes of use and find that even thick stemmed weeds are easy to cut. My usual practice is to trim before I start mowing then while it recharges I mow and then trim the remainder after finishing mowing. The battery does charge in half hour but after trimming it usually goes through a cooling down period for 20 to 30 minutes before charging starts.

[@dennisdavidson3826]

I bought this one today for my wife she loves it and our yard looks great 5 year warranty pop in the battery and go .

[@dannyh.7490]

IMO battery is just the way to go now days ! I hated messing with all my gas motor tools ! When my yard helper used my cordless blower for the first time he was very impressed. No more gas tools for me !

[@seansysig]

Reliability, runtime, ease of use, consumeables and price are my order of preference for OPE battery powered yard equipment.

[@masterg553]

Please don't speak in terms of "amp-hours" when taking about batteries unless you are talking about the differences of batteries within the same system. I understand what you are intending to say, but non-EEs are going to think the M18 trimmer is about five times more powerful because it ships with a 9.0Ah battery. That is just not true. I wish you would do the math and put comparisons in terms of Watt-hours which gives you an apple to apple comparison. For example, the Echo is still "under-batteried" at 116 Wh vs the 162 Wh M18 trimmer, but it doesn't sound nearly as bad. Just a friendly suggestion! Love the channel and keep the reviews coming and keep pushing tools to the limit!

[@iship9705]

I was HAPPY with my Echo CPH-58V Powerhead up till i started to use it for the 20th time, now it cutting out , today is 6/7/2021 and i see they haven't fix the problem yet !!

[@WorkshopAddict]

Check and see if you have grass caught up between the guard and the trimmer head. Odd for it to start cutting out after 20 uses. Ours did it right off the bat.

[@breakfastclub3909]

Thanks for the review. Off the task here, love how your gas meter is installed! Off the ground!

[@WorkshopAddict]

That is pretty standard here in Michigan.

[@1d1hamby]

I invested in the 80v Kobalt because it was brushless and it seemed to have good power. It only came with a 2 Ah battery but it came with a second one if you requested it. The batteries have noticeably different runtimes. The main reason was that it worked with my Stihl Kombi attachments with very little modification. Just rub the little nub of plastic off on the sidewalk and it works with a few different brands.

[@WorkshopAddict]

Kobalt 80-Volt is made by Greenworks

[@1d1hamby]

WorkshopAddict Greenworks and Kobalt's batteries are not compatible with each other. Takes a good bit of modification to get one to work with the other.

[@WorkshopAddict]

I hear ya, just letting you know that they are made by the same company,........

[@1d1hamby]

WorkshopAddict, is the Snapper battery platform made by Greenworks too?

[@WorkshopAddict]

d hamby I do not know. I have never looked at that line. Most of these names like ECHO and Snapper have contracted someone to make the stuff or licensed the name.

[@edf.847]

I just purchased one today. I had the gas powered Echo never had an issue with the machine really well built, but time to switch to battery, we shall see how it performs, Great price of 420 taxes in Canadian for the PAS which allows me to change the unit to a blower from my older unit. I agree that it should come with the 4 amp battery. Lets see how it performs... my yard is 2 acres

[@eosjoe565]

When did string trimmers get so complicated loading and dealing with string? My trimming needs can probably be classified on the lighter side compared to most. Typical trimming around everything that the riding mower couldn't reach. I used to have two gas powered Weed Eater brand trimmers. I gave both of them away and bought a Black and Decker LST136W 40V string trimmer. I know what you are thinking... Black and Decker? I'm not a fan of much of their stuff either but most of their 40V tools are great - including the trimmer. The bare tool costs a whopping $61 and a 3-pack of 30-foot x .065 spools costs $18. Yes, it uses the good 'ole spools which take about 15 seconds to change. And... a spool of string lasts me nearly all season and NEVER jams. It is variable speed so you can slow it down in the thin grass to conserve power and then crank it up as needed in the heavy stuff. The 2.0AH battery gives me a solid 40-minutes of run time. More than enough to do all of my trimming. The shaft length is adjustable to accommodate shorter users. The icing on the cake is this tool uses the same 40V battery as my hedge trimmer and battery powered chainsaw. I'm now on my 3rd full season with this trimmer and have no complaints.

[@mcarthurburke6805]

I purchased this Echo. battery operated string trimmer approximately one year ago for my wife also. She love it, it's very powerful and the weight of the trimmer is light. But my problem with the Echo trimmer is the cost of purchasing a second battery or replacing the battery that you have. The cost of a second battery is $200.00, I didn't know that when I purchase the trimmer.

[@daviddetelich6047]

I have the chainsaw already which is great. I have been looking for the trimmer, but like you say their website doesn't show it. Now I know they have it and its second generation. Since I have a battery with the chainsaw, I'm not too worried about a 2ah battery. I don't want to do that much work anyway. I do have three acres so who knows. Your video is great with good comments. I just used my gas trimmer for the last time today. I hate messing with gas machines, small engines. I would like to get the electric mower someday too. Anyway, maybe I'll write back after I have one for a while.

[@SuperMisterManager]

I like kobalt, greenworks, ego, and echo because they have trimmers that can accept attachments. I went with kobalt, but the Echo was a close second for me at the time, which was about 2-3 years ago when many high power OPE were building their line up. Kobalt and Greenworks can accept lower cost universal attachments. Ego makes you buy theirs, but they're not that bad in price. Echo is the most expensive PAS attachment system, but has more variety and pro level stuff for gas trimmers. I think the trimmer is THE center piece of the line up. Dewalt 40v makes you buy a whole 'nother tool if you want a pole hedge trimmer and they don't have a pole saw. Kobalt/greenworks also has a stand alone pole saw for much bigger branches than what you would use a pole saw attachment for. That's something i have not seen Ego do yet. I don't think they have a tiller either. It also took Ego a long time to come out with a brushless mower. If you're on a budget and want everything, go for Greenworks (They have a higher voltage platform and more stuff). If you have more cash...Ego. If you want more pro level attachment$$$, don't mind some crude ergonomics, and don't need a snowblower and other odd balls...Echo. I think the burning question is why doesn't Echo have battery backpacks...Cause they still sell gas trimmers. lol. Reminds me of the same reason why GM killed the EV1.

[@thebigdoghimself]

I have an Ego powerhead that came with a 5ah batt. I tried out Ego's backpack power thing and it was a joke. Instead, I ordered two 2.0ah ego batts. The 2ah batts are great. They are lightweight and yes I have to use both to do my lawn but the fact that the tool is lighter and more manageable especially when I hold it upside down to do some edging makes a world of difference. I would like to see some videos of maybe the Snapper 82v, Greenworks 80v and the Lowes 80v stuff. They all appear to look identical except for paint so I'd be interested in finding out if the batts are interchangeable between the three brands

[@WorkshopAddict]

Agree, but most would not be willing to invest like you did. I believe most would say it does not have the runtime, or they would not see the potential.

[@davidschwandt9741]

Mine lasted over an hour. I got the 4am battery also but did use it yet

[@thebigdoghimself]

My biggest frustration is that nobody makes a good complete line. I have ego lawn stuff but a snow joe 80v snowblower. I really like the idea of the snapper 80v yard wagon they have but I already have Hitachi, Dewalt, Rigid, Ego and Snowjoe batts. I want to condense batteries not expand them.

[@marleythechameleonandherbi2724]

Maybe they should list battery capacity in watt/hours, as this would make apples to apples comparison easier. 2AH capacity on that 58v battery pack is much different than 2AH capacity on my M12 (12v) 1/4” ratchet. Battery and electric motor efficiency has come a long way, regardless, more is always better. -not and owner, looked at one yesterday.

[@LandscaperLife]

.80 string trimmer line is good for going around delicate things. Like siding, vinyl fence, etc. I only use .80 for my residential customers. .95 is good for tall grass with no delicate surfaces around. 0.95 also throws rocks much easier so watch out for windows.

[@cby1978able]

I think they give alot of tools a 2 amp battery to keep the price point low and more desirable to the customer. The 4 amp hour battery cost almost as much as the tool itself in some cases.

[@fastfreddy164]

I have the first generation echo trimmer it came with a 4.0 battery, which has plenty of power. I saw this one in the store and i didn't like it. The first edition trimmer came with a two piece shaft and will accept other Echo attachments. I bought the straight shaft edger attachment and the articulating hedge trimmer attachment and it works great with them. I dont like that the motor is on the other end now probably to balance out the weight. Seems like Echo is going backwards with there battery equipment. You are right Echo really needs to step it up.I mentioned that exact same thing to an Echo Rep i met at a shop when Echo was doing a promotion at a local shop.I really hope they step it up. I also have Echo gas powered equip. which i think is the best. As for the trimmer line I recommend Echo Black Diamond trimmer line it works great.

[@PolishHammer1000]

I just bought the first generation Echo trimmer from Ebay from a reputable seller. I was looking at getting the new model but I like idea of the attachments. I looked at the 2019 Echo PAS compatibility list and there are 7 approved attachments which includes Straight Shaft Edger, Tiller/Cultivator, Articulating Hedge Trimmer, Standard Hedge Trimmer, Mid-Reach Hedge Trimmer, Speed-Feed Trimmer, and Pro-Torque Trimmer. The Echo product support page also includes the Brushcutter. But if you go to Echo Cordless. echocordless.com under the FAQ's - Is the 58V string trimmer compatible with any of the Echo PAs attachments? It is compatible with the Echo PAS string trimmer, pruner, blower, dethatcher and cultivator attachments. It has only been UL listed for the string trimmer. I have came across conflicting information for the CST-58V string trimmer and I sent an email to Echo about compatibility and they haven't responded to me. I'm going to try their live chat or call them. In some of the messages forums users have said they used the blower attachment or the edger on turtle speed without any issues. How has your trimmer been? Which attachments have you used with yours?

[@PremiumFuelOnly]

At this point I dont like the performance of my 4 stroke trimmer and my 2 stroke backpack blower has cracked fuel hoses, so I would go with the EGO system since it can replace both items with one battery.

[@JB-dj1vn]

As of 2021 there battery powered line is on there website

[@ronmatthews2250]

Please do a review of the new 56 volt mower and ope Echo line

[@antibrevity]

This market needs to STOP referring to batteries with amp-hour ratings as this number will go down as nominal battery voltage increases. What matters is WATT-HOURS, not amp-hours. Watt-hours tells you how much total power the battery contains. For example: 36V, 4Ah battery will store about 144 watt-hours. 58V, 2Ah battery will store about 116 watt-hours. Yes, the 4Ah battery does have more power capacity, but certainly not twice as much as the 2Ah pack. Also, the higher-voltage pack may run a more efficient motor and have more on-call power at the tool head, so the actual difference between these tools would require a side-by-side test in order to determine which is the better compromise. It's very unfortunate that this market began training consumers to prefer higher amp-hour and voltage ratings as if they were separate issues. What the tool user cares about is whether the tool is powerful enough to do the job while lasting long enough to complete it. Watt-hours is a better metric, even if it is listed alongside nominal voltage. No one needs an amp-hour rating as it only confuses the issue.

[@WorkshopAddict]

That will never happen as marketing is what sells tools. We have companies who claim higher voltages just to increase sales and they also increase the watt hour number.

[@melissacook5186]

So, what's the best way to evaluate what's important from the information they do provide? What would you look for when shopping for these with the information they provide, as irrelevant as it is?

[@davidschwandt9741]

Give them some time they will come out with more

[@greenhillscustomlawncarell1139]

Echo doesn’t push the battery line a lot because their brand is more geared towards business and commercial use. Those companies aren’t using battery equipment

[@WorkshopAddict]

Echo leases thier name to TTI so there are very few "cares" given about the battery line other than the income generation.

[@treasaervin5057]

My brother got me Echo I love it

[@adamfasig6679]

Battery platform goes a long way for me. Don’t want a bunch of different batteries for everything. I’ve been considering a 58v PAS power head but Echo seems really behind on battery technology. I have a lot of Echo gas stuff including a PAS 225 and PAS 280. I’d like to get rid of the small unit and use electric for routine maintenance. I don’t have much weed eating and my side walk and drive don’t take long to blow off. I still have some bigger brush cutting chores that I use the 280 for. I like that the motor is in a traditional spot vs on the power head getting cover in grass all the time. I’m not excited about the 58v chainsaw based on youtube reviews and that effects my willingness to invest in 58v. Honestly been eying Makita battery saws. Especially the 18v top handle but already have Dewalt batteries. If Echo would make a chainsaw that out does Milwaukee and Makita that would probably make me take the leap and invest in 58v. I wish they would standardize the batteries. Oh and I think brands that advertise as professional duty should emphasize performance over run time. I can buy an extra battery can’t buy extra power.

[@bryanmcdermott77]

I have one as well as the blower with a 2A and a 4A battery... Pleased so far.

[@JMiltonLIVE_Concert_Videos]

I've have the older one for some five (5) years now with the 4.0 Ah Battery and I Love mine! Recently cracked the trigger switch so I ordered a replacement recently and am waiting to get back into edging etc.. My only issue with mine is that sometimes the line over feeds and I'll have to manually rewind it back in which is a bother, but it'za Beast rresidentially for me and if I had to would buy another. thanks for sharing/posting @ WorkshopAddict. Watched 08/01/2020....

[@demontdunlap5760]

Can you add the attachments to this echo 58v?

[@ronnrogers9459]

Good 4 doin ur on lawn but 4 a buessnes I don't think so and I am a echo fan all my hand to tools are Echo Backpack blowers hand blowers string trimmers

[@ronmatthews2250]

Any info on their new Echo 56 volt ope tools ?

[@codybaker4454]

How to you replace the head on the thing I wanna change it but it won’t come off I put metal tools in the key turned counter clock wise and it snaps it .... stupid thing won’t budge

[@ryanjewell9832]

Now if echo would come out with a 58v pole saw!

[@WorkshopAddict]

Heck yeah! Add some options for the powerhead, but it seems like the powerhead is going away.

[@ryanjewell9832]

WorkshopAddict I'd be good with a dedicated pole saw, either them or Milwaukee. I do a lot of tree trimming, and I am already in the Milwaukee platform, and I am a fan of echo gas equipment.

[@joehertel8846]

Could you do a shootout between this one and the Milwaukee quick Lok trimmer , I've used the Milwaukee with .105 husky titanium force xp line and a beast but I want to replace my gas trimmer with either a more powerful battery one that has a detachable shaft , or a gas one that is a multi system so I'd like to see head to this the Milwaukee and the husky battery trimmers in the heaviest of stuff , also the echo should ship with the black diamond line , I used the black diamond .095 line on Milwaukee and it's a beast the titanium force xp line and the black diamond lines are now the only trimmer line I will use I was knocking saplings down with those lines and a battery powered weed eater and I got a giant spool (like1000ft) of the black diamond for like 35 dollars I mean you can't beat that for what I was using it for it like completely dominated the heavy brush like it was nothing , you just have to wind a little less on the spool because it gets heavy and won't spin as fast

[@MauriceNL1]

The top part of the trimmer looks really cheap, overall it seems pretty strong!

[@WorkshopAddict]

It is the shiny plastic?

[@MauriceNL1]

WorkshopAddict yea

[@HifiVega]

Seems like EGO might be the choice still at this point.. Love the honest reviews, best tool channel on YT imo!!

[@zunix01]

is this more powerful then the Ego 1521S with the powerball and carbon fiber shaft? I do have now the Ego lineup product since this summer(the leafs blower, the mower and the carbon shaft trimmer) I do fine the trimmer have a bit of vibrations at high speed but this thing rock a lot !

[@jmfut]

I'm happy with my basic 2 cycle, gas powered $89.00 string trimmer. Just pick one who cares. They run and perform great for me. If it breaks after 3 years Ohhh well. No thanks to batteries timing me out. I just want to get the job done.

[@gerhardk98]

My first trimmer was a corded electric weed eater 30 + years ago, hated it. Bought a gas powered weed eater and it worked fine in town but when we moved to the country it just wasn't up to the task with the light weight line. Then used a gas powered Stihl with the straight shaft for 25 years and it worked fine but I was worn out when finished trimming.this battery powered unit has all the power I need and it is much less tiring to use.

[@jonienglish3231]

ALSO sold as AEG !!!!

[@Bearda1025]

@workshopAddict Can a brush cutter be attached to this model?

[@WorkshopAddict]

I do not think the motor will be happy running it.

[@Bearda1025]

🤣

[@jacobfilla5684]

great vid keep up the great content

[@rocketman121]

How does this compare in power and run time with the new Ego carbon fiber trimmer?

[@WorkshopAddict]

Chris Plank About the same power. Too close to call. Runtime is about half of the EGO because the ECHO has the 2.0 Ah battery.

[@thebigdoghimself]

I prefer the 2.0 batt. My Ego with a 5ah batt gets heavy by the time I make it all the way around the fence. I bought two 2ah batts and find they work great.

[@trashbandicoot3824]

I have .080 and .095 should I buy this to hold me over till dewalt fixes my battery?

[@aaronrepper7649]

Looks nice,I have the Milwaukee string trimmer and love it,how does this compare, comfort, Power, runtime?

[@MRSOMTHINBASIC]

Aaron Repper me too🤔

[@WorkshopAddict]

Has a bit more power than the Milwaukee and about the same runtime. The Milwaukee we have is a manual load, even though this quick load is hard to start, I wish my Milwaukee had it.

[@MRSOMTHINBASIC]

WorkshopAddict The new ones come with the quick reload... i got it🤔

[@WorkshopAddict]

mr somthinbasic215 dang it. Wish I had that on my Milwaukee.

[@MRSOMTHINBASIC]

WorkshopAddict this is the new one www.acetool.com/Milwaukee-49-16-2714-Easy-Load-Trimmer-Head-p/mil-49-16-2714.htm?gclid=CjwKCAjw7cDaBRBtEiwAsxprXZPnGrHBEucMbDa1U6dGluSXdIua-d4OGw0IBVwvmLv8G5vtCB1RbRoCSO8QAvD_BwE

[@auspicioustoot]

Will y’all review the new Milwaukee sectional drain machines?

[@WorkshopAddict]

James not sure on that.

[@barnyard27]

Thanks for the vid. What do you think of taking the guard off of these battery trimmers? I have the Ego trimmer & thinking of taking the guard off.

[@WorkshopAddict]

You see it all the time on gas models, why not on the battery? The longer the line, the more power needed.

[@jdkim6829]

2 amp hour is better than 5 amp hour if 2Ah one is 58v Echo battery while 5Ah one is 18v OPE

[@jonienglish3231]

is this better than 20v dewalt ? 40 v dewalt or 60v dewalt ???

[@MRSOMTHINBASIC]

Cool👍

[@icyborg6065]

It does not have a wheel to use as an edger too like other brands.

[@jonienglish3231]

LOOKS Like they now put the Motor on the END !!!!!!!!!!

[@lesswatt]

Do you think it needs a 4.0 Amp hour battery? :-) run time seems to be an issue with nearly all the battery powered weed trimmers and blowers.

[@WorkshopAddict]

lesswatt The perception is that. Many on the market now will run for an hour of real use. Do you need more than that? If you do, are you using the right tool. 😁

[@lesswatt]

WorkshopAddict - I have a hodgepodge of yard tools. After having a two stroke Ryobi that broke every year with the clutch burning out. I went with a four stroke professional unit then the multi attachment connector gave out after 5+ years. Then i also have a refurbished Ryobi corded electric head which now overheats and stops using the blower. I was trying to continue using the attachments.

[@lesswatt]

WorkshopAddict - So now I have some black and Decker weed trimmers 20V and 40V. I used the 20V with a 4 amp battery for light edging because it has a wheel for edging. I used the 40V for weed trimming because it's much more powerful. My battery tools are Porter Cable and old Stanley fatmax 20V so I can make those batteries fit easily into the black and Decker if needed. Yeah I'd rather have Milwaukee or DeWalt, etc but to me reading the negative reviews it seems they are still not there yet with the battery trimmers and blowers. I got my black and Decker 40V for $15 used and it had a 5 star rating on Amazon. it seems the new brushless models have more issues.

[@walter2670]

i look for brushless for sure

[@WorkshopAddict]

Brushless is almost a must today!!!!

[@treasaervin5057]

That’s is so awesome

[@charlescoker7752]

What is the verdict after 3 years?

[@WorkshopAddict]

So much better out now.

[@p.r.6220]

Amp hour is run time.. And its for grass not brush.. Lol

[@superspeeder]

Echo’s batteries take forever to charge if they’re hot out of the tool after use. 8 minutes? Pushing it or not that’s pretty short, and the battery will be on the charger for over an hour because it won’t take any more heat. Heat kills batteries, so bad deal. Echo’s batteries are tightly fit into the tools, no room to grow. In an industry headed towards larger 21700 cells, this is very bad news.

[@superspeeder]

Jamie Smith, if the tool lasts 8-16 minutes of use, there are a lot of people who would need to recharge it and use it again right away. If you have extra batteries pre-charged that becomes less of an issue, but the tool on its own as purchased won’t cut it for a lot of people. As Brian said, a capable tool looking for a much better battery.

[@infl]

i have one of these trimmers. i also have 2 SRM-225 gas powered echo trimmers. i would take gas any day. response time on the electric is too slow, not great for precision (aka not complete shit) work and battery runs down too fast. better than the ego trimmers though. In my opinion electric echo equipment is only for home gamers who don’t care about waiting an hour for a battery to charge. if you actually need to get stuff done though, pick up a 225. less than $200 for a straight shaft.

[@joewger]

power, gas, multiple attachment shaft. Battery stuff voltage changes and you are left with useless junk and worthless batteries you can't use anymore.

[@FredMcIntyre]

👍👊

[@jonienglish3231]

EGO TRIMMER or ECHO

[@WorkshopAddict]

In my opinion, EGO, They offer more trimmers and batteries.

[@howardsmith1790]

Less than 1 year old. Battery won't charge.

[@ainnoor3607]

If you have the knowledge and skills of a technician, open the battery case and reset the memory of the BLM module: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHfYe6BrlKt_d5I 🤓

[@ZEUS-xt3dt]

Not worth it