Stihl FSA 57 Battery Trimmer Review and Raw Demo

See what the Stihl FSA 57 can do, and we give our Review afterwards.
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#Stihl #StihlBattery #StihlTrimmer

[@guitarman3968]

Couldn’t be happier with mine. Effective, reliable, dependable. I’ve used a ton of trimmers in my life and this one is the best by far.

[@MissouriOzarksMusicandVideo]

My neighbor bought a 19 inch lawnmower with an AK 30 battery. So we bought a FSA 57 trimmer with an AK 20 battery. So she tried the AK 30 battery and it fits, but won't turn on. The AK 20 battery that came with the weed eater initially would not work in the lawn mower as it barely turned. Seems like the AK 30 battery would work with the FSA 57 model that came with an AK 20. It just seems more efficient if the batteries were the same. She wanted to get a chainsaw this fall, but now she's afraid the AK 30 batteries won't work in it either! Thanks for the video.

[@WesternEquipment]

This is strange because they should work just fine in either machine with either battery. I have all 3 of these units and the batteries are interchangeable.

[@vickiedeal3507]

I just purchased that same weed eater, I'm 67 years old and I like that's it's light weight, very happy with it!

[@martianshoes]

A friend got the FSA 56 (essentially the same AK trimmer) at an estate sale with 2 AK10 batts and a charger - he left it for me to tryout as recent surgery has ended my rope-pulling days. A good little trimmer - I got decent run time from both batts and charge time was astonishingly fast. Only problem is it is just too small for my application. The FSA 60 is available as a bundle with an AK20 and a charger - looks like my next move.

[@WesternEquipment]

Yes, I would say that would be a great next move.

[@wvmountaineer69]

Just purchased this FSA57 with the AK10 battery and an extra AK20 battery yesterday after watching this video! Thanks!

[@WesternEquipment]

Awesome! I hope you enjoy it and thanks for watching!

[@kansasgardener5844]

I just bought one also. How you liking yours?

[@wvmountaineer69]

So far so good!

[@DelBoy596]

Thanks for a very useful review. It was exactly what I needed to help me decide on purchasing one of these units.

[@WesternEquipment]

Well I am glad I could help and thanks for watching!

[@adammiller4386]

Just got mine today on sale. $149 Looking forward to using it. I'm 63/I need something lighter, easier to keep going. Been using gas and a carb that needs cleaned is no fun. Got an electric edger (110v) no complaints on that so here we go. Gotta 110 weed eater too but rechargeable makes more sense,,,for my needs anyway.

[@alishmee]

I see in your other video, you also have the FSA 60 trimmer. I’ve been considering both and I don’t have a large yard, fairly small actually although I do tend to get a lot of weeds. I also like the idea that I can change the heads later on the 60I am hoping to keep this for years to come and eventually be able to use it on a larger yard. What would you recommend between the two?

[@zamp549]

I’ve owned mine for nearly 2 years, it’s an excellent weed eater.

[@WesternEquipment]

Awesome! I'm glad you are happy with it!

[@charlemagnesclock]

I've had a lot of Stihl products over the years, maybe five chain saws, a whole bunch of Kombi gear including two power heads, and a hedge trimmer, so you might say that they have been my first choice for outdoor power equipment. So I got one of these for my wife to use around the house for light trimming work. She hates it, and so I tried it, and I have to agree. Compared to the original corded Weed Eater brand of 40 years ago, this is basically a piece of junk. The power head button is about half the size or less of what it should be. It is very difficult to change (for her, impossible). The reels are hard to refill. And nobody carries the spares.

[@WesternEquipment]

I hate to hear that you are displeased with your trimmer. Most of the time we hear good feedback.

[@charlemagnesclock]

@@WesternEquipment So let's look at the design evolution of these things. In the 1980's the bump button was about 3x the surface area that they are now. And, they were easy to open to unfoul when the cord broke off and ended up inside the cutter head. This happens anytime you work a lot around chain link or other wire fencing, guy wires from poles, or rocks. So now the buttons are tiny and the covers are dramatically more difficult to open. For this, we got much easier refilling of the spool. So, if you have a lot with zero obstacles, then the newer designs are fine. If not, then they are just awful. What some folks have taken to doing is swapping the cutter head for a wire brush, and that works fine around the rocks and uncoated chain link. But the wire eats wood, so you can't use it around wooden posts common with non-chain link wire fencing, or any yard that has wooden posts that need trimming around. We have about an acre of lawn with a good mix of all of that stuff, and my wife literally hates all of the new machines. She would much rather have a corded 1980s Weed Eater brand and deal with the cord than these pain in the keister cutter heads that are, for her, impossible to open and unfoul with a reasonable amount of effort. I may see if I can find an older machine and see if I can adapt its cutter head to one of the new machines.

[@32toddv]

I love mine, been using it for 2 years now.

[@WesternEquipment]

Glad you are enjoying it!

[@christianherrera3532]

What’s the difference between this and the 45 that you did the other day?

[@WesternEquipment]

The FSA57 is an upgrade from the FSA45 in my opinion. It has a longer shaft for one, the bump head is a nice upgrade from the blades and allows you to keep moving when you need more cutting material, instead of having to stop and change the blades or the pre cut string lines on the FSA45. Also you have 3 different battery options on the FSA57. In this video we used an AK10, but you can also use the AK20 or AK30 to get more run time. I will be explaining this more in another video. Thanks for watching!

[@christopherfrey7232]

I just bought one. Seems like it will get the job done

[@christianherrera3532]

Also, do you recommend this one with the bump and string OR the replaceable teeth?

[@WesternEquipment]

I personally would recommend the bump head, simply for the ease of replacing you cutting material. Stopping to change blades can be a real pain when it is hot and you are trying to get done fast. Good question and thanks for watching!

[@alandecorte2962]

Thanks for the review and the tips. Question - would you please comment on your experience re-loading the line? I've heard good and bad things about that function. Also, is it necessary to purchase pre-loaded line spools?

[@devonwatt2194]

They come with an auto-cut head which is very similar to a speed-feed head. Super easy to load. Once you learn how to do it, you can load the spool and be back to trimming in 60 seconds.

[@billsomrak]

All the Li-Po/Li-ION rechargeable batteries will have battery life improvement after several charges, so, with additional charges, it might reach 25 min.

[@WesternEquipment]

This is interesting. Thanks for the info and thanks for watching!

[@DrMohanRanawade]

HELLO ,that was a very informative video , subscribed . However I wanted to know , how long does the batter to get fully charged . That piece of information would have helped potential buyers with additional data . Thanks .

[@WesternEquipment]

It depends on the battery but usually a couple of hours at least.

[@aussieburn777]

Will get a second battery they have a half price deal at my stihl store in Australia on 2nd battery so have extended run time to finish the job.

[@kimmccluskey9958]

Can I use my Stihl electric chainsaw batteries in the Stihl 57 or 60. The saw is a MSA 140 C with 30 V battery?

[@WesternEquipment]

Yes, you sure can. Thanks for watching!

[@bsfarmerswife3582]

I am having trouble! I was told I need to bump it often. I got about four feet cut of normal grass beside a retaining wall. Bumped it about 4 times. One side is now missing the string. I’m disappointed, because I don’t know how to fix this. I used the 20 k battery.

[@WesternEquipment]

Oh no! This does happen from time to time. You will have to take the cover off of the head and re-feed the line through the holes in the head. I hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@bsfarmerswife3582]

Western Equipment There wasn’t much string left, so we replaced the whole string case and now it works. At least it worked for my husband.

[@billvandorn5332]

This happens every now and then. Instead of looking at the negative I asked you have you ever had to do trimming with a pair of hand shears? Are you loading the string in equal amounts for both sides?

[@fordmodela1281]

Any news from John Deere for the 2021 200 series Bagger? Was delayed into the summer, thanks in advance

[@WesternEquipment]

I still have received no update. Seems they just keep getting pushed further and further back but we are constantly watching it. Thanks for watching!

[@jmljml5065]

The new FSA60R is vastly superior to this one; one piece, non-adjustable shaft, variable speed trigger, speed feed-style head, .095 line capability and more power. For those of you FSA57 owners, you're going to like the 60 a lot better.

[@WesternEquipment]

I agree and stay tuned as we will have a video out on it soon. Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@rhec4208]

The fs 240 r is far superior to this to you can take down a jungle with it

[@32toddv]

I'll keep that in mind when my fsa57 dies.

[@mikeb1039]

For $100 more it should be vastly superior. Not sure how non-adjustable is an asset....

[@dianejanssen6262]

I purchased the STIHL FSA 57. Every time I try to edge my sidewalks or driveway, the string retracts. Doesn't break, it retracts. Any suggestions?

[@WesternEquipment]

Hmmmm this is interesting. I have not heard of this issue before. I will do some research on it. Thanks for watching!

[@devonwatt2194]

Did you wind it backwards? The spool only turns one way to feed line when you bump it, so if you loaded it backwards it would pull the line back into the spool.

[@victordemichieli8677]

What function should be on in order to start the fsa57 stihl weedeater?

[@WesternEquipment]

You just have to have the battery pushed all the way in and then push the two safety levers and it should start when you pull the trigger. Thanks for watching!

[@davidpotter9462]

I bought one of those the other day. I got the AK 20 battery. It's okay but I almost would rather have the FSA90. I get about 50 minutes on a charge.

[@WesternEquipment]

That’s a pretty good amount of run time! Is it not enough for what all you have to trim?

[@davidpotter9462]

Oh, this is Eastern Oklahoma. The ragweed gets tough fast this time of year. And that dog gone crabgrass just takes more power. The 27 CC gas one is what I'm used to. I had an FS 135 once, big heavy motor, but it would get the job done 👍. What happens here is it rains then gets hot, and the grass grows like crazy. So it can get big really quick. The fescue gets tough this time of year too. Harder to cut. I had to remove the deflector so I can get that string cutting thing out of the way. It's full of grass compacted in there. The string chopper thing makes them plug up with grass, so I'm going to remove it. That will let the string out to a better length anyway 😁👍. Whoever designed it must have been mentally impaired. The old style that didn't have the string chopper didn't plug up with grass all the time like that. There's plenty of concrete blocks and sand rocks that I can use to trim the line. The line being an inch longer let's it cut better, and also cleans the housing from about a pound of wet grass usually. I'm 67, and that extra pound matters. One reason I bought this machine is that it's lighter. So I'll grind the string clipper thing off so it's smooth, and I already know it will work better when I am done. I feel sorry for people who don't know to get it ground off smooth. It doesn't help the machine to have a big wad of wet grass stuck under it. It interferes with the performance of the machine quite a bit. Letting the string go out another inch cleans ninety percent of that mess off. There's a little bit stuck to the top, but not much. That makes the trimmer lighter, and easier to use. If the designer had to go use one for a couple months, he would have gotten the device correct instead of a big knob of plastic sticking out in the way that catches grass. Everyone else that I have ever talked to says theirs worked better after they cut it off. Just looking at it wondering why it leaves a hole when you cut it off. And wondering if I can melt some of the plastic back into the hole. I just think they could do a little bit better if they really tried.

[@gordonbrown8450]

I got one ,not powerful enough for more than very light grass cutting. Cutting line feed is a pain as well.

[@devonwatt2194]

Are you taking the head apart to load string? You don’t need to and it should be fairly easy to load

[@Archiveofobscurity]

Hey pal, does it vibrate a lot in your hand? How smooth is the ride!

[@WesternEquipment]

Very very smooth! Hardly any vibration.

[@suzannefish1222]

Cant seem to find the polycut 3-2 adapter for this. Any reviews on using with blades instead of string

[@WesternEquipment]

Parts availability has been an issue for many companies including Stihl so I hope this is resoled soon. Thanks for watching!

[@edsheon9669]

Thank you I just bought one yesterday .

[@kansasgardener5844]

I read all the comments and to be honest I had to laugh at some of them. This is not for the pro so I don't think they should come on here and bash Stihl! I'm a homeowner that got sick and tired of my POS gas trimmer. Go get gas, put oil in it, put stabilizer in it,come back home fill it up then yank yank yank! Yes I bought this model and other than I'd like to see a wider cutting area, this things great!

[@WesternEquipment]

Glad to hear you are enjoying it and thanks for watching!

[@mikeb1039]

This is $149 right now thru Stihl dealers, usually $199 which is actually a very good price for a quality name (made in usa) tool w/battery compared to everyone else's, many of them chinese made..

[@WesternEquipment]

In my opinion you can't beat Stihl's quality and you can always count on there being a dealer nearby that can take care of any issues you might have.

[@mikewallich5216]

worked great brand new but.... as it is over a year old with weekly trimming there is a downfall. The port (hole) that the string comes out of has a metal ring. This ring wears out and becomes very sharp and cuts the trimming line off about every minute or so. You have to replace the trimmer head then or take the metal rings out.

[@stephenflanagan4456]

That was very helpful, much appreciated :)

[@WesternEquipment]

Glad I could help and thanks for watching!

[@slavikonchulenko7813]

Thanks good job!!!

[@WesternEquipment]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@paulneri835]

It seems this device will use any of the batteries in the AK range up to 30 AK. Agree?

[@WesternEquipment]

Yes, it definitely will.

[@larrymartz7152]

How long does it take to charge the battery. Is there two types of chargers can you use a bigger battery on the 57.

[@WesternEquipment]

Times vary on which battery you are charging but definitely count on a few hours. You can use the bigger battery to get more run time. What battery are you using now?

[@devonwatt2194]

It takes the AK platform batteries which are 36v. They have 3 different levels within the AK batteries which increase in capacity and aH rating. The bigger the battery, the longer they take to charge. The smallest batteries only take about an hour to charge fully but you’ll be lucky to get more than 15 minutes out of them. I have 2 of the AK 20 batteries (mid level) and they take about 3 hours to charge from dead and last for about 45 minutes of continuous use.

[@brandonmyers5500]

Does the fsa 57 have variable speed

[@WesternEquipment]

No, it is a continuous high speed. Good question and thanks for watching!

[@peterobinson5465]

do they make a more powerful model please

[@WesternEquipment]

Yes, you can get these on up into the commercial grade. Check out Stihlusa.com for more info. Thanks for watching!

[@samjones927]

Great video 👊💪 shoots from the uk 🇬🇧

[@WesternEquipment]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@angelportilla9098]

Trabajo en la jardinería tengo todas las herramientas de still corto 20 casas al día y esa maquina solo aguantaría 3 casas y no creo que soporte el trabajo??????

[@WesternEquipment]

Sí, esto es más para uso residencial que comercial como lo está haciendo usted. ¡Gracias por ver!

[@Reds6977]

Can anyone tell me why mine shuts off? can’t even cut low enough to trim anything….

[@Reds6977]

Is it a safety feature ?

[@WesternEquipment]

Are there any red lights flashing on your battery when it shuts off?

[@shereecollins1677]

How do you start it

[@devonwatt2194]

Push the thumb safety foreward, squeeze the grip safety, then squeeze the trigger

[@laxmanghadi747]

how many time battery backup

[@WesternEquipment]

Not sure I know what you mean. Can you explain?

[@Speedslays]

Light weed eating I can barely get 20 minutes on the ak10. So I bought the ak30 an ive yet to do a yard that kills the battery in one go🔋

[@WesternEquipment]

Nice! I think adding the AK30 was the best thing they could have done in this lineup. Have you done a run time test to try and kill the battery?

[@Speedslays]

@WesternEquipment no I haven't. So far I've gotten 30 minutes with 2 bars left. An it was a damn jungle I was cleaning up. It's a game changer when it comes to cleaning my clients yards 🙌

[@Speedslays]

Haha well my fsa 57 bit the dust. Damn gears sheared off in the head. Stihl won't repair it.

[@johnsamulevich2170]

We bought one at our church. It was a nice trimmer, light, easy to use. But then..... The white plastic piece that holds in the spool, who came up with that atrocity? It wears out and breaks, and is not available separately. And now after about two years of light duty, it has stopped working, motor runs but apparently the gears have stripped out inside. Haven't checked on warranty yet. But yeah, piece of junk. I've had Stihl gas saws for decades that have performed flawlessly, but Stihl should be ashamed to sell this. On a side note, we have a blower and hedge trimmer too and I like them a lot, except the lockout on the hedge trimmer that forces you to use two hands. That's a pita but an industry standard so I can't blame Stihl for that.

[@WesternEquipment]

I am sorry to hear of your bad luck on this trimmer. I know that Stihl is constantly working to improve their products so hopefully this one is in that improvement stage. Thanks for the comment.

[@benchambers445]

Edge

[@WesternEquipment]

Thanks for watching!

[@dw5772]

I think he's asking whether you can turn it upside down and use as an edger.

[@MrBama14nc]

WOW! a video of a guy weedeating. LMAO

[@WesternEquipment]

Pretty good at it too huh?

[@Phoenix20086fly]

Not worth the money ! The cutting head is the best part and is fine but the batteries dot last and the cut circle is too small ! And not powerful enough to go through tall grass without getting tangled and wrapped up !

[@WesternEquipment]

Thank you for the feedback.

[@danielclark5170]

This weed eater is crap judging from the video. I have a Ryobi 40 volt weed eater that uses the .080 or .095 trimmer string and it's awesome plus it has the rewind type head.

[@WesternEquipment]

Thanks for the feedback but you have to remember there are levels to this equipment. If you need more power, strength, or run time, there is always a larger option. Thanks for watching!

[@devonwatt2194]

This is essentially identical to your ryobi lol 36v, takes the same line size, and has a speed-feed style head as well. Mine is as good as new 2 years later

[@pululo98]

This trimmer only last 25 minutes what a disappointment not even an hour of use😢😢👎👎👎.

[@WesternEquipment]

I know it seems disappointing but this is why there are different battery sizes and larger units to hold larger batteries to make sure and meet different operators needs.

[@waltjabsco9338]

jeezuz, it's a toy.

[@WesternEquipment]

A toy that will do work!

[@freedom1439]

As a lawn care company owner, I think it’s junk.

[@WesternEquipment]

Well I would agree that it's not the way to go for commercial lawn care companies, but I think it could be very useful for the small home owner with medium sized yard. It definitely has a certain niche of people to serve. Thanks for watching!

[@waltjabsco9338]

I remember when still used to be good, not the shite of today.

[@thomaslakins1139]

Junk 25 minutes what a joke

[@WesternEquipment]

I understand it's not for everybody, but there are a lot of people out there that this works great for.

[@grahamwatson6570]

I have a 90 ,,it's rubbish

[@WesternEquipment]

What don't you like about it?

[@grahamwatson6570]

@@WesternEquipment gutless ,very poor battery life and battery red lights if you work it too hard , it'll be fine for homeowner use

[@garyhamby3164]

This is the worst weedeater that I have ever owned. The line doesn't load like it is supposed to and the line is constantly jamming up and breaking off.

[@WesternEquipment]

So are you only having issues with the line?

[@garyhamby3164]

@@WesternEquipment Yes. I've tried refilling the spools and have tried new spools that I bought.

[@garyhamby3164]

@@WesternEquipment Yes, I have even tried winding the line by hand, rather spinning the spool with a long piece of line. I also tried soaking the line in water.

[@craigdonaldson6308]

Anything with a battery is useless

[@WesternEquipment]

Really? You don't use anything with batteries?

[@devonwatt2194]

So I take it your phone runs on gas then?