The Black and Decker LST400 is an appealing trimmer option that you should look into. Let’s take a look at a few key points over how it works.
Handling the Unit
Weight – The LST400 is about six pounds in weight. It does not feel very heavy but it does come with a body that is rectangular and needs to be handled with a bit of care.
Balance – The unit is a balanced in weight. The weight of the battery on one end practically offsets the weight of the motor and cutting mechanism on the other end.
Handle and Harness – There are no harnesses on the trimmer which makes sense given how light it is. On the down side plastic handle does not have the foam padding that we like (but degrades…) on it so you will have to be rather careful when making it work to your liking.
The handle features a round loop around it to help you hold onto it quite well. A bar is also located near the top to give you a bit of extra support when carrying it around. A properly running model will not vibrate much. Overall, It should not be too hard for you to carry around and use in various places.
Battery Powered – As an electric model, this is a choice that is not as loud as what you might get out of a more traditional gas-powered model. And because of its power source, this is not going to create any exhaust. The battery can become rather warm at times but it won’t be hot enough to where it will cause discomfort as you are trying to use the trimmer.
Performance
This trimmer is good enough to cut through grass and thick weeds. It can take a bit to get through denser vegetation. It may not go through everything so you have to be careful when making it work.
The automatic line feed is a popular feature on the LST400. This is to give you a little more control over how you are using the trimmer as you don’t have to restart it all the time. You won’t have to worry about the line being tangled either. That being said, we unilaterally prefer bump-head feed systems.
As for starting up the trimmer, this works with a basic button and trigger system. This two-part feature works to ensure that it will not start up without a bit of extra effort.
Battery Duration – The battery is designed to where it can last for about 30 to 45 minutes on a full charge. It can take about eight hours to get the battery charged up though. You will have to be selective when choosing how you are going to use this. It might be a good idea to buy a spare battery.
Long Term Care
Black and Decker offers a good support team that can help you out in the event that the machine breaks down. The manufacturer offers a good maintenance team that works through a network of professionals that can help with repairing this and other Black and Decker items.
The warranty on this lasts for two years. This is enough time to cover any defects on the model if they ever come about.
Conclusion – This is a good mid-level string trimmer.