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Customer reviews for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer

One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer

This Ryobi One+ 12 in. 18-Volt Cordless String Trimmer features an 18-volt lithium-ion battery that works with all One+ tools and is eco-friendly, with no hazardous materials (other One+ tools sold separately). The trimmer is lightweight for portability and comes partially assembled to help get you up and running quickly. The trimmer includes an automatic line advance system, and the handle telescopes and rotates to enable you to adjust the trimmer height.
Overall rating:
4.018 / 5
4
 / 
5
(284 reviews) 283
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating breakdown 284 reviews
5 stars
157
4 stars
59
3 stars
16
2 stars
20
1 star
32
217 out of 272(80%)reviewers recommend this product.
Customer reviews for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Review 1 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
4 / 5
4 / 5

Convenient and works well

,
PostedMay 10, 2012
Customer avatar
cycle003
from Madison, WI, USA
 
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Age:35 to 44
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Intermediate
Length of ownership:6 months
Quality 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value 
5 / 5
5 / 5
I use this for light trimming around the yard, and it works pretty well. I have a 1/3 acre lot, and a single charge is plenty to trim around all the trees, flower beds, mailbox, swingset, etc. I kinda liked the old bump type of feeding system, but this works pretty well too. You just have to stop and start the trimmer, or you can manually pull out the line. It works OK as an edger, but I found it a little hard to be accurate, although it could just be that I need practice.
I've had this for nearly a year, and he only complaint I have so far is that the battery will not stay charged on the charger if I leave it for a long time (weeks?). I have to take the battery out of the charger and put it back in. It just means I have to put it on the charger 30 mins or so before I actually use it.
If you just want a weedeater for casual use, this should serve you well.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+11points
11out of 11found this review helpful.
Review 2 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
4 / 5
4 / 5

Good Compromise for Small/Medium Yards

,
PostedApril 11, 2012
Customer avatar
GaryInWI
Quality 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value 
5 / 5
5 / 5
This review is for the One+ string trimmer purchased as part of combo along with the blower, P104 high capacity battery & charger.
A bit of background, after a "best value" review in Popular Mechanics for the Ryobi drill, I purchased a 4 piece combo pack (drill, circ saw, ricip saw, worklight + 2 P104 batteries and charger) in 2009. So now I have six One+ tools, 2 chargers and 3 batteries. I have been pleased with the performance of these tools/system.
The trimmer works well. Some people want this thing to defy the laws on physics --18V cannot complete with 110V plug-in or gas for power, but is plenty adequate for my 1/3 acre lawn. Battery life is about 15 minutes. Here are some hints that may be helpful:
1) I purchased the 3-pack of replacement spools - very expensive. Now, I refill those myself at 1/30th the price and always have a couple ready for quick change.
2) Remember, the "safety" trigger need only to be pressed at start up, then you can let go.
4) Heat is tough on all batteries, and lithiums in particular don't like the cold. I keep mine in the basement where is 60-70 degrees & even my 3 year old batteries still work well. I don't recharge a warm battery.
5) I number by batteries (1, 2, 3) with a Sharpie so I can rotate them & make a mental note of any slip in performance.
4) Batteries are expensive. Watch for sales and buy as part of a kit and it's like the tool is free. I have found with 3 batteries and two chargers, I am never without a charged battery and I can treat them gently.
5) The battery release tabs can sometimes be tough for smaller hands. In this happens, depress one side & gently pry apart with a screwdriver, then go to the other side and repeat.
6) Remember, there are two sizes of lithium batteries - P104 with 2.4 amp hour capacity and P103 (compact) with 1.3 amp hour. The both work fine, but make sure you get the one you want
In summary, if you already own one or more One+ tools, the trimmer is a worthy addition (and the blower is OK too). I also heartily recommend the recip saw.
+12points
12out of 12found this review helpful.
Review 3 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Very awesome..

,
PostedApril 12, 2012
Customer avatar
Baconmon
Quality 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Value 
5 / 5
5 / 5
I have used this thing for the entire spring and summer of 2011.. I mow lawns as a business and this was the only weed-eater I used..
I like the automatic line-feed thing, and I like that it also edges too, which I used.. The 18-volt is sufficient enough power for almost any thing..
However, for some of the bigger lawns, I had to use a second battery to get done grass-trimming and edging..
BUT, this year (2012) I am mowing lawns for clients again, but Ryobi just came out with a new 40-volt line of yard tools.. I sold this 18-volt trimmer, and bought their new 40-volt grass-trimmer(also an edger).. It is amazing!.. It has a variable-speed trigger, a LOT more powerful (it can rip stuff apart if you want it to), and I don't need any extra batteries because the battery lasts a LONG time.. I can weed-eat AND edge an entire yard, and the battery will still be at 75% charged after doing an entire normal-sized yard, and still 50% charged after doing a HUGE lawn..o_o So if you are really in to lawn work, I would recommend the 40-volt over the 18-volt.. But for just doing your own yard your self, the 18-volt one actually works very well..
Yes, I recommend this product.
+14points
15out of 16found this review helpful.
Review 4 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Third cordless trimmer...best yet!

,
PostedMay 22, 2011
Customer avatar
gizmoman
My wife was able to trim about 75% of the stones in a small cemetery we maintain before the first battery quit. She always complains about the weight of my gas trimmer but loves this one. Read complaints about the safety switch and I agree, as usual it is a nuisance to have to press the thumb button then squeeze the trigger switch. SOLUTION..hold the thumb button in the on position, drill a 1/8" hole in the extended side and slip the head of an unexpanded pop rivet in the hole. This will hold the button in the on position so that just squeezing the trigger operates the tool. Great tool would absolutely buy again.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+7points
7out of 7found this review helpful.
Review 5 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
1 / 5
1 / 5

Hunk of junk

,
PostedSeptember 3, 2012
Customer avatar
Akshay
Features 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Quality 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Ease of use 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Value 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Have all these positive reviews been put here by Ryobi? This thing is a piece of junk. The automatic line advance doesn't work AT ALL. And the line breaks the second it touches something that isn't grass. You then have to stop and manually advance the line. I wish I would've known the auto line feed feature was a flat out lie. I would've just stuck with my old Black & Decker that needed 3 batteries to finish my smaller-sized yard. At least I didn't have to stop and manually advance the line with it. The only positive about this trimmer is the battery life. But that's just not going to do it when I'm having to stop and advance the line after every 2 steps. STAY AWAY from this Ryobi trimmer.
Cons: automatic line feeder isn't automatic afterall, line breaks too easily
No, I do not recommend this product.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 6 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Better than mixing gas

,
PostedFebruary 12, 2012
Customer avatar
cookie7
from Kingsburg
 
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Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Quality 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Value 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Had this trimmer for over a year now and will do my small/medium sized yard 2-3 times before a re-charge is required.It also swaps out batteries with my Ryobi cordless drill and vice/versa always have a battery ready to go.Plenty of power for grass..But not for heavy brush,for crying out loud it's not a brush cutter folks;that's what gas units were made for.Highly recomend..
Yes, I recommend this product.
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
Review 7 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
4 / 5
4 / 5

good trimmer

,
PostedSeptember 16, 2010
Customer avatar
RTRFLA123
from Florida
 
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I bought this trimmer as an alternative to my Ryobi gas trimmer which I am going to trash since now all the available gas in Florida is Ethanol and I am giving up on gas operated machinery as much as possible. This battery trimmer works as presented an has plenty of power but there is a trick to using it properly.
First you must not expect this to perform like a gas edger and if you have a large property to trim it is not the one for you. But for most homeowners with standard sub-division lots it is all you need. The trick to using it is to let the tip of the line do the cutting. If you just jam the head of the trimmer into a thick clump of grass, the grass will just get wrapped around the head shaft which greatly slows down the cutting head speed so much cutting efficiency is then lost. Remember go slow and let the 1/4 in tip end of the line cut the grass before you move it further into the grass clump and it will cut just fine.
The only flaw in the machine I found is that there is no quick way to remove the head from the head shaft to remove grass that might get wrapped around it so you have to carry a tiny pair of needle nose pliers with you to pick out the grass if that happens. Why Ryobi did not simply cover the head shaft with a plastic flange to prevent this is beyond me. Other than that it is a great little trimmer.
I think the people that are complaining about the battery life are not cutting with the end of the line like the instructions tell you so grass gets wrapped around the shaft which is a big drag on the battery. If you keep shaft clear of grass and let the tip end of the line cut through the grass slowly like a saw blade, it works fine.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+12points
12out of 12found this review helpful.
Review 8 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Great product, makes work easy

,
PostedJune 22, 2012
Customer avatar
JAS100
from San Jose, CA, USA
 
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Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:3 months
Quality 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Value 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Makes yard work almost fun. No Cords to to take out and put away. Cuts the work time in half.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 9 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Great tool.

,
PostedOctober 2, 2011
Customer avatar
WIP1
Have owned for a month after 7-year old Black & Decker rechargeable trimmer died. Small-to-medium sized suburban lawn, including trimming all along driveway, walkway and sidewalks. Have trimmed entire thing 3x on one charge, and it stays at full power the entire time.
Also, string feed seems to be much better than previous similar tools we've owned. Those would let the line wear down to only an inch or two, then shoot out line. This seems to let line out in increments as it wears down, so the line is nearly always at full length, which means more power for trimming.
Lightweight and battery charges extremely quickly (about an hour, compared to 8-10 hours for NiCad battery models).
Interested to see how well it does over a few years of use.
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 10 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
2 / 5
2 / 5

Poor Battery Life

,
PostedJune 15, 2012
Customer avatar
Robin
from Rome, GA, USA
 
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Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Intermediate
Length of ownership:1 month
Trimmer is lightweight & does a good job for around the house trimming. The only complaint we have is that the battery doesn't last long enough, even when fully charged. 45 minutes on a good day, then re-charge for an hour before you can use it again. I thought about a back-up battery until I saw the cost. $89.00 for another battery. I only paid $99.00 for the trimmer which came with the charger & battery. I would go buy another trimmer with all the accessories before I would buy another battery. Check other manufacturers before buying this model.
No, I do not recommend this product.
+3points
4out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 11 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
2 / 5
2 / 5

Would NOT buy again

,
PostedAugust 16, 2012
Customer avatar
YardGuy
from Minneapolis, MN, USA
 
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Age:55 to 64
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Advanced
Length of ownership:3 months
Features 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Quality 
2 / 5
2 / 5
Ease of use 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value 
1 / 5
1 / 5
While this product has good power and the battery has a long life, this product does not do 2 areas very well: automatic string feed and edging.
At least my new unit does not feed the string consistently. I am have to stop, turn the unit upside down, push the feed button just to lengthen the string. Not a big deal but a pain in the butt. Also, if you plan on using this weed whacker for edging, the guide is pretty light weight. It keeps wanting to fold back to the motor and is very light gauge construction. I would not buy this product again but then I am pretty picky as to the value of product for my money...Your choice
Pros: Easy to Use, Good Size & Weight, Powerful, Long-Lasting
Cons: Not Durable, not effective as an edger, poor auto string feed
No, I do not recommend this product.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 12 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

A view from a skeptic

,
PostedMay 1, 2011
Customer avatar
fredco1
from Marion, IN
 
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I was a little skeptic at first, looking at a battery powered grass trimmer. But since my wife bought me a bunch of Ryobi power tools, I thought I would give it a fair shake. Now I'm glad I did, great purchase and a really fine product, I'm thrilled.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
Review 13 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Quick assembly, light weight

,
PostedMay 8, 2012
Customer avatar
dennis
from North Carolina, USA
 
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Age:65 or over
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Intermediate
Length of ownership:6 months
Quality 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Value 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Does exactly what I expected it to do. I use it around the foundation of the house and flower beds. I haven't used the battery that came with since I have other Ryobi battery operated products and used one of the batteries I have for those. Plenty of battery life left when I finished.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 14 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Perfect for most trimming

,
PostedNovember 12, 2010
Customer avatar
ToolboyNC
from RTP, NC
 
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This string trimmer is great!
It does a great job of trimming and edging all around my yard. One P104 battery has more than enough oomph to trim my entire yard.
I have a gas trimmer, but now I only pull it out once or twice a year to clear the septic field.
The P2002 is lightweight, clean (no gas or messy oil:gas mix), and always starts the first time. It's so easy and fun to use that my wife likes to get out and use it!
Yes, I recommend this product.
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 15 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Way Better Than Buying Gas

,
PostedApril 30, 2011
Customer avatar
UncleBud
from Texas
 
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My yard is the average size , about a quarter acre and yes I had some concern about the cost and proformas . all was put to rest when this tool almost finished cutting my yard . I did consider the 24v Ryobi cordless but the only thing is Ryobi, to my knowledge does not have any other cordless tools in 24v so the battery would only be for the weed eater but the 18v lith. battery will fit all my other tools so i went with it and have absolutely no regrets . Has good power like a corded , Great Product and one less Gas consuming tool out of my yard .
Yes, I recommend this product.
+6points
8out of 10found this review helpful.
Review 16 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Outstanding Trimmer

,
PostedJune 19, 2011
Customer avatar
HappyTrimmer10
from Syracuse Area
 
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I purchased this string trimmer with a little apprehension due to the negative reviews, I am so glad I decided to go with the majority of the reviews. This string trimmer performs excellent the battery life is awesome I can trim my whole lawn without issue and still have a good amount of battery life left. I have been without a trimmer for the better part of the spring and purchased this hoping I could get through some of the tall weeds along my stockade fence Well to my surprise it cut through them without issue and never died once. The lithium Ion battery is outstanding and I will not buy anything else now. Highly recommend this trimmer to anyone it is also very well balanced and easy to use..
Yes, I recommend this product.
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 17 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
4 / 5
4 / 5

Not bad for smaller yards,better than expected

,
PostedMarch 15, 2012
Customer avatar
Patrick
from O'Fallon, MO, USA
 
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Age:35 to 44
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Intermediate
Length of ownership:1 year or longer
Quality 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Value 
3 / 5
3 / 5
I bought this last week.I was a little nervous about buying a battery powered trimmer but I've used the Ryobi hedge trimmer and I like it alot for smaller shrubs so I thought I'd give it a go.The power isn't near what my gas powered was but it does do the job,even in thick grass.If your just trimming around the house,fence and sidewalks it should be fine for most people.I did my yard and my neighbors and still had a little power left.I like the edge option,good for getting the weeds in the sidewalk cracks.I wish the price was a little lower but I realize most of the cost is the battery and charger.My neighbor bought a Black-n-Decker lithium trimmer last fall and they threw in a blower all for only $100.Not a bad deal but I don't have any B&D tools,only lots of Ryobi One+ tools so it made sense to buy this one.Only complaint if the weight.It weighs the same as my featherlight trimmer but the weight is distributed all at the front instead of the back like gas powered trimmers so it puts a strain on my arms more.I've decided to keep it even though it's not perfect.The pluses definitely outweigh the minuses.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 18 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
3 / 5
3 / 5

You are not able to bump it to make string longer.

,
PostedJune 19, 2012
Customer avatar
Terri
from Fairburn, GA, USA
 
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Age:55 to 64
Gender:Female
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Beginner
Length of ownership:1 week
The first one that I bought would not charge. I had it on the charger for a week and it still would not charge. I did go back to the store to exchange. The second one did charge after about 30 minutes.
Because of my MS, I need something that I could use without an extension cord or gas. I still had to get someone
Yes, I recommend this product.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 19 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Love it

,
PostedJune 5, 2012
Customer avatar
TedC
from MA
 
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Age:35 to 44
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:Professional
Length of ownership:3 months
Quality 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Value 
5 / 5
5 / 5
I have a small yard(.10 acres) with 15-20 minutes of trimming required a week. This trimmer has been perfect for me. No gas/oil mix, no priming the gas, no choke, no pulling the cord 25 times to start it up...you just press the button and go. It has great power and holds the charge very well. I only charge it every 2-3 weeks and it charges in an hour. I'm buying the hedge trimmers next.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 20 for One+ 18-Volt 12 in. Cordless String Trimmer
Overall rating 
5 / 5
5 / 5

Well designed and engineered -- recommended

,
PostedMarch 30, 2012
Customer avatar
norCalUser
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Home improvement profile:DIYer
Level of expertise:Intermediate
Length of ownership:1 week
Quality 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Value 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Bought at local Home Depot in March, 2012 after deliberating over all trimmers in stock. I even enlisted the help of a HD employee who seemed to know quite a bit about all of the garden equipment. I told her I've grown hostile towards manufacturers of trimmers as too often they're:
1.) too wimpy (both in terms of power and durability)
2.) to clunky/awkward to use
3.) too much of a pain when having to reload line
Such the case with the rechargeable Toro I bought, prompting me to write a decidedly less positive review than the one you're now reading.
This is a positive review, because contrary to what others are saying here, I found the Ryobi One + to make great sense the second I got it out of the box. It pieces together easily, no need for the directions that came with it. The battery charger is a high-quality item that fully charged my battery in about a hour. Once charged, the battery pops in easily and by now, with everything I'd seen and experienced had me thinking the designers and engineers got it right.
So the last test was the obvious one, how well does it rip through weeds. I'm happy to say, again, I was not disappointed. The weeds I'm talking about, this being late spring in Norther California, are among the biggest ones I'll be faced with in a given year. The Ryobi seemed to hate the dang things as much as I do – it shredded them.
So, I've seen about 85% of criteria I use to judge any trimmer. All that remains for me to see is how easily the line is to reload and how well the thing holds up. If I can get five solid years out of it, I'll be happy. More than that and I'll be thrilled. Stay tuned for that follow-up.
So far, I'm a satisfied customer and wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Ryobi.
Yes, I recommend this product.
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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