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Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4209

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black

Stihl Battery Garden Tools

At the risk of getting run out of the Forum for being un-manly, I’m considering switching from a motley selection of cheap 2-smoke garden tools to Stihl electric battery jobs. Bear with me...

I currently have a normal hedge trimmer, a long reach hedge trimmer, a strimmer, a chainsaw and a lawnmower. They all annoy me in one way or another, be it noise, vibration, weight or won’t stay in tune or run properly. The strimmer and the long reach hedge trimmer are the most annoying and first for the chop, and I want to replace them with something nice to use.

Having studied the Stihl catalogue and been to the dealer, there are petrol and battery options at a similar price and I can’t decide which way to go.

Battery: FSA 60R Brushcutter, HLA 56 long reach trimmer, 2x AK 20 batteries and a charger for £600. This is the mid range electric, not the pro stuff.

Petrol: Stihl Combi engine RC-E (the weakest homeowner one), brush cutter attachment, long reach hedge cutter attachment for £635. For another £60 I could go to next most powerful engine.

Either way this is a lot of money for me, so need to make the right choice.

What turned my head with electric stuff is that I can slowly add replacements for my other tools as and when they need to be replaced for a lot less money than with petrol stuff. But I’m uncertain as to the quality and experience of using battery stuff, and how long Stihl will support the current range before it becomes obsolete and batteries won’t fit new tools.

Any thoughts, anyone used the Stihl battery gear? 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

25th May 2021 7:02pm

Fellrunner

Member Since: 28 Sep 2014
Location: Wandering
Posts: 257

2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey

I’ve got a number of Stihl garden products; chain saw, lawnmower, strimmer and leaf blower. Great stuff. Just make sure the batteries are compatible between the products you’re looking at.

25th May 2021 7:16pm

Farmerben

Member Since: 16 Jan 2017
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 605

2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Keswick Green

I’ve got most of the Stihl battery kit and it’s pretty impressive stuff. Chainsaw is awesome for getting the smaller limbs off fallen trees before getting the big guns out and battery lasts longer than a tank of petrol.
Strimmer is great. Gets about 20mins off a charge. Hedge trimmer goes forever on one charge.
All gets a lot of use on the farm. Got 6 batteries and a couple of chargers which is more than enough for what I need.
Your eardrums will thank you. https://instagram.com/bentheoandrews

25th May 2021 7:19pm

Rup90

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Sussex
Posts: 32

I have the brushcutter & long reach trimmer combo you mention and have no issues with them. The battery life is superb and recharge in no time. All in very happy and will add to them as and when funds allow. Defender First Edition
88 Series 2a
Dodge Viper Gen 3
Ferguson Ted20

25th May 2021 7:26pm

ickle

Member Since: 22 Jul 2010
Location: South Vendee
Posts: 1782

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Alpine White

I don't think you can go wrong either way to be honest.

We've got a Stihl combi set that is over 12 years old and has seen some hard use - still works perfectly.

A battery set will be just as good - very quiet is use as well. The only proviso is that any battery tool needs regular use and charging, my Makita 18v stuff lasts for years, but its used almost every day until the batteries are flat and then charged, leave them unused for a couple of months and they don't last.

There are various companies that will rebuild battery packs with new cells, so future support shouldn't be an issue.

My only comment would be to buy the most powerful / professional set you can afford, worth it in the long term.

HTH Keith

25th May 2021 7:26pm

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4209

Farmerben wrote:
I’ve got most of the Stihl battery kit and it’s pretty impressive stuff. Chainsaw is awesome for getting the smaller limbs off fallen trees before getting the big guns out and battery lasts longer than a tank of petrol.
Strimmer is great. Gets about 20mins off a charge. Hedge trimmer goes forever on one charge.
All gets a lot of use on the farm. Got 6 batteries and a couple of chargers which is more than enough for what I need.
Your eardrums will thank you.

Thanks have you got the AK or AP battery system? 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

25th May 2021 8:01pm

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4209

Rup90 wrote:
I have the brushcutter & long reach trimmer combo you mention and have no issues with them. The battery life is superb and recharge in no time. All in very happy and will add to them as and when funds allow.

Excellent, thanks for commenting, looks like the battery stuff might be just the job for me. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

25th May 2021 8:02pm

miker

Member Since: 13 Sep 2015
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1763

Because of my tool collection, I have a milwaukee m18 leaf blower and hedge trimmer.

Oodles of power, respectable runtime and they've committed to the battery platform. I can't see myself going back to coaxing a reluctant 2 stroke engine to life, and will probably get a chainsaw and strimmer in time.

25th May 2021 8:39pm

Huttopia

Member Since: 23 Feb 2016
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 1972

Happy to be deemed unmanly! I’ve got a Stihl mower, long reach hedge trimmer and strimmer all using the same AP 300 batteries. The attraction of the battery mower is weight and using it on the banks here, the hedge trimmer is magic- loads of power and last ages, strimmer is fine for small jobs. Had it all for 3 years or so now and beyond a clean it’s maintenance free.

I just bought a little hand held hedge trimmer from Stihl with a different battery system and that too is ideal for tidying up the ornamental hedging.

If I had a more uniform garden without lots of banks, steps and so on I’d definitely get a Husky robo mower 👍

25th May 2021 9:01pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17386

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

miker wrote:
Because of my tool collection, I have a milwaukee m18 leaf blower and hedge trimmer.

Oodles of power, respectable runtime and they've committed to the battery platform. I can't see myself going back to coaxing a reluctant 2 stroke engine to life, and will probably get a chainsaw and strimmer in time.

I am very happy with my M18 chainsaw (and the mag drill, handsaw, recip saw, and impact wrenches, especially the 1" sq dr one, a veritable monster)!

Hard to go wrong with good battery tools now.

25th May 2021 9:37pm

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4209

Anyone bought anything from F R Jones and Son online? My local Stihl dealer seems decidedly uninterested in taking my money. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

26th May 2021 11:38am

nick345345

Member Since: 05 Dec 2016
Location: Dunbar
Posts: 71

2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Baltic Blue

Yes, I’ve used FR Jones 3 times in the last 12 months to buy Stihl things. All been fine.

26th May 2021 11:52am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17386

Bluest wrote:
Anyone bought anything from F R Jones and Son online? My local Stihl dealer seems decidedly uninterested in taking my money.

Yes, FRJ is a first-class and well-established business with an excellent reputation in professional circles. Would be my first port-of-call for online arborist stuff.

26th May 2021 12:21pm

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4209

Thanks, I’m really trying to support my local dealer, but they are a bit painful to deal with. I went in yesterday morning and salesman basically just handed me a catalogue and said come back when you know what you want. Didn’t seem to know anything about the Stihl product or most cost effective way to get what I needed. So I did all my research, picked what I wanted, but they can’t seem to get back to me with a price or availability.

I phoned FR Jones and they were very helpful. Only problem they can’t get the brushcutter until 10th June at the earliest. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

26th May 2021 12:31pm

RobKeay

Member Since: 19 Jul 2009
Location: Stafford
Posts: 1581

2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey

I am tree surgeon. We are using more and more battery kit. It’s great. We have just brought the new battery combo it’s ace. Kma-131r. Sucks batteries but so powerful.

Lack of noise and fumes is brilliant. We were on a hedge cutting job, the customer asked me had we started. We had three machines running at the time.

We have a stack of batteries and some are nearly two years old. They don’t like being cold. In the winter we put them in the cab ready for the first job.

26th May 2021 3:36pm

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