MakitaXUX01ZM5 36V (18V X2) LXT® Brushless Couple Shaft Power Head with String Trimmer Attachment, Tool Only

Good power and balance

First off, the quality of construction is typical Makita. I've owned Makita tools for almost 20 years and I haven't really noticed a decline in quality so I am not surprised at the quality of this trimmer. While I use this around the house and our cabin, I can see this holding up pretty well to commercial use. The weight is about what my gas trimmer weighs, with similar balance.I have mostly 5.0 batteries and I can trim the equivalent of a few thousand square feet and maybe use about 30-35 percent of the charge. I will actually bring this camping with me for dry camping in case I need to clear grass around the campsite, particularly around the campfire. I will eventually get the chainsaw attachment for this tool, which is why I bought this version instead of the "fixed" model. The ability to take off the shaft also makes it a bit easier to get in the back of my truck when coming and going to the cabin or on the camping trips as mentioned.My only gripe is the trimmer head/dispenser really needs to be secured very tightly or it will literally spin off the trimmer. I wish there was some kind of lock that would prevent this.

I have a straight gas 4-cycle Husqvarna weed eater that I have used for 10 years and I have been very happy with it. However, I like almost everything about this Makita Powerhead/Trimmer combo better. The power at lower RPMs is SO much better than gas. At higher RPM the gas is a little stronger, but it doesn't matter because this battery-operated trimmer is strong enough for me at every speed. Being able to trim grass over gravel rocks on a lower RPM is so much better for me without the occasional rock being shot out 40 feet and hitting someone or something.I have a lot of batteries, but I have never needed more than one battery set change for what I am doing (I am using the two battery powerhead). I like not having to fill gas cans and dealing with the gas smell. Ease of use and mobility are great, a couple extra batteries are much easier to bring vs a gas can. For me, 4 batteries will easily be enough for several hours of trimming and cutting. Having the ability to reverse the rotation is awesome for getting grass untangled from the trimmer head.I also have the pole saw and hedge trimmer attachments for the power head. They are very effective, but this whole system is heavy.Which brings it to its only negatives. The weight is not balanced as well as almost every gas trimmer I have used. Also when using the other attachments the weight is significant on the working end. I'm tall and strong, but the pole saw gives me a good workout and the hedge trimmer is not something I am going to spend more than a couple hours using. They wear me out!So great for a homeowner, etc but if you are a commercial landscaper, be aware there may be lighter, more forgiving equipment. Power at the highest speed is not as strong as gas, but very usable.

I bought one, it arrived, tried to put it together. The lower shaft would not go into the power unit shaft. Emails customer support, they said return it. So I packed it up and returned it. I needed a trimmer and I am deep into Makita with loads of batteries so I ordered a new one, same company, price had gone up about $30. Again, it would not go together, I called support this time and they suggested taking it to a repair center. I did, they put it together and now it goes together and comes apart just fine. This little adventure in dumb customer support cost me $30.Once I got it working and put it to work, it is a beast, it cuts about as good as my old, bent shaft, gas Echo. It does burn through the charge on batteries, but not overly quick, I did put it through a LOT of tall, deep grass and weeds. I might have gone with the Makita 40v or whatever but I didn't want to have to buy into another battery platform since I have a load of the 18v Makita already.

...but this thing is a mildly life-changing tool. Crucially, its value is entirely based upon having sufficient batteries - and that they are charged! So your investment in this tool is actually investment in a system... I've been using this driver for a brush-cutter attachment, cutting field grass down to the dirt - heavy use bordering on abuse, to be sure. I bought 8 non-Makita 6A batteries (after 2 returns/replacements, I have 6 left which are Good Enough) and with 4 chargers I'm able to run this tool consistently through about 5 pairs of batteries before I run into the end of what's charged...Power is a little lower than a HD Stihl, and again, you're limited to time available in your batteries. But string trimming tends to be less about power and more about carrying your tool from place to place, and this excels at that. No liquids leaking, no hot exhaust port, no ****ing carb jets to get clogged. You depress the trigger and it spins. Reliable! And what power difference there may be, is what I'm seeing whilst cutting field grass, down to dirt, with a metal brush blade. With the string head mounted and doing trimming rather than brush cutting, it's remarkably pleasant to work with this thing.I bought a Makita 18v string trimmer last year and haven't taken my Stihl off the wall since then, and I manage about 3 of our 6 acres. I bought this one because we bought another property which I'm maintaining, and I'm doing pruning saw work as well... It's been a real pleasure to NOT have gasoline cans in the back of my Subaru!

Por favor tenemos que recomendar esta herramienta muy bueno para recortar hedges