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- Fabulous build quality
- Excellent ergonomics
- Serious cutting power
- Cutting line is really hard to rethread
- No edge trimming function
- Very small deflector
EGO is a relative newcomer to UK gardens, and it puts a big focus on outright oomph to compete with petrol-powered machines. Key to that is its battery technology, which is big, bulky and, with the 56V and 2.5Ah on offer here, takes few prisoners.
The ST1511E-T kit isn’t cheap, though. Its list price is £359, though £177 of that accounts for the battery, and you do get a huge battery charger too. While it’s aimed at domestic use, it may be perfectly fine for some professional uses, such is the impressive specification. But does that warrant the price for the average gardener, and does it deserve a place on the list of best strimmers? Let’s find out.
EGO+ ST1511E-T 38cm Line Trimmer Kit: What do you get for the money?
The EGO+ ST1511E-T is hefty in all senses of the word. It weighs in at nearly 5kg, although 1.3kg of that is taken up by the 56V battery. Also included in the kit is a substantial charger and a chunky shoulder strap with a pleasingly stuffed pad.
There’s a 2.4mm twist line, which is a fair bit chunkier than you’ll get in most other garden strimmers. As you might expect for this price, it has a bump-feed spool, meaning you tap it on the ground to extend the line. I like that there’s also a button that powers the line back in, too – useful for more delicate areas. As its name suggests, it has a cutting width of 38cm, which is pretty punchy. There’s no edge trimming ability though, and twisting the machine 90° to do so is expressly forbidden in the instructions.
The ST1511E-T has two speeds, which isn’t a given in this class of equipment. The boom extends by 15cm and the handle can slide up and down the telescopic section, affording a good amount of adjustability to get comfortable.
Its general build quality is as good as it gets, although the rubberised plastic grip isn’t finished too well around the speed adjustment switch. Whilst the boom is carbon fibre, it resists scratches very well indeed, and there’s a reassuring heft to the boom adjustment lever and the shoulder strap bracket – parts that some sometimes feel flimsy on other strimmers.
How easy is it to use?
The EGO ST1511E-T requires very little assembly out of the box. The boom comes hinged, so you swing it straight and secure it in place with a hex bolt. Then it’s simply a case of screwing on the line guard and attaching the shoulder strap clamp.
There’s a combined lock/start button, which is operated by flicking the locking latch forward and squeezing the variable-speed trigger in one movement. The rubberised grip feels good in the hand, and it’s just the right diameter to gain good purchase.
The handle can move around on the boom, and it’s very easy to adjust the length or the height of the handle.
In use, the EGO+ is nicely balanced, and feels plenty wieldy enough for large or small gardens. There’s a comfy spot to rest the back of your forearm on top of the headstock, too.
In terms of noise output, I measured the EGO+ at 89dBA – slightly under EGO’s quoted figure of 95dB – which is fairly loud. I also measured vibrations of 15.1mm/s, at which rate the battery will have expired before you reach the government’s maximum daily exposure limit.
During my no-load test, the EGO+ strimmer ran for 49 minutes and took 50 minutes to charge using the standard charger, which comes as part of the kit. The battery has five charge indicator LEDs, which illuminate at the touch of a button. And while it takes a shove to seat it in place, there’s a simple catch to remove the battery: flick it, and the battery springs out.
To swap the reel, you press a deeply recessed button on the side of the head to remove the cap. However, I found that the line would behave in a rather unruly manner, and would come off the spool. Fortunately there’s a button to wind the line back in, but it’s the devils own job to make sure it stays there for long enough to replace the cap.
How well does it trim?
I spent quite a bit of time trying to get comfortable with the ST1511E-T, adjusting the shoulder strap and the telescopic boom for length. The best position I found left me stooping over a little more than I’d like; as there’s no shortage of cutting power, the amount of time I was using it was more governed by needing to stop to stretch.
On a similar note, I found that because the line exits the spool quickly, it can be hard to whack out troublesome weeds from pavement cracks. To do that, you’ll need to lean forward even further.
That aside, the EGO+ is exceptionally powerful: indeed, it made lighter work of thick, damp clumps of long grass better than any cordless grass trimmer I’ve ever tested. It really is a case of knife through butter.
It was little surprise, then, that it sliced through thicker brush and brambles like they simply weren’t there. EGO talks about its battery tools offering power comparable to petrol versions, and it stands true here. I liked that the chunky 2.4mm line rarely snapped – it’s really up to the task presented to it.
The small cutting-line shroud is a double-edged sword, though. While it affords good visibility as to what you’re cutting, it doesn’t do a great job of preventing clippings being fired in all directions. Face and eye protection is a must, here.
EGO+ ST1511E-T 38cm Line Trimmer Kit: Should you buy it?
While the EGO ST1511E-T is aimed at the amateur gardener, it could be plenty powerful enough for some professional duties, too. I found it equally at home trimming grass close to fences as it was at hacking through thick brush. There really isn’t much it won’t attack with gusto, and if its absolute power you’re looking for from a cordless grass trimmer, this is undoubtedly a very good choice indeed.
However, I found it uncomfortable to use for long periods, and a lack of edging ability does count against it. But if neither of those are of particular concern, the EGO ST1511E-T will make a very good purchase indeed.
