Nice review, I have the 135R battery and the 111RX , both models are in line as the same performance and weight. I use the AP300s which provides 45 min runtime. The 111RX gas is 1 hour. Both are Weather-resistant design meaning you can work in all weather. If you wrap your gas then wrap the battery. I did a couple reviews last year, about to hit that 1 year mark and will review it again on my channel.
Two issues with the 135R. First, it's difficult to run at low rpm. The "throttle" is touchy in the lower rpm range. The best way to use it if you don't need a lot of power is to set it on the lowest of the 3 settings, then just squeeze the trigger and run it wide open; I'm still getting used to this. Second, I still miss the balance of say, a 94r. This thing, with a 300s on board, is very unbalanced; the bulk of the weight is, of course, on the motor/battery end. So there are trade-offs. I gotta admit, quiet and no smoke is nice. I'm only a residential user, not a pro, and I've actually begun using a 200 in it. It's a pound lighter than the 300s, so the balance is better, and it provides more than enough runtime for my yard. Don't buy it sight unseen; heft it in-store (with a 300s) before purchasing. Also, City Scapes lawn care has good in-depth reviews on this trimmer.
I didn't realize the 200 was a pound lighter... that's very interesting. I'll check out that city scapes in depth video and see what those guys have to say.
I have the 135 but with other configuration mostly for shrubs I not have much grass, it works great, just in the battery matters I use the AP500s and have the AP300S as back up. The down side is that even those batteries don't last long. But yes it work great and comfortable.
Maintenance is not a bad word. It means you can maintain the piece of gear. Things can go wrong, but they can be fixed. Electric on the other hand is pass/fail. Great while it works. But hard to fix by yourself.
You mention about the batteries got hot, yes it sure happen it has happen to me with 135 Trimmer and with chainsaws 220C and MSA 300 and the worse is that even been near the house on a hot day it takes my charger 500 almost 20 minutes to cool-off the battery so it can start charging back again.
In spite of following the recommended Stihl winterizing precautions and buying expensive premixed fuel my pricey Stihl chainsaw and string trimmer never run properly in the spring following winter storage. Never, not once!…..New carburetors have been the only solution. I’m glad I don’t have to deal with them on a daily basis. We’re changing to Dewalt electric with two batteries.
I've had really tough luck winterizing gas stihl equipment. It's brutal! The best thing I feel like you can do is to take the machines out and let them run for a good 15 minutes at least once a month. I've had better luck with sea foam over stabil.
I’m a bit of an idiot and I’m obviously lazy. I have a stihl ms291 chainsaw and a stihl fs50c trimmer. Not once have I ever taken any steps to winterize them. The saw usually sits for a year or sometimes more, but the trimmer gets a lot of use in the spring and summer. All I’ve ever done to the saw is put fresh gas in it and it takes a few pulls and it fires right up. The trimmer has an easy start system and it usually starts on the second pull. So I guess I’ve been lucky! I also live in south western Canada so our winters are fairly mild and those tools live in my unheated garage. I’ve always mixed my own gas and this year I finally did some maintenance to the poor saw like cleaning and filter changes. The trimmer has had some shaft bearing changes and been thru a couple of heads and the stop switch no longer works (stops with the choke though). So I’ve been lucky, however I plan on replacing these tools with their battery counter parts just for ease of use and simple maintenance. It sucks that you guys have had those issues.
Great review Zach! I love and own the husqvarna ones! Thinking about venturing into the Stihl line up also not sure yet. The husqvarna ones have very good run times and battery options.
Thanks Darwin! I haven't ever really paid much attention to th husqvarna ones. They make great equipment though. It would be interesting to run a few next to eachother and see how they do. Thanks for the comment 👍
In my opinion the biggest difference is noise for the neighbors in residential areas. Maybe wellbeing of the operator in terms of noise, exhaust and vibrations. Total cost of ownership fro gas trimmer will be less than electric. AP 300 battery costs 200$, you can get 50 gallons of fuel for a price of one battery. In commercial setting you need several batteries, and electricity might be cheaper, but is not free. Not sure if there are any fuel savings. If you use fresh fuel mix (not older than one month), sparkplug and air filter can last for a decade. I have fs 131 with bicycle handles, on my 3 acre property. I have an old lawn tractor, but it is usually broken, and Stihl fs 131 is used for all area. I use metal blade for overgrown grass it is way faster, way easier on the engine and fuel tank lasts 2 or 3 times longer comparing to using string. When using string in tall grass I need to go slow and run on full throttle all the time and 700ml gas tank, lasts less than one hour. If I use sharp blade in the same grass, I need to barely touch the throttle, and that thing goes on full RPM, it takes less time to cover the same area, and the same 700ml fuel tank lasts 2 to 3 hours. For a weekend warrior with a fs 131 It takes maybe half a gallon and a weekend to cut overgrown grass on 3 acre property using a sharp blade. 30 year old 13hp lawn tractor (if it runs) consumes much more on the same area and per hour. I consume only 3 to 5 gallons of mixed fuel per year in chainsaw and trimmer combined.
I did back when we first purchased it. I figured it would take a year to pay for itself plus 1 extra battery. Next season it will cost only to charge it. When I calculated I accounted for the mix oil + average fuel for the year for the amount of fuel we used previously in the fs91r.
I would agree with buying a used electric ⚡️ unit I would want the warranty many issues can happen with an electric unit. I will take the gas unit over the electric at least at this point
Thank you so much for being honest. I'm just getting into the landscaping business and the reality is when you have jobs to do you cannot rely on battery-powered products like you can the products that are gas powered. There's just so much hype around the battery-powered products. Don't get me wrong they're going to be great for a homeowner to do his lawn and his lawn alone. But not for landscaping professionalism
For a while now there’s only one mindset acceptable. The one question should be: is there a way to avoid burning stuff to get the job done. If there is an alternative, go for that. If there isn’t, wait for it.
Will it kill your truck in between properties if you are charging a battery with the truck off for say 30 mins to an hour. My diesel truck has 2 big automotive batteries.
Great video I have a weed eater, edger ,hedge trimmer’s and a pole saw each 135 from stihl 4 batteries ap 300 I am working solo and I do have encover trailer with 100 watts solar panels from harbor freight so I do charge the batteries all day long no problem the weed eater works on tall grass and weekly yards it has plenty power, quick and powerful for me it works every penny , I used before the 250 from stihl tu cut tall grass now no need it the batteries time run is similar to refill the gas tank so do you really are using the electric tools or just gesin
We really do use the electric every day. I can do 3-5 lawns usually on a tank of gas in the fs91r and 2-3 on one battery in the fsa 135r with the ap300. Which gas trimmer are you comparing to? Sounds like you have a super nice setup!
have you used ego tools? im trying to deice what to do, i have a bit of ego but looking to buy a new blower and edger and not sure if i should stick with ego or switch to stihl. im doing about 15 homes rn
@@bladezllc I love it so far. The 2600 is just as powerful as an echo 2620 but even lighter than my stihl Fs-94 which is one of the lightest around; the 2100 is about like an srm-210 or 225 but it does good as a blade edger for maintained properties. The batt handheld blower is as strong or slightly better than a BG-86, not great for leaf cleanups but amazing for weekly maintenance yards. I also like how if needed can buy the batteries at Home Depot or on eBay, and the tools actually come with a battery and charger unlike Stihl and husqvarna where they’re all sold separately.
Battery trimmers are not a job to job work horse 🐎 I have this trimmer just for my yard because I got tired 🥱 of the gas maintenance. I am getting to old and this 401k money is burning a hole 🕳️ in my pocket 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
![THE FUTURE OF LAWN CARE? LET'S SEE.. [STIHL FSA 135R BATTERY TRIMMER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IQzEv7HSJmk/mqdefault.jpg)
No one d ever talks about how much these batteries cost to replace after they won't charge anymore
Best trimmer comparison I've seen on TH-cam. Thanks
Thank you! I appreciate that!
Nice review, I have the 135R battery and the 111RX , both models are in line as the same performance and weight. I use the AP300s which provides 45 min runtime. The 111RX gas is 1 hour.
Both are Weather-resistant design meaning you can work in all weather. If you wrap your gas then wrap the battery. I did a couple reviews last year, about to hit that 1 year mark and will review it again on my channel.
I've had some people tell me about your review video. I will most definitely check it out. Thanks for the comment 👍 and the view!
Two issues with the 135R. First, it's difficult to run at low rpm. The "throttle" is touchy in the lower rpm range. The best way to use it if you don't need a lot of power is to set it on the lowest of the 3 settings, then just squeeze the trigger and run it wide open; I'm still getting used to this. Second, I still miss the balance of say, a 94r. This thing, with a 300s on board, is very unbalanced; the bulk of the weight is, of course, on the motor/battery end. So there are trade-offs. I gotta admit, quiet and no smoke is nice. I'm only a residential user, not a pro, and I've actually begun using a 200 in it. It's a pound lighter than the 300s, so the balance is better, and it provides more than enough runtime for my yard. Don't buy it sight unseen; heft it in-store (with a 300s) before purchasing. Also, City Scapes lawn care has good in-depth reviews on this trimmer.
I didn't realize the 200 was a pound lighter... that's very interesting. I'll check out that city scapes in depth video and see what those guys have to say.
Maybe you get a bad one my work perfect or do you now how to used
I have the 135 but with other configuration mostly for shrubs I not have much grass, it works great, just in the battery matters I use the AP500s and have the AP300S as back up. The down side is that even those batteries don't last long. But yes it work great and comfortable.
Maintenance is not a bad word. It means you can maintain the piece of gear. Things can go wrong, but they can be fixed. Electric on the other hand is pass/fail. Great while it works. But hard to fix by yourself.
This is the eternal issue with electric anything. Easier to change a carb than replace a capacitor.
Gas ⛽️ who? I'm now fully electric. I never want to see a gas can again except for winter ckean ups with gas blowers.
Got a brand new fsa135. Had a meltdown almost rite away... Bad batch of glue on the windings apparently...
Hopefully, stihl took care of that. I'm sorry to hear that though. We've had great luck with ours.
You mention about the batteries got hot, yes it sure happen it has happen to me with 135 Trimmer and with chainsaws 220C and MSA 300 and the worse is that even been near the house on a hot day it takes my charger 500 almost 20 minutes to cool-off the battery so it can start charging back again.
I would say that's probably the biggest downfall with the system. It really leaves you stranded sometimes...
In spite of following the recommended Stihl winterizing precautions and buying expensive premixed fuel my pricey Stihl chainsaw and string trimmer never run properly in the spring following winter storage. Never, not once!…..New carburetors have been the only solution. I’m glad I don’t have to deal with them on a daily basis. We’re changing to Dewalt electric with two batteries.
I've had really tough luck winterizing gas stihl equipment. It's brutal! The best thing I feel like you can do is to take the machines out and let them run for a good 15 minutes at least once a month. I've had better luck with sea foam over stabil.
I’m a bit of an idiot and I’m obviously lazy. I have a stihl ms291 chainsaw and a stihl fs50c trimmer. Not once have I ever taken any steps to winterize them. The saw usually sits for a year or sometimes more, but the trimmer gets a lot of use in the spring and summer. All I’ve ever done to the saw is put fresh gas in it and it takes a few pulls and it fires right up. The trimmer has an easy start system and it usually starts on the second pull. So I guess I’ve been lucky! I also live in south western Canada so our winters are fairly mild and those tools live in my unheated garage. I’ve always mixed my own gas and this year I finally did some maintenance to the poor saw like cleaning and filter changes. The trimmer has had some shaft bearing changes and been thru a couple of heads and the stop switch no longer works (stops with the choke though). So I’ve been lucky, however I plan on replacing these tools with their battery counter parts just for ease of use and simple maintenance. It sucks that you guys have had those issues.
Mine starts like a charm. Use no ethanol and run it dry every fall. 10+ years commercial use original stihl carbs.
Great review Zach! I love and own the husqvarna ones! Thinking about venturing into the Stihl line up also not sure yet. The husqvarna ones have very good run times and battery options.
Thanks Darwin! I haven't ever really paid much attention to th husqvarna ones. They make great equipment though. It would be interesting to run a few next to eachother and see how they do. Thanks for the comment 👍
In my opinion the biggest difference is noise for the neighbors in residential areas. Maybe wellbeing of the operator in terms of noise, exhaust and vibrations.
Total cost of ownership fro gas trimmer will be less than electric. AP 300 battery costs 200$, you can get 50 gallons of fuel for a price of one battery. In commercial setting you need several batteries, and electricity might be cheaper, but is not free. Not sure if there are any fuel savings. If you use fresh fuel mix (not older than one month), sparkplug and air filter can last for a decade.
I have fs 131 with bicycle handles, on my 3 acre property. I have an old lawn tractor, but it is usually broken, and Stihl fs 131 is used for all area. I use metal blade for overgrown grass it is way faster, way easier on the engine and fuel tank lasts 2 or 3 times longer comparing to using string.
When using string in tall grass I need to go slow and run on full throttle all the time and 700ml gas tank, lasts less than one hour. If I use sharp blade in the same grass, I need to barely touch the throttle, and that thing goes on full RPM, it takes less time to cover the same area, and the same 700ml fuel tank lasts 2 to 3 hours. For a weekend warrior with a fs 131 It takes maybe half a gallon and a weekend to cut overgrown grass on 3 acre property using a sharp blade.
30 year old 13hp lawn tractor (if it runs) consumes much more on the same area and per hour. I consume only 3 to 5 gallons of mixed fuel per year in chainsaw and trimmer combined.
Thanks for the video. How do you find doing edging with the saftey /speed selector button?
That thing isn't bad when you are edging or trimming. Occasionally, you'll bump it with your hip when walking around.
@@bladezllc thank you
Hi Bladez, have you done a calculation on how much money in fuel you save using electric vs. gas powered trimmers?
I did back when we first purchased it. I figured it would take a year to pay for itself plus 1 extra battery. Next season it will cost only to charge it. When I calculated I accounted for the mix oil + average fuel for the year for the amount of fuel we used previously in the fs91r.
I would agree with buying a used electric ⚡️ unit I would want the warranty many issues can happen with an electric unit. I will take the gas unit over the electric at least at this point
Yes the warranty is a must with electric anything!
@@bladezllc 💯
Thank you so much for being honest. I'm just getting into the landscaping business and the reality is when you have jobs to do you cannot rely on battery-powered products like you can the products that are gas powered. There's just so much hype around the battery-powered products. Don't get me wrong they're going to be great for a homeowner to do his lawn and his lawn alone. But not for landscaping professionalism
But what about her lawn?
For a while now there’s only one mindset acceptable. The one question should be: is there a way to avoid burning stuff to get the job done. If there is an alternative, go for that. If there isn’t, wait for it.
Will it kill your truck in between properties if you are charging a battery with the truck off for say 30 mins to an hour. My diesel truck has 2 big automotive batteries.
I doubt it will kill them , I think you'd be fine. It hasn't happened to me yet with my 1 battery.
@@bladezllcok cool. Thanks for the speedy reply. You are the first to reply in 2 days of asking people 😊
Huh. I had no idea Stihl made electric trimmers. That’s cool. Our gas Stihl is nothing but a pain so might have to look into that.
Definitely worth looking into! The electric has been working excellent 👌
Great video I have a weed eater, edger ,hedge trimmer’s and a pole saw each 135 from stihl 4 batteries ap 300 I am working solo and I do have encover trailer with 100 watts solar panels from harbor freight so I do charge the batteries all day long no problem the weed eater works on tall grass and weekly yards it has plenty power, quick and powerful for me it works every penny , I used before the 250 from stihl tu cut tall grass now no need it the batteries time run is similar to refill the gas tank so do you really are using the electric tools or just gesin
We really do use the electric every day. I can do 3-5 lawns usually on a tank of gas in the fs91r and 2-3 on one battery in the fsa 135r with the ap300. Which gas trimmer are you comparing to? Sounds like you have a super nice setup!
have you used ego tools? im trying to deice what to do, i have a bit of ego but looking to buy a new blower and edger and not sure if i should stick with ego or switch to stihl. im doing about 15 homes rn
I have not used ego... I know they are pretty decent, though. The stihl is nice but expensive, and the weight does take some getting used to.
Any mechanic will tell you less moving parts equals less repairs
100% 👊
@@bladezllc I'm just starting out but went all battery powered with a RMA510, FSA90R and BGA200
@@brandonhiggs88 Mower, Trimmer and Blower. That's excellent! I bet that setup will treat you well.
@@brandonhiggs88I’ve just started using a RMA510 on jobs also. Finding the lack of power slowing me down sometimes. How are you going?
@@CrisPearson honestly haven't had any issues, are you running in eco mode?
I recently went battery, I wish I could’ve gone with stihl but price point just wasn’t good as well as availability, so I ended up getting Echo.
I looked at the echo as well before purchasing the stihl . It definitely felt a bit cheaper, but Excellent Price Point! Do you like the echo?
@@bladezllc I love it so far. The 2600 is just as powerful as an echo 2620 but even lighter than my stihl Fs-94 which is one of the lightest around; the 2100 is about like an srm-210 or 225 but it does good as a blade edger for maintained properties. The batt handheld blower is as strong or slightly better than a BG-86, not great for leaf cleanups but amazing for weekly maintenance yards. I also like how if needed can buy the batteries at Home Depot or on eBay, and the tools actually come with a battery and charger unlike Stihl and husqvarna where they’re all sold separately.
Just the fact you're using an open trailer should be enough to not recommend the electric.
Tell me why that matters? I use an enclosed now, by the way, but I'd like to hear.
@@bladezllc I thought you mentioned in the video that if it started raining you had to put the electric trimmer in the cab to avoid it getting wet.
@user-dq8kk9xu2m I'm sure enough water would do it damage, but mine has been through a few rain storms and been fine.
Exactly 111 is lighter than the 91 r.
Battery trimmers are not a job to job work horse 🐎 I have this trimmer just for my yard because I got tired 🥱 of the gas maintenance. I am getting to old and this 401k money is burning a hole 🕳️ in my pocket 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂