Tool Box Buzz

Kress 60V Line Trimmer Model KC100.9

Kress has launched an impressive list of commercial outdoor power equipment here in the US. The new KG100 Commercial 60V Cordless Line Trimmer nicely compliments the Kress 60V 21″ Self-Propelled Mower and Kress 60V Backpack Blower that we’ve recently reviewed. Like the other equipment from Kress that we’ve used this cordless string trimmer is built with the commercial landscaper in mind.

Features and Specifications

• Battery: 60V
• Brushless Motor
• Cutting Speed: 4200/5100/5900 rpm
• Cutting Diameter: 16.5″
• Line Diameter: 0.095″/0.105″ (2.4 / 2.7 mm) nylon line
• Water Protection: IPX4
• Tool Weight (Bare Tool): 9.9 lbs
• Available Batteries: KAC802 60V CyberPack 2Ah or KAC804 4Ah

The Kress line trimmer has been designed with professional landscapers and maintenance crews in mind. The commercial brushless motor delivers 1.2kW of power which is equivalent to a 30cc 2-stroke gas powered trimmer. The trimmer motor can be adjusted with 3 speed settings to maximize power and run-time depending on the application.

It includes a heavy-duty non-flexible steel driveshaft for long term durability. It also includes an aluminum gearhead. The Kress line trimmer has an IPX4 waterproof rating allowing users the ability to work in wet conditions such a rain. In addition, the Quick-load trimmer head includes a 30 foot spool capacity reducing the need to re-string it as often.

The controls are large and easy to use. There is a simple on/off button along with two buttons to increase/decrease the head speed. A large easy to grasp trigger makes for a comfortable operation.

Available Options

We reviewed the basic setup with none of the available options. However, you can purchase separately a harness to help support the weight of the tool (which I honestly think should come standard as this is a pretty heavy trimmer), and you can get battery backpack harness, which can allow you to use an 11 Ah battery for heavy duty use and longer run-time.

You can also purchase a 4″ cutter head and also a knife blade attachment, both sold separately.

Battery Options and Charging

The 60V Kress line trimmer can operate on both of their battery configurations of 4 Ah and 11 Ah. We tested the trimmer using the 4 Ah battery attached to the unit. In order to use an 11 Ah pack you’ll need to buy the battery backpack harness.

The heart of these new Kress Commercial OPE are their 8-Minute CybeSystem batteries. For the serious commercial landscaper they can purchase the CyberTank DC-DC charger. The CyberTank is essential a very large battery, 5040 Wh or 7200 Wh depending on model, that can quickly charge the the smaller 4.0Ah or 11.0Ah multiple times throughout the day. The DC-DC charging is extrememly efficient and fast as the energy requires no conversion and a large amount of power can be transfered from one battery to another quickly. The CyberTank gets charged typically overnight from an AC power source that takes 4-6 hours. This can easily be mounted on a trailer allowing the batteries to be quickly charged in the time it takes to drive to the next jobsite.

These batteries come with a 6 year (commercial use) warranty or 3,000 cycles warranty which is really quite impressive. 3,000 cycles. If you charge that battery once a day, 5 days a week, that’s nearly 23 years!! Obviously they are very sure of this battery platform and stand by it!

Performance

The Kress Commercial 60V Line Trimmer is a beast! It’s a commercial grade tool from top to bottom. Packed with power, great ergonomics and simple controls. It’s well built and comparable to any other professional trimmer I’ve used. I trimmed a very large yard multiple times on the same battery charge. When you consider that 8 minute full charge with this system it’s hard to even worry about run-time, managing a large group of batteries, or the other challenges previous cordless solutions presented.

Cost

Obviously commercial outdoor power equipment is typically expensive and an investment. This new line of Kress equipment is certainly an investment but the long term savings in fuel and maintenance can’t be overlooked. If you’re a professional landscaper there will be some overlap with chargers and batteries. I’m not including the CyberTank Portable Power Station as we’ll have another article focusing on that. Here are the listed prices on what we tested for this stand alone mower.

• Line Trimmer – KC100.9 – $349.99
• KAC840 Dual Port Charger – $779.99
• KAC804 4 Ah CyberPack Battery – $549.99

As a stand alone setup you’d be looking at roughly a $1,700 investment. With the current pricing of fuel this certainly isn’t a terrible proposition along with the warranty that comes with the trimmer and battery.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been reviewing power tools long enough to remember a few huge transitions in our industry. Kress has unlocked a major transition in OPE with this 60V lineup that is sure to revolutionize this industry. This is the real deal and something that will certainly disrupt this sector. Landscapers and professional lawn-care companies, especially ones working in areas that cannot use gasoline powered engines should take this new product seriously. When you combine really good quality with superior engineering you’ve got a winner. Kress has hit a home-run!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.