Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The automatic spool feed systems is such a rip off (money pit). Spools are very, very expensive and the system just spews out the line whether or not you need it. This is why there's a small blade underneath to trim the excess line. Method 1: To prove my theory, run the motor intermittently by just squeezing the trigger and releasing it, squeeze and release, squeeze and release. Then you'll hear all the excess line banging on the shield because it's not being cut off by the blade. I found this out when trying to cut a small amount of grass between flowers. Method 2: Or cover the blade so that the cutting edge is not expose and you'll see how much line is being wasted by the auto feeding system. In theory, when the line cuts grass, a small tip of the line breaks off and the line is consumed. However, the auto feeder has no way of telling if you need more line, or none at all so it just send it out anyway - and a lot more than you really need. Bumping is the more economical way to go. But Black and Deckers doesn't do bumping. When they say "auto feed spool - no need to bump" it's just a marketing term to blind you to the fact that you're being taken for your money. Another option is to get your own line and re-spool the line yourself. However, you'll notice that it jams quite often or doesn't work unless it's spooled with precision. You'll also notice how much line you can get for a lot less money. So it begs the question: why are spools so expensive then? After all, aren't they just plastic? And with scales of economics and made in China dynamics, shouldn't a 3 spool package cost around $4.99? But it's a lot higher than that. So now you know that this is just a money game and you're on the losing end. What the auto feed system really needs is control that allows you to adjust how much line is feed out. In this way, you can set it to use a lot more line or a lot less - because your projects needs, grass, bushes, weeds, etc, varies, and you may have different requirements. One size certainly does not fit all.