 | Brand Troy-Bilt Model 25B-554E066 Listprice $299.00 Price $327.69 |
TROY-BILT EDGER/TRENCHER 4.0HP B&S 9 steel blade with plastic blade guard 6 position from 1/4 to 2 Trenching kit included 2 year limited warranty Boxed ....read more
Gas Powered Lawn Edger Reviews
Pricey machine undermined by cheap cable
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I purchased this unit at Lowe’s a couple of weeks ago and was a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews online, but decided with a Briggs & Stratton motor, it was probably a dependable product. Besides, the options at Sears and Home Depot weren’t any better.
Out of the box setup is a piece of cake. The unit is basically ready to go. All I had to do was swing the edger handle up into operating position and tighten the ergonomic knobs at the hingepoint. I’m happy to report that after closely following the instructions for fueling and adding oil to the unit starting the engine was a snap. I was curios to see how it would do the next several atempts, but time would tell.
A major design issue I have with this unit is the fact that the blade will always turn as long as the motor is running. There is no idle position on this machine. Also, the mechanism for depth of cut is designed so that the entire front end of the unit goes up and down instead of the blade itself. It’s possible that this would be a fine way to operate the depth of cut, but given the weight of this machine and the combursome cable and handle used to raise and lower the depth of cut, this process is just plain awkward. A mechanism raising and lowering the blade alone would have been better (but I’ll bet it wasn’t cheaper to make that way).
The actual function of the unit started out well. It made very clean simple cuts and controlling the machine’s stability wasn’t much of an issue to me. Unfortunately, after 100 feet (yes 100 FEET) of edging bliss the cable that supports the depth of cut snapped at the operating handle causing the cutting blade to contact the bare concrete of my street which as you might guess made a less than desireable racket and simoultaneously chipping and warping the cutting blade. To summarize, the cable that connects the front of the machine to the operating handles had a small hooklike fastener on the end of it which connects to the handle for raising and lowering blade depth. This small hook (made of aluminum)is cast onto the cable. The cable serves to create a natural failure point in the casting. To call this a poor design is an understatement! Needless to say this is the piece that failed/broke and ultimately caused me to return the unit to Lowe’s.
Fortunately, I had purchased the edger within the last 30 days so Lowe’s gave me no problems with the return.
In short, The motor seemed operate flawlessly for the short time I used it, but poorly designed mechanisms on the device really undermine what could be a pretty decent machine. Since your considering spending this much on an edger anyway, just pony up a few more bucks and buy a McLane. It also has a B&S motor but the rest of the unit is built for long term use. My father in law has a McLane that he bought over 20 years ago. I’m buying an edger because I’m tired of having to borrow his. Additionally, the McLane has more features than this unit.
Wonderful lawn edger
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased the Troy-Bilt 554 lawn edger yesterday with some concern based upon some of the other reviews here, however, I am pleased to report that this edger started on the second pull and performed flawlessly. My only prior experience with edgers were the Black & Decker electric models which are very difficult to use and can result in blistered hands if not wearing gloves. Using the Troy-Bilt was so much easier and faster that it was a pleasure to use. In addition, it results in a much cleaner edge and took about 1/5 the time. No regrets so far with this purchase!Troy-Bilt 25B-554E066 158cc Briggs & Stratton 500 Series Gas Powered Lawn Edger With Curb Wheel
Best Edger I have ever used!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had them all Mclane, Craftsman, and Ariens. This is easily the best edger I have ever used. It starts on the first pull everytime and has amazing torque and power. I prefer the simplicity of not having a clutch or a throttle because it is just something to break. It edges my grass perfectly without having to make two passes. I find it hard to believe there are so many starting complaints. It could be and is highly likely Troy Bilt has corrected the starting problems because the newer models do not have the problem any more.
Better than expected
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After reading the reviews, I was sceptical. But I bought it anyway. Was I surprised. This edger starts on one pull every time, and does not quit. Had a hand held edger before and this edger is way better. Easier to operate and does a better job. I heartily recommend it.
Buzinga
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have a different take on this little edger. I bought mine from a local guy who sells yard stuff along the road a mile from my house. ( I know, it sounds stupid )He gets stuff people have returned to Lowes, Sears, etc., and does what needs to be done during the winter, then sells them. It looked new, did not even have any oil in it yet, and I brought it home for $120. But, would it start and actually “edge” ???
After I put in some new gas, put in the right oil and pushed in the rubber carburator doodad 3 times, within a few pulls, it popped right off. I did not get a manual with this machine, so I had to guess at a few things. I have never edged a yard, nor seen it done, but, hey, it isn’t rocket science!. So, I got started. It worked pretty well. My thick sod was quite moist and I think this machine will work better when the sod is drier. I stalled it a few times, but that was my fault. After I got used to everything, it all went pretty well. I probably edged between 125-150 feet of driveway in less than an hour. The first time there is a lot of sod and heavy stuff to clear. I suspect it will be smooth sailing next time.
So, to recap, got a good deal on an edger. It works well. It starts, it edges. It is easy to use. Buzinga!
Poor Quality & Horrible Support
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I have owned this product for less than 1 year. This morning, I couldn’t get it to stay running even after changing the plug, cleaning the air filter and changing out the fuel. I called support. They told me the issue is with the carburetor and that I would have to deal with Brigg & Stratton…and there is nothing they can do. I will be taking it to a nearby service provider to get fixed but if I had it to do over again, I would have purchased a Craftsman. The last Craftsman edger I owned lasted over 10 years without any of the issues that this one seems to have. The support for this product stinks!! btw, the warranty is 2 years for the edger and 1 year on the engine. Troy will cover any issues NOT related to the engine. It is like buying a car from Toyota and they tell you that the “sudden acceleration” issue is someone elses problem and is not covered by their warranty. Caveat Emptor!!
Poor Carburetor
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I will agree with many others on this site. The unit is hard to start and will not run after a short operating time. The reason is the carburetor. The thing is poorly designed and Troy-Bilt and Briggs & Stratton will not stand behind this product.
The unit comes with a two year warranty which is one reason I bought it. But when it does not start or run and you take it in they will tell you it is a carburetor problem and that it is your fault for using bad / dirty gas. They will not honor the warranty. The same gas that runs your mower, weed whacker, chain saw, pressure washer and generator just fine. They also fail to mention that the gas cap is indeed vented. The usual repair charge is $60 but after only getting 6 difficult starting uses in less than 6 months I returned it for a refund.
I have never received such rude customer service as I did from Troy-Bilt. Something tells me they are used to hearing about the poor performance of this unit.
Caveat Emptor
I am looking at a McClane now.
Not worth the packing it came in.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Lowe’s, Troy-Bilt and Briggs Stratton are name brands and you expect quality. This edger not only missed the mark, it did not even find the page. Saying it is difficult to start is being way too nice. I took it back to Lowe’s once for the starting problem. Rather than 30 attempts to start it, it was now 15-20 attempts. I took it back to Lowe’s again, and now they want to charge for the repair. Before taking it back to Lowe’s the second time, I took it to a local small engine repair. They quickly diagnosed the problem as a defective carburetor and said Lowe’s should warranty the repair. When the primer bulb is pushed, it should shoot gas into the carburetor throat. Mine shoots the gas onto the outside wall, no where near intot he carburetor. The cheap plastic carburetor is the issue. It is probably the same issue with most of the hard start problems. Sad that it appears Lowe’s Service does not stand behind their product.
Impossible to start
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
As has been noted by other reviewers, this edger is very hard to start. Priming 10-15 times helps but not always. After a year of frustration, I gave it away.
Operates like a dream
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Put on handle,filled with oil & fuel and it started on the first pull out of the box.This only could be easier if it edged the lawn itself!.I could not be more pleased with the purchase.i have used it the entire season with no trouble and it does the job in 20 minutes.
Received DOA (dead on arrival). Ouch baby…
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased the Troy-Bilt 158cc Briggs & Stratton 500 Series Gas Powered Lawn Edger. The order was fulfilled by Amazon. When it arrived, the box was a bit banged up but not bad enough in my opinion to refuse delivery. A day later I opened the box…
I was shocked how badly it was packed. No filling, no stuffing, just the bare edger floating in a thin box with no paperwork (no owners manual, no warranty, nothing). I also noticed the pull start assembly on top was deformed – most likely due to the packaging, no telling how many times it bounced around on its way to me. So I attempted to dry start the unit; shocks; it wouldn’t even turn.
When I contacted Amazon, they told me no return on this unit. I attempted to argue that it was DOA. They said they would not accept return of hazardous materials. Interesting take on their part… It was okay for them to ship out hazardous materials but not accept the same in return – though no oil or gasoline was ever poured into the unit.
Since they would not reconsider, I did the next best thing I could – I contacted my credit card company and disputed the charge. We’ll see where it goes…
All in all, I cannot rate the edger because I could never start it. It may be a great unit. I can certainly rate Amazon, and it’s not looking good for them.
Junk
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Ever since Troy-Bilt sold out to the same company that makes Yard Machines and MTD junk their name has been in the toilet, and with good reason.
If you want the quality Troy-Bilt used to be known for, go buy a McLane or Little Wonder edger. Yes, you will pay more. If you are wealthy, buy a Tanaka and be happy for the rest of your life.
On the plus side, any of the aforementioned brands have this advantage over the Troy-Bilt: you won’t have them out on your front sidewalk with a “free” sign on them next season.
Disappointing Product
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased this unit at Lowes on 3/18/2009 to replace a worn-out Craftsman unit that was 20 years old. I purchased the Troy-Built because of prior satifaction with another Troy-Built product, a backpack leaf blower.
I was disappointed with several features of this product after I got it home and tried to use it. 1) As others have commented, the engine is quite reluctant to start, requiring much more priming than the manual would lead you to believe. 2) There is no choke or throttle control. 3) There is no blade clutch which means that the bail has to be held at all times for the engine to start or run, and the blade is turning at all times that the engine is running. 4) The blade turns forward which means that it tends to pull the tool away from the operator, making control more difficult since the operator is pushing the tool at the same time the blade is pulling it. 5) The first time I used the tool, it threw the belt; re-installing it was more tedious than necessary. 6) The right rear wheel is intended to be height adjustable so as to control the angle when edging along a curb. This adjustment requires pulling a metal finger in-ward with one hand while the right rear of the tool is raised off of the ground, presumably gravity would then pull the wheel downward to the proper placement. My example, required a hammer to attempt to knock the wheel into the next notch. This technique also requires either two people or three hands. It cannot be done two handed.
Overall, this was not what I expected from a company with a reputation as good as Troy Built. It is possible that I just got a bad unit, but having successfully returned to Lowe’s with no hassle at all, I think that I will shop around some more to find the features that I think are necessary.
The best ever
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended……….. I’ve had 3 lawn edger. This is the best one so far. It’s so easy to use that my wife can edge the yard. It has lots of power – easy to push, quite, does the job quickley. We found ours at Lowes.
Supplier Service Unsatisfactory
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The unit itself functions well with some practice. The supplier however has performed poorly:
1) Missing trencher unit which was to be included in the price
2) No O&M manual
3) No warrantee paperwork
4) Poor packaging for shipping – damaged parts
Did get a response from the supplier but nothing has been resolved.
Edges well.. but hard starting
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I just purchased a Troy-Bilt 4HP triple blade Edger at Lowes yesterday. The unit edges well. We have a long driveway (500 ft.) with lots of curves, and I believe we can keep grass from growing into the driveway with this unit. On the downside, I’ve only tried to start it a couple times, with poor success both times. Right out of the box, it took about 15 pulls to start the first time. After running for several minutes, I released the safety bar, which kills the engine (there is no clutch to stop the blade… releasing the bar kills the engine). Then, with the engine already warm from just runing, it took another 10-15 pulls to re-start. The unit has no choke, only a primer bulb which I believe contributes to hard starting. Zapped by “big brother” again!
UPDATE: After using this edger for about 2 months, I believe my rating to be a little to hard. The problem is that the number of pump primes needed to start the machine cold is considerably more than stated in the instructions, at least on my edger. The instructions written on the edger say to pump it 3X. The instructions in the users manual say to pump the primer 6X. By experience, I’ve learned that if I pump it 12X, it usually starts on the first pull. As long as I know this, it is not really a problem. Our driveway is 450 feet long, so requires 900 feet of edging total (because there are two sides). The edger does a good job. However, it will only dig a maximum of 2 1/4″. This is lower than other edgers I’ve used. Because the edge of our drive is higher than the ground, if I edgw with the wheels on the hard driveway surface per the instructions, I can only dig less than an inch deep. If I want to edge deeper (up to 2 1/4″), I have to have the wheels on the ground. This is contrary to the instructions, but works. Because I’m satisfied with the edger, and have overcome the initial starting problem, I would change my rating to a 4.0 if amazon allowed that.