DR String Trimmer Review

This is my DR string trimmer. It's not all shiny and new like you might see in other tool reviews. The machine cut acres and acres of grass and weeds without fail. The weeds behind the string trimmer were gobbled up by the trimmer mower just minutes after this photo was shot. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter

DR String Trimmer Review TIPS

• Elegant simple design and lightweight
• 22-inch cutting width
• Watch string trimmer video below
• Cut in a counterclockwise pattern in your field or yard
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My DR string trimmer is now two years old. Surprisingly it's been put to the test several times a month as long as there's no snow on the ground here in central New Hampshire.

DR String Trimmer Power

A walk-behind string trimmer is a weed-wacker on steroids. Not only is it larger than a hand-held trimmer, but it also has significantly more power. It also cuts a 22-inch-wide swath of nasty weeds or grass.

Power is your friend when you decide you want to cut down weeds taller than you in a field or large backyard!

Another key point is the engine. The engine is a Briggs & Stratton that starts each time on the first pull. 

The engine is equipped with a smart self-adjusting choke. For this reason, you can get to work faster and you save your shoulder.

In the event you like specifications, they can be found at the DR Power website.

DR String Trimmer Video

This video gives you a great overview of my machine. You'll note the machines in the video are super clean, not at all like my beast that's been hard at work for two years!

Lightweight & Simple Design

The DR string trimmer weighs only 62 pounds. I frequently lift it up onto the tailgate of my Ford F-250 Super Duty 4x4 pickup truck. 

It's important to point out that you provide the power to push the machine around your fields and yard. With this in mind, you'll appreciate how the DR engineers created such a strong machine using such little steel.

Likewise I came to admire the simple design. The engine is connected directly to a pulley. A rubber belt weaves through two other tension pulleys before it gets out to the pulley that's connected to the spinning trimmer head. Certainly you can see how fewer moving parts means fewer things can go wrong.

This is the business end of a DR string trimmer. You can see two different cutting cords. The green one has seen more service and has flayed ends. The blue twisted cord cuts better than the green one. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter

Tough Testing Conditions

Sooner or later you want to know how well the string trimmer cuts. The machine instantly impressed me.

It cut down 18-inch tall weeds like a regular lawn mower might cut 4-inch-tall dry grass. With this in mind I decided to put it to the real test.

I own 90 acres of wooded land in central New Hampshire. Eight acres of open meadow and cleared area along the driveway are here.

This is the bottom of the driveway to my 90 acres. The DR string trimmer has already cut lots of weeds. In the foreground, the field is free of tall weeds. Five-foot-tall weeds are to the left of my truck on the other side of the driveway. Despite the tall weeds and hilly ground, it only took me about three hours to cut the nearly one acre of cleared land in this photo. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter

Cutting Performance

The DR string trimmer can do a great job. A point often overlooked in other reviews is the mulching capability of the machine. When you have the engine throttle on high, the spinning 175 mil cutting cord pulls the weeds into the vortex under the head of the cutter. Weeds become fragments.

Walk slow to cut exceptionally tall weeds.

Cutting Tips

As you look down on top of the string trimmer, the spinning cutting cord rotates clockwise. The first thing to remember is you want to cut your weeds or grass in a counter clockwise pattern. The string trimmer instantly sends the cut weeds and grass out of the way.

Another key point is woody tree saplings. I was able to cut small oak saplings but it significantly reduces the life of the cutting cord.

With this in mind, if you just cut annual weeds with soft stalks, you'll soon discover the blue twisted 175 mil cutting cord can last for hours with little wear.

My Wishlist

On the negative side, I found the foam handle grip to be very inferior. Within a month of use, it fell apart. I feel most people would wear medium or lightweight work gloves. With this in mind an abrasive tape grip should be on the smooth steel handlebar.

Five Stars

In the final analysis, I feel the DR string trimmer is a tough lawn and field machine. The large diameter wheels and the machine's balance make it a dream to use on bumpy terrain like I have on my 90 acres.

As long as you keep the air filter clean and change the oil as recommended, this string trimmer will serve you well for many years.