Product test
Kärcher weed remover review – feels almost as good as brushing your teeth
by Martin Jungfer
Einhell brings out the stuffy old man in me
10.6.2023
The GE-CG 7.2 Li cordless grass shears from Einhell are quite far down our sales rankings. After putting them to the test, I think they deserve a better place.
Everything sprawls and grows, even where I don’t want it to. Our robot lawnmower keeps most of the lawn at a height of 50 mm. But it can’t reach the edges. And that’s where blades of grass stretch cheekily into the air. Too nonconformist for my liking. The stuffy old man in me reaches for the grass shears.
I work on larger areas with a Gardena trimmer. The plastic blades cut it back quickly, but they don’t allow for much accuracy. Once in a while, they come into contact with the garden wall, which makes the plastic blades wear out much quicker. What’s more, the trimmer flings out rough quantities of grass cuttings into our small fountain.
Until now, I’ve been getting down on my knees in the more difficult areas to use very basic, manual grass shears. It’s a good workout for my hand muscles but too strenuous in the long run. Which is why the article request from our buyer in the garden range came just at the right moment. She had an Einhell device and wondered if I could test it out. I could and I wanted to.
When you open the box, you’re just met with parts, but I immediately understand what they’re for. These days, that’s by no means a given. Here’s what we have:
- the device itself with the small brushless electric motor
- the factory-assembled grass cutting blade
- a shrub blade
- a charger
- instructions
I’ll ignore the latter for now – you’d probably do the same. I get started straight away.
Cutting the grass
I let the grass shears glide over the ground at a low height to cut the grass at the edge of the lawn. These point upwards very slightly. This means I avoid stones or soil getting between the blades and making them blunt too quickly. I imagine shepherds use a similar technique to shear their sheep.
The GE-CG 7.2 Li – what a name, by the way – weighs 636 g when the small grass blade is mounted. It’s a bit heavier compared with Gardena and Bosch models. However, it sits comfortably in my hand, so I don’t worry about tendinitis, even after a long cutting session. If you want to avoid back pain, I recommend the version with the telescopic handle.
Cutting branches
Changing from grass shears to shrub shears is self-explanatory. I press the knife release button with my index finger. With my other hand, I remove the grass blade. Obviously, I put the protective cap on beforehand. Safety first!
Once I’ve removed the blade, I can see inside the device. Well lubricated plastic gears turn and drive the mechanism. What I also notice is that the device isn’t completely enclosed. Remnants of grass have found their way into the mechanics. This could be a problem in the long run. In fact, the sight unsettles me so much that I fetch the user manual after all. It seems to give the all-clear: «There aren’t any parts inside the device that require maintenance.»
Mounting the longer hedge trimmer is a bit tricky. If the eccentric pin on the unit and its corresponding blade mount aren’t in the correct position, nothing clicks into place. Once again, it’s instructions to the rescue. It turns out they do actually explain how the device works in an easy-to-understand way.
Charging and maintenance
The 1.5 Ah-capacity battery stays in the device and supplies 7.2 V of power – hence the number in the device name. This gives a maximum runtime of 85 minutes. In theory. In my day-to-day test, it was more like 60 to 70 minutes. Or even less if you spend a long time cutting one piece. This drains the battery more than if you take a few minutes’ break in between.
Once you’ve finished cutting, they highly recommended you clean the blades. If the grass is dry, this is quick and easy. I remove grass residue with a soft brush and give the blades a quick wipe with a damp cloth. A few drops of oil every now and then ensures the two superimposed blades glide smoothly over each other. There are specialist products, but you can also just use a few drops of cheaper sewing machine oil.
Verdict: economical and solid
Header image: Martin Jungfer
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
