Quick verdict
A 6.5 amp corded string trimmer with a 14 inch cut path that rotates into a wheeled edger, with an automatic feed spool and a cord retention hook. It suits a small lot that an outdoor extension cord can reach, where a light tool that starts every time matters more than freedom from the cord. The caveat is light line: heavy weeds and brush are not its job.
Strengths
- 6.5 amp motor is strong for a 14 inch corded trimmer
- Rotates into a wheeled edger for a straight walk edge
- Automatic feed spool, no bumping
- Cord retention hook stops the plug pulling apart
- Light, with adjustable handle and height
- No batteries to buy, charge or replace
Weaknesses
- Needs an outdoor extension cord and an outlet within reach
- Light line, so heavy weeds and brush are out of scope
- Weight and line diameter are not stated in the listing
- Automatic feed can use line faster than a bump head
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Who this trimmer is for
A small city lot with a sidewalk edge, a few beds and a fence does not need a battery platform. It needs a light trimmer that starts every time, cuts a clean edge along the walk and costs little. The BLACK+DECKER BESTA510 is that tool: a 6.5 amp corded string trimmer with a 14 inch cut path that rotates into a wheeled edger, feeds line automatically and weighs little enough to carry in one hand. The cord is the whole trade-off. If an outdoor extension cord can reach every edge of the yard, this is one of the easiest trimmers to own.
This review is based on the maker’s published specifications and on recurring owner feedback. We have not run this product ourselves.
What you get
The trimmer arrives with its guard, an adjustable auxiliary handle and an automatic feed spool installed. The motor is rated at 6.5 amps and drives the head through what Black+Decker calls its POWERDRIVE transmission, a gear set meant to keep head speed up in thick grass. The cut path is 14 inches. The head rotates to turn the tool into an edger that runs on a small wheel along the walk. A cord retention hook holds the extension cord plug so it does not pull apart mid-pass. The listing does not state a weight or the line diameter; Black+Decker automatic feed spools in this class typically run .065 inch line, which is light by design.
Trimming and edging
A 6.5 amp corded motor is a strong motor for a 14 inch trimmer, and owners describe it handling weekly grass and the ordinary weeds along a fence without bogging. It is still light line, so stemmy weeds and thick brush are not its job. The edger mode is the feature that sells this tool: rotate the head, drop the guide wheel on the pavement and walk the edge. Owners of this design say it gives a crisper line than freehand edging with a trimmer and that the wheel makes the depth repeatable. The 14 inch swath is a good match for the motor; wider would only slow it.
Power and the cord
There is no battery to charge or run flat, and the motor delivers the same power at the end of the job as the start. The cost is an outdoor-rated extension cord, sold separately, and the discipline of keeping it behind you. For a yard that can be covered from one or two outlets this is a non-issue; for a long lot with outbuildings it is the reason to buy cordless instead. The retention hook is a small thing that owners of earlier corded models asked for, and it works.
Build, handling and ergonomics
The tool is light, plastic bodied and balanced for one-handed trimming with the auxiliary handle for control. The handle and the height both adjust, so a tall user is not stooping. Owners report the body feels less robust than a metal-shaft gas trimmer, which is fair, and that the guard does its job of keeping clippings off the shins. The rotating head latch is the part to treat gently.
Living with it
Automatic feed means no bumping, but it also means the spool advances line whenever the motor stops and starts, so idle the trigger less to save line. Replacement spools are the maker’s own, available widely, or you can wind an empty spool from bulk line of the correct diameter. Keep the eyelet clear of grass, store the trimmer hanging up, and coil the cord loosely. Black+Decker publishes a warranty for this tool; the term is on the product page.
Alternatives to Consider
The Greenworks 13 inch 4 amp corded trimmer is lighter and cheaper for a yard with only grass to trim. The Black+Decker 20V MAX 2-in-1 trimmer and edger is the cordless cousin for a lot the cord cannot reach, at the cost of runtime and battery price. A dedicated wheeled edger such as the Worx corded lawn edger gives a deeper, cleaner curb line if edging is most of the job.
Verdict
Buy the BLACK+DECKER BESTA510 if your yard is small, an outdoor cord can reach it, and you want a light trimmer with a proper wheeled edging mode and no batteries to manage. Skip it if the lot is large or broken up by outbuildings, if you fight heavy weeds, or if you already own a battery platform with a trimmer in it.
Full specifications
BLACK+DECKER BESTA510 14-Inch 6.5-Amp 2-in-1 Electric String Trimmer and Edger FAQs
No. You need an outdoor-rated extension cord long enough to reach the far edge of the yard. The listing names a cord retention hook, which holds the plug connection so it does not pull apart mid-pass.
The listing does not state the diameter. Black+Decker automatic feed spools in this class typically run .065 inch line; use the maker's replacement spools or wind an empty spool with the diameter the manual specifies.
Yes. Rotate the head, set the guide wheel on the pavement and walk the edge. Owners describe a crisper line than freehand edging. Line wears faster against concrete, so expect to use more of it on long edges.
Black+Decker does not give a weight on the listing beyond calling it lightweight. With no battery pack to carry, corded trimmers of this size are typically the lightest category of powered trimmer.
