Black & Decker GL720 Reviews
Latest Reviews
“One of the disappointed CUSTOMERSSS ”
Written on: 20/11/2012 by aziqt
Im sooo very sad wth ths product tht it got me writing a review abt ths rubbish.. I encountered the same probs as stated above by all customers. Jst telling to the the others who's planning to buy ths s**t to frgt abt it. Product doesnt fit the so-called vry good brand. Feelng like holding a rally against b (read more)
“Motor OK. Drive mechanism to cutter very weak.”
Written on: 23/07/2012
Drive mechanism broken after limited use without abuse. Very poor design. 5 stars? Sure until it, so easily, breaks. I'm going to bin it & buy another brand. Avoid at all costs. (read more)
“RUBISH! RUBISH! RUBISH !”
Written on: 22/06/2012
BOUGHT THIS FROM B&Q JUST UNDER A YEAR AGO (ON SALE),NOW I KNOW WHY. USED ABOUT 6 TIMES THEN IT STOPPED WORKING! MOTOR RUNS BUT SPOOL NOT TURNING. TURNS OUT THE DRIVE WHEEL HAS MELTED AND SO THE BELT CAME OFF. I REALLY WISH I HAD READ THE REVIEWS ON THIS ITEM BEFORE PURCHASE AS IT SEEMS TO BE A FAULT IN DESIGN WITH THIS WHEEL AND IT HAS NOW BEEN DISCONTINUED. BUT B&Q SAY ITS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM AND WONT EXCHANGE IT.EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE RECIEPT. HAVE CONTACTED BLACK & DECKER BY EMAIL... (read more)
“Works great!”
Written on: 07/06/2012 by bvdubs (2 reviews written)
Works great and cuts weeds, ect very well! I have had no problems at all. Good quality strimmer. (read more)
“Black and Decker NEVER AGAIN on my shopping list.”
Written on: 12/04/2012 by darkh0rse
Had the GL720 (Type 1 / last made May 2007) and bought in 2008 or 2009 (I am not sure). As I have "other" cord cutting machines ( B & D GL690 mainly for edging AND a large Petrol Husqvarna for scrub and heavy weed infestation)the GL720 was a medium size machine to use when trying to not disturb the neighbours. The amount of use has been probably 2 hours per summer and assuming 2008 then three summers equals 6 hrs use. This year ten minutes and guess what? The cutter no longer worked but... (read more)
“broken belt, broken nylon pulley.rubbish product”
Written on: 11/04/2012
Had this product for 6 months then belt broke, Pulley teeth stripped. Phone all spare suppliers and and was told I had to replace the entire motor at a cost of £45.00 phone Black and Decker they will replace and upgrade parts all I have to do is pay for courier to Liverpool ;. I live in London;. COME ON BLACK AND DECKER GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER ITS A DESIGN FAULT have bought a Ryobi 1000W Electric Line Trimmer RLT1000EX fantastic strimmer only cost £65.00 (read more)
“Useless”
Written on: 20/03/2012
Had 2 and both have packed in within a year, utterly useless piece of junk (read more)
“AVOID THIS PIECE OF RUBBISH”
Written on: 08/08/2011 by chefski08
Belt broke after 10 mins, replaced, Drive wheel broke, replced , Gaurd shattered, this has to be the worst b & d product I have ever bought. Cheap badly made chinese rubbish (read more)
“Rubbish - has totally undermined my faith in Black and...”
Written on: 30/07/2011
The belt broke on my first model within minutes of starting to use it. I brought it back to the shop, and they replaced it with my current unit, advising me to use it very carefully, which I have done. Now, again, six months later, the exact same problem. Like other reviewers, I wish I had read reviews before buying. I will not trust black and decker's brand again - absolute rubbish, not fit for purpose. (read more)
Guest's Comment
Written on: 04/08/2011
Holy concise data bmatan. Lol!
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Ugonyonyo's Comment
Written on: 01/09/2011
Yup! and the belt is half as wide as the space alowed on the two gears. Why?
The large plastic gear, now smooth on half of it's surface, can not be purchased without the motor. Why?
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“Avoid avoid avoid”
Written on: 24/07/2011
6 weeks past its warranty, and after probably 6 hours of cumulative use... well, you know the story: belt gone, cog burned out, no available spares. Very dissapointing given the price point of this product. (read more)
Ugonyonyo's Comment
Written on: 01/09/2011
Exactly the same faults with mine. and to buy a cog one must buy the motor as well.
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Showing 1 - 10 of 34 Reviews
“Belt failure”
Written on: 08/07/2011 by Clarebrand
Do not buy! Strimmer failed after 5mins use. Replacement machine failed after a few minutes as well. Belt problems. Totally useless not up to job it appears to be designed for and in my opinion should be removed from sale. (read more)
“Keep clear load of c**p all the previous problems have...”
Written on: 29/04/2011
Keep clear load of c**p all the previous problems have been the drive or pullys, and the one i got is the same useless total waste of money like others i wish i had read these reviews before i bought it. (read more)
“As all the others have said, what a waste of money. I...”
Written on: 06/04/2011
As all the others have said, what a waste of money. I have one, 2 drivebelts later and the "Plastic!" drive wheel has melted. Also as someone said this wheel seems to be at an angle so the belt slips off, that's because the bearing housing at the back isn't tight enough to hold the damn thing straight. Just stripped mine down and found the rear bearing is cracked and the bearings inside are loose. I will write to B&D with my findings but doubt they give a S**T, they sold a product and got... (read more)
“I too am so annoyed at the Black and Decker GL720 type...”
Written on: 25/08/2010 by SabbyV26 (2 reviews written)
I too am so annoyed at the Black and Decker GL720 type 3 Grass Strimmer. I wish I had found this Review Site first!!! I used the device for 3-4 times then my poor Boyfriend used it and the strimmer cord stopped rotating! I could not find my receipt and Guarantee (bought from B&Q) so I took it apart. The plastic drive belt had melted into the larger drive pulley (motor Pulley was metal) and was ruined. I need a new belt AND plastic secondary pulley but part no for this is unavailable. I... (read more)
Ugonyonyo's Response to SabbyV26's Review
Written on: 01/09/2011
The same problems with mine !!
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“Had it 1 year. Used for maybe 3-4 hours total cutting...”
Written on: 19/07/2010
Had it 1 year. Used for maybe 3-4 hours total cutting grass. Struggles to cut nettles. Plastic lever (part# 18)has broken inside cutter head so now line tangles into a knot as soon as tool starts. Going in the bin, along with a B&D electric chainsaw which was similarly flimsy. B&D used to be a trustworthy brand but has gone right downmarket. Dont get me started about B+Q's 'customer service department' when I took it back.... "2 year guarantee" yeah right. (read more)
“Waste of money. this is the second replacement broken...”
Written on: 03/07/2010 by kernowmower (1 review written)
Waste of money. this is the second replacement broken down in 2 yearslight use.Avoid at all costs. (read more)
“Cannot agree more with (most of )the other reviews:...”
Written on: 21/06/2010
Cannot agree more with (most of )the other reviews: this machine is C**P. Not what one would expect from such a high-profile company . . . (read more)
“I would give this product 0 stars and a 0 for value of...”
Written on: 16/05/2010
I would give this product 0 stars and a 0 for value of money as it been of no use to me. DON'T BUY IT.
My first Black and Decker strimmer broke while still under guarantee. The belt snapped. B. and D. replaced it, but this took weeks. After only 10 minutes use of the new improved model the belt broke again! What a waste of time.Then I wanted a refund from B.and D.They did not want to give me this, but assured me they had fixed the problem and would exchange the strimmer. I used this new...
(read more)
“I guess you get what you pay for ! I have had this...”
Written on: 08/05/2010
I guess you get what you pay for ! I have had this model for about 1 year and used it no more than a dozen times. The drive failed after a few months and B&D replaced it under warranty - original motor gear wheel was plastic and totally inadequate. Replacement had metal motor gear but the belt failed after only a couple of uses. Plastic shaft drive had partially melted and ruined replacement belt within 5 mins of use. This is going in the bin where it belongs. Wish I had done a bit more... (read more)
“I bought a Black and Decker GL720 strimmer about 2...”
Written on: 01/09/2009
I bought a Black and Decker GL720 strimmer about 2 years ago. The drive belt failed after only a few minutes use whilst trimming the edge of the lawn. I replaced the belt, however the replacement belt failed after less than an hour's use. The third belt I have fitted has now failed and the plastic drivewheel is worn out. I will not be replacing it again and have written to B&D to complain about the poor quality of the machine. This strimmer was mid-priced and gives the external appearance of... (read more)
Sabbyv26's Comment
Written on: 25/08/2010
I found this review very helpful because...I have had the same problem, very dissapointed in product.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 34 Reviews
“Avoid this GL720 strimmer at all costs. After a few...”
Written on: 30/08/2009
Avoid this GL720 strimmer at all costs. After a few hours of use the drive belt broke and melted the plastic drive cog inside. Unable to get spare parts. This machine has ended up in the bin where it belongs. Poor Product from Black & Decker. I'm now away to buy a Flymo. (read more)
“AVOID AVOID AVOID. - Bought this black and decker...”
Written on: 04/08/2009
AVOID AVOID AVOID. - Bought this black and decker gl720 to have a strimmer that my wife could use easily as she can't start our old petrol one (which is a bit of an overkill in our current house!), used the GL 720 ONCE last year for about 20 mins, then just went to use it to trim the grass edge, it lasted about 15 feet. Stripped it down and guesS what? - Yep, plastic drive wheel melted and belt stripped. Plastic drive wheel only available as complete part of motor and costs more that a new... (read more)
“Following My Comments Regarding The Black and Decker...”
Written on: 20/05/2009 by mastermartin (7 reviews written)
Following My Comments Regarding The Black and Decker GL720 Below.
I Got In Touch With Black And Decker Direct, And I Must Be Fair To Them When I Say I Received The Fastest Response To Rectify The Fault That I Had Ever Had From This Company, Compared To All The Years Of Buying From Others.
I Felt That I Had Been Misled All The Way By Others, Only To Find It Only Took a Phone Call To Black And Decker To Sort The Matter Out.
(read more)
“GL720 avoid this strimmer at all cost - 3 hours of...”
Written on: 18/05/2009 by mastermartin (7 reviews written)
GL720 avoid this strimmer at all cost - 3 hours of light work and you can bin it.
damage is not worth the repairs.
Parts List - Damage To Parts.
No's 4-Belt, 3-Drive Pulley, Main Pulley Plus Damage To Parts That Are No Longer Availble.
(read more)
“The Black and Decker GL720 is useless - drive gone...”
Written on: 10/05/2009 by val1646
The Black and Decker GL720 is useless - drive gone after limited use.
Plastic melted on drive gear and cannot get spares.
(read more)
“now had 2 of these strimmers and each time the drive...”
Written on: 08/05/2009
now had 2 of these strimmers and each time the drive wheel melts. this is a major fault in the design. so now i have a fly-mo hope it works better than the black and decker!!!!!!!!! (read more)
“Purchased a Black & Decker GL720 two years ago, good...”
Written on: 19/04/2009 by Barry101 (1 review written)
Purchased a Black & Decker GL720 two years ago, good well balanced design on the outset, excelent for lawn edging, unfortunately the drive belt broke after approx six hours use, shop replaced it, and guess what.......................the belt has now broken on this one after about the same use ! The plastic gear is very worn.
The drive on this strimmer is cheap and nasty, and is badly designed.
(read more)
“Externally the Black and Decker GL720 appears to be a...”
Written on: 10/04/2009
Externally the Black and Decker GL720 appears to be a good design but failed after less than 4 hours use. Belt failed, melted drive cog assembly, not easy to locate fixing screw under label. (read more)
“The GL720 looks neat and is easy to use but it is not...”
Written on: 10/04/2009 by mikB (1 review written)
The GL720 looks neat and is easy to use but it is not robust enough for such a brand and price. (read more)
“The Black and Decker GL720 seemed OK before the drive...”
Written on: 21/02/2009 by jgstephenson (2 reviews written)
The Black and Decker GL720 seemed OK before the drive belt broke just past the 12 months mark after light use. Have ordered new belt. I would suggest that the drive mechanism does not seem up to the job. (read more)
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Showing 21 - 30 of 34 Reviews
“belt came off my Black and Decker GL720, the drive...”
Written on: 29/11/2008
belt came off my Black and Decker GL720, the drive gearing seems to be on an angle so belt keeps slipping off (read more)
“Driving belt on my Black and Decker GL720 broke 5...”
Written on: 29/09/2008 by Kipper No 1
Driving belt on my Black and Decker GL720 broke 5 hours working in total,small garden is always kept neat & tidy. When stripping strimmer to look for problem, screws are hiden under instructions on stimmer causing problems Overall strimmer performed well (read more)
“This Black and Decker Strimmer has already been...”
Written on: 08/06/2008 by Bouncer1957 (1 review written)
This Black and Decker Strimmer has already been replaced by version B. Drive belt broke in less than 4 hours of cumulative use. Also one of the main drive gear wheels has partially melted, which can only be replaced as part of the whole motor assembly. What could have been a good product has been let down by poor design of the drive system. (read more)
Edwin Mcgrath's Response to Bouncer1957's Review
Written on: 11/06/2008
Agreed totally. We have now had a failure on our second unit - first unit replaced under guarantee. No support in our part of the world! Purchase not to be recommended.
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474947_Richard 304545's Response to Bouncer1957's Review
Written on: 26/07/2009
Avoid at all cost. Very little use and drive gear now useless as melted. Cant be replaced as whole motor has to be purchased. Still under warranty but lost receipt. Locking button also wore out within two months and had to be replaced.
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“This Black and Decker GL720 is a much sturdier and...”
Written on: 25/05/2008
This Black and Decker GL720 is a much sturdier and robust piece of equipment than I had expected. It assembled well, apart from the cable which seemed to have been wound up by a sadist! As soon as I started to use it, it worked brilliantly and I'm delighted with the performance. Can't wait to get going on the front garden! (read more)
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Guest's Comment
Written on: 07/07/2012
A similar problem has occurred with ours, how did you get yours apart?