Stihl FSA 60 R Cordless Strimmer review: It's my go-to for blitzing light weeds and long grass

Telegraph

28-07-2025

What is the Stihl FSA 60 R Cordless Strimmer?
Strimmers are useful for cutting long grasses and weeds around the garden, especially in places where it wouldn't be possible (or sensible) to use a lawn mower or secateurs. Some are meant only for lighter-duty tasks like edging lawns, while powerful brushcutter models can handle thick weeds and shrubs.
The Stihl FSA 60 R sits between the two, designed mostly for trimming long grasses but with sufficient power to cut soft weeds. It isn't meant for use on hard or thick plant stems.
This is a high-end domestic strimmer, with high power and a price to match. It has a long shaft and loop handle, and runs on a cordless lithium-ion battery. You can buy it as a bundle with the strimmer and a charger. Or if you already have other Stihl tools, it is available on its own at a far lower price.
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How we test strimmers
We first reviewed the Stihl FSA 60R as part of our roundup of the best strimmers, where it won Best Buy. We tested all strimmers by using them as intended: mowing grass, trimming weeds and edging lawns. This helped us assess both cutting power and ease of use.
We also considered design, battery performance (for cordless models) and value-for-money. A top scoring model should be simple to use, run for long enough to finish a job and offer solid performance for the price.
For this in-depth review, I put the FSA 60R through some additional tests, focused on its weed-trimming capabilities. I wanted to see whether this strimmer could cut fairly tough weeds as effectively as the best models I've tested in previous reviews, and whether any new pros or cons would emerge during weeks of hands-on assessment.
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Performance
Score: 10/10
In testing, this strimmer was more powerful than most cordless models. It cut through long grass easily and dealt well with soft weeds. Dandelions and similar stems were shredded as the line hit them.
The cutting swathe is wide at 350mm. This helps to mow a wide area efficiently, as it trims a lot of plant matter at once. You'll soon have plenty of fodder for your garden shredder.
It does have limits. The supplied AutoCut C 6-2 mowing head struggled with woody stems over one inch thick, as the nylon line began to wear down fast. This isn't what it's built for.
To cut thicker, harder weed stems, you could try fitting a DuroCut 5-2 mowing head (sold separately, £30.40), which is designed for heavier use. The thickest may require a mini chainsaw or good loppers.
Design
Score: 9/10
High-powered tools should be simple to operate, and the FSA 60 R is just that. It uses a clear three-stage start-up that feels both easy and safe.
Assembly took around 20 minutes. You attach the loop handles and other parts using the included fixings. It's a quick and clear process.
Changing the trimming line is usually fiddly, but here it's refreshingly simple. The spool is easy to open without tools, although you should remove the battery first. Even with its built-in safety features, this is a good habit.
As this is a long strimmer with a fixed shaft, it occupies quite a lot of storage space, so check if your shed has a high enough ceiling to accommodate it.
Handling
Score: 9/10
This is an easy strimmer to handle, with a simple loop handle to guide the mowing head. Carefully positioning this handle during setup should ensure you can use the tool comfortably for years to come.
As the shaft and mowing head are fixed, there's not much scope to adjust the strimmer to cut at different angles. This makes it less flexible. But its solid build adds stability, and the long shaft lets you cut wide areas of vegetation in one sweep.
Some users will be put off by the FSA 60 R's three kilo weight. I'm accustomed to using heavy tools, and it made my forearms ache a little after around 20 minutes. You may well have finished your strimming by that point, but an optional shoulder strap accessory could have opened the FSA 60 R up to a broader audience.
Energy performance
Score: 9/10
One selling point of this strimmer (and some other Stihl garden tools) is a capability the brand calls 'Constant Power', which means the tool performs well regardless of its charge level, until the battery is completely depleted. I found the claim to be true throughout. The strimmer worked at the same outstanding level throughout its 30-minute runtime.
Speaking of which, half an hour is a good running time for a cordless strimmer. Given this model's impressive power, it's more than enough to get a lot of work done around the garden.
Recharging the battery takes around three hours, which is speedy considering its 4.0Ah rating. It provides a good user experience, slotting in and out of the strimmer or charger smoothly. There are LED indicator lights to show you its charge state.
Price and quality
Score: 9/10
If your previous strimmer was a budget model, you'll notice a significant step up in build quality with the Stihl FSA 60 R. It's well made and looks smart, with nice finishes to the loop handle, motor housing and metal shaft.
The tool felt reassuringly weighty until I had been holding it for a long time, and it coped well with bumps and scrapes as I pulled it clumsily out of storage.
The price of this strimmer will put off many buyers. For a domestic-use model, it's expensive, and you can find an effective alternative at a far lower price. However, the FSA 60 R (bundle with battery and charger) becomes good value when you start adding other cordless Stihl AK System tools to your collection. These include lawn mowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers and more, and they can all be purchased as a 'bare tool' and used with the same lithium-ion battery.
Technical specifications
Here's how the FSA 60 R's spec sheet compares to the Gtech GT50, another strimmer made mostly for grass cutting that also impressed us during testing and which comes at a lower price:
Should you buy the Stihl FSA 60 R Cordless Strimmer?
The longer I've used the Stihl FSA 60 R cordless strimmer, the more convinced I am that this is about as good as a premium cordless grass trimmer can be. If your focus is on mowing unruly lawn grasses and cutting down soft weeds, and you don't mind paying a premium price, this high-quality tool will serve you superbly well.
Yes, if:
You want to trim large areas of grass or soft weeds with maximum efficiency
Superior build quality and performance matter to you
You intend to economise by purchasing additional Stihl AK System cordless tools
No, if:
Thick weeds are your primary target, as these will require an even more powerful brushcutter design
You only have a few strimming tasks to do and you might get away with using a budget model
Using high-powered garden tools feels uncomfortable for you (or unsafe for family or pets)
Stihl FSA 60 R FAQs
What does the R mean on Stihl trimmers?
In the name of a Stihl string trimmer, the letter 'R' denotes that the tool has a loop handle.
Other types of string trimmer handles include 'bicycle', and 'J' handles.
How long does the battery last on the Stihl FSA 60 R?
If used with the AK 20 36V lithium-ion battery included in a bundle purchase, the FSA 60 R has a runtime of around 30 minutes on a single charge, according to Stihl. This was verified during our hands-on testing.
Lithium-ion batteries gradually lose runtime as their components deteriorate over years of use. You can often restore a cordless tool's original runtime by replacing the battery, after an appropriate period.
How do you refill a Stihl trimmer line?
The method of replenishing the trimming line in a Stihl string trimmer will vary depending on the model. The FSA 60 R comes equipped with a AutoCut C 6-2 mowing head, which houses a spool of nylon trimming line. This can be removed without the use of tools, but you shouldn't attempt this until you've ensured the battery has been removed first.
To replenish, you wind fresh nylon wire onto the spool and feed this out through the holes on either side of the mowing head. A blade feature on the underside of the guard cuts the string down to the appropriate length upon activation (if you fed too much line through the holes in the first place).
What size string does a Stihl FSA 60 R use?
The size of string compatible with the Stihl FSA 60 R is defined by its mowing head. The model supplied with the strimmer is Stihl's AutoCut C 6-2, which can accept replacement trimming line with a diameter of 2.0mm or 2.4mm.