Troy-Bilt TB516 EC review

The Troy-Bilt TB516 EC is a good wheeled lawn edger with a four-cycle engine, jump-start capability and a 9-inch double-edged blade.

Troy-Bilt TB516 EC review
(Image: © Home Depot)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

The Troy-Bilt TB516 EC is a good lawn edger that's easy to use, but lacks in some blade adjustments.

Pros

  • +

    Foldable handle

  • +

    No need to mix oil and gas

  • +

    Easy to handle

Cons

  • -

    Small gas tank

  • -

    Blade adjustment is limited

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The Troy-Bilt TB516 EC is a good edger with three wheels, two in the back for stability and ease of use, and a third in the front that serves as a curb wheel. This lawn edger's handle is foldable, making it easier to store away and this machine is also fairly light compared to others we tested. This means, you should be able to use the Troy-Bilt lawn edger with ease and create a crisp edge to your lawn.

The Troy-Bilt TB516 EC's blades are made of steel the machine has been designed so that you can easily and quickly get the job done. 

To read our full round up and check out the other products we reviewed, head to our guide on the best lawn edger.

 

Troy-Bilt TB516 EC: Features 

The Troy-Bilt TB516 EC lawn edger just needs a steady, smooth pull on the string to engage the motor. It does not come with a push-button start, but Troy-Bilt does offer the JumpStart engine starter, an accessory that adds the ease of starting an electric edger to this engine, so you don't have to start the machine by hand if you don't want to. The JumpStart is a handheld device that runs off a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which you insert in the engine and pull the trigger to get the machine running.

You can adjust the cutting depth of this edger by raising or lowering the lever near the front wheel bracket. Moving the lever toward the front raises the cutting blade, and moving it farther back increases the depth of the cut. The maximum cutting depth is 1.75 inches, which is sufficient for most jobs, and the machine has six depth settings.  However, you can't adjust the blade to an angle, only vertically. This will be limiting for some users. 

To increase the life of the blade, you can pass over the same area a few times, gradually lowering the blade with each pass.

Unlike you do for gas edgers with two-cycle engines, you don't need to mix oil with gas to use the four-cycle Troy-Bilt engine. The tank holds 0.4 quarts of gasoline, which isn't the largest capacity we have seen, so you may want to keep the gas can close by. The four-cycle engine is more efficient than a two-cycle engine, meaning it is less harmful to the environment.

A primer bulb helps pull fuel into the chamber, making the Troy-Bilt TB516 EC lawn edger easier to start. The machine operates in temperatures below 40 degrees by warming the engine first. If the engine starts to heat up because you're tackling an area with excessive overgrowth, you can raise the blade, allowing the engine to idle and cool down.

The shipping weight for this edger is 22 pounds, which is relatively light and will make it easier to move around than a heavier model. This low weight, in addition to the three sturdy wheels, makes it easy to control, even on slightly uneven terrain.

Troy-Bilt TB516 EC lawn edger: Warranty

This gas edger comes with a two-year limited warranty, which is fairly standard. It is void if you use gas with ethanol content higher than 10%, operate the machine with the air filter removed, or use replacement parts that are not from an authorized dealer.

Should you buy the Troy-Bilt TB516 EC lawn edger?

The Troy-Bilt TB516 EC lawn edger is easy to handle and convenient to operate. Its four-cycle engine saves you the trouble of mixing gas with oil, and it is more environmentally friendly than edgers with two-cycle engines. With its power and relatively low weight, this edger is best for large properties.