Best Electric Lawn Trimmer – Choice and Reviews

Are you looking for the best corded or battery electric lawn trimmer? Here you will discover the most interesting products and a convenient guide to choosing.

The lawn edger is a really useful piece of equipment, as it allows you to finish edging found along a fence, sidewalk or hedge, for example. Additionally, these garden power tools are commonly used for trimming the grass surrounding flower beds and shrubs. In summary, it is a precious ally for two reasons: on the one hand it saves you hours and hours of effort, and on the other it gives an edge to the aesthetics of your garden. And it does so at an overall sustainable cost.

How an electric trimmer is made

First of all, I want to clarify in a few words how an edge cutter is made and for what purposes it is suitable. The structure is easy to describe: it looks like a electric brush cutter, therefore it has a stick with a handle, equipped with a trigger for starting the blade. The cut takes place thanks to a system that can be of two types.

• Nylon thread: the cutting head, which is located at the end of the stick, houses a spool of nylon line. One end of the wire protrudes from a hole, and by turning it cuts the stems of the grass. The thread wears out as it cuts, so it must be “fed”, but we will talk about this later.

• Plastic knives: in some models the nylon thread is replaced by plastic knives or blades. This system allows for the cutting of harder stems, but wears more easily, especially when the knives hit surfaces such as walls or sidewalks. Finally, the spare parts cost more than the spool of thread.

A little above I told you about the brushcutter, and I would like to add that the similarities between the two models begin and end with the aesthetics and the cutting system. The performances, in fact, are very different. Specifically, the wire or battery trimmer is ideal for the regular care of lawns and small gardens, and for cutting more or less dense grass. For cutting tall and difficult weeds, and in the presence of woody stems, the only tool that can help you is the brush cutter.

Corded or cordless electric trimmer?

You need to know that there are two categories of electric trimmers, namely cable-powered and battery-powered models. Here I want to immediately address the “gist” of the matter, with the advantages and disadvantages of both types.

1. Wire fed models

The cable-powered models impose a certain limit in terms of movement, given precisely by the length of the wire, which you will have to connect to a nearby electrical outlet. Of course you can use an extension cable, but you will still have a footprint to fight with. The cable, in fact, can become an obstacle and end up in the “clutches” of knives or nylon thread, with the risk of cutting it. It rarely happens, but if you get distracted it can happen.

On the other hand, wire feed models still have their advantages. First of all, they have no limits in terms of time, since you can use them without fear of interrupting work due to the low battery. In addition, an electric wire trimmer generally weighs less (from 1.5 kilos to about 3.5 kilos), since it is relieved by the lack of the battery. Finally, they are definitely cheaper than those with batteries.

2. Battery powered models

This is the most common category, especially because it manages to better balance both the advantages and the disadvantages. On the one hand it has a limited duration in time, and obviously linked to the battery charge, which usually lasts about 1 hour (but it depends on the model). On the other hand, however, it ensures total freedom of movement, so you can move and work even if you don’t have electrical outlets nearby.

It is heavier, because you will also need to add the weight of the battery to the machine body of the power tool, which can range from 0.5 kg to 1 kg. It means that you may experience more fatigue as you work, getting tired faster than those with cable. As for the batteries, know that to expand the time at your disposal you can buy a more powerful one, or a spare one (or both). I wrote a guide dedicated exclusively to these models, which you can learn more about.

Best grass and lawn trimmers

1. BLACK+ DECKER ST5530-QS Wire 550W Cut 30 cm

If you are looking for the best electric wire trimmer, this model might be for you. It is not the most powerful of the Black & Decker, but I consider it to be the most intelligent and convenient middle way from a quality / price point of view. For one thing, it has a good base power (550 watts) and a rather long cable of 9 meters. Secondly, it has the wheel for vertical edging and an extendable tube.

Thanks to the wheel, which acts as a support, you can tilt the cutting head and slide the nylon line vertically instead of horizontally. In this way, you have the possibility to make more precise shaves. In addition, the Auto Select function by itself lowers the rotation speed when using the edging mode, for even greater control and accuracy.

I would like to emphasize the presence of a double handle, designed once again to give you the possibility to better control the tool. In addition, the tube is telescopic, so you can lengthen or shorten it to suit your height. And the performance? Excellent, thanks to the E-Drive technology, which keeps the engine power constant even in the most difficult grass, due to a higher torque.

Then consider that the line has a cutting width of 30 centimeters, and that it is fed automatically: this means that, when the nylon cable runs out, the edge cutter takes care of bringing out the new section, saving you time and effort. . Finally, the cable spool is easy to replace, although the wire tends to wear out rather quickly.

2. Greenworks 1301807 Brushcutter and Edge Trimmer 2 in 1

If you can start from a good budget, and are not satisfied with a mid-range product, then I recommend that you consider this electric wire trimmer from Greenworks. It is a 2-in-1 device, with a power at the level of brushcutters, given the 1,200 watt motor. In addition, it has a double-line nylon cutting system, a real rarity in the trimmer sector.

The two sections of the wire, which protrude from the two respective holes, guarantee a faster and stronger cut of the grass, also due to the diameter of the cable (2 mm). As for the regeneration of the nylon thread, this is semi-automatic: it means that, to release the new cable, you have to tap the ground with the base of the edge cutter, to activate the appropriate feed spring.

Being very powerful and robust, the weight is higher than average, but you can count on a structure with an extendable tube and with a double handle. Secondly, it has a very high cutting width (40 centimeters), while the motor body can be disassembled and used with other Greenworks tools, obviously not included. In addition, the performance is guaranteed by the brushless motor, with power and speed above average.

You can therefore also use it against difficult weeds, as it has a power similar to that of a real lawn mower. And the package also includes a shoulder strap, which allows you to “lighten” the instrument and make it more comfortable to use. Also consider that this lawn and grass trimmer, in addition to being very powerful, is also quite silent.

3. BLACK+ DECKER ST1823-QW with 18V Lithium Battery Cut 25 cm

Are you interested in a cordless lawn trimmer, therefore equipped with batteries? You could try this model from Black & Decker, of great quality and at a lower than average cost. It is a power tool with a cutting width of 25 centimeters, with a duration of around 35-40 minutes and with support for the edging function. In addition, it has a 1.5mm thick nylon single line cutting system.

As for the structure, it has a telescopic handle and a double handle, together with the aforementioned support, which allows you to cut vertically (edging). The wire runs at a very high speed (9,000 revolutions per minute), while the battery does not have an exceptional duration, but you can solve it by buying a more powerful one or a spare one. Also, take into account that it takes about 3.5 hours to charge.

Being a normal lawnmower, and not a brushcutter, the diameter of the nylon line does not exceed 1.5 millimeters, but it is completely normal. The performance rating is excellent, given that it is truly perfect for trimming the edges, thanks to a torque of the motor capable of ensuring a quick and efficient cut of the grass. Also know that the nylon thread feed is automatic, so you can work without worries.

What are the other advantages and disadvantages? The battery and charger are included, and the weight is surprisingly light (about 2 kilos). It is therefore an agile and manageable lawnmower, which can really be used by anyone. As for the flaws, the only negative is the length of the nylon thread, which is rather short.

4. Einhell Battery Operated GC-CT 18/24 Li P Power X Change

I decided to close my reviews by telling you about another cordless edge trimmer, this time from Einhell. We are faced with a particular model, as well as very economical, since it does not use the nylon thread but the knife system. While obviously not a top-of-the-range power tool, there are some really interesting features that I would like to point out to you.

First of all, it has a very high rotation speed of the knives, equal to 8,500 revolutions per minute, while the cutting width is on average (24 centimeters). The package includes both the charger and the battery, and the latter has a duration of around 40 minutes. It is very light (less than 2 kilos), easy to carry and super handy, also due to the absence of the cable.

Also consider that this Einhell grass trimmer, despite its low cost, has a very good ability to penetrate the stems of the stems. The credit goes to the knives, which are more efficient and stronger than nylon thread, but which tend to chip or break when they collide with hard materials. For this you must be careful and avoid hitting the borders of the flower beds, walls and sidewalks.

What are the other interesting news? It has a double handle structure and a good quality protective bumper, and also has LEDs that indicate how much charge remains in the battery. Finally, the equipment includes 20 spare knives, and in general it is really difficult to find a cheaper battery product than this, if you are aiming for savings and do not have great needs.

How to choose the best electric lawn trimmer

1. Type of power supply

At this point you will have already understood that there are 2 possible power systems: on the one hand we have the electric wire trimmer, and on the other the battery-powered one. Both are great tools, but they have their strengths and weaknesses, which you should have understood by now. I’ll summarize them for you below:

• Wire feeding: the maneuvering space is limited by the length of the wire, which can still be solved with an extension. The cable, however, allows you to work without interrupting the cleaning, but you must be careful not to cut the wire.

• Battery powered: the battery has a limited life but, even here, you can adopt solutions. For example, you can buy a more powerful one or buy a replacement battery. The weight is higher, but the handling gains.

Know that, in addition to these two options, there is also a third one (but not electric): this is, specifically, the petrol grass trimmers.

2. Cutting systems (wire or knives)

The cutting head can accommodate either a spool with nylon line, or a system equipped with plastic knives. Here too, it is worthwhile to review the pros and cons.

• Flush system: nylon thread costs less than knives, and has a longer life, because it wears more slowly. On the other hand, it is less robust (unless you opt for a wire with a square section and a thickness of 2 millimeters).

• Knife system: Knives are generally shorter, so you may notice a smaller than average width of cut. They are more robust and allow you to cut sturdy stems, but if they nix against solid surfaces they break.

3. Feeding of the nylon line

It is absolutely essential to understand which nylon wire feed system the appliance you are about to choose is using. It is clear that automatic unrolling is an important advantage, both in terms of saving effort and time. In fact, manual unwinding would force you to open the spool pin and pull the thread out by hand: an operation, among other things, not always easy to perform.

There is also the possibility of semi-automatic cable advancement. In this case, just press the cutting head lightly on the ground to release the spring and release a new section of line. This is a very valid alternative option to automatic systems.

4. Other factors to be analyzed

• Edging function: the possibility of tilting the cutting head, for the vertical rotation of the wire, improves the quality of the work and the precision of the shaving.

• Width of cut: the width is given by the space that the wire or the knives cover when they rotate, making a complete turn. Usually it ranges from a minimum of 24 cm to a maximum of 40 cm. The higher the value, the more space the blade will cover during a single pass.

• Second handle: the additional handle improves comfort during use, and consequently also the control and accuracy of trimming.

• Extendable handle: if the handle is telescopic, you can adapt its length according to your height, making the instrument more comfortable.

• Engine power: a more powerful motor gives more force to the blade, and allows it to rotate at higher speed. In summary, it increases the effectiveness on the stems of plants that are slightly more complex to cut.
• Weight: Always evaluate the weight of the grass trimmer. A very heavy tool makes you tire more easily, while a light one can be used for longer and without too much effort.