Best Cordless String Trimmer

​Cordless string trimmers offer plenty of benefits over their gas-powered or corded counterparts. Also known as weed eaters and weed wackers, the most obvious benefit is the freedom of effortless movement. With this string trimmer, you can move from one corner of the garden to the other without having to avoid trailing cables. Have you ever found the weed eater’s cords sagging or have accidentally cut through them? If you have, the cordless model is the ultimate solution. Of course, there are tons of other benefits. However, the focus of this article is on the best cordless string trimmer reviews.

Buying Guide for Cordless String Trimmer

Ultimately, the best cordless string trimmer is one that meets your needs. Do not be swayed by the glowing reviews or the features of a weed eater that doesn’t come close to addressing your needs. You should find one that is within your budget, comfortable to use and handles the task you want it to accomplish.

Yard Size

Given that a majority of cordless weed eaters are battery-powered, they are the best choices for tackling urban and suburban yards. However, if you plan to do a lot of trimming or have a very large lawn with stubborn grass, a gas weed eater might be a better option.

Weight

That’s probably the utmost important point when it comes to choosing your cordless string trimmer.  

If your yard’s on the bigger side, you’ll be using your string trimmer for prolonged periods so weight is crucial. And it isn’t only about weight, it’s also about weight distribution. 

The unit may be feather-light, but its overall weight may be badly distributed making you end up with a cramped shoulder after only a couple of minutes. 

Another important aspect is the handle. Again, your unit may be so lightweight, but the handle’s in an awkward position that might ruin your entire experience. 

Battery Life

Deciding on battery life is dependent on your yard’s size, and how much work you think it’ll need. 

Most batteries that come with string trimmers have a battery life of 30 minutes or more. However,  just like motor power, as the battery life increases, the unit tends to be more expensive. So I think you should opt for buying one that precisely would suit your yard work needs. 

If you’ve got a small yard that’s manicured in 15 minutes, don’t go buying a unit of 1-hour battery life, it’s meaningless.

As for the battery power, the more it is the more your unit would be able to tackle tougher jobs. So an 80V powered unit would be much tougher than a 20V unit. Deciding which to go for is also dependent on how tough the work around your yard is. 

Battery Charging Duration

Some batteries require many hours to fully charge, some charge right away. Decide on this depending on how long runtime is and whether it’d suffice your yard or not.

If runtime isn’t as long, and you’d require multiple charges to finish your yard, then it’d be so annoying and impractical to have a unit that takes hours to charge. 

Cutting Range

To understand cutting range, I want you to imagine a core with 2 strings protruding from it on both sides. That core is rapidly spinning, just like a fan, making it seem like a complete circle. 

The cutting range is the diameter of this imaginary circle, measured in inches.

It may seem like bigger is better regarding cutting range, but you may want to opt for a smaller cutting range if you have rocks and fencing around your garden. 

Speed Control Dial

That’s essential to maintaining your battery life. An on/off switch bumping your unit’s motor to its highest capacity will do nothing but drain your battery in no time. 

Ideally, there should be a control dial in your unit so that you conserve as much energy as you could. Only use high settings when you need more power. 

Winding Strings

String trimmers also differ regarding the way strings are inserted into the unit.

Bump Loading Strings

Strings are wound into a reel that’s inside your trimmer’s head. These strings are consumed as you work through your yard. 

When you notice your string’s lessened in length, you simply bump the head of the weed eater into the ground to release more string line through the spool. 

However, when the strings inside the reel are completely consumed, you’ll have to open up the head and re-string the reel. This may be problematic for people who aren’t into mechanical stuff. 

But generally, restringing the reel can’t get any simpler if you see how it’s done and give it a try. 

Automatic String Advance Trimmers

There’s no manual work here, the unit does all the work for you.

Individual Loading Strings

These allow you to simply cut small lengths from your string package and insert them as they are inside the head of the unit. No need to bother with a winding reel or anything like that. 

Comfort

If the weed eater does not offer enough comfort during use, then you might not use it as often as you should. For the best experience, look for a cordless trimmer with an adjustable handle, cutting head angle, and shaft length.

Cordless String Trimmer Reviews

1. Greenworks PRO GST80320 Cordless String Trimmer

This is a high-quality cordless weed eater that will help you tackle some of the toughest jobs. It’s designed with a reliable 80-volt, two-amp lithium-ion battery for spinning the14/16-inch cut string.

Greenworks Pro string trimmer has the same power as a gas-powered model with an engine size of 32 cc. Plus, it’s compatible with several battery models including a 2Ah (GBA80200) and a 4Ah(GBA80400). The battery takes only half an hour to charge allowing you to get back to your work within no time.

Features

• Can operate for 45 minutes on a single charge
• Comes with DigiPro brushless motors
• Has a split boom design that is compatible with most gas attachments
• Has a self-winding spool head

2. EGO Power+ ST1501-S Cordless String Trimmer

Another cordless model that is as powerful and affordable as a gas-powered model is the Ego Power+ Brushless string trimmer. The only difference is that you won’t have to deal with the messy fuel or smelly exhaust associated with low-quality gas trimmers.

This weed eater has enough run time to cut through a one-foot-wide strip of grass nearly two-thirds of a mile on one battery charge. With all this power, you’d expect to be the Ego Power+ to be one of the noisiest, but it’s not. It’s actually one of the quietest models that we tested. Weighing a measly 10 pounds, this string trimmer is not the lightest on the market. However, it has a superb balance and its handling makes it one of the easiest to swing around and negate through tricky sections.

Features

• Has a dual-feed twist line with a 0.095-inch diameter
• Fitted with a high-efficiency brushless motor with multiple speeds
• Made of weather-resistant materials
• The weight of 10 pounds
• Comes with a two-amp battery kit
• 15-inch cutting width

3. BLACK+DECKER LST136W MAX Lithium String Trimmer

The Black & Decker LST136W is regarded the best cordless string trimmer and for good reason. For one, this string trimmer is highly customizable. Users have the freedom to adjust both the shaft’s length and power settings.

Moreover, the weed eater features a dedicated edging position and an edging guide to help you get that clean and straight cut in just one pass. Its 13-inch cutting width may not be the best, but it’s enough to cut through grass and weeds.

Another drawback is its short battery life. The trimmer runs for a maximum of 25 minutes on a single charge. However, it makes up for this by providing good balance and handling.

Features

• Equipped with PowerDrive Transmission to deliver more power
• Uses a 40V MAX lithium-ion battery
• Comes with a power command dial to help you set your preferred power and runtime
• Weighs 7.8 pounds

4. Worx WG163 GT 3.0 20V Cordless Grass Trimmer

Worx WG163 has all the bells and whistles of cordless string trimmers but with a low price tag. And the good thing is that you won’t just be getting a trimmer when you buy this tool. It also doubles up as an edger, so you can switch between trimming and edging to make your lawn look even more beautiful.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of this trimmer is that it is light. Weighing slightly over 5 pounds, this weed eater is easy to carry and navigate. Its command feed component delivers on-demand line feeding to keep you moving while the provision of a 2^nd battery helps to double its runtime. This way, you never have to worry about running out of power.

Features

• Uses two 20V cordless Max lithium power batteries
• 12-inch cutting diameter
• Cutting length of 10 feet
• Has a quick-release lever
• Weighs 5.3 pounds
• The handle has 7 locking adjustments

5. Kobalt 40-volt Max Cordless String Trimmer

One way to determine whether a manufacturer has confidence in their products is by checking the warranty they offer. Generally, the longer the warranty offered, the better the product’s quality. If you compare the warranties offered on weed eaters, you will realize that most of them have a 3-year warranty—but the Kobalt 50V has a 5-year warranty.

Also, with an average battery run time of 45 minutes, this weed eater last longer than other models like the Black & Decker. It also has an adjustable shaft, which makes it easy to navigate in hard-to-reach areas. The adjustable shaft also means that it can tackle a variety of weeds without needing a readjustment of its angle.

Features

• Converts between a string trimmer and edger
• Uses a 40-volt max lithium-ion battery system
• Compatible with other Kobalt 40V lawn care tools
• Has a heavy-duty 0.08-inch dual line
• Comes with a variable speed trigger

FAQs

How does a string trimmer work?

A string trimmer works based on the principle of centrifugal force. 

When the string is spun rapidly, it becomes extremely stiff as the spinning core holds it alongside another opposing force that acts on it due to rotation. It becomes powerful enough to cut weeds and the like. 

Is the string trimmer line biodegradable?

It’s mostly neither biodegradable nor compostable. 

There have been some companies trying to produce biodegradable string trimmers to help prevent polluting yards with plastic bits resulting from trimmer use. 

However, they aren’t as strong as standard plastic string lines, so I wouldn’t recommend them for the time being. 

What are the best brands of string trimmers?

I’ll be presenting you with a briefing on 2 of the best cordless string trimmer brands.

WORX

It’s a company that’s all about innovation. Their passion to create what’s new is what drives them to work hard. They mainly specialize in power tools that help users get the job done in the best way possible.

GREENWORKS

They’re all about gardening machines and tools. Greenworks is a global company with multiple offices in the US, Sweden, and Canada. 

They make their products in their own factories, and they also have top-notch test facilities to deliver the best to you.

Final Word

Cordless weed wackers have a lot to offer. These gardening tools enable you to trim your lawn without worrying about emissions or engine maintenance. They also run very quietly. If you’re looking to purchase a cordless string trimmer, some of the features you should look for are the type of battery, battery life, weight,and adjustability.