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A nicely done lawn is the pride of any homeowner or landscaper. It not only looks good but also augments the appearance and beauty of the entire home.
Unfortunately, you cannot rely on a lawnmower alone to take care of your lawn. You need additional tools like a weed eater and an edger.
Table of Content
What is a weed eater?
A weed eater (also called a weed wacker/whacker or string trimmer) is a special mowing tool that uses a string to cut grass and vegetation. The string or trimmer line rotates at a high speed to cut. A weed eater is good for trimming grass in tight spaces where a lawn mower cannot reach. Therefore, it is a good complementary tool to your lawn mower.
You can choose the electric weed wacker, gas-powered weed trimmer, or even better, one of these powerful cordless weed eater tools.
What is a cordless weed eater?
A cordless weed eater/edger/trimmer is powered by a battery. Unlike an electric weed wacker, a battery powered weed eater is not limited by the length of a power cord. Also, it does not leave you smelling like gas or exhaust like the gas model does.
A battery operated weed eater is an eco-friendly version of grass trimmers that gives you a lot of freedom to cut grass and weeds in the backyard and along fence lines and on the edges of patios and pavements. You can also use it in rocky areas and around trees where a lawnmower cannot reach. It is a great complement to your lawnmower.
Since there are many cordless weed eater tools out there, it can be difficult to choose the best one. For that reason, we have put together a review of the 5 best cordless weed eaters that you can place a bet on. We put into consideration factors such as battery capacity, durability, ergonomics, price, and buyers’ opinions when choosing our best picks.
Best Cordless Weed Eaters Reviews
56V Ego String Trimmer Review – Best Overall
Key features
- Equipped with a Brushless motor
- Provides a 15 inches cutting swath
- Uses 0.095 inches trimmer line
- Has a 49 inches long shaft
Design and Features
The Ego battery weed eater is designed to punish even the most stubborn grass and weeds. It incorporates a high-efficiency brushless motor that delivers the power of a gas engine. The motor is powered by a 56V Lithium-Ion battery and the trimmer head accepts a 0.095 inch dual line.
This unit has a variable trigger that gives you total control over the output, allowing you to control the amount of torque you apply to various types of vegetation. Subsequently, this helps to extend the life of the battery so that you can cut for a longer period until the next recharge.
The 56V Ego string trimmer has a 49-inch long aluminum straight shaft that makes it tough and far-reaching, yet less fatiguing. The light shaft also gives the unit a good balance.
Lastly, there is a foam cover on the telescoping handle that helps dampen the vibration of the tool to prevent it from radiating into your hand.
Operation
Operating the Ego 56V brushless string trimmer is very easy. You only need to press down the safety lever and pull up the variable trigger to start whipping weeds. However, when you power it you will notice a 1-second delay before the trimmer starts to run.
Although you should wear safety gear when operating a weed eater, the ego line trimmer is designed with your safety in mind. It has a tough guard to protect you from flying debris. Furthermore, the head spins clockwise to avoid slinging debris in an awkward direction. But if you don’t like the direction of spin, you can reverse it by interchanging the wiring to the motor.
The telescoping handle on the trimmer helps you get a good balance, indirectly making up for the lack of a neck strap. And to match the efficiency and power of the brushless motor, the Ego cordless weed whipper offers a 15-inch cutting width so that you complete the yard work in minutes.
The bump feed mechanism on the head lets you advance more string easily without stopping. At the same time, the string cutter blade on the guard keeps the string at a standard length while cutting. This helps to keep the trimmer in optimal operation at all times.
Ego battery
The 56V lithium battery on the ego electric weed eater provides enough power to keep the tool running for up to to 40 minutes non-stop. All this time, the battery gives constant power to maintain optimal performance.
As far as charging is concerned, the tool ships with a quick Ego charger. The charger is able to charge the 56V battery from completely dead to full charge in just 25 minutes. This incredibly short charging time keeps the downtime between recharging batteries very short.
Furthermore, you do not have to struggle with removing and installing the ego battery on the tool or charger. You just slide it in and out very easily and intuitively. To top it off, both the charger and battery are covered by a 5 and 3 year warranty respectively.
Why pick the Ego Power 56V trimmer?
The Ego PowerPlus Cordless Weed Eater offers great power, the bump feed system works great, its battery integrates well with other EGO tools, and the warranty coverage is unmatched. Those are some of the reasons it tops our list of best battery weed eaters.
If you are a gardener, landscaper, or homeowner looking to untether yourself while you cut grass or save the environment from exhaust gases, this Ego Power Plus cordless weed wacker is a great option. It is also a great addition to your EGO tool lineup.
The only shortcomings we found are that you need an Allen key wrench to split the shaft during storage and the design is not attachment-capable. Also, the Ego power plus weed eater does not perform well as an edger.
Greenworks 40V Cordless Weed Eater Review – Best Commercial Grade
Key features
- Driven by brushless motor
- 14-16 inches cutting swath
- Requires 0.08 inches cutting line
- 2 speed setting
The cordless Greenworks string trimmer is another powerful battery weed wacker. It is very similar to the Ryobi Expand-It model. In fact, it accepts the Ryobi gas attachments.
Design and features
The unit is equipped with a brushless motor that delivers a large amount of torque and quieter operations. The size of the cutting swath is reasonably wide to allow you to clear a larger area in one go.
The battery powered Greenworks string trimmer has an ergonomic design that makes it easy to work with and carry. It is versatile and can transform into various other tools such as a blower, hedger, edger, or pole saw. The spool is also easy to load, allowing you to spend most of the time working not refilling the trimmer line.
Why choose Greenworks 40V Weed Eater?
The 40V Greenworks cordless trimmer is powerful, versatile, and perfect for residential use. You can use it with other attachments to transform the trimmer into a hedger, blower, edger, or battery-powered pole saw. Unfortunately, this unit may not level up to the needs of a professional landscaper mainly due to the limited battery life.
Dewalt 40V Cordless Weed Eater Review (DCST990H1 Max XR)
Key features
- Equipped with a high-efficiency brushless motor
- Provides a 15 inches cutting swath
- Accepts 0.08 inch or 0.095 inch trimmer line
- Has high and low speed settings
The DCST990H1 Max XR Dewalt cordless weed eater is one of the landscaping tools DeWalt manufactures. It is a fairly powerful string trimmer that delivers the power of an average gas trimmer while beating the heck out of wrestling with electric cords or chocking on toxic exhaust gases.
Design and Features
Like many weed whackers, the DeWalt Max XR too is equipped with an efficient and powerful brushless motor. The motor has a maximum speed rating of 6600 RPMs. But you get the most torque when operating the tool at a low speed.
The tool is powered by a 40V lithium-ion battery that has an unmatched ampere rating of 6Ah so that you can mow and edge more before the next recharge.
There are a couple of features that make the DeWalt 40V Max weed eater comfortable to use.
The first one is the rubberized handle. It provides a comfortable grip that enables you to hold the tool for long without getting blisters. The second feature is the movable handle. You can move the handle along the shaft to a position that offers good balance when working. Thirdly, the shaft is long enough to allow you to whack the weeds without bending. And lastly, the weight of the tool is well balanced with most of it at the back. These features collectively make this string trimmer from DeWalt a backyard ninja.
Ergonomically, the downside of this tool is that it does not come with a neck strap to help with weight distribution. As such, you might need to take breaks when working in a large area.
Nonetheless, the tool is generally well-designed for commercial-grade performance
Why pick the 40V DeWalt DCST990H1 Max XR?
Although a little pricey, the Dewalt 40V trimmer is a good big toy that adults can use to knock down both lush grass and seriously overgrown weeds in the yard. It is maintenance-free just like other cordless string trimmer and delivers the power of an average gas trimmer without waking your neighbors or polluting the environment.
This grass trimmer is also a great addition to your DeWalt tool lineup especially if you already have a DeWalt chainsaw, blower, or backpack blower which share the 40V Dewalt battery platform. Unfortunately, this trimmer does not accept attachments and you cannot bend the shaft.
RYOBI Attachment-Capable Cordless Weed Eater Review – Best for gas attachments
Key features
- Runs with a Brushless motor
- Provides a maximum of 15 inches cutting width
- Uses 0.08 inches trimmer line
- Attachment capable design
Design and features
The Ryobi battery powered weed eater powered by a 40V Lithium Ion Battery and runs off of an efficient brushless motor. However, unlike the Ego whose motor is located on the head, its motor is located next to the battery. This provides a better balance.
The head features a bump feed system that releases more trimmer line when you bumping it lightly on the ground. It accepts a 0.08″ dual twisted line trimmer. The rubber handle provides a comfortable grip and you can adjust it to where you want on the shaft.
Operation
Although the guard seems a bit smaller, it keeps grass and debris from flying to you quite effectively. The only awkward thing is that the head rotates counterclockwise unlike other trimmers. As such, clippings might land on the pavement when you are cutting grass nearby. If this happens to you, try walking in the reverse path so that debris can be thrown in the opposite direction.
Why is Ryobi weed eater good?
Ryobi 40V Expand-it string trimmer can transform into an edger, leaf blower, hedger, or pole saw. This makes it a perfect multipurpose tool for your landscaping needs. It also delivers enough torque to cut weeds and trim grass in a typical suburban yard. The extra attachments add to its versatility.
Unfortunately, its power is not good enough to replace your gas-powered string trimmer but you can use it to landscape a small lawn.
Black and Decker 40V LST136W Trimmer Review – Best for Edging
Key features
- Equipped with a Brushless motor
- Provides a 13 inch cut swath
- Uses 0.065 inches string
- Easily converts to an edger
- Has 2 speed settings
The Black & Decker 40V cordless trimmer Max is one of the lightest yet powerful landscaping tools a landscaper, homeowner, or gardener can own. It weighs less than 8 pounds and delivers power that is comparable to that of a gas trimmer.
Design and features
The grass trimmer runs a brushless motor that delivers an amazing amount of torque. The maximum speed of the motor is 8500 RPM. Although it only has a single speed setting, there is a variable speed trigger that gives you more control on the power output.
In addition to its lightweight construction, the 40V cordless black and decker weed eater has extra features that make it flexible, versatile, comfortable, and easy to use. These features include the adjustable pole height, adjustable auxiliary handle, automatic feed system, a metal guide bar for edging, and a head that can be rotated 180 degrees.
You can adjust both the shaft and handle to your most comfortable position. The shaft extends between 38 inches and 53 inches long. Furthermore, the metal guide together with the rotatable head allows you to easily convert the trimmer to a cordless edger. On the other hand, the automatic feed mechanism that takes in 0.065″ string lets the weedeater maintain a cutting swath of 13″ without your intervention.
Why is Black and Decker 40V Weed eater good?
All these features make the black and decker cordless string trimmer one of the most versatile grass trimmers. It is perfect for trimming grass and eliminating weeds in your lawn. You can also use it to edge along borders, sidewalks, and flower beds after mowing. Thanks to the metal guide which lets you edge around in a straight line.
The only drawback is that you might use more spools of string because of a lack of direct control over how the trimmer string advances during operation. The automatic feed control does not give you control over the string.
Kobalt 80-Volt Max Cordless String Trimmer
Key features
- Equipped with a Brushless motor
- Maximum cutting swath of 16 inches
- Uses 0.08 inches trimmer line
- Comes with an 80V battery
The Kobalt Cordless Weed Eater Max piqued our interest because of the sheer amount of power it delivers and its versatility.
Design and features
It is powered by an 80V 2Ah Lithium-Ion battery that only takes 20-30 minutes to charge from dead to full charge. The trimmer is driven by an efficient brushless motor that is located next to the battery. This gives it a very nice balance despite being quite heavy.
Similar to the Ego and Ryobi, the Kobalt 80V trimmer also uses a dual twisted line and provides at least a 15 inches cutting swath. However, Kobalt accepts is 0.015 inches less trimmer line than than the EGO string trimmer.
The head of kobalt weed eater max has the tap-to-feed mechanism. This makes it easy to advance the string while the trimmer runs.
It has high and low-speed button next to the handle so that you can easily control the speed of the In addition, a variable trigger lets you regulate the amount of power to the head.
This Kobalt weed eater is attachment-capable. This means you can transform it to different tools just like the Ryobi Expand-it model.
Other good features of this cordless trimmer are the brushless motor in the tail that creates a good balance and the telescoping handle. The tool also incorporates an intuitively designed variable trigger that gives you easier control over the power of the unit.
Lastly, the Kobalt cordless weed wacker is designed with safety in mind. It has a large and fairly rugged shield to protect you from flying objects. However, this canopying guard is no a reason why you should not don protective gear.
What makes Kobalt good?
Kobalt 80V string trimmer is a commercial grade battery weed eater. It even accepts other universal gas attachments so that it can transform into a variety of different tools while still delivering amazing power.
Its high capacity battery also takes less time to charge fully and lasts long enough before the next recharge. This ensures that you are getting more work done in the least time possible.
Unfortunately, this grass trimmer is fairly heavy and may fatigue your arm and shoulder if used for long periods. The advantage is that there is a hook attachment to which that you can attach an add-on neck strap. A neck strap allows you to hang the tool on your neck so that you can distribute its weight of the tool on your body.
Weed eater buying guide, What to consider.
When shopping for a cordless weed eater, there are a couple of things you should understand so that you can get the best value for your money.
Battery
The battery is the heart of any cordless tool. So, choose it wisely. Don’t buy a tool whose battery will deplete a few minutes before you start cutting. A good battery should last you at least 1/8 of an acre. Calculate battery power by multiplying Vols by amps
Don’t forget the battery lineup. It is a good consideration when you want a weed eater that is compatible with your other cordless tools. This is where tool brand comes in.
Brushed or Brushless?
The rule of thumb is that tools with brushed motor are less efficient and cheaper that brushless motor. Therefore, brushless motors make the battery last longer. You decide whether you want to pay more for efficiency or not.
Length of the shaft
Long shafts are ergonomic for tall people while shorter shafts are ideal for short users. However. weed eaters with adjustable shaft are good for people of all sizes.
Cutting swath
The larger the cutting swath the more weed or grass the weed eater cuts in one pass. However, a 2 inches difference does not make a big difference.
Power
The power of the weed eater motor determines how effective the tool will be at cutting different types of vegetation. If you intend to cut hardy shrubs, you don’t need anything less of a powerful motor.
Attachment capable or not?
Can the weed eater accept additional attachments? If you need a weed wacker for cutting grass and hedging the live fence, then it needs to be attachment-capable. Also, if you have gas attachments you want to use with your battery weed eater, the attachment-capable design is what you need.
Edging capability
The main purpose of a weed eater is to do what a lawn mower cannot such as edging along borders and pavements. Therefore, the string trimmer should choose should be able to edge. It does not have to be perfect. However, if you want a tool for edging, then you need to look for one that accepts edging add-ons.
