Top 5 compared
The best string trimmers
The mower does the middle and the trimmer does the rest: clean edges along fences, flower beds and the driveway.
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The top 5 at a glance
A string trimmer cuts grass and weeds with a fast-spinning nylon line, reaching the places a mower can’t: around the mailbox post, tree trunks and patio furniture. The line wears down as it cuts, so fresh line feeds out from a spool in the head. Cordless trimmers run on a battery and go anywhere in the yard; corded ones plug into an extension cord and never stop to recharge.
Each cordless one here comes with a battery and charger, and batteries like EGO’s and WORX’s also run their makers’ other tools, so it pays to stay with one system. Most also turn into an edger, with a head that twists to run along a path.
What matters
- Weight with the battery in, since you carry it the whole time.
- Line that feeds itself or at a button press, so no bumping.
- A shaft and handle that adjust to your height.
- A wider cut, for a big, open yard.
#1BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX String Trimmer and Edger (LST300)
$75–$100
A simple 12-inch trimmer that flips over to edge along a sidewalk in seconds, with BLACK+DECKER’s automatic feed spool letting out line as it’s needed instead of bumping. The charger mounts on a garage wall, so the battery is charged and ready.
What owners say: Easy to handle, owners say, with older users in particular finding it comfortable for a small yard, and it gets through thick weeds. Battery life and power split them: plenty for an average lawn for some, 10 to 15 minutes and short on power for others.
A closer look: Keep a spare AF-100 spool on the garage shelf, since a new one drops in without winding any line by hand. The handle and height positions adjust, so take a minute to set them before the first trim; it makes a long session easier on your back.
- Flips over to edge
- Spool drops in, no winding
- Wall-mountable charger
- Adjustable handle and height
- 2-year limited warranty
Best for: Small yards and easy handling
- Power
- Cordless, 20V MAX
- Cutting width
- 12 in
- Weight
- 6.55 lb
- Cuts with
- 0.065 in line, auto feed
- Telescopic shaft
- No
- Cable or battery
- 2.0Ah battery and charger
#2WORX 20V 12-Inch String Trimmer and Edger with Two Batteries (WG163)
$100–$150
Press a button and fresh line feeds out, so there’s no stopping to bump the head on the ground. A twist of the head turns it into a wheeled edger, and it comes ready to go with two 2.0Ah batteries and a charger.
What owners say: Light and easy to use for both trimming and edging around the yard. Two batteries help, though some still find each one short-lived, and opinions on cutting power and how long the trimmer lasts are split.
A closer look: The head pivots 90° to reach under benches and patio furniture, and the flower guard keeps the line off plants. With two batteries in the box, one can charge while the other trims, so a bigger yard gets done in one go.
- Head pivots 90°
- Twists into a wheeled edger
- Flower guard protects plants
Best for: Trimming and edging in one
- Power
- Cordless, 20V
- Cutting width
- 12 in
- Weight
- 5.3 lb with battery
- Cuts with
- 0.065 in line, push-button feed
- Telescopic shaft
- Yes
- Cable or battery
- Two 2.0Ah batteries and charger
#3BLACK+DECKER 14-Inch Corded String Trimmer and Edger (BESTA510)
$50–$75
A corded trimmer: a 6.5-amp motor on an extension cord runs for as long as the job takes, with nothing to charge, and its 14-inch cut is the widest here after the EGO’s. Rotate the head and it rolls on a wheel to edge along a driveway, while the automatic feed spool lets out line without bumping.
What owners say: Strong enough for tall weeds and even tree suckers, owners report, and they count it good value. The automatic feed works for some and not others, the line can slip out or jam, and several mention units that broke early.
Heads up: No extension cord comes in the box: use one rated for outdoor use that’s long enough to reach the far corner of the yard.
A closer look: Secure the extension cord in the cord retention so a tug from across the yard doesn’t pull it loose. For edging, turn the head and let the wheel ride along the sidewalk, which keeps the line at an even depth all the way down the driveway.
- Rotates to a wheeled edger
- Cord retention holds the plug
- Auxiliary handle and guard included
- 2-year limited warranty
Best for: Yards within reach of an outlet
- Power
- Corded, 6.5 A
- Cutting width
- 14 in
- Weight
- 6.3 lb
- Cuts with
- 0.065 in line, auto feed
- Telescopic shaft
- –
- Cable or battery
- Corded; needs an extension cord
#4EGO Power+ 16-Inch Line IQ String Trimmer (ST1623T)
Over $300
The widest cut here at 16 inches, from a 56V brushless motor, and EGO’s Line IQ senses when the line wears and feeds more by itself, so there’s no bumping and no stopping. Reloading is quick too: thread the line through the head and Powerload winds it on at the push of a button.
What owners say: It goes through grass and weeds like butter, owners say, and one timed the battery at 45 minutes of nonstop trimming. Loading new line is the part they like best. Weight and price divide them, and a handful stopped working early.
A closer look: Set the shaft length before you start so the head runs flat without stooping, and turn the speed down on light grass to stretch the battery. The 4.0Ah battery recharges in about 55 minutes on the included charger and also fits EGO’s mowers and blowers.
- Brushless motor
- Push-button line winding
- Carbon fiber shaft
- Variable speed
- Battery fits EGO mowers, blowers
Best for: Large lots and tough weeds
- Power
- Cordless, 56V
- Cutting width
- 16 in
- Weight
- 7.5 lb
- Cuts with
- 0.095 in line, auto feed
- Telescopic shaft
- Yes
- Cable or battery
- 4.0Ah battery and charger
#5WORX 20V 10-Inch String Trimmer and Edger (WG154)
$50–$75
The lightest here at 4.2 lb with its battery, so it’s easy to carry around a small yard and hold for a long session. Twist the head 180 degrees and it edges in line along a sidewalk or driveway, and the battery fits WORX’s other 20V PowerShare tools.
What owners say: Light and nimble around a small yard, owners say, with enough bite for thick weeds. The automatic feed works well for many but jams for others, and a few had one give out early.
A closer look: WORX’s charger takes about five hours to fill the battery, so plug it in the night before. At 10 inches the cut is narrower than most, which suits tight spots between beds and a short front walk better than a big open lot.
- Head turns 180° to edge
- Battery fits WORX PowerShare tools
- Register for a 3-year warranty
Best for: Tight spots and long sessions
- Power
- Cordless, 20V
- Cutting width
- 10 in
- Weight
- 4.2 lb with battery
- Cuts with
- 0.065 in line, auto feed
- Telescopic shaft
- No
- Cable or battery
- 2.0Ah battery and charger
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1BLACK+DECKER LST300 | #2WORX WG163 | #3BLACK+DECKER BESTA510 | #4EGO ST1623T | #5WORX WG154 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best corded | Best premium | Lightest | ||
| Picked Rating | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.5 |
| Price | $75–$100 | $100–$150 | $50–$75 | Over $300 | $50–$75 |
| Power | Cordless, 20V MAX | Cordless, 20V | Corded, 6.5 A | Cordless, 56V | Cordless, 20V |
| Cutting width | 12 in | 12 in | 14 in | 16 in | 10 in |
| Weight | 6.55 lb | 5.3 lb with battery | 6.3 lb | 7.5 lb | 4.2 lb with battery |
| Cuts with | 0.065 in line, auto feed | 0.065 in line, push-button feed | 0.065 in line, auto feed | 0.095 in line, auto feed | 0.065 in line, auto feed |
| Telescopic shaft | No | Yes | – | Yes | No |
| Cable or battery | 2.0Ah battery and charger | Two 2.0Ah batteries and charger | Corded; needs an extension cord | 4.0Ah battery and charger | 2.0Ah battery and charger |
| Best for | Small yards and easy handling | Trimming and edging in one | Yards within reach of an outlet | Large lots and tough weeds | Tight spots and long sessions |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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