7 Best Electric String Trimmers of 2024 [Reviews] (2024)

If you’re shopping for an electric string trimmer, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve collected detailed data on Home Depot, Lowe’s, Amazon, and Walmart models to find the best electric string trimmers for homeowners.

We carefully compared each model, ranking its potency, practicality, and price. Our top picks include corded and cordless models with plenty of power to meet your yard care needs—regardless of budget or lawn size. Our string trimmer reviews and buying guide help you find the best electric string trimmers for the money.

Our Top Picks

Top 4 Cordless Electric String Trimmers – Reviews

1. ENHULK 58V 16″ String Trimmer – Carbon Fiber

The ENHULK 58V 16″ Cordless Electric String Trimmer is fierce, fast, and efficient. I was shocked to see so much potency in a battery-powered trimmer. With an advanced brushless motor, efficient battery, and pro-grade 0.095-inch dual twist cutting line, the trimmer easily cuts through excessively thick overgrowth.

Its 16-inch cutting swath covers a lot of land at once, and its 2.5 Ah battery provides up to 45 minutes of runtime. I trimmed an unkempt one-acre yard with a chain-link fence in about 30 minutes, using about 10 feet of trimmer line. The battery had about 20% of its charge remaining.

Read my colleague Michelle Selzer’s hands-on review of the ENHULK string trimmer or watch her video (linked a few paragraphs below) as she puts the string trimmer through a series of tests.

Whether you need to bulldoze through thick weeds or delicately edge along landscaping, ENHULK has you covered with the trimmer’s three variable speeds:

• Eco mode maximizes runtime while providing a gentle touch in delicate areas.

• High mode is excellent for thick, overgrown weeds.

• Turbo mode effortlessly plows through excessively dense and overgrown weeds.

Additionally, it’s user-friendly, durable, and lightweight. Thanks to its carbon fiber shaft and advanced engineering, it’s the lightest trimmer in its class.

If you have a large, heavily weeded yard, the ENHULK 58V 16″ String Trimmer is the best electric trimmer for you.

Specifications

• Voltage: 58 volts
• Cutting swath: 16 inches
• Line diameter: 0.095 inches (also compatible with 0.080 inch)
• Weight: 9.8 pounds

Pros and Cons

Where to buy:

2. Earthwise LST02010 – 20V 10” String Trimmer

If you want mobility, affordability, and a featherweight design, the Earthwise LST02010 is your best bet. It’s super light, at less than 5 pounds, but this “little engine that could” has enough power to trim the average (regularly maintained) yard.

Even if your yard has uneven terrain or unusual angles, the LST02010 will likely handle your needs with ease. The trimmer has these versatile features:

• Adjustable Head: Its cutting head has three adjustable positions for edging around lawns and hardscapes or trimming weeds in flower beds.

• Edge Guard: The flip-down steel edge guard will protect your plants and other landscape features from damage while you cut down weeds.

• Adjustable handle: The auxiliary handle adjusts to comfort.

• Telescopic shaft: Its shaft adjusts to suit your comfort and reach.

That said, the LST02010 isn’t ideal for large or heavily weeded yards. Its small 10-inch cutting head is the perfect size for cleaning up tight spots, but trimming around open spaces will take longer. And its 0.065-inch line will likely break when faced with dense weeds. Our list’s ENHULK and EGO trimmers are the best electric models for heavy-duty trimming.

Still, the Earthwise LST02010 is easy to use and well worth its price. We recommend it to homeowners with small, well-maintained yards.

Specifications

• Power: 20-volt Li-ion battery
• Cutting swath: 10 in.
• Line diameter: 0.065 in.
• Weight: 4.4 lb.

Pros and cons

Where to buy:

3. Greenworks 21302 – 40V 13” String Trimmer

The Greenworks 21302 is Amazon’s best-selling string trimmer, and for good reason. It’s a great value. It packs 40 volts of battery power but costs about 60% less than the average cordless electric trimmer. It also has an impressively long run time with up to an hour of battery life.

The trimmer also has several features that make it convenient to use, including:

• Pivoting Trimmer Head: Its head has four positions for reaching different angles

• Telescoping Shaft: The shaft’s height adjusts, extending reach and comfort

• 2-in-1 Functionality: It easily converts to a wheeled edger

However, it’s heavy for a 13-inch trimmer, so it might not suit homeowners with limited upper-body strength. And it’s certainly not suitable for tough overgrowth. Even with its 40-volt battery, this string trimmer sometimes struggles against thicker weeds and grass because of its 0.065-inch single trimmer line.

Still, most users reported that the Greenworks 21302 makes quick work of typical around-the-yard trimming.

Specifications

• Power: 40-volt Li-ion battery
• Cutting swath: 13 in.
• Line diameter: 0.065 in.
• Shaft: Telescopic
• Weight: 9.3 lb.

Pros and cons

Where to buy:

4. EGO Power+ ST1523S – 56V 15” String Trimmer

The EGO Power+ ST1523S is the closest competitor to the ENHULK trimmer. Both models are high-performance battery trimmers with durable carbon fiber shafts, advanced brushless motors, and long battery life. They’re the best battery-powered trimmers for homeowners with large yards or thick weeds.

However, the trimmers have just as many similarities as differences. The table below provides a side by side comparison.

It’s also worth mentioning that EGO’s ARC Lithium batteries consistently get the best performance ratings compared to competing power tool batteries. ENHULK is a newer player in the game, and it’ll be interesting to see if they can take that title.

Specifications

• Voltage: 56 volts
• Cutting swath: 15 inches
• Line diameter: 0.095 inches
• Weight: 18.5 pounds

Pros and Cons

Where to buy:

Top 3 Corded Electric String Trimmers – Reviews

1. BLACK+DECKER BESTA510 – 6.5 Amp 14” String Trimmer

This 2-in-1 string trimmer and wheeled edger from BLACK+DECKER is lightweight and comfortable, with adjustable ergonomic handles and height positions. Its 6.5 amp motor and 0.065 inch string give it enough cutting power to handle typical grass and lawn weeds.

While its 14-inch cutting swath is smaller than premium electric models, it’s the perfect size to tidy up typical lawn edges efficiently.

The trimmer’s also straightforward to use:

• It’s simple to convert between a trimmer and an edger — all you have to do is rotate the head.

• Releasing line is easy, too, thanks to BLACK+DECKER’s Automatic Feed Spool technology.

• Even seniors rave about its lightweight design and easy operation.

But the BESTA510 isn’t just a top performer; it’s also one of the most affordable options on the market. You don’t have to compromise on quality for a good price.

If you need a string trimmer for basic household use and you don’t want to break the bank for anything too fancy, BLACK+DECKER’s corded BESTA510 is perfect for you.

Specifications

• Power: 6.5 amp motor
• Cutting swath: 14 in.
• Line diameter: 0.065 in.
• Weight: 5.3 lb.

Pros and cons

Where to buy:

2. Toro 51480 – 5 Amp 14” Trimmer/Edger

Toro’s 51480 model is another great 2-in-1 tool that switches from trimming to edging with the push of a button. Users can easily control the auto-feed line with a trigger in the handle. This tool is all about simple, easy-to-understand controls.

For people with a lot of landscape features and other obstructions in their yard, the Toro 51480 is a better choice than the BLACK+DECKER BESTA510. Thanks to its telescoping shaft, users get an extended reach, making maneuvering around obstacles effortless.

While its 5-amp motor and 0.065-inch trimmer line might not be able to handle huge, overgrown yards, it’s perfect for delicate edging and trimming. The Toro 51480 is affordable, reliable, and easy to use,

Specifications

• Power: 5 amp motor
• Cutting swath: 14 in.
• Line diameter: 0.065 in.
• Weight: 6.3 lb.

Pros and cons

Where to buy:

3. CRAFTSMAN CMESTE920 – 6.5 Amp 14” Weedwacker

For a few extra bucks, the CRAFTSMAN CMESTE90 combines the best qualities of our previous corded picks:

• Telescopic Shaft: For working around landscape features
• 6.5-Amp Motor: For more cutting power than the Toro 51480
• Trimmer/Edger: For dual functionality

It also has convenient controls and easy-to-read instructions, giving customers complete control over their trimming experience:

• Trimmer Line Length: Unlike the Toro and BLACK+DECKER models, this CRAFTSMAN trimmer has a push-button feed system, giving you complete control over the cutting string’s length.

• Trimmer height: It’s easy to adjust the shaft to a comfortable working height.

• Functionality: The trimmer easily converts to a wheeled edger with a twist of its cutting head.

It’s heavier than most corded models, but at about 7 pounds, most homeowners find it easy to carry. However, it might be more challenging to use for long periods than the previous corded models

Specifications

• Power: 6.5 amp motor
• Cutting swath: 14 in.
• Line diameter: 0.065 in.
• Shaft: Telescopic
• Weight: 6.9 lb.

Pros and cons

Where to buy:

Buyers Guide

When buying an electric string trimmer, savvy shoppers consider the following:

• Why do you need a string trimmer?
• Power Source
• Potency
• Cutting Swath
• Line Diameter
• Weight
• Price

Why do you need a string trimmer?

If you’ve found that mowing your lawn isn’t quite enough to get the pristine, manicured look you want, a string trimmer is what you’re missing. String trimmers cut grass and weeds in those hard-to-reach spots a lawn mower can’t cut.

String trimmers are also good for cleaning up the grass borders around flower beds, hardscapes, and other landscape features you don’t want to risk damaging with a lawn mower.

They have a straight or curved shaft with a cutting head on one end. The cutting head spins the string rapidly to slice through vegetation. The term “string trimmer” comes from using a string instead of a blade.

String trimmers go by many names, including weed eater, weed wacker, weed trimmer, and grass trimmer. Any time you see one of these terms, it’s talking about the same type of tool.

Power Source

To buy the best string trimmer, consider its power source.

Electric Vs. Gas

If you’re reading this article, you probably already know what makes electric trimmers better than their gas counterparts:

• No emissions, so they’re better for the environment than gas models
• Easier to use: They’re lighter, and lower maintenance.

However, the best gas-powered string trimmers are more potent than the best battery-powered models.

Corded vs. Cordless

So, you know you want to go with electric over gas, but would a corded or cordless string trimmer be better for your needs?

Corded Advantages:

• The main benefit of a corded electric string trimmer is that it isn’t limited by a battery’s run time. Do you need a trimmer that lasts longer than the typical 15 – 30 minute life of a power tool battery? That’s no problem with a corded model. There’s no time limit.

• Corded weed eaters also tend to be cheaper than their battery-powered counterparts.

Corded Disadvantages:

• Corded string trimmers have to stay plugged in the entire time you use them, so, while they have no time constraints, you can only use them within an extension cord’s reach.

• You’ll have to be careful not to run over or trip over the cord while you work.

Cordless Advantages:

• The greatest thing about a cordless electric string trimmer, obviously, is that there’s no cord. You have unlimited mobility with these battery-powered weed eaters.

Cordless Disadvantages:

• You must make sure the battery is charged and ready to go before you can use a cordless string trimmer. Some batteries can take hours to charge, so you’ll have to think ahead.

• Their batteries usually don’t last more than 30 minutes.

• You’ll almost always pay more for a battery-powered string trimmer than a corded one.

Potency

We measure the power of corded electric string trimmers in amps and battery power in volts.

For either type, higher amperage or higher voltage means more power, typically cutting through thicker grass and weeds.

If you don’t anticipate the need to cut through tough overgrowth, you probably don’t need to pay the higher price a more powerful trimmer would cost you.

Cutting Swath

To figure out a trimmer’s cutting swath (or cutting width), look at how wide the cutting head (or trimmer head) is. A wider cutting head means you’ll be able to cover more ground faster.

For example, you’ll probably finish trimming your lawn faster with a 14-inch cutting swath than you would with a 10-inch one. Even so, you might decide a smaller cutting head is better for you if you need to trim grass or weeds in tight spaces.

Line Diameter

Line diameter describes the thickness of weed eater string. Most electric trimmers use cutting line that’s between 0.065 and 0.095 inches thick. Thicker strings are less likely to break and more capable of handling thick grass and weeds.

If you want your string trimmer to work to its best potential, make sure you use the right size string.

Weight

To use a string trimmer, you have to be able to carry it, sometimes for an extended period of time. That means you need to pay attention to the weight of a potential new string trimmer before you buy it.

If you buy a trimmer that’s too heavy for you, you’ll wear yourself out quickly any time you try to use it.

Electric string trimmers are almost always lighter than their gas counterparts, and corded models tend to be lighter than battery-powered ones.

Price

The average electric string trimmer costs about $170, but cordless models cost significantly more than corded ones.

When it comes to electric string trimmers, you’ll usually have to spend more money for things like more powerful engines, larger cutting swaths, and special features such as auto-feed and variable speed control.

FAQ About Electric String Trimmers

1. What is the best electric string trimmer?

For the money, the best corded electric string trimmer is the BLACK+DECKER BESTA510, while the best cordless electric string trimmer is the ENHULK 58V 16″ String Trimmer. Refer to our reviews above to find out why.

2. Are electric string trimmers any good?

Yes. They have many advantages over their gas counterparts. Even though electric trimmers tend to have less power output than those with gas engines, they should be powerful enough for use around the house. Some even have power comparable to gas.

3. What size string trimmer do I need?

For most residential lawns, a cutting head of 10-15 inches should be sufficient. For large spaces, an 18-inch or larger cutting head will make the job go by faster.

When to Call a Lawn Care Pro

DIY lawn care requires much time and elbow grease, even with the best string trimmers. After all that stress, most DIY lawns never look as lush as their professionally manicured counterparts. If you want a pristine lawn with crisp edges, your best bet is hiring a pro.

LawnStarter connects you with qualified local lawn care pros with affordable rates. It only takes a moment to get an online quote, and you can manage your service through our user-friendly app.

LawnStarter participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other retailer affiliate programs. LawnStarter may earn revenue from products promoted in this article.

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