Electric weed eaters are the future. In fact, we are so confident in that that we’ve purchased probably ten of them here at The Lawn Review and used a dozen more. And yes, we’ve done some crazy stuff in our extensive testing – including cutting through a foam pool noodle to test it out.
Needless to say, we are experts in all things electric and battery-powered weed eaters. We are oddly obsessed with them, so decided to put the findings of all of our rigorous tests into writing.
Today, I’d like to walk you through exactly what I look for when looking for an electric weed eater to make it easier for you to buy when scrolling through the options.
Bottom Line: One of my favorite electric weed eaters is the Milwaukee M18 weed eater. It has a strong motor, great battery system, and is really easy to use.
What we look for in an electric weed eater
After owning probably ten of these and testing out another 10-15, we’ve developed some strong opinions on what to look for in a weed eater. So, I am going to speak mostly from personal experience here, but will tell you how I would make one if I had a lab to make all this.
Getting the right battery line in an electric weed eater
The very first question I ask when someone asks me what kind of weed eater to get is: “do you already own a battery-powered lawn tool?”. If so, my first recommendation is to start your search with the brand you already own. If you have a Ryobi 40V leaf blower, then I say start looking at Ryobi 40V weed eaters (I own both).
The reason I say this is because you can buy many lawn tools as “tool-only”, meaning you can buy it without the battery and save anywhere between $60-$100. It’s a no brainer to narrow the search to those right away.
If this is their first foray into battery-powered tools – then I recommend brands I’ve had the most success with personally. The one weed eater I’ve been most impressed with and has the most gas-like power is my EGO 56V string trimmer. If they are looking for something on the lighter side, there are a number of smaller weed eaters from Black and Decker or others that are good alternatives.
Understanding power on weed eaters
Battery weed eaters have power measurements in a couple of ways: rotations per minute (RPMs), battery voltage, cutting swath, and string size. None of them are absolute in their measurement. For example, Milwaukee makes an 18V weed eater that I absolutely shred with and is powerful as all get out. Worx has a 20V weed eater that is small and relatively weak feeling.
What I look for in power is mainly the cutting swath of the weed eater. This is the best indicator of power to me because even at lower RPMs, the greater the length of the string, the faster the tips are moving (its science).
Gas powered weed eaters typically have 15 to 19 inch cutting swaths. Electrics range from 10 to 17 inches. Again, my EGO weed eaters are at the 15 inch range and even a couple of the Dewalt ones I’ve tried get up there.
Luckily, this isn’t something you need to overcomplicate. Look for about a 15 inch cutting swath and the required battery voltage to make it spin will follow.
Feel and comfort is important when using a weed eater
An underrated quality in a weed eater, it is absolutely imperative that you find one that is comfortable to you. My neighbor has a super small, lightweight Ryobi weed eater that has basically no functionality. He has back pain and is about twice my age.
I prefer a much longer, more powerful weed eater that I can use with a variety of attachments. I am well over six feet tall and younger.
There is a huge element to personal preference in the feel and comfort category, but I can tell you what I do when I’m looking for a weed eater. I first check to see whether or not the weed eater has a D-loop handle. D-loop handles make it easier for me to grab and hold at multiple angles. Compare that to some weed eaters that have a foldable handle that isn’t adjustable and forces you to hold the trimmer a single way.
The other things I am checking for:
- Whether or not there’s a variable speed trigger that gives me control of the speed
- Molded grips that make holding on easier on the hands
- Where the battery connects to see how weight will be distributed
- How easy it is to change out the weed eater string / string trimmer line
All of these have an impact on my experience as someone using this tool.
Attachment capabilities make weed eaters amazing tools
Please, please do not skip this section. Having a weed eater with attachment capabilities is an absolute game changer. It can turn your weed eater into a Swiss Army knife. Let me go further.
One of the first battery powered weed eaters I owned was the Ryobi 40V Expand-It. I still use it every now and then, but it has the ability to have a weed eater, blower, edger, and more attachments. Basically you can take them off and change them out without having to buy a full tool and battery system each time, saving me hundreds of dollars.
Some tools we’ve used in this lineup are my Ryobi but also the EGO multi-head we spent a lot of time testing and the SKIL PWR CORE weed eater system that I was not super impressed with when using.
Motor types on electric weed eaters
Electric motors are different from gas-powered and definitely more simple. There are two main types: brushed and brushless. Brushed motors are the traditional electric tool motor and are fine, but most electric tool motors are being made with brushless motors now.
Compared to brushed motors, they provide more torque, run at a lower temperature, and are more durable. There’s a ton of science that goes into them, but when you see it advertised on a weed eater or really any other lawn tool – I recommend taking it seriously. They are legit.
Corded vs cordless weed eaters
Corded and cordless weed eaters are great alternatives to gas-powered string trimmers when it comes to residential use. The order of power is usually gas > battery > electric. The order of convenience is battery > electric > gas. Make sense?
I’ve used a few corded weed eaters but generally try to avoid them because I don’t like being limited by an extension cord and always yank it around like I’m vacuuming. That being said, one major benefit to my corded weed eater is that I don’t have to charge a battery or anything.
Cordless is definitely my preference and has tons of great options. If you’re going for an electric weed eater, I recommend using a battery-powered system that you can build your battery lawn tool set around.
Gas vs electric weed eaters
When it comes to picking a weed eater, the first decision you’ll come across is whether or not to buy a gas-powered weed eater. They’re the incumbent – and ran the string trimmer world for decades. And just like cars, they still reign supreme for a lot of applications.
Gas powered weed eaters have a few benefits when compared to electric weed eaters:
- They generally have a larger cutting swath
- Most gas weed eaters can fit thicker weed eater string
- Gas string trimmers are easier to run for longer periods of time and don’t require charging
- They often have a higher power output
- When well-maintained, gas string trimmers can last many years
But battery-powered weed eaters have some advantages to gas:
- No maintenance
- No fumes
- Way quieter
- Super easy to start
In short, it comes down to your application. I would almost never recommend an electric weed eater to a professional landscaper. For my neighbors who often ask me which is better, I recommend them trying my battery-powered weed eater to see how satisfied they are with the performance.
Bottom Line: Our experience testing electric weed eaters
If you came up to me on the street and asked me what electric weed eater you should get, I would say it needs to fit these criteria: 15 inch cutting swath, brushless motor, D-loop handle, battery line with significant voltage and Amp-hours, and attachment capability. There are tons of those out there, but we really loved our experience with EGO. We don’t have an affiliation with them or anything – but have been so impressed by their multi-head system.
Common questions about electric weed eaters
Are electric weed eaters worth it?
Electric weed eaters are great tools for homeowners and with the right one, can last a long time. They are definitely worth it for home use.
What is the best electric weed eater you can buy?
In my experience, the best electric weed eater is the attachment capable EGO Multi-Tool.
Do electric weed eaters work well?
Electric weed eaters work very well for home use but are limited in commercial use.
What size electric weed eater do I need?
The perfect size electric weed eater for home use is anywhere between 14-16 inches of cutting swath.
How long do battery powered weed eaters last?
Battery powered weed eaters can last about 35-50 minutes depending on intensity of use.
How much does a battery weed eater cost?
Battery weed eaters can cost anywhere from $125 to $400 depending on the size, voltage, and quality of construction.
Why we started reviewing weed eaters
The reason we started The Lawn Review in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
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