Name: Milwaukee M18 Hedge Trimmer
Brand: Milwaukee
Rating: 10 (1 reviews)

April 11, 2023April 30, 2024

Corded vs Cordless Weed Eaters: My Surprising Choice

Both corded and cordless weed eaters offer serious benefits over gas-powered equipment. But when you look at the two side-by-side, there’s a stark difference. I prefer cordless weed eaters, but corded weed eaters still have a solid place in my lawn.

They’re both electric but why do they operate so differently? Which one is better? Which string trimmer is cheaper?

We’ve tested DOZENS of corded and cordless weed eaters and have noticed a few things that make corded great for one crowd and cordless weed eaters for another crowd.

Let’s explain.

How I test out corded and cordless weed eaters

When I’m testing out corded and cordless weed eaters, there are a few things I keep in mind. The first part of my testing method is all about comfort and usability. There are some weed eaters that just fit better in the hands of some people than others. Another thing I look at is the weed eater string and cutting swath size. Those both indicate how much brush the weed eater can handle and how much power can be delivered.

I’ve tested dozens of corded and cordless weed eaters and have reviewed a ton of them on this site and my Youtube channel.

When I recommend a corded weed eater

Corded weed eaters honestly sound a little old school. I imagine using my corded weed eater with my Walkman and wired headphones trying to trim up my lawn while holding my Walkman flat to ensure the CD doesn’t skip.

Gotta love how light it is. Or how strong I am.

In reality, corded weed eaters still have a place in the 21st century. I love some of these lightweight corded weed eaters because they are incredibly easy to use and simple. In fact, for many first time homeowners or elderly folks, I recommend corded weed eaters. Here’s why:

Pros of corded weed eaters

Corded weed eaters are great for new homeowners and/or elderly folks because they:

Are generally extremely cheap
Fit small yards really well
Never run out of power
Require no maintenance
Are very light

But I don’t recommend corded weed eaters for everybody.

Cons of corded weed eaters

Corded weed eaters are simple and lightweight, but aren’t right for a lot of folks. Here are some cons:

Not very powerful
Tend to be smaller and weaker
Limited reach due to extension cord
Not attachment capable

When I recommend a cordless weed eater

Cordless weed eaters AKA battery-powered weed eaters are great for just about anyone. While they haven’t quite built themselves up to the power and run-time of gas-powered weed eaters, they still pack quite a punch. Compared to corded electric weed eaters, they tend to be much larger and more powerful on average.

Some cordless weed eaters that operate on a low battery voltage, like the WORX GT Revolution, are still reminiscent of our corded electric friends. The main difference is the ability to use batteries across other tools and to walk further away from your garage without worrying about an extension cord.

Here are my favorite things about battery-powered weed eaters.

Pros of cordless weed eaters

Cordless battery-powered weed eaters have some great features:

Cordless (duh)
Can use batteries across many other tools, saving you money
Larger cutting swaths
Attachment capabilities
Longer and easier to navigate with if you’re taller

Cons of battery-powered weed eaters

While they are darn near perfect, they aren’t all the way there. Battery-powered weed eaters still have some weaknesses, such as:

Limited run time with batteries requiring re-charge
More expensive
Heavier
Still not as powerful as gas

How to improve the performance of an electric weed eater

When I first started using my electric weed eater, I was kinda bummed at the lack of power. One thing I realized quickly was that the lack of power wasn’t necessarily coming from the weed eater motor or battery itself, but the dinky string that came with it.

From that point on, I was on a mission to find a weed eater string that unleashed the full power of my weed eater. That’s why I created the GrassKicker weed eater string. I tested about 10 other strings that were for sale at Home Depot and found the best characteristics of each and combined them into a single string.

When I first put it in my Ryobi weed eater, I was floored. It is a silly product, but man did it make a difference.

Corded Weed Eaters: My Recommendation

After using this weed eater for the first few years of my lawn care journey, I can’t recommend it enough to new homeowners. My Black and Decker 6.5A, 14 inch string trimmer was a reliable source of performance for many years. I called it “Old Faithful”.

Yes, this is not the flashiest weed eater, but it fit my modest budget in my first home. I also liked that it was corded because I could hardly remember to take care of anything and didn’t trust myself with charging the batteries.

This one is also super lightweight and despite being small, has a cool feature: you can turn it on its side and use it as an edger as well.

I got mine on Amazon back in the day for a really good price.

My favorite Cordless Battery-Powered Weed Eater

A contentious topic but one I don’t shy away from, the battery powered weed eater competition is muy caliente. So spicy that I wrote an entire long form post breaking down some of my favorite (based on experience) battery powered weed eaters. I broke it down into a bunch of different categories, but I am going to just share my absolute favorite.

The EGO Power+ Multi-Tool attachment system with the 15” string trimmer is my favorite. Here are the reasons why:

The EGO 56V battery fits EGO’s ridiculously powerful blowers
I saved a ton of money just buying attachments for this and not new tools altogether. It’s the swiss army knife of lawn care.
The string trimmer itself has a big cutting swath and a long run time
It fits my GrassKicker weed eater string
It is very comfortable to use

Basically, I use it for just about everything I do around the yard except for mowing. It is way more than just a cordless weed eater – it is a cordless EVERYTHING.

You can also grab this one on Amazon for a great price.

Corded vs cordless electric weed eaters: Which is better?

If I haven’t made myself clear at this point, you haven’t been reading. Both are great options, but I prefer cordless weed eaters. Corded weed eaters are still a great choice if you are elderly, have a small yard, or a tight budget. But cordless weed eaters have made such drastic improvements in power and usability that they are now freaks of nature.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website 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.

July 19, 2022April 2, 2024

7 Cordless Blowers for Any Budget

The best budget cordless blower is the Greenworks 40V leaf blower and vacuum combo because it has a reliable motor, is decently powerful, and allows for you to also suck up leaves or grass for easy clean-up.

You can grab our number one choice Greenworks 40V blower here on Amazon for a great price.

Listen, I used to hate working in the yard. You walk out there and try to ignore the leaves as much as possible.

Don’t overcomplicate this! You can get a budget blower and it still does a great job, takes up minimal space in your garage, and barely makes a dent in your bank account.

Let’s get started.

Here are the great, cheap leaf blowers – ranked:

Budget Cordless Leaf Blowers: Ranked

Again, it can be done! You can find a great budget cordless leaf blower for a ridiculously low price and corded leaf blowers for an even lower one. We have found not only the most affordable blowers, but ranked them in terms of quality and power. A few of these we personally own and others we have tried and tested ourselves.

Let’s get this thing kicked off!

7. Black + Decker 20V MAX Cordless Sweeper with Power Boost

The Black and Decker 20V Max Cordless Sweeper with Power Boost is an affordable, trustworthy, budget cordless leaf blower that is a part of the 20V MAX battery series.

I’m going to stop here and tell you that if you own a Black and Decker 20V MAX series tool, buy this blower. You can get the tool-only version for an insane price if you already own the battery.

The Black + Decker 20V Max blower gets up to 130 MPH, is really quiet, and can run for 25 minutes straight. The best part – it weighs under 4 lbs. It is technically considered a sweeper instead of a blower, mostly because it has a flat tapered nozzle. This makes it perfect for driveways, garages, and porches.

I would not get this blower if you’re trying to move massive piles of leaves. The tapered nozzle is powerful and great for a strong stream of air, but not going to cover a large area.

You can grab this one on Amazon for well under $100 when it goes on sale.

6. Makita XBU05Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Blower

Makita makes some dang high quality tools. If you’ve ever owned one of their power drills, you know exactly what I mean. They have recently jumped head-first into the lawn tool game as well. Makita leaf blowers are top notch and growing in popularity (you may have seen the TV commercials).

The Makita XBU05Z is a handheld, cordless, budget leaf blower that reaches speeds up to 220 MPH. Just like the other Makita tools you may already own, it just requires an 18V battery.

While smaller than most other blowers, it can clear out a sidewalk, front porch, or garage with the best of them. It is extremely easy to use, has the same grip as a power drill, and can be stored in a very small area.

At just a shade under $100, it is a great deal if you already own the battery with your other Makita tools. Grab it on Amazon today for about $95.

5. Kimo Cordless Blower and Vacuum

One of our personal favorites (because Mom bought it for us), we use this thing all the time. In fact, we did a full written review of the Kimo Cordless Blower and a full YouTube video. We love it.

While it is a lesser-known brand, it is the best option if you don’t own any yard tools. You can be battery-system agnostic and get a sweet blower/vacuum combo for a ridiculous price.

I use this one all the time to do a quick sweep of the porch, sidewalk, and driveway before we have people over. It can be stored in our coat closet and easily carried outside. It’s quiet, lightweight, and super cheap.

It also comes with a vacuum function, although I don’t use it that much. But the vacuum works well for sawdust or other things that you want to get rid of in a jiff.

You can read our full review of the Kimo Cordless blower here.

This thing sells for an amazing price on Amazon – under 90 dollars..

4. Ryobi 155 mph 300 CFM 40-Volt Lithium-ion Cordless Jet Fan Blower

So I bought the tool-only version of this cordless budget leaf blower because I already owned the multi-tool Ryobi 40V trimmer and edger. I got it for an awesome deal since I had the batteries already.

This Ryobi 40V blower works really well. It is easy to assemble right out of the box. One of my favorite things about it is that it has a variable speed trigger, meaning I can control how quickly the air flows. I use this blower every weekend after cutting the grass.

It comes in clutch when the maple tree in the backyard suddenly dumps thousands of leaves on our back deck. It gets rid of all of the leaves in super short order and doesn’t wake up the kids. Gotta love it. If you own Ryobi 40V products, this one is a no brainer.

You can get it on Amazon like I did for a tad more than the others, but still a reasonable price.

3. WORX 20V Turbine Cordless Two-Speed Leaf Blower – WG547

The WORX WG547 cordless budget leaf blower is a pretty sweet looking blower. It has a jet-engine type of motor inside that can put out 75 mph of air, or 340 CFMs.

You may notice that the MPH here is not very high. The CFM, relatively, is pretty dang high. This means that the blower has a wider nozzle. I would NOT use this for wet grass or heavy debris. I would absolutely use this for a pile of leaves.

Photo cred: Amazon. Thing is pretty sweet.

Listen, it isn’t going to absolutely destroy leaves like a backpack blower, but it also doesn’t cost $600. It will definitely be able to clear loose leaves from your patio or driveway with ease.

Worx is a great brand and is in almost every garage or shed around the country.

At under $120, this thing is an absolute steal on Amazon.

2. Greenworks 40V (150 MPH / 135 CFM) Cordless Blower

Unlike the last blower, the Greenworks 40V 150 MPH / 135 CFM cordless blower is a high-speed, low air-volume blower. These are super interesting to use because they are basically beams of air that fly out of a narrow tip.

This one is awesome for cleaning off the driveway after a fresh mow. It can also lift off anything underneath a chair, on top of your outdoor tables, and between cracks that other blowers can’t reach.

Before you pull the trigger (pun intended), realize that this one isn’t great for clearing all the leaves from your lawn. You can do it, but you’ll be out there for a while. The Greenworks 150 MPH blower is about precision and power, not as much about pushing big loads of air.

It’s a great deal (actually a crazy deal on Amazon), has over 15k reviews, and comes in under $60. That’s a hot tamale.

1. Greenworks 40V (185 MPH/340CFM) Brushless Cordless Leaf Blower

The Greenworks 40V 185 MPH brushless cordless budget leaf blower and vacuum combination that makes cleaning up leaves extremely easy. A six speed-option dial allows for you to have complete control over what you are blowing away. Coming in at under 6lbs with a runtime of over 20 minutes on the highest setting, you will be able to quickly crush whatever job you’re trying to do.

What I love most about this blower is the brushless motor. Brushless motors last way longer, have more torque, and operate cooler than brushed motors. This one is going to last you a long time.

Somehow insanely priced AND comes with a vacuum.

With the additional vacuum add-on pieces, you can easily blow all the leaves into a pile and suck them into a big bag, making cleaning up a snap.

The craziest thing about this blower is that Amazon must be broken or something. It is listed for $70 right now if you get the tool-only version. It honestly seems like a glitch or something.

Oh well – feel free to take advantage of it as long as it lasts on Amazon.

Why we started The Lawn Review

What to look for in an electric blower

Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:

CFM – Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability – what is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type – brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.

These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.

June 11, 2022April 28, 2024

Milwaukee’s M18 Hedge Trimmer is Raw Power

Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL 24 inch hedge trimmer is one of the best hedge trimmers on the market because it has a heavy duty, popular battery system, a long cutting length, and a highly durable motor.

Milwaukee is known for insanely powerful products that perform at high levels. Think about their power drills and other tools that are trusted by the pros. They take that same power and oftentimes the same battery, and pack it into some yard tools.

Bottom Line: The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 24 inch hedge trimmers are the perfect combination of power, durability, and usability. Milwaukee’s M18 line of tools is absolutely incredible. You can grab yours here from Home Depot.

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 24 inch Hedge Trimmer

Okay enough blabbering, let’s get on with it. We had the distinct pleasure of getting our hands on the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 24 inch hedge trimmer when I borrowed it from my neighbor.

So, let’s check it out.

This trimmer feels solid and durable

Feel is the very first thing you experience when you pick up the Milwaukee M18 FUEL hedge trimmer. Ideally you want a hedge trimmer to feel lightweight but also solid. It is rare to get the two of those together.

The M18 FUEL hedge trimmer had a good combo of lightweight and also solid. It comes in at about 9lbs, which isn’t the lightest on the block, but still manageable. The thing felt as solid as a rock though, which is exactly what you want.

I’ve had a few Black and Decker hedge trimmers and while they are inexpensive, they feel plastic-y, uncomfortable, and overall low budget. The Milwaukee felt like the real deal.

Really easy to use and turn for harder-to-reach areas.

Once I started cutting, it felt like I could let gravity do the work with some minor guidance. While it was slightly heavier than I liked, it was easy to use. I’d give it about ⅘ stars in the “feel” category.

The Milwaukee 24 inch hedge trimmer has unmatched power

Any lack in the “feel” department was completely made up by power. This is what Milwaukee is famous for. Power drills with serious power. Well, it really held up against my expectations here.

The extra weight on this hedge trimmer is there for a reason: it is holding a powerhouse motor inside that can cut up to ¾” of branches. That is pretty crazy for a hedge trimmer. Most think hedge trimmers can just cut little leaves off of tiny bushes.

Nope.

Milwaukee incorporated saw-like technology on this bad boy and somehow it can cut up to three quarters of an inch-thick branch. That’s wild.

But also able to cut through really thick branches.

The saw functions move back and forth at 3,400 exchanges per minute. Not sure what that means, but you can tell this thing can cut. One part that was shocking to me was the lack of vibration when trying to cut.

For example, with some of my Black + Decker hedge trimmers, when it’s really trying to work its way through a thicker branch it will stall and vibrate until it gets through it. I didn’t really experience that with the Milwaukee M18 hedge trimmer as compared to the Black and Decker.

The last part I will say about the motor on this M18 Hedge Trimmer is that it has a brushless motor. Milwaukee calls it the POWERSTATE brushless motor, which allows for more torque, more run-time, and a longer life. This is true – brushless motors are absolutely amazing for any tool, but mostly so on lawn tools because they have a tendency to overheat due to their long run-time (unlike power drills which don’t run for very long).

The M18 battery provides consistent power despite being a smaller voltage

I didn’t run into an issue with battery life on the Milwaukee M18 battery, but I think there’s a lot more to it than that.

Pops right on the back to help balance out the tool.

On Milwaukee’s website, they go into pretty lengthy details about all the different trademarks and copyrights they have on the M18 battery. It almost makes it unreadable, but here is what I learned:

The M18 REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT XC8.0 battery pack can put out 50% more power and can run significantly cooler than their old battery packs
There is something called REDLINK PLUS which is electronic intelligence (not sure what that means) that enables communication between tools and batteries.
- This sounds like they are plotting to take us over. Whatever.

I think M18 batteries in general can run for over 100 minutes without any pressure. I would expect quite a bit less when trimming hedges and thicker brush. That being said, the M18 24 inch hedge trimmer battery will likely last for any job you are doing around the yard.

If the battery dies, take some time to clean up the previous section of hedges and use that time to recharge the battery.

The M18 batteries can be used in a TON of other Milwaukee tools, so make sure to check out some of their other products to save money on batteries.

Cost and value of the Milwaukee M18 hedge trimmer

You can buy the M18 FUEL 24 in 18V cordless hedge trimmer for just under $200 on Home Depot’s website. It currently says that you can buy the tool-only version, which is considerably cheaper but comes without a battery.

It looks like Home Depot is running a special deal where if you buy the tool-only version, they throw in a free battery.

Confusing, but whatever. This is a great price when compared to similar-quality hedge trimmers like the ones from Makita, which are much more expensive.

Overall review: Milwaukee M18 FUEL 24 in 18V cordless hedge trimmer

The Milwaukee M18 24” hedge trimmer is a dang beast. This is going to be able to tackle any hedge trimming job with power and grace.

Would I buy this if I was a 75+ grandma? Probably not, I would probably go with a cheaper, lighter hedge trimmer. But most folks that can handle an 8-10lb hedge trimmer will find that this one is extremely powerful, easy to use, and long-lasting.

Why we review lawn tools

Why you need a cordless hedge trimmer

Hedge trimming keeps the yard looking manicured. But if you’ve ever tried to trim a hedge with a pair of shears, you know that it’s not an easy task. Hedge trimmers are specially designed to make trimming hedges quick and easy – which is why they were named hedge trimmers.

Here are three reasons why you need a cordless hedge trimmer:

Hedge trimming is a tough job, but Hedge Trimmers make it really fast. Hedge Trimmers have sharp blades that can quickly cut through even the thickest hedges. And because they’re so lightweight and easy to maneuver, Hedge Trimmers make it easy to get even the most difficult-to-reach areas. The beauty of cordless hedge trimmers is that they don’t ever cut the cord – unlike my mother-in-law.
Hedge Trimmers save you time. Hedge trimming can be a time-consuming task, but Hedge Trimmers can help you get the job done quickly. It is a hack compared to using traditional hedge clippers or shears. Sadly, cleaning up still takes the same amount of time!
Hedge Trimmers help you keep your yard looking its best. Well-trimmed hedges add structure and definition to your yard, and they can help your garden look neater and more. I am always going for the manicured look, and nothing gets rid of unruly overgrowth like a hedge trimmer.

About Milwaukee tools

Milwaukee tools have a long history of being tough and durable. Milwaukee is a brand that has been around for over 100 years, and it has a well-deserved reputation for making high-quality tools. Milwaukee tools are used by professionals all over the world, and they are known for being able to withstand heavy use.

Milwaukee makes a wide variety of tools, from hand tools to power tools, and they are used in a variety of industries, from construction to automotive. These tools are known for being very versatile, and they can be used for a variety of applications. Milwaukee is a brand that is trusted by professionals, and Milwaukee tools are built to last.

We noticed that Milwaukee was starting to make a splash in the lawn tool industry, so we have been trying to get our hands on any Milwaukee products that we can, including their weed eater.