Best Cordless String Trimmers (2026)

This is the heaviest-duty cordless trimmer in the guide, and it is built for the jobs that push owners back to gas. A 16 inch swath with dual 0.095 inch line is the widest and thickest setup here, and the maker rates the motor as equal to a 26cc gas trimmer, a comparison that is a marketing claim but points to the right class of machine.

The feature that makes thick line practical is the reload. The head twists open and takes new line in about ten seconds with no winding, a job that a bump feed head makes slow. On a large property, that saves real time over a season.

The tradeoffs are weight and battery. A 16 inch head and a 60V pack make the machine heavier than the 20V tools and the 2.5Ah battery will run out on a big job, so a spare is a sensible buy. The pack fits only the 60V line. Clear the head after use, replace line when it shortens and store the battery indoors in winter. It makes sense for ditches, fence lines and neglected ground. For a flat suburban lawn, it is more tool than you need.

The Makita kit is the sensible centre of the range. A brushless motor spins the head at up to 6,000 RPM, the swath is 13 inches and the kit includes a 4.0Ah battery and charger, so there is nothing else to buy. The maker claims up to an hour of runtime on that pack, a figure to read as a best case but a good sign for a mid-size lawn.

What sets it apart is the platform. 18V LXT batteries run a very wide range of Makita tools, so a household with a drill and blower already owns the battery, and the saving on the bare-tool version is real. For a newcomer, the kit is the right buy.

The listing's low-maintenance points apply to any brushless battery tool: no gas, no oil mixing, no pull cord and low noise. It is a quiet, steady machine rather than a brush cutter, with a swath that suits most lawns. Keep the line fresh and clear grass from under the guard after each session. If you mix mowing days with trimming days, the 4.0Ah pack is large enough that you can use it on both without a recharge in between. A spare 2.0Ah pack from the same family is a handy extra for quick touch-ups.

EGO's trimmer pairs a 15 inch swath with 0.095 inch line, which is the heavier of the two common line sizes and is aimed at tougher growth than the usual 0.065 inch. The Rapid Reload head lets you load new line quickly, which takes much of the pain out of using thick line.

The maker claims up to 45 minutes of runtime on a single charge, which is a useful figure for judging a lawn: a 45 minute pack covers a half-acre of trimming for most owners. The battery and charger come in the kit, and the pack is shared across the brand's mowers and blowers.

It is a straight-shaft tool with a professional feel, but the weight is higher than a 20V trimmer. It suits a mid to large property where a heavier line makes sense. Clear the head after each use and store the battery indoors. Because the line is thick, a single reload lasts much longer than a thin spool, which matters when you are trimming a long fence line. Check that you are using the line the head is rated for, as oversize line can jam the reload.

Craftsman quotes up to 63 minutes of runtime, the longest claim in this lineup, and the figure is the reason it is here. A 4Ah V20 battery drives a 13 inch trimmer that converts to an edger, and the maker says the motor delivers 52 percent more power than its predecessor, a relative claim that tells you the model improved but not by how much in absolute terms.

The kit includes the battery and charger, and V20 is a widely stocked platform, so spares are easy to find. A 13 inch swath is a standard size for a mid-sized lawn, and the edger mode helps with paths and drives.

Treat the 63 minutes as a ceiling: light grass and a fresh battery. Heavier growth will cut the time substantially. Clean the head and check the line before each session, and store the pack indoors. Because the claim is a ceiling, plan your first few mows with a spare charger nearby and note how long the pack actually lasts on your grass. That figure will be more useful than any number on the box.

The WG163 is the light, cheap and easy option. The head converts to an edger in seconds and tilts 90 degrees, a push-button Command Feed advances line without bumping and the 12 inch swath suits small lawns. It is a tool you can pick up and use without thinking.

What you give up is power: a 20V motor and thin line are for lawn edges and light weeds, not for neglected ground. For a small garden that is exactly the right level, and the weight saving matters more than extra torque.

The battery platform is shared across a large number of Worx tools, so it becomes cheaper to expand. Clean the pivot after use, because grit makes the head stiff, and keep the battery away from cold sheds. A small lawn also benefits from a lighter machine in another way: you will actually use it for quick tidy-ups, because it is no effort to pick up. The best trimmer is often the one that stays within reach near the back door.

Two 4Ah batteries in the box is what puts this budget trimmer on the list. A pair of packs lets you rotate, and 4Ah is large for a 20V tool, so a half-acre is realistic. An automatic line feed releases new line as it wears short, and the motor is rated up to 8,000 RPM with no load.

The listing gives the weight as 6.3 pounds with an adjustable grip, which is on the heavier side for a 12 inch trimmer but not tiring in short sessions. As with other budget brands, the real unknowns are parts support and how long the batteries last over years, so check the warranty.

It is a good option for someone who wants more runtime without paying for a premium platform. Clear grass from the head, replace the line when it shortens and store the batteries indoors. Label the two packs and alternate them each session so they wear evenly. If one pack starts to run flat early, that is the cue to replace it, not to push the pair harder.