You got to take care of your lawn, but unfortunately lawn mowers do not help much against weed. This is why weed removers aka weed eaters are exactly what you need to trim down your lawn clean of weed, wild sprouts and similar problems.
An electric weed eater is a weed trimming machine that runs on electricity, opposite to the one that runs on gas. This set up is either cordless or comes with cord. And the cordless ones come with chargeable batteries.
In this guide, we are going to scientifically review the 12 best electric weed eaters available on the market and put you in a position where you will be able to cut the research to chase, and just click that “Add to Cart” button.
However:
Before we start to take on each and every weed eater that is thoroughly picked by our editors, it is good to have some good dose of general awareness.
Before we go, pick and dissect, it is good to answer a few questions that must arise in your mind about the process and the criteria, etc.
You might want to know:
- How we tested all these electric weed eaters?
- What’s the criteria, that if met, makes one product a winner and another one a loser?
- What is the individual rating of each machine as per our testing and observation?
1. Testing Environment
Alright:
Since this product demanded abundance of grass and weed to see if our selected machines worked well or not, we chose a testing and observation facility in Sisters, Deschutes County, Oregon: not too far from where PCT crosses Oregon.
Why?
Because nowhere else grass and weed grow as much and as faster as in Oregon.
The environment also includes our manner of testing. We tested one weed eater for an entire week time and noticed the regularities as well as irregularities that noticed in the course of testing.
From batteries charging to trimmer design and functioning, we noticed and noted down each and everything. With a testing staff of over 6 men and women, it took us roughly 2 to 3 weeks, until we crosschecked the results, and we finalized our findings based on our criteria.
2. Reviewing Criteria
When you go about testing each product, you have to set a certain criteria, especially when based on that review you are going to give a special rating.
So, we gave each product a certain rating on a scale of 1 to 10. In this review, not only we will announce a winner, but we will also tell you why it won and what is its final score out of 10.
Ready? Here you go:
- Power Option: As it has been explained briefly, these electric string trimmers come with two types of power options. First one is a cord attached to the trimmer and the second one is the cordless option (with chargeable batteries). Both of them have their own pros and cons. While cord gives you longer “weed eating” time and you won’t need to worry about batteries, the cordless option gives you more freedom to move and bigger range to cover. Power option secures 2 out of 10 on our points scale.
- Usability: The trimmer style, handling of the weed eater, power dependency conditions and similar other factors dictate the usability value of a good weed eater. How heavy or lightweight is the eater, how easy you can use it depending on the handle, easy navigation from trimmer to edger and other such factors decide the usability. This factor secures 4 out of 10 points on our scale.
- Design: It is one of the most important aspect of any product. It not only decides the shape, form and appearance of a product, but it also makes or breaks its performance. The trimmers that we know as weed eaters may have a lot of difference from each other, only because of the design of each of them. Whether your weed eater’s cutting path is bigger or wider, it can make a big difference! So, we gave design 2 out of 10 points.
- Safety: Last, but not the least, given the fact that trimmer is an electronic device, the safety of user is of paramount importance. The safety steps taken by the manufacturer secure 2 points on our scale, only because safety is second to none.
Best Electric Weed Eater 2023 Reviews
Enough talk:
Let us cut it to chase and have a look at 12 winners of our editors’ choice. We will talk about each one of them in detail and we will look at all pros and cons to develop a better understanding of where they lacked and where they excelled.
1. Toro Corded 51480 Electric Trimmer Edger
- Corded 14-inch electric trimmer/edger with a powerful 5 amp motor
What makes Toro 51480 worthy of being considered as one of the best electric weed eaters of 2023, is because of its powerful 5amp motor that, connected with a cord, keeps you free of any worries. Since, this electric weed killer is a corded one, it does not bother you with batteries charging and draining issue.
With one-step walk-behind edging switch, you can switch from trimmer to edger in no time. However, this is not the only good thing about this machine; the cutting head of Toro electric weed eater is 14-inches wide with dual-line cutting system.
The auto-feed trim line of its cutting head gets your job done faster than you think. It comes with a telescopic shaft so you can easily adjust as per your height and distance that you need between you and the ground.
Auto-feed trim line is a good addition; it helps a user with a rather laborious job of weed removal. All you do is pull the trigger and trimmer automatically adjusts the line to a perfect cutting length.
Talking about the built quality of this weed cutter, it is important to mention that its telescopic shaft is made of rust free aluminum. It is needless to say that it will last for many years to come.
- Powerful 5 amp motor
- 14 inch wide dual-line for cutting
- Easiest auto-feed trim line
- Very easy transition from trimmer to edger
- Difficult to re-spool
- Complicated electric feed line involves greater effort and fatigue as compared to gas trimmer
2. Greenworks 18-Inch Corded String Trimmer
- 10Amp motor with straight shaft and .080 dual line bump feed
In case you are a fan of corded trimmers and weed eaters, you are going to love this one because it’s not only corded but comes with a big shaft and cutting path of not less than 18 inches.
In comparison to other under-powered models, it comes with a very powerful 10AMP motor. This is double the power of Toro electric weed eater, so you can easily imagine the performance that you can enjoy with this machine.
Although its motor is twice as big as other weed whackers’ it is still a lightweight machine with only 13lbs of weight.
Another good feature is that it has a very simple and fast electric start; it is sort of a plug and play trimmer that comes with cord lock feature that protects you from getting tangled in the cord.
Kudos to Greenworks for making one of the best and comfortable grips when it comes to weed trimmers and edgers. The handle of this trimmer has an over-mold grip and cushion to make you feel relaxed while taking care of your lawn. The auxiliary handle offers you a better control as well.
Yet:
We only wished that this was the best electric yard trimmer with little to no drawbacks, but that is not the case. In the course of testing this product we noticed some flaws.
For instance:
String used in the spool of this trimmer is so underpowered as compared to the motor that it completely runs out, which you have to fix every now and then. Perhaps a thicker string could’ve resolved the issue. Same is the problem with motor and bottom trimming part; they come off in the midst of action (roughly after every half an hour), and you have to fix it.
- Powerful 10Amp motor to trim the toughest weed growth
- Large 18 inches cutting path that expedites the cutting process
- One of the best grips with cord-lock feature
- The spool string is underpowered (and too thin) as compared to 10Amp motor and thus it comes off
- The motor and trimming part on bottom have also been reported to detach after roughly half an hour
3. Black & Decker LST136W Lithium String Trimmer
- High-performance 40V MAX* Lithium Ion battery with state of charge indicator shows you how much power you have left at all times
Black & Decker is one of the most successful weed trimmer and whacker brand. They have introduced a decent number of trimmers and we have picked the best two or three for this review.
Unlike the abovementioned trimmers, this one comes with a battery and it does not use a power cord. Once the battery is fully charged, you are good to go with whacking that weed for a long day.
It has a PowerDrive transmission that ensures a constant and better power supply to the cutting string, so you harvest more weed per round. The 40V lithium battery gives you ample time to whack weed in a bigger area, in lesser time.
One of the best features is the PowerComman dial that enables you to switch from maximum power to maximum runtime. Also, it converts from trimmer to edger in one swift turn of the shaft.
Also:
It comes with automatic feed spool so you don’t have to manually get it to work every now and then.
However, there are certain limitations of this product that seem to dampen its overall amazing profile. Firstly, it’s observed that spool tends to get jammed and you have to stop to fix it. Secondly, you had to constantly change spools to keep this trimmer up and running.
- 40V Lithium battery ensures that you get enough power and time to trim all the weed
- PowerDrive transmission gives you maximum power from motor to cutting string so you perform your job faster than expected
- PowerCommand dial helps you switch between Max power and runtime
- Spool does not work as smoothly as it should – can gets jammed
- This trimmer can “eat” spools – get ready to buy them
4. DEWALT DCS970X1 60V Cordless String Trimmer
- Gear drive design of the edger/trimmer powers through tough overgrowth
So, what is even better than a corded weed eater? It is the weed eater that comes with 60V battery and charger. You charge this trimmer for once and you get a whole day to play in those full of weed outdoors.
This corded weed eater comes with a very high efficiency brushless motor that boosts the run time. Along with it, there is that standard 15 inches long cutting swath with a 0.080 line.
Another good feature is the speed control. If you ever wished for a trimmer that could offer high or low speed, the news is that this electric trimmer is exactly what you want.
The gear drive design behind this machine makes it very easy to trim though very tough weed built-up just like a pro. However, what makes this even better is that it only weighs 12lbs.
Its lightweight and ergonomic design makes it easy to carry and handle, thus it minimizes stress on your arms and shoulders. And when all of this is covered by a 3 years limited warranty, you don’t have to worry much.
Yet:
This machine comes with its own set of disadvantages. For example, we have witnessed during intensive testing that battery drains faster than a few other eaters that we tested. However, this depends on how intensive is the use, for how long you used it and how old is the battery.
- Gear drive design that has enough power to do enough weed whacking
- 15 inches long cutting swath with a line of 0.080”
- Variable speed trigger makes it easy to control speed and thus saves power
- Battery drains faster than other similar machines
5. Dewalt DCST920P1 Brushless String Trimmer
- Patented gear drive design of the edger/trimmer powers through tough overgrowth
Another cordless weed whacker by Dewalt! Well, this one is small and it comes with a smaller battery as well. Before it turns you off, let’s have a look at pros offered by this trimmer.
Well, the brushless motor attached with this yard trimmer maximizes its durability. The dual 0.080 inches line works like a magic if handled with due care.
The 13-inch cutting swath is better than many other weed eaters. It cuts a large area of weed for you and thus saves time. The variable speed trigger helps you control speed of your small but effective weed whacker; boost the speed and you do it fast, reduce it and you get more time to do more cutting.
The 20volt Lithium Ion battery is enough for a decent backyard weed trimming, but it is definitely not the trimmer if you live in a big backcountry estate.
A problem that we noticed in our exhaustive testing of this product is with motor. It is weak and underpowered or whatever might be the problem, but it gets jammed and gets slow down every now and then.
- 20V MAX 5.0 Ah Lithium Ion battery
- Bump feed – less complicated and durable as compared to an automatic one
- Speed control trigger puts you in control
- Motor has been reported to be problematic
- It gets jammed or slowed down after a brief use
6. Worx WG163 GT 3.0 Cordless Trimmer
- [TRIMMER & EDGER 2-in-1] Easily converts from a string trimmer to a wheel edger in just seconds.Lithium battery energy content : 27 watt_hours
Worx WG163 is cordless, so for starters, you never have to worry about cord length and problems that naturally come with corded trimmers.
However:
This is not all and let us have a look at the qualities that landed this trimmer a place in our top rated list.
Since this works like both: trimmer as well as an edger, there is swift move from edger to trimmer and vice versa that you can enjoy within no time.
Another very good thing about Worx is that it comes with not one but two 20 volt batteries. So, if you keep both of them charged, you will have a fully charged battery read before ever the first one drains.
The best thing about Worx, irrespective of whether it works good or not, is their innovative command feed system. So far users are aware of only automatic and bump spool system, but this command feed system advances the line by a simple push.
Like most of good quality weed eaters, Worx also possesses a telescopic shaft, but with a quick release lever that can be used for fast telescopic size adjustment.
The dual function flower spacer that comes with this weed cleaner helps you protect flowers and vegetation that you want to protect. And it weighs only at 5.3 lbs. Rest assured that you will have zero shoulder and arm muscle strain.
Still, this has few disadvantages. The short spool line means that you will have to change spools too often and batteries drain really fast; even though there are two of them.
- 2 in 1 function with dual-position wheels – trimming and edging
- Alternate battery for continuous weed whacking when first one gets drained
- Dual-function flower spacer guard protects flowers and vegetation that you want to keep
- Short spool line makes you change them so often
- Battery is underpowered and it drains fast
7. Black+Decker LSTE525 Lithium Easy Feed String Trimmer
- Converts from trimmer to wheeled edger; Amp hour: (2) 1.5 ampere hour
This is yet another good weed edger from Black+Decker and like the other models, it also comes with dual batteries, so when you run short of power you can use the other fully charged battery.
It offers a very easy transition from trimmer to wheeled edger. Also, the 2-speed control makes it very easy for the user to choose between controlled or extended power options. The 12 inches cutting swath is standard among electric weed trimmers and so is the case with this model.
An innovation that Black+Decker introduces to the industry is EasyFeed system that lets you advance the line with push of a button. The 20V MAX system and line is the bestselling system introduced by the manufacturer and this trimmer belongs to the same line.
It also belongs to PowerCommand family of tools so you should know, in case you buy this product that you are getting something advanced in technology and easy to use.
Yet, it is not immune of its own fair share of disadvantages. Take the battery for example; it comes with two batteries so you can use spare one, when one in use is fully exhausted. However, even with two batteries, you only get roughly 1 hour of weed removal.
- Power Drive transmission gives better torque
- Easy conversion from trimmer to edger
- Easyfeed allows to advance the feeding line with a simple push
- Battery drains very fast
- Easyfeed system is likely to stop working after some time
8. Black+Decker ST8600 String Trimmer
- Performance to power through the toughest weeds, grass and overgrowth with a 5.0 amp motor and POWERDRIVE transmission
As you know that almost all Black+Decker models also work as edgers, same is the case with this machine.
This trimmer can be turned into an edger with ease, and the 5 Amp motor attached with this weed whacker will cut weed through the toughest overgrowth.
Powerdrive transmission combined with this motor, help you cope with your day long weed trimming and cutting task. This trimmer comes with an automatic feed spool, so rest assured that once it is on, it will keep feeding trimmer line automatically.
One of few considerable benefits of this trimmer is adjustable handle position and height; so you can now change the position as well as increase or decrease height of this trimmer.
Also, you can enjoy precise edging because of the edge guide. And in terms of safety, this trimmer introduces an awesome feature that only handful of machines on this list have; it comes with a cord retention system that saves you from accidental cord disconnection and similar issues.
- 5Amp motor and Powerdive transmission to cut through toughest weeds
- Automatic feed spool and swift transition from trimmer to edger
- Cord retention system to protect you from cord disconnection
- Automatic feed system finishes spool so early
- Guide is not properly positioned for adequate edging
9. Greenworks Corded String Trimmer 21212
- Powerful 4 amp motor to tackle the tough weeds in the yard
If you want a weed trimmer for your lawn or want something with small motor (for small area to cover) and lightweight, the Greenworks corded string trimmer is exactly for you.
It has a low-power motor for small backyard trimming and whacking and it comes with unbelievably low weight: just 5.2 lbs.
But this is not all about this machine. It comes with an adjustable auxiliary handle that makes it easy for you to trim and whack the weed with ease.
Also, a 13 inch cut path with 0.065 dual line auto feed ensures a good clean sweep at a considerable size. There is something to remember here; one might find the size of line as well as cutting path of this trimmer smaller than others, but you should know that this is not the weed whacker for you if you have a few acres to trim and whack off weed.
Since it is an electric trimmer, getting it to work is just a matter of pushing a button. Pick it free of fear if you have a small to mid-sized yard.
The replacement spool that you get with this trimmer is very easy to set; just follow simple steps and your spool is ready to trim.
- Very lightweight – only 5.2 lbs.
- Perfect for small to medium sized yards
- Adjustable auxiliary handle – support and functionality
- Cord is not included in purchase
- Trimmer tends to fail in dense and tough weed built-up
10. Black+Decker LST300 Weed Whacker
- 2-in-1 cordless trimmer and edger cuts along borders, sidewalks and flower beds and easily converts between trimmer and wheeled edger. Trimming areas of overgrowth after...
This Black+Decker trimmer is no exception to the popularity set by the good quality of these weed trimmers and whackers. Let us start it with a 20 volt battery that this weed eater comes with.
We know this is not a big battery, but it is medium sized and it is good because it gets charged earlier than big batteries and lasts longer than small ones.
The PowerDrive transmission combined with a good battery gives you more power from motor to the cutting string that you get your job done faster and cut through tough weed with ease.
Talking of the cutting string, it is important to mention that feed spool that comes with this trimmer is an automatic one so you don’t have to bump it every now and then.
A very good feature that almost all Black+Decker weed eaters come with is a 2 in 1 trimmer and edger function. With a simple move you go from trimmer to edger within a matter of seconds.
Then there is this innovative Runtime Extension technology that these trimmers offer enables you to cut more weed with less battery life. With a pivoting handle and adjustable height, this is the weed eater that many people have trusted so far.
Still it has its fair share of drawbacks; for example, in our extensive testing we noticed that its spool is so easy to give up on the string and thus string comes off so often and so easily, although not in the first week of use.
- 20 Volt Lithium Ion battery offers 33% more trimming time
- 2 in 1 – easiest conversion from trimmer to edger
- Runtime extension technology for longer runtime
- Lousy plastic built ends up in getting broken and renders the product useless
- String comes off so easily
11. Earthwise ST00115 Electric String Trimmer
- Weedeater with a powerful 5-Amp electric motor for cutting grass and weeds around your home
Earthwise is not a very famous name in the industry, but people have been buying their weed trimmers and eaters for a long time. The ST00115 is not the only trimmer, but a flagship weed eater from the company.
It comes with a 15 inch width three-position cutting head and a small, but efficient 5 Amp batter to keep it up and running. Considering the middle range size and battery power, it is safe to say that this weed eater is good only for small or medium-ranged yards.
The comfortable rubber grip over molded handle does not only provide really good grip, but also keeps you from losing control because of sweaty hands.
In case you want to protect flowers and vegetation in your yard while trimming weed, you can use very handy flip-down edge guard.
The automatic dual line feed frees you of the worries of bumping your trimmer again and again and a 0.64 line feed is definitely adequate for cleaning your yard.
Apart from these qualities, it has an auxiliary handle and adjustable length that simply make it easier for you to take care of weed growth in your backyard.
Yet, there are drawbacks that stain the qualities of this trimmer; for example, we learned after using it for enough time that it is not much of an automatic line feed, but manual since you have to stop and feed it again and again.
While we haven’t noticed this in our short testing, we noticed another problem with the plastic part is supposed to cover the line and thus protect it. It is made of very cheap and flimsy plastic and no wonder if it breaks after a few weeks of use.
- Very comfortable rubber grip
- Three position cutting head with 15 inch parameter
- Flip down edge guard to protect vegetation
- So-called automatic feed – mostly manual
- Cheap plastic fails to protect the line
12. Weed Eater Electric Corded String Trimmer
- Equipped with 4.2 amp motor that's ideal for light-duty weed and grass trimming
It is a trimmer that caught our attention not because it had a solid reputation, but because of the built quality and features offered by this trimmer. Weed Eater is an old brand in the world of trimmers and this product lives up to the brand name.
It has a light-duty 4.2 Amp motor which is perfect from a small to medium-sized yard. Yet, it comes with a large 14 inch cutting path that lets you clean more weed in one go.
Like all good trimmers it lets you move from trimmer to edger in one go; twist it and you are ready. On top of these qualities, since you always seek better control, this weed eater and edger comes with an adjustable handle and telescopic shaft, so height adjustment is no issue.
Since all of us love flowers and vegetation in our yards and we don’t want to lose them to weed removal, this trimmer comes with a plan guard that protects vegetation while your line trims the weed.
Another innovation is user-friendly food pedal; just press it and conveniently convert trimmer into a horizontal position where it can kill the hidden weed overgrowth.
Still, there are some issues that you must know them before making the buying decision. In our detailed testing we found out that it is a little too heavy for the task. Mild to high muscle strain is a result (based on user’s age and heath conditions).
- Considerably large 14 inch cutting path to deal with tough growth of weed
- Twist N’edge feature lets a customer go from trimmer to edger in just a twist
- User-friendly food pedal makes it easy for trimmer to reach difficult to reach places and cut the weed overgrowth
- Too heavy for the task
- Material failures e.g. string, guard etc.
Our Testing Results: Comparison Table
Folks that is all about the 12 best weed eaters of 2023. Here is a tabled based on our testing criteria and you can see the overall rating that each of these trimmers is given. You can also see as to how powerful, usable, design-rich and safe product is.
Weed Eaters | Power Option | Usability | Design | Safety | Overall Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toro Corded 51480 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Greenworks 21142 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
Black & Decker LST136W | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
DEWALT DCS970X1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
DEWALT DCST920P1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
Worx WG163 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Black+Decker LSTE525 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Black+Decker ST8600 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Greenworks 21212 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Black+Decker LST300 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Earthwise ST00115 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Weed Eater WE14T | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Final Verdict
Since you have already seen the table, the ultimate winner is Greenworks. We found it highly usable, powerful, design-rich and safe.
Toro 51480, Dewalt DCST970X1, Worx WG163 and Black+Decker ST8600 are runner ups based on the same criteria.
While we consider Greenworks as the best electric weed trimmer of 2023, you do not have to fall for our opinion. You may choose any of the runner ups, based on your personal choice and liking, or you can do your own research and buy any of them that you like the most.
So:
Don’t stop, start checking them out, and buy the best one for your outdoor weed adventure!
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