In the following guide we will be looking at the best Weed Whackers available today and helping you choose which is the most suitable for your needs.
String Trimmers, Weed Whackers, Weed Strimmers, Weed Eaters, and more, So Many Names for One Essential Tool.
Depending on where you live there are so many names for this tool it can seem pretty daunting when you are trying to shop for the right tool for your yard work. Worry not though as we are here to help guide you through the tricky process of finding the right tool for you and helping fill you in on some of the features and setting that may add to the confusion.
Just some of the many names that can be attributed to the String Trimmer are a Weed Whacker, a Weed Eater, a Brush Cutter, a Strimmer, or even a Weed Whip but do not worry all of these a just different names for the same tool. To save any confusion for the remainder of this guide we will call them a Weed Eater or Weed Whacker. A Weed Eater is an essential part of your garden maintenance equipment allowing for cutting close to the edge of buildings and around garden furniture or for clearing overgrown tough weeds or flowers.
Image | Product | Dimension | Price |
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W25SFK Straight Shaft Gas Trimmer |
55.2 x 5.5 x 7.5 in |
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BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX |
42 x 10.4 x 7.25 in |
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Greenworks 10 Amp 18-Inch Corded |
12.99 x 31.5 x 5.12 in |
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Troy-Bilt Gas String Trimmer |
36 x 10.63 x 5 in |
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Husqvarna Cutting Path String Trimmer |
12.2 x 10.25 x 40 in |
What Style of Best Weed Whackers Eaters is Available?
There are three kinds of Weed Eaters allowing you to choose from either a Cordless Weed Eater, An Electric Weed Eater, or a Gas Powered Weed Eater. In the following section, we will be explaining the difference between them and helping you choose the best style of Weed Eater for your yard.
Straight Shaft or Angled Shaft, What’s the Difference?
The shaft is a long metal tube that connects the engine/throttle at the top to the spool and line at the bottom and can come in two different styles, either a 90-degree bend at the bottom or a straight shaft.
1. ANGLED SHAFT
If you are not going to be using it very often and are looking for a weed eater that is easy to manage and effective at getting to the hit where you need it the majority of the time then an angled shaft is ideal for you as it helps novices by being well balanced and hovering over the grass in just the right spot. One downside to angled shaft weed eaters is that it can be tricky when trying to get a good edge with it when compared to the straight shafts.
2. STRAIGHT SHAFT
If you are using your weed eater commercially or need more precision then the straight shaft is for you, although they have a steeper learning curve than the angled shaft you are able to get under bushes much easier and you have conveniently placed handles allowing for you to turn it around to create some beautiful edges. All in all, if you have the patience to learn how to use it correctly then where possible you should go for a straight-shafted weed eater.
Which Style of Weed Eater is Best for Me?
For you to find the ideal Weed Eater for your yard work first you need to think of a few simple things.
What is the size of the yard or garden that I will be using it for?
This a simple question but you’d be surprised how many don’t ask themselves this but if you have a big yard you may choose not to go for a corded weed eater because of the cords trailing about. so you may choose a battery-powered cordless version. Great, But if you buy a cheaper one with a small battery you will probably run out part way through sometimes depending on the size of your yard you may need to charge it twice just for one job.
So you need to be sure that the running and charging time of the weed eater you are going to buy will suit your needs. Saying that though you could be looking at buying a corded weed eater for a small garden which might take 5 minutes to find an extension cord, and only a few minutes to trim the grass and bushes then another 5 minutes wrapping the cable and packing it away. In that instance a small battery-powered eater would be ideal then you could just take it out of the shed and it’s ready to go instantly.
What are you actually going to be trimming?
Again a very basic question but it is very important, are you going to be simply trimming the edges of your yard and around the furniture, or do you have bits of scrubland or wood with plants that you would like to keep under control?
If you are just going to be doing fairly light duties then a battery or mains-powered weed eater would be great with some of the bigger battery versions allowing for more moderate weeds but if you are going to be regularly whacking tougher weeds or bushes then you should go for the more powerful and as such more heavy duty gas powered weed eaters.
How Well Will I Be Able To Handle the Weed Eater?
Some people buy the most expensive gas-powered weed eaters simply because it’s the most expensive so that means it’s the best. Whilst that is sometimes true it is also important to think of your own skill level and how comfortable you are having to keep starting an engine and maintaining the said engine, for it is like second nature but for others, it can be quite daunting.
Some of the gas-powered eaters can be pretty light but still heavy compared to cord or battery whackers but most importantly with a corded weed eater, you simply plug it in, aim it and press the button to start trimming. Similarly with the battery / cordless weed eaters as long as you keep your battery charged it’s a simple matter of putting the battery in and pointing the strimmer where you want it then pressing the button.
Hopefully, we have given you a bit of insight to help you when buying your new weed eater so now we will get on with showing you the best available today so you can make an informed choice.
So Here Are Our TOP 10 Weed Eater – Whacker Reviews!
1. Greenworks 10 Amp 18-Inch Corded String Trimmer
First, we have Greenworks amazing 21.1cc 2-Cycle Gas Powered Solid Steel Drive Shaft String Trimmer/Brush Cutter, this weed eater is a lovely bit of kit with a powerful 21.1 cc PureFire engine. With a very powerful engine that still keeps to low emission levels that modern engines must adhere to they have created a great weed eater that thanks to Hitachi’s superior design and famous durability will last you for years to come.
With an extra-long straight shaft that comes in at a whopping 60 inches, the Greenworks has been created with comfort in mind so you do not have to keep bending to get to those tricky weeds. As well as putting lots of thought into that Hitachi has designed a very special anti-vibration system to help you with those longer jobs to stop the vibration traveling through your arms add this to their patented S-Start system that allows for effortless fast starting this weed eater is a must buy.
At 11lbs this is a nice and light weed whacker that has a lovely balance so you can use it for hours on end without feeling too tired afterward.
2. PROYAMA 26cc 2 in-1 Extreme Duty
PROYAMA 17-Inch 25cc 2-Cycle Gas Powered Straight Shaft String Trimmer/Brush Cutter With Split Shaft is another powerhouse, with a 2-cycle engine that is a massive 25 cc you can be sure that this weed eater can get through even the toughest weeds. PROYAMA also gives you a two-year warranty so you can have stress-free yard maintenance without needing to worry about it breaking down.
Designed for both landowners and commercial use the PROYAMA Pro features a spring-assisted starting system to make it easier for you to start it. With a 17” trim head you can be sure to get through even the longest grass but thanks to its Pro-Link Attachment System you are able to change this for a 1 x 3T Brush cutter blade for even tougher weeds.
Thanks to the attachment system there is also a number of extra accessories that can be purchased for it such as a blower, pole pruner, edger, and others.
3. WORX 20V GT 3.0 + Turbine Blower
The WORX Straight Shaft Gas Trimmer, 25cc is a great package, especially for those of you who are wanting a well-made gas-powered weed whacker that is fully featured but won’t break the bank.
With WORX’s specially designed Simple 2 Start system you are able to start the W25SFK with ease, just prime it and then pull the cord then once you are using it and the line breaks you are able to easily use their knock-down coupler to get more out.
This WORX has a powerful 25 cc engine with a 15” cutting path so you can attack your long grass and weeds easily and thanks to its lightweight, well-balanced design you are able to continue whacking your weeds until the job is done without feeling the strain of the heavier versions a great buy for those on a tight budget that still want a great job done.
4. Troy-Bilt Gas String Trimmer, 25cc
The Troy-Bilt EC gas string trimmer is equipped with a bump head line release that instantly releases a pre-measured line as well as a two-piece straight shaft that accepts TrimmerPlus®trimmer attachments. With SpringAssist technology and JumpStart electric start capability, the Troy-Bilt EC straight shaft gas trimmer is easy to start and easy to use. The only downside to the JumpStart is that it does not come as standard and must be purchased separately.
The power of the 25 cc engine and 17” Cutting swath allows for getting through even the toughest weeds and with many other attachments available such as a blower, a pole saw and lots more you can be sure that if you have a lot of jobs need doing around your yard this tool could be perfect for you.
5. Black+Decker LST136W
Next, we have our first battery-powered weed eater. Thanks to Black & Decker’s 40v power system this is a great bit of kit that can even keep up with many of its gas counterparts.
So much thought has been put into the design of the LST140C to help us out it is unreal. It features a power command dial so you can choose from maximum runtime when stimming smaller weeds to maximum power which although means it will not run for as long as it will tackle even the thickest weeds.
It converts from a trimmer to an edger within seconds and has a spool that has been specially designed to automatically feed the line as necessary without the need to bump it on the floor.
6. GreenWorks 21142 10Amp 18 Inch Straight Shaft Electric String Trimmer / Edger
The GreenWorks 21142 is a corded weed eater and has been designed for those who just want a tool that gets the job done quickly with easily with no hassle. The 21142 has an 18” cutting path with a dual cutting line and is easy to feed the line as it breaks simply by bumping it on the floor.
As well as the other features GreenWorks have added to this no-nonsense whacker they give you the ability to add other attachments to it that are available separately but more importantly they give you a colossal four-year warranty.
7. BLACK+DECKER LCC222 20V Trimmer and Sweeper Combo Kit
Although not as powerful as the 40v version we reviewed earlier the LCC420 is still able to get through moderate weeds thanks to an exclusive Gear Drive Transmission that has been designed to deliver extra cutting power.
With the ability to simply press a button to rotate the shaft for easy edging, this is a great weed eater for your yard with premium features such as the automatic feed spool which releases the line as it is needed.
Also included in this package is a neat little blower that has the power to keep your yard tidy with very little effort.
8. Remington Gas Powered Curved Shaft Grass Trimmer
For those of you that will be using a weed eater for long periods of time, the Remington RM2560 is ideal as it features a massive 54” shaft with its anti-vibration system allowing for fewer aches and pains after use.
With its curved shaft, and easy starting system the Remington RM2560 takes a lot of the strain out of weed whacking and thanks to their PureFire low emission system these CARB-Compliant allowed for use in states such as California.
Safe in the knowledge that they build nothing but high-quality equipment Hitachi offers a 7-year warranty to give you peace of mind for many years.
9. GreenWorks 21362 G-MAX 40V 14-Inch Cordless String Trimmer
GreenWorks have designed their G-Max line of tools to have power that is comparable to gas weed eaters thanks to the clever design of their brushless motor with its 14” cutting path this will allow you to even trim the toughest weeds in your yard.
With a massive 40v battery you can be sure this will last for the duration of your job and with the ability to add other branded attachments that usually only fit the gas-powered weed eaters if you already have some of these attachments this could be ideal for you.
10. Husqvarna 2-Stroke Gas Powered Straight Shaft String Trimmer
With the most powerful engine on here, the Husqvarna 128LD has been designed with a Smart Start system allowing for easy starting, and has been specially designed for lower fuel consumption and fewer emissions.
Very lightweight weighing in at just 10.8lb you can be sure that this is easy to handle and with its 17” cutting path it will fly through your weeds in no time. Husqvarna has also made the 128LD have the ability to fit clip-on attachments from many other brands so again if you already own attachments from previous tools you could save yourself some money if you buy this.