Best Grass Strimmer 2021 – Top Picks & Reviews

If you love the idea of not being restricted by a power cord, the Black & Decker GLC3630L20 is definitely up there for the best cordless strimmer for most people.

Many of the cordless strimmers I’ve used in the past have battery lives that were so short, they were useless – No such problem with this Black & Decker model.

Powered by a 36-volt, 2.0Ah Lithium-Ion battery, it will give you fade free strimming for up to 3,750 linear meters on a single charge.

This equates to roughly 30-40 minutes of work which should be plenty of time to get most jobs done. But if you do run out of charge, you can fully recharge it in a couple of hours.

It has an Eco mode which you can use when stimming edges and it has the same E-Drive technology as the corded model I reviewed earlier which delivers greater torque to handle rougher areas. Should you encounter patches of rough grass and weeds, switch it to Turbo mode and it becomes a beast.

The auto-feed system works well too so if the cord breaks, it’ll release more without you having to faff about.

At 3.5kg, it’s in the heavier side for cordless strimmers but there is plenty of adjustment in the telescopic shaft so finding a comfortable, balanced position is easy.

If you’re looking for a cordless strimmer that’s a good all-rounder, you won’t go far wrong with this model – It’s excellent!

Lots of my clients own one of these little Flymo trimmers – That’s because it’s cheap!

Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

If you have small, well cared for lawns that just need finishing off with a light strimming along fence lines and walls, the Flymo Contour XT will handle the job perfectly.

And with the push of a button, the trimmer head swivels vertically so you can trim the edges of open borders. The chunky edging wheel makes this easier and more accurate, ensuring a nice, tidy finish.

The line auto-feed works well too and it weighs in at 2.8kg but it’s very well balanced so it feels even lighter. It has a 10m long power cord, which may or may not be enough but that’s easily solved with an extension lead.

Don’t expect too much from it though. It doesn’t have the power or heavy-duty build quality to cope with unruly plots. Something else to note is that the shaft isn’t adjustable which can make it a bit uncomfortable to hold for taller people.

Worx are on the budget end of the power tool market but that’s not to say they’re no good. Considering what they cost, they deliver excellent value for money.

The Worx WG163E is powered by an 18-volt Lithium battery that’ll give you 30-40 minutes of work. Granted, it doesn’t have the power or the torque of the Black & Decker so it’s not so great at blasting through tough weeds.

But if your garden is well-cared for and you need a grass trimmer to just finish off the edges and tidy up, it’s ideal.

It’s fairly light with a fully adjustable shaft and second handle which makes it comfortable to use.

Edging is a joy to do as it features two supporting wheels for added stability and accuracy and should the line break, Worx’s ‘Command Feed’ system keeps it coming.

If you’re on a budget but still don’t want to be hampered by a power cord, this strimmer should be considered.

I believe the Einhell GC-BC 52 is definitely worth considering as a contender for the best petrol strimmer/brushcutter for most people.

It’s affordable, German-engineered, and works well in most situations in the garden.

Powered by a 52cc two-stroke engine which produces up to 7,200rpm, it’s plenty powerful enough to smash through long grass and the toughest weeds. Starting it is easy thanks to its digital ignition, quick start primer and auto choke. The engine runs very well too. It’s smooth and barely vibrates at all.

You have a choice of cutting heads; you can use the strimmer head for lighter work and when you need something a bit more heavy-duty, you can swap it for the three bladed brush cutter to hack through brambles and the like.

It’s well built but still light enough to be comfortable to use. It weighs nearly 9kg and the harness is very comfortable so you should have no problem tackling the jobs you need to get done.

This is a fantastic piece of kit for not a lot of money.

Stihl is one of the most recognisable brands when you think of petrol strimmers and brush cutters. Their products are sublime and their FS55 petrol strimmer is a cracking model.

At only 27.2cc it only has around half the capacity of the other two models. However, it uses it’s power much more effectively as a result, it’s just as effective. There are several benefits of it’s lower engine capacity too.

Firstly it’s not as brutal to hold so it’s much easier to handle comfortably. Secondly, it’s not as harsh on the environment, both in terms of noise and emissions – it’ll cost less to run. And lastly, it’s much more lightweight. It only weighs a smidge over 5kg which again, makes it far easier to handle.

Starting it is a cinch and when you attach it to the harness, you could work it all day without building up a sweat. It’ll just keep going.

In terms of build quality, like all Stihl products, it’s top of the line. It’ll last you years. Top marks!

Ego only produces cordless power tools with the aim of replacing petrol tools while keeping them just a powerful. In fact, they produce Honda’s cordless strimmers too.

As such, the EGO ST1500E is similar in design and is built for heavy-duty work and are pretty much the same as any Honda models you might look at. There is no option to swivel the head for edging work. If that’s what you’re after, choose another model.

When this beast of a machine does excel is blasting through thick, unruly areas made up of rough grass, tough weeds and even brambles.

The similarities to petrol strimmers continue with the weight, it’s nearly 5kgs. So holding it can be hard without a shoulder strap. As luck would have it, this machine comes with one which makes it much easier to handle. And because it’s battery-powered, noise and vibration aren’t a problem.

Talking of batteries, Ego has a range of them to fit this strimmer. Starting with a 2.0Ah battery that’ll give you around 20 minutes while their 7.5Ah battery will give you nearly an hour and a half. So choose your battery depending on the size of your plot.

It has a large 38cm cutting width and the cutting head has two lines of 2.4mm diameter cord which is fed out automatically when you stop and start it. This is combined with a bump feed mechanism which you can use to feed more line by banging the head on the ground. If you’re used to using a petrol strimmer, you’ll be familiar with this way of feeding line.

If you’re looking for a heavy-duty strimmer to replace your current petrol model, the Ego ST1500E is fantastic.

If you need the raw power from a petrol strimmer but you’re limited by budget, have a look at McCulloch TRIMMAC.

It’s easy to assemble, starts well when it’s cold or hot and with the addition of an interchangeable cutting disc, it’ll destroy anything it’s pointed at. Should the line break, the bump feed mechanism worked brilliantly.

For a heavy-duty garden strimmer, it’s lightweight, weighing in at 4kg but it comes with a proper harness so you take the weight on your body instead of your arms.

The engine of the strimmer that I tested did feel a bit lumpy in the middle of the rev range but at idle and full tilt it was excellent.

The buttons, switches and other parts don’t feel as good quality as other petrol strimmers and the toolkit that comes in the box is rubbish so I’d advise buying a separate one.

That said, it’s made to be cheap and you get what you pay for. If you’re on a budget, this is the model to choose.

If you’re in the market for a strimmer that packs a bigger punch than the Flymo, have a look at Black & Decker’s GL7033-GB.

With 700 watts of power and Black & Decker‘s ‘E-Drive’ technology (basically a gear system which generates more power), this strimmer has the torque and is plenty capable of tackling overgrown areas. And when you’re faced with tough weeds like nettles and ivy, you can slot in the heavy-duty

It’ll also handle the more delicate job of tidying up the edges of your lawn which is made easier with t built-in guide wheel.

Weighing in at 3.2kg it is heavier than the Flymo but then it’s a heavier duty machine so it’s expected. That said, the curved shaft and adjustable handle make it feel well balanced so I wouldn’t say it’s particularly heavy to use – especially compared to some battery or petrol strimmers.

It’s probably a bit much for tiny lawns but if you have a bigger, more ‘wild’ area to keep on top of, it’s an excellent piece of kit.

The Ryobi One+ system is one of the best power tool swappable battery systems on the market. In fact, their cordless mower made it into my list of the best cordless lawn mowers, largely for that reason.

Then, once you’ve finished mowing the lawn, simply take the battery, insert it into the strimmer and tidy the edges before putting it into the hedge trimmer.

See the beauty in this?

However, what makes the Ryobi RLT1831H20 One+ unique is that it bridges the gap between mains power and battery power. That’s because it can be powered by either. As any cordless power tool use will undoubtedly know, running out of charge and not being able to finish a job is pretty infuriating.

Well, if you run out of charge, or forget to switch the socket on when charging (which I do frequently) you can plug it into the mains and complete the task.

It’s powered by a 600-watt motor which is plenty for swiping through long grass and weeds and the automatic spooling releases more line when you need it.

Depending on what you’re using it for, you can change the cutting width from 25cm to 30cm. So if you want to make short work of long grass, increase the cutting width. If you need to be a little more precise, reduce it.

There is lots of adjustment too.

The extendable handle is beautifully designed and you can adjust the head through three positions, all the way from horizontal to vertical for edging tasks. All this makes the 3.2kg of weight feel very easy to handle.

It cuts incredibly well and the fact that it can be powered by mains or by the battery is a master-stroke.