Best Lawn Edger: Reviews of Electric, Manual and Petrol Edging Tools

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In this article, I’m going to list my top picks for the best lawn edger.

Now, lawn edging tools fall into two categories;

  1. Creating new edges but cutting into and removing the old edge, or
  2. Maintaining existing edges by trimming overhanging grass after mowing

So with that said, this article covers both types.

 

A quick comparison

Flymo Contour 500E - Top pick for homeowners
Flymo Contour 500E - Top pick for homeowners
  • Trim and edge the contours of your lawn
  • Convertible cutting head to switch from trim to edge by twisting
  • Telescopic handle for easy handling
Price
Rating
Bulldog Edging Knife - Best for creating new edges
Bulldog Edging Knife - Best for creating new edges
  • Very Well Made - Lifetime Guarantee
  • Create new edges or clean up old ones
  • Cuts Beautifully
Price
Rating
Wilkinson Sword Edging Shear
Wilkinson Sword Edging Shear
  • Cheap option to keep edges trimmed
  • Sharp blades that hold their edge
  • Very smooth cutting action
Price
Rating
Black & Decker GLC3630L20 - Electric Lawn Edger & Strimmer
Black & Decker GLC3630L20 - Electric Lawn Edger & Strimmer
  • Swivvel-head twists for lawn edging
  • Powerful enough to a create a clean edge
  • Fast recharging with fadeless lithium-ion battery
Price
Rating
Wilkinson Sword Lawn Edging Scissors
Wilkinson Sword Lawn Edging Scissors
  • Ideal for those hard to reach edging areas
  • Blades Rotate 180 Degrees
  • 10-Year Guarantee
Price
Rating

Best Lawn Edging Tools

Here's a list of some of the best lawn edging tools on the market.

If you are looking for an electric edger, then I recommend buying a strimmer with a edger attachment.

1. Flymo Contour 500E Electric Edger

Flymo Contour 500E Electric Edger
  • Power Type: Electric;
  • Type of Edging Job: Contouring lawn edges;
  • Weight: 3.5kg;
  • Warranty: 2 Years;

The Flymo Contour would be my favourite lawn edger as a homeowner. It is ideal if you have a very rough shape to your lawn but you need contour it to the smooth and clean shape you desire.

The edging feature is simple to use with an easy release button to swivel the head around so you can use the wheel for edging.

There’s plenty of power too, and it edges lawns with ease. It doubles up a strimmer so you can easily switch between the two tools.

The 500E is the slightly smaller version with a 25cm cutting head. However, for larger lawns, there is a bigger more powerful version available with a 30cm head which is the 650E.

There are a couple of downsides to this model but are not deal breakers… The first one being it is slightly heavier than your average strimmer, but I put this down to the edging feature which helps give a more smooth cut. Secondly is that the cable length is not long enough for most lawns. So you will most likely need an extension cable to reach all areas.

Overall the Flymo Contour is a great lawn edger and ticks a lot of boxes for most homeowners at a very affordable price point.


2. Bulldog Lawn Edging Knife

Bulldog Lawn Edging Knife
  • Power Type: Manual;
  • Type of Edging Job: Creating New Edges;
  • Weight: 1.36kg;
  • Warranty: Lifetime;

If you like to edge your lawn manually with a traditional crescent edging iron, the Premier Edging Knife from Bulldog is fantastic.

OK, it’s more expensive than other edging irons but that’s because it’s quite a lot better.

The head is solid forged from one piece of steel which is riveted to a hand-turned Ash t-bar handle. The blade is thicker and far stronger than similar tools and as a result, it’s reassuringly heavy in the hand.

It feels like it’ll last 100 years!

I’ve used more edging irons in my time than care to count and I’ve broken many of them. Hit a root or rock in the ground and many will bend or break.

This tool cuts through turf as cleanly as you could wish and isn’t fazed by roots or rocks.

The Bulldog is a beast of an edging iron and it’s definitely the best I have used.

And it comes with a lifetime guarantee.


3. Wilkinson Sword WS Long Handled Edging Shear

Wilkinson Sword WS Long Handled Edging Shear
  • Power Type: Manual;
  • Type of Edging Job: Trimming Grass Edges;
  • Weight: 1.46kg;
  • Warranty: 10-Year;

For that razor-sharp, hand-cut finish when trimming overhanging grass at the edges of your lawn, these shears Wilkinson Sword are hard to beat.

Firstly, there are two types to choose from;

  1. Traditional edging shears, and
  2. Lawn shears

The traditional edging shears are for vertical trimming of your lawn edges while the lawn shears cut horizontally and are perfect for cutting part of a lawn your lawnmower can’t reach. Around trees and corners of square lawns for example.

Their carbon steel, non-stick blades are sharp and hold their edge over time so the quality of cut is impeccable. The cutting action is also very smooth unlike some which can be quite ‘jerky’.

The smooth cutting action combined with the soft grip handles makes them a joy to use and I expect them to last years.

This is backed up by the fact that Wilkinson Sword offers a 10-year guarantee.

One downside to these shears might be the length of the handle at 850mm. They’re perfect for most people but if your particularly tall, you might find yourself having to stoop while using them.


4. Black & Decker GLC3630L20 Cordless Lawn Edger

Black & Decker GLC3630L20 Cordless Lawn Edger
  • Power Type: Cordless;
  • Type of Edging Job: Trimming Grass Edges;
  • Weight: 3.5kg;
  • Warranty: 2 Years;

The Black & Decker GLC3630L20 is a very good lawn edging tool that doubles as a strimmer.

In fact, it’s a strimmer first but it does a fantastic job of trimming grass edges.

It features a wire edging guide to keep you on track and the head spins at 8,500rpm so it’ll easily cut through thicker grasses.

And because it’s cordless, you won’t have to worry about wrestling with an electric cord.

It’s powered by a Lithium-Ion battery that’ll give you fade-free strimming for 30-40 minutes which should be plenty of time to edge even large lawns.

The cutting line is fed through an auto-feed system so if you do break it on a path, stone or root, it’ll release more without you having to fiddle with it.

And it weighs in at 3.5kg so it’s light enough to handle fairly easily.

I have to say, it does take some practice to keep edges neat with a strimmer but if you’re looking a tool that’ll strim as well as edge, the Black and Decker is excellent.


5. Wilkinson Sword Lawn Edging Scissors

Wilkinson Sword Lawn Edging Scissors
  • Power Type: Manual;
  • Type of Edging Job:
  • Trimming Grass Edges;
  • Weight: 222g;
  • Warranty: 10-Year;

If you like to get up close and personal when trimming the edges of your lawn, or if you need to trim an area you can’t get to with long-handled shears, these hand shears from Wilkinson Sword are perfect.

Using them is like giving your lawn a hair cut!

As you’d expect from Wilkinson Sword, the blades are sharp and deliver a beautifully clean cut.

The blade head rotates through 180 degrees at 30-degree increments so you can cut vertically or horizontally and anywhere in between.

The scissors themselves are light in the hand and the cutting action is very smooth. Just a little squeeze fully activates the blades which are 13cm long so you can cut a metre length in around 8 strokes.

When you’re not using them, the blades lock shut by the press of a button.

And like the long-handled shears above, they come with a 10-year guarantee.


How to Choose the Best Lawn Edging Tool For You


The type of lawn edging tool you invest in really comes down to two considerations;

  1. Do you want to take your time to edge your lawn manually, or do you want to speed up the process and use a machine?
  2. Your budget

Edging Your Lawn By Hand or Machine

For small lawns, manual edging tools are perfect.

For larger lawns, however, creating a new edge with a half-moon edging iron, for example, is very laborious.

Creating straight edges requires either a string line or wooden plank as a guide and smooth edges can be even more difficult to create. It’s hard to keep curved edges smooth when you’re cutting them with a straight-edged tool!

Also, if part of your lawn meets a path or driveway it can be difficult to use a manual tool, especially if that edge is curved. It’s like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

Not only that but if, over time, the edges of the lawn become matted as it tries to grow over and onto the hard surface, cutting through it with a manual tool is very tiresome. It’s hard on the hands and back.

Even trimming the grass at the edges of your lawn with a pair of edging shears can take a fair amount of time.

On the other hand, a powered lawn edger makes light work of creating new edges and trimming the grass after mowing on large lawns. A job which can take a couple of hours when done by hand can be completed in 10-15 minutes.

Your Budget

Of course, the amount of money you have to spend on a lawn edging tool will ultimately dictate whether you invest in a manual or powered version.

A decent edging iron and a pair of edging shears will cost you less than £60. However, a powered tool will cost at least double.

 

In Conclusion


Choosing the best lawn edger for you and your lawn will save you time and hard work. All while producing a better result.

Remember, when it comes to edging your lawn, you can create new edges by cutting into and removing the old edge or and maintain existing edges by trimming the grass with shears or a strimmer.

Some tools do one or the other, some tools do both.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on powered machines if you have small lawns. At the same time, don’t buy the wrong product for your large lawn just to save a bit of money. Trust me, what you save in money will cost you in time and sore hands!

Whichever type of tool you buy though, buy the best you can afford.

Hopefully, my recommendations will steer you in the right direction.

About Tim Stephens

I'm a professional gardener with degrees in Horticulture & Landscape Gardening. I want to help you create the garden of your dreams. I want your garden to look like it’s maintained by a professional. As if I was there doing it all for you!

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