Top 5 Best Cordless Strimmer – Detailed Reviews and Buyers Guide
Cordless strimmers are now one of the most popular choices for gardeners all around the country. For quite some time, there was the small matter of the leak of power and run time. Many people thought a small rechargeable battery could not run a motor that would then spin a blade to cut grass and weeds. Those suspicions were justified during the early days of cordless strimmers. Thanks to new technology, especially lithium-ion batteries, cordless strimmers have become the go-to low maintenance choice for tackling any overgrown areas.
Modern cordless strimmers are powered by Lithium-Ion batteries, which benefit from longer runtimes and faster charging times so its a win-win. These are the same type of batteries now used in many other power tools because they have proved to be highly reliable.
And so in this post we review the top cordless strimmers currently on the market from the biggest brands. We also provide crucial information on how to select the best cordless strimmer for your needs.
Before we go any further, allow us to introduce the BLACK+DECKER 36V Lithium-Ion Strimmer which includes a 2.0 Ah Battery and charger. After comparing the five models reviewed in this post which was narrowed down from around 25 models during the research phase, this one stood out the most because of its powerful 36V battery, wide 30cm cutting width and variable output. A 2 year warranty along with a more affordbale price sums up how good it is which is why we think it deserves the winner of our 'best pick'.
BEST PICK
There is so much to love in this one; super fast 8500rpm cutting speed, instant conversion from strimming long growth to edging lawns, lightweight and ergonomic design, two power modes, and the strimmer comes with a battery and charger so your ready to go out the box. Overall its much more affordable than the alternatives on our list and is perfect for domestic use on smaller and larger garden and with over 1000 reviews on Amazon it only confirms our own conclusion.
Mini Buyers Guide
Key considerations when buying a cordless strimmer
In a snapshot, pay attention to the battery type, battery size, recharge time and runtime.
It has to have a Lithium-Ion battery as this type is powerful, fast charging and holds its charge for long compared to traditional Nickel-Cadmium batteries.
Battery size regards to voltage, with the smallest batteries being 12V and the biggest and most powerful one for a cordless strimmer is 72V. 18V and 36V are the most common and they are capable of powering the strimmer to cut almost any overgrown areas.
How long can a single charge last on continuous use? This is determined by the Amp hour of the battery, which we expound on in the in-depth buying guide after the cordless strimmer reviews below.
For now, let's get straight into our five select cordless strimmers.
RUNNER-UP
An expensive one probably because of its Syneon chip technology that intelligently controls energy for every task, this cordless strimmer is a great option for anyone looking for a more powerful model than our Best Pick. Some special features include a dual-line cutting system for more efficient results and a plant protector for when cutting around important plants with risk of strimming them. Also supplied with a 36V battery and charger so has plenty of power and charges quickly with a good run time to match.
Top 5 Cordless Strimmer Reviews
OUR BEST PICK
Black + Decker 36v Cordless Strimmer
Pros
The Black + Decker 36v Cordless Strimmer includes a 2.0 Ah Battery and charger and is a great investment for those seeking a versatile tool for all kinds of garden maintenance, from trimming excess grass growing around a fence, wall or pathway. Graced with E-Drive technology, the cordless strimmer has a high torque gear system that delivers super-fast cutting speeds of up to 8,500 rpm. This kind of speed ensures your job gets done much quicker regardless of how demanding it is.
An impressive feature of this strimmer is the Power Select. It allows you to choose between Eco and Turbo modes, with the former providing maximum run-time to complete tasks, especially light duty jobs where so much power is simply not needed.
Turbo mode offers an increased power boost that is useful when dealing with tough overgrowth. Because of this dynamism, the Black + Decker Strimmer is appreciated by many avid gardeners and is probably one of the most popular cordless strimmers, if not the most popular. On Amazon alone it has over 1000 reviews In addition, this strimmer not only trims grass but it can also convert into an edging tool which is very useful for tidying the edge of lawns.
The fact that there are no wires involved means zero risk of you tripping over a cord which is obviously the main advantage compared to corded models, while you get enjoy freedom of operation. Moreover, you will be able to use this strimmer for long periods of time owing to the fact that its battery provides up to 3750 linear metres in a single charge which in eco mode will give you around 25 minutes of strimming time. Longer runtimes are all because of the Li-Ion battery technology, which also ensures fast charging time.
At just 3.5kg, this cordless strimmer is pretty lightweight, much lighter than you might think. This makes it comfortable to use for long periods and the addition of a rubberized non-slip telescopic handle adds to its ease of use. On top of that, it does come with a secondary handle, which improves balance and manoeuvrability which many will appreciate.
Perhaps the most outstanding feature of this cordless strimmer is the unique AFS (Auto Feed System), designed to automatically feed out the line from the spool when activated. It is really convenient, unlike the conventional bump feed string strimmers that require users to ‘bump’ the head on the ground to let out more line from the spool. Ultimately, the AFS saves time and effort and gives it a few more points as feeding the strimmer line is usually a concern for most people.
Black + Decker covers this cordless strimmer with a 2-year warranty – yet another reason to consider it – and it comes with a 36V 2.0Ah Li-Ion battery and charger. This battery is free from ‘memory effect’ and can hold its charge for up to 18 months in an idle state. Anyone who has used cordless tools with the older battery types will really know how much of an improvement this is. Better still, it can be charged even when not fully flat. With the supplied charger, it will take just about an hour for your battery to be fully charged.
All things considered, this cordless strimmer from Black + decker is perfect for large gardens, at least because of its 30cm cutting swathe and fast cutting performance and affordable price. This is certainly one of the best, what you would call affordable models currently available. For home domestic use, this has you covered and is more than suitable. If you think you need a little more power then our next pick by Bosch should be a good alternative.
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RUNNER-UP
Bosch AdvancedGrassCut 36 Cordless Grass Trimmer with 36 V Lithium-Ion Battery
Pros
This Bosch AdvancedGrassCut 36 Cordless Grass Strimmer delivers serious cutting power that is needed to effectively trim around trees and overgrown areas such as allotments. Featuring Bosch’s Syneon Chip technology, the grass trimmer provides controlled power for every job, while the unique dual-line cutting system ensures interruption-free cutting and perfect results. It also features a 2-speed trigger switch for optimum power delivery and control when trimming.
The tool comes with a 36v Lithium-Ion battery and charger and the best is that you can interchange them with other Bosch Syneon tools. That means if you already have a tools from the same power range, then you can save some money and only purchase the bare tool or at least have a spare battery which is always useful. If not, the supplied battery is worth every penny and suitable for other tools you may want to buy down in the future. It also performs very well with a runtime of around 25-30 minutes on a full charge and takes about 70 minutes to recharge which isn't bad.
You will find this trimmer easy to work with due to its low weight as well as an auxiliary handle that adjusts in both position and angle for comfortable working in any position. Even the length of the grass trimmer is adjustable in order to suit your height which is well designed.
The cutting head itself can be adjusted to a vertical position for easier edging which is perfect for the edge of lawns and not every strimmer has this feature. It also features the semi-automatic line feeder which ensures that you won’t need to keep stopping ot adjust the strimming line which is makes it much better to use.
An added bonus of this strimmer is the plant protector, which allows precise and gentle trimming around delicate plants, we don't understand why all strimmers don't incorporate this simple feature as its so useful.
Overall, the Bosch AdvancedGrassCut Grass Trimmer is an impressive tool for regular strimming around the garden, though quite an expensive model it does have extra power when compared to cheaper models.
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Ryobi RLT1831H20 ONE+ 18V Hybrid Grass Trimmer (with 1x2.0Ah battery)
Pros
The innovative Ryobi RLT1831H20 ONE+ 18V Hybrid Grass Trimmer is a gardening tool that operates both as cordless and corded trimmer, making it such a great investment and much more versatile. There is nothing more frustrating than needing to complete a bit of the lawn and the battery runs flat. With this tool, you will only need to plug it in and finish your job rather than having to wait for up to an hour for the battery to recharge again if you have a plug socket close by. The other advantage is that you can use the corded power on smaller lawns where you might be close to a plug socket and then switch to cordless model for areas that are out of reach of the plug socket.
This tool requires some kind of assembly including installing the guard and connecting the shaft. While you’ll just need to slip the guard over the metal protrusion and tighten it down, you will need a hex wrench to fix the shaft in the centre. Once set, you will just need to adjust the pole accordingly to suit your height so this feature is well designed. The tool’s head is able to switch from normal strimming to edge trimming, making it such a versatile offering.
Some strimmers have issues with the automatic line feeding and it can be quite frustrating when it doesn’t work properly, if you have had an older model before, you probably known what I mean. However, Ryobi designed this strimmer well enough that the line feeds out without any hiccups. Another key feature is the speed selection that gives the option to choose between high and low speed modes for optimum control which most good models now have. However, Ryobi has not mentioned the exact revolutions per minute for each speed mode. It also lets you to choose between 25cm and 30cm cutting width which is a feature we have not seen before.
Another thing we know is that the grass trimmer is incredibly lightweight at just 2.8kg including the battery pack. Starting the tool is really easy; simply place your hand over the top of the handle, press down on it and pull up the trigger. Ryobi’s 18v battery will do a very impressive job of providing plenty of power for various trimming projects.
Moreover, this strimmer is compatible with all Ryobi One+18V batteries which is become a popular combination all brands are starting to do, so if you already have one of their tools then you or planning to buy in the future, you can always use the same battery pack for running different tools so can either have more spare batteries or save money by just buying the bare tool.
If you want a top quality cordless strimmer with the benefit of corded performance and without paying a lot of money, this Ryobi would be a big win. The reason we have not named this as our 'best pick' as it does tick all the boxes is that it does not have the test of time to see how it performs over a year or two with it being a fairly new model, however i'm sure it will become very popular and prove very reliable.
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Greenworks Cordless String Trimmerwith 40v 2Ah battery and charger
Pros
The Greenworks 40v Cordless String Trimmer is a lightweight yet powerful gardening tool suitable for medium to large sized gardens. The major selling point of this cordless strimmer is its pivoting head and included 2 batteries for longer strimming time. It can be adjusted to different angles to suit your cutting trimming needs, making it perfect for lawn edging as well as reaching those hidden areas under trees and bushes.
The front-mount 40v motor generates plenty of trimming power despite being impressively lightweight, thus suitable for dealing with tough and dense overgrowth along with standard strimming. There is also a variable speed trigger which allows you to match speed to task. Ideally, slower speeds with be okay for soft grass while higher speeds will tackle thick overgrowth much better. You surely get the best of both worlds with this tool; the nylon line can cope with thicker growth and handle precise trimming.
The included automatic feed line makes the trimmer even easier to use as the line simply feeds through smoothly without breaking. No need to curse or spend precious time manually feeding the line through this tool.
As the title suggests, this pack comes with two 2Ah batteries and charger. The runtime on a single charge is 30 minutes and it takes 60 minutes for the battery to full charge from flat. The best part is that this Greenworks battery is universal in that it works with most of their power tools. For instance, you can use the same battery to power a Greenworks lawnmower.
Overall its a good strimmer and although the brand may not be as well known as some of the other brands such as Black + Decker and Bosch its certainly up there with the best in terms of quality. We love that it comes with 2 batteries for extra strimming time which more than makes up for it. We have reviewed a few Greenworks tools now and they have always proved to be good tools.
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DEWALT DCM561P1S 18V Li-Ion XR Cordless Brushless Line Strimmer
Pros
The DEWALT DCM561P1S 18v Li-Ion XR Cordless Brushless Strimmer is equipped with an impressive cordless strimmer motor that benefits from fast recharge speed and longer runtime. Combined with a decent sized battery and a variety of features to make short work of strimming, there is so much to like with this strimmer.
A cutting swath of 13 inches makes it ideal for small and large areas and so does the 18v 5.0Ah Lithium-Ion battery along with two-speed setting with variable trigger. With the speed ranging from 0 – 6000rpm, you can choose between low and high settings. For instance, you can set the speed to 4000rpm and get a longer run time up to 45 minutes or go for a high setting like the 6000rpm that offers maximum power but a shorter runtime of about 30 minutes which is still as good any any other strimmer in when there in eco mode thats to the very large 5Ah capacity.
This performance is additionally enhanced by the brushless motor within the trimmer, which offers high torque and consistent cutting speeds under different conditions. So if you fancy the ability to choose between longer runtimes and more power setting, this cordless strimmer is for you and its the best choice by far for professional daily use where it will get ap propper hammering. Furthermore, it recharges in about 75 minutes, making it even easier to use in large areas that may deplete the battery.
What’s more? The strimmer includes a professional style guard for extra protection and a dual handle design for easy manoeuvrability and added comfort, thanks to padding and integrated over mould which is so important for professional use where you will be using it for longer periods of time. Wrapping the features of this trimmer is a fast loading 2mm bump feed that allows precise line adjustment. However, the strimmer weighs 7kg which is quite on the heavier side compared with other models on this list but this just further confirms the quality of the tool.
All in all, this DEWALT DCM561P1S Cordless strimmer packs more than enough power to cut heavily overgrown gardens and wet grass, while being versatile in performance. Certainly one of the best cordless strimmers on the market and by far best choice for professional gardeners looking for a reliable and powerful tool.
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Buyers Guide
Why buy a cordless strimmer?
Grass strimmers have become so popular within the last few years. Initially a premium and unwieldy kind of tool, strimmers are now within anyone's budget and highly practical equipment that make garden maintenance a doodle compared to using manual hand tools.
Yet one of the major issues that still affects modern grass strimmers is how limiting they are as to where one can reach. Even with an extended cord, garden strimmers are usually hard to manoeuvre and can struggle to reach every corner of the garden, especially large ones.
The solution to such challenging situations is a cordless strimmer. With no cords to untangle or hinder movement, cordless strimmers are easy to manoeuvre and best of all, they can access those hard-to-reach areas in your garden. They come with an onboard, rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery which powers the device wherever you go. With improvements in battery technology, cordless grass strimmers perform just as well as corded counterparts while being pretty much affordable, giving enough reasons to purchase one of these tools. They are also quiet and maintenance free compared to petrol models.
How to select the best cordless strimmer
There is a host of fantastic cordless strimmers on the market and knowing the important things to look out for will help you seal a good deal. That said, consider the following features:
Type of battery
Perhaps the most crucial feature is the battery type and you want to ensure that the strimmer comes with a Lithium-ion battery, the good news is most new modern models do. However, some models aren't supplied with a battery and you can expect to pay a lot cheaper for such. Other brands such as Bosch and Ryobi have cleverly designed batteries that work with a wide range of their products, meaning you can save money by choosing to go with tool only if you you already have one or more of their power tools which can save you money in the long term.
Lithium-ion batteries are without doubt the best type for cordless strimmers. They last much longer, allowing you to use your piece of equipment for long before requiring to recharge, while also being fast recharging, usually charge a battery from flat to full in 60 minutes.
Battery voltage
The larger the battery, the more powerful the cordless strimmer. For example, the smallest 12V batteries are usually suitable for light-duty jobs and you will often find them in the cheaper entry-level cordless strimmers.
Then you have the medium to large batteries with their power ranging from 18V to 36V, making them good for most regular garden maintenance tasks, be it cutting grass on the lawn, overgrown areas or any patches of weeds.
Amp hour
Every battery has a specified Amp hour indicated as Ah. It relates to the runtime that the battery offers. Cordless strimmers Amp hour ranges from 1.3Ah to around 5.0Ah for some models such as the DeWalt strimmer. Ideally, the more the Amp hour, the longer the battery can last on one charge. On the other hand, the higher the Amp hour, the heavier the battery will be, so don't choose a longer runtime but struggle to keep hold of the tool for longer periods of time.
Plus if you have a small garden that you can tend to minutes, you may not necessarily need a long runtime for your strimmer. Most batteries will run for an average of 20-30 minutes before they run flat and that is suitable for many average gardens.
Recharge time
Your corldess strimmer will need to be charged more often, so it's good to pick one that charges in a decent time period for your needs. For instance, if you have large areas to trim, then a faster charge time will be perfect for you so you won't have to wait for ages for the strimmer to regain power before you can continue.
Recharge time varies from as fast as 30 minutes to as long as a couple of hours. Fast-charging batteries can skyrocket the price of the strimmer but that may be worthwhile in the long-run.
Some folks consider purchasing a back-up battery to compensate for slower recharge times. This too is a good investment as at some point you will need to replace the original supplied battery.
Cutting swathe
In short, this refers to how much grass gets cut in one pass. It is usually shown in width with typical values ranging from 30 to 33cm. Ideally the more grass you can cut in each pass, the quicker you can clear a given area. Unless you have a very small garden, mind the cutting swathe of the strimmer that you want to buy. All good models have an adjustable cutting hedge to make it possible to cut the edge of lawns, this is well worth considering and was one of the requirements the strimmers needed to have to make it onto our recommended list.
Balance
Pay attention to a strimmer's handle design as it the thing that will allow you to direct the tool. With the motor located near the centre, there should be a second handle in between to allow you find the right balance of the device. It should also be adjustable in order to suit your height or whoever will be using the strimmer.
Our Final Conclusion
A well-maintained, neatly trimmed garden with borders filled with plants is a scene to behold, but you need a garden strimmer if you are to create a picturesque garden. They come in many brands with a wide range of features that choosing the best cordless strimmer can be confusing. But we believe we have done our best to list the features to consider when shopping as well as some of the trending cordless strimmers in the UK market. You should have a smooth run going forward and we look forward to hearing your stories in the comments section below!
BEST PICK
There is so much to love in this one; super fast 8500rpm cutting speed, instant conversion from strimming long growth to edging lawns, lightweight and ergonomic design, two power modes, and the strimmer comes with a battery and charger so your ready to go out the box. Overall its much more affordable than the alternatives on our list and is perfect for domestic use on smaller and larger garden and with over 1000 reviews on Amazon it only confirms our own conclusion.
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