All manufacturers tell you which size replacement line fits your trimmer. Trimmers with two lines cut more grass with each revolution than single-line models, so they can typically handle heavier growth. Fixed-line heads are also available as aftermarket items.
Auto-feed heads come pre-wound and release line on their own as needed. Spring-assisted starting makes pulling the starter cord of a gas-powered trimmer easier.
And a relatively foolproof sequence of pushing the fuel-primer bulb and engaging the choke delivers the proper fuel mixture to a cold engine for faster starts. Trimmers that have the stop switch within easy reach let you quickly stop the engine or motor if you need to. We respect your privacy. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. Sign In. Become a Member. Remember Me. Forgot username or password? Not a member? Need further assistance? Please call Member Services at String Trimmers.
Sign in or Become a Member. Find the Best String Trimmer for Your Yard We test, evaluate, and compare the latest weed trimmers so that you can give your yard the finishing touch. How We Test String Trimmers In our tests, we use each trimmer to tackle typical yard weeds and high grass as well as dense brush, noting and timing how long each model takes to clear a defined path.
String Trimmer Ratings. Curved or Straight Shaft? A string trimmer can be powered by gasoline, a battery, or a power cord. Video Buying Guide For more, watch our buying guide below. String Trimmer Types Let your lawn and landscape dictate which type of string trimmer you buy.
But be careful to stop short of hitting these with the string. You can kill a tree by stripping its bark, or cut a chunk out of wood or concrete. Approach these fixtures gingerly, and pull back as soon as you hear or feel the distinctive click of slapping string.
Or better yet, create mulch beds around trees and posts so you never have to get close. When you switch to a metal blade for cutting brush and saplings, protect yourself with long pants, helmet, boots, and goggles or a face mask, plus shoulder straps to keep you from getting an aching back. Never remove the blade guard: It not only protects you, it also keeps the blade from wreaking havoc on rocks, walks, or posts. With any trimmer, wipe off bits of grass and debris when you stop for the day, and check both the gas level and what's left on the string reel.
Neatly coil the cord or recharge the batteries on electric machines. Some gas machines must be stored upright or level so fluids don't leak; check your manual. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.
Choosing and Using String Trimmers. By John Kelsey. Pinterest Email Pocket Flipboard. Photo by Jennifer Levy String trimmers, which cut greenery with whirling plastic lines, can trim right up to trees, steps, and rocks. Four-Cycle Engine With a big jungle to tame, you'll want a trimmer with a 4-cycle engine.
Brush Cutter For flattening brush and saplings with a brush-cutting blade, you need the control of bicycle-style handlebars, especially if a hearty trunk kicks the head back at you. For comparative run time and power, we hauled many of the trimmers out to an overgrown field and drained their batteries by clearing giant swaths of thick grass and dense weeds, and then calculating the total square footage each tool was able to handle.
The STT has the power to slice through dense grass, gnarly weeds, and even 1-inch-thick Japanese knotweed without slowing down. All of this cutting ability is harnessed with a smooth, variable-speed trigger, which makes delicate work just as easy as brute-force clear-cutting. Though none of the trimmers we tested were quiet, the Ego STT had the nicest sound, emitting a low-pitched hum, rather than the high, squealing whine of some of the others.
This Ego completes the package with great balance, comfortable grips, and a simple bump-feed line advance. We did a battery test on an earlier model, and the Ego, on a single battery charge, cut down about 3, square feet of dense field grass, weeds, and stalky shrubs in an area nearly 60 by 60 feet.
While trimming in the field or on the Los Angeles hillside, we never had to stop, hesitate, or even slow down when using the Ego.
It cut as fast as we could swing the trimmer head. Other trimmers bound themselves up in the tall grass or when faced with a dense patch pushed the grass over rather than cutting it.
The trimmer has two speeds and a variable-speed trigger. This set-up offers full control of the cutting head, allowing you to find a cutting speed that fits the task, from blasting away at thick weeds to finesse work around the perennials and delicate surfaces like painted siding or lattice.
In those more-delicate areas, we switched to the low speed setting, so we could maintain the ease of a full trigger pull but not have the trimmer at top speed. But it was still very easy to manage due to its nice balance and the addition of a telescoping shaft and a quick adjustment on the handle on previous Ego models, the handle can be moved only by loosening a series of screws. The quick handle adjust also makes it easy to change the grip, if you use the trimmer as an edger.
The Ego is a dual-line unit, meaning that two strings extend from the cutting head. And it comes equipped with a 0. When all of the string is used up, just load about 16 feet of line through the trimmer head so that there are 8 feet sticking out of each side, and then pop its cover on. Then with the press of a button, the line automatically retracts into the trimmer head, so the whole tool is ready to go in seconds.
With most other trimmers, the entire trimmer head needs to be disassembled and the new line manually wound onto the spool which is always a tedious process. Simply tap the bottom of the trimmer head against the ground, and a length of string is fed from an internal spool housed inside it.
A small edge on the underside of the debris shield then cuts the end of the string to the proper length. Another impressive element of the Ego is its noise—or, rather, lack of noise. The trimmers we tested had noises ranging from high squeal to hair-dryer hum, and the Ego was among the quietest we looked at. This is in stark contrast with gas trimmers, which position the engine at your elbow and scream like fighter jets.
As with anything, the Ego STT is not perfect, but none of the drawbacks come close to offsetting all of the good the tool provides. Most other trimmer handles are plastic or have a thin layer of rubbery padding. But if you need something in a hurry and the STT is not available, this is an excellent second choice.
You can expect about the same power, run time, and charge time, as with our main pick. And we should note the Ryobi is louder and heavier than the Egos, plus a little harder to maneuver. And in patches of really thick, tall grass, the Ryobi trimmer head occasionally got wound up in the grass or just pushed it over instead of cutting it.
Still, when it came to regular trimming—even in heavier weed areas—this trimmer had little problem on multiple hilly properties in Los Angeles in spring We tested many of these attachments and were impressed with the results. Using the cultivator with a fully charged battery, we were able to work for an uninterrupted 15 minutes and tilled a 2-byfoot 40 square feet area of the field into a ready-to-go garden bed. For a second test, on softer ground, we tilled up to a byfoot area square feet on a single charge.
In these instances, managing the cultivator is physically demanding, but these tests demonstrate that the Ryobi is capable of cleaning up garden rows or tilling flower beds in the spring. We also liked the pole saw attachment.
In , a tree worker borrowed it in a pinch and was impressed with how easy it was to use. The brush cutter worked as advertised too. In general, we were impressed with how all of the attachments performed when attached to the cordless tool. The Ryobi has a few downsides. On the Ego STT, the motor is located down at the cutting head, in effect counterbalancing the weight of the battery. But on the Ryobi, the motor is up by the handle. With this configuration, the balance felt slightly off, and it took a little more effort to swing the machine around.
Compared with the Ego, the Ryobi is loud—a squeal-like, whiny loud. We recommend using ear protection no matter which string trimmer you use. Twisted line is a bit better, as the shape has a little more of a cutting edge to it. Some line comes in a square or star shape. The edges of these string trimmer lines are sharper than rounded trimmer line, and cut through the grass rather than tear at it.
Serrated line is also an option when it comes to sharper trimmer line. It has teeth, similar to a kitchen knife, and saws through heavier grass and weeds with relative ease. Nylon line is the most common line available, but it tends to wear out and break quickly on anything but lighter duty jobs. Manufacturers have come out with a variety of alternatives for heavier duty jobs, however. Some examples include reinforced composite nylon, internally reinforced nylon, and aluminum additives for added strength.
Although not line in the technical sense, some of the beefier string trimmers can work with nylon, or even metal, blades. All of these options improve the durability of the light gauge nylon string, but if the vast majority of your trimming work centers on light grass clipping, you can probably get by with cheap, simple nylon line.
So, what type of string trimmer line should I use? The easiest answer: probably the heaviest and sharpest gauge that my trimmer can effectively turn without losing power to wind resistance. However, for most homeowners, round nylon line will probably tackle the vast majority of simple trimming needs.
You might need something heavier for edging and clearing out underbrush, but for handling grass around the house and yard, light gauge round nylon works. If you want to spend less time respooling your cutting head, switching to a more durable material is an option, although a pricier one. You'll find Chris behind the scenes of almost everything Pro Tool Reviews produces. When he doesn't have his hands on tools himself, he's often the man behind the camera lens making the rest of the team look good.
In his free time, you might find Chris with his nose jammed in a book, or tearing out his remaining hair while watching Liverpool FC. He enjoys his faith, family, friends, and the Oxford comma. Winterizing affects lawn care and equipment on the job site. Here are three fool-proof steps on how to winterize your equipment against fuel issues due to ethanol gasoline.
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