Keeping grass verges, flower borders and lawn looking its best calls for one of the best cordless strimmers. They’re a dab hand at taming overgrown grasses, weeds and vegetation – all without being tethered to a cord. Most are fitted with edging tools and a plant guard so they operate in just the desired hover area.
As an aid to your best petrol lawn mower you’ll want to choose a grass trimmer, strimmer or brush cutter which does what your mower can’t do. Grass trimmers can be much more agile but you’ll need to consider how much it weighs, the battery runtime and charge time and user customisation.
To help, we’ve reviewed the Karcher LTR 18-30 and Ryobi 18V ONE+, asked an expert to wade in and shared our own advice. With this information we’ve created this list of our best six grass strimmers to help you narrow down your search.
The quick list
Tight on spare time to search for the best cordless strimmer? Here's a speedy overview of all the strimmers on this list, along with handy quick links that allow you to skip down the page to get right into a more detailed review of the particular product that you like the look of.
With a great cutting speed of up to 7,400 RPM, two settings (including one for tackling stubborn weeds and very long grass) this is a great all-rounder. At full charge, the battery can run for around 30 minutes having been charged for between four to five hours.
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While not ideal for heavily overgrown patches of a garden or brambles, this strimmer from Karcher is more than capable of working on more than 300 linear metres of ground at full charge (for approx. 30 minutes). It also comes with pre-loaded replacement spools.
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Lightweight and a doddle to zip around with, this very sensibly priced lawn strimmer has a run time of roughly 24 minutes so is best for small to medium gardens. It has been praised for its quiet running and how easy it is to put together straight out of the box.
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Don't let the fact that this is the quietest running strimmer here fool you into thinking it might be less powerful as that is certainly not the case. The AK10 battery it comes complete with lasts for an estimated 25 minutes on full charge. It also comes supplied with an AL101 charger for the battery.
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The ergonomic design of this strimmer made it a close contender for the top spot. It has a height adjustable handle so you can keep upright while using it and there is a foot pedal to switch between functions. The battery life is around 40 minutes.
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Not only does this highly rated model offer fantastic value for money, it also does the job of keeping grass and weeds brilliantly under control. It is lightweight and easy to use and can also be used as an edger. It even has a plant guard to protect flowers at the base of trees.
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The best overall strimmer
The Black+Decker STC1820PC-GB POWERCONNECT Cordless Strimmer offers two brilliant settings to make easy work of weeding. The boost mode is ideal for cutting through tough weeds, light shrubs and long grass, while the eco setting is more practical for lighter gardening work.
It comes with a 18V battery, has an impressive cutting speed of up to 7,400 RPM, and is fitted with an easily adjustable secondary handle to give you additional control while trimming. There's also an automatic cord feed so you won't need to bend down and stop when the cord slips.
The battery takes around four to five hours to fully charge and can run for roughly 30 minutes.
Best for small gardens
The Karcher LTR 18-30 is an ideal tool for small to medium sized gardens that are kept in fairly good order and maintained on a regular basis.
Our reviewer, James Broadhouse, found it to be a real pleasure to use on test, with a good battery life of around 30 minutes which is enough to strim over 300 linear metres of grass. James challenged this Karcher string trimmer with an established patch of stinging nettles, which proved too much for it to handle, so you'll enjoy using this trimmer just as much as we did so long as you stick to the grass.
The battery is compatible with other tools in the range which is always a great feature if you enjoy buying in to one system or brand. Plus, it comes with a two-year warranty.
Read our full Karcher LTR 18-30 cordless grass trimmer review for more detail.
Best budget model
The Ryobi grass trimmer is a great choice for the occasional gardener who wants to keep their small to mid sized suburban garden looking trim and fresh.
It's competitively priced – especially if you have a Ryobi battery and charger already – easy to manoeuvre, tackles grass and weeds with ease, has decent battery life and a couple of neat features like a line cutter to help you get a better finish.
Our reviewer, Steve Jenkins, found that this Ryobi grass trimmer felt aggressive in its cutting manner, but it eased its way through thick, wet grass. You will just need to keep an eye on the disappearing cutting line which will need to be fed manually.
Read our full Ryobi 18V ONE+ Cordless Grass Trimmer review for more detail.
Best low-noise model
Strimmers can be noisy things, but this Stihl model bucks the trend. It runs surprisingly quietly with minimal vibrations, courtesy of the German brand's quiet technology. It's pretty effective on tough jobs too.
The FSA57 is a smooth-running machine that isn't the lightest, but features an ergonomic design with adjustable shaft at the touch of a button for ease of use. You won't feel like you've had an intense gym session at the end of the day.
There's a bump feed for the 1.6mm spool, with the option to switch to alternative mowing blades. The AK10 battery lasts around 25 minutes on a full charge.
Most comfortable to use
The UniversalGrassCut is one of the best strimmers, if not the best, for ergonomic design. It keeps your back straight while you strim, and has a V-shaped handle which can be adjusted according to your height. This is perfect for anyone with mobility concerns.
It's not that easy to perform an accurate cut, but what you lose in super-precision you gain in features. There's a clever foot pedal button and handle twist which makes it easier to switch between edging and trimming. The InteliFEED feature automatically feeds the spool line for interrupted work without manual adjustments.
After an hour's charge, the battery life is roughly 40 minutes.
Most powerful model
If you want a powerful strimmer that does the basics brilliantly (and a little bit more), you can't do better than this machine from Greenworks.
Despite being slightly heavier than some other models, this machine is still easy to move around as you take on grass and weeds. And the 30cm-cutting width is generous, and larger than most in this guide. It also has an edging wheel that makes keeping flowerbeds around lawns and paths tidy an easy job.
One drawback is that you have to buy the Greenworks 40V 2Ah battery for £100 [at Amazon] separately, but once you do you can use it for every 40V Greenworks tool. And if you buy more than one you can recharge one battery while using a second one in another machine.
How to choose the best cordless strimmer
“When considering which cordless grass trimmer is right for you, there are lots of things to consider. Taking care of your garden should be easy, so comfort is crucial," says Julie Blades, Global Product Manager at Flymo.
She outlines the key considerations below:
- Weight: Make sure you know how much the trimmer weighs so that you can hold it for as long as you need. Typically, a cordless trimmer should be around 2kg for comfortable use, but you know your own strength best.
- Size: If you have lots of intricate areas you need to cut into, a smaller cutting width of up to 23cm would be best. But if your priority is covering distance, a larger cutting width of up to 30cm might suit you best. An adjustable shaft length and handles can help you get every angle you need to trim your borders effortlessly, minimising aches and pains.
- Voltage: “The thicker the patch of lawn you’re trying to tackle, the more voltage you’ll need to cut through. For the majority of gardens, an 18V grass trimmer will be sufficient to keep edges tidy and precise. However, if you’re working with denser, thicker grass and weeds consider a model with a power boost function.
- Running time: Corded and petrol strimmers work on continuous power, but cordless strimmers will require charging, and it can pay to investigate how long a model takes to charge – some take as little as an hour or two; others up to five. Any batteries of 36V are generally suitable for medium and low-level gardening tasks like trimming overgrown grass, but for larger tasks and heavy duty strimming you'll probably need a more powerful battery.
- Extra features: Consider whether you’d like any additional features on your trimmer. If you have flowers bordering your lawn, a built-in plant guard can ensure you don’t accidentally cut any petals. A stabilising edging wheel can also increase precision if you’d like your lawn edges to be sharp and sleek.
Global Product Manager and lawn care expert at Flymo.
FAQs
Do I need a cordless or corded strimmer?
You can trust Homebuilding & Renovating. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and materials in order to help you choose the best for your home and garden. Find out more about how we test.
“A cordless grass trimmer offers great flexibility, reducing any worry of cutting through the cord during use. It also means that you can take the trimmer around the garden, using any angle you like without any restrictions," says Julie Blades, Global Product Manager at Flymo.
“A corded grass trimmer might be best if you need to use it for a long period of time in one go, or if you need a bit more cutting power.”
Can you use a strimmer on wet grass?
"Can I cut wet grass?" It is a question often asked by gardeners keen to keep their gardens looking neat and tidy – even in the unpredictable British weather. But is the advice the same when it comes to strimming?
It's certainly similar. While strimming wet grass once in a while shouldn't cause too much in the way of damage to your lawn, or your machine, you should definitely leave any waterlogged areas well alone. It is also best to wait until the afternoon for strimming so that the grass has a chance to dry out a little.
How do you edge a lawn with a strimmer?
Many strimmers come with lawn edging functions, but even without these, it is still possible to create a crisp finish if you know how to use a strimmer properly.
Homebuilding & Renovating's DIY expert Steve Jenkins suggests moving your strimmer horizontally along the edge to remove stray strands of grass before angling the strimmer vertically so it is sitting about 90 degrees to the edge. You can then follow the edge slowly to create a crisp neat edge.
How we test cordless strimmers
Here at Homebuilding.co.uk we like to get our hands dirty and trial as many products as possible, but in the instances where we aren’t able to, such as with some of the best cordless strimmers in this guide, we leave no stone unturned to provide you with the crucial information you need to know before buying.
Our team is passionate about DIY and home improvement (which probably won’t be a surprise) so we already have knowledge about the brands that make these strimmers. Moreover, we have taken into account user reviews when compiling this buying guide.
There's a lot to consider to ensure you buy the best cordless strimmer for your budget and needs, and we’ve scanned the pros and cons of each model in this buying guide to ensure you feel confident in choosing the right product for your garden.
