Best Battery Powered String Trimmer 2023: Reviewed and Compared

Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Kyle Whitley

Are you in the market for a new string trimmer? Have you gotten tired of the hard to start small gas engines on your existing string trimmer?  If so you might want to take a look at the best battery powered string trimmer of 2023.

 

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Best Battery Powered String Trimmer for 2023

We took a look at several different string trimmers to see which was the overall value without sacrificing performance.  Below in no particular order, are five of the best battery powered string trimmers available in 2023.

 

RYOBI 40 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Attachment Capable String Trimmer

RYOBI makes a larger assortment of electric lawn and outdoor power equipment, and I own quite a few of their products.  This 40 volt straight shaft string trimmer has all the power of a gas model, with none of the gas powered headaches.  The trimmer has an impressive 13 in. to 15 in. cutting width, and has a bump feed head for getting more trimmer string when you need it.  The biggest advantage this trimmer has over the other in this list is the expand-it attachments with making this not just trimmer, but a blower, pole saw, hedge trimmer, and many other tools. This is also one of the more affordable options that have excellent power.

Specifications

• Gas like power
• Attachment capable: accepts RYOBI expand-it attachments and other universal gas attachments to save time, money, and space
• Premium 0.095 in. twisted dual line
• Reel-easy bump-feed string head for fast and easy reloading
• Variable speed trigger for cutting control
• 13 in. to 15 in. adjustable cutting width

What We Liked

• Attachment capability – being able to add attachments to this trimmer is a great bonus
• Bump feed head with fast reloading – the ability to easily reload the trimmer line is a must-have
• Carbon fiber shaft helps reduce weight and improve durability
• Being a member of the Ryobi 40v lithium-ion battery powered line of tools – being able to use the same battery for many different tools is a game-changer

What We Disliked

• A little heavy with the larger 4ah or 5ah 40V batteries
• The handle could be designed a little better, seems like this might a weak point in an otherwise pretty remarkable tool.

 

EGO Power+ 16in 56 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless String Trimmer

EGO makes some great battery powered tools and the 15in 56-volt string trimmer is no exception.  The trimmer has massive power with its 56 volt battery and impressive runtime that easily matches the power of gas powered weed eaters.  The trimmer also has a larger diameter trimmer line that makes it more durable and can handle larger weeds and grass. It also has a cool line reloading feature where you press a button at the bottom of the head, and it automatically spools the trimmer line.

Specifications

• Rapid reload head to quickly and easily load cutting line
• 16 in. cutting swath
• Dual-feed spiral-twist 0.095 in. line
• Hi-efficiency brushless motor
• Variable speed control
• Weather-resistant construction
• Telescoping carbon fiber shaft
• 4.0 Ah ARC lithium battery powers all EGO Power+ products

What We Liked

• Power, Power, and more Power.  Like all the EGO line of 56V tools, this thing has a powerful battery to do the job and provide maximum power.
• Thick .095 line, this is the same size line you will see on many gas trimmers and can clear the toughest weeds and dense grass with ease
• The Line IQ feature is pretty slick, no more bumping of the trimmer head to get line to feed.

What We Disliked

• Weight, with a larger battery, you have extra weight to haul around, which will tire you out after a long trimming session
• The included 4.0 Ah battery tends to run down quickly. With more power comes less battery life unfortunately

Makita GRU01M1 40V max XGT® Brushless Cordless 15″ String Trimmer

Makita is a long-time favorite of professional builders and contractors.  This shows the quality of the 40v  straight shaft trimmer.  This trimmer comes with a powerful brushless motor with three separate speeds to get the job done fast.  The trimmer has a reverse rotation function which will help you get untangled if your trimmer string gets caught up in some extra tough weeds.

Specifications

• Makita-built outer rotor BL Brushless motor direct-drive system provides high power and increased torque
• Variable speed trigger for power control
• 3-Speed options 
• Equipped with bump and feed trimmer head loaded with 0. 080″ Twisted quiet Line
• The reverse rotation function allows the operator to clear the trimmer head of entangled grass and weeds quickly

What We Liked

• Multi-tool battery, the battery can be used with all 40v powered tools
• Having multiple speeds is unique to the Makita trimmer. Being able to control power output for less intensive trimming (like around delicate landscaping) is great to have feature.
• The reverse feature is awesome. If you are like me, when I have been trimming, I have gotten tangled in taller woody weeds and had to manually unwind them from a trimmer head.  Being able to reverse entanglement is very helpful

What We Disliked

• This is a higher-end trimmer with lots of features and it is a relatively expensive model
• A thinner .080 trimmer line will limit the trimming of tall weeds

 

DEWALT DCST972X1 17″ 60V String Trimmer

 

DeWalt is long time manufacturer of quality power tools used in the construction industry.  The 60 Volt Max has a large 15 – 17 in cutting width and has a variable high/low speed which will help you power through trimming jobs in your yard. One great plus is that the batteries for the trimmer will work in all 60V battery Max tools.

Specifications

• 15 -17  in. Cutting Swath
• Collapsible Design
• 0.080 in. Line
• Gear drive transmission design that powers through the overgrowth
• Variable trigger with high/low speed control
• Lightweight, ergonomic, and balanced design 
• Part of the 60V MAX system of tools

What We Liked

• 60 Volt lithium-ion battery works in all other DeWalt 60v max tools.  There are a ton of DeWalt tools that use this same battery.  Extra built-in value if you buy this trimmer
• Universal attachment capability and quick load spool are bonuses
• High and low speeds help you apply the type of power you need for delicate or tougher trimming

What We Disliked

• A running thread in this post, but the .080 line is on the smaller side and will limit your heavy duty trimming
• Hard to find DeWalt branded attachments for the string trimmer.
• 60V batteries can add some extra weight that smaller 40V models don’t have

CRAFTSMAN V60 String Trimmer and Edger

Craftsman has been known to make quality power tools for many years and the V60 string trimmer is no exception to that rule.  The trimmer has a powerful brushless motor , variable speed control, and an ergonomic handle for easier control.  This trimmer is also light weight helping you get through those longer trimming sessions.

Specifications

• 15-Inch Cutting swath
• 0.080″ Line
• Patented gear drive design that powers through the over grown grass.
• Variable trigger with Hi/lo speed control 
• High-efficiency Brushless motor 
• Lightweight and ergonomic design 
• Includes battery and charger

What We Liked

• The V60 battery can be used in other Craftsman V60 lines of outdoor and garden tools
• Quick wind spool allows you to replace line easily with less stopping.
• Lightweight makes it easier to carry around and move from trimming task to trimming task.

 

What We Disliked

• The battery doesn’t last long on high speed settings.  But if you have to trim from longer than 20 minutes, you might want to look at some of the higher battery capacity models
• The Auto feed feature wastes a lot of trimmer line when it works.

Why choose a battery powered string trimmer?

There are a few reasons why you might want to choose a battery powered string trimmer or a battery powered weed eater over a gas string trimmer or weed eater.

• starts easily, and every time
• lighter weight
• no mixing of fuel
• no fuel storage
• much quieter than gas trimmers

I personally switched to all electric outdoor equipment recently and I am not looking back.

Gas vs Electric String Trimmers

So what are the major differences between gas and electric trimmers then?  I would say the major difference is convenience.  Electric string trimmers are much easier to deal with.  I am sure if you have used a gas powered string trimmer in the last decade, you have had to deal with mixing fuel.

Mixing the Gas

With an electric trimmer, there is no gas or oil or anything like that to deal with, so all you really have to do is make sure your battery is charged.  Did I mention how convenient battery powered outdoor tools can be?

Not that mixing gas takes an aerospace engineering degree, but it is a pain.  This usually reared its head when I had to go to the local home center and buy those small bottles of oil to mix up the gas.  I never seemed to have one when I needed it.  Even when I got it mixed, there was no guarantee it would start.

Why won’t this thing start?

So electric string trimmers always start, because all you have to do is put a battery in or plug it into the wall and pull the throttle trigger.

Gas trimmers can be extremely hard to start.  If your fuel has been sitting too long, or you forgot to add an Ethanol additive to your fuel, then starting the trimmer can be a real pain.  Has anyone ever broken a recoil starter?  I have.

Gas Trimmers are so Loud

So now you have the trimmer started, but it sounds like a go cart running at top speed.  No trimming for you early in the morning when the temps are nice and cool. The neighbors won’t like that.  Also, don’t forget about that exhaust smell.

Electric trimmers, for the most part, are quieter, I won’t say quiet.  You have the whirling noise of the string as it spins, but you don’t have the high pitched whine of the motor.

Gas Trimmers are Heavy

You’re trimming away at your landscaped beds or sidewalks, and you start to feel your arms getting tired, and you’re only halfway through trimming.  My old gas trimmer weighed a ton, not literally, but it was heavy.  I had to eventually give in and use a shoulder strap to offset the engine weight.

My electric trimmer, on the other hand, is not heavy.  I do have a motor and battery to contend with, but compared to my old gas trimmer, this thing is light.  The great thing is I didn’t experience a loss of power when switching to a battery powered trimmer, you can’t beat lightweight and powerful. I can easily cut the same amount of weeds, tall grass, and over grown grass on a single charge.  Having an extra battery on hand just extends the runtime.

So hopefully, I have at least convinced you to consider a battery powered string trimmer as your next trimmer choice.

Which battery powered string trimmer to choose?

Well, you can’t go wrong with any of these models.  They can all handle your day to day trimming tasks with ease.  I actually own the RYOBI 40 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Attachment Capable String Trimmer, and I love it.  I wouldn’t go back to using my gas powered trimmer.  I can trim up around my house on a single battery and have never run out of battery power to finish the job.

Battery powered trimmers, in my opinion, are really the best choice when you need to get a new string trimmer, you get a powerful, quiet, nearly maintenance-free tool at an affordable price that starts every time.  Any of the trimmers listed above would be a great choice for the best battery powered string trimmer of 2021.  Get out there and clean up those edges.

 

Battery Powered String Trimmer Manufacturers Mentioned in this Post

RYOBI

EGO

DEWALT

Makita Tools

Craftsman