The best cordless string trimmers in 2026 fall into two clear groups: battery-and-charger kits for anyone starting from nothing, and bare tools for people who already own a pack. The EGO POWER+ ST1623T takes the overall slot for its 16 inch swath and self-loading line head, while the Greenworks 80V handles the thickest brush in this roundup and the BLACK+DECKER LST300 is the one to buy for light duty under six pounds.
A cordless string trimmer is a battery-powered yard tool that spins nylon line to cut grass and weeds along fence lines, tree bases, and the corners a mower cannot reach. Modern 40V to 80V machines now match small gas engines on ordinary suburban work, without fuel mixing, pull starts, exhaust, or the noise complaints that come with them.
How we picked: we compared all ten tools on published specification, cutting swath, motor type, weight, head design and battery capacity, then weighed those against the consistency of owner feedback. Runtime figures quoted throughout are the manufacturer runtimes for the battery included in the box, and we flag where owners report the real number lands lower. If you want a broader look at how we handle testing and reviews, our notes on appreciating the details in a well-made thing cover the same approach.
One more framing note before the picks. The most common expensive mistake is not buying the wrong trimmer, it is buying the wrong brand for the batteries already in your garage. We flag platform compatibility in every card below.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Best Cordless String Trimmers of the Year (October 2026)
EGO POWER+ ST1623T
- 16 inch Line IQ swath
- POWERLOAD auto-winding head
- Battery and charger included
EGO POWER+ ST1511T
- 0.095 inch professional line
- Brushless 5800 rpm motor
- Telescoping aluminum shaft
Greenworks 80V 16 Inch Trimmer
- 80V platform power
- 16 inch dual line path
- Bump feed head
- Brushless motor
Those three cover most yards. The ST1623T suits a quarter acre to a full acre of mixed perimeter work, the ST1511T is the one for vines and saplings, and the Greenworks 80V is the answer when the growth has gone past lawn season and into brush.
All 10 Best Cordless String Trimmers Compared in 2026
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| EGO POWER+ ST1623T 16 inch |
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Check Latest Price |
| EGO POWER+ ST1511T 15 inch |
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| Greenworks 80V 16 inch |
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 Milwaukee M18 16 inch |
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 Ryobi 40V 15 inch |
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 WORX WG163 12 inch |
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 BLACK+DECKER LST300 |
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 BLACK+DECKER LSTE525 |
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 Greenworks 40V combo |
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 WORX WG173 13 inch |
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Check Latest Price |
Two columns in that table deserve a note. Kit contents matter more than most buyers expect: nine of these ten include at least one battery, and the only bare tool is the Milwaukee. The weight figures are manufacturer-listed tool weights, so add roughly a pound for a large pack before you decide how the machine will feel at the end of an afternoon.
1. EGO POWER+ ST1623T 16 Inch Cordless Weed Trimmer – Best Overall
EGO POWER+ 16″ Cordless Weed Trimmer with Battery and Charger – ST1623T
16 inch swath
Brushless motor
4.0Ah battery, 60 min runtime
7.5 lb tool weight
Pros
- 16 inch swath tied for widest here
- Line IQ auto-sensing feed
- POWERLOAD head winds line for you
- Up to 60 minutes on the 4.0Ah pack
- 5 year tool warranty
Cons
- Heavy feel once the large pack is fitted
- Only one battery in the kit
- One of the higher prices in this group
This is the trimmer I keep reaching for. The 16 inch head covers noticeably more ground per pass than a 12 inch, and on a long fence line the difference is fewer arm movements rather than a faster cut. Line IQ keeps feeding on its own, so I am not tapping the head against the ground every thirty seconds.
POWERLOAD is the part I did not expect to care about as much as I do. You push the button and the spool winds itself, which removes the fiddliest part of a Saturday morning. Owners on r/egopowerplus single out the same feature, along with how easy it is to flip the head into edger mode and skip owning a separate edger.
Under the head sits a brushless motor running 0 to 4,900 and up to 6,200 rpm. The carbon fiber shaft telescopes to fit your height, and the digital speed selector lets you dial back the trigger on thin grass to stretch the pack. Rated runtime on the included 4.0Ah battery is up to 60 minutes, and the charger takes that pack from flat in 55 minutes.
The honest drawback is weight. Seven and a half pounds before the battery, and the 4.0Ah pack is not small. On a half acre I am fine with it, but on a large property you feel it after the second battery. The warranty is the best in this group too, five years on the tool and three on the battery.
Who the EGO ST1623T suits
It suits anyone with a quarter acre or more who wants one tool to trim, edge and clean up, and it suits anyone who already owns EGO 56V ARC Lithium packs since the tool runs on all of them. For a first-time buyer it is the safest recommendation in this roundup because the battery and charger are both in the box.
If your work is mostly light edging around a patio, the 16 inch head is more tool than you need. In that case a lighter 12 inch kit will serve you just as well for far less effort.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you are under about five foot four and trimming for more than an hour at a stretch, the weight and the pack size work against smaller users. Skip it if you already own a large battery ecosystem from another brand and you are trying to keep costs down.
Also skip it if your property is mostly mown lawn with tidy edges. You would be paying for cutting capacity you never touch. Save the money and start with one of the two-battery kits lower down.
2. EGO POWER+ ST1511T 15 Inch Cordless Weed Trimmer – Best for Thick Brush and Vines
EGO Power+ 15″ Cordless Weed Trimmer with Battery and Charger – ST1511T
15 inch swath
0.095 inch line
Brushless 5800 rpm
10.3 lb tool weight
Pros
- Handles 0.095 inch professional line
- POWERLOAD winding
- Variable speed trigger
- 5 year tool warranty
Cons
- 10.3 lb is heavy for long sessions
- 2.5Ah pack covers about 45 minutes
- Sparse assembly diagrams
This is the EGO to buy if your season includes weeks of growth that has gone vertical. The 0.095 inch line is one of the thickest factory lines in this roundup, and it is the difference between a trimmer that stalls in a weed bed and one that cuts through it.
Reviewers repeatedly compare the cutting performance favorably to a gas Stihl baseline, and they note how much easier the balance feels once you are not dealing with a fuel tank. The two-speed trigger lets you back off when you are only tidying edges, which is when most people burn through line unnecessarily.
Spec-wise it is a brushless motor at 5,800 rpm, a telescoping aluminum shaft, and a POWERLOAD head identical in concept to the one above. The 15 inch swath is one inch narrower than the ST1623T, which is a fair trade for the heavier line and the smaller footprint.
The included pack is 2.5Ah, and the rated runtime is up to 45 minutes with a 50 minute recharge on the supplied charger. Owners on r/egopowerplus who work this way generally advise moving to a 5.0Ah or larger pack rather than running the small one constantly.
Who the EGO ST1511T suits
It suits owners of an overgrown property, an empty lot, an orchard edge, or a yard with a fence line that has not been cut since spring. If you already own EGO 56V batteries, this is the natural second tool alongside a blower or hedge trimmer.
It also suits anyone coming off gas who wants comparable output for fence lines and ditches rather than neat lawn edging. The brushless motor has the headroom for the thick stuff.
Who should skip it
Skip it at 10.3 lb if you have any shoulder or back issues, or if you are trimming small areas where the machine is mostly carried rather than used. Professionals praise the power but the weight builds over a long day.
Skip it if you already own the ST1623T. They overlap heavily and the wider 16 inch head covers more ground per pass. Pick one EGO trimmer, not both, unless your work genuinely splits into light duty and heavy duty.
3. Greenworks 80V 16 Inch Cordless String Trimmer – Best High-Voltage Power
Greenworks 80V 16 in Cordless String Trimmer, 2.0 Ah Battery
80V platform
16 inch dual line
6500 rpm brushless
16 lb listed weight
Pros
- Cutting power beyond most tools here
- 16 inch dual line path
- Fast 30 minute recharge
- Shares 80V batteries
Cons
- Heavy at 16 lb with no strap included
- Bump feed head is awkward to load
- Fast wearing .080 inch line
Voltage is not a marketing number on this one, it is the reason to look at it. Owners working orchard edges and farm fence lines report that the 80V platform cuts through growth that stalls lighter battery trimmers, including small saplings and tall grass.
The 16 inch dual-line head covers a lot per pass, and the brushless motor at 6,500 rpm is quiet enough to use early without becoming the reason your neighbors file a complaint. That combination of power and low noise is genuinely rare.
What you give up for that power is weight and head convenience. At a listed 16 pounds, this is one of the heaviest tools here, and no shoulder strap is included. Owners on r/lawncare who run units like this long term always buy a harness.
The head is a bump feed design, which means you knock it on the ground to advance line, and the .080 inch factory line wears down quickly on hard edging work. A few owners also report the edging guide popping loose and the guard deflecting debris imperfectly, so eye protection is not optional.
Who the Greenworks 80V suits
It suits owners of larger acreage, pasture edges, and properties where the trimmer becomes a brush cutter several times a year. The 2.0Ah pack recharges in about 30 minutes, which keeps the breaks short even though runtime is the shortest of the high-voltage options here at around 30 minutes rated.
If you plan to add a Greenworks mower, blower, or chainsaw later, the 80V platform is one of the wider ranges in the category and the batteries and chargers are shared across it.
Who should skip it
Skip it for a suburban quarter acre. You are carrying sixteen pounds to cut grass that a five-pound tool handles in a fraction of the time. Skip it if you have back or shoulder problems and no harness in your plan.
Skip it if you are fussy about line handling. Owners who reload line often tend to prefer the auto-sensing and auto-winding heads further down this list, and the bump head here is the least convenient in the group.
4. Milwaukee M18 16 Inch Cordless Brushless String Trimmer – Best for M18 Owners
Milwaukee 2825-20ST 18V Cordless Brushless String Grass Trimmer with Attachment Capability (Tool-Only)
Tool only, no battery
14 to 16 inch swath
0 to 6200 rpm
12.7 lb tool weight
Pros
- Brushless head matches gas class output
- Runs on any M18 battery
- Attachment capable
- Accepts .080 and .095 line
Cons
- Tool only
- battery and charger sold separately
- 12.7 lb is heavy for consumers
- Lower review volume than rivals
This is a battery add-on, not a starter purchase. If you already have M18 packs, this is the strongest argument in the list. If you have nothing from Milwaukee, you are signing up for a whole platform before you own a single tool.
Lawn care professionals on r/MilwaukeeTool and in owner reviews rate it as a genuine gas replacement for heavy brush. The brushless power head, the 0 to 4,900 and up to 6,200 rpm range, and a cutting swath that adjusts between 14 and 16 inches give it real working range.
The head is the Milwaukee easy load design, and it accepts both .080 and .095 inch line, so you are not locked into one diameter. The shaft is attachment capable, meaning the same motor body can drive an edger or a brush cutting head later.
What reviewers flag most is the tool-only format and the bulk. Owners running this across multiple lawns pair it with High Output packs, and the same owners note that the guard does not catch every piece of debris, so it needs a harness and eye protection.
Who the Milwaukee M18 trimmer suits
It suits anyone already committed to M18, especially owners with 8.0Ah or larger packs who want one more tool in the same ecosystem. It also suits professional operators who need attachment capability across a whole week of work.
For a homeowner upgrading from gas, this is a fair entry point if you intend to build out an M18 set over a few seasons rather than in one weekend.
Who should skip it
Skip it as a first yard purchase. The tool-only format means the real cost only shows up once you add a battery and a charger, and both are separate decisions.
Skip it if 12.7 lb is more than you want to hold for an hour. Several owners on r/MilwaukeeTool like the power and dislike the fatigue, and that is an honest trade rather than a defect.
5. Ryobi 40V HP Attachment Capable String Trimmer – Best Multi-Tool Platform
RYOBI 40-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Attachment Capable String Trimmer, 4.0 Ah Battery and Charger Inc
Attachment capable
13 to 15 inch swath
4.0Ah and 90 min charger
13.9 lb listed weight
Pros
- Accepts expand-it and gas shaft attachments
- 4.0Ah pack runs 30 to 40 minutes heavy
- Swath adjusts 13 to 15 inches
- Variable speed trigger
Cons
- 13.9 lb needs the shoulder strap
- Bump feed means frequent reloading
- Real runtime falls short of the one hour claim
The argument for Ryobi is arithmetic. If you already own 40V packs, or you plan to buy a blower and a hedge trimmer later, the cost of adding this trimmer to an existing set is lower than starting a second ecosystem from nothing.
It is also the most expandable tool here. The shaft accepts Ryobi expand-it attachments and universal gas attachments, so the same motor body can become a mini brush cutter, a leaf blower, or a hedge trimmer as your yard work grows.
The cutting width adjusts from 13 to 15 inches depending on what you are cutting, and the Reel-easy bump feed head is simple to service once you get used to bumping it. Variable speed on the trigger helps you ration both line and battery.
Owners report the 4.0Ah pack covering roughly 30 to 40 minutes of genuinely heavy trimming, which is short of the advertised hour once the grass is dense. A few reviews also mention heat build-up and rapid drain under sustained load, so treat the hour figure as a light-duty number.
Who the Ryobi 40V trimmer suits
It suits owners of a 40V battery range who want a trimmer that can double as a brush cutter later, and it suits first-time buyers who want an economical path into a multi-tool platform with a wide shared-battery range.
Owners repeatedly cite platform cost as the reason to choose Ryobi, and r/lawncare recommendations often point to a 10 to 15 inch Ryobi-class machine as the sensible choice for typical residential sidewalks and driveways.
Who should skip it
Skip it at 13.9 lb without a shoulder strap in your plan. The strap matters more here than on the lighter tools because the listed weight includes a large battery platform setup.
Skip it if you reload line several times a session. The bump feed head is the fussiest to work with in thick growth, and owners who fight a depleted spool mid-job tend to regret it.
6. WORX WG163 20V 12 Inch 2-in-1 Trimmer and Edger – Best Value
WORX 20V 12″ 2-in-1 Cordless String Trimmer & Electric Lawn Edger, WG163
12 inch cutting width
7600 rpm
5.5 lb tool weight
Two 20V batteries included
Pros
- Most owner reviews in this group
- Converts to edger in seconds
- Command Feed button line advance
- 5.5 lb body
- Two batteries and charger included
Cons
- Factory .065 line is thin for heavy jobs
- 12 inch path limits coverage
- Not for woody brush
This is the most proven tool in the roundup by owner volume alone, and that consistency is itself a reason to trust it. For a small yard, a rental, or a first trimmer, it does the job with very little fuss.
The head tilts 90 degrees in seconds to become a wheeled edger with rubberized support wheels, so the tool stays on the pavement and off the bed edge. The Command Feed spool advances line from a button on the handle instead of a bump, and free spools are supplied for life.
At 5.5 pounds it sits in the weight class where a long session is not a chore, and the adjustable spacer guard protects plants and edging when you are working close to a border. It spins at 7,600 rpm, tied for the highest no-load speed in this group.
The two included 20V maxLithium batteries work across the WORX Power Share range, so they are not dead weight if you later add a blower or mower. The limit is the .065 inch factory line, which is thinner than the .080 and .095 line heavier jobs need, and the 12 inch path means more passes.
Who the WORX WG163 suits
It suits renters, townhouse owners, and anyone trimming a small strip of lawn with tidy edges each month. Two batteries plus a charger in the box means you can work without waiting on a charge, which is unusual at this end of the market.
It also suits anyone already running WORX 20V or 40V tools, since the batteries interchange across the platform.
Who should skip it
Skip it for anything that has stopped being lawn. Thin line, a 12 inch path, and no brush capability mean a bramble patch or a small sapling will stall it rather than cut through.
Skip it if you plan to build a large yard tool collection and want the broadest shared battery range, because the WORX range is narrower than the 40V and 60V ecosystems elsewhere on this list.
7. BLACK+DECKER LST300 20V MAX Trimmer and Edger – Budget Pick for Light Duty
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX String Trimmer and Edger 2 in 1, Cordless Weed Wacker with Auto Spool Feed, Battery and Charger Included, 12 Inch Steel Deck, Reduced Vibration (LST300)
12 inch cutting swath
6200 rpm
5.7 lb tool weight
2.0Ah battery and wall charger
Pros
- Automatic Feed Spool needs no bumping
- Quiet gas free operation
- Adjustable handle and height
- Wall mountable charging base included
Cons
- Single included battery
- 6200 rpm and 12 inch are modest
- Light duty only
This carries one of the highest average ratings in the group, and the reason is consistency rather than excitement. Owners describe a tool that starts quietly, cuts a tidy 12 inch path, converts to an edger, and never asks for fuel or maintenance.
The Automatic Feed Spool is the feature people single out. You press a button and line advances, which removes the most common annoyance of a bump feed head and works well in ordinary lawn grass.
The included 2.0Ah pack gives about a third more runtime per charge than the earlier version of this tool, and the wall mountable charging base is a small touch that matters if the trimmer lives in a garage.
The handle and height both adjust, which helps when more than one person in the household uses it. Operating it is about as quiet as yard work gets, with no exhaust smell on your clothes afterward.
Where it stops is motor output. At 6,200 rpm it sits at the bottom of this group, and a 12 inch swath is a third narrower than the 16 inch models. Treat it as a trimmer and edger for a maintained yard, not as a brush tool.
Who the LST300 suits
It suits owners with a small or medium yard who want the least fuss in the category, and it suits anyone in a quiet street who would rather not start a combustion engine at seven in the morning. Budget owners report it works fine for light duty edging.
It also suits existing 20V MAX owners, since the battery, charger, and the rest of the range all interchange.
Who should skip it
Skip it with a single included battery if you plan to clear more than a modest amount of growth in one sitting. Budget for a second pack, which is also the advice owners most often give after a first season.
Skip it for tall grass, weeds with real stem, or anything woody. There is no head diameter and no motor speed left in reserve for that work.
8. BLACK+DECKER LSTE525 20V MAX Trimmer and Edger – Best Starter Kit
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX Cordless String Trimmer and Edger, 12 Inch Weed Eater, 2-Speed Control Weed Wacker, 2 Batteries, Charger and Spool Included (LSTE525)
12 inch cutting width
7200 rpm
5.3 lb tool weight
Two batteries and charger
Pros
- Two batteries in the box
- EASYFEED button line advance
- Lightest body in this group at 5.3 lb
- 2 speed control for runtime
Cons
- Bundled packs are small and drain fast
- Long charge times
- Some trigger levers wear after years
If the deciding factor is how much usable tool you get on the first afternoon, this kit is hard to argue with. Two batteries and a charger mean you can swap instead of waiting, and the second pack doubles your session time out of the box.
PowerDrive transmission adds torque at the line, which matters more than it sounds when the head is buried in grass at the base of a fence. EASYFEED advances the line from a button, and the 2-speed control lets you trade cutting power for extra minutes when you are working along a patio.
It converts to a wheeled edger quickly, and at 5.3 pounds it is the lightest body in this roundup, which is the main reason it earns its place. The micro-texture grip and adjustable handle keep it comfortable over a full pass of edging.
The repeated complaint across reviews is battery size. The bundled packs are small for this class of work, especially while edging, and many owners end up buying larger packs later. A smaller number report a plastic trigger lever wearing and sticking after years of use.
Who the LSTE525 suits
It suits first-time buyers who want batteries and a charger handled for them, and anyone with a lighter workload who would rather swap packs than manage a charger wait. Owners upgrading from gas are commonly pleasantly surprised at how little they miss it on a maintained yard.
It also suits anyone already running 20V MAX tools from this brand, since both batteries are cross-compatible with the rest of the range.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you plan to buy larger 20V MAX packs anyway, because a single high-capacity pack often serves the job better than two small ones and you keep the platform tidier.
Skip it for heavy or woody growth. Twelve inches and thin single line is a lawn-edge package, and forcing it beyond that is where the small packs start to feel the strain.
9. Greenworks 40V Trimmer and 390 CFM Blower Combo – Best Two-Tool Value
Greenworks 40V 12 in String Trimmer & 390 CFM Blower Combo, 2.0 Ah Battery
40V trimmer plus 390 CFM blower
12 inch auto feed head
2.0Ah pack, 60 min charge
67 dB operation
Pros
- Two tools from one battery platform
- 12 inch auto feed head cuts 1 inch weeds
- Quiet 67 dB operation
- 3 year warranty on the head
Cons
- Only one small 2.0Ah battery included
- Listed 16.5 lb covers both tools
- 12 inch path is narrower than premium models
This is the one to buy if leaf cleanup is half your annual workload. The blower is a 390 CFM, 110 MPH unit with cruise control, and it shares the 40V platform and the charger with the trimmer, so one pack covers both jobs.
The trimmer half is a 12 inch commercial-grade head with .065 inch auto-feed line, and owners report it slicing through inch-thick weeds at fence lines. Operation is quoted at 67 dB, quiet enough for early starts, and the head carries a three year warranty along with the rest of the tool.
Who the Greenworks combo suits
It suits homeowners with a lot of trees and a maintained lawn, and it suits anyone starting a 40V platform who wants two tools on day one. The 2.0Ah pack charges in about 60 minutes, so downtime is short even on the smaller pack.
Owners who already run the wider 40V Greenworks range can add this pair without buying into a new ecosystem.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you already own either tool on another platform, or if you need a brush cutter. This is a maintenance package, and a 12 inch head with .065 line is not the setup for growth past knee height.
Note the listed 16.5 lb is the heaviest package figure in this roundup, and it covers two tools rather than one. Judge the trimmer on its own handling before assuming the number is your day-to-day load.
10. WORX WG173 20V 3-in-1 Trimmer, Edger and Mini Mower – Best for Small Spaces
WORX 20V 13″ 3-in-1 Cordless String Trimmer/Lawn Edger/Mini Mower, WG173
13 inch dual line head
Brushless motor
6.6 lb tool weight
4.0Ah battery, telescoping shaft
Pros
- Brushless motor in a compact package
- 4.0Ah battery in the box
- 7 position handle and telescoping shaft
- Command Feed button advance
Cons
- Mini mower mode is for tight areas only
- Some owners report awkward spool loading
- Charger can drain a stored battery
This is the one for a small yard where a mower barely earns its keep. The 90 degree pivot head turns it from a trimmer to a wheeled edger to a mini mower, and the dual support wheels keep the head off the ground and make one-handed passes along a path possible.
What stands out is the brushless high-torque motor paired with a 4.0Ah battery at this size. Owners report genuinely strong cutting on thick weeds from a 6.6 pound tool, and the Command Feed button gives line on demand without bumping.
The telescoping shaft collapses for storage and the 7-position handle fits a wide range of users in one household, which is genuinely useful when the tool lives in a small garage or a shared shed. The included battery also works across WORX 20V and select higher voltage tools.
Two caveats. Some owners find the spool loading sequence awkward to learn, and a few report that the included charger slowly drains a battery left plugged in, so unplug it when a pack is full.
Who the WORX WG173 suits
It suits townhouse and condo owners who want one compact tool for a strip of lawn, a couple of beds, and a path. It also suits anyone who wants brushless power without carrying a full-size machine or a shoulder harness.
Owners of a WORX platform can use the same battery across this and the smaller WG163, which is useful if you want a lighter seasonal tool as a second option.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you own an actual lawn. The mini mower mode is for raised beds and awkward corners, and treating it as a mower will disappoint you quickly.
Skip it for large acreage. Thirteen inches with dual line is a light-duty path, and the compact battery platform is not designed to cover half an acre in one charge.
How to Choose a Cordless String Trimmer
The decision sequence below is the order I actually work through. Voltage means nothing on its own, and the most common regret we see is platform mismatch rather than an underpowered tool.
1. Start with the battery platform you already own
If your garage already has packs from one brand, buy the trimmer from that brand. The trimmer is the least expensive way to add a tool to an existing set, and orphaning a charger and four batteries to save money on the tool itself usually costs more in the long run. Forums are full of people who bought the wrong brand first and switched platforms after one season.
The platforms represented in this roundup are WORX 20V and 40V, BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX, Greenworks 40V and 80V, EGO 56V ARC Lithium, Ryobi 40V, and Milwaukee M18. The 40V and 60V class ecosystems have the widest selection of shared tools, which is why they come up most often when owners are building a set over time.
2. How much voltage do you need?
For a townhouse strip or a maintained quarter acre, 20V MAX is enough and the lighter packs are a real advantage. For fence lines, tall grass and repeated edging, 40V is the sensible floor. For brush, saplings, and large properties, 56V to 80V removes the hesitation you get from a stalling head.
Voltage is only half the story, because amp-hour decides how long you work. A 2.0Ah pack on a 40V tool is quick to recharge but short on the job, while a 4.0Ah or larger pack on a 20V tool is the better long-term buy. Owners on r/lawncare and r/Tools consistently recommend 5.0Ah or larger for serious trimming work.
3. Cutting swath, line diameter and head type
Swath is the width of the head, and 12 inches means more passes than 16 inches. A 16 inch head is the right call for open perimeter work, a 12 inch head is more maneuverable around trees and beds.
Line diameter matters more than buyers expect. .065 inch is fine for lawn and edging, .080 inch handles weeds and rough edges, and .095 inch is what you want for vines, brambles, and small woody growth. Also check the head type, because automatic and self-winding heads remove work that bump feed makes you do by hand.
4. Kit or bare tool: what actually lands in the box
A kit with a battery and charger is the right choice for a first purchase, and it is what nine of the ten picks here include. A bare tool is the right choice only when you already own a compatible pack, which is the specific case the Milwaukee in this roundup is built for.
One practical check before you buy: confirm the battery in the box is the size you would buy anyway. Several kits here include a 2.0Ah pack that most owners outgrow within a season, and adding a larger pack later costs more than choosing the right kit up front.
For related reading on how we think about tools, gear and setup, see our notes on choosing the right case for the thing you care about and where to start if you are building a collection from scratch.
Bump Feed vs Auto Feed Heads: Which Should You Want?
Bump feed is cheaper and it is genuinely annoying. Auto feed is smoother and it costs more. The honest answer is that auto feed wins whenever you run out of line mid-job, and bump feed is only preferable if you are on a strict budget and cutting mostly soft lawn.
Bump feed means you knock the head against the ground to advance line. It is simple, cheap, and widely serviced. It also stops working when the job stops being convenient, because tangles and empty spools in thick growth are the top complaint owners report about them.
Button and automatic feed means line advances from a control on the handle or from an auto-sensing head. BLACK+DECKER calls its version EASYFEED and Automatic Feed Spool, WORX calls its version Command Feed, and EGO calls its version LINE IQ. Owners describe the difference as removing a recurring irritation rather than a speed improvement.
Self-winding heads go one step further. EGO POWERLOAD threads and winds the spool from a single push, which removes the threading step that trips up most new owners. In this roundup that head appears on both EGO models.
Our advice: pick an auto-sensing or button feed head unless your trimming is light and short. The extra capability is not about cutting more grass, it is about not stopping every few minutes with a spool half empty.
How to Load and Replace Trimmer Line
Loading line is the task that decides whether a head feels good, and the steps differ by type. Always unplug the battery or remove the pack first, and wear gloves when handling the cutting head.
Bump feed heads (Greenworks 80V, Ryobi 40V): tap the spool until a short length of line appears, then wind it in the opposite direction of rotation until the head is nearly full. Push the loose line in through the eyelets and trim it to the guide length.
Spool and button feed heads (BLACK+DECKER, WORX): split the new line, wind it onto the spool in the direction the head turns, leaving a short tail, then thread the tail through the head eyelet and rewind to tension. Close the cap and press the feed button to advance.
POWERLOAD heads (EGO): insert the line through the head, hook the loop to the tab inside the spool, then press the load button on the head. The spool winds itself, and you trim the excess at the guide.
Wind the line the same direction the head spins. Wound backwards, the line unwinds itself within a few minutes, which is one of those problems that looks like a broken tool and is not.
Maintenance, Storage and Battery Care
Most trimmer problems are preventable with a few minutes of attention. Clear the head area after every session, especially the underside of the guard where debris packs in and turns the head into an imbalance.
Store lithium-ion packs off the ground, at moderate temperature, and away from direct sun. Partial charge is fine for storage, and unplugging chargers once a pack is full avoids the slow drain some owners report. Owners on r/DIY also recommend not leaving a pack on a concrete floor through a freeze, since cold storage shortens pack life over time.
Safety is the part most guides skip. Wear eye protection, because several heads in this roundup deflect debris imperfectly, and closed shoes every time, because a spinning line at head height will throw stones. Keep the guard fitted, never run the head with more than the specified amount of line out, and give yourself clearance from bystanders before you pull the trigger.
Check the shaft and head for cracks at the start of each season and replace any line that has gone brittle or frayed. Bristled line that has lost its shape will not cut cleanly, and it frays faster than fresh line, which shortens every session.
The same discipline applies to anything else in the shed. Our guide to choosing an electric instrument that suits your playing and our beginner’s guide to picking a first guitar both come back to the same idea: match the tool to the person and the practice, not to the spec sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for a cordless trimmer, 20V or 40V?
For a small yard with mostly lawn and tidy edges, 20V MAX is enough and the lighter packs are easier to carry. For fence lines, tall grass and repeated edging sessions, 40V is the better floor because the head stalls less. Match the pack size to the work too, since a 2.0Ah pack on a 40V tool will run out before a larger pack on a 20V tool.
Is bump feed or auto feed better?
Auto feed is better for almost everyone. Bump feed is cheaper and simple, but owners most often complain about tangles and empty spools partway through a job. Button feed and auto-sensing heads such as EASYFEED, Command Feed and LINE IQ advance line from the handle, and self-winding heads remove the threading step as well.
How long does a cordless string trimmer battery last?
Most of the kits here are rated between 30 and 60 minutes per charge, with the EGO ST1623T listing up to 60 minutes on its 4.0Ah pack. Real runtime drops in tall grass or brush, and owners commonly report 30 to 40 minutes of heavy trimming on a 4.0Ah pack. A second battery is the single most useful upgrade for large yards.
Can a cordless string trimmer replace a gas trimmer?
For suburban yards, fence lines, and typical residential trimming, yes. A 40V to 80V cordless trimmer now matches a small gas engine on that work with no fuel mixing, no pull starts, and much less noise. For sustained brush, saplings, and multi-acre work, a gas machine or a dedicated brush cutter still wins on runtime.
Do I need a brushless motor for a string trimmer?
It helps but it is not essential on light duty. A brushless motor runs cooler, needs less maintenance, and lasts longer, which shows up in the heavier options here. For a maintained yard a brushed motor is adequate. If you plan to cut vines, weeds with real stem, or brush every season, a brushless motor is worth the step up.
Is it worth buying a bare tool without a battery?
Only if you already own a compatible pack and charger. A bare tool costs less on paper, but a battery and charger together usually cost more than the tool, which is why the Milwaukee in this roundup is listed tool-only. It suits existing M18 owners well and is a poor choice as a first purchase.
The Best Cordless String Trimmer for Your Yard
The best cordless string trimmers in 2026 depend almost entirely on one question: which batteries do you already own, or are you starting from nothing. If you are starting from nothing with a quarter acre or more of perimeter work, the EGO POWER+ ST1623T is the pick, because the 16 inch swath and the LINE IQ head do the most work with the least fuss.
Start with the BLACK+DECKER LSTE525 if you want two batteries and a charger in the box and your yard is on the small side. Go heavier with the EGO ST1511T for vines and brush, or the Greenworks 80V if you have acreage and will use a shoulder harness. Pick the Ryobi 40V for an economical route into a broad multi-tool platform, the Milwaukee M18 if you already commit to that ecosystem, and either WORX or BLACK+DECKER for a compact yard where weight matters more than cutting width.
Whatever you choose, buy the battery before you buy the second tool. That single decision removes most of the disappointment owners report with cordless string trimmers in their first season.