Corded, Gas, or Electric Cordless Grass Trimmer?

Decide if a corded, gas, or electric cordless grass trimmer is right for you

When considering buying a grass trimmer (also known as a whipper snipper, weedwhacker, or string trimmer), you basically have three options to choose from. The first option is a corded electric trimmer that has the benefit of being extremely light, easy to maneuver, and easy to operate. The second option is a gas powered string trimmer, which is usually the most heavy duty and powerful of the three options. The third option is the electric cordless grass trimmer, which has the benefit of the simplicity and lightness of an electric motor without any restrictive cords.

All of these tools have their positives and their negatives. It all comes down to assessing your personal needs in order to choose the appropriate one for you. The obvious weakness of the corded tools is the fact that the user must drag along a cord, which my not be long enough to reach every area of the lawn. Therefore, the lightness, agility and ease-of-use can only be taken advantage of by people with very small properties. For those users, cordless or gas trimmers may be overkill and thus the corded models are the perfect choice.

Gas-motor string trimmers are heavy duty tools that are great for people with vast properties, or for professional gardening companies. Electric cordless grass trimmers are far less powerful and my not be as effective when cutting trough thick grasses. Most gas trimmers use a 2-stroke engine that requires a gasoline-oil mix. The small engines can be quite difficult to operate by casual users and cause a lot more vibration than electric models. One must be familiar with the maintenance of gas motors to ensure that they are not mistreated and risk being damaged beyond repair. You should also be aware that, just like your car engine, gas trimmers emit toxic exhaust fumes and loud noise. In addition to their higher maintenance costs, the initial cost of gas string trimmers is considerably higher than corded or cordless grass trimmers.

I believe that an electric cordless grass trimmer is the best choice for that majority of homeowners. Most properties are small enough for these tools to handle. You basically get the freedom of a gas weedwhacker, but without the complicated gas motor. The majority of people only use their tools to trim grass around their houses, garages, trees, and pathways. Rarely do users need to clear a wild growing area of vegetation that requires the power of a gas motor. Don’t let anyone tell you that you need all that power to cut your lawn. A good cordless grass trimmer is more than capable of handling such work. The best part about these tools is their price. A good model, such as the Black and Decker 18v Cordless Grass Hog Trimmer/Edger can be purchased for around 100 dollars. A gas model for that price is not recommended, because it will be very cheaply built, and probably won’t last very long.

If you have used a gas whipper snipper before, you might recall how heavy it became after a while. Although a lot of these tools come with a harness, they are quite restricting and uncomfortable. This weight is a problem for some users, and can only be solved by an electric cordless grass string trimmer. Most of the weight of a gas tool is held by the motor; by removing it, the tool’s weight will reduce to almost half. Also, electric string trimmers run on the same type of batteries as other power tools. If you own Black and Decker 18v cordless tools, they will also fit your trimmer.

As you may have noticed, I am a bit fan or electric cordless grass trimmers, especially the Black and Decker 18v Trimmer/Edger. I recommend this tool to anyone who has decided to go cordless.