Cordless grass trimmer, electric string trimmer, whipper snipper: what’s the difference?

There are so many names that get thrown around, which can be a bit confusing for people who are not familiar with them. The truth is that there are not many differences between these tools. A word you want to keep an eye on when looking at electric models is “cordless”. If this is not written in the name of the trimmer, it is CORDED. This is especially important when buying online, and people don’t get to see very many pictures of the tool, not to mention seeing it in person. The most common type of grass trimmer is still gas powered due to its superior power and continuous usability compared to cordless or corded electric models.

You may be wondering why these garden tools are sometimes referred to as “string trimmers”. Don’t they all have strings?, you may ask. The answer is no. You can get trimmers that have different attachments to do the cutting. The traditional string is by far the most common, but some people require more cutting power and need to have plastic or metal blades installed instead of string. They are needed when you need to cut thicker plant stems or other strong vegetation.

Grass trimmers are usually used to cut the edges of lawns, and a rapidly spinning string is more than enough to be able to cut this delicate grass. However, the main reason why string is used is because you often cut the grass around fences, buildings etc. that could be damaged by a metal blade.

By far the funniest and most commonly used term for grass trimmers is “whipper snipper”. This is an unofficial name that could refer to any type. You will never hear any manufacturers such a Black and Decker call their models by this name. You will, however, hear unique names for specific models, such as the Black and Decker 18v cordless grass hog/edger. These are simply the model names created by the manufacturer, so do not be confused.