It doesn't matter if you're a green-fingered casual or landscaping professional. There's a universal truth to gardening: A beautiful lawn takes blood, sweat, and tears. And tooling up with the best gear available, of course.
Investing in good tools is absolutely essential. The lawn mower is almost certainly the most important purchase a gardener will make, but the strimmer ranks as a close second. Grass strimmers, also known as trimmers, keep your edges, borders, and even the lawn itself tidy by cutting back weeds and long patches of grass. In other words, these products handle everything that your lawn mower can't reach.
But unless you’re a gardening expert, choosing the right strimmer is a tricky business. We're here to help put you on the right (garden) path and suggest some of the top models. First up, here’s some helpful information about buying a new strimmer.
What are the different types of lawn strimmer?
The main types you’ll have to choose from are electric strimmers that plug into the mains, cordless strimmers powered by rechargeable batteries, and petrol strimmers which give you extra power. The best option for you really depends on the size of your garden and its current state. Is it big and overgrown? In that case you'll need power.
Corded vs. cordless strimmers — which are best?
It’s less a case of which is best and more which type best suits your garden and gardening needs. Corded strimmers are generally cheapest and best for casual use, but they’re slightly limited by the cord. You’ll need easy access to a mains outlet — and you must check that the cord reaches far enough to cover your lawn.
Cordless strimmers are built for convenience — lightweight and easy to handle around the garden. The main drawback is that you have to recharge them after use. Look for a model with battery power to match the size of your garden.
What are the benefits of a petrol strimmer?
Petrol-powered strimmers give you power. If you have a large garden, or particularly tough grass and weeds to cut through, a petrol strimmer is likely the best option. They’re not always the best for delicate or precision-perfect jobs.
What is lawn edging?
Lawn edging is pretty much as it sounds — the art of keeping your lawn neat, tidy, and even styled. It can be surprisingly hard to do if you don’t have the right tools. Some strimmers are built for both regular trimming and edging, or may have a cutting head that converts into an edger. This can add a touch of artistic flair to your gardening.
What are the most important lawn strimmer features?
As well as edging, there are other handy features that can elevate a strimmer from good to great. They can include a telescopic shaft, adjustable handle, shoulder strap, and brush cutter for tackling brambles and shrubbery.
What's an automatic line feed?
Another feature that can be a deal-breaker for some gardeners is an automatic line extension. The “line” is the thing that whips around quickly and does the actual business of grass cutting (though some strimmers use a blade). The lines sometimes break, so you need a system to replace the line mid-cut. Strimmers may have an automatic line feed, which replaces the line as you cut, meaning you do don't have faff about with changing spools. Others replace the line with the press of a button — or by giving the head a bump on the ground.
What is the best lawn strimmer?
There are plenty of impressive models out there from top brands like Bosch and Flymo. To help you find the right strimmer for you and your garden, we have lined up a selection of the very best models. We have considered customer reviews, specifications, and features to give you a clear idea of what's out there.
These are the best garden strimmers in 2024.
