2015 String Trimmers

[grasschopper]

I have to buy a corded string trimmer for my spry but aging mother to use. Gas powered is out of the question, she hates things with engines. What is looking good on the market right now?

I was thinking about the GreenWorks 21142

Does any one know if it's string head can be replaced?

 

[bcp]

I've been using a Ryobi straight shaft corded trimmer for many years, around the house. I would replace it with the same thing if I needed to. The only complaint is that I forget how to re-string it every few years.

Bruce

 

[alchemysa]

My daughter recently bought a rechargable trimmer with cheap replaceable plastic blades instead of string. I havent seen it but she tells me she loves it. Sounds a lot easier to easier use. Would be ideal for an elderly woman I think.

 

[grasschopper]

My daughter recently bought a rechargable trimmer with cheap replaceable plastic blades instead of string. I havent seen it but she tells me she loves it. Sounds a lot easier to easier use. Would be ideal for an elderly woman I think.

I've seen those plastic blades, I was wondering how long they lasted.

 

[MoKelly]

They make battery powered trimmers now with the smaller rechargeables that are pretty powerful and last a good amount of time. DeWalt makes one.

They are extremely convenient (no electric cords to move around or deal with).

But, they are pricey --- in the mid $200's range. They use the same batteries as your tools.

MoKelly

 

[semntrails]

Depending on what she needs to trim and how much, I second the rechargeable trimmer instead of a plug in version. I used an 18v Black and Decker version for 3-4 years on a 1/2 acre fenced lot with ~500' of wood fence and 20 - 5' tree circles to trim around, plus sidewalk, driveway, house. Doing the fence & tree circles used 1 battery, the driveway and everything else used the 2nd battery with plenty to spare to do other things if I wanted. If you weren't handy it had prefilled spools you could buy and drop in as needed although 1 spool lasted me a MN summer using it every week. You can also just rewind the spools with bulk string. If I just needed to trim grass on a normal city lot I'd definitely get one again vs a gas or plug in version. Especially since that was 3 years ago, the ones I've seen now have even better batteries and longer run times. We moved to the woods so now I use a brush trimmer instead otherwise I'd still be using the little battery one.

 

[grasschopper]

Depending on what she needs to trim and how much, I second the rechargeable trimmer instead of a plug in version. I used an 18v Black and Decker version for 3-4 years on a 1/2 acre fenced lot with ~500' of wood fence and 20 - 5' tree circles to trim around, plus sidewalk, driveway, house. Doing the fence & tree circles used 1 battery, the driveway and everything else used the 2nd battery with plenty to spare to do other things if I wanted. If you weren't handy it had prefilled spools you could buy and drop in as needed although 1 spool lasted me a MN summer using it every week. You can also just rewind the spools with bulk string. If I just needed to trim grass on a normal city lot I'd definitely get one again vs a gas or plug in version. Especially since that was 3 years ago, the ones I've seen now have even better batteries and longer run times. We moved to the woods so now I use a brush trimmer instead otherwise I'd still be using the little battery one.

Battery powered would be fine, but I was hoping to put a brush cutter on it when I helped her out.

 

[k0ua]

My cheap ryobi battery powered one works great for trimming grass and small weeds. But you can forget about the brush cutting. I use it about 90% of the time instead of firing up the big heavy gas unit. But the battery powered one won't cut any brush or even really tough big heavy stalked growth.

 

[k0ua]

It seemed like the Ryobi one was $39. I already had batteries for it. It is all the same 18 Volt.

 

[Bird]

I've used 3 or 4 corded electric string trimmers over the years. I'm currently using a 10 year old gasoline Stihl string trimmer, and it still works just fine. BUT . . . if or when it ever dies, I intend to replace it with a battery powered string trimmer.