That said, when the string starts to fray and shorten, there’s a much greater reduction in cutting power than the other weed wackers. When it comes to pure cutting power, it’s comparable to the Kobalt. This is another machine that cuts through just about anything without hesitation. If you’re already invested in the DeWalt lineup, then this is a great trimmer for the price.Īt 56 volts, the Ego is one of the most powerful battery trimmers that we tested. The DeWalt trimmer works with a much broader set of battery-powered tools. However, if you’re wearing jeans like you should be, then this shouldn’t be a problem. My legs were under constant assault from clippings, dirt, and rocks, far more so than any of the other devices I tested. This was the only weed wacker where this happened.Īnother drawback of this trimmer is the very small shield. Several times while I was cutting through longer growth, particularly bittersweet vines, strands wrapped around the spinner head, slowing or even stalling the trimmer. This said, the design of the spinning cutter head lends itself to getting bound up. While it didn’t cut through thick underbrush quite as quickly as some of the others, it could get through some heavy-duty growth, particularly for the relatively low price. The low weight only comes with a minor sacrifice in power. If you’ve got a lot of area to cover, however, then the Kobalt 80-volt string trimmer is a great choice at a solid price.Īs the lightest and quietest of the larger weed wackers that we tested, the DeWalt 13-inch cordless trimmer is very easy to use. This said, this is a large weed wacker, not meant for tight spaces, so if most of your work involves tight quarters, then you may want to choose a smaller option. It is also maneuverable enough to turn on its side to edge around driveways or walkways. In terms of balance, it is easy enough to get in and around objects while keeping a level cutting height. At just over 11 pounds, the Kobalt 80-volt string trimmer is right in line with the rest of the tools we tested. Long grass, bittersweet vines, small saplings, even bamboo-it shredded it all.Īll that power and the massive 80-volt battery that drives it don’t seem to come with additional weight or balance problems. While all of the weed wackers we tested cut through most reasonable underbrush, the Kobalt is one of the few that cut through everything in one pass. If you’re looking for the power of a gas string trimmer without the fumes, racket, and weight, then the Kobalt 80-volt is the one for you.

But, if you prefer one that's light and quiet, not to mention a good value, invest in the Dewalt DCST925M1 ( available at The Home Depot) string trimmer, which we named the Best Value option on the market. , which works like a gas-powered plaything, but without the fumes, racket, and weight. The best weed eater we've tested is the powerful Kobalt KST 2580-06 Over the course of a hot, wet (i.e., verdant overgrowth choked) summer, we put string trimmers from leading brands to the test.

But not all weed wackers are created equal. They're adept at nitty gritty details, like the weeds around edges and ledges of patios, walkways, bushes, and flower beds. Also known as line trimmers, weed eaters, and string trimmers, these slim, handheld power tools are designed to make short work of garden and lawn maintenance. But when it comes to more detailed work, the best weed wackers will be your best friend. Continue winding until 5 inches (127 mm) of string remain on each side of the spool housing.Used indiscriminately over wide swathes of grass, lawn mowers are the brute force of the lawn care world. Using your other hand, wind the string onto the spool by rotating the spool head counter clockwise as shown below. Secure the spool cap from moving with one hand. Guide the line through to the second eyelet and continue to pull the line through until there are equal lengths of string on each side of the spool housing as shown here. Thread one end of the trimmer line through an eyelet. As you see here, the QuickLoad has a flat bottom while the traditional bump has a traditional bump knob.Ĭut a maximum 25 foot (8 m) length of trimmer line.Īlign spool housing eyelets with the arrow on the spool head as shown below. If unsure the head type, an easy way to ID it is by looking at the spool itself. In 2018 DEWALT introduced our new DWO1DT995 QuickLoad Spool Heads to make adding new trimmer line a breeze! Models that may have the new Spool Head are DCST920, DCST970, and DCST991.

Dewalt weed eater