Best Battery String Trimmers

1. Start With the Battery You Already Own

Most buying guides for battery trimmers start with power. That gets the order wrong. A cordless string trimmer is a motor wrapped around somebody else's battery, and the battery is the most expensive part you will buy. If you already own two or three packs from one brand, the bare-tool version of that brand's trimmer usually costs far less than a kit from a rival, and it will share a charger, a shelf and a habit you already have.

So the first question is not which trimmer is strongest. It is which batteries are already in your garage. A household with a Ryobi ONE+ drill, a Milwaukee M18 impact driver or a DEWALT 20V MAX saw is already partly invested, and switching platforms means buying a second battery ecosystem that will never talk to the first. Our cordless tool brand guide covers that choice in more depth, and it is worth reading before you commit to a trimmer as your first tool on a new platform.

Battery platforms split into two camps. Tool platforms such as Milwaukee M18, Makita LXT, DEWALT 20V MAX and FLEXVOLT, and Ryobi ONE+ run drills, saws and lights as well as yard tools. Outdoor platforms such as EGO 56V and STIHL AK are built for mowers, blowers and trimmers and do not reach the workbench. Outdoor platforms tend to deliver more energy per pack for yard work. Tool platforms win on flexibility, because the same pack goes from the trimmer to the drill on the same afternoon.

If you own nothing yet, buy the platform whose mower and blower you would also want, because the trimmer is rarely the last battery tool a yard owner buys. If you need gas-level power or want to compare battery against gas head to head, our broader string trimmer guide covers both fuel types, and the weed eater roundup is written for homeowners choosing their first one. This page assumes you have already decided on battery and want to choose well inside that decision.

2. Volts, Amp-Hours and Watt-Hours: Reading the Box Honestly

Voltage is the number every brand puts in the biggest type, and it is the least useful number on its own. Voltage describes electrical pressure, how hard the battery can push current through the motor. Amp-hours describe capacity, how long it can keep pushing. Neither tells you how much work a pack can do. Multiply them together and you get watt-hours, which is the closest thing on the label to a fuel-tank size, and it is the number worth comparing between brands.

Labels also mix nominal and maximum voltage. A 20V MAX pack is an 18-volt nominal pack measured at its peak with no load, and DEWALT lists its 60V MAX packs at 54 volts nominal. Comparing an 18-volt tool to a 20V MAX tool is a like-for-like comparison wearing different marketing. When a label prints watt-hours directly, use that. When it does not, multiply the nominal voltage by the amp-hours.

That table explains more about real runtime than any voltage badge. A high-voltage motor can turn line at speed under load with less current, which is why 56-volt and 60-volt machines tend to hold speed better in thick growth. But an 18-volt trimmer fed a big pack can match them on endurance, and Milwaukee builds its trimmer around exactly that idea. For a deeper explanation of how cells, voltage and capacity relate, our explainer on cordless tool batteries walks through it.

Treat rated runtime figures as best cases. Manufacturers measure them at low speed in light grass, and the same trimmer on high speed in wet, dense growth may run a fraction as long. The useful comparison is between ratings from the same brand, or between watt-hours across brands. If your lot takes longer than one pack to trim, the fix is a second battery, not a bigger motor.

3. The 7 Best Battery String Trimmers by Platform

How we chose: every model below is a current, in-production trimmer, and every specification quoted comes from the manufacturer or an authorised dealer listing. We weighed platform breadth, rated energy per charge, line capacity, feed system and attachment options, and we folded in the complaints owners raise most often. Where a spec could not be confirmed, we left it out rather than guess.

1

Best OverallEGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ Powerload String Trimmer Kit

56V, Brushless, 16-Inch Swath, Auto-Feed Head, 4.0Ah Kit

Best Overall

EGO's ST1623T is the trimmer to beat if you are starting fresh or already run EGO's 56V mower or blower. Two head features do most of the work. Powerload winds new line onto the spool at the press of a button, so you feed a length of line through the head and let the motor wrap it, and Line IQ senses line length and feeds it automatically while you cut, so there is no bumping. EGO lists a 16-inch swath, 0.095-inch twisted line, a brushless motor and a telescopic carbon fiber shaft, and the kit ships with a 4.0Ah battery and EGO's 320W charger. EGO rates it for up to 60 minutes of continuous cutting on that pack. At 56 volts and 4.0 amp-hours, the included battery carries more stored energy than any other kit battery on this list, which is why runtime is rarely the complaint owners raise. The trade-offs are that it is a dedicated trimmer, not an attachment powerhead, and the EGO platform is outdoor-only, so the battery will not move into a drill or a work light.

Pros

• Powerload reloads the spool with a button press instead of hand-winding
• Line IQ auto-feed keeps line at length without bumping
• Largest kit battery here by stored energy: 56V and 4.0Ah
• Telescopic carbon fiber shaft lets you set the length to your height
• EGO lists a 5-year tool and 3-year battery and charger warranty

Cons

• Not attachment-capable; EGO sells a separate multi-head system for that
• EGO batteries do not power hand tools like drills or saws
• The automatic head has more parts to keep clean than a plain bump head

The Bottom Line

The EGO ST1623T is the best battery string trimmer for most yards: the most stored energy in its kit, an automatic feed head and button-press reloading, and it is the clear pick unless you already own another platform.

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2

Best Attachment SystemMilwaukee M18 FUEL 3016-21ST QUIK-LOK String Trimmer Kit

18V M18, Brushless, 14/16-Inch Swath, QUIK-LOK Powerhead, 8.0Ah Kit

Best Attachment System

If you already own Milwaukee M18 batteries, this is the trimmer that makes the most of them. The 3016-21ST kit pairs the M18 FUEL QUIK-LOK powerhead with a 16-inch string trimmer attachment, an M18 REDLITHIUM FORGE XC8.0 battery and the M18 and M12 rapid charger. Milwaukee lists a rear-mounted POWERSTATE brushless motor, a 6,200 RPM maximum, three speed settings plus a variable trigger, an adjustable 14-inch or 16-inch swath, and 0.080-inch or 0.095-inch line in an Easy Load head that holds up to 25 feet. Milwaukee claims more power than 31cc gas trimmers and says the tool is optimised for the XC8.0 pack, which matters: owners who run a small compact M18 battery report noticeably weaker results. The QUIK-LOK coupler is the long-term reason to buy it, since the same powerhead takes Milwaukee's pole saw, blower, brush cutter and edger attachments.

Pros

• Kit includes the large FORGE XC8.0 pack the tool is built around
• QUIK-LOK powerhead accepts pole saw, blower, brush cutter and edger heads
• Three speeds let you trade power for runtime on light work
• Runs on the same M18 batteries as Milwaukee's drills and saws
• Easy Load head holds up to 25 feet of line

Cons

• Performance drops with compact M18 packs; budget for a large battery
• Bump-feed head, not automatic feed
• Expensive if you own no M18 batteries yet

The Bottom Line

For M18 owners it is the obvious buy, and its QUIK-LOK powerhead is the best reason on this list to choose an attachment system over a dedicated trimmer.

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3

Best for FLEXVOLT OwnersDEWALT 60V MAX DCST972B Brushless Attachment Capable String Trimmer (Tool Only)

60V MAX, Brushless, 15/17-Inch Swath, Attachment Capable, Tool Only

Best for FLEXVOLT Owners

DEWALT now lists the DCST972X1 kit as discontinued, but the DCST972B bare tool remains on its site, and for anyone who already owns FLEXVOLT batteries that is the version to buy anyway. DEWALT lists a brushless motor, an adjustable 15-inch or 17-inch swath, the widest here, 0.080-inch dual line with support for 0.095-inch line, a hi and lo speed switch on a variable trigger, and a quick-load spool. It is attachment-capable through a universal coupler. The catch is the battery: this trimmer needs a 60V MAX FLEXVOLT pack, and ordinary 20V MAX batteries will not run it. FLEXVOLT packs do drop into DEWALT's 20V MAX tools, so the battery you buy for the trimmer is not stranded in the shed. If you own only 20V MAX packs, this is a battery purchase as well as a tool purchase, and you should price it that way.

Pros

• Widest maximum swath on this list at 17 inches
• Universal attachment coupler for add-on heads
• FLEXVOLT packs also run DEWALT 20V MAX tools
• Hi and lo speed control for stretching runtime
• Accepts 0.095-inch line for heavier growth

Cons

• Tool only: no battery or charger in the box
• Will not run on standard 20V MAX batteries
• Kit version is listed as discontinued, so bundles may be old stock

The Bottom Line

A strong, wide-cutting trimmer if FLEXVOLT batteries are already in your garage, and a poor value if they are not.

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4

Best Value PlatformRyobi 18V ONE+ HP P20190 Brushless Whisper Series 15-Inch String Trimmer Kit

18V ONE+, Brushless, 13-15-Inch Swath, 6.0Ah Kit

Best Value Platform

Ryobi ONE+ is the battery platform the largest number of homeowners already own, and the P20190 is the best reason to put those packs to work in the yard. Ryobi lists a brushless motor, an adjustable 13-inch to 15-inch swath and 0.080-inch line on a REEL EASY+ bump head with a speed-winder crank for reloading. The kit includes a 6Ah battery and charger, and Ryobi rates it for over an hour and 30 minutes on that pack. Ryobi also claims it is more powerful than a 21cc gas trimmer and 28 percent quieter than gas, which is the Whisper Series pitch. Narrowing the swath to 13 inches lightens the load on the motor, a sensible setting for routine edging along a driveway. The limits are the ones you would expect from 18 volts and 0.080-inch line: it is a lawn-maintenance tool, not a brush clearer, and owners who push it into thick, woody growth report slow going. If you want ONE+ attachments, Ryobi sells a separate attachment-capable model, the P20220.

Pros

• Runs on the widely owned Ryobi ONE+ 18V battery platform
• Kit includes a 6Ah battery, rated for over 90 minutes
• Adjustable swath trades width for runtime
• Speed-winder crank makes reloading the bump head quicker
• Ryobi markets it as 28 percent quieter than gas

Cons

• 0.080-inch line limits it in thick, stalky weeds
• Not attachment-capable; that is the P20220
• Bump head only; no automatic feed

The Bottom Line

The sensible buy for ONE+ owners with a maintained suburban lot, and good value even if the battery is your first Ryobi pack.

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5

Lightest Brushless PickMakita XRU23SM1 18V LXT Brushless 13-Inch String Trimmer Kit

18V LXT, Brushless, 13-Inch Swath, 4.0Ah Kit

Lightest Brushless Pick

Weight is the spec that decides how a trimmer feels at the end of a long edge, and Makita's XRU23 is the lightest brushless option here. Dealer listings give 5.2 pounds without a battery and 6.6 pounds with the 4.0Ah pack, and Makita rates it for up to an hour on that battery. The kit includes the trimmer, a BL1840B 4.0Ah battery, a DC18SD charger and a Rapid Load bump-and-feed head. Makita lists two speed ranges, 0 to 4,500 and 0 to 6,000 RPM, and a 13-inch swath that Makita describes as suited to compact and precision trimming. That narrow swath is the trade: it takes more passes on long fence lines and it is not meant for heavy growth. But for a townhouse or a small lot with lots of beds and edges, and for anyone with an LXT drill already in the cupboard, it is easy on the arms and shares batteries with one of the biggest pro tool lines.

Pros

• Lightest brushless trimmer here at 6.6 pounds with battery, per dealer listings
• Uses Makita 18V LXT batteries shared with a huge tool range
• Two speed ranges for runtime or power
• Kit includes 4.0Ah battery and charger
• Rated for up to an hour on the included pack

Cons

• 13-inch swath means more passes on long runs
• Not built for thick weeds or brush
• Line diameter is not given on the kit listing we checked

The Bottom Line

The trimmer for small lots and anyone who finds full-size trimmers tiring, especially if Makita LXT batteries are already on the shelf.

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6

Best Dealer-BackedSTIHL FSA 60 R Battery String Trimmer

36V AK System, 13.8-Inch Swath, AutoCut Head, Dealer Sold

Best Dealer-Backed

STIHL's FSA 60 R suits buyers who want a dealer to set it up, service it and stock its parts. It runs on the STIHL AK battery system, rated 36 volts, which also powers STIHL's AK-series blowers, hedge trimmers and mowers. STIHL lists a 13.8-inch swath and, with the AutoCut C 6-2 head, standard 0.095-inch line with 0.080-inch as an option, and STIHL rates it for up to 25 minutes per charge with the AK 20 battery. The unit is sold bare or as a set with battery and charger through dealers, and dealer listings put the bare tool at roughly 7 pounds. The 25-minute rating is the lowest on this list, so a large lot means a second battery. The case for it is service: a STIHL dealer will show you how it works, and a part is a counter visit away rather than a mail order.

Pros

• Sold, assembled and serviced by local STIHL dealers
• AK batteries shared with STIHL's homeowner battery range
• Runs 0.095-inch line on the AutoCut head
• Several compatible STIHL heads listed
• Light bare-tool weight per dealer listings

Cons

• Rated runtime of up to 25 minutes on the AK 20 is the shortest here
• Narrow 13.8-inch swath
• AK batteries do not run hand tools

The Bottom Line

Buy it for the dealer relationship and the STIHL head options, and plan on a second battery for anything bigger than a small lot.

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7

Best Budget for Small YardsBLACK+DECKER LSTE525 20V MAX EasyFeed String Trimmer/Edger

20V MAX, 12-Inch Swath, 0.065-Inch Line, Trimmer/Edger, 2 x 1.5Ah Kit

Best Budget for Small Yards

Not every yard needs a 56-volt machine. The LSTE525 is a small, light trimmer for a small lawn, and it is honest about it. Retailer listings give a 12-inch swath, 0.065-inch line, two speed settings and the EasyFeed system, which advances line when you press a button instead of bumping the head on the ground. As the trimmer/edger name says, it converts for edging along walks and patios, and the kit ships with two 20V MAX 1.5Ah batteries and a charger, so one can charge while you use the other. The thin line and the small packs are the limits. Thin 0.065-inch line breaks more often against fences and concrete, and owners regularly report replacing spools sooner than they expected. It is not marketed as brushless. For a patio, a few beds and a short fence line it is enough, and it costs a fraction of anything else here.

Pros

• Light and simple, suited to small yards and occasional use
• EasyFeed advances line with a button press
• Converts to edging mode for walks and patios
• Two batteries in the kit
• Least expensive way into a battery trimmer on this list

Cons

• Thin 0.065-inch line breaks easily on hard edges
• 1.5Ah packs hold little energy each
• 12-inch swath and low power rule out larger lawns

The Bottom Line

A sensible tool for a postage-stamp yard; anything bigger, or anything with real weeds, deserves one of the picks above it.

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4. Brushless Motors: What You Actually Get

Five of the seven trimmers here are listed with brushless motors, and that is not an accident. A brushed motor passes current through carbon brushes that rub against a spinning commutator. They wear, they make heat, and that friction wastes energy that could have gone into the line. A brushless motor replaces the brushes with electronics that switch the current, so more of each watt-hour turns into cutting and less into warmth.

For a trimmer that efficiency shows up in three places. Runtime per charge improves, because less energy is lost inside the motor. The motor can sense load and draw more current when the line hits thick grass, which is why owners describe brushless trimmers as holding speed rather than bogging. And with no brushes to wear out, there is one less part that fails on an older tool. Our brushless vs brushed guide explains the same trade in drills, and the logic carries straight over to yard tools.

Brushless is not magic, though. A brushless motor on a small battery is still a small-battery trimmer, and a brushed budget tool can be perfectly adequate for a patio and a few beds. The BLACK+DECKER pick on this list is not marketed as brushless, and for its intended job that is fine. Where brushless earns its price is a medium or large lot, thicker weeds or regular use, which is where most buyers of a trimmer costing more than an entry-level model end up.

One practical note: brushless trimmers almost always come with variable speed or a high and low switch. Use it. Running on low for routine edging around a lawn that is cut weekly can stretch a pack well past what the high-speed rating suggests, and it is easier on line as well.

5. Line Size, Heads and Feed Systems

Line diameter is the most underrated spec on a battery trimmer. Thin 0.065-inch line is light, so a small motor can spin it fast, but it shreds against chain link and concrete. Mid-weight 0.080-inch line is the standard on most 18-volt trimmers and handles maintained lawns well. Heavier 0.095-inch line, which the EGO, Milwaukee, DEWALT and STIHL picks run, survives fence posts and stalky weeds far better, but it takes more power to swing, which is why it shows up on higher-energy tools.

Do not force heavier line into a head rated for less. It overloads the motor, cuts runtime and can stall the spool. If your trimmer is rated for 0.080-inch line, buy good 0.080-inch line, ideally a twisted or multi-sided profile, before you consider going thicker. Each product above lists what its manufacturer specifies, and the head label or manual is the final word.

Bump feed, button feed and automatic feed

Bump-feed heads release line when you tap the head on the ground while it spins. They are simple and reliable, and most trimmers use them, including the Milwaukee, Ryobi and Makita picks. Button feed, as on the BLACK+DECKER EasyFeed, releases line when you press a button on the handle, which spares the head from being knocked against the ground. Automatic feed, as on EGO's Line IQ head, senses line length and feeds it without any input.

Reloading is a separate question from feeding, and it is where owners most often give up on a trimmer. EGO's Powerload winds line onto the spool with a button press, Milwaukee's Easy Load head and Ryobi's speed-winder crank let you load without taking the head apart, and STIHL's AutoCut head with EasySpool works the same way. If you are stuck with a head that has to come apart, our guide on how to restring a weed eater walks through every common head type step by step.

6. Attachment-Capable Systems: When One Powerhead Beats Three Tools

An attachment-capable trimmer splits into a powerhead, which holds the motor and battery, and a shaft with a tool on the end. Swap the string trimmer shaft for an edger, a pole saw, a hedge trimmer or a blower and the same battery and motor do a different job. Milwaukee calls its coupler QUIK-LOK, Ryobi calls its system EXPAND-IT, and DEWALT's DCST972B accepts universal attachments.

The economics are simple. If you would otherwise buy a trimmer, a stick edger and a pole saw, a powerhead plus attachments usually costs less, needs one charger and takes less wall space. If a proper edge along a long driveway matters to you, an edger attachment on the same powerhead is a lot cheaper than a second dedicated machine. Our lawn edger guide covers when a dedicated edger is still worth it.

The costs are real too. Attachment systems are usually a little heavier and slightly less balanced than a dedicated trimmer, because the coupler adds weight midway along the shaft. Swapping takes a minute, which matters if you edge and trim in the same pass. And attachments only fit their own system, so a QUIK-LOK edger will not fit an EXPAND-IT powerhead. Choose the system along with the battery platform, because you are buying into both.

7. Weight, Balance and Why the Battery Changes Both

Weight figures on battery trimmers are slippery, because many listings quote the bare tool without the battery, some quote it with the battery, and a few quote the shipping weight of the box. When you compare, make sure you compare like with like. Makita's XRU23, for example, is listed at 5.2 pounds bare and 6.6 pounds with its 4.0Ah pack, and that 1.4-pound difference is all battery.

Balance matters as much as total weight. On most battery trimmers the pack sits behind the rear grip and acts as a counterweight to the head, which is why a well-balanced trimmer can feel lighter than its weight. A bigger battery adds weight in the right place for balance but the wrong place for your forearm, so the 8.0Ah pack that gives Milwaukee its endurance also makes it a heavier tool to hold. The trade is unavoidable: energy has mass.

Shaft length is the other half of comfort. A shaft that is too short makes taller users stoop, and a shaft that is too long pushes the head out in front where it is hard to control. EGO's telescopic shaft on the ST1623T addresses this directly, which is one reason it suits households where more than one person trims. If a trimmer feels awkward in the store, it will feel worse after twenty minutes.

If you have shoulder or back trouble, prioritise weight and balance over power. A lighter 18-volt trimmer that you are happy to pick up beats a stronger one that stays on the hook. Use a shoulder strap if the trimmer accepts one, and hold the head parallel to the ground, letting the line tips do the cutting rather than forcing the head into the grass.

8. Kit vs Tool-Only: Doing the Real Math

Nearly every trimmer here comes in two forms: a kit with a battery and charger, and a tool-only version, sometimes called a bare tool. The kit costs more because a large battery is genuinely expensive, often a big share of the kit price. If you already own compatible batteries, tool-only is usually the better deal, as long as the batteries you own are big enough to run the trimmer properly.

That last point catches people out. A compact 2Ah pack from a drill kit will physically fit an 18-volt trimmer, but it holds a fraction of the energy the trimmer was designed around, and owners report short runs and weak cutting with small packs. Milwaukee says outright that its trimmer is optimised for the XC8.0 pack. Check what battery the manufacturer pairs with the trimmer in its own kit, and treat that as the minimum you want to run.

The DEWALT pick is a special case. Its kit is listed as discontinued, and the tool-only version needs a 60V MAX FLEXVOLT pack that most 20V MAX owners do not have. If you own only 20V packs, add the cost of a FLEXVOLT battery and charger before comparing it with a kit from another brand. The reverse is also worth knowing: a FLEXVOLT pack will run your 20V MAX drill, so the battery is not wasted.

For buyers starting from scratch, a kit is almost always the cheaper way to get a battery and charger, and buying the trimmer kit then adding tool-only blowers and mowers later is how most homeowners build a platform. If you plan to add a blower soon, look at combo kits too, and see our cordless leaf blower guide for the blowers on each of these platforms.

9. Matching a Battery Trimmer to the Yard

A small lot under a quarter acre, with a patio, a few beds and short fence lines, does not need 56 volts. The Makita XRU23 or the BLACK+DECKER LSTE525 will do the job with less weight, and the narrow swath is less of a handicap when the runs are short. Choose the Makita if you want brushless efficiency and LXT batteries, and the BLACK+DECKER if the budget is tight and the use is light.

A typical suburban lot of a quarter to half an acre is the sweet spot for the Ryobi P20190 and the EGO ST1623T. Both carry rated runtimes of an hour or more on their kit batteries, both use 15-inch or wider swaths, and the choice between them is mostly about platform. Ryobi wins if ONE+ batteries are already in the house. EGO wins if you are starting fresh or already run EGO's mower.

Larger properties, overgrown edges and ditch banks call for 0.095-inch line and a big battery, which points to the EGO, the Milwaukee with its XC8.0 pack, or the DEWALT on a FLEXVOLT battery. Plan on a second pack for anything over half an acre. If a pole saw or edger is on your list, the Milwaukee QUIK-LOK system is the most complete attachment family here.

Finally, think about who will service it. Big-box battery tools are usually replaced under warranty by mail or at the store. The STIHL FSA 60 R is the pick for buyers who would rather hand a tool to a local dealer and get it back working, and that relationship can matter more than a few minutes of rated runtime.