Flymo Mini Trim ST Electric Grass Trimmer, 230 W, Cutting Width 21 cm

Product Information

Hypothetically, you could use a strimmer to cut a lawn, but it would take a long time. Strimmers are much less efficient at this task than lawn mowers, and it’s more difficult to get an even cut. Cordless trimmers and mains-powered trimmers work well in the garden. Petrol models are also available, although they’re less commonly used for domestic use so here we’re going to focus on electric models. There are pros and cons to cordless and mains-powered strimmers, which are covered below: Mains Powered Strimmers Generally speaking, using a cordless grass trimmer is quite intuitive. There is usually a simple start button which will start the motor going. Some machines have a safety button as well as a start trigger, requiring both to be pushed to avoid accidental start-ups. This new 18v cordless strimmer comes with a number of alluring features including an adjustable spring-loaded shaft that accommodates a variety of user heights, an ergonomic non-variable speed trigger system with a safety on/off switch replete with battery gauge and a five-position handle for different arm lengths.

A single string trimmer, it’s not quite as powerful as a heavy duty double string version, but it is strong enough to trim heavy grasses and weeds without complaint. It also boasts an auto line feed system, which means you don’t waste so much string like you would on an older style “bump” feed trimmer.Design: To be ranked high, models needed to demonstrate the right balance between weight and power. Cordless strimmers weighing 2.5 kg were best for long-term use as well as short bursts of activity, so they were rated higher than heavier models. For strimmers weighing more than 3 kg, we assessed whether the design accommodated this, such as with a harness. Designs with adjustable cut paths (ideally 25 – 30 cm) were rated higher as they could be used for both lawns and more difficult places, like in between bushes, improving the versatility of the strimmer. This is a lightweight and powerful cordless strimmer with a telescopic shaft. Even with the large 4.0 Ah battery installed, it weighs just 3 kg, which earns it a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for large areas. When it comes to clearing nettles, brambles and really long grass on an industrial scale, you need a commercial-style petrol-powered ‘brush cutter’ with handle bars and a full harness – just like this excellent model from Cobra. Electric corded strimmers. Corded strimmers use a power cable connected to mains electricity. Depending on the length of the cable, these strimmers are more suitable for smaller gardens, but you can expand their reach with an extension lead. They’re also more dangerous than cordless strimmers because you run the risk of accidentally cutting the cable.

You’ll need to choose between two types of cutting mechanism: cutting line or cutting blades. Choose cutting blades for convenience . Particularly if you’ve grown tired of feeding the cutting line through when it breaks. Cutting blades need to be changed after every few hours of use. However, these strimmers can cause problems sometimes. Some people worry about cutting through the cord with the strimmer, which is easier to do than you might think. Also, as mentioned above, mains-powered strimmers limit you in terms of where you can go in the garden. Generally, they have a mains cable of up to 10 m long, so for anything larger than a small garden, or for reaching awkward places, an extension cable will be needed. This can be a hassle, as well as a tripping hazard. Cordless Strimmers Ego feels your pain and has come up with the answer – a pro-spec cordless whipper snipper that self winds. Simply grab a decent length of Ego’s industrial strength 2.4mm nylon line, feed it through the head and hold the ‘Powerload’ button. Voila, the entire line is mechanically rolled up in just 10 seconds. This is groundbreaking stuff, dude.Handles – an ergonomic handle is a great plus, and a second handle further down the shaft makes strimming much easier. The second handle balances out the weight to avoid ending up with one aching arm. The design of the second handle can differ, and some people find a real handle more comfortable than just a raised hand-hold. The standard cut path on this trimmer is set to 30 cm, but you can reduce it to 25 cm simply by turning the line cutter around inside the blade guard. It’s a clever little extra that gives you more control over your cutting and takes some strain off the battery for higher efficiency.

The battery that came with this cordless grass trimmer had a run time of around 30 minutes, but you can’t expect too much from a 2.0Ah battery. The fact that it charges in just one hour is a huge plus, and you always have the option of purchasing a larger battery.

My Top Recommended Cordless Grass Strimmers

If you don’t wear the battery all the way down, you’re unlikely to need to recharge it before using it again; the lithium-ion batteries used in cordless tools hold their charge relatively well. Of course, charging before use will make sure that you get the most run-time possible from your cordless machine. Sometimes a product comes along that blows the competition over the garden wall. This is one of them. Bosch is a brand that just about everyone knows and loves, so I had high hopes for the Bosch Advanced Grass Cut 36– a cordless grass trimmer and edger that’s designed for long grass and overgrown areas. Always rake through long grass or undergrowth first, before using cordless grass trimmers. This gives hedgehogs, frogs, toads, grass snakes, newts, mice and all our native wildlife a chance to escape. If you’re cutting overgrown areas, protective glasses are important because strimmers can throw up stones and other sharp objects.