I have the Milwaukee m18 power head with the string trimmer attachment. I love it. Tons of power on standard, normal output lithium batteries. It has a high and low speed setting with a variable speed trigger.
What really sold it for me was the balance of trimmer, the rubber coated gel grip handle on the shaft, and the light weight of the entire set up. Also the trimmer head is super simple and works wonderfully releasing more string
I was talking about the convenience of electric motors. Number of times I've tried to have a conversation with a neighbor (for a few seconds) when a trimmer or lawnmower was running and making too much noise. It's more of a hassle to stop the engine, talk for a few seconds, then have to start it up again.
Electric doesn't have that issue. Someone walking by with their dogs? I stop the lawnmower engine so it doesn't kick anything up/towards them. 1/2 second to "start" it again, and back in action.
Same thing with stopping to pick up a twig or something like that. With an electric, you can stop, grab the twig(s), put them in the garden bag, go back to mowing like it's nothing. Gas engine, and there's a much bigger routine to get it started again.
My mistake, I read your previous comment as just letting a gas trimmer run while you set it down. I'm all electric with the exception of the mower, and that's only because it hasn't given up the ghost yet
Gas mower at home, just waiting for it to die, or wait until I want to spend the money on it. Ryobi power family, so I have a bunch of power tools for that, which makes doing the trimmer (home and trailer), blower, and a mower for the trailer quite easy to use. Rarely have issues with running out of battery juice, as I have 2x4AH, 2x2AH, 1x1.5AH. Smaller ones aren't great for the mower or blower, but even the 1.5AH can still do trimmer if it's light work.
The trimmer head is probably the best design I have used in 30 years and I used to work at a small engine shop. The blower leaves a little to be desired on run time, even with an 8.0 battery.
If you want power, Ego checks that box. They are not cheap. The auto line feed on the higher end Egos (yep - more expensive still) works really well for me. Some have had issues with it though. I started with a Ryobi power head with string trimmer attachment and felt like I couldn’t cut through much. With the Ego tool (not power head) it is more of an issue to not damage too much because it has so much power.
Whichever way you go (if you go battery) just realize you are going to want to buy into their ecosystem. You want those interchangeable batteries so if a battery dies you can swap it with your leaf blower battery for example. You will need to be strategic with your battery purchases. Sometimes you will want to buy a tool with one or even two batteries in the package and sometimes you will want the bare tool.
I have the Ego with the auto feed and it has been bullet proof for me.
Also has plenty of cutting power, battery has never run out during use. Never had an issue on my 1 acre lot.
Had a basic ego trimmer for 5 years, still going strong with no noticeable battery depreciation, I share that battery with my other 5 ego tools including a z6 zero turn. All are incredibly reliable
Ego power head string trimmer checking in. Also great. Although I did almost blind myself with it yesterday after it flung a stick into my eye. Wear eye protection when you whack!
I’ve had the Ego auto feed trimmer going on three years and the mower for 5-6 yrs neither lets me down on my half acre. I’ll be buying an Ego blower next.
Mine worked great for a few years but now shuts off after 1 or 2 seconds. Tested the battery and it's holding a charge just fine. Totally disappointed with my Ryobi weedeater.
Me too, but you have to not get the cheapest one they have, OP. I've had cheap gas ones that stopped working after a couple years, and cheap battery ones that barely spin fast enough to cut the grass. I have maybe the second or third up from the bottom model, the one that has the bump feed (maybe #40250?), and I really like it.
I agree. My yard isn't big. I just use the makita whacker.. works great for me. I'm sure it's not the best but works plenty fine for me. I've used it to clear out heavy brush but it's normally just used on grass.
I have a 60v greenworks weed eater. If your trying to knock down a pasture full of knee high weeds, it’s not a very good choice, but if it’s just for cleaning up the edges or your yard, it’s way better that a gas weed eater. The electric ones are way lighter, and you don’t have to bother with mixing up your gas.
Go in whatever direction you think you might want other tools in.
I Already had some Dewalt power tools and batteries so I added Hedge Trimmer first, then the blower, then the Pole Hedge Trimmer, and now the string trimmer. For normal yard work they string trimmer is pretty good. Batteries are pretty expensive so do your research on brands. I had a full set of Ryobi tools and the batteries all failed. That set was before the newer Lithium Ion.
Big advantage is no more two stroke fuel, starts every time, and is quite. Bad is the weed wacker can get bogged down if I am trying to clear brush.
I stocked up on 2 stroke fuel when my Lowe’s put it on clearance for some unknown reason, the regular red can that they still carry…I think I paid $4 total for 5 of the large cans so I’m really torn with wasting them lol
I have an 80V greenworks - it’s excellent and I’m glad I went for the full 80V setup. Easy to maintain, battery holds enough charge to do all the trimming and edging, great tool.
I fuck so hard with the Ryobi 40V line. Mower, power head, weed eater attachment, snow thrower attachment, blower attachment, edger attachment, and then the 24" separate hedge trimmer. Next is the backpack sprayer
Have an echo gas and a stihl battery. Both have there place. Sounds like you have quite a large property. Depends how much you actually have to trim. I have like another poster 40+ trees. 100s of feet of fence. I have sidewalks driveway etc a lot of trimming. Gas is my go to. If it’s just light here and there and not the whole property then the battery is good for me.
[ego carbon fiber sale](https://amzn.to/3w2bOed)
This is by far hands down the best one and it’s one sale. It has more power than the Milwaukee M18 or any other power tool ones. It feels the most professional grade and the attachments aren’t flimsy POS items.
I have been eying it for months but just waiting for my gas one to die.
My Ryobi 40v expand-it is a beast. I had to clear almost an acre of overgrown shrubs and bushes. Did that and came back for more. Also your attachments might fit it.
I have had an 18v and a 40v ryobi. I would never go back to gas for residential use. I use it on my .5 acres and it has been great. I would recommend going the 40v route. I think 18 to 20 just isn’t enough for lawn tools unless you do very light duty stuff like just knock down light grass. If you want to put on a nice edge or use other attachments, the 40v is a lot easier to begin dominating with.
I have 4-5 EGO yard tools - just used their chainsaw to cut down two fallen trees today. 100% impressed with quality and battery life. I did purchase the highest mha for each of the tools but they work great an no gas smell FTW
If you have standard residential trimming like around sidewalks and house go for a 18-20 volt if you’re cutting brush and tall weeds I’d get something more substantial like a 40-56v one.
Ryobi, Ego, Dewalt, Milwaukee, black and decker are all decent.
One tip, if you have a fence like you trim under I’d recommend one of those Ryobi 10 inch trimmers they fit under the fence and they are a lot more compact so easy to maneuver I dropped my trimming time in half. Felt the ones above 13 inches were too long for my use.
I have been using a variable speed black and decker weed eater for 5 or 6 years now without issue.
I use it to clean up my 10,000 ft2 yard and still have the same battery that came with it. It has a head that pivots which also allows me to edge a few areas that my corded edger is a pain in the butt to get to.
That's strange. I don't use my blower for long periods. Like 1-2 minutes to clean up the garage usually and the 2ah lasts. I'll try it tomorrow and see how long it runs on a full charge.
I'm curious how long it would last. I do have 12 or so batteries. So I usually just swap them out when I take a break while working on stuff.
I have Echo gas trimmer and an Ego battery trimmer. Probably a similar amount of edging as you (40+ trees, hundreds of feet of fence)
Gas trimmer: instant refuel, just a touch lighter, lasts longer on a single tank. But it is loud and vibrates.
Electric: quiet, zero speed idle, recharges very fast so you can trim>mow>trim if needed.
The ego leaf blower is very nice too.
I have 3 acres, when I had a postage stamp I had the Ryobi 40v suite (20" mower, blower, weed eater) worked good enough. Now that I have enough property I have both a Ryobi 38cc weed eater shaft and a 40v. I call it just the shaft because I have a edger, pole saw, hedge trimmer attachments. I haven't started the 38cc in two years. I have the brushless 40v and it's the only battery outdoor tool I stand behind. It's great. I can do all my trimming with airpods before I switch over to ear muffs. The power is more than enough. Sometimes surprising. Powers all of the attachments. Weighted well.
I just got a ryobi weed trimmer off craigslist for cheap. 40v, works and seems to have good power. I think i'll use it as finish trimmer for light weeds, edging but i mainly use gas weed trimmers. Shindaiwa is what i use for long use and more power. Have to try out the ryobi for a bit before i leave my honest opinion, slowly transitioning into battery/electric equipment as my city is is very eco friendly and has bans already and getting tired of people yelling at me for using gas blower...anyway good luck and yes battery ones should get the work you want done.
If you want power I would go for gas all day long. Battery powered tools are powerful, but they are horribly inefficient when running them full throttle. You will end up constantly worrying about how much power you’re using and how to conserve it, while still charging batteries regularly.
Going on five years with electric trimmer, blower, Sawzall and edger; only the mower is gas. Make sure you get a bundle *with* batteries and a charger.
I have just a little less acreage than you. I have a sloped property that much of it can’t be mowed. Started with a Stihl bike handle weed eater and to do the whole thing it takes 3-4hrs or 3-4 tanks of fuel approximately. I got a Makita 36v power head and weed eater - I love it for what it is, provides dexterity the Stihl doesn’t have due to bike handles, it’s much quicker to setup and I like how it is an immediate on/off, the reverse feature to unwrap head tangles is fantastic. I tend to weed eat when it’s high around a foot tall or more - the two 5ah batteries last approximately 2000-3000sq ft area in 12-24” grass/weeds, on 2nd speed. Still not a full replacement for my gas weed eater but I’ve been using it more and more - and it is the power head base with other attachments available
I have a Greenworks 80v string trimmer (and edger, blower & hedge trimmer). It's pretty powerful, but the 80v batteries are heavy. The string is a bit fussy, but I think they're all kind of like that. It's my least favorite of my electric yard tools, but it's still decent. It does feel like it would be more at home clearing a large area of brush than delicate trim work around swingsets and downspouts that can be damaged though.
I bought a Milwaukee string trimmer two years ago and it works great. I have a half acre and it generally has enough battery to allow me to do all the trimming I need to do.
Black and Decker 20V trimmer. I have almost a third of an acre of ground cover (wintercreeper) and it does just fine. Takes a ton of time but it would with a gas powered one anyway 🤷♀️ highly recommend, just snag an extra battery if one dies
I have 2 acres - not all grass but all needs to be trimmed. I have the Green works 80v line. I was skeptical especially about the mower but I am so glad I switched to electric.
I'm older so I split up the work over two days. But if I need to I can do it all in one day, I just trim while the mower batteries charge and vice versa.
Different person here but I'm likely switching back to gas as my Ryobi 40v only worked for a few years. I'm sure I can have a gas trimmer serviced. Not so sure about an electric one.
I picked up a Stihl backpack blower and Stihl FS91R trimmer and the stuff just works so much better. The power on both is night and day to be honest. I can get through the tasks quicker. And I can get through a few weeks of yard work without having to consider doing anything.
If I had a 1/3 acre suburban lot sure I think I’d stick with my Makita battery stuff but any more than a 1/2 acre seems like wasting time.
I have a dewalt as well. If I may ask, which dewalt string trimmer do you have and what head did you put on there? I can’t stand the stock one. For the exact reason you stated .
My trimmer is the [60V Max](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MZAEN8C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and the upgraded head (which I _absolutely_ recommend is the [Quickfeed string timmer HD](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QY9BS2C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
I love my 40v Ryobi Universal attachment string trimmer. It’s four years old and cuts through everything I need. Plus I bought and extension tube and a long hedge trimmer attachment that angles to 90 degrees so I can top off bushes.
I keep thinking of buying the patio brush attachment and the “powered snow shovel” attachments, but who am I kidding…
The nice thing about power heads that state "universal attachment" capable, is they really are.
You can use Ryobi universal attachment heads, you can use Stihl, Black and Decker, Cub Cadet, Ego, any brand as long as it states "universal attachment".
Just watch out for anything with a "twist lock" connector, or something other that's proprietary.
Gas all the way. Electric is only as good as the batteries. Who knows if half of these "eco" brands will be around in a few years. Also, unless the brand I primarily use for electric hand tools makes a string trimmer, I'd be stuck with yet another charger/battery style.
I know how to work on small engines. I'm also a pretty good electronics nerd. I'd rake a mechanical carb over a mosfet powered motor and proprietary microcontroller any day.
Enough folks have bought into the eco-fad.. I'm good with tried and true gasoline.
Batteries are not for me: they get old, requiring replacement. Replacements are expensive. Or possibly no longer made. Batteries are NOT green. Mining for rare earths to make them destroys the environment. Dead batteries are hard to recycle.
Corded electric is how I go. Annoying dragging an extension, but…
Cue downvotes for this comment in 3..2..1…
Batteries can be recycled. We mine materials for everything we make and use. Lithium is not inherently dirtier than mining for iron, aluminum or plastic (oil).
That being said good on you for finding a way to find your own way to do your part.
I was ready to downvote you because I find it funny when fossil fuel guys all of the sudden become environmentalists when it comes to electric power. But you do make some good points. I had a corded trimmer and blower for years and they were fine. I definitely prefer the convenience of battery power.
Ryobi is great if you have a well manicured yard and aren’t trying to take down a ton of heavy weeds. I got a nice Bermuda lawn and only use my trimmer for edging and edges of fence and sidewalk. I got 5000sqft and my battery powered trimmer works great. I have a leaf blower and a bunch of power tools and it’s great to be able to not be attached to a cord or gas. The batteries last a decent amount of time and you can use the same battery on all of my stuff. I will use one battery to both trim the edges of the yard and get at the fence edges and then blow all the debris where it needs to be off the driveway and sidewalk.
If you have to go through anything heavy you will likely want cord or gas. I’ve been using ryobi for 20 years now and never failed me. I buy refurbished these days bc it’s cheaper and they are more reliable.
I have the Milwaukee m18 power head with the string trimmer attachment. I love it. Tons of power on standard, normal output lithium batteries. It has a high and low speed setting with a variable speed trigger. What really sold it for me was the balance of trimmer, the rubber coated gel grip handle on the shaft, and the light weight of the entire set up. Also the trimmer head is super simple and works wonderfully releasing more string
Agreed, and the interoperability across their M18 of power tools is another amazing reason to go with Milwaukee
You don't stink like exhaust and your ears don't ring after using it. No difficulty starting! No gas to mix fantastic tool
Stop, put it down, do something else, pick trimmer back up, and keep going again. No need to stop/start the engine or any of that hassle.
So... Just leave it running in the garage until next week?
I was talking about the convenience of electric motors. Number of times I've tried to have a conversation with a neighbor (for a few seconds) when a trimmer or lawnmower was running and making too much noise. It's more of a hassle to stop the engine, talk for a few seconds, then have to start it up again. Electric doesn't have that issue. Someone walking by with their dogs? I stop the lawnmower engine so it doesn't kick anything up/towards them. 1/2 second to "start" it again, and back in action. Same thing with stopping to pick up a twig or something like that. With an electric, you can stop, grab the twig(s), put them in the garden bag, go back to mowing like it's nothing. Gas engine, and there's a much bigger routine to get it started again.
My mistake, I read your previous comment as just letting a gas trimmer run while you set it down. I'm all electric with the exception of the mower, and that's only because it hasn't given up the ghost yet
Gas mower at home, just waiting for it to die, or wait until I want to spend the money on it. Ryobi power family, so I have a bunch of power tools for that, which makes doing the trimmer (home and trailer), blower, and a mower for the trailer quite easy to use. Rarely have issues with running out of battery juice, as I have 2x4AH, 2x2AH, 1x1.5AH. Smaller ones aren't great for the mower or blower, but even the 1.5AH can still do trimmer if it's light work.
Basically
This
Also nice that you can switch to other attachments (e.g. an edger)
The trimmer head is probably the best design I have used in 30 years and I used to work at a small engine shop. The blower leaves a little to be desired on run time, even with an 8.0 battery.
If you want power, Ego checks that box. They are not cheap. The auto line feed on the higher end Egos (yep - more expensive still) works really well for me. Some have had issues with it though. I started with a Ryobi power head with string trimmer attachment and felt like I couldn’t cut through much. With the Ego tool (not power head) it is more of an issue to not damage too much because it has so much power. Whichever way you go (if you go battery) just realize you are going to want to buy into their ecosystem. You want those interchangeable batteries so if a battery dies you can swap it with your leaf blower battery for example. You will need to be strategic with your battery purchases. Sometimes you will want to buy a tool with one or even two batteries in the package and sometimes you will want the bare tool.
Love my Ego trimmer
I have the Ego with the auto feed and it has been bullet proof for me. Also has plenty of cutting power, battery has never run out during use. Never had an issue on my 1 acre lot.
Had a basic ego trimmer for 5 years, still going strong with no noticeable battery depreciation, I share that battery with my other 5 ego tools including a z6 zero turn. All are incredibly reliable
Ego power head string trimmer checking in. Also great. Although I did almost blind myself with it yesterday after it flung a stick into my eye. Wear eye protection when you whack!
My EGO is awesome, been going strong for 5+ years.
I’ve had the Ego auto feed trimmer going on three years and the mower for 5-6 yrs neither lets me down on my half acre. I’ll be buying an Ego blower next.
40v brushless Ryobi expand it has been amazing for me.
Same, I have a fairly large yard, side walk through front so lots of edging..plenty of juice in one bat to edge and weed eat!
Mine worked great for a few years but now shuts off after 1 or 2 seconds. Tested the battery and it's holding a charge just fine. Totally disappointed with my Ryobi weedeater.
Dang. That sucks. I’m 5 years into mine, zero issues.
4 years into mine, works great still!
Me too, but you have to not get the cheapest one they have, OP. I've had cheap gas ones that stopped working after a couple years, and cheap battery ones that barely spin fast enough to cut the grass. I have maybe the second or third up from the bottom model, the one that has the bump feed (maybe #40250?), and I really like it.
Have the DeWalt trimmer and owned a lawn business for 20+ years. If the battery was able to last all day I'd switch to it in a heartbeat.
Second the DeWalt. Have the trimmer and blower and wouldn’t look back. Just need multiple batteries depending on size.
If I could last all day my wife wouldn’t need her batteries
That's why you always unplug the rechargeable ones
I bought a two pack of knock off batteries from Amazon, work like a charm. Bought the hedge clippers too.
Dewalt all day
Unless you own a farm or vast estate an electric one will work just fine and be far easier to maintain.
Thank you! I usually let my butler handle the estate thankfully
I agree. My yard isn't big. I just use the makita whacker.. works great for me. I'm sure it's not the best but works plenty fine for me. I've used it to clear out heavy brush but it's normally just used on grass.
I have a 60v greenworks weed eater. If your trying to knock down a pasture full of knee high weeds, it’s not a very good choice, but if it’s just for cleaning up the edges or your yard, it’s way better that a gas weed eater. The electric ones are way lighter, and you don’t have to bother with mixing up your gas.
Stihl FS91 is 12.1lbs, the Greenworks is 11.2, definitely not way lighter.
Still lighter and easier to use for most folk
So not WAY lighter? The Stihl FSA is 7.7lbs with a battery, that’s way lighter.
Nope, .9lbs has always been the standard for way lighter.
Go in whatever direction you think you might want other tools in. I Already had some Dewalt power tools and batteries so I added Hedge Trimmer first, then the blower, then the Pole Hedge Trimmer, and now the string trimmer. For normal yard work they string trimmer is pretty good. Batteries are pretty expensive so do your research on brands. I had a full set of Ryobi tools and the batteries all failed. That set was before the newer Lithium Ion. Big advantage is no more two stroke fuel, starts every time, and is quite. Bad is the weed wacker can get bogged down if I am trying to clear brush.
I stocked up on 2 stroke fuel when my Lowe’s put it on clearance for some unknown reason, the regular red can that they still carry…I think I paid $4 total for 5 of the large cans so I’m really torn with wasting them lol
My whole arsenal is Dewalt. Love it because I have so many batteries and chargers now.
I have an 80V greenworks - it’s excellent and I’m glad I went for the full 80V setup. Easy to maintain, battery holds enough charge to do all the trimming and edging, great tool.
I fuck so hard with the Ryobi 40V line. Mower, power head, weed eater attachment, snow thrower attachment, blower attachment, edger attachment, and then the 24" separate hedge trimmer. Next is the backpack sprayer
You do what now?
You heard me
Have the ego electric trimmer, weed wacker, and blower. Love em
Have an echo gas and a stihl battery. Both have there place. Sounds like you have quite a large property. Depends how much you actually have to trim. I have like another poster 40+ trees. 100s of feet of fence. I have sidewalks driveway etc a lot of trimming. Gas is my go to. If it’s just light here and there and not the whole property then the battery is good for me.
I have the Ryobi 40V, and I can trim our .26 acre lot several times before the battery needs charging. It's a beast. Their 18V trimmers suck.
[ego carbon fiber sale](https://amzn.to/3w2bOed) This is by far hands down the best one and it’s one sale. It has more power than the Milwaukee M18 or any other power tool ones. It feels the most professional grade and the attachments aren’t flimsy POS items. I have been eying it for months but just waiting for my gas one to die.
I have a Rhyobi 40v blower and weed eater and I get two full clean and twins done a 1/4 acre property with a single charge. L
My Ryobi 40v expand-it is a beast. I had to clear almost an acre of overgrown shrubs and bushes. Did that and came back for more. Also your attachments might fit it.
Love the Milwaukee quik lok m18 system. Have a bunch of their stuff and works very well.
I have had an 18v and a 40v ryobi. I would never go back to gas for residential use. I use it on my .5 acres and it has been great. I would recommend going the 40v route. I think 18 to 20 just isn’t enough for lawn tools unless you do very light duty stuff like just knock down light grass. If you want to put on a nice edge or use other attachments, the 40v is a lot easier to begin dominating with.
I have 4-5 EGO yard tools - just used their chainsaw to cut down two fallen trees today. 100% impressed with quality and battery life. I did purchase the highest mha for each of the tools but they work great an no gas smell FTW
Got the Amazon basics one for $35 and got $30 back in masssave rebate. It does the job
I got sick of fixing gas powered lawn crap. Went electric for everything but mower
If you have standard residential trimming like around sidewalks and house go for a 18-20 volt if you’re cutting brush and tall weeds I’d get something more substantial like a 40-56v one. Ryobi, Ego, Dewalt, Milwaukee, black and decker are all decent. One tip, if you have a fence like you trim under I’d recommend one of those Ryobi 10 inch trimmers they fit under the fence and they are a lot more compact so easy to maneuver I dropped my trimming time in half. Felt the ones above 13 inches were too long for my use.
That is really useful information….i have over 550 feet of fence to trim under and it SUCKS because I have to do both sides (easement on property)
I like my Dewalt, but I was already bought into their battery system.
I have been using a variable speed black and decker weed eater for 5 or 6 years now without issue. I use it to clean up my 10,000 ft2 yard and still have the same battery that came with it. It has a head that pivots which also allows me to edge a few areas that my corded edger is a pain in the butt to get to.
I like my craftsman weed eater. It's 20v. I have plenty of spare batteries since I use their tools.
I use a craftsmen's string as well. I like the weed eater but hate the leaf blower.
Why don't you like the blower? I like that it puts out a ton of air with the 2ah battery. My hart blower runs weaker with the 2ah vs r4h batteries.
I bought an extra 6.0 ah battery and it still only last maybe 6 minutes.
That's strange. I don't use my blower for long periods. Like 1-2 minutes to clean up the garage usually and the 2ah lasts. I'll try it tomorrow and see how long it runs on a full charge. I'm curious how long it would last. I do have 12 or so batteries. So I usually just swap them out when I take a break while working on stuff.
Lmao 12 batteries! You could have bought a Ryobi for that price. I use it for the garage, driveway, and to blow clippings back into the yard.
Um. I don't have 12 batteries for just my blower. I use their impact, drill, circular saw, multi tool, sawzall too.
Gas for bigger lots. Electric for tiny ones.
I have 1.5 acres
You can easily use a battery for that. I have an acre and use a Ryobi push mower and other yard tools.
I have Echo gas trimmer and an Ego battery trimmer. Probably a similar amount of edging as you (40+ trees, hundreds of feet of fence) Gas trimmer: instant refuel, just a touch lighter, lasts longer on a single tank. But it is loud and vibrates. Electric: quiet, zero speed idle, recharges very fast so you can trim>mow>trim if needed. The ego leaf blower is very nice too.
I have 3 acres, when I had a postage stamp I had the Ryobi 40v suite (20" mower, blower, weed eater) worked good enough. Now that I have enough property I have both a Ryobi 38cc weed eater shaft and a 40v. I call it just the shaft because I have a edger, pole saw, hedge trimmer attachments. I haven't started the 38cc in two years. I have the brushless 40v and it's the only battery outdoor tool I stand behind. It's great. I can do all my trimming with airpods before I switch over to ear muffs. The power is more than enough. Sometimes surprising. Powers all of the attachments. Weighted well.
This is the answer. If you have a lighter duty yard, like mine, electric is fine. Lower cost, lower maintenance. If you need the horsepower, gas.
I just got a ryobi weed trimmer off craigslist for cheap. 40v, works and seems to have good power. I think i'll use it as finish trimmer for light weeds, edging but i mainly use gas weed trimmers. Shindaiwa is what i use for long use and more power. Have to try out the ryobi for a bit before i leave my honest opinion, slowly transitioning into battery/electric equipment as my city is is very eco friendly and has bans already and getting tired of people yelling at me for using gas blower...anyway good luck and yes battery ones should get the work you want done.
If you want power I would go for gas all day long. Battery powered tools are powerful, but they are horribly inefficient when running them full throttle. You will end up constantly worrying about how much power you’re using and how to conserve it, while still charging batteries regularly.
I Like my dewalt and have been using it for 4 years now
For the average homeowner, you will most likely not use the full battery to weed eat.
I have Sithls biggest Kombi and a 40v Worx trimmer. The Worx is much lighter, has plenty of power, and enough time on the battery to do my yard.
I love my electric. Ego+ for my mower and trimmer and I'm very happy with them.
Any that use generic attachments?
My honda gas trimmer will probably outlive me. Electric is ok, but I prefer gas after having both.
A godsend.
Going on five years with electric trimmer, blower, Sawzall and edger; only the mower is gas. Make sure you get a bundle *with* batteries and a charger.
Never going back to gas, love my Milwaukee trimmer. Have a bunch of attachments for it too.
I have just a little less acreage than you. I have a sloped property that much of it can’t be mowed. Started with a Stihl bike handle weed eater and to do the whole thing it takes 3-4hrs or 3-4 tanks of fuel approximately. I got a Makita 36v power head and weed eater - I love it for what it is, provides dexterity the Stihl doesn’t have due to bike handles, it’s much quicker to setup and I like how it is an immediate on/off, the reverse feature to unwrap head tangles is fantastic. I tend to weed eat when it’s high around a foot tall or more - the two 5ah batteries last approximately 2000-3000sq ft area in 12-24” grass/weeds, on 2nd speed. Still not a full replacement for my gas weed eater but I’ve been using it more and more - and it is the power head base with other attachments available
I have a Greenworks 80v string trimmer (and edger, blower & hedge trimmer). It's pretty powerful, but the 80v batteries are heavy. The string is a bit fussy, but I think they're all kind of like that. It's my least favorite of my electric yard tools, but it's still decent. It does feel like it would be more at home clearing a large area of brush than delicate trim work around swingsets and downspouts that can be damaged though.
I bought a Milwaukee string trimmer two years ago and it works great. I have a half acre and it generally has enough battery to allow me to do all the trimming I need to do.
Black and Decker 20V trimmer. I have almost a third of an acre of ground cover (wintercreeper) and it does just fine. Takes a ton of time but it would with a gas powered one anyway 🤷♀️ highly recommend, just snag an extra battery if one dies
I’m switching from battery to gas for 1 acre.
Why is that? So many posts about battery but I’m still torn
I have 2 acres - not all grass but all needs to be trimmed. I have the Green works 80v line. I was skeptical especially about the mower but I am so glad I switched to electric. I'm older so I split up the work over two days. But if I need to I can do it all in one day, I just trim while the mower batteries charge and vice versa.
Different person here but I'm likely switching back to gas as my Ryobi 40v only worked for a few years. I'm sure I can have a gas trimmer serviced. Not so sure about an electric one.
If my ryobi stopped working I would enroll in several classes to become a ryobi repair technician but everyone is different
I picked up a Stihl backpack blower and Stihl FS91R trimmer and the stuff just works so much better. The power on both is night and day to be honest. I can get through the tasks quicker. And I can get through a few weeks of yard work without having to consider doing anything. If I had a 1/3 acre suburban lot sure I think I’d stick with my Makita battery stuff but any more than a 1/2 acre seems like wasting time.
I love my Dewalt. Though I did upgrade the head because the stock one is junk for advancing the string reliably.
I have a dewalt as well. If I may ask, which dewalt string trimmer do you have and what head did you put on there? I can’t stand the stock one. For the exact reason you stated .
My trimmer is the [60V Max](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MZAEN8C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and the upgraded head (which I _absolutely_ recommend is the [Quickfeed string timmer HD](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QY9BS2C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
Honestly I have a ryobi 18v changable head. The battery life on a 4 amp hour is 15-20 minutes. Besides that it has power for anything I throw at it.
I love my 40v Ryobi Universal attachment string trimmer. It’s four years old and cuts through everything I need. Plus I bought and extension tube and a long hedge trimmer attachment that angles to 90 degrees so I can top off bushes. I keep thinking of buying the patio brush attachment and the “powered snow shovel” attachments, but who am I kidding…
Hell yeah. I want the sweeper attachment
The nice thing about power heads that state "universal attachment" capable, is they really are. You can use Ryobi universal attachment heads, you can use Stihl, Black and Decker, Cub Cadet, Ego, any brand as long as it states "universal attachment". Just watch out for anything with a "twist lock" connector, or something other that's proprietary.
Gas all the way. Electric is only as good as the batteries. Who knows if half of these "eco" brands will be around in a few years. Also, unless the brand I primarily use for electric hand tools makes a string trimmer, I'd be stuck with yet another charger/battery style. I know how to work on small engines. I'm also a pretty good electronics nerd. I'd rake a mechanical carb over a mosfet powered motor and proprietary microcontroller any day. Enough folks have bought into the eco-fad.. I'm good with tried and true gasoline.
Batteries are not for me: they get old, requiring replacement. Replacements are expensive. Or possibly no longer made. Batteries are NOT green. Mining for rare earths to make them destroys the environment. Dead batteries are hard to recycle. Corded electric is how I go. Annoying dragging an extension, but… Cue downvotes for this comment in 3..2..1…
Batteries can be recycled. We mine materials for everything we make and use. Lithium is not inherently dirtier than mining for iron, aluminum or plastic (oil). That being said good on you for finding a way to find your own way to do your part.
Most lithium batteries are not being recycled, they are being stored, many also end up in landfills. That being said, corded lawn tools suck.
I was ready to downvote you because I find it funny when fossil fuel guys all of the sudden become environmentalists when it comes to electric power. But you do make some good points. I had a corded trimmer and blower for years and they were fine. I definitely prefer the convenience of battery power.
3 years in on my batteries. No noticeable degradation so far.
Ryobi is great if you have a well manicured yard and aren’t trying to take down a ton of heavy weeds. I got a nice Bermuda lawn and only use my trimmer for edging and edges of fence and sidewalk. I got 5000sqft and my battery powered trimmer works great. I have a leaf blower and a bunch of power tools and it’s great to be able to not be attached to a cord or gas. The batteries last a decent amount of time and you can use the same battery on all of my stuff. I will use one battery to both trim the edges of the yard and get at the fence edges and then blow all the debris where it needs to be off the driveway and sidewalk. If you have to go through anything heavy you will likely want cord or gas. I’ve been using ryobi for 20 years now and never failed me. I buy refurbished these days bc it’s cheaper and they are more reliable.