Gone are the days where one needed to have a gas-powered trimmer to ensure proper grass edging. It wasn’t that long ago when the consensus on electric trimmers was one of curiosity only. But over the years, they’ve improved in performance and dependability to the point where brands produced today are compared to oil and gas-based trimmers.
Below are five of the best corded electric string trimmer brands and products online, chosen for their build quality and ease of handling. After that’s done, see which one makes the cut as the most recommended product of them all. Let’s begin!
Choosing the Best Electric Trimmer
Electric trimmers with cords function well enough to be used on their own, that is without the help of other trimmers in the process. You won’t have to worry about purchasing a secondary option. Most trimmers look and operate the same. That is, forming a staff-like shape with a motor and handle on one side, and the line on the other. I
if you’ve never used a trimmer before, be sure to acquire a good line, which will have to be fed out consistently depending on the consistency of what you’re cutting. There are lots of different brands but most of them do a good job of weeding.
Corded Electric Trimmers vs. Gas-Powered Trimmers
What’s the difference between gas and corded electric trimmers? Besides the obvious (gas and electric), most differences could be in the power constraints of the engine. While many electric brands run at good speed and power, there’s a larger abundance of gas trimmers that can consistently run fast without losing any power in prolonged cuts.
Electric trimmers that are wireless could slow down during cutting, but this won’t occur with corded electric. But the worst or best corded electric string trimmer still won’t need to be fed gas and oil for the engine to work. Just plug it in or change, and that’s it. Plus, there are no nasty leaks to worry about cleaning up when the work is done!
Handling and Weight Distribution
Since trimmers of all types generally form the same shape, most will require you to operate them in the same manner. This is with the trimmer at about a 45-degree angle with the line and cover facing down. However, some trimmers might be better for people that are left-hand dominant. Most are built to accommodate people with either hand orientation but things might be a bit awkward to handle if you’re left-handed. For right-handed users, this most likely won’t be an issue but do pay attention to the position of the handle in photos of the trimmer.
Weight is also important. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to discern this without physically holding the trimer yourself. Try to find it’s comfort level and weight distribution from what others have said about the product.
Trimmers with Height Adjustments
Some trimmers are built with height adjustments. When this feature is given, you’ll be able to extend the rod to a level that best fits your height. It could be useful for anyone that’s planning on others using the trimmer with them, people that might be taller or shorter. But if you know that you’re the only person to use the trimmer, this shouldn’t be an issue. Check to see if height adjustments is an attribute if needed; most products will have this information on their product descriptions pages.
Accessories that You’ll Need
Weeding/trimming with an electric trimmer is commonly done throughout the year, and very easy to learn. Like most yard work, weeding will require that you wear safety equipment as a preventative method to reduce injury. The most common are gloves and goggles. However, you don’t have to get thick gloves; just something to protect your hands if you accidentally put them too close to the line during operation.
Goggles will help protect your eyes from the weed and shrub debris, some of which will inevitably make its way past your line guard (the cover). Be sure to have these items before you work, if you don’t already.
As mentioned previously, you’ll also need to get some feed line. The trimmer you might have some included with the product but don’t expect its quality and duration to hold up for long. Find a good line that’ll last a while before needing to be replaced. Lastly, seeing as these are electric trimmers, consider getting a good extension cable if your yard is big. See the length of the product’s cord, and whether or not it’s long enough for you to warrant or bypass a long cable.
Quality of Parts
Corded electric trimmers are often made with steel, metal, and fiberglass parts. Some might also contain a good deal of plastic, which is commonly found on lower-quality brands. You’ll want to focus on electric trimmers that have the fewest plastic parts in their interior.
This shouldn’t be too much of a problem for the exterior but the trimmer will likely last longer with heavier/denser parts on the inside. You might have to check the user manual to find out more about a particular trimmer’s interior makeup.
Best Corded Electric Trimmers Reviewed
Greenworks 18-Inch 10 Amp Corded String Trimmer
The Greenworks Corded String Trimmer is a 120-volt powerhouse that weighs less than ten pounds. Handling is easy enough for a beginner to adjust to quickly. It’s also very reliable, so professional landscapers could even put it to good use. You can adjust it according to your style of trimming and height, all managed by a lock that’s located near the center of the trimmer.
The string feeding system is also reliable, and not prone to feeding line when you don’t want it to. And possibly the best feature is the fact that the fan is cool to the senses. It doesn’t blow out hot air and as you work, rather a cool breeze. Weeding/trimming on a hot day will go get completed with a lot less perspiration with the Greenworks corded string around. Highly recommended.
Pros
- The trimmer isn’t locked into one position and can be adjusted to accommodate the height of the user
- Its motor fan doesn’t blow out hot air, keeping the operator cooler during work
- No flaws in the string feeding system
Cons
- The switch to turn on the trimmer must be pushed with force for the trimmer to turn on
BLACK+DECKER String Trimmer
The Black and Decker BESTA510 is even lighter than the first product revered, and just as easy to handle. It comes with enough spool for you to get started with trimming immediately when it arrives at your door. The startup is extremely fast, with no annoyances from having to repeat the attempt several times. The corded plug is also very durable and won’t wear away, no matter how often it rubs against your driveway as you weed.
The BESTA510 has an outstanding feeding system that’s easy to push the line through when you need it but doesn’t jam up. However, you might need to acquire an extension cable to get it across your yard, as the cable included is pretty short. Still, make it your next purchase if you want something easy to lift and won’t cause you pain in the arm when weeding for an extended period.
Pros
- Starts up fast with no repeat attempts
- Good plug quality that doesn’t brittle or warp
- The line will never feed string during cutting
Cons
- An additional extension cord might be needed to cover moderately-sized yards
Toro 51480
The Toro 51480 is a red corded trimmer with a 120-volt motor. It has great power and will cut well with even the cheapest quality spool line. As a result, you’ll find yourself going over the same areas fewer times than you would with other trimmers, allowing you to finish up your work faster than anticipated. The exterior and interior house parts that are are built to last.
Things won’t break easily and it’s a trimmer that you’ll probably have around for years after you’ve purchased it. Most spools should feed into the system easily, although stopping to do this repeatedly might get a little annoying at times since the front end is heavier than the back. Depending on your height, this might make it a bit awkward to move around when trimming grass in a hilly location. But other than this, most should be compatible with the 51480. It’s the best corded electric string trimmer for overall parts quality.
Pros
- Good power during cutting; fewer repeat passes
- Built with dense parts that won’t easily break, even if the trimmer were dropped from a short height
- Feeding new line into the trimmer isn’t a chore to do
Cons
- The head of the unit is weighted and gives the entire trimmer uneven weight distribution during cutting
CRAFTSMAN String Trimmer
Pros
- Weighs only 6.9 pounds and very easy to work with for a long time
- Rudimentary controls that are great for beginner trimmers
- Wide cover prevents grass from kicking up in the direction of the user
Cons
- Line may sporadically feed without pressing the feed switch
Scotts Outdoor Power Tools ST00213S
The Scotts Outdoor Power trimmer is the best corded electric string trimmer for anyone that wants an easy-to-control adjustable cutting head. Changing the angle of the front can give you an advantage when trimmer areas that are hard to reach, and not flat. Cutting up weeds in ditches and around clustered obstacles is easy to do with fewer chances of debris other than grass flying in your direction. Holding is also easy to do.
The grip is sufficient enough to keep yourself in the same stance for the entirety of the trimmer, without stopping to adjust things. You’ll also get about the same power as one would see of some gas-powered trimmers. Yet this is one thing to take note of before you settle on this product. It’s handling, while good, might be better for people who are left-handed due to less weight being placed on that hand when holding it during operation. When combined with is weight distribution that weeding might feel a bit awkward. In any case, don’t pass up the Scotts Trimmer if your property is hilly or if you’re not right hand dominant.
Pros
- While it is corded, no oil is needed to keep it functioning
- The handle is comfortable to hold when trimming edges at steep inclines
- Power is comparable to gas-operated trimmers
Cons
- Although the handle is acceptable, it might be more suitable for left-handed users
Final Thoughts
Which corded trimmer do you think is better than the rest? When taking into consideration the features and recommendations that were discussed in the Value Section, the obvious winner of the best corded electric string trimmer is number one’s Greenworks weeder/trimmer. It combines ease of handling with height adjustment and a spool line mechanism that is easy to feed.
However, this certainly doesn’t mean that you should pass up the other four. Try one of them out if they meet more of your personal preferences. In the end, it’s assured that your lawn care will become much easier to manage with any of the five weeders in your possession.