Best Weed Wackers (Gas & Electric) Review

There are two types of weed wackers – gas powered and electricity powered. The gas powered ones are typically more powerful than the electric ones, however electric weed wackers have their advantages too! They are a lot lighter – therefore easier to use and less tiring. Maintenance of gas weed wackers can be a headache too – mixing oil with gas, changing spark plugs, doing tune ups, struggling with starting or choking etc. – with electric weed wacker you don’t have to worry about such things. There are two types of electric weed wackers – battery powered and cord powered. With cord powered ones you don’t have to worry about batteries running out of power, but they have limited mobility.

Attention!: To read up to date review of best electric string trimmers click here!

I have done extensive research to help you choose the best weed wacker out of 25 different models including electric powered and gas powered ones!

#1 Makita XRU09Z Weed Wacker

Makita XRU09Z is an electric weed wacker that runs on batteries. The included 18V LXT 5.0Ah BL1850 batteries last 40-60 minutes with full charge. It has two speed options – 5,000 RPM and 6,500 RPM and has a cutting swath of 13.75 inches.

Makita XRU09Z is a very powerful weed wacker and cuts through thick and long grass and weeds with ease. It’s so powerful that it seems like it’s made more for commercial use rather than your typical household, but that’s a good thing. Electric trimmers are usually weaker than gas ones, but not in this case, it’s quite opposite in fact – it’s more powerful than most gas ones! Makita XRU09Z is also light and quiet, easy to handle and doesn’t make your whole body vibrate like gas trimmers do. Ergonomics are good so it’s comfortable to use. Overall balance and build quality is great.

It’s not perfect though. The bump feed head that it comes with is hard to load and doesn’t release line properly, it’s almost unusable. Good news is that you can replace it with another one, although it will cost you extra money. There are many that will fit but Husqvarna 537388101 T35 or ECHO Speed-Feed 400 universal trimmer heads are good choices.

Overall this is a great trimmer. It’s a bit expensive but it’s very powerful and works better than others. Its only downsides are the price and bump feed head.

Details:

  • Cutting swath: 13.75 inches
  • RPM: 5,000 / 6,500
  • Battery: 18V LXT 5.0Ah BL1850

#2 Makita XRU11M1 Weed Wacker

Makita XRU11M1 is a battery powered electric weed wacker. It has 13 inch cutting swath.

It has 3 speed settings – low (4,000 RPM), medium (5,000 RPM) and high (6,000 RPM). You can also use the automatic torque drive function which automatically increases the RPM when the motor needs more power, however it has mixed feedback – some like it, others not so much. Cuts grass and weeds very well, the string is very strong and durable. The 4Ah battery lasts 20-30 minutes on high speed setting, but will last much more on medium and low (up to over 1 hour). Good ergonomics and quite lightweight, so it’s easy to use. Assembly instructions are not 100% accurate so keep that in mind.

Overall this is a great weed wacker.

Details:

  • Cutting swath: 13 inches
  • RPM: 4,000 / 5,000 / 6,000
  • Battery: 18V LXT 4. 0Ah

#3 Husqvarna 128LD Gas String Trimmer

Husqvarna 128LD is a gas powered weed wacker that has 28cc engine. Husqvarna 128LD weed whip has a 17 inch cut path and uses 0.095 inch line, it comes with T25 automatic trimmer head.

From factory it’s setup to run too lean for some reason, you need to adjust carburetor mixture screws richer for it to run properly. Once properly adjusted it becomes much more powerful and runs a lot better. It seems to never bog down which you will experience sometimes if you don’t adjust the carburetor. Cutting performance is great, the weed wacker is very powerful and cuts through thick & tall weeds & grass effortlessly. Seems to go through line slower than others. Weighs just 10.8 lbs which is very light for a gas weed wacker, but it’s still not as light as most electric ones.

Overall this is a great gas weed wacker, the only downside is that you need to adjust the carburetor for it to run properly.

Details:

  • Cut path: 17 inches
  • Line size: 0.095 inches
  • Weight: 10.8 lbs

#4 GreenWorks ST40B410 Weed Wacker

GreenWorks ST40B410 is an electric weed wacker that runs on 20V 4 Ah battery and has 12 inch cutting swath. Battery lasts 30-60 minutes. It uses 0.65 dual line and has auto-feed head.

It’s pretty powerful although not as powerful as Makita XRU09Z trimmer, but still should suffice for any backyard. GreenWorks ST40B410 weighs 15 lbs – so it’s quite a bit heavier than other electric line trimmers. Ergonomics are good and trimmer is comfortable to use.

Overall this is another good weed wacker that quite powerful.

Details:

  • Cutting swath: 12 inches
  • Line size: 0.065 inches
  • Weight: 15 lbs
  • Battery: 20V 4Ah

#5 BLACK+DECKER LSTE523 Weed Wacker

BLACK+DECKER LSTE523 is an electric weed wacker that runs on LB2X3020 20V batteries and has 12 inch cutting swath, it uses 0.065 inch string. It comes with 1.5 Ah battery that last around 20 minutes which is not a lot, but you can order LSTE523 weed eater with extra 3 Ah battery too.

BLACK+DECKER LSTE523 weed wacker has 2 speed settings and both of them are quite powerful. The lower speed setting handles thick grass with ease. Works good for both trimming and edging. It’s very light too – it weighs just 6.3 lbs which makes it very easy to use.

Reliability might be a potential issue with this model as there are many complaints from consumers about this line trimmer breaking after few months of usage. However most of the feedback from consumers is positive.

Overall this is a good weed wacker, but the battery life is not that good and considering some of the consumer complaints it might be not reliable long-term.

Details:

  • Cutting swath: 12 inches
  • Line size: 0.065 inches
  • Weight: 6.3 lbs
  • Included Components:
    • 1 x LSTE523 20V MAX* Cordless Trimmer/Edger
    • 1 x LB2X3020 20V MAX* Extended Runtime Lithium Battery
    • 1 x Charger
    • 1 x AFS Spool
    • 1 x Guard

#6 BLACK+DECKER LCC340C 40V Trimmer & Blower Combo Kit

BLACK+DECKER LCC340C 40V combo kit includes trimmer and leaf blower, both of them are powered by batteries.

The weed whacker has plenty of power to cut through thick weeds and grass, it’s not the most powerful string trimmer but it does the job and is noticeably more powerful than your average one. Leaf blower isn’t very powerful but it’s powerful enough to be useful, according to manufacturer it can produce a wind with speed of up to 130 mph. You can lock the rotating head at any angle you need on the weed wacker which is convenient. Units are lightweight and easy to use, they also seem pretty durable and well made. Battery life isn’t that good though – full charge lasts around 20 minutes, but charging time is quick – less than 1 hour. Good thing about batteries is that they show how much charge is left on both the trimmer and blower.

Overall this is a good combo kit of string trimmer and leaf blower, they work well, seem to be well made and aren’t expensive.


#7 Husqvarna 129C Gas Powered Weed Wacker

Husqvarna 129C is a gas powered weed wacker that has 27cc engine. Husqvarna 129C weed-whip has a 17 inch cut path and it uses 0.095 inch line.

Husqvarna 129C starus easily, runs smoothly and is pretty powerful, it cuts very well. It’s quite light for a gas trimmer, it weighs 9.9 pounds – still more than most electric trimmers but not by that much. Quite a bit of consumers have complained about reliability of Husqvarna 129C weed eater and it breaking after not so much use, although majority of the feedback is positive.

Overall Husqvarna 129C seems to be a pretty good gas weed wacker other than the possible reliability issues.


#8 WORX WG163 GT 3.0 Electric Weed Wacker

WORX WG163 GT 3.0 is an electric cordless weed wacker that runs on 20V batteries and has 12 inch cutting swath. It comes with two batteries so you can use one while you charge the other one. Batteries last 20-30 minutes each with full charge.

Cutting performance is mediocre – it will work well enough with most backyards but it might not cut through thick and high-tall weed grass. String does not jam however the one that comes with the string trimmer is a bit fragile and you might find it breaking a lot. If you experience this issue you can buy a more durable string.Automatic feed functions works well.

Works both as grass trimmer and edger and switching between the two functions takes seconds. The edger works great and you end up with nice looking lines, although it might take some practice before you manage to keep lines straight. The weed wacker is lightweight – it weighs just 5.3 pounds which makes it easier to use for long periods of time as you don’t get tired as fast.


#9 BLACK+DECKER LST522 Electric Weed Wacker

BLACK+DECKER LST522 is a battery powered electric weed wacker. It has 12 inch cutting swath and it uses 0.065 inch line.

It’s decently powerful although nowhere as much as most powerful units, it can handle some thicker weeds but won’t handle the thickest. BLACK+DECKER LST522 whipper snipper has two speed settings – 5,500 and 7,200 RPM. Single battery lasts for about 25 minutes. Overall build quality is not that good as it’s expected for the pricing. It’s worse than in more expensive B&D units, but it’s not completely horrible either. It has automatic feed spool feature which automatically feeds trimmer line so you don’t have to bump.

Overall BLACK+DECKER LST522 isn’t a great strimmer, but considering the low pricing it performs quite well.

Details:

  • Cutting swath: 12 inches
  • Line size: 0.065 inches
  • RPM: 5,500/7,200
  • Included Components:
    • 1 x LST522 20V MAX* Cordless Trimmer/Edger
    • 1 x LBXR2520 20V MAX* Extended Runtime Lithium Battery
    • 1 x Charger
    • 1 x AFS Spool
    • 1 x Guard

#10 WORX WG154 Electric Weed Wacker

WORX WG154 is a battery powered electric weed wacker. It has adjustable cutting swath in the range of 10-12 inches.

It’s not super powerful but for the price it performs well, it can handle some thicker weeds too. It certainly isn’t heavy duty or anything. WORX WG154 weed whacker has auto-feed and it works great. Battery lasts for about 20 minutes. At 6 lbs it’s among the lightest line trimmers which makes it easy to use.

Overall WORX WG154 is not the greatest line trimmer out there, but for the price it’s pretty good.


#11 BLACK+DECKER LST136W 13-Inch Electric String Trimmer

BLACK+DECKER LST136W is an electric weed wacker that runs on batteries. It has a 13 inch cutting swath. It’s not the most powerful string trimmer and won’t handle thick stuff well but it works good enough for your regular backyard. BLACK+DECKER LST136W string trimmer is quite lightweight and well balanced, it’s easy to use. Battery life is 10-25 minutes with full charge on high power level, more one medium and low. The batteries charge pretty quickly – in about 1 hour. They is battery life indicator so you are aware of how much charge is left.

Overall BLACK+DECKER LST136W is a mediocre electric weed wacker.


#12 BLACK+DECKER LST201 Electric Weed Wacker

BLACK+DECKER LST201 is a battery powered electric weed wacker, it comes with comes with 20V lithium ion 1.5Ah battery. The 1.5Ah battery a pretty weak and lasts only 15-20 minutes on full charge. BLACK+DECKER LST201 line trimmer has cutting swath of 10, which is slightly less than the average 12. It does 9,000 RPM and uses 0.065 inch line. AFS function, short for automatic feed spool, automatically feeds trimmer line and does it really well. Often at this pricing such features doesn’t work properly or effectively. Ergonomics wise BLACK+DECKER LST201 whipper snipper does good – it weighs just 4.5 pounds and the handle is adjustable in height to suit you well.

Overall BLACK+DECKER LST201 weed whacker is nothing impressive, but for the low pricing the value for money is good.

Details:

  • Cutting swath: 10 inches
  • RPM: 9,000
  • Line size: 0.065 inches
  • Weight: 6.5 lbs
  • Battery: LBXR20 20V lithium ion 1.5Ah
  • Included Components:
    • 1 x LST200 20V MAX* 10″ Trimmer
    • 1 x LBXR20 20V MAX* Lithium Battery
    • 1 x Charger
    • 1 x Guard
    • 1 x AFS Spool

#13 BLACK+DECKER LST300 Electric Weed Wacker

BLACK+DECKER LST300 battery powered electric weed wacker has a 12 inch cutting swath and it uses 0.065 inch line.

Power is decent but the trimmer isn’t exactly powerful, for thick weeds and grass this isn’t the best option. However it will be powerful enough for most consumers. Ergonomics are good. Handle can be adjusted to the height and angle of yours needs, the head is adjustable too. BLACK+DECKER LST300 weed eater weighs just 5.7 lbs so it won’t kill your back. Build quality is mediocre, some of the parts feel cheap and slightly fragile. Spools are tricky to replace.

Overall BLACK+DECKER LST300 is a mediocre weed wacker, but considering its low pricing it’s not a bad value for money.

Included Components:

  • 1 x BLACK+DECKER LST300 20V MAX* Cordless Trimmer/Edger
  • 1 x LBXR2020 20V MAX* lithium ion battery
  • 1 x Charger
  • 1 x AF-100 Spool
  • 1 x Guard

#14 BLACK+DECKER BESTA510 Electric Weed Wacker

BLACK+DECKER BESTA510 is a cord powered electric weed wacker. It has 13 inch cutting swath and does 8000 RPM.

It’s powerful enough for basic backyard work, overall power is mediocre – it’s not powerful but it isn’t weak either. Ergonomics are good if you are under 6 feet tall, otherwise it’s a bit uncomfortable to use. It’s super lightweight – it weighs just 3.19 lbs! Overall build quality is decent but not best.

Overall BLACK+DECKER BESTA510 whipper snipper is far from best, but it’s very inexpensive and pretty good product for the price.

Included Components:
  • 1 x BESTA510 String Trimmer
  • 1 x AF-100 Spool
  • 1 x Auxiliary Handle
  • 1 x Guard

#15 Greenworks STBA24B210 24V Combo Kit

Greenworks STBA24B210 combo kit includes battery powered electric weed whacker and leaf blower. The weed whacker has 12 inch cutting swath, it’s plenty powerful and cuts grass well. It does a good job of trimming and edging. Battery life is pretty bad though, full charge lasts just 15-20 minutes. It uses 0.065 inch line.

The leaf blower puts out 100 mph of wind, 300 cubic feet per minute. It’s not very powerful, some will find it useful, others will render it useless.

Overall Greenworks STBA24B210 line trimmer cuts grass pretty well, although it isn’t amazing. The leaf blower is pretty weak. Overall this combo kit seems to be mediocre.


#16 Greenworks 12-Inch 24V Cordless Electric String Trimmer

Greenworks 24V cordless string trimmer uses uses 0.065 inch string and has 12 inch cutting swath.

It’s reasonably powerful and cuts grass nicely. The battery life with the included 2Ah batteries is only around 20 minutes. Overall build quality is mediocre and it feels a bit flimsy. It’s pretty light – it weighs just 8.8 lbs so it’s easy to maneuver. Ergonomics are not the best but the trimmer is not uncomfortable to use. Despite manufacturer claiming this unit having an auto feed feature it doesn’t work.

Overall it’s a mediocre string trimmer because of multiple flaws, but it cuts grass nicely and since it’s very inexpensive the value for money isn’t that bad.


#17 UKOKE U02TE Weed Wacker

UKOKE U02TE is a battery powered electric weed wacker. It has 9 inch cutting swath, which is very small compared to other strimmers. It uses 0.065 inch line and does 8,000 RPM. Cutting performance is pretty weak, it can do some small jobs but it will struggle if it faces anything remotely thick. The overall build quality doesn’t feel good, UKOKE U02TE whipper snipper feels flimsy. Telescopic handle is adjustable in height (900 – 1120 mm). It weighs 8 pounds – it’s pretty lightweight but some weed wackers are even lighter.

Overall UKOKE U02TE is a mediocre weed eater at best.

Details:

  • Cutting swath: 9 inches
  • Line size: 0.065 inches
  • Weight: 8 lbs
  • RPM: 8000
  • Included Components:
    • 1 x Ukoke U02TE Cordless Electric Power Grass Trimmer & Weed Wacker
    • 1 x 20V 2.0A Lithium-Ion Battery
    • 1 x Charger station, Supports 120V & 240V.

#18 BLACK+DECKER ST8600 Electric String Trimmer

BLACK+DECKER ST8600 is a cord powered electric weed wacker that has 5.0 amp motor. It has 13 inch cutting swath and does 7700 RPM, B+D ST8600 weed whip uses 0.065 inch line. Cutting performance is decent, the BLACK+DECKER ST8600 string trimmer is fairly powerful. It has auto feed feature however it uses too much line and runs out of it fairly quickly. The trimmer is very inexpensive and it has taken toll on the materials which are cheap and fragile.

Overall BLACK+DECKER ST8600 string trimmer cuts grass and weeds well but it’s not well made and has other issues which makes it overall a mediocre weed wacker.

Included Components:

  • 1 x ST8600 13″ String Trimmer/Edger
  • 1 x AF-100 Spool
  • 1 x Guard
  • 1 x Auxiliary Handle

#19 Toro 51480 Electric Strimmer

Toro 51480 is a cord powered electric strimmer that has 5 amp motor. It has 14 inch cutting swath, which is wider than most strimmers. It uses dual 0.065 inch line. Auto feed doesn’t work properly, line feed is inconsistent and difficult. Overall build quality is a bit worse than mediocre, Toro 51480 strimmer feels slightly flimsy. Weighs 7.5 pounds, so although pretty light it’s not one of the lightest electric strimmers. Ergonomics are not the best though so it’s not very comfortable to use.

Overall the Toro 51480 strimmer is below average quality, it’s cheap but it’s performance is not good.


#20 BLACK+DECKER LCC221 Line Trimmer + Blower Combo Kit

BLACK+DECKER LCC221 combo kit includes electric string trimmer and sweeper, both of them are battery powered.

String trimmer has 10 inch cutting swath, which is little when compared to other weed wackers. Its cutting performance is pretty weak too. You can do some basic trimming with it, but it won’t handle thicker grass or weeds. Battery life is around 25 minutes, which is pretty average, but you can buy multiple batteries if needed. BLACK+DECKER LCC221 weed eater weighs just 4.5 pounds, it’s very lightweight so holding it isn’t tiring. Ergonomics are decent and the weed wacker is comfortable to use, the shaft is adjustable in height to fit you well. t has automatic feed spool feature, so there is no bumping needed to feed the line.

Sweeper (or blower) lacks power too. It can handle some basic jobs, but blowing a lot of leaves will take a lot of time just because of insufficient power. At least it’s very light – it weights just 3.7 pounds, which makes it comfortable to use.

Overall performance of the BLACK+DECKER LCC221 string trimmer and sweeper is very weak.


#21 Remington RM2510 Rustler 25cc Gas Weed Whacker

Remington RM2510 is a gas powered weed wacker with two-stroke 25cc engine, it uses 0.95″ line and it has 16 inch cutting swath. Cutting performance is decent, it’s plenty powerful. Overall build quality is not that good and the trimmer feels a bit flimsy – it’s unlikely it will last a long time. It’s also pretty heavy and that will make you feel tired faster.

Overall Remington RM2510 is a mediocre weed wacker at best.


#22 Poulan Pro PR28SD Whipper Snipper

Poulan Pro PR28SD is a gas powered weed wacker that has 28cc two stroke engine. Poulan Pro PR28SD weed whip has a 17 inch cut path and it uses 0.095 inch line.

It’s pretty powerful but it’s not the most powerful whipper snipper by any stretch, it runs smoothly though but floods easily. It’s pretty loud and a bit difficult to reload. The overall build is not that sturdy and this weed eater isn’t made to last. It weighs 14 pounds – it’s a bit on heavy side and it’s a lot heavier than electric trimmers.

Overall Poulan Pro PR28SD is not a good weed wacker.


#23 Sun Joe TRJ13STE Weed Eater

Sun Joe TRJ13STE is a cord powered electric weed wacker. It has 13 inch cutting swath.

Surprisingly powerful for the price, although it’s not exactly heavy duty or powerful in regular terms. It handles regular backyard work just fine. It weighs just 5.1 pounds and is easy to use, although it’s a bit short. Unfortunately the weed whacker feels flimsy and not well made. Consumer feedback tells similar story – there are many reliability complaints, Sun Joe TRJ13STE weed whacker seems to be prone to breaking and developing others issues.

Overall Sun Joe TRJ13STE is a cheap weed wacker and this cheapness translates into overall quality in a bad way.


#24 Sun Joe TRJ607E Electric Weed Wacker

Sun Joe TRJ607E is a cord powered electric weed wacker that has 2.5 amp motor. It has 10 inch cutting swath and does 10,000 RPM. Cutting performance isn’t great, but it can cut well grass that’s not thick. Overall quality feels flimsy which is expected at this pricing. Replacing trimmer line is very difficult unless you get pre-stringed refills. The only positive thing about Sun Joe TRJ607E weed whip is how lightweight it’s – it weighs just 2.78 lbs which is practically nothing.

Overall this is a cheap piece of equipment in many ways – pricing, quality, performance.

Details:

  • Motor: 2.5 amp
  • Cutting swath: 10″
  • RPM: 10,000
  • Weight: 2.78 lbs
  • Spool length: 12 ft
  • Voltage: 120 volts

#25 Sun Joe SB601E Stringless Electric Weed Whip

Sun Joe SB601E is a stringless cord powered electric weed whip that has 5 amp motor. It has 11.5 inch cutting swath, just half an inch off from the average 12. Cutting performance is mediocre, it doesn’t perform as well as the average conventional line trimmer.The shaft is telescopic and adjustable in the range of 8.3 to 21.6 inches, the handle is adjustable too. It weighs just 5.6 lbs too, ergonomics wise Sun Joe SB601E line trimmer it’s comfortable to use. Assembly is very simple and doesn’t require any tools, instructions are well detailed and easy to understand.

Overall Sun Joe SB601E whipper snipper doesn’t perform well rendering it not a good choice.

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