Garden strimmers are used to cut back the greenery in a garden. You can trim excess grass growing around a wall, fence, flowerbed or pathway, and ensure borders stay neat and tidy.
As its name suggests, the cordless strimmer has no cord to slow you down. In this guide we are going to focus on helping you choose the best cordless strimmers for you and your garden
Our Recommended 5 Best Cordless Strimmers
We’ve Featured In:
With so many brands of cordless strimmers on the market it’s hard to know where to start. We suggest you do your homework and check out the features and most up-to-date prices for yourself, but you can use the table above to get a head start on finding the best cordless strimmer for you.
#1: Black + Decker 18 V Lithium-ion Strimmer
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- 18V 2.0 Ah lithium-ion battery and fast charger
- Up to 2500 linear meters of cutting power from one charge
- High-tech spec with E-drive technology
- High-torque gears providing plenty of power and reduces clogging.
- 328 cm cutting swathe and 5500-7400 RPM cutting speed (ideal for big gardens)
- Special TURBO mode available for thick grass.
- 2.6 kg – portable design
- Includes 1 Lithium battery
- Automatic single line fee system – feeds out line from spool (9m long) when needed.
Anything To Improve?
The gears are made from composite material, so may be prone to wear and tear (particularly if the strimmer is regularly used for heavy duty trimming).
#2: Greenworks Tools G40LT String Trimmer, 40V
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- 40V Li-ion 2.0 Ah battery
- 7000 RPM running speed
- Pivoting head – trim from any angle
- Lightweight (3.1kg) for easy portability
- Quiet tool – minimal vibrations
- Running time of approx. 45 mins
- Variable speed control
- 30cm cutting width
- Automatic line feed
Anything To Improve?
It would be nice if the charger and battery were included with the item. However, you can purchase both from Greenworks, and the battery can be used to power all 40V Greenworks devices.
#3: XCEED EX36CGT 36V 30cm Cordless Grass Trimmer
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- 36V 2.0Ah Samsung battery and charger (included)
- Soft grip, adjustable telescopic handle designed for comfort
- Adjustable angled cutting head for easy trimming in hard-to-reach areas
- 30 cm cutting width
- Auto spool feed line
- Edging wheels for neater edges
- Clever storage – allows you to store a spare spool too.
- Built in flower guard
Anything To Improve?
The guard could benefit from being a little sturdier.
#4: WORX WG157E 18V (20V MAX) Cordless Grass Trimmer
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- Lightweight design (2.68kg) for easy portability
- Rotating head allows easy switch from trimmer to edger
- 20V charger and 1.5Ah Lithium-ion battery (included)
- Easy grip handle
- Automatic line feed
- Long shaft allows you to trim hard to reach spaces
- 25cm cutting diameter
- Built in flower guard
- Battery can be used to power other 20V WORX garden tools
Anything To Improve?
Slightly smaller than average cutting diameter (25cm rather than 30cm).
#5: Flymo Contour Cordless Grass Trimmer
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- 20V 2.5Ah Li-ion battery (included)
- 25cm Cutting Width
- Plant guard
- Revolving head for easy cutting
- Wheel for neat edging
- Easily adjustable – trim those difficult to reach areas
- Soft grip handle for comfort
- Easy to assemble
Anything To Improve?
Slightly smaller than average cutting diameter (25cm rather than 30cm).
Why Use A Cordless Strimmer?
“Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade.”
Rudyard Kipling, ‘The Glory of the Garden’ (1911).
Mr Kipling certainly has a point! As much as we like to sit and relax in beautiful surroundings, we all know that making a garden look lush and well-manicured takes a lot of hard work.
There’s plenty to keep those green-fingers busy from pruning to planting, weeding to mowing, strimming to trimming. Each season brings new opportunities for your outside space, along with a raft of gardening tasks to be done!
Thankfully, you don’t have to be Percy Thrower to make the most of your garden, but having the right tools will help you out no end.
For instance, a decent lawn mower, a fork, spade and hoe, a watering can, and a strimmer will all help you to get the job done.
How Does A Cordless Strimmer Work?
Let’s get to grips with how a cordless strimmer works. The design is relatively simple, cordless strimmers work the same way as electric strimmers and petrol strimmers, whereby a nylon line rotates at rapid speed, strimming the grass as you move over it.
The best cordless strimmers are usually powered by a lithium-ion battery, often known as a li-ion battery and not to be confused with a lithium battery! Lithium batteries are not rechargeable, whereas Li-ion batteries are.
Many common portable devices are fitted with li-ion batteries, due to the fact that they charge quickly, last longer and have a higher power density – you get more battery life and can use the device for longer.
You will need a battery and charger to power your cordless strimmer (check what type of battery you need), then simply plug your battery in to charge prior to use, power up your garden tool and away you go.
Garden strimmers are usually pretty straightforward to operate, but as with any device, we suggest you read the instruction manual before you head out to tackle your garden!
Cordless vs Electric Corded vs Petrol Strimmer
Let’s compare the cordless strimmer with two of its close rivals, the electric corded strimmer and the petrol strimmer. As we’ve mentioned all are designed to strim your garden and work in similar ways, but they are powered very differently.
As its name suggests, the electric corded strimmer needs to be plugged into the mains to work. This means that as long as your electric is on you can keep trimming indefinitely. However, there is a downside, the cable can be rather restrictive, preventing you from reaching certain areas of your garden.
The cord can also get in the way, snagging, getting trapped under things and causing a potential trip hazard. There’s the added risk of cutting through the wire too.
If the cable somehow strays in the way as you strim you could easily cut through it, which is not only a danger to the operator, its’s also an inconvenience – how can you finish your garden with a broken strimmer? With the cordless strimmer you don’t have worry about any of those issues.
So, how does the cordless tool fare against a petrol strimmer? For a start neither has a cord to worry about – (we’ve already ascertained this is safer and provides more freedom). But both are powered very differently, a cordless strimmer uses a battery, whereas a petrol strimmer is powered by fuel.
If you opt for a petrol strimmer you will need to buy fuel too. The cordless strimmer is cheaper – you just need a rechargeable battery which you can use again and again.
For some, the idea of a battery can be off-putting. The idea of running out of power in the middle of the task isn’t appealing (and you also have to remember to charge the battery in the first place)!
However, times have moved on and so have batteries! Nowadays, most of the best cordless strimmers are powered by lithium-ion batteries. As we’ve already pointed out, these provide a longer running time and charge more quickly than batteries of old.
Top Tip
If you want to be doubly sure you won’t run out of power mid-trim you could always buy an extra battery. Leave one on charge whilst you use the other – then simply swap!
It looks like the best cordless strimmers have a lot going for them. They perform well, and could be a viable alternative to a petrol or electric corded strimmer.
What Should I Look For When Buying A Cordless Strimmer?
The best cordless strimmer can help you transform your garden from messy to manicured. If you’re thinking of buying one keep your eye out for the following features:
Good Battery Capacity
It’s worth checking out the battery capacity of the cordless strimmer you are interested in. Find out how long the strimmer can hold its charge – if you have a large garden how long will it take you to get the job done?
You don’t want to get half way around your garden only to find your cordless strimmer is out of charge and you have to stop (although it sounds like the perfect excuse to enjoy a siesta in a comfy deckchair)!
You should also take into account how many times you can recharge your cordless strimmer before the battery power starts to decrease.
Wide Cutting Swathe
The average cutting width of a standard cordless garden strimmer is usually somewhere between 25cm and 30cm. The wider the cutting swathe the faster you can munch up that grass!
Lightweight (but robust)
It’s also worth taking into account the weight of the tool. The best cordless strimmers need to be light enough to pick up, carry around and use effectively.
However, you do not want it to feel flimsy. The best cordless strimmer to buy is a lightweight, yet robust one (a weight of around 2.7kg to 3.5kg should be ideal).
Comfortable and Easy to Use
If you’re going to be spending long periods tending to your garden you need tools that are not only easy to handle, but are also comfortable to use.
We suggest you opt for an ergonomic strimmer with features such as a soft grip handle, telescopic handle, adjustable rotating head etc.
This way you can use your strimmer without putting extra stress on your aching joints and muscles, and as an added bonus you can easily reach those tricky areas of your garden without too much fuss.
Comprehensive Instructions and Easy Assembly
Your garden strimmer should come with an instruction manual – outlining how to operate your new toy safely and effectively, and also providing details on how to assemble it.
Ideally, you want to find a cordless strimmer that’s not too tricky to put together. You don’t want to spend hours poring over instructions to work out what piece goes where – you will be exhausted before you even start gardening!
Power
How powerful is the brand of cordless strimmer you are interested in? Will your strimmer be powerful enough to tackle the gardening jobs you have in mind?
If you are going to tackle a large green space, or one that’s particularly overgrown, you will need a garden strimmer with plenty of oomph.
Versatility
The best cordless strimmers speed up the trimming and neatening up of your greenery, and some even double up as another tool.
A garden strimmer that has an additional function e.g. works as an edger too, could be a useful addition to your array of gardening utensils, and save you time and money too.
Warranty and Repairs
Ideally your new cordless strimmer will come with a warranty for peace of mind. It’s also useful to check if you can easily contact the manufacturer / obtain spare parts should you need to.
Any Added Extras?
It’s nice to have a special feature or two. Some garden strimmers come with a flower or plant guard to prevent you from accidently chopping your favourite marigolds or roses!
It’s also worth checking if the strimmer comes with a battery and charger – if these aren’t included you will need to purchase these too.
How Long Do Cordless Strimmers Last?
In terms of how long a cordless strimmer will last during use, this depends on the battery capacity and the power consuption of the strimmer.
The best cordless strimmers will have at least a 2Ah battery which will permit around 20-30 minutes of normal use.
However, the usage time will be shortened when dealing with wet materials or particularly difficult areas as the strimmer needs to work harder and therefore uses up the battery power faster.
In terms of the life of the product. You should expect the best cordless grass strimmers to last for several years. However, it is always advised to ensure you can easily replace the battery.
It is likely that the strimmer itself will outlast the useful life of the battery.
Which Is The Best Cordless Strimmer For You?
The five best cordless strimmers we’ve showcased today all have their merits, and we feel each could do a super job when tidying your garden. Here’s a quick recap.
First we had the Black + Decker 36 V Lithium-Ion Strimmer, a robust product from a well-known manufacturer. We like the addition of the Turbo boost power button, great when you need extra trimming power.
Alternatively, you could go for the Greenworks Tools G40LT String Trimmer, which offers the gardener power without excessive noise and annoying vibrations.
The XCEED Cordless Grass Trimmer also looks to be a good buy, with its ergonomic soft grip, telescopic handle to help you make light work of your garden.
We should also consider the WORX Cordless Grass Trimmer as a viable contended. We like the fact that this is a versatile tool that quickly and easily switches from trimmer to edger.
Finally we should also give a no to the Flymo contour cordless grass trimmer, another respected brand that boasts easily assembly and ease of use.
We don’t think you can go wrong with any of these! So, we suggest you choose the best cordless strimmers for you based upon your budget and the features you are looking for.
Enjoy working in your garden, and when you’re done put your feet up, grab a cold drink, and enjoy the fruits of your labour.
The Best Cordless Strimmers In The UK
