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The Best 5Reviewed by Mike Hunter·July 7, 2026·checked July 3, 2026

Best String Trimmers

Top string trimmers and weed eaters for yard care reviewed and ranked.

At a glance5 products ▾
1EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56VTop Score
(3 sources)
$418Best for: Suburban homeowners with 1/4 to 1 acre who want gas-class power, hate refueling, and don't mind a heavier tool for the convenience of auto line feed.
$418 · Check Price on Amazon
2Husqvarna 525L 25.4cc Gas String Trimmer
(3 sources)
$350Best for: Landscapers, large-lot owners (1+ acre), and anyone whose weekly cut includes tall weeds, ditches, or pasture edges where battery runtime would be a constraint.
$350 · Buy at husqvarna.com
3Ryobi RY402110 40V HP Brushless 17-Inch Carbon Fiber
(3 sources)
Best for: Homeowners with half an acre to two acres who want gas-class cutting and don't already own an EGO battery platform.
Buy at homedepot.com
4Worx WG170 GT Revolution 20V 12-Inch
(3 sources)
$89.99Best for: Owners of small to mid-sized suburban lots (under 1/4 acre) with maintained grass who prize light weight and the 3-in-1 conversion over raw cutting power.
$89.99 · Check Price on Amazon
5Black+Decker GH3000 7.5-Amp Corded 14-Inch
(3 sources)
$14Best for: Small-yard owners (under 1/8 acre) within extension-cord reach of an outlet who want zero battery management, no fuel storage, and the lowest entry price into the category.
$14 · Check Price on Amazon
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The full ranking

How we rank →
EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56V
#1 · Top Score
Best for: Suburban homeowners with 1/4 to 1 acre who want gas-class power, hate refueling, and don't mind a heavier tool for the convenience of auto line feed.
EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56V
from 3 sources$418as of Jul 3
▾Why it's ranked here

The EGO Power+ ST1623T pairs a brushless 56V motor with auto-feeding Line IQ and the brand's POWERLOAD spool, so most owners go a full season without ever touching the head. Pro Tool Reviews ran it for over an hour on a single 4.0Ah pack and scored it 9.7/10. The trade-offs are a 12.6 lb working weight and a price north of $300, but for a homeowner who wants gas-class performance without the maintenance, no other cordless trimmer sweats this combination of cutting width, ergonomics, and warranty.

Strengths
  • — 16-inch swath with Line IQ auto-feed eliminates the bump-feed dance
  • — POWERLOAD spool reload takes under 30 seconds with the included pre-cut line
Watch-outs
  • — 12.6 lb working weight is on the heavy end of cordless picks
  • — Line IQ can shed string faster than it feeds when trimming hard fence lines
$418 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →vs. Husqvarna 525L 25.4cc Gas String Trimmer →
Husqvarna 525L 25.4cc Gas String Trimmer
#2
Best for: Landscapers, large-lot owners (1+ acre), and anyone whose weekly cut includes tall weeds, ditches, or pasture edges where battery runtime would be a constraint.
Husqvarna 525L 25.4cc Gas String Trimmer
from 3 sources$350as of Jul 3
▾Why it's ranked here

The Husqvarna 525L is the lightest 25cc pro-grade gas trimmer most homeowners will encounter at 9.7 lb dry, with the brand's X-Torq engine delivering 1.21 hp to an 18.1-inch cutting swath. Pro Tool Reviews scored the closely related 525LS at 8.8/10 and ranked the 525LST third overall in their gas trimmer shootout at 89 points. The recoil is the soft spot and you're still pumping mixed gas, but for landscapers and homeowners running multi-acre lots in heavy growth, this is the trimmer that earns its keep all day.

Strengths
  • — Pro-grade 25.4cc X-Torq engine produces 1.21 hp at 6,500 rpm
  • — 9.7 lb dry weight is exceptionally light for a 25cc straight-shaft
Watch-outs
  • — Pull-start recoil is the part most commonly cited as a weak point
  • — Two-stroke fuel mixing required and emissions/noise rule it out for some neighborhoods
$350 · Buy at husqvarna.comFull review →vs. EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56V →
Ryobi RY402110 40V HP Brushless 17-Inch Carbon Fiber
#3
Best for: Homeowners with half an acre to two acres who want gas-class cutting and don't already own an EGO battery platform.
Ryobi RY402110 40V HP Brushless 17-Inch Carbon Fiber
from 3 sources
▾Why it's ranked here

Ryobi's flagship 40V HP Brushless string trimmer in the Whisper Series gives you the closest cordless approximation to a 30cc gas trimmer most homeowners will find under $300. Pro Tool Reviews scored it 9.4/10 and called out over an hour of runtime on the 6.0Ah pack. The trade-off is size — at 72 inches and nearly 13 lb with battery, it's a commitment — but for buyers who want adjustable 15-to-17-inch cut width and the ability to drop in 0.105-inch line for tougher growth, the Ryobi is the sharpest mid-tier value in the cordless segment.

Strengths
  • — Brushless motor delivers gas-equivalent power roughly matching a 30cc 2-stroke
  • — Cutting width adjustable from 15 to 17 inches for fast cleanup of large lots
Watch-outs
  • — Bare tool weight is still close to 9 lb, heavier than smaller-class cordless
  • — 72-inch overall length can be unwieldy for shorter users
Buy at homedepot.comFull review →vs. EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56V →
Worx WG170 GT Revolution 20V 12-Inch
#4
Best for: Owners of small to mid-sized suburban lots (under 1/4 acre) with maintained grass who prize light weight and the 3-in-1 conversion over raw cutting power.
Worx WG170 GT Revolution 20V 12-Inch
from 3 sources$89.99as of Jun 7
▾Why it's ranked here

The Worx WG170 GT Revolution is the best value-tier cordless trimmer for owners of small flat suburban yards who care more about ease and weight than raw cutting power. At 5.5 lb with battery clipped on, it's roughly half the weight of the EGO ST1623T or Ryobi 40V picks above, and it converts in seconds to a wheeled edger or even a mini-mower. The trade-offs are real: T3 noted it chokes on anything thicker than quarter-inch growth, and the 12-inch cutting width forces more passes. For under-quarter-acre yards with maintained grass, none of that matters and the lightness and 3-in-1 flexibility win the day.

Strengths
  • — Just 5.5 lb working weight makes it the easiest pick on the wrists
  • — Three-in-one design converts between trimmer, in-line edger, and mini-mower
Watch-outs
  • — 12-inch cutting width is the narrowest of any pick here
  • — Battery life around 30-45 minutes on 4.0Ah pack falls short of larger-format competitors
$89.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →vs. EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56V →
Black+Decker GH3000 7.5-Amp Corded 14-Inch
#5
Best for: Small-yard owners (under 1/8 acre) within extension-cord reach of an outlet who want zero battery management, no fuel storage, and the lowest entry price into the category.
Black+Decker GH3000 7.5-Amp Corded 14-Inch
from 3 sources$14as of Jul 3
▾Why it's ranked here

The Black+Decker GH3000 is the steady-power, no-batteries-no-fuel pick for owners of small flat suburban lots within extension-cord reach of an outlet. Top Ten Reviews rated it 4/5 and Consumer Reports has it in their string-trimmer test program. The 7.5-amp corded motor never fades partway through a job — unlike battery picks above, which trade runtime for portability. The trade-offs are obvious: you're tethered to a cord, the line is thinner (0.080-inch), and the curved shaft loses some reach. For under $70 with no battery to charge or fuel to mix, it's the best entry point into the category.

Strengths
  • — 7.5-amp motor delivers the steadiest continuous power of any pick in this list
  • — Automatic Feed Spool (AFS) eliminates bump-feed entirely — no button to press
Watch-outs
  • — Corded operation limits range to the length of your extension cord
  • — 0.080-inch line is thinner than other picks and wears faster in hard material
$14 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →vs. EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56V →
Reviews aggregated from
Protoolreviews.comConsumerreports.orgTechgearlab.comLawngrowth.comHusqvarna.comOpereviews.comRyobitools.comGardeningproductsreview.com

Spec comparison

5 products
vs
SpecEGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56VHusqvarna 525L 25.4cc Gas String Trimmer
Power Source56V battery (4.0Ah included)Gas (2-cycle, 50:1 mix)
Cutting Width16 in18.1 in
Line Diameter0.095 in0.08 - 0.13 in
Shaft TypeTelescopic carbon fiberStraight carbon fiber
Weight12.6 lb9.7 lb
Line FeedLine IQ auto-feed + POWERLOADTap'n Go bump head
RuntimeUp to 60 min—

Frequently asked questions

What is the best string trimmer?
EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-Inch Line IQ 56V is our top pick for string trimmers, with an averaged rating of 4.7/5 from 3 published reviews. The EGO Power+ ST1623T pairs a brushless 56V motor with auto-feeding Line IQ and the brand's POWERLOAD spool, so most owners go a full season without ever touching the head. Pro Tool Reviews ran it for over an hour on a single 4.0Ah pack and scored it 9.7/10. The trade-offs are a 12.6 lb working weight and a price north of $300, but for a homeowner who wants gas-class performance without the maintenance, no other cordless trimmer sweats this combination of cutting width, ergonomics, and warranty.
Is there a cheaper alternative worth considering?
Ryobi RY402110 40V HP Brushless 17-Inch Carbon Fiber rates 4.4/5 in our analysis. Ryobi's flagship 40V HP Brushless string trimmer in the Whisper Series gives you the closest cordless approximation to a 30cc gas trimmer most homeowners will find under $300. Pro Tool Reviews scored it 9.4/10 and called out over an hour of runtime on the 6.0Ah pack. The trade-off is size — at 72 inches and nearly 13 lb with battery, it's a commitment — but for buyers who want adjustable 15-to-17-inch cut width and the ability to drop in 0.105-inch line for tougher growth, the Ryobi is the sharpest mid-tier value in the cordless segment.
How does Verdict rank these products?
Every rating on Verdict is the numerical average of scores published by independent review sites, YouTube reviewers, and Reddit buyer reports. No editor adjusts the order — the ranking is whatever the source data produces. See our methodology page for the full process.
When was this guide last updated?
This guide was last re-checked in July 2026. We re-run our research pipeline for each category on a rolling basis so prices and rankings reflect current market reality.

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