If you rent or own a home with a yard, you’re familiar with the lawncare demands that come with the glorious warm weather. For some of us, those chores begin and end with a quick mow every week or two. But for others, a well-manicured lawn is a point of pride, and there will be some extra steps involved. How do you get those clean fence lines and crisp sidewalk edges? A string trimmer, of course!
These tools are pretty great. If you’ve ever used one in the past, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about. They’re really easy to maintain and pretty affordable, and they can make your outdoor chores a whole lot easier. They can easily trim grass along fences and around obstacles (all the places a mower can’t get to), and they can be used as edgers, too.
If you’re in need of a replacement string trimmer, or you’re ready to step up your lawn care game with a new tool, we’d be more than happy to help you find the right one. String trimmers will vary in price, power type, weight, cutting width, and more. It can get overwhelming, and that’s why we’re here to help.
This comprehensive guide will investigate the best string trimmers in Canada in 2024 and outline the criteria you should consider while making your purchase decision. Let’s dive right into our top five products.
The Ego Power+ ST1511T 15-Inch Cordless String Trimmer became a quick favourite for us, and we bet you’ll feel the same way. With a 15-inch cutting width and a very powerful motor, this option will make quick work of all of your trimming and edging tasks. Its Powerload technology makes it really easy to feed out more line with the push of a button, too. Yay for limited downtime.
Speaking of downtime, the battery life on this trimmer is exceptional. Truly. The battery can run for 45 minutes at a time, and it only needs 50 minutes to fully charge again. That’s unheard of. Since this option has two speed settings instead of one (also unheard of!), you’ll be able to conserve the power for when you need it most.
We have almost nothing negative to say about this one, and that makes us really happy. We do want to warn you that the price tag is pretty high, and it won’t be worth it for everybody. We get that. This trimmer is also several pounds heavier than the average string trimmer, and if you have a lot of trimming and edging to do, you’ll start to feel it pretty quickly.
Reviewers have a really high opinion of the Ego Power+ ST1511T 15-Inch Cordless String Trimmer. The battery life is great, and they love how quickly it charges—minimal downtime is the way to go. The telescopic handle is really helpful, and the dual-speed design was a selling point for a lot of them. The power of this trimmer means they don’t have to spend as much time on yard work. And they’re grateful.
Weight: 10.3 lbs
Colour: Black, grey, and green
Handle Length: 65” to 72”
Power Type: Battery
Cutting Width: 15”
Feed System: Command
Warranty: 3 years for battery/charger, 5 years for tool
Pros:
45-minute runtime far exceeds the battery life of other string trimmers
Battery only needs 50 minutes to charge
Has two speed settings to suit different grass densities/lengths
Simple push of a button feeds out more line with the Powerload technology
Cons:
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 3/5
Quality: 5/5
All in all, the Ego Power+ ST1511T 15-Inch Cordless String Trimmer is one of the best trimmers of all time, and it’s certainly the best battery-powered option right now. If you’ve got the extra money to spend, you’ll love everything about this one. Except maybe the weight.
There are lots of features working for the Black+Decker GH3000 High-Performance Electric String Trimmer. A 7500 RPM motor is one of its main claims to fame—it does a great of cutting through long grass and weeds on the first try. The curved telescopic handle is also a lot more ergonomic, and more comfortable for shorter people.
This trimmer is meant to be used for both trimming and edging, and there’s a quick-release latch that makes it easy to rotate the shaft to swap modes anytime you need to. If you’ll be edging a lot, you’ll love the wheeled edge guide the most. Not only does it help support the trimmer, but it makes your edging a whole lot faster too.
There’s one thing we aren’t too happy about needing to share with you. This tool vibrates a lot near the trigger, and it’s enough to actually make your hand tingly if you use it long enough. You can wear a glove to reduce that sensation, but we really don’t think that should be necessary. Another warning we want to give is for taller people—this one might not extend enough to be usable without bending over a bit.
Reviewers have a lot of great things to say about the Black+Decker GH3000 High-Performance Electric String Trimmer. Since the telescopic handle has a curve to it, it’s a lot more comfortable for shorter people to use. And the wheel is a major help when edging along driveways and sidewalks. The only notable complaint is the amount of vibration around the trigger, but a work glove helps them with that.
Weight: 6.9 lbs
Colour: Orange
Power Type: Corded
Cutting Width: 14”
Feed System: Automatic
Warranty: 2 years
Pros:
Quick latch release makes it easy to switch from trimming to edging
Wheeled edge guide makes edging easier and faster
7500 RPM motor makes quick work of long grass and weeds
Curved telescopic handle is more ergonomic
Cons:
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
All in all, we can’t recommend the Black+Decker GH3000 High-Performance Electric String Trimmer enough. Aside from some excessive vibrations, there’s nothing wrong with it. And it’s got a great list of beneficial features that more than make up for a little discomfort.
The Black+Decker LST201-CA MAX Cordless String Trimmer/Edger is our favourite battery-powered option for people shopping on a budget. With a rotating shaft, it quickly converts from a trimmer to an edger and back again. And with its metal edge guide, you won’t have to work so hard to keep your lines straight. Thank goodness.
We also really like that it has a charge indicator light—there’s nothing worse than a battery dying unexpectedly, right? It has an adjustable handle length too, so it’ll adapt to everyone’s height with no problems. Your back will thank you for choosing this one. And so will your bank account. Lots of things to love.
We have a decent list of things to dislike about this option, too, but none of them are dealbreakers. For us, at least. A small cutting width, limited battery life, and a lack of adjustability with the front handle are a few of the more minor issues we have with this one.
Our main problem is with the cutting performance—with long grass/weeds, it tends to bend them instead of cutting them. You’ll need to keep up with the growth in order for this option to be consistently effective.
Reviewers have mixed feelings about the Black+Decker LST201-CA MAX Cordless String Trimmer/Edger. They love how light it is, and they appreciate the small touches like the charge indicator light, the adjustable handle, and the metal edge guide. However, it doesn’t get through longer grass/weeds very well (it bends it instead of cutting) and the battery life could be better.
Weight: 6.2 lbs
Colour: Orange
Power Type: Battery
Cutting Width: 10”
Feed System: Automatic
Pros:
Has a metal edge guide to keep your lines straight
Charge indicator lets you know when the battery is running low
Has an adjustable handle length for improved comfort
Shaft rotates to quickly convert from trimming to edging and vice versa
Cons:
Cutting width is pretty small
Front handle position is not adjustable
Doesn’t get through long grass/weeds very well
Battery life isn’t great
Performance: 4/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Overall, the Black+Decker LST201-CA MAX Cordless String Trimmer/Edger is the best choice if battery power and affordability are your two main priorities. It has its flaws, but it also has a bunch of useful features to make your trimming and edging chores feel less like chores.
The Black+Decker BESTA510-CA String Trimmer & Edger is our top recommendation for folks who are looking for quality on a budget. Its powerful motor does a great job cutting through thick grass and tough weeds, and with an automatic spool feed system, you won’t ever need to think about the string while you’re trimming. Power loss won’t be an issue either thanks to the cord retention system.
One of the things we like most about this trimmer is the wheel that’s attached to the front guide. When you’re edging, this wheel lets you roll along quickly without worrying so much about the depth of the string and keeping an even line. Hallelujah. We also like that the main handle length and the front handle position are both adjustable. Comfort is key, after all.
Aside from the obvious drawback of a corded trimmer (managing an extension cord), there are only two things we want to warn you about before you choose this option. The first thing is the weight—it can start to feel heavy if you use it for long enough, and that’s not ideal. At all. And despite the telescopic handle, some people still find it too short to be comfortable.
Reviewers are really happy with the quality of the Black+Decker BESTA510-CA String Trimmer & Edger for the price. A couple of people still had to bend over even with the handle fully extended, and some found it a bit heavy after 10 minutes or so, but those are really the only complaints. They’re happy with its performance on grass and weeds, and the auto-feed system is super convenient.
Weight: 6.6 lbs
Colour: Orange
Power Type: Corded
Cutting Width: 14”
Feed System: Automatic
Warranty: 2 years
Pros:
Automatic line feeding lets you work without interruptions
Has a wheel to keep your lines straight while edging
Main handle is telescopic, and front handle is adjustable
Cord retention system prevents the cord from disconnecting accidentally
Cons:
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Overall, the Black+Decker BESTA510-CA String Trimmer & Edger is a really great choice if you want unlimited power on a budget. You will have to micromanage an extension cord, but this thing can cut through even the most stubborn weeds and thickest sections of grass. It’s adjustable, too.
There are a lot of things to like about the Worx WG163 GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Trimmer/Edger. Since it’s cordless, you won’t have the hassle of managing a power cord while you trim or edge your lawn, and you get two batteries instead of just one! Talk about a great deal. The 12-inch cutting width is perfectly suited to every grass/weed type, and it helps you get the job done quickly.
The adjustability of this trimmer is really something to admire. With a telescopic main handle, everybody will be able to use the trimmer comfortably, without stooping over. The front handle can be adjusted to seven different spots for ergonomic arm and wrist positions, too. We also love the command feed system—just press a button to extend your trimming line. No stops and starts!
There’s only one thing we aren’t super happy about with this one, and that’s the battery life. Each battery will only last for 20 minutes before needing a charge, and a charge takes five hours. Not great. But at least you get two batteries, so you can swap them out to get the job done in one go. Just make sure you remember to charge them later!
Reviewers are quite happy with the Worx WG163 GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Trimmer/Edger. Although the twenty-minute battery life isn’t enough for everybody to get through their entire yard, the extra battery does a lot to help out with that. They’re all really happy with the adjustability of this trimmer, and it’s really effective on all types of grass and weeds.
Weight: 6 lbs
Colour: Black and orange
Power Type: Battery
Cutting Width: 12”
Feed System: Command
Warranty: 3 years
Pros:
Trimming head can tilt 90 degrees to swap between edging and trimming
Telescopic handle can adjust to various user heights and front handle can be set to seven different positions
Has a push-button line feed system
Comes with two batteries (only one is needed at a time)
Cons:
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
All in all, the Worx WG163 GT 3.0 Cordless Grass Trimmer/Edger is a really great option that we feel comfortable recommending to everybody. It’s lightweight and really easy to use, and it’s reasonably priced, too. We don’t love the runtime-to-charge-time ratio, but you can’t have it all.
Almost every string trimmer on the market can be purchased for less than $500, and most people will be able to find a great option for less than $200. In general, more expensive string trimmers will run on batteries, will have a wider cutting width, and will be more powerful than their same-power counterparts.
The cutting width of a string trimmer affects how much grass you can cut through at a time. If you have a lot of obstacles and fence lines, a larger cutting width will help you get through the chores faster. We recommend a cutting width of at least 12 inches for the average property.
A string trimmer can run on gas, a battery, or a corded connection to an outlet. Gas power gives the most power, but also comes with maintenance and fuel costs. Cordless electric models are the most convenient, but they also have limited runtimes and a higher price tag in general. Corded models have unlimited runtimes and are affordable, but they also have the limitation (and hassle) of a power cord.
String trimmers generally weigh around 6-7 pounds, but some can weigh more than 10 pounds. They start to feel heavy pretty quickly, so if you have a large property or limited endurance, a string trimmer under 7 pounds is a good idea.
Almost every string trimmer with have a telescoping handle, but the exact length range will vary. You’ll want to check that the trimmer you have your eye on will be comfortable to use when you’re standing up straight.
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes. The products in this list are ranked by independent third parties. Rankings are based on both reviews and independent testing.
