When you have a large yard full of fast-growing grass, a weed-eater becomes one of your most essential tools. Of course, there is a need to choose your weed-eater carefully. This article is intended to help you do that.
Right away, we should tell you to avoid the cheapest models, as these will usually break before long. It’s cheaper to buy one high-end weed-eater than it is to buy two or three low-quality weed-eaters. With that in mind, let’s look at our picks for the top five best lightweight weed eaters of 2020.
Top Lightweight String Trimmers
Best Overall
Key Features
This one is probably the best overall. Not only does it offer high quality, but also a reasonable price. This makes it an extremely cost-effective choice.
It has a powerful battery that provides about 33% more running time than the average weed-eater. At the same time, this battery is small and light, adding very little to the overall weight of the machine.
This one also doubles as an edger, and the conversion is extremely quick and convenient. The battery is interchangeable with many other Black & Decker cordless tools, so it shouldn’t be hard to find some extra batteries.
Premium Pick
Key Features
Makita is known for high-quality tools, and this one is no exception. This one is designed for maximum comfort, which is good for a lightweight weed-eater.
If you weren’t concerned with the comfort factor, you would probably be looking at full-size weed-eaters instead. At the same time, this powerful tool can whack the largest of weeds and edge without any conversion step, making it one of the most versatile weed-eaters on our list.
Budget Pick
Key Features
This is a truly unique model that serves many functions at once. This fact alone is reason enough to consider buying it, as it will certainly be cheaper than buying a weed-eater, mower, and edger separately.
You can use it like a normal weed-eater, or you can turn it to the other side and use the wheeled leg on its bottom as a guide. This effectively turns it into a mini-mower, but you can also turn the whole head to the side so that it can be used as a wheeled edger.
Key Features
This is the smallest and lightest weed-eater on our list, making it a perfect choice for those who need a lightweight tool. Like most other battery-powered Black & Decker weed-eaters, this one uses the 20V MAX battery. As we described earlier, this battery has many advantages. Overall, this one provides a great mix of value and comfort.
Key Features
This is another great model of weed-eater from Black & Decker, and it doubles as a wheeled edger. The wheel is located on the top, which keeps it conveniently out of the way during normal use.
This one gives you precise control over how much power the machine is using, making it easy to get the most out of your battery. This one offers power, long battery life, versatility, and many other perks.
What to Look for in a Lightweight String Trimmer
When buying a lightweight weed-eater, there are several things to remember.
First, you want to make sure that you don’t accidentally buy a gas-powered model. Because they have to include a gas tank, these will always be heavier than their electric counterparts.
Apart from that, you should make sure to get a battery-powered model instead of a weed-eater that plugs into an extension cord.
Otherwise, you will be sacrificing range and freedom of movement for only a little less cost and weight.
You should always make sure the product has some kind of warranty. If not, you should probably steer clear. Any company that won’t stand behind their work is not worth your time.
With a machine like this, you want to look at two components above all: The motor and the battery. These are the two most important working parts, so make sure they are high-quality. 20V batteries are probably the best you will find, so try to stay around that range.
You can get an idea of how strong the motor is by looking at the RPM numbers, which should be on the package. If not, get online and look up the manual for the product, where you will certainly find the information you need.
Conclusion
A lightweight weed-eater can be a great friend when it’s time for that summer yard maintenance. Even if you are strong and healthy enough to lug around heavy yard tools, why would you want to do so? Tools like these offer the same functionality with a lot less strain on your body and a lot less fatigue.
That brings us to our recommendation. While all the weed-eaters on our list are very nice, our first choice is probably the best. It offers all the advantages that you would expect from a more expensive model, but its price is much lower than average. Anytime we see a bargain that good, we have to put in a good recommendation.