Best String Trimmers 2026: Top Picks for Clean Edging

A string trimmer is the tool that makes a yard look finished. Mowing cuts the grass; trimming is what gives you those crisp edges along the sidewalk, the clean lines around the fence posts, and the tidy border where the lawn meets the flower beds. Skip it and the whole yard looks half-done.

We spent a full growing season testing trimmers from EGO, Milwaukee, DeWalt, Husqvarna, Ryobi, and Stihl — edging sidewalks, chewing through overgrown fence lines, and clearing brushy corners — to find the best string trimmer 2026 has to offer. Six made the list, covering battery and gas, budget and pro.

What to Look for in a String Trimmer

Trimmers look simple, but the differences between a good one and a frustrating one show up in the first ten minutes of use.

Cutting width tells you how much grass each pass clears. Most trimmers cut 14 to 17 inches. Wider is faster on open ground but harder to control around delicate plants; narrower is more precise for detailed edging work.

Line feed system is the feature you’ll interact with most. Bump-feed heads release line when you tap the head on the ground — simple and reliable. Automatic-feed heads advance line on their own, which sounds great but wastes line on some models. EGO’s POWERLOAD system winds new line at the push of a button, which solves the single most annoying trimmer chore: hand-winding a spool.

Power and voltage determine what the trimmer can actually cut. For weekly lawn edging, 18V/20V is fine. For thick weeds, brush, and overgrown areas, you want 40V and up in battery tools, or a 25cc+ gas engine. Buy for the worst thing you’ll cut, not the average thing.

• Shaft type: Straight shafts reach under fences and into ditches better; curved shafts are lighter and more comfortable for shorter users.
• Weight and balance: You’ll hold this at arm’s length for an hour. A pound of difference matters enormously. Shoulder straps help on bigger models.
• Attachment capability: Some trimmers accept edger, hedge trimmer, and brush cutter attachments — one power head, many tools.
• Line diameter: Thicker line (0.095 inch) cuts tougher weeds but drains batteries faster. Most good trimmers handle 0.080 to 0.095 inch.

Best String Trimmers 2026: Our Quick Picks

• Best overall: EGO ST1623T POWERLOAD — the easiest line changes in the business
• Best attachment system: Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2825-20ST Quik-Lok — one motor, many tools
• Most powerful battery: DeWalt DCMST972X1 60V MAX — for the nastiest overgrowth
• Best gas: Husqvarna 128LD — 28cc of two-stroke grunt with a detachable shaft
• Best value: Ryobi 40V RY40290 Expand-It — big performance, small price
• Easiest for beginners: Stihl FSA 57 — light, quiet, and dead simple

Full Reviews: The Best String Trimmers of 2026

1. EGO ST1623T POWERLOAD — Best Overall

The ST1623T wins on the strength of one feature that sounds minor until you’ve fought with a trimmer spool at dusk: POWERLOAD. Thread the line through the head, press a button, and the trimmer winds it for you. It takes seconds. Anyone who has ever hand-wound line onto a spool — knuckles scraped, line tangled, patience gone — will understand why this alone is worth the price of admission.

Beyond the head, it’s a genuinely strong trimmer. The 56V brushless motor drives a 16-inch cutting swath through thick grass without bogging, and the telescoping shaft plus adjustable handle mean it fits users from 5’2″ to 6’4″ comfortably. The variable-speed trigger gives you finesse around flower beds and full power for the fence line. Line IQ technology — which automatically feeds line to maintain the cutting swath — works well enough that you stop thinking about line entirely, which is the whole point.

• 56V brushless motor, 16-inch cutting swath
• POWERLOAD head winds line at the push of a button
• Telescoping shaft, variable-speed trigger

2. Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2825-20ST Quik-Lok — Best Attachment System

The Quik-Lok system is Milwaukee’s answer to the garage full of single-purpose yard tools. The 2825 power head accepts trimmer, edger, hedge trimmer, pole saw, and brush cutter attachments — each swapping in seconds with no tools. If you’re already invested in M18 batteries for your power tools, this is the most economical way to cover every yard task with one motor.

As a trimmer, the included string trimmer attachment cuts a 14 to 16-inch swath (adjustable) and the M18 FUEL brushless motor has genuine torque — it chewed through waist-high weeds in our testing without the line-welding slowdown cheaper trimmers suffer. The two-speed selector lets you drop to low for delicate edging and runtime, or high for clearing. The attachment ecosystem is the real story: buy the power head once, add a $100-150 attachment instead of a whole new tool each time.

• M18 FUEL brushless power head, 14-16 inch adjustable swath
• Accepts edger, hedge trimmer, pole saw, and brush cutter attachments
• Two-speed selector for runtime vs. power

3. DeWalt DCMST972X1 60V MAX — Most Powerful Battery Trimmer

When the property has been neglected and the weeds are winning, reach for the 60V DeWalt. This is the most powerful battery trimmer on this list by a clear margin — the 60V MAX brushless motor and 17-inch cutting swath handle brush and saplings that stall lesser trimmers. It cuts like a gas trimmer without the gas trimmer’s noise, fumes, or pull cord.

The trade-off is weight. With the big 60V battery installed, this is a substantial tool, and you’ll want the included shoulder strap for anything beyond quick touch-ups. But the power delivery is smooth and relentless, and the variable-speed trigger plus hi/lo switch give you control when you need it. For large properties, rural lots, and anyone clearing serious overgrowth, the extra voltage is worth carrying.

• 60V MAX brushless motor, 17-inch cutting swath
• Handles brush and thick overgrowth gas-trimmer style
• Shoulder strap included, hi/lo speed switch

4. Husqvarna 128LD — Best Gas Trimmer

Gas trimmers still have a place, and the 128LD is the best argument for it. The 28cc two-stroke engine delivers the kind of sustained high-RPM power that battery trimmers approximate but don’t quite match for all-day clearing work. It’ll run as long as you have fuel mixed, which matters on big rural properties far from a charger.

The detachable shaft is the standout feature — it splits in two for transport and accepts Husqvarna’s trimmer attachments (edger, hedge trimmer, blower, and more). Smart Start technology makes the pull cord genuinely easy; two or three pulls cold, one pull warm. The 17-inch cutting width is generous, and at under 11 pounds it’s manageable for extended sessions. Yes, you’ll mix fuel and do seasonal maintenance. In exchange you get unlimited runtime and proven durability.

• 28cc two-stroke engine, 17-inch cutting width
• Detachable shaft accepts multiple attachments
• Smart Start for easy pull-starts

5. Ryobi 40V RY40290 Expand-It — Best Value

The Ryobi 40V Expand-It trimmer is the budget pick that doesn’t feel like a compromise. The 15-inch cutting swath and brushless motor handle normal weekly trimming and edging with ease, and the Expand-It shaft accepts Ryobi’s attachment lineup — edger, hedge trimmer, blower, and pole saw — so it grows with your needs.

What you give up versus the premium models: the line feed is a standard bump head (fine, just manual), the trigger has less finesse, and the overall feel is a step down from EGO or Milwaukee. What you get: a capable trimmer plus battery and charger for roughly half the price of the big names. For a typical suburban yard, the cutting performance is honestly indistinguishable from trimmers costing twice as much. The battery yard tools in Ryobi’s 40V line share batteries, so it’s an affordable ecosystem to buy into.

• 40V brushless motor, 15-inch cutting swath
• Expand-It attachment capable (edger, hedge trimmer, more)
• Kit includes battery and charger at a budget price

6. Stihl FSA 57 — Easiest for Beginners

Not everyone wants a project. The Stihl FSA 57 is the trimmer for people who want to unbox it, charge it, and trim — no learning curve, no fuss. At just over 7 pounds with the AK 20 battery, it’s the lightest full-size trimmer on this list, and the balance is excellent. Your arms won’t hate you after edging the whole yard.

The 11-inch cutting swath is narrower than the others here, which is actually an advantage for beginners: it’s easier to control around flower beds, trees, and delicate landscaping. The variable-speed trigger is smooth and predictable, and Stihl’s build quality means it’ll still be running years from now. Power is modest — this isn’t the tool for clearing brush — but for maintaining an already-tidy yard, it’s the most pleasant trimmer to use on this list.

• 36V (AK system), 11-inch cutting swath
• Just over 7 lbs with battery — lightest full-size pick
• Variable-speed trigger, Stihl durability

Gas vs Battery Trimmers: The Honest Breakdown

The battery-vs-gas debate is mostly settled for typical homeowners: battery wins. Modern 40V+ trimmers match small gas engines for cutting power, start instantly, run quieter, need no fuel mixing, and emit nothing. For weekly maintenance trimming on a suburban lot, there’s no good reason to buy gas anymore.

Gas still earns its keep in two situations: very large or rural properties where runtime matters more than convenience, and heavy clearing work (brush, saplings, ditch banks) where sustained full-throttle power and quick refueling beat battery swaps. Commercial crews also still lean gas for all-day reliability, though that’s shifting fast.

One practical note: whatever you buy, wear eye protection and long pants. Trimmers throw debris at surprising speed — pebbles, sticks, and chunks of mulch become projectiles. The OSHA lawn maintenance guidance covers the basics, and it’s worth the two-minute read before your first session. For more on building out your yard toolkit, see our guide to the best lawn mowers of 2026.

Getting More Life From Your Trimmer

A few habits will keep any trimmer on this list running well for years. Store batteries at room temperature and avoid leaving them on the charger for weeks — lithium packs last longest stored around half charge. Clean grass clippings out of the trimmer head after each use; packed debris is the number-one cause of line-feed problems. On gas models, run the carburetor dry or add fuel stabilizer before winter storage, and replace the air filter yearly. Finally, buy line in bulk spools rather than pre-wound cartridges — it’s dramatically cheaper per foot, and with a POWERLOAD-style head, winding takes seconds anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size string trimmer line should I use?

For weekly lawn trimming, 0.080-inch line is the sweet spot — it cuts cleanly and sips battery. For thick weeds and overgrowth, step up to 0.095-inch line. Thicker line cuts tougher material but drains batteries faster and puts more load on the motor. Always check your trimmer’s rated line range before going thicker.

How do I edge a sidewalk with a string trimmer?

Rotate the trimmer head 90 degrees so the line spins vertically, then walk slowly along the edge letting the line cut a clean line between grass and concrete. Keep the head level and move at a steady pace — rushing creates a wavy edge. Dedicated edger attachments (available for the Milwaukee and Husqvarna picks above) give even cleaner results with a metal blade.

Bump feed vs automatic feed — which is better?

Bump feed is more reliable: you tap the head on the ground to advance line, so you control when it feeds. Automatic feed advances line on its own, which is convenient but can waste line by feeding when it isn’t needed. EGO’s POWERLOAD system is the best of both — push-button winding with no manual spool work.

Can a string trimmer cut brush?

Light brush and thick weeds, yes — especially with 0.095-inch line and a powerful trimmer like the DeWalt 60V. For woody brush and saplings, swap to a brush cutter blade (available as attachments for several models here). Never use string line on anything woody enough to snap the line back at you — switch to a blade.