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The 10 best strimmers for a neat and tidy garden, reviewed by experts
The key to a well-cut lawn is neat edges – but they’re hard to achieve. Often, a lawn mower is too bulky and if there’s a flowerbed or rockery, you risk damaging your flowers, your lawn mower or both. The best strimmers, whether petrol, electric or cordless, make it easy.
In fact, if your garden needs serious landscaping, turn to a strimmer first. “If the grass is longer than your lawn mower can handle, the strimmer can take that down ready for you to go over it with the mower,” explains James Broadhouse, a professional groundskeeper of 12 years (known online as Jimmy The Mower). For something tougher, like a bramble patch, a powerful strimmer or brushcutter will also help.
Below we’ve reviewed this year’s best strimmers from brands including Stihl, Ryobi and Bosch. You’ll also find answers to popular questions about them. But first, here’s our top five:
The best strimmers: At a glance
How to choose the best strimmer
According to Broadhouse, the key things to look for in a strimmer are a robust build, comfortable handling and, if it’s cordless, a decent battery life.
“Most homeowners probably shouldn’t be looking at a petrol strimmer,” says Broadhouse. “A can of petrol is only really fresh for a couple of months, after which, if you haven’t used it all, it just goes to waste.” That said, heavy-duty or commercial users, will benefit from the extra power and range petrol models provide.
Broadhouse also recommends choosing a cordless strimmer over a corded one, because of the potential safety risk a trailing power cord poses.
Look for interchangeable heads for different kinds of mowing. Most strimmers will display their noise and vibration output, which can help narrow down your options. They are heavier than they look, so it’s worth visiting your local garden centre to try a few and see what feels manageable.