The best grass trimmers (line trimmers)

How we picked

This guide is deliberately narrow: every machine here is a line-only trimmer for lawns and edges, not a brush cutter that also swings a blade. That angle changes what matters. We looked for:

• Light weight and easy handling — a trimmer you can hold out at arm’s length for a full edging session without your shoulder complaining.
• A sensible cutting width for domestic lawns, not commercial acreage — most sit in the 23-33 cm range here.
• Battery platform value, where relevant — several of these are sold as bare tools, so we noted when that changes the real cost.
• Simplicity — an easy-start trigger, a straightforward line feed, and nothing that needs a mechanic to maintain.

We deliberately excluded blade-capable machines and anything aimed at scrub or brambles. If that’s your garden, see our brush cutter guides instead.

Our picks

The Einhell GE-CT 18 Li is the cheapest way into cordless trimming, provided you already own an 18V Power X-Change battery — its 24 cm head is narrow but easy to thread into tight corners. If you’d rather skip batteries altogether, the Bosch EasyGrassCut 23 is a genuinely budget corded option: unlimited runtime near a socket, though its 280W motor bogs down in anything thick or damp.

The Gardena EasyTrim 25/18V is a similarly light, no-fuss cordless trimmer, but it plugs into the 18V Power for All alliance, so it’s a smart add-on if you already own a P4A battery from Gardena, Bosch or another partner brand. The BLACK+DECKER STC1820 sits a little further up in price and shares its 18V PowerConnect battery with other B&D garden tools, making it a sensible pickup for anyone building out that ecosystem.

The Ryobi OLT1832 is our value pick for existing ONE+ owners: a 25-30 cm head and light build at a keen bare-tool price, backed by one of the largest cordless battery platforms around. Finally, the Worx WG173E stands apart with a genuinely brushless motor, unusual at its price, plus a 33 cm cutting width and the ability to convert into an edger — the most capable all-rounder of the six, if you’re happy buying into Worx PowerShare.

Which should you choose?

If you have no batteries yet and just want the cheapest way to tidy a small lawn near a socket, the Bosch EasyGrassCut 23 is the simplest choice. If you’re already invested in a battery platform, buy within it — Einhell, Gardena or Black+Decker owners will find their matching pick the best value here, and Ryobi ONE+ owners should go straight for the OLT1832.

If you’re starting a cordless platform from scratch and want the most durable, capable trimmer of the group, the Worx WG173E’s brushless motor and wider cut make it worth the extra outlay. Whichever you choose, remember these are all line-only tools: if your garden ever throws up brambles, nettles or woody growth, you’ll need a proper brush cutter, not a trimmer.