DeWalt DCM561PBS vs Makita DUR190LZX3
Two bare 18V brushless trimmers with one big difference: only the Makita runs plastic blades or a 230 mm metal blade as well as line.
In short:The DeWalt DCM561PBS is an 18V XR brushless line trimmer with a 33 cm cut, 2 mm twisted line, bump feed, variable speed and a hi/lo switch; Amazon gives a 3.6 kg item weight. The Makita DUR190LZX3 is an 18V LXT brushless loop-handle trimmer that cuts 300 mm with line, 255 mm with plastic blades or 230 mm with a metal blade, with three speeds, ADT and a reverse switch, at 2.7–3.0 kg with battery. Both are bare tools.
Both of these are compact 18V cordless trimmers rather than full-size brush cutters, and on paper they look similar: brushless motors, speed control, bare-tool sales. The real difference only shows up once you look at what each cutting head can actually take. The DeWalt DCM561PBS (sometimes listed as the DCMAST561) is a line-only trimmer built for tidy lawn edges and borders. The Makita DUR190LZX3 shares the same 18V footprint but adds something the DeWalt doesn’t offer at all: a multi-purpose head that also accepts a metal blade, stepping it just past grass into light scrub territory.
At a glance
| DeWalt DCM561PBS | Makita DUR190LZX3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Power system | 18V XR, brushless | 18V LXT, brushless |
| Cutting attachment | Line only (2 mm twisted, bump feed) | Line, plastic blades or metal blade |
| Cutting width | 33 cm | 30 cm line / 25.5 cm plastic / 23 cm metal |
| Speed control | Variable trigger + hi/lo | 3 speeds, ADT, reverse switch |
| Weight | 3.6 kg (Amazon item weight) | 2.7–3.0 kg with battery (Makita UK) |
| Handle | Overmoulded grip | Loop handle |
| Best suited to | Lawn edges, borders, tidy grass | Grass and light scrub, occasional woody stems |
| Supplied | Bare tool — battery/charger extra | Bare tool — battery/charger extra |
| Battery platform | DeWalt 18V XR | Makita 18V LXT |
Line only vs blade-capable: the key difference
This is really the whole comparison in one line. The DCM561PBS is built exclusively around nylon line, and DeWalt hasn’t given it any way to accept a metal blade — it’s a grass-and-weeds tool, full stop, however well the brushless motor and trade-grade build hold up. The DUR190LZX3 takes the same broad 18V category and pushes it slightly further: its head is designed to swap between line, a plastic cutter and a metal blade, which means it can shave through light brambles or tougher weed stems that would simply overwhelm a line head. Neither machine is a substitute for a proper brush cutter on genuinely woody or overgrown ground, but if there’s any chance you’ll meet something a line head can’t handle, only the Makita gives you an answer to that on this pair.
Cutting width and everyday handling
The DeWalt’s 33 cm cutting width is a little wider than the Makita’s 30 cm with line, which makes the DCM561PBS slightly quicker for covering a plain, open lawn edge — fewer passes for the same strip of grass. The Makita’s narrower head is partly the trade-off for its blade capability; a wider blade-capable deck at this weight and price point isn’t really on offer here. In practice, if your priority is simply mowing down grass along a straight edge as fast as possible, the DeWalt’s width works in its favour. If you’re weaving around borders, raised beds or the odd clump of tougher growth, the Makita’s flexibility to switch cutting tool matters more than a few extra centimetres of width.
Weight and everyday comfort
Both machines sit in the same general weight class for 18V trimmers. The DUR190LZX3, at 2.7–3.0 kg with its battery fitted according to Makita UK, is genuinely light for a tool that can also carry a metal blade. Amazon gives the DCM561PBS an item weight of 3.6 kg, and its variable trigger and hi/lo switch make it easy to match power to the grass. Neither tool gives the other a decisive edge on comfort; the real question is what each one can do once it’s in your hands, not how it feels to carry.
Battery platform: 18V XR vs 18V LXT
Both trimmers are commonly sold bare, so the tool price alone doesn’t tell you the full cost. The DCM561PBS draws on DeWalt’s 18V XR system, a battery platform that also covers a wide range of DeWalt’s other cordless tools, from drills to other garden equipment. The DUR190LZX3 sits on Makita’s 18V LXT platform, one of the largest cordless ecosystems in the trade and DIY market. Neither battery is interchangeable with the other tool, so if you already own one of these platforms, that ownership will usually settle the decision for you long before capability or cutting width comes into it. Starting from zero on either platform means budgeting for a battery and charger on top of the tool price.
Choose the DeWalt DCM561PBS if…
- You only ever need to cut grass and light weeds, never brambles or woody stems
- You already own DeWalt 18V XR batteries and want to add a trimmer to that kit
- A wider 33 cm cutting width for faster lawn-edge passes matters more than blade flexibility
- You want a straightforward, single-purpose line trimmer with no extra features to think about
Choose the Makita DUR190LZX3 if…
- You want the option to fit a metal blade for occasional brambles or tougher stems
- You already own (or plan to buy into) Makita’s 18V LXT battery platform
- Versatility across line, plastic cutter and blade matters more than outright cutting width
- You’d rather have one 18V tool that can flex between grass and light scrub than two separate machines
Which should you buy?
If your garden is genuinely just grass, edges and borders with nothing woodier ever showing up, the DeWalt DCM561PBS does that job well, and its wider 33 cm head means fewer passes along a straight edge. But if there’s any realistic chance of brambles, tough weed stems or light scrub creeping into the picture, the Makita DUR190LZX3 is the more flexible tool by a clear margin — the ability to fit a metal blade is a capability the DeWalt simply doesn’t have, and it’s not something you can add later.
As with most cordless comparisons, existing batteries should carry real weight in the decision. If you’re already on DeWalt 18V XR or Makita 18V LXT, that alone may settle it before capability or cutting width even come into the conversation. Starting from scratch, weigh the cost of a battery and charger into whichever platform you choose, since neither trimmer includes one as standard.
Full specifications
| DeWalt DCM561PBS | Makita DUR190LZX3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Cordless | Cordless |
| Engine / power | 18V XR Brushless | 18V LXT · Brushless |
| Type | Cordless line trimmer (line only) | — |
| Power system | 18V XR brushless | — |
| Cutting width | 33 cm | 23 cm metal / 25.5 cm plastic / 30 cm line |
| Line | 2 mm twisted, bump feed | — |
| Speed | Variable trigger + hi/lo, 6,000 rpm (listing) | — |
| Weight | 3.6 kg (Amazon.co.uk item weight) | 2.7–3.0 kg with battery (Makita UK) |
| Supplied | Bare tool (no battery or charger) | Nylon head, plastic blades, guard (no battery) |
| Power | — | 18V LXT, brushless |
| Speeds | — | 3,500 / 5,100 / 6,000 rpm |
| Handle | — | Loop |
| Best for | DeWalt 18V XR battery owners wanting a dependable cordless trimmer for lawn edges and borders | LXT owners wanting a light, flexible 18V machine that can run a blade for light scrub. |
| Our rating | 7.9 / 10 | 7.9 / 10 |
Strengths and drawbacks
DeWalt DCM561PBS
- + Brushless motor, variable-speed trigger and a hi/lo switch to balance power and runtime
- + Shares batteries with the wider DeWalt 18V XR range
- + 2 mm twisted line for thicker grass
- + Overmoulded, contoured grip for long sessions
- + No fuel, mixing or fumes
- − Line only; it cannot take a metal blade
- − Sold as a bare tool — battery and charger cost extra
- − Bump feed rather than automatic
- − Runtime depends on the XR battery you fit
Makita DUR190LZX3
- + Accepts a metal blade — light scrub capable
- + Light single-battery 18V design
- + ADT, three speeds, electric brake and reverse switch
- − Sold bare — battery and charger extra
- − 18V ceiling for heavy work
- − Total cost adds up from scratch
Frequently asked questions
Which of these can take a metal blade?
Only the Makita DUR190LZX3: Makita gives cutting diameters of 300 mm with the nylon head, 255 mm with plastic blades and 230 mm with a metal blade, and its guard covers all three. The DeWalt DCM561PBS is designed for nylon line only.
Which is better for a DeWalt or Makita battery owner?
That depends entirely on which batteries you already own. The DCM561PBS runs on DeWalt's 18V XR platform, while the DUR190LZX3 runs on Makita's 18V LXT platform. Neither battery fits the other tool, so existing kit is usually the deciding factor.
Do either of these come with a battery and charger included?
Typically not. Both are very often sold as bare tools, so factor in the cost of an 18V battery and charger on whichever platform you choose before comparing the headline tool prices.
Which is the lighter, easier tool to swing around?
Makita UK gives the DUR190LZX3 2.7–3.0 kg with battery. Amazon gives the DeWalt DCM561PBS an item weight of 3.6 kg. Both are comfortable 18V weights; the Makita's blade versatility matters more than the small difference.