EGO ST1300E vs Stihl FS 55: cordless vs petrol

The EGO ST1300E and Stihl FS 55 sit on opposite sides of the biggest decision in this category: battery or petrol. The ST1300E is a 56V cordless line trimmer built to close the power gap with petrol while staying quiet and fuss-free. The FS 55 is Stihl’s entry point into petrol brush cutting — light, dependable, and backed by a huge dealer and parts network, but tied to 2-stroke fuel and only available through a Stihl dealer. Neither is objectively “better”; they suit different buyers with different priorities around power, noise, running costs, and where they’re willing to shop.

At a glance

Attribute	EGO ST1300E	Stihl FS 55
Power source	56V ARC Lithium battery	27.2 cc 2-stroke petrol
Weight	2.7 kg without battery (EGO UK)	4.4–4.9 kg (retailers)
Cutting width	33 cm	AutoCut line head
Handle	Loop	Bike (R versions: loop)
Blade option	None — line only	Yes — FS 55 C-E supplied with a metal blade
Noise	Quiet, no exhaust fumes	Typical 2-stroke engine noise
Running cost	Electricity to recharge	Mixed fuel and oil per tank
Where to buy	EGO dealers and online	Mainly Stihl dealers
Battery/fuel included	No — sold bare	N/A (fuel bought separately)

Clear wins: the ST1300E wins on quiet operation, running cost, and online availability; the FS 55 wins on continuous-use stamina, Stihl’s dealer support network, and not depending on a battery at all.

Power and cutting performance

EGO’s 56V ARC Lithium platform is genuinely near the top of what cordless trimmers can do, and the EGO ST1300E shows it, holding cutting speed through longer grass rather than bogging down the way lower-voltage cordless trimmers often do. Stihl’s 27.2 cc engine in the Stihl FS 55 is on the modest end of Stihl’s own petrol range, but a petrol engine’s advantage has never really been peak power on light work — it’s stamina. For an hour or more of continuous cutting, or repeated restarts across a big property, the FS 55’s tank of fuel doesn’t run down the way a battery does, and topping up mid-job is a two-minute job rather than a multi-hour recharge.

Weight and handling

Both machines are on the lighter side of their respective categories. Retailers give the FS 55 4.4–4.9 kg, which is light for a petrol brush cutter. EGO UK gives the ST1300E 2.7 kg before its battery, so even with a 56V pack fitted it’s the lighter machine to carry. Neither will tire out an average user over a normal lawn-care session; the difference shows up more in engine vibration and starting effort, where the EGO’s electric motor is smoother and starts instantly at the trigger.

Noise, fumes, and running costs

This is the ST1300E’s clearest advantage. It runs far quieter than any petrol trimmer, produces no exhaust fumes, and needs no fuel mixing — just charge and go. For early morning or evening trimming in a residential area, that quietness is a real practical benefit, not just a nice-to-have. The FS 55, like all 2-stroke petrol tools, needs correctly mixed fuel and oil, produces engine noise and exhaust, and carries an ongoing fuel cost per session. Over a season, the EGO’s electricity-only running cost is lower, though it comes with the upfront cost of a 56V battery and charger that aren’t included in the box.

Blade capability and scope of work

The ST1300E is strictly line-only. The bike-handle FS 55 can run a metal blade with the guard Stihl specifies, and the FS 55 C-E comes with one in the box alongside an AutoCut head, so it handles nettles and light brambles. For dense, woody scrub, Stihl’s bigger machines are the better fit.

Where you can actually buy one

This is a practical difference that matters as much as any spec. The ST1300E is widely available through normal online retail channels, making it an easy, straightforward purchase. The FS 55, like the rest of Stihl’s petrol range, is sold mainly through authorised Stihl dealers, so you’ll usually need to visit or contact one to buy it. That’s not a downside for everyone; many buyers value having a local dealer for servicing and parts, but it does mean the FS 55 isn’t a same-day online purchase the way the ST1300E is.

Choose the EGO ST1300E if…

• You want quiet, fume-free operation for regular residential lawn care
• You’d rather charge a battery than mix and carry 2-stroke fuel
• Easy online purchasing matters more than a local dealer relationship

Choose the Stihl FS 55 if…

• You need stamina for long, continuous sessions without worrying about battery range
• You want the reassurance of Stihl’s dealer network for servicing and parts
• You’re comfortable buying through a dealer rather than online

Which should you buy?

If your priority is quiet, convenient operation for a typical garden — no fuel mixing, no fumes, and a straightforward online purchase — the ST1300E is the easier machine to live with day to day, so long as you budget for the battery and charger it doesn’t come with. If you want the long-run stamina of a petrol engine, don’t mind visiting a dealer to buy it, and value Stihl’s reputation for reliability and parts support, the FS 55 is a dependable, no-nonsense entry point into petrol brush cutting. If brambles or scrub are a regular part of the job, the Stihl — ideally the blade-equipped FS 55 C-E — is the one of these two that can handle it.

Full specifications

	EGO Power+ ST1300E	Stihl FS 55
Type	Cordless	Petrol
Engine / power	56V ARC Lithium	27.2 cc · 2-stroke
Type	Cordless line trimmer	—
Power	56V ARC Lithium, brushless	0.75 kW
Cutting width	33 cm	—
Line	2.0 mm, bump feed	—
Weight	2.7 kg without battery (EGO UK)	4.4–4.9 kg (retailers)
Cutting head	Line only, no blade option	AutoCut line head
Battery system	EGO 56V ARC Lithium (shared across EGO range)	—
Engine	—	27.2 cc, 2-stroke
Handle	—	Bike handle (R versions: loop)
Best for	Homeowners who want petrol-like cutting power in a quiet cordless trimmer for lawns and edges	Maintained lawns and light grass on small-to-medium plots, first petrol machine.
Our rating	8 / 10	7.8 / 10

Strengths and drawbacks

EGO Power+ ST1300E

• + 56V brushless motor holds speed in long grass
• + Light for its class — 2.7 kg before the battery (EGO UK)
• + Much quieter than any petrol trimmer, with no fuel or fumes
• + Shares batteries across EGO's wider 56V tool range
• − Usually sold bare — battery and charger are a separate, non-trivial cost
• − Line only, so it can't take a metal blade for brush or brambles
• − Bump feed with open-and-wind reloading, not EGO's quicker loading heads

Stihl FS 55

• + Genuine Stihl build quality at the lowest petrol price point
• + Light and easy to handle for beginners
• + Huge dealer network for parts and service
• − Not for thick brambles, even with a blade
• − No anti-vibration refinements of pricier models
• − 2-stroke means mixing fuel and oil