Makita UR3501 vs EGO ST1300E: corded vs cordless

The Makita UR3501 and the EGO ST1300E solve the same problem — cutting grass, weeds, and light growth — from opposite directions. The Makita plugs into the wall for unlimited runtime and can take a metal blade; the EGO runs on a 56V battery for freedom of movement but is line only. Neither is the “better” machine in absolute terms — it comes down to whether your garden has power nearby, and whether you ever need to cut anything tougher than grass.

At a glance

	Makita UR3501	EGO ST1300E
Power source	Corded, 1000W mains motor	56V ARC Lithium battery
Cutting attachment	Line head or metal blade	Line only, no blade option
Cutting width	35 cm	33 cm
Runtime	Unlimited, mains-powered	Limited by battery charge
Range	Tethered to cable length	Free roaming, no cable
Battery included	Not applicable	No — sold bare, battery extra
Handle	Loop handle	Loop handle, adjustable shaft
Best suited to	Medium gardens near a socket	Lawns and edges, any layout

Corded power vs cordless freedom

This is the real fork in the road. The Makita UR3501’s 1000W motor draws from the mains, so there’s no battery to charge, no charge level to watch, and no power fade as a session goes on — you can trim for as long as you like, provided you’re within reach of an outdoor socket or extension lead. That cable is also the catch: it needs managing around trees, borders, and your own feet, and it rules the machine out entirely for gardens without easy mains access.

The EGO ST1300E removes that constraint completely. Its 56V ARC Lithium platform is one of the stronger battery systems used in cordless trimmers, and it holds cutting speed through longer grass rather than bogging down the way cheaper cordless machines do. The trade-off is runtime: once the battery is flat, you’re either swapping in a spare or waiting to recharge, and the ST1300E is sold as a bare tool, so the battery and charger are an additional cost most buyers don’t fully factor in against the headline price.

Blade capability: only one of these cuts brush

The bigger practical difference for many gardens is what each machine can actually cut. The UR3501 accepts a metal blade as well as a line head, which puts it a step above pure line trimmers — brambles and light woody stems are within its reach, even if its 1000W motor is on the modest side for that job compared with a higher-wattage corded model or a petrol brush cutter. The ST1300E, by contrast, is strictly a line trimmer with no blade attachment at all. It’s built for grass, weeds, and light overgrowth, and for anything genuinely woody or scrubby, it simply isn’t the right tool.

If your plot only ever grows grass and soft weeds, that difference won’t matter much. If brambles or saplings show up at the edges, it tips the decision firmly toward the Makita.

Noise, weight, and everyday handling

The EGO has the edge on noise and instant readiness — no fuel, no cable, and a noticeably quieter motor than either a petrol machine or, generally, a corded one under load. That makes it pleasant for regular lawn edging near a house or neighbours. The Makita starts just as instantly at the flick of a switch and needs none of the maintenance of a petrol engine, but the cable adds its own kind of hassle: repositioning the extension lead as you move around the garden, and keeping it clear of the cutting head.

Both use a loop handle rather than a bike-style handle, which gives adequate but not outstanding control on uneven ground — a minor consideration next to the bigger power-source and cutting-capability differences above.

Choose the Makita UR3501 if…

• You have an outdoor socket or extension lead within easy reach
• You want the option of fitting a metal blade for brambles or light scrub
• Unlimited runtime matters more to you than freedom from a cable
• You’d rather avoid battery costs and charge-level management entirely

Choose the EGO ST1300E if…

• Your garden has no convenient mains power point
• You only ever need to cut grass, weeds, and light overgrowth
• Freedom to roam without a cable outweighs unlimited runtime
• You’re already invested in — or willing to invest in — EGO’s 56V battery platform

Which should you buy?

If your garden is within reach of a power socket and you want the option of tackling brambles as well as grass, the Makita UR3501 is the more versatile machine, and its unlimited runtime removes battery anxiety entirely. If your plot has no easy mains access, or you simply want to roam freely without a cable trailing behind you, the EGO ST1300E is the better fit — just budget for a 56V battery and charger on top of the trimmer price, since it doesn’t include one.

Neither machine is trying to be the other. The UR3501 trades cable freedom for power and blade capability; the ST1300E trades blade capability and included battery cost for genuine cordless convenience. Match that trade-off to your garden rather than to the spec sheet, and either is a sound choice.