Ryobi RLT1831 vs RLT183220S

Ryobi’s 18V ONE+ range includes more than one line trimmer, and the RLT1831H25F and the RLT183220S sit close enough together that it’s easy to wonder why one costs roughly double the other. Both run the same 18V ONE+ battery platform, both are line-only, and both cut a 25-30 cm width. The real question isn’t which is more capable — neither is built for anything beyond grass and edges — it’s whether the extra spent on the RLT1831H25F buys you anything you’d actually notice.

At a glance

	Ryobi RLT1831H25F	Ryobi RLT183220S
Battery platform	18V ONE+	18V ONE+
Cutting system	Line only	Line only
Cutting width	25-30 cm	25-30 cm
Handle	Second handle for two-hand control	Single-handed design
Approx. price	Higher (≈ €200)	Lower (≈ €100)
Rating	7.5	7.3
Best for	Steadier control on longer sessions	Lightest-cost entry into ONE+ trimming
Blade option	None	None

Same motor, same platform, same limits

Strip away the branding differences and these two machines share their core: an 18V ONE+ motor, a 25-30 cm line head, and no path to fitting a metal blade on either one. If you’re weighing this comparison against a step up to something blade-capable, that’s a different conversation entirely — both the RLT1831H25F and the RLT183220S are strictly grass-and-edge tools, sized for maintained lawns rather than scrub, brambles, or anything woody. Runtime and raw cutting behaviour track closely too, since neither trimmer asks more of the 18V platform than the other. Where they genuinely part ways is in what’s bolted onto that shared core, and in what Ryobi charges for it.

The second handle: the main functional difference

The clearest practical distinction is the RLT1831H25F’s second handle, which the RLT183220S doesn’t carry in the same way. A second handle gives you a steadier two-hand grip, which matters more than it sounds like it should once you’re twenty minutes into edging a long border or working at an awkward angle — it’s easier to keep the head level and reduce arm fatigue. The RLT183220S, by contrast, leans into a lighter, more one-handed feel that suits quick, short bursts of trimming rather than extended sessions. Neither approach is wrong; it depends on how long your typical session runs and whether steadier control is worth the extra bulk on the shaft.

Price gap: is it justified?

At roughly €200 versus roughly €100, the RLT1831H25F costs close to double the RLT183220S, which is a meaningful gap for two trimmers built on the same platform with the same cutting width. Some of that difference comes down to the added handle hardware, and some likely reflects positioning — the RLT1831H25F reads as the slightly more considered, better-equipped model, while the RLT183220S is pitched as the low-cost way into ONE+ trimming. Neither price includes a battery or charger as standard in many listings, so check the specific offer carefully; that extra cost can shift the comparison more than the gap between the two tools themselves.

Rating and everyday feel

The RLT1831H25F edges ahead slightly in overall rating (7.5 versus 7.3), and that small gap lines up with the handle difference rather than any hidden gap in cutting power. In day-to-day use, expect both trimmers to behave very similarly on grass and light edges — the RLT1831H25F simply feels a touch more composed and controllable over a longer stretch of work, which is the kind of small, real-world difference that shows up in a rating without showing up on a spec sheet.

Choose the RLT1831H25F if…

• You want steadier two-hand control for longer edging or trimming sessions
• A slightly higher day-to-day rating and a touch more polish matter to you
• You don’t mind paying roughly double for the added handle
• You’re doing regular, sustained sessions rather than quick, occasional trims

Choose the RLT183220S if…

• You want the cheapest realistic entry into Ryobi’s ONE+ trimmer lineup
• Your trimming sessions are short and occasional, not long or sustained
• You’re comfortable with a lighter, more one-handed feel
• You already own ONE+ batteries and just need the least expensive bare tool

Which should you buy?

If your garden needs are light — a quick tidy of the edges every week or two — the Ryobi RLT183220S gets you into the ONE+ trimmer range for roughly half the price of its sibling, without giving up any real cutting capability. If you’re doing longer sessions, working awkward angles regularly, or you simply value the steadier grip and slightly better everyday feel, the extra spend on the RLT1831H25F’s second handle is a reasonable one. Either way, neither trimmer is the machine to reach for once brambles or woody growth creep in — that decision sits outside this comparison entirely, and calls for a blade-capable model instead.