Worx WG163E vs WG173E

Both machines sit on Worx’s 20V PowerShare platform and both convert from trimmer to edger with a twist of the head — on paper they look almost interchangeable. The real difference is in what’s inside and what’s in the box: the Worx WG163E is built to be as light and simple as possible, while the Worx WG173E trades some of that simplicity for a more durable brushless motor and a wider cut.

At a glance

	Worx WG163E	Worx WG173E
Power	20V PowerShare, brushed motor	20V PowerShare, brushless motor
Cutting width	30 cm	33 cm (wider)
Weight	~1.5 kg (excl. battery, lightest)	~3.8 kg
Included	2 Ah battery + charger (complete pack)	Bare tool — battery sold separately
Edging function	Yes, head rotates 90°	Yes, head rotates 90°
Cuts	Grass and light growth only	Grass and light growth only
Best suited to	Small lawns, grab-and-go use	PowerShare owners wanting durability

Motor and durability: brushed vs brushless

This is the headline difference. The WG163E uses a conventional brushed motor — perfectly adequate for occasional trimming, but the internal brushes wear down over time, which shortens the motor’s working life compared with a brushless design. The WG173E’s “Nitro” brushless motor is the more future-proof choice: it runs more efficiently, generates less heat, and typically lasts much longer under regular use. If you’re trimming every week through the season rather than a handful of times a year, the brushless motor is the more durable investment.

Weight and handling

Weight is where the WG163E pulls decisively ahead. At around 1.5 kg without the battery, it’s genuinely one of the lightest cordless trimmers on the market — easy to swing one-handed for long stretches without arm fatigue, and an obvious pick for anyone who finds heavier tools tiring. The WG173E, at roughly 3.8 kg, is a noticeably more substantial tool. That extra mass isn’t wasted, though: it houses the bigger brushless motor and contributes to steadier handling at the wider 33 cm cutting width, but it does mean more effort over a long session.

Cutting width: 30 cm vs 33 cm

The gap here is smaller than the weight difference suggests — 3 cm — but it adds up over a lawn’s worth of passes. The WG173E’s wider head means fewer strokes to cover the same area, which partly offsets its extra weight when you’re judging total time and effort on a bigger garden. On a small lawn or for edging work, the WG163E’s narrower head makes little practical difference.

Pack vs bare tool: what you actually pay for

This is the detail that trips up a lot of buyers. The WG163E is sold as a complete pack — battery and charger included — so the price you see is the price you pay to get trimming. The WG173E is sold as a bare tool, which usually looks cheaper on the shelf but isn’t once you add a PowerShare battery and charger on top. If you already own Worx 20V batteries from another tool, the WG173E’s bare-tool pricing works in your favour. Starting from zero, the WG163E’s all-in pack is the more predictable purchase.

Choose the WG163E if…

• You want the lightest, easiest trimmer to handle for long sessions
• You’re starting from scratch and want a complete pack — battery and charger included
• Your lawn is small and doesn’t demand a wide cutting swath
• You trim only occasionally, so brushed-motor longevity is less of a concern

Choose the WG173E if…

• You already own Worx PowerShare batteries and can skip buying a new one
• You want a brushless motor for better long-term durability and efficiency
• You trim regularly enough that motor longevity matters
• A slightly wider 33 cm cut and extra heft don’t bother you

Which should you buy?

For most homeowners with a small lawn who just want the easiest, lightest tool to grab and go, the WG163E is the better buy — it’s a complete pack, and its featherweight build is hard to beat for casual use. If you’re already invested in the Worx PowerShare battery system, trim more regularly, or simply want the longer-term reliability of a brushless motor with a bit more cutting width, the WG173E is worth the extra weight and the cost of sourcing your own battery.

Neither machine is built for brambles or woody growth — both are line-only grass trimmers. If your ground gets tougher than that, you’ll want a proper brush cutter rather than either of these.