Weed Eaters
Originally the first weed eater were domestic animals like sheep, cattle, and goats. Although there are goat rental companies that will rent out their animals, these are more popular with Corporate-owned lands, Universities, and some private landowners. In our modern era though we no longer readily use domestic animals for keeping our grassy areas neat and proper. Nowadays the terms String trimmer, Weed eater, Weedwhacker, Weedwacker, Weed whip, Line trimmer, Brushcutter, Whipper snipper, or Strimmer are used interchangeably to mean the same outdoor power equipment tool.
Regardless of what you call it, this is a very useful tool for maintaining your lawn appearance. You can use it to cut down tall weeds, reach sections of your lawn you can’t reach with a mower, and you can even attach a blade to some of them and cut thick brush and small trees.
Which weed eater is best for you? That all depends on what you want to do with it.
Battery-powered weed eaters
If you live on a small city property there are several battery-powered units that may do what you want. Suburbanites may choose from a few different options depending on their lot size or if they are choosing to be more energy and earth conscience. Greenworks, Ego, and DeWalt battery-powered weed eaters are all great choices.
For more information on battery-powered weed eaters see our comparisons article.
Electric corded weed eaters
Electric corded weed eaters admittedly aren’t as common as gas or battery-powered units they are still a viable option.
Homeowners or renters with small yards may find this type of unit more cost-effective than say a battery-powered unit. These types of weed eaters do have pros and cons. They are better for the environment than gas weed eaters. However, comparing the electricity cost to run a unit for say 1 hour could be considerably more than the cost to recharge a battery for a battery-powered unit that runs for the same time.
Another thing to mention is that it is recommended that you NOT use the unit in the rain even if it is just a light drizzle. Water and electricity don’t mix and this could result in serious injury or even death.
To learn more and see reviews and comparisons please see our Article about electric corded weed eaters
Gas-powered weed eaters
If you buy distressed properties and want to make quick work of that gnarly lawn we recommend using a straight shaft gas weed eater with a blade attachment. If you are on a larger property you might need a powerful brushcutter that can cut through thick overgrowth and small trees. If you have extensive landscaping such as flowerbeds and multiple trees you might need something that will make quick work of your weed eating For you, the best unit may be a gas-powered unit with a metal cutting blade attachment. These are good examples of where a gas-powered weed eater would work best.
We have a more in-depth article about Gas-powered weed eaters that will give you more insights and help you make a butter buying decision.
There may be brands and/or models that TekEons hasn’t reviewed yet. If you have one of those and would like to give us feedback on your experience with it please fill out the form at the bottom of the page.