The Best Lightweight Weed Eater How To Tidy Your Lawn Perfectly

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Cutting weed costs us a lot of effort because weed always thrives again after a few weeks. This is especially right if you are not a muscular man who can push heavy trimmer around your vast lawn at ease.

The best lightweight weed eater must be what you are looking for because it is the ultimate solution in this case. Luckily, we have several fabulous options here. Let's check them!

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Top 3 Lightweight Weed Eaters on the Market: Comparison Chart

Editor's Choices
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX String Trimmer, 2-Speed, 12-Inch, Cordless (LST522)*
Makita XRU02Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless String Trimmer, Tool Only, (Battery Not Included)*
Best Selling
PowerSmart 20 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless String Trimmer/Edger with Easy Feed, 24 x 9 x 6 inches,...*
Price
$83.99
$159.11
Price not available
Prime
-
-
-
Dimensions
9.25 x 41.33 x 5.74 inches
5.16 x 19.13 x 13.27 inches
24.00 x 9.00 x 6.00 inches
Weight
5.7 pounds
7 pounds
8 pounds
Customer's Rating
Editor's Choices
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX String Trimmer, 2-Speed, 12-Inch, Cordless (LST522)*
Price
$83.99
Prime
-
Dimensions
9.25 x 41.33 x 5.74 inches
Weight
5.7 pounds
Customer's Rating
Makita XRU02Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless String Trimmer, Tool Only, (Battery Not Included)*
Price
$159.11
Prime
-
Dimensions
5.16 x 19.13 x 13.27 inches
Weight
7 pounds
Customer's Rating
Best Selling
PowerSmart 20 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless String Trimmer/Edger with Easy Feed, 24 x 9 x 6 inches,...*
Price
Price not available
Prime
-
Dimensions
24.00 x 9.00 x 6.00 inches
Weight
8 pounds
Customer's Rating

Best Lightweight Weed Eaters Money Can Buy: My Top 5 Favorites

BLACK+DECKER LST522 - Best overall

Black and Decker is a famous brand for making great gardening tools, and the LST522 is an exemplary product in cleaning weeds.

Manoeuvring this battery-powered model will be a breeze for even women and kids because it solely weighs 5.7 pounds and features a telescopic handle. With the 20-volt battery, it is lightweight yet not less efficient to complete the task.

Most noteworthy, the LST522 comes with a power drive transmission system that is specifically engineered to boost the torque.

Meanwhile, there are both low and high-speed settings so that users can optimize either autonomy or power of the weed eater depending on their needs.

Besides, if you need to edge grass, you will not have to waste money on buying a separate tool since this machine can also be transformed into a wheeled edger conveniently.

A piece of good news for all owners of devices that share the same convenient 20V MAX battery system is the Black and Decker LST 522 is also in this vast system.

Nonetheless, like most lightweight appliances, its operational duration is quite restricted. You can only use the weed eater for around 30 minutes per full charge.

Pros
  • Extremely versatile 
  • Automatic-Feed Spool
  • Easy to use
  • Good power
  • 12-inch cutting width
Cons
  • Short run time

Makita XRU02Z - Runner-up

At the weight of 7 pounds, although it is a bit heavier than the BLACK+DECKER LST522, the Makita XRU02Z is still an excellent choice for a lightweight weed eater.

While carrying 1.3 pounds more is unlikely to exhaust you, the high-performance motor that can reach up to 7800 revolutions per minute can save you a lot of effort when coming in contact with tough weed.

Indeed, we can push the equipment and go through the most stubborn weed smoothly. It is just like no obstacle can stop this beast.

What also impresses us is the flexibility of the Makita XRU02Z. Users can adjust the head of the weed eater up to 5 different positions and rotate it 180 degrees to convert the trimmer to an edger in seconds.

Regarding warranty, the manufacturer of Makita provides a 1-year warranty on defective parts. And if you are unsatisfied with the product's quality, you can also receive your money back within 30 days since purchase.

One important note is that this weed eater is prone to jamming, especially when trimming high weed. Therefore, you may need to cut your lawn more frequently than usual.

Pros
  • 1-year warranty
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • High-speed motor
  • Good battery and quick charge time
Cons
  • Prone to jamming

PowerSmart PS76110A - Best budget

Are you on an extremely tight budget yet still want to utilize a decent weed eater? To complete light-duty projects at half of the cost, you can purchase the PowerSmart PS76110A.

While it is twice as cheap as most models, this versatile tool can also take on the task of a professional edger, which means you can save more money than buy a separate device.

The model can run for around 30 minutes per full charge of 1 hour. We know this is nothing special, but it is sufficient for most users to get rid of weed over a small to medium-sized garden.

When fully equipped with accessories, the PowerSmart PS76110A weighs around 8 pounds. Thus, we believe that you will meet any trouble pushing it around your little lawn.

Furthermore, the robust motor offers a no-load 8200 RPM speed, allowing you to cut through weed quickly and efficiently.

However, when we inspected the components, they seemed rather flimsy, so we do not recommend using this cheap weed eater for heavy-duty tasks.

Anyway, should any parts break down, you can send the product to the manufacturer for free repair within a period of 2 years since the purchase date.

Pros
  • Automatic Feed Spool
  • Well-balanced shaft
  • Incredibly cheap
  • 2-year warranty
Cons
  • Not very durable

Worx WG163.8 - Best for warranty

Many people can trade-off a huge amount of money to buy premium products that bring them peace of mind. If you are one of them, the Worx WG163.8 is your best bet.

The reason why we say so is because Worx will give you a super-long 4-year warranty on this deluxe weed eater. 

Besides, there are some valuable attachments such as two batteries and a spacer guard in the package, and the trimmer can be turned into an edger conveniently.

In fact, if we consider the benefits it delivers and the expense to replace poor-quality models, this model's price is not too high to be unacceptable.

This is not the end yet. There are many other helpful features that you will love, such as the 90-degree pivoting head. Thanks to this flexible head, you can cut weeds on slopy areas or under and around shrubs without effort.

What may discourage some people from buying the Worx WG163.8 is that this pricey weed eater offers only a single-speed mode. As a result, you cannot choose a more suitable setting under different circumstances.

Pros
  • Quickly switch from trimmer to edger
  • Include two batteries and a spacer guard 
  • Free spools for life
  • 4-year warranty
Cons
  • Very expensive
  • Only have one speed

Greenworks G-MAX STBA40B210 - Best for power

GreenWorks STBA40B210 is not only a single weed eater but also a powerful blower. It will be a waste if we do not take advantage of the stalwart 40-Volt lithium-ion battery of this green monster.

Of course, its 40-V 2 Ah batteries will consume more energy than other weaker batteries. Nonetheless, what you get is an unstoppable blower and weed eater that can run consistently for 45 minutes.

We can compare it to gas-powered models, but the advantages are that it is much lighter, quieter, and eco-friendly, just like any battery-powered equipment.

Don't worry that the high capacity will drain out the machine's power quickly. You can totally configure this 2-in-1 appliance to balance between performance and run time.

In addition, it is not strange that a robust weed eater provides a wide cutting diameter of up to 12 inches and a line diameter of 0.065 inches. That said, you can take down a large amount of weed in your garden in a swath.

About the downside, this model has its motor mounted in the front, which will block the way when you are trying to reach weeds under bushes.

Pros
  • Can also function as a blower
  • Extended operation duration of up to 45 minutes
  • Come with interchangeable batteries
  • Multiple speed settings
  • 3-year limited warranty
Cons
  • It is tricky to reach under obstacles

A Detailed Guide for Picking the Best Lightweight Weed Eaters

1. Weight and Dimensions

best lightweight weed eater 2020

As you are looking for the best lightweight weed eater, the foremost thing you need to consider must be the weight and size of the product.

Gas-powered trimmers are always the bulkiest and heaviest, so we would not mention them here. There are some corded and battery-powered models that share the same weight and dimensions, but generally, cordless weed eaters are always the lightest.

That's why all of our five best lightweight models are battery-powered. The lightest choice you can have should have an ideal weight of around 5 pounds, and the medium range is from 6 to 8 pounds.

That's said, we do not consider 9-pound or heavier appliances as a lightweight weed eater. Only lighter models can allow you to trim the weed for 30 - 45 minutes without fatigue.

However, apart from the overall weight and size of a machine, you should also inspect the specific dimensions and weight of individual parts to make sure that the weed eater is well-balanced and ergonomically designed.


2. Trimming Capabilities

best lightweight weed eater battery

Typically, lightweight trimmers can provide a cutting width of around 9 to 16 inches, which is suitable for small and medium-sized yards. However, the most popular trimming path should be approximately 12 inches.

It goes without saying that the more cutting width you have, the faster you trim the weed. However, this also means the equipment may consume more energy.

Besides, the trimming performance of a weed eater also depends on its trimmer line size. According to our practical experience, the minimum thickness of a trimmer line should be 0.080 inches so that the device is robust enough to handle tough grass.

Yet, if there is only a soft and short weed in your lawn, a trimmer line size of 0.065 inches is quite enough for you to complete your job.


3. Shaft

best lightweight weed eater for a woman

If your lawn is completely flat and there is no hard-to-reach area, you may not have to care much about the shaft design of your weed eater. But in most cases, it is a critical factor.

Depending on your needs, let's see which of the following shaft designs would suit you most.

  • Straight shaft: This is the simplest and also the most popular shaft design that you can encounter. It enables users to cut weed under objects like fences and hedges at ease.
  • Curved shaft: This design is more appropriate if you want to move speedily and conveniently around the long hedges. Also, you can reach the fences without snapping the trimmer line.
  • Split shaft: If you want a versatile shaft to replace different tools and add attachments to the equipment, this is the ultimate option for you.
  • Telescopic shaft: As its name suggests, you can extend or retract a telescopic shaft to set the most convenient length of the shaft for different uses.

4. Running Time

best lightweight electric weed eater

Any machine must have a limit to its running time because it will either run out of energy or become overheated.

To tackle all the annoying weed on your lawn in one or two sessions without having to refill fuel, recharge the battery, or wait for the trimmer to cool down, you can estimate the amount of time you need to clean a particular area of your lawn.

For example, if you need around 25 minutes to clean half of your yard, go for weed eaters that can operate continuously for 30 to 60 minutes


5. Price

As a rule of thumb, the more you pay, the better thing you can get. The price of a standard weed eater may start from $50, so you should not buy anything that costs lower than $50, or else you will waste money for a piece of junk.

High-quality models will cost around $100, and premium ones are often about $180 - $300. Depending on your budget and requirements, let's determine a suitable price range and look for products there.

Conclusion

In our opinion, BLACK+DECKER LST522 is the best lightweight weed eater for most people.

Sale
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX String Trimmer, 2-Speed, 12-Inch, Cordless (LST522)*
  • Automatic Feed Spool (AFS) feeds edger/ trimmer line as needed - without bumping..Watt Hours:50.
  • LBXR2520 battery provides cordless grass trimmer 66% more battery capacity for longer runtime compared to LBXR20
  • 2-speed control lets you boost power or extend runtime of the lawn trimmer.
  • PowerDrive Transmission increases torque for more cutting power at the string.
  • Easily converts from trimmer to wheeled edger.

It is nearly the lightest option and offers excellent power, decent cutting width, ease of use, and extra features for anyone to complete the job effortlessly.

But you can still do some research more and find out a choice that suits you better. Just don't forget to use our buying guide!

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