When you need to keep your yard clean and fresh, having a solid weed eater is essential. Through our research we’ve collected the best corded string trimmer of 2018 here so you can be confident you’ll have what you need. Corded string trimmers (also called weed eaters) have distinct advantages that we discuss below. And you can also check out our review of gas powered string trimmers here.
But first, let’s take a look at which options are best for your yard.
Table of Contents
The Best Corded String Trimmer Comparison Chart
| Timmer | Power | Editor Rating | Editor Review | Price | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Greenworks 21212 | 4 Amp |
| Review | See on Amazon | ||||||
Toro 51480 | 5 Amp |
| Review | See on Amazon | ||||||
Black & Decker GH3000 | 7.5 Amp |
| Review | See on Amazon | ||||||
Black & Decker MTE912 | 6.5 Amp |
| Review | See on Amazon |
Top Corded Weed Eater Reviews
1. Greenworks 21212 4 Amp String Trimmer (Weed Eater)
Features:
- Amazon Best Seller in String Trimmers
- 4 Amp motor
- 13 inch head space
- Adjustable shaft length
- Converts to Edger
- Dual line of 0.065″
- 4-year warranty
Pros:
- Great price
- Very lightweight (5.2 lbs)
- Ergonomic user friendly handle
Cons:
- Not built for tall people over 6’4″
- Not strong enough for toughest weeds
- Edger mode has no guide wheel
The GreenWorks 21212 4 Amp corded string trimmer is one of the most loved products of the entire Greenworks company. Don’t let the relatively cheap price fool you, this trimmer is perfect for relatively smaller yards and normal weed thickness. It’s portability and light weight makes makes it very easy to use and provides access to areas that larger trimmers cannot reach. The well balanced design coupled with the powerful four amp motor makes it one of the best trimmers for small and medium sized yards. Though the trimmer struggles with tougher weeds, it’s ideal for thick grasses and weeds.
The affordability of the product is a probably the most attractive feature of GreenWorks 21212, it is the best in the price range. It’s durable and comes with a solid 4-year warranty.
Another great feature of the Greenworks trimmer that makes it popular is the rotatable shaft which can convert the weed eater into a lawn edger. So for the price, you’re technically getting two tools for the cheap price of one. All you do is rotate the shaft at the black coupling to transform it. Then push down the metal guard to protect the strings from hitting the ground. The missing guide wheel is a slight downside here because it would make the process even smoother. But the Greenworks is so lightweight that it’s not a terrible miss.
Combine all that with the automatic dual line feed and you’re setting up a solid product for most homeowners. The line is a common 0.065 inches which you can find at most hardware stores. You can even find it here on Amazon.
A large head size of thirteen inches makes the dual strings very powerful. The adjustable telescopic shaft allows an user to set the trimmer according to any height needed. However, the shaft extends up to a foot which is not enough for a person above 6’4″. This may be a downside depending on how tall you are.
Check out the Greenworks 21212 here on Amazon.
2. Toro 51480 Corded 5 Amp 14-inch Weed Eater
Features:
- Over 1,000 reviews on Amazon
- 5 Amp motor
- 14 inch head space
- Adjustable shaft length
- Converts to Edger
- Dual line of 0.065″
- 2-year warranty
Pros:
- Affordable price
- Lightweight at 7.5 lbs
- Has guide wheel on Edger conversion
Cons:
- More expensive than Greenworks
- Tough operation of auto-feed string feature
- Not strong enough for thick weeds
Though this string trimmer cannot be considered the most powerful trimmer in the product range the Toro’s five amp motor gives it enough power to free your lawn of most weeds and give it a good trim. The Toro 51480 weighs just under seven and a half pounds which makes it extremely easy to use and the fourteen inches head space gets the job done. In terms of value, this Toro model is definitely in consideration for best electric weed wacker.
This Toro comes with a small cord and has its areas of advantages and difficulties. It offers a considerable amount of power (25% more than the Greenworks), and it is built for normal trimming or edging tasks of your average garden. It can handle all the tall grass or thick weeds with no issues. The single speed trigger is sufficient and the machine triggers on with no issues.
The Toro electric trimmer and edger is flexible and simple to deal with. It has a lot of energy to take care of business, drawing on 5 amps from an outlet. Its flexible head is a pleasant element, making it an adaptable device that can cut weeds and trim the yard with equivalent effectiveness.
Once again, we see a dual line auto-feed string for this weed wacker. Remember, you can find spools of this at nearly every hardware store around so nothing to worry about in replacements.
The Toro 51480 is designed with an edger adjustment too – it utilizes a basic touch and turn procedure so that you can switch between trimming and edging in almost no time. A solid addition to the Toro is the little inherent wheel as it spares the user from carrying whole weight of the machine while trimming the yard. Remember, this was a con for the Greenworks trimmer that the Toro trimmer solves.
Unfortunately, it’s more expensive than the Greenworks weed eater. Overall, it’s still a really competitive price, but if you’re on a tight budget, this may not be your trimmer. And if you need a higher powered trimmer to tackle big thick weeds, this isn’t the right option either. Lastly, several people commented on the difficulty with the auto-feed string feature. It requires the user to stop rotating the trimmer and then squeeze the handle which has given some people trouble.
Check out the Toro 51480 string trimmer here on Amazon.
3. Black & Decker GH3000 7.5 Amp Weed Eater
Features:
- Over 200 Amazon reviews
- 7.5 Amp motor
- 14 inch head space
- Converts to Edger
- Dual line of 0.08″
- 2-year warranty
Pros:
- Powerful electric trimmer
- Quite operation
- Limited vibration
- Long adjustable shaft
Cons:
- Doesn’t convert to edger
- Requires extension cord
The Black and Decker GH3000 7.5 Amp 14-inch trimmer and edger is a helpful electric string trimmer that you can use in your yard. It can go up against the toughest weeds, grass and other unwanted roots in your yard easily.
The B&D trimmer is just under 7 pounds in weight. The handle is a D-circle choice with a trigger handle on the back to help you move it around easily. The handle is smooth and easy to hold despite having no cushion whatsoever. A non cushioned handle is fine for this application since it’s not intended for long sessions.
The vibrations in the product is much less when compared to other electric weed eater or a gas controlled weed eater. Likewise, it doesn’t produce a lot of noise and it won’t produce any toxic fumes. The trimmer can get warm though when you use it for long but not to the point where it will destroy and debilitate the motor. This trimmer is extremely simple to start up, a user can easily do it with a straightforward switch. It’s a corded unit also so no need for charging a battery. This limits your mobility a little, but guarantees proper power the entire time you use it. Black and Decker offers a two-year guarantee on this item.
Check out the Black & Decker GH3000 here on Amazon.
4. Black & Decker MTE912 Corded 3-in-1 Trimmer/Edger/Mower
Features:
- 3 Tools in 1 (String trimmer / Edger / Mower)
- 6.5 AMP motor
- 12-inch trimmer head
- Auto-feed string adjustment system
- 2 adjustable mower deck heights for any lawn
- Can work effectively on yards up to 1,200 sq.ft.
- String line is 0.065″
Pros:
- Most versatile tool on market
- Small footprint for reaching hard places
- Easily store it
- Quick connections between tools
Cons:
- Not traditional mower so cannot handle big jobs
- Small head size of 12 inches
- Has difficulty with thicker grass and weeds
If you want the ultimate in versatility and storage ability, the Black & Decker MTE is your best bet. It’s the first of it’s kind in a 3-in-1 compact multi-tool combining the traditional string trimmer with an edger and also a mower. Although it doesn’t excel in any one area, it’s the ability to adjust on the fly that makes this model such a unique purchase.
This MTE model has a decent sized head of 12 inches which should allow it to handle most normal to small size weeds and grass cutting. It’s not the biggest around, but it will do the job just fine. Combine that with a very solid 6.5 AMP motor and you’ve got a winning formula. That motor size is the second largest on our list and definitely in the upper percentile of trimmers around.
Let’s talk about what really separates this trimmer… the mower. With a simple foot pedal, you can adjust this trimmer to become a mower and vice versa. The operation stays the same, just pull the trigger. It’s the perfect solution for small yards with tricky landscape because it is a small and lightweight frame that can be pushed anywhere there’s power. Although the mower isn’t the best quality on the block, it’s still good enough to give a solid cut and make the yard look good.
The biggest strength is also it’s biggest weakness though. Since this MTE model isn’t focused on one specific task, it doesn’t do any of them extremely well. It does all of them pretty well. So if you need a high quality trimmer to handle your yard or a great mower to tackle thick grass, this isn’t your solution. If you own a big yard, this isn’t your solution. But if you’ve got a smaller yard that you just want a simple cut and trim on every once in a while, this is the perfect solution for you.
Check out the Black & Decker MTE912 here on Amazon.
What Are The Benefits of Corded String Trimmers?
Corded string trimmers bring a great list of positive features to the table. First, they’re environmentally friendly. They run on electricity so no gas or fumes here. It’s pretty simple to operate also. Just plug it in and pull the trigger. No need to add gas, check the filter, toggle switches, etc.
Corded trimmers also bring consistent power. The biggest challenge with cordless string trimmers is they can die in the middle of a job and you have to wait for the recharge. Corded trimmers have no recharge time since they’re always connected to the outlet. So you can go as far as your extension cords can take you.
Lastly, this is a benefit of both corded and cordless trimmers and that is quieter operation. Gas engines always run much louder than electric motors. Ever heard a Tesla motor stop at a light and notice just how quiet it is? Yeah, that’s an electric motor versus a gas engine. So if you want a peaceful operation where ear plugs aren’t required, get an electric trimmer with either a cord or battery.
And The Drawbacks?
Corded string trimmers come with a lot of benefits, but we can’t overlook the drawbacks. First thing is obvious: portability. With a corded electric sttring trimmer, you’re always limited by the cord. If you have a normal or smaller yard, this shouldn’t be an issue. You pick up a simple 100 foot extension cord and you’re good to go. But large yards won’t be a good fit for a corded trimmer.
Another drawback is the limited power of a corded trimmer. It’s no secret that gas powered trimmers are much more powerful. So if you have extremely overgrown lawn and weeds, an electric trimmer might not be powerful enough to handle this. Take a look around and see how bad your lawn is. If it’s more of a farm-land, consider a gas trimmer instead.
The last major drawback also deals with the cord. It can be a nuisance in some situations. You have to keep the cord near you to actually work, but not too close so you don’t accidentally clip it. When you get comfortable using a corded trimmer, this will be less of a problem. But there’s definitely a learning curve.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
So we’re wrapped up here with our best corded string trimmer in 2018. Hope you enjoyed the list. Feel free to leave a comment or let us know your thoughts. Do you have another recommendation we should consider? Or do you like one of the trimmers we picked here? We love personal stories of success or failure so let us know!
