10 Best Cordless Edgers 2024 in the US

If you have a lawn or garden, you’re already aware that it’s demanding work to keep it looking neat. You have to keep grass from intruding into where people walk and if you have trees or flowerbeds, you want the areas around them to have a nice, sculpted look. An edger is a tool designed to make gardening maintenance easier. It cuts the grass along a straight line, to give a perfect boundary between where the grass should and shouldn’t grow.We’ll see that a battery-powered edger has advantages that can’t be matched by the alternatives!

What is a Battery Powered Edger?

A battery-powered edger functions much the same as a lawn trimmer. But, instead of a string or blade rotating horizontally and cutting your lawn down to size, an edger cuts vertically.

It will cut away grass and weeds along an edge, leaving a perfect, landscaped look. Edgers are available in gas-powered, electric-powered, and even manual versions.

A battery-powered edger is the most convenient version available. You just have to charge up its battery, and you’re good to go for around 20-30 minutes of work, enough to take care of those occasional touch-ups to your lawn or garden.

And, since you may need a cordless edger around flowers or other delicate plants that you won’t want to damage, edger trimmers will be equipped with special guards that maintain a constant distance. These guards will also protect the edger from getting damaged on rocks or lawn furniture.

After having sifted through reviews of some of the best edgers on the market, we’ll step you through some of the best options among battery-powered edgers, as well as the most popular related options. Together with our list of the Top 10 Cordless Edgers, you should be able to select one that suits you and your lawn.

What are the Types of Edgers?

Let’s quickly survey all of the options on the market for lawn edgers, so that you can make an informed decision whether a battery-powered edger is right for you:

Gas-powered edgers:

These offer more power than electric trimmers, and you’re not dependent on a battery being charged up, or an electric cord long enough to reach an outlet.

If it runs on a two-stroke engine, it will require you to mix oil into the gasoline, in order to lubricate the engine properly during operation. (If your gas-powered edger has a four-stroke engine, you put oil in the crankcase, separate from the gasoline.)

It can be a push-from-behind unit, like the Yard Force 4-cycle cutter, or a hand-held unit, such as the Echo PE-225 Edger.

Yard Force Gas Powered 4-Cycle with 9” cutter, 79 cc engine

Echo PE-225 Gas-Powered Edger

Corded Electric:

You can find electric edgers that are connected to wall current by means of a power cord. An example is the Black & Decker BESTA512CM Electric Lawn Mower. You hook up an extension cord that’s as long as you require, and you’re all set!

Black & Decker BESTA512CM Electric Lawn Mower

Cordless Electric (Battery Powered) Edgers:

Battery powered edgers typically have two rechargeable batteries. Each battery will give you 20-30 minutes of work. While you’re using one, you can charge up the other inside your house. You can then switch off, if you have a big job that requires more than 30 minutes to complete.

A cordless model will typically be much quieter and lighter than the other alternatives. give you the convenience of not having to mix oil and fuel, or worry about fuel levels.

There’s no power cord to limit where you can take this. An example is the Worx WG170 GT Revolution Grass Trimmer/Edger/Mini-Mower.

WORX WG170 GT Revolution 20V 12 Inch Grass Trimmer/Edger/Mini-Mower

Manual Edgers:

There are also manual edgers, which cut the grass in a straight line to a certain depth. There are rotary lawn edgers, such as the Truper 32100 Tru Tough Lawn Edger. You walk along the edge, and a blade rotates and cuts the grass and weeds in a perfect line.

Truper 32100 Tru Tough Lawn Edger

Another alternative is a flat, spade shovel-like steel edger, which you drive into the ground with your foot, by applying your body’s weight.

It requires more effort than the gas or electric edgers, but it’s a good, cheap alternative for small jobs. One example is the Fiskars 38.5” Steel Edger.

Fiskars 38.5” Steel Edger

How to Choose a Battery Powered Edger?

There are certain features and specs that are common to all cordless edgers, as well as some advantages that make certain brands stand out. Let’s have a look at some of the most important ones.

Cutting Edge

An edger’s cutting diameter will be how far the device cuts. In a string trimmer/edger, the trimmer releases cutting line to a certain length, which could be 10”, 12”, or even 14” in length.

In these string trimmers, the line tends to break over use. When it does, you either have to “bump” the device on the ground to release more, or press a release button.

Another design uses a blade, or set of blades, such as the Tianmiaotian Cordless Weed Trimmer and Edger. It has a triangular stainless steel blade that can be used for cutting brush and pruning, a saw blade for cutting thick shrubbery, and a PVC blade for weed cutting and lawn mowing.

Tianmiaotian Cordless Weed Trimmer and Edger

Battery Life and Charging Time

Most battery-powered tools nowadays use Lithium-ion batteries. They’re the best and most reliable in terms of charging time, how much work you can get out of them, and the number of charging cycles that the battery can go through before it goes “kaput”.

Some edgers that we reviewed, such as the Maxlander or Worx trimmer/edger, provide you with two Li-ion batteries, with each taking around 1 hour to charge up, and giving you somewhere between 20-30 minutes of work.

Other brands, such as the Paxcess Weed Whacker and Edger require 80 minutes of charging time, and deliver 15-20 minutes of work. The Black & Decker LST400 has two modes: a high-power mode for tough jobs, and a moderate-power mode, for extended run time of up to 1 hour!

Wheels

The wheel on the edger allows you to conduct the edger on a walkway or sidewalk, while the edger cuts the invading grass. The best edgers use a rubberized wheel, such as the Paxcess Cordless String Trimmer & Edger. It uses a rubberized wheel to support and guide the edger, as you move it to cut in a straight line.

Wheel on the Paxcess Cordless String Trimmer & Edger

Versatility

You’ll undoubtedly want an edger that performs other functions as well. That makes sense economically: why spend money on two implements, if you can get a weed wacker that also functions as an edger?

Furthermore, having one multifunction implement will save space in your garage or shed. You can find edgers that also serve as trimmers, such as the Maxlander String Trimmer/Edger.

Maxlander String Trimmer/Edger

Then there are also 3-in-1 devices, that are edgers, trimmers, and can even be used as a lawn mower. An example is the Worx WG170 GT Revolution.

With the wheel in one position, it functions as a string trimmer or edger. In another position, it keeps the string at a constant distance above the ground. You can then proceed to use it to mow a small yard.

The Worx WG170 GT Revolution in mini-mower position

The Worx WG170 GT Revolution in Edger Position

Budget

You can purchase a good battery-powered edger and string trimmer for around $110-$130. The Worx 12” WG163 GT PowerShare is a 3-in-1 device, being a trimmer, edger, and mini-mower all in one, for only $113!

Some cost a bit more, such as the Maxlander 10” trimmer, which goes for around $130, but they also provide 6 extra spools of string, which should last you for a good amount of time.

Not sure which battery powered edger is right for you? Check out our list of the Top 10 Cordless Edgers, to see which are the most popular, and which ones customers rate as the best quality.

What are the Benefits of a Battery Powered Edger?

Let’s look at some benefits of cordless edgers--how well they get the job done, how easy they are to use, and how they can benefit the rest of your garden.

Performance and Ease of Use

With a battery-powered edger, you don’t have to worry about being connected with a cord to an outlet. And you also don’t have to worry about tripping over the cord either.

Many of them have a pivoting head, so that you can do trimming at different angles--even if the ground you’re working on is not level.

For example the Greenworks 40V 13” Cordless String Trimmer/Edger (Model 21302) can pivot between one of 3 positions, and rotate 90 degrees as well, to adapt to all kinds of landscapes.

Benefits to the Rest of the Garden

Most edgers have a wire spacer, as you can see in the Greenworks Trimmer/Edger.

Greenworks Trimmer/Edger, operating in Trimmer mode

The purpose of this spacer is twofold:

• It keeps you from bringing the edger too close to hard objects, like lawn furniture, or a stone, which could potentially damage the device.

• Also, it helps maintain a distance from flowers and other plants that you don’t want to damage.

Low Maintenance

Gas-powered edgers will require you to fill the tank with gas, and either put oil in the crankcase, or in the gasoline itself. A battery-powered edger spares you all that--just keep your batteries properly charged, and operation should be foolproof.

Eco-Friendly

Another great thing about a battery-powered edger is that, unlike a gasoline-powered device, it doesn’t give off any noxious exhaust fumes.

When you eventually have to dispose of an old lithium battery that doesn’t charge up any more, it contains fewer toxic metals than other rechargeable batteries, like Ni-Cd.

Keep Flowers Beds Healthy

By regularly using an edger around flowerbeds, you don’t only get the aesthetic benefit of a properly-kept lawn. The edger will remove any excess growth of grass or weeds, which compete with your flowers for nutrients in the soil.

Also, a trimmer and edger will provide mulch from the grass cuttings, which will also provide nutrients for flowers

Safety

Most edgers have a special guard that you attach, to prevent you from coming in contact with the rotating string that does the cutting. The guard also keeps debris from flying off while cutting.

For example, in the Greenworks String Trimmer/Edger, it’s a black plastic shield that you attach to the user’s side of the device.

Greenworks String Trimmer/Edger Plastic Shield

However, it’s best to take the following precautions:

• Clothing: It’s recommended that you cover your legs with pants, and protect your feet by wearing closed shoes--not sneakers or sandals. Avoid any long, loose clothing, out of a concern that it will get caught in the motor.

• Eye protection: Wear eye protection, so as to prevent any unforeseen accident if some debris suddenly flies off from the trimmer.

• Ear protection: Also, even though battery-powered edgers tend to be quieter than gas-powered devices, you should still wear earplugs, especially if you use the edger for a long period of time.

What are the Drawbacks of a Battery Powered Edger?

Less power:

Perhaps earlier models of battery powered trimmers and edgers couldn’t deliver the same power as a gas or corded model. But present models have a transmission that conveys power from the motor to the rotating string, allowing it to get the job done.

Replacing string:

In string edgers, the string tends to break over time. Depending on the model, it may be difficult to untangle the string, or to replace it.

Some models have a “bump feed” that requires that you tap the cutting head on the ground to release more string. That might be a bit of a hassle, since some users express frustration with this mechanism.

The repeated bumping might damage the edger over time. The preferred mechanism is an automatic feed, where you just press a button and the device lets out more string. The Worx GT Revolution Cordless String Trimmer has an automatic release, which lets out more string by pushing a button in the handle.

Replacement Spools:

As you use up more string over time, you’ll have to get a replacement spool. Most brands offer replacement spools of string, and some even have a compartment on the edger to hold the spare spools.

One useful hack is that you can buy a replacement line separately, as long as it’s the same diameter as your present line. You can then fill up the spool that came with the edger with the replacement line. That way, you can rest assured that you will always have a supply of line on hand.

Wrap Up

As you can see, a battery-powered edger is a wise investment, especially if you can find a suitable edger that also serves as a trimmer and mini-mower. It will help you maintain a beautifully-landscaped lawn or garden, and can exhibit power and run time that is comparable to more expensive gasoline- or electric-powered devices.

To find the best edger for you check out the above list of the 10 most popular cordless edgers. They’ll be able to provide you with years of faithful service!