If you're looking for the best herbicides for the 2023 Mowing Season , you've come to the right place! Since mowing season never really ends in Florida, it's a great place to test year-round, and we're able to get our hands on the latest gas, cordless, and electric weeder models.
Before we dive into our recommendations, let's deal with some contextual business. Weed Eater is technically a brand, not a tool. The tool we are talking about is a cord cutter. Just like Kleenex is to paper towels and Sawzall is to reciprocating saws, brand names are synonymous with tool types.
Weed Eater is part of the Husqvarna Group as a brand focused on the needs of homeowners. Likewise, the focus of this article is on cord cutters specifically tailored to the needs of homeowners. If you'd also like to see what we recommend for professionals, check out the following articles:
best string trimmer
The best battery-operated cord trimmers
Table of contents
- best gas herbicide
- The best battery-operated weed killers
- Best Corded Electric Weed Mower
- best value herbicide
- Best Herbicide Brands
- More testimonials from brands we trust
- What We're Looking For: A Buying Guide
- Why You Can Trust Pro Tool Reviews
Echo SRM-225 String Trimmer
Echo's SRM-225 bridges the gap between homeowner needs and professional quality and performance. It has an easy-starting 21.2cc engine driving a 17-inch cutting belt. Thanks to the stock Speed Feed 400 heads, line changes are easy right out of the box.
The 225 has been around for a long time—more than a decade. Some features have been changed, (such as the boot system and head), but this is a field-proven model that consistently receives high praise from those who use it.
While the price tag is on the high end of the residential range, the SRM-225 does come with a 5-year consumer warranty.
Price: $229.99
The best battery-operated weed killers
EGO 56V PowerLoad Harness Trimmer with Line IQ
The cream of the crop in the battery-powered world this year is the latest model from EGO. With its best technology, it features a carbon fiber shaft, PowerLoad automatic line winding and automatic line extension with LineIQ.
As is typical with EGO cord trimmers, the 56V brushless motor cuts tall grass confidently with lower vibration levels than most competitors.
Price: Price: $219.00 bare, $299.00 with 4.0Ah battery and charger
Best Corded Electric Weed Mower
Black + Decker GH900 Thread Cutter
Black +Decker offers a wide selection of corded electric thread trimmers for you to choose from. If you're looking for a pricier and/or simpler wired option, we recommend the GH900. It's a 6.5-amp model with a 14-inch cutting band that's more powerful than many competitors. It's also a 2-in-1 model with a wheel that flips the trimmer out of the way for easier trimming work.
This model has an automatic wire feeding function. As long as there is thread on the spool, it will feed as needed without bumping your head when walking around.
Price: $99.00
best value herbicide
Skil PWRCore 40 Brushless Wire Trimmer Kit
If you're shopping on a tighter budget, there are still good quality lawnmowers to choose from, including cordless models. For a combination of performance, design, convenience, and price, we recommend the Skil PWRCore 40 15-Inch Brushless Cord Trimmer as the best value.
It has better performance than the 18V/20V Max class while keeping its weight and price in check. Plus, it adds a fast-winding Smart Lond feature for cable changes, which Skil backs with a 5-year warranty.
Price: $159.00 with 2.5Ah battery and charger
Best Herbicide Brands
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So when it's all over, what's the best herbicide brand from top to bottom? This requires some context. In our opinion, it would have to be a brand with a wide selection in both the gasoline and electoral categories, which would narrow the field considerably. While there are several premium brands, we believe Ryobi does the best job of meeting the needs of homeowners.
There are a variety of gas options and corded models to choose from. Plus, there are affordable entry-level options ranging from the 18V One+ platform to the high-end 40V HP brushless models, including our recommendation for the most powerful cordless cord trimmer.
More testimonials from brands we trust
There are plenty of really good herbicides on the market, and while there's only one that fits into each of the above categories, here are some of our other top recommendations.
Best Craftsman String Trimmer – V20 RP Brushless 13 Inch String Trimmer
Craftsman covers corded, battery and air string trimmers, giving you more than a dozen options. Among them, if you have a small yard or want a lightweight option, the V20 RP brushless model is the one for you. It's also a good value—the kit is only $149.00 and includes a 5.0Ah battery. When you consider that some of the better wired models run around $100, and then add in the cost of a premium 100-foot extension cord, wireless convenience isn't out of reach.
Price: $149.00 with 5.0Ah battery and charger
Best Greenworks Weed Eater – 60V Pro 16" Brushless Lawn Mower
Greenworks has several options for its Pro 60V series, and the ST60L04 is one of the best at the $200 price point. Its performance is characterized by confident cutting with a 0.095 inch wire and low vibration. Balancing performance with a weight of 11.2 pounds (including battery), this is a very comfortable trimmer. Plus, it includes an easy-to-load Load N' Go head, making your line changes less frustrating.
Price: $199.99 with 2.5Ah battery and charger
Best HART String Trimmer – 40V SuperCharge 15" Brushless Carbon Fiber String Trimmer
HART is taking the next step forward with a focus on performance, and if you're looking for the best that Walmart's exclusive brand has to offer, look no further than their 40V SuperCharge cord trimmer. Using a brushless motor, it was able to outperform the 25cc petrol models. It's also an accessory-ready system. Simply pick up any HART or other universal connection accessory you like and turn this cord trimmer into a lawn care multi-tool.
Price: $237.00 with 4.0Ah battery and fast charger
Best Husqvarna Weed Eater – 320iL 40V Weed Eater 16" Brushless Lawn Mower
Husqvarna has a very clean and professional side, and a good selection of homeowner models that you can get conveniently from Lowe's. Launched in 2023, the 320iL is the first battery-powered mower in Husqvarna's lineup to carry the Weed Eater brand name and is a serious contender in the residential market.
This 16-inch cord trimmer uses a 40V power supply and a brushless motor, and is lightweight at only 10.1 with a battery capacity of 4.0Ah. Combined with Husqvarna's signature low-vibration design, it's a strong candidate for the most comfortable cord trimmer to use. In addition, there is a direction switch function. This is something we see on professional models from time to time, but they usually only take a few seconds to untangle the grass that wraps around the shaft. Husqvarna specifically designed this to run full time in either direction so you can always send clippings.
Price: $169.00 bare metal, $299.00 with 4.0Ah battery and charger
Best Ridgid String Trimmer – 18V Brushless 14" String Trimmer
In 2023, Ridgid makes its first foray into lawn care with a set that's compatible with the same 18V batteries that run the beloved orange power tools. For the cord cutter, Ridgid decided to aim for a lightweight model. Including the 4.0Ah battery, it weighs less than 10 lbs. While the 14-inch maximum cutting width isn't what a professional needs, it's just what a homeowner needs.
Price: $189.00 bare metal, $249.00 with 4.0Ah battery and charger
Best Ryobi Weed Eater – 40V HP Brushless 17" Carbon Fiber Lawn Mower
Ryobi has been in the lawn care business for a long time. Recently, the battery business has made impressive advances in both design and performance. The culmination of this advancement brings together a battery and a brushless motor that outperforms the competition. You can use wire as long as 0.105" and get 17" cut strips.
Although this model is on the heavy side, its performance makes it an excellent choice for maintaining large areas or restoring overgrowth. On the other hand, its noise level doesn't seem to match its intensity. Part of Ryobi's Whisper range, this model runs 60% quieter than gasoline models.
Price: $279.00 bare, $329.00 with 6.0Ah battery and fast charger
Best Stihl Cord Trimmer – FSA 60 R 36V 14 Inch Brushless Cord Trimmer
Backed by its product quality and service dealer network, Stihl has a solid reputation for cord trimmers (and just about everything else). Moving away from its excellent Professional model, there are gasoline and battery models to choose from on the homeowner's side. In our opinion, batteries are a homeowner's choice, and the FSA 60 R is our choice.
This is a 14" brushless model that weighs less than 10 lbs (with batteries) and uses an AK battery system tailored to the needs of homeowners. There's a similar model (FSA 86 R) on AP Systems, but it's a bit more expensive and you won't need to jump on it unless you're adding other Stihl professional grade products.
Price: $219.99 bare metal, $289.99 with 3.9Ah battery
What We Look For – Buying Guide For The Best Herbicides
Gas, battery powered or wired?
The power source you choose has a major impact on several aspects of your lawn mower owning experience.
Gasoline models give you the most power (but batteries really come close). This is the best choice if you are looking for a wide cutting belt with a high wire size and are likely using a lawnmower or brushcutter blade. Keep in mind that you have to mix gas and oil, which are the noisiest options, they tend to vibrate more, and require more maintenance. High-end residential models range in price from around $100 to around $250.
Battery powered lawnmowers are now able to keep up with the performance of 25cc gas engines, and in some cases even higher. Many use medium gauge wire and a few can handle 0.105" wire. They are very convenient models to use. Just put the batteries in. One thing to keep in mind is that most batteries last 3 to 5 years, and replacing them can be expensive. They're also the most expensive, starting at over $100 and going up to $300. On the other hand, most people we know have experienced the convenience of a premium battery model with less noise, no emissions, and no gas issues, and they'll never go back.
If you're on a tight budget, a corded electric weeder is the way to go. They tend to be smaller and lighter than other products, with less power and cutting range. However, there are few maintenance concerns to worry about, and you have the same low-noise, gas-free advantages of battery-operated models. The biggest tradeoff is that you need to lug an extension cord everywhere you work. On the plus side, most wired models are under $100.
Cutting Tape and Wire Sizes
When you increase the overall power of your string trimmer, you can increase the cutting strip and wire diameter. For cutting tape, you can go as low as 12 inches or as high as 17 or 18 inches. The wider you go, the more grass you clear, making it easier to mow larger areas of overgrowth or give your mower more cushion.
Pro tip: Avoid the temptation to remove the guard for more lines. This may seem like a good idea, but it puts more stress on the engine/motor than it was designed to handle, and will shorten its overall lifespan.
Wire gauges start at 0.065" thick. We recommend at least 0.080 inches, preferably 0.095 for the best all-around cut. The 0.105" wire is great if you're removing overgrown plants, but it's overkill for regular cutting around your home. As you increase the line size, it has more mass and is able to cut through thicker, stronger grass more easily.
Pro Tip: Similar to extending the mowing belt, a load line that is thicker than the trimmer's rated load line will put extra stress on the engine/motor, hurting it in the long run.
vibration
Vibration is simple – the less herbicide, the more comfortable it is to use. Electric and battery-powered models are the best, but there can still be plenty of them. Once you use a good low vibration string trimmer, your whole perception of pruning will change.
weight and length
As with vibration, the size and weight of your cord trimmer can have a big impact on how tiring your household chores will be. The lighter the weight the better. However, be aware that the length of the trimmer is much longer or shorter than you can comfortably adjust to your height. Going too far in either direction can cause back pain.
price and value
As with most products, the overall quality and performance of herbicides generally improves with price. That said, shop around and ask questions—at almost every price point there will be one or two models that will give you a better overall experience than others.
Considering a few different ones but not sure which way to go? Leave a comment below and we'll let you know which one we recommend.
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