Edger vs String Trimmer: Do You Need Both?

Choose a string trimmer if:

• You own only one handheld lawn tool; every lawn needs trimming around obstacles.
• Your lawn meets beds, fences, trees and walls more than pavement.
• You deal with weeds along ditches, fence rows or rough ground.
• An edge that is neat but not razor sharp is fine for you.

Add an edger if:

• You have long sidewalks, curbs or a corner lot.
• Warm-season grasses like bermuda or St. Augustine creep over pavement between mowings.
• You want a crisp, deep line that lasts weeks instead of days.
• You are tired of burning through trimmer line on concrete.

Yes, and plenty of homeowners never own anything else. Rotate the trimmer so the head spins vertically, keep the line just off the pavement and walk slowly. The drawbacks are real: the line wears quickly against concrete, the edge is harder to keep straight, the trimmer throws grit and it only trims grass rather than cutting a channel into soil, so creeping grass returns sooner.

If you edge every week or two, a dedicated edger saves line and time. A wheeled edger like the CRAFTSMAN V20 7.5 in, which CRAFTSMAN rates at 1,000 ft of edging per charge, is light and inexpensive. Line math for trimmers is on the string trimmer line size chart.

A string trimmer and a weed wacker are the same tool. "Weed eater" and "weed whacker" are common nicknames, and Weed Eater is also a brand name that became generic. Line trimmer, strimmer and whipper snipper all mean the same thing too.

A brush cutter is different. It uses a metal blade instead of line, a straight shaft, a handlebar and usually a harness, and it is built for brambles, thick woody weeds and small saplings that shred nylon line. Some straight-shaft trimmers accept a blade kit, but only with the guard and handle the manufacturer approves; never put a blade on a trimmer whose manual does not allow it. If your problem is heavy brush, compare dedicated brush cutters or a commercial trimmer like the ECHO SRM-2620T, and read straight vs curved shaft trimmers.

A stick edger looks like a trimmer with a blade at the end; you carry it and steer by eye. The Husqvarna 525ECS is a professional stick edger that crews use weekly. It is fast once you have the knack, but uneven lines are common for occasional users. A walk-behind edger rolls on wheels, which makes straight lines easier and allows deeper cuts. The Earthquake 41273 ($465.99) has a 79cc four-cycle engine, 10 depth settings to 2.5 in and a blade that pivots for beveled bed edges, and it can cut shallow trenches. Battery wheeled edgers like the Greenworks 40V sit in between and suit most suburban lots.

A trimmer's running cost is line: a 414 ft spool of Oregon Gatorline .080 lists at $22.99, and a 200 ft spool of MaxPower .095 at $12.10, which MaxPower says is about 10 refills. Edging with a trimmer on concrete multiplies line use. An edger needs an occasional replacement blade and, for gas models, oil and fuel. Battery tools add the eventual cost of a replacement pack, which is the argument for putting both on one platform, such as the EGO Multi-Head kit.