Makita UR3000/2 240V Electric Linetrimmer

Product Information

An electric strimmer is a power tool used for cutting grass but is smaller and less powerful than a lawnmower, and so is better suited to trimming the edges of your lawn, or removing weeds from around garden paths. Electric strimmers are sometimes confused with cordless strimmers, as they both run off electricity, but when we refer to ‘electric strimmers’ we are specifically talking about machines that are connected to the mains by a power cord. Even after giving your overgrown lawn the good news with the latest Flymo or Bosch lawnmower, there’s still going to be those rough and weed-ridden edges to take care of, and if you have a smaller, or average-sized garden, an electric strimmer can be just the thing to sort that out and leave your lawn looking as polished as a bowling green. But looks aren’t everything, and with power tools, it’s the performance that matters most, and the Contour XL holds its own in that department too. Although the 300W motor is far from the most powerful you can find, it is enough to tidy the edges of a pre-mowed lawn. It can’t really compare to something like the Makita, and definitely isn’t anywhere near as powerful as the Bosch AFS 23-37, but it is fine for touching up smaller, well-kept lawns. I didn’t particularly get on with this model in testing – I liked a variable height more but no complaints on the power to eight ratio – I’m certainly going to have a bit of a practice with this unit in anticipation of updating this article with hopefully more positive news – the Flymo demo videos just look so promising when trimming beds and edges. The Flymo Speedi-trim electric grass strimmer weighs only 1.6 kilograms and the curved, molded handles make it very comfortable to hold. I did find that the secondary handle felt too high up for my liking when I tried to manoeuvre it around but it is so light that it won’t cause you too many problems. Corded strimmers require less organisation than battery powered or petrol powered strimmers. There’s no need to mix fuel, nor charge the battery in advance. You’ll be able to use your strimmer whenever you like.

The downside to a mains powered strimmer is that you will be limited by cord length. The maximum cord length you’ll find is around 10 m, so you’ll need an extension cable if you’ve got an awkward shaped garden or a very large lawn. The Flymo Contour XT Electric Grass Trimmer and Edger offers great value for money and has a very user-friendly design – whether you’ve had a lot of different strimmers in the past, or this is your first venture, it’s simple to use and delivers good results. It’s easy to switch between trimming and edging modes and the pivoting head allows for greater accuracy.Automatic feed’ trimmers release more line each time the machine is turned on. The line will always be sharp, but this method can lead to some waste. This is especially an issue if you are using a cordless strimmer, where the machine will be turned on and off again as you move around the garden to save battery.

Some of the best corded electric strimmers can produce similar levels of power as low-range petrol models, which is great news if you prefer electric tools. If you don’t need that much power, there are also lighter, more manageable corded strimmers available. One of the best things about this strimmer is how easy it is to use. Not only is it extremely lightweight, the semi-auto spool means there’s no need to manually adjust the spool or bump the head. The line is automatically fed at every trigger release, so there’s no stop and start. The 10 m power cable is longer than that on some corded electric strimmers, but will still require an extension, or outdoor power source, to be used in large gardens. Specification: Warranty: yes (1 year) , Motor power: 700 W , Cutting speed: 7000 rpm. , Cutting Diameter: 33 cm , Weight: 3.2 kg Makita UR3000 Electric Trimmer (best heavy duty electric strimmer plus build quality and reliability)It weighs 2.9 kg, making it the second-heaviest model featured on this list. However, the telescopic handle helps improve manageability somewhat. With this electric strimmer, Makita has hit the mark yet again. The build quality is top-notch, it performs incredibly well both as a strimmer and an edger, and the fact that a free shoulder strap is thrown in is just the icing on the cake for me. Bladed strimmers usually come with a number of spare blades included, and they can also be sourced easily online. The Bosch AFS is all about cutting power. Fitted with a meaty 950-watt electric motor that is capable of producing power equal to that of a 1.3 horsepower petrol motor. This is a phenomenal performance for an electric strimmer and will see you carving your way through your overgrown, jungle-like garden lawn like a knife through butter. Unlike petrol strimmers of similar power, the Bosch strimmer doesn’t vibrate and it runs much quieter.