How to Select a Weedeater

The right unit meets all your requirements of capability, weight and longevity.

The largest, most powerful weedeaters or trimmers are not always the ideal unit for your needs. A large price tag or a popular name brand does not always equate to the best unit for your yard. Choosing the right unit requires looking at several different factors, types of weedeaters and their various capabilities. The process starts with walking around your yard and ends at the hardware store where you select your specific unit.

Instructions

1. Walk around the yard inspecting the areas that require a weedeater. Make note of obstacles, such as wood or stone fences, metal obstructions or hard-to-reach areas. Identify the distance from the nearest exterior outlet and the overall area of the yard.

2. At the hardware store, lift and hold several different models to get a feel for the weight. Focus on electrical units if the area that will be edged with the weedeater is small and within 20 to 50 feet of an exterior outlet. Focus on gas-powered trimmers if the area is large or with a substantial number of obstacles.

3. Read the size of the thread used on each type of weedeater. Minimal obstacles in the yard equate to a limited need for a large thread. Stone, metal or wood obstructions that will damage the plastic line of the weedeater require a thicker thread.

4. Choose a unit that fits your needs.

Tips & Warnings

• Curved shafts are excellent options for yards that do not require edging, which is the removal of grass in a groove along an edge, such as a sidewalk or driveway. Straight shafts allow for the unit to twist to edge the grass or sit level with the ground to trim the grass along fence lines or walls. Choose a unit with a higher horsepower if your yard suffers long or thick weeds or requires a lot of brush cutting.

References

• Weed-Eaters.net: Learning Center