The Best String Trimmers of 2026

The EGO Power+ ST1511T is the pick for most yards under a third of an acre. It pairs a 15 in swath with EGO’s POWERLOAD head, which winds fresh line automatically instead of making you hand-wind a spool, and among the five trimmers here it costs the least to own over three years once you add up the purchase price and replacement line. If your lot is bigger or the growth is thicker, the RYOBI 40V HP Brushless RY402110 trades a higher price for the widest swath and the longest runtime in this group. Homeowners with a small, tidy lawn who want the lightest tool in hand should look at the STIHL FSA 57 instead, and the Greenworks Pro 80V ST80L211 and DEWALT DCST922P1 fill the middle ground with a wider swath and a folding, tool-free spool system.

Every price, spec, and recall check below was pulled from the brand’s own store or a named retailer as of September 16, 2026, not from a lab we run ourselves. See how we score for the full method: published specs, certification and recall databases, and named independent test data.

How we picked

We scored each trimmer on five weighted criteria: cutting swath and power (30%), runtime or fuel use (20%), weight and balance (15%), line feed system (15%), and 3-year cost of ownership (20%). We read the product and spec pages for the EGO ST1511T, RYOBI RY402110, Greenworks ST80L211, DEWALT DCST922P1, and STIHL FSA 57 directly, then cross-checked current prices at Ace Hardware, ToolNut, and each brand’s own store. Independent measurements came from TechGearLab’s runtime and noise testing and from Consumer Reports’ as-tested weights, both cited by name below with a link to the exact page. We queried the CPSC’s saferproducts.gov recall database for “trimmer” on September 16, 2026; none of the five picks below are on it, though a 2026 recall of USB-C-charged Kobalt yard tools shows the category isn’t immune. These picks are researched from that published data, not tested in a lab we run; see how we score for the full method.

What to look for

• Swath of at least 14 in. Go narrower than the DEWALT DCST922P1’s 14 in head and you’ll make more passes to clear the same strip of lawn.
• Line diameter of 0.080 in or thicker for tough weeds. All five trimmers here run 0.080 in or thicker line, so each holds up to woody stalks better than a thinner 0.065 in line, which snaps more often.
• A battery rated 4.0Ah or larger if your yard tops a quarter acre. RYOBI’s 6.0Ah pack is why its brand-claimed runtime, up to 67 min, leads this group.
• A line-feed system you can reload one-handed. EGO’s POWERLOAD and RYOBI’s REEL EASY+ both let you feed new line without pulling the spool apart, unlike a fully manual wind.
• Weight under 9 lb if you edge for more than 20 minutes at a stretch. Consumer Reports weighed the STIHL FSA 57 at 7.5 lb and the DEWALT DCST922P1 at 9.3 lb as tested with the battery installed, both lighter than the RYOBI’s listed 12.95 lb.
• Check the recall database before buying a used or open-box unit. Search the brand and product type at saferproducts.gov; battery yard tools with USB-C charging ports were a recurring 2026 recall category.

FAQ

What is the best string trimmer for most homeowners?

The EGO Power+ ST1511T scores highest in our weighted comparison because it combines a 15 in swath, a 7.63 lb telescopic shaft, and the lowest 3-year cost of the five trimmers here, about $289 including replacement line, against a $219 purchase price at Ace Hardware.

How long does a battery string trimmer actually run?

Brand-claimed runtimes assume continuous full-speed cutting, which is rarely how a real yard gets trimmed. TechGearLab’s independent runtime test measured the EGO 15 in POWERLOAD trimmer at 30 min of continuous cutting against EGO’s own 45-min claim, and measured the RYOBI RY402110VNM at 140 min in its mixed cutting-and-idle test against RYOBI’s 67-min continuous claim. Expect your real result to land somewhere between a brand’s continuous-use number and an independent mixed-use test, depending on how often you stop and start.

Do I need a bigger battery or a wider swath?

Swath decides how many passes you need per strip of lawn; battery capacity decides how many strips you finish before recharging. A quarter-acre lot with light weeds is usually fine on a 2.5 to 4.0Ah battery, like the EGO ST1511T’s 2.5Ah pack. A half acre or thicker growth calls for a 5.0 to 6.0Ah pack, like the ones bundled with the DEWALT DCST922P1 or RYOBI RY402110.

Does Navimow make a string trimmer?

No. Navimow’s current US lineup is robot lawn mowers, not handheld string trimmers, so it does not appear among the picks in this guide. See our Segway Navimow review if you’re shopping for a mower instead.

How much does a string trimmer cost to own over three years?

Purchase price plus replacement line makes up almost all of it, since these are battery tools with no fuel or oil to budget for. In this guide, assuming two replacement-line packs a year, 3-year totals range from about $289 for the EGO ST1511T up to about $419 for the RYOBI RY402110, which costs more to buy and uses a pricier 0.105 in line. The line-feed system changes that math more than most buyers expect: the DEWALT DCST922P1’s QuickLoad cartridge, DWO1DT995, runs about $27.17 at ToolNut versus roughly $12 to $15 for a five-pack of loose EGO or RYOBI line, so a trimmer with the cheapest sticker price is not always the cheapest to keep running. If you’re buying used or open-box, look up the exact model and serial number in the CPSC’s saferproducts.gov database first, since recalls apply by model and serial range, not by brand; none of the five trimmers in this guide are currently listed, but a July 2026 recall covering Kobalt-branded 24V and 48V yard tools with USB-C charging ports is a reminder that battery yard equipment does get recalled mid-life. Also confirm the battery and charger shown in a used listing are actually included, since several of these trimmers are sold both as a bare tool and as a kit at different prices.