Updated in 2024 to the latest and greatest choices
Garden power tools vary a lot in price. From tens to hundreds of pounds, there are so many options it can be difficult to know where to start.
If your budget is quite tight this year (you’re not alone here!) and you need a new strimmer then you’ll be pleased to hear that there are some great budget options available and most of these are less than £50!
I’ve done my homework and have found five great options that all cost less than £50 (some less than £25!) that will neaten up your garden this summer without any hassle. Alongside the top five, I’ve included some more options that are also worth considering.
All this and there’s a handy buying guide as well as some FAQs to help answer any questions you may have. If you like the look of any of these models click on the “Price & Reviews” button to check current prices on Amazon. You can also buy many of these at Argos, Screwfix, or B&Q.
Top 5 Best Budget Strimmers Under £50
- Top Choice – Bosch Home and Garden ART24 Electric Grass Trimmer
- Runner Up – GC-ET 4530 Set, Electric Lawn Trimmer
- Best Corded Electric – Flymo Speedi-Trim Electric Grass Trimmer
- Best Battery Powered – VonHaus Cordless Grass Trimmer
- Budget Option – Ryobi RLT2925 290W 25cm Grass Trimmer
1. Top Choice – Bosch Home and Garden ART24 Electric Grass Trimmer
Brand: Bosch
Type: Corded Electric
Power: 400 Watts
Cutting Width: 24cm
Weight: 2.6kg
For a low price, stealing the top spot we have Bosch with this electric corded grass trimmer. It’s a line feed trimmer with a semi-auto feed spool so you just need to use the trigger to dispense more lines.
This is the first strimmer I ever bought the first time I had a house and a lawn to deal with, hooked it up to the power cable, and off I went, perfectly neatening up the edges of my garden and up against the neighbor’s fence.
It’s lightweight, well-balanced, and the 400-watt motor is perfect for strimming the lawn edges after you finish with the lawnmower.
It’s super easy to set up, you simply click the two ends of the pole together, attach the line guard and you’re good to go.
This strimmer won’t cope well with very long grass and it’s not designed for thick weeds. It’s a lightweight tool that’s easy to use and will neaten the edges of a small garden very effectively.
2. Runner Up – GC-ET 4530 Set, Electric Lawn Trimmer
Brand: Einhell
Type: Corded Electric
Power: 450 Watts
Cutting Width: 30cm
Weight: 2.6kg
Next up we have Einhell with a slightly more heavy-duty option but still keeping under that £50 budget. It packs a bit more punch thanks to the 450-watt motor and twin-line cutting power. You’ll get neat edges every time with this model thanks to the edge roller and the adjustable motor head. It can move by 180 degrees to get around corners with ease and can tidy up flower beds with no problem.
It comes with a secondary adjustable handle that is ergonomic to use and gives you good control of the cutting swathe. The pole is a telescopic shaft so you can set it to the height that best suits you. No more backache after gardening!
It has a plant protector to help keep your flowerbeds and vegetable patches looking neat. This garden strimmer is very user-friendly and does a great job of tidying up your lawn.
3. Best Corded Electric – Flymo Speedi-Trim Electric Grass Trimmer
Brand: Flymo
Type: Corded Electric
Power: 300 Watts
Cutting Width: 25cm
Weight: 1.6kg
Now that the top two have had their say, this Flymo has come in third for the best-corded trimmer on a budget. The strimmer line is on an auto-feed system so this adds a lot to the ease of use. It has a comfortable grip handle and a second fixed handle for full control of the cutting head.
The 12-meter power cable is perfect for smaller gardens and this model also has a plant protector so you can trim close to the edges of your lawn.
This is also a twin line trimmer so the 25cm cutting diameter has a bit more power behind it.
This is a lightweight and easy-to-use grass strimmer but is not good for thicker weeds or brambles. For the price you pay, it’ll get the job done well but isn’t suitable for larger gardens.
4. Best Battery Powered – VonHaus Cordless Grass Trimmer
Brand: VonHaus
Type: Cordless Battery Powered
Power: 12V Max
Cutting Width: 21cm
Weight: 2kg
An issue sometimes found with cordless strimmers in the lithium-ion battery can end up adding a lot of weight to the garden tool and may make it unbalanced. That’s not an issue with this model as the lithium battery is very lightweight.
It has an ergonomic handle and a secondary loop handle so it’s very comfortable to work with. The battery life isn’t fantastic at around 30 minutes runtime for this cordless model but it does fully re-charge in 1 hour 15 minutes so you don’t have to wait too long to get back to strimming.
It has a 2-stage safety trigger so it can’t be accidentally turned on. It uses plastic blades so can handle long grass and smaller weeds.
A lot of apparent cheap cordless strimmers are actually just the body of the power tool. For less than £50 you get the body, battery and charger included as well which is pretty impressive.
5. Budget Option – Ryobi RLT2925 290W 25cm Grass Trimmer
Brand: Ryobi
Type: Corded Electric
Power: 290 Watts
Cutting Width: 25cm
Weight: 2.6kg
I know this is a budget article, but for those of us who find money extremely scarce this year, you’re probably keen to know the best and lowest-priced option. Well, this Ryobi grass strimmer is just about as cheap as they come.
For the small price tag, you get plenty of power with a 290-watt motor. This will strim grass with ease but may struggle with long or dense patches as well as tough weeds.
It has a durable metal pole and can be used for strimming or edging thanks to EasyEdge. This feature tilts the adjustable head at the touch of a button so you can easily achieve neat edges. It also has an auto-feed spool so you can strim without the hassle of stopping to adjust the line feed.
This strimmer isn’t powerful enough for large gardens and it won’t cover a large area very easily. It’s a lightweight, budget option for strimming grass or neatening the edge of the lawn after you mow.
Things To Consider When Buying A Budget Strimmer
Quality Vs Price
Budget strimmers typically lack in build quality with the cheaper options tending to wear out quickly. Where you’d expect to pay several hundreds of pounds for the best petrol model, buying a strimmer for under £50 will mean some compromises have to be made.
Electric is the only option for this low price which means you’ll compromise on power. A cheap strimmer won’t perform as a brushcutter or have turbo drive to power through thick weed and brambles.
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. A cheap strimmer will work well for cutting the grass after you mow or neatening edges around a small lawn. They are quiet, lightweight, easy to use and a really good option for smaller urban gardens.
If you’re looking for a durable and powerful machine then the best strimmer for you may be a little more pricey. If you just need a helping hand for a small area then a budget strimmer will do you very well.
Power Source
For £50 or less, petrol strimmers are not an option. This leaves us with corded electric and battery-powered strimmers. The plugin ones do limit how far you can go from the power source.
You can always add an extension cable to corded models to extend the area. Make sure you check the manufacturer’s guidelines and only choose a cord that is compatible with the model you have.
The battery ones can lose their power pretty quickly and typically only last 30 minutes or less if they’re working harder. They’re best for small areas that are remote from a power source.
Power Of Motor
The power behind the motor of the strimmer has an impact on how effective the cutting head will be. Assessing the power of your strimmer will vary depending on whether it’s corded or battery-powered.
In a plugin strimmer, the power is generally stated in watts and sometimes the speed of the cutting head rotations is also given in RPM.
The battery-powered models have power given in volts as well as amp-hours. To simplify, a higher voltage means a more powerful strimmer and more amp hours indicate the battery will last longer.
Some manufacturers have extra settings that can help increase the cutting power of your strimmer. These include things like an eco mode which can help conserve energy whilst cutting short grass and turbo mode for thicker patches. Black + Decker has developed a thing called e-drive technology which is a high torque gear system that allows extra power without clogging itself.
Extras
Added extras can have a big impact on how you use your strimmer. Things like an edging wheel and flower guard help produce very neat and tidy edges without sacrificing any flowers. An adjustable cutting head makes for easy cornering and allows you to reach under garden furniture.
Adjustable handles and telescopic poles also make the strimmer more pleasant to use as you can set it up to suit your height and make it as comfortable as possible to work with.
Weight
As you work to cut the grass you need to be comfortable with the weight of your strimmer otherwise you’ll tire very quickly. Strimmers can vibrate as they work and this can mean that you tire quicker than you would by carrying a similar, still weight. The good news is that budget strimmers tend to be very lightweight so double check that the one you choose is suitable for you to carry.
F.A.Q.s
Are Strimmers with plastic blades any good?
Plastic blades are a bit tougher and more durable compared to line trimmers. When coupled with a good motor they cut grass very effectively. The issue with plastic blades is they can become clogged if used on very long grass and if they hit a solid object they do break and need to be replaced.
Can a strimmer cut long grass?
For tackling very long grass or thick grass and weeds you need a powerful petrol strimmer. A budget strimmer isn’t powerful enough to cut this thicker material and may become clogged up or overheated.
What is the difference between a grass trimmer and a strimmer?
The term strimmer comes from a contraction of grass-trimmer. Basically, the two terms are interchangeable but some manufacturers will classify their models as one or the other.
Can you cut wet grass with an electric strimmer?
Wet grass is slippery and doesn’t cut well. An electric grass trimmer will struggle to cut through it and if it does manage to do so it will tear the grass leaving an untidy finish. It’s best to not cut wet grass unless it’s necessary to do so.
How long can you use a strimmer for?
Electric strimmers are much easier to use compared to petrol ones but fatigue still sets in at some point. It’s a good idea to not strim for more than 40-60 minutes without a 20-minute break. If you’re feeling tired before this time it’s important to rest sooner as tired muscles are more likely to cause an accident.
More Budget Grass Trimmers Reviewed
Flymo 9669523-01 Contour XT
Brand: Flymo
Type: Corded Electric
Power: 300 Watt
Cutting Width: 25cm
Weight: 3.2kg
Flymo is a popular brand when it comes to budget garden tools and they sure do know a thing or two about how to achieve the best grass for a low price. This electric strimmer has a generous 300-watt motor and dual cutting line which makes it very effective at grass trimming.
The power cord gives you 12 linear metres of cutting capacity but you can always add in an extension cable to extend this area. It has an edging wheel to help guide you to create perfect neat borders and a plant guard to protect those flowerbeds.
The auto line feed and easy button to switch between strimming and edging make this strimmer very user-friendly.
ToolTronix 20V Cordless Grass Trimmer
Brand: ToolTronix
Type: Battery Powered Cordless
Power: 20V Max
Cutting Width: 23cm
Weight: 5kg
For those hard-to-reach areas that don’t require a heavy-duty petrol trimmer model, a battery-powered, cordless grass trimmer can be the perfect option. It has a telescopic handle and a soft grip second handle which makes it very user-friendly.
For tougher strimming jobs this model comes with nylon blades to power through thicker material. The product comes with 10 spare blades which are great to have on hand.
It can be adjusted to 5 different cutting angles so you’ll get a superb finish around every awkward angle in your garden.
It comes with a decent battery life, battery and charger included so although this strimmer comes in just over £50 it’s still a pretty great option.
Flymo Contour 500E Electric Grass Trimmer and Edger
Brand: Flymo
Type: Corded Electric
Power: 500 Watts
Cutting Width: 25cm
Weight: 3.1kg
Another option that just tips over the £50 mark is this Flymo edging trimmer. It does a whole lot for the price you pay so I feel it’s worth considering. With a telescopic handle, you can get a comfortable position no matter how tall you are. It has a secondary adjustable handle to help keep the strimmer steady.
This coupled with an edging wheel and flower guard makes this an effective tool for neat edges.
An auto line feed and dual cutting line coupled with 500 watts of power make this a good option for tougher strimming. Although it’s nowhere near as powerful as a petrol strimmer this little machine will do a great job of tidying up your lawn.
WORX WG157E.9 18V (20V MAX) 2.0Ah Cordless 25cm Grass Trimmer-Body ONLY
Brand: Worx
Type: Battery Powered Cordless
Power: 18V, 2.0Ah
Cutting Width: 25cm
Weight: 1.9kg
This cordless trimmer by Worx is a pretty good option. Before we jump into the product review, it’s important to understand that this strimmer requires an 18V battery and charger and these are NOT included when you buy the body. This helps keep this model at such a cheap price.
You can buy the strimmer with the battery included for a bit more money or if you have any other Worx power share tools ie a hedge trimmer you can use the battery in this strimmer.
This cutting head can easily be converted between strimming and edging mode by tilting it 180 degrees. It has a single-line auto-feed system for hassle-free strimming. Cordless models are great if you have a long garden and need to be further away from a power source.
Black + Decker GL360GB Garden String Strimmer, 25 cm
Brand: Black + Decker
Type: Corded Electric
Power: 350 Watts
Cutting Width: 25cm
Weight: 2.1kg
Finally, we have this nifty little grass strimmer by Black + Decker. It has a reasonable 350-watt motor and a 25cm cutting width so can power through long grass in no time. It’s a line trimmer with a bump feed system so you can carry on strimming without stopping the motor.
It has two comfortable grip handles and at just over 2kg it’s very lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.
This strimmer does a neat job and has plenty of power to tackle unruly grass. It’s user-friendly and comes with a very nice price tag to boot! It may be last on this review list but it is a worthwhile affordable strimmer for you to consider.
Take-Home
So that’s it for cheap strimmers. I hope this article has helped to inspire you to see that neat gardens don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. The important point to take home is that the best budget strimmers perform well in the correct environment but if you try to push them, they will fight back!
I hope this article has helped clear up any cheap strimmer questions you may have and has helped you on your way to finding the perfect one for you.
Good luck this coming gardening season and I wish you a neat and tidy lawn.
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