The best garden strimmers and trimmers

Keeping on top of lawn maintenance has never been easier, thanks to the rise in powered trimmers and edgers. In addition to a mower, they can help trim the hard-to-reach spots and clean up areas around paths and patios with much more precision. This is helpful when you want the lawn to grow a little longer - great for wildlife - but don't want it to encroach on your paving slabs. They can tackle areas that lawn shears can't reach. Let a new strimmer/trimmer take the strain.

If you're in the market for a lawnmower, you can find a helpful guide to 10 of the best lawnmowers. Looking for a model that takes care of mulching too? We've got mulching mowers covered here. And if you've got a lot of lawn to look after, take a look at our ride-on mowers here.

Our list of trimming tools features everything from a handheld grass trimmer for perfecting the edges of a small lawn to a corded garden strimmer for larger, more overgrown areas.

The best powered grass cutters for the garden

Makita Cordless Grass Shears

Hold in your hand to get up close, or attach the arm and use it while standing, this completely cordless option from Makita is part of their huge range of power tools which all use the same 18V battery system.

It's also used for hedge trimming, the cutting height can be adjusted to 15, 20 and 25mm, and the blades are nickel plated with an anti-abrasion surface for long-lasting performance.

When it comes to battery life, it has a warning light to tell you when the battery is running low so you don't run out of charge in the middle of carefully cutting your lawn. The grass receiver is a useful addition and the handle is comfortable to hold. The battery and charger isn't included (but can be) but if you already have other Makita batteries in this range then this is their perfect partner.

Flymo Contour Electric Grass Trimmer and Edger

This is a 3-in-1 tool to trim and edge the grass in your garden without causing any damage to trees and shrubs, thanks to the built-in plant guard. And it's corded with a 10m cable so you can run it all day with no need to worry about batteries running out. The handle is telescopic to allow for height adjustment, and the handle is adjustable too to allow for maximum comfort whilst working.

It has a dual line feed for more overgrown areas and you can change the cutting head from trim to edge at the press of a button. A great multi-tool for gardens of all sizes.

STIHL Cordless Grass Trimmer

• Buy now from Charlies (£109.00)

A leading name in power tools, STIHL has a great selection of grass cutting equipment. We liked this cordless trimmer because it's compact and lightweight. Exactly what you need for straightforward grass maintenance and perfect edging.

The battery has a working time of 20 minutes, you can see the charge level on the indicator on the handle, making it perfect for small to medium gardens. When it comes to cutting, the adjustable mowing unit can be used for vertical edge trimming alongside the standard cutting tool, which is better used for cutting and clearing.

Buy for £109 from Charlies

Black & Decker Cordless Strimmer

The downside of cordless tools is battery life. But, Black & Decker have a clever way around preserving power for when you need it most with a 'power select runtime extender'. This clever feature allows you to power up when you need to tackle stubborn overgrown areas, and power down when doing more menial cutting. This conserves the Strimmer's energy and help your session last longer.

Like some of the trimmer's above, this has an edging mode as well as a cutting mode and it's easy to flip between the two. There's even a precision guide to help you achieve a perfect edge.

Spear and Jackson Cordless Grass Trimmer

For the price, this Spear and Jackson grass trimmer has lots of great features. It's cordless and has a 1-hour fast charger to speed up the time between sessions. On this amount of charge the battery can run for approx. 35 minutes. Changing the angle of the cutting blade is easy with the foot pedal and there's a foldable wheel to help with stability of the trimmer when edging lawns or flowerbeds.

It's an easy-to-use versatile tool, perfect for lived-in gardens where the gardener has to contend with trampolines, benches and washing lines.

Bosch Strimmer

This Bosch Strimmer has cutting line (3.5mm) to tackle long, coarse grass and a blade that's more suitable for cutting nettles, brambles and thistles. It's a good option if you need to clear large areas in the garden when re-landscaping. Or if you're the new steward of a neglected allotment.

The cutting arm and the handle are separate pieces, which is helpful for storage. You can also store extra lines in the safety bar. Being able to balance the Strimmer comfortably can be tricky, but this model comes with a strap that you can easily adjust before you begin to make sure you're not holding the tool awkwardly when working.

Victor Tools Rechargeable Grass Trimmer

• Buy now from Coopers of Stortford (£39.99)

Now for something less industrial but equally easy on the back and arm muscles. This rechargeable trimmer is so lightweight you can use it in one hand. It runs on small wheels to help with precision in cutting, and the long-reach (60cm) handle is detachable to give you the option of a handheld tool, or not.

This trimmer comes with two blades. One for grass edging and one for trimming. Completely cordless, the battery can run for 35minutes on one charge. Making it ideal for quick touch-ups, trims and tidying up tight spaces.

Buy for £39.99 from Coopers of Stortford

Hyundai Wheeled Grass Trimmer

Let's wind things up with the larger - and more expensive - side of the strimming spectrum. This wheeled grass trimmer and its 52cc petrol engine does the hard work for you. As it's on wheels with a generous adjustable handle, it takes the strain away from lawn maintenance, with no lugging around or strapping on machinery required. With a 430mm cutting width, it can cover a lot of ground. So, perhaps one to consider if you have lots of grass to keep tidy or an entire wilderness to tame.

The large wheels at the back help move the machine with ease and thanks to the 1200ml fuel tank, you won't have to keep stopping to refuel. For a petrol-powered machine, it's surprisingly compact and lightweight. The handle is even foldable. A useful feature if you need to transport your grass trimmer around your grand estate...