String trimmers are otherwise known as line trimmers or even weed whackers. Whatever you call them, though, these important landscaping tools rely upon the selection of the appropriate trimmer line.
With myriad sizes and shapes available, it can difficult to determine which will work best for your needs. However, weighing a few essential factors can help you balance the benefits and drawbacks to choose the best trimmer line on the market for maintaining your lawn.
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**Below, you'll find more detailed reviews, but you can also click links above to check current prices and read customer's reviews on Amazon.
Maintenance is the watch word for every home or property owner. Not only do local regulations enact certain standards, but you also need to maintain your property to prevent potential problems. This video explains how you can use a string trimmer to do this work.
When it comes to lawns, a string trimmer is essential for both clearly separating grass from pavement and controlling weed growth. In turn, this ensures that your plants and grass or ground cover in particular can flourish without encroachment. Choosing a particular string trimmer is a process unto itself.
However, with your trimmer hand, you will also need to be prepared to replace trimmer line – either to keep it in working order or to better adapt to your landscaping projects.
Not all trimmer line is created equally. To start, your particular model will only be able to work with certain lines, though many do use a common, standard line. Consult the manual and consider whether you are using a fuel-powered, electric, or cordless model; you can turn to this video on how to install replacement line and common issues.
Once you know your trimmer’s compatibility, you can turn to the major factors of diameter, shape, and application.
Shape and diameter play a role in how quickly and effectively you can remove weeds and other growth from your yard. In turn, you can estimate the kind of labor, from light to medium and heavy, based upon the thickness of your lawn’s grasses, weeds, and shrubs. Choosing the right combination of these factors will ensure that your trimmer fulfills your needs.
When deciding upon how to refill trimmer line, line diameter is directly proportional to the work to be done. In particular, size of the weeds or other materials to be cut. So, the larger the weed, the larger diameter you should use. In general, you should consult the manual to determine the size(s) that your trimmer model can handle without causing frustration.
Each size is suited to different types of work, with each cutting materials below its size. In particular, lighter line is designed for less dense weeds and regular yardwork. In contrast, the professional grade boosts cutting power and durability to address industrial landscaping.
Similar to diameter, shape is very much impacted by your landscaping needs. In particular, different options will allow for different capabilities. For one, standard, rounded line is best for light to medium work like trimming the edges of your yard. Other shapes, meanwhile, are better for more intensive work with a wider variety of grasses and weeds.
The four primary options are rounded, multi-sided, serrated and spiraled. Multi-sided lines provide a cutting edge for denser grasses and for more everyday maintenance than heavy-duty choices. On the other hand, serrated lines saw through thick materials. No matter what shape you use, be sure to wear protective material to prevent injury
A standard, .080-inch rounded line generally comes with home-use trimmers. This type is especially popular because it easily manages everyday, residential lawn care and is the least expensive and easiest to replace.
However, rounded line does wear down more quickly and won’t withstand denser materials. As a result, it should only be used for small jobs like trimming grass edges and light weed cover.
This style of line comes in various shapes – mainly star, square, and pentagon. Compared to round options, their angular construction provides a sharp edge that produces a cleaner and more effective cut in less time.
Multi-sided lines thus easily slice through denser weeds and are well-suited to both heavy residential work and medium commercial applications. The one big disadvantage is that they also tend to break more easily than other varieties upon contact with stones and harder surfaces.
Serrated trimmer lines maximize cutting power for professional grade lawn care. Their ribbed design shape makes these lines act like teeth when trimming your lawn’s edges. As a result, this shape increases sawing power and comes in standard, 5, and 6-sided options.
Each can be used to trim heavier weed coverage over a wider area than other options. Maximizing cutting power helps them make quick work of medium to heavy workloads. However, serrated trimmer lines also require more attention to safety, as well.
The advanced design of spiraled lines provides similar cutting power to serrated options. Yet, they reduce vibrations and noise pollution to meet residential or other regulations. This option works best with electric and battery-powered trimmers rather than louder, gas-powered ones.
Spiraled or twisted trimmer lines are ideal for heavy-duty commercial or residential applications. They have greater strength and durability than rounded lines but will break much less easily against hard surfaces. This option is reliable and quiet, but does cost more.
Once you have decided upon the right combination of shape and diameter for your work load, you can focus on choosing the best trimmer line for you. Focus on the particular advantages and disadvantages of each, using the guidelines above to find the right mixture. Customizing your line in this way will ensure that trimmer is easy and effective in maintaining your lawn.
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This rounded line can be used for most trimmer models and is light enough to keep any engine working at optimal levels. The Weed Eater Rounded Line is a common choice for residential lawn maintenance and similarly small landscaping projects. Furthermore, it is a good option for relatively durable replacement line with a smooth design that maintains string length.
Even though it is only .080-inches in diameter, the Weed Eater line possesses enough strength to tackle more than fine grasses or weeds. It is hardier than smaller diameters without reaching the power levels of much larger options. As such, safety is not as much of an issue, but this option does provide reliable trimming power for small workloads.
Although it can thus be used for low to medium work and materials, this rounded option is not suitable for heavy duty work. In particular, the Weed Eater line will likely break as it comes up against harder materials. Still, when it does break, this option is easy to wind, feed, and thus replace.
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This rounded trimmer line incorporates a commercial grade co-polymer for greater durability and cutting force. In particular, the Husqvarna Titanium Force Line uses this titanium-like nylon material to deliver high quality trimming at low revs. At the same time, it ensures fast acceleration and level flight to help you combat light to medium landscaping.
Despite its unique design, this .095-inch line is best for small workloads. However, it will help you quickly and efficiently maintain your lawn, with larger gaps between when you need to replace trimmer line. While the Husqvarna Titanium Force line does require a larger financial investment, it more than makes up for it through longer-lasting performance.
Overall, this rounded line provides versatile and strong landscaping maintenance for residential lawns, less dense materials, and other smaller workloads. Husqvarna’s patented design also ensures easy handling and reduces fuel consumption without impairing performance. This extra-smooth line even ensures a quiet cut, with universal compatibility for standard trimmer heads.
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Like the Husqvarna line above, this option has a diameter of .095 inches and so falls within the small to medium workload range. In contrast to the 140 feet of line provided for the previous line, though, you receive 685 feet of the Oregon Heavy-Duty Gatorline. At base, this line’s durability helps it last longer and so makes it more competitive than similar options, as you will save time in not having to replace your trimmer line.
In addition, Heavy-Duty Professional Magnum Gatorline’s square design provides extra grabbing power for cutting through tougher and denser materials. It also stands up against rocks, trees, and other hard surfaces without breaking as easily as other options. In terms of strength and durability, this medium weight trimmer line even comes close to larger diameter choices.
Altogether, these many features make the Oregon Heavy-Duty line popular among many professional landscaping companies. Oregon’s Heavy-Duty line is small enough that it can easily cut through soft materials like siding, decks, and other materials. So, be careful around such surfaces when in use. That same small size also makes this line compatible with most string trimmers. As always, though, you should consult your model’s manual before purchasing.
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The spiraled design of this commercial grade line lends it a greater durability than the round or square options above. As a result, it will allow you to take on much heavier yard work, from the toughest of weeds to larger lawns and gardens. However, because it is much heavier, this choice is only for durable trimmers that can handle the added weight.
The Lonoiz Spiral Trimmer Line falls within the medium to heavy-duty range at .130 inches in diameter. As such, it is designed to last longer than the average trimmer line and will not break up as easily when bumping up against hard surfaces. At the same time, this line is not as destructive as square lines like Oregon’s Gatorline and will not easily cut into soft materials like siding or decking.
The other main advantage of a spiraled design is that the Lonoiz Quiet Trimmer Line is just that – quiet. It features noise reduction so that you can continue landscaping work throughout the day without disturbing your neighbors. Between durability, performance, and noise reduction, this multi-purpose option is ideal for general clean-up of larger properties. It can even be cut to length for alternative trimmer heads without resulting curl.
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Like the Husqvarna Titanium line above, this serrated option is made from a co-polymer nylon to increase strength and durability. In addition, the Cyclone 6-Blade Line boosts cutting power with a patented 6-blade shape that is a bit overkill for residential purposes. As a commercial trimmer line, though, the Cyclone’s blend of durability and power makes it a popular, long-lasting option, especially with over 300 feet on each spool to minimize replacement.
This serrated line is fundamentally designed for professional landscaping. In particular, this high-performance option is an ideal replacement for walk-behind trimmers that can handle the extra workload. At .155 inches, the Cyclone 6-blade line is also one of the largest available on the market today. Accordingly, it is also one of the most powerful – and will ensure that you can get a lot done in minimal time.
The major downside is that this 6-blade line is far from quiet due to the ribbing that increases its cutting power. Furthermore, the Cyclone’s extra kick requires that you wear protective gear while it is in use, as debris can easily become dangerous projectiles. In short, this option’s fusion of power and durability is ideal for commercial applications but relatively far afield from residential ones.
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When it comes to choosing the best trimmer line, focus on adapting your replacement to your needs. Choosing the right diameter, shape, and workload will help you quickly arrive at the best line for your lawn’s maintenance.
For instance, I live in an urban area and have to be careful of decking, so the Lonoiz Commercial Grade Spiral Twist Quiet Trimmer Line is a good fit. However, when it comes to choosing your own trimmer line, be sure to check your model specifications and landscaping needs to find the right replacement for you.
Hello, I’m Laura Bennett. I love nature especially when it comes to flowers and different kinds of plants. I started a very small garden behind my house and I named it Humid Garden. So, I created this blog to provide aspiring and inspiring thoughts about gardening for gardeners and anyone who has the intention of keeping a garden.
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