Touching up your lawn is simple when you have one of the best lawn edgers in your tool shed. Once you’ve gone over your backyard with the best electric lawn mowers, lawn edgers are often the make or break between a basic cut and a pristine finish. That’s because this tool can be used to mark out your boundaries, trim down the fluffy bits of grass on either side of your walkways and tidy up around hedgerows, flowerbeds, outdoor furniture or decking. To add to that, they also help with boosting your lawn’s health and banishing ugly brown patches because the ridges they form help rainwater to trickle away.
It’s easy to overlook the best lawn edgers in favor of a hedge trimmer or other bulky tool. However, there’s a big difference: while hedge trimmers are heavy to lug around, lawn edgers are more lightweight. Out of the following picks from Greenworks, EGO Power, and Black & Decker, there are two main types, a gas or electric lawn edger. While gas edgers pack more power and weigh a little more, electric models are quieter to run. The bigger your backyard, the more power you’ll need, and the more you might benefit from a cordless model, which doesn’t depend upon a power socket.
A one-year warranty is typical with the best lawn edgers, but it’s always worth checking the fine print. Another handy feature to have are multi-use tool heads to deal with all the different sections in your backyard.
For more maintenance tips, read up on our guide on how to cut your lawn to the best height too.
1. EGO POWER+ MEO800 Cordless Electric Edger: Best lawn edger overall
The EGO POWER+ MEO800 is a great cordless electric lawn edger which comes with an impressive five year warranty. Because this model is cordless, there’s no need to worry about cord lengths if you’re working away from an electrical socket. You also won’t need to worry about topping up the edger with gas, but you will have to charge your edger.
Frustratingly for some users, the batteries and charger for this lawn edger are sold separately which means the initial price you see isn’t for everything you need. What is good about this model though, is that it provides plenty of power for small to medium lawns and the head of the edger is compatible with other tool ends.
Reader reviews for the EGO POWER+ MEO800 Lawn Edger claim that this model does hold its charge and is great for creating a super-smart lawn.
2. Greenworks 27032: Best lawn edger for value
The Greenworks 27032 Lawn Edger offers great value for money. However, there are a few trade-offs for the price. For example, its 12-amp engine isn’t as powerful as our top pick. But that’s to be expected because this is an electric edger, which typically have less power than their gas-fueled counterparts.
This Greenworks Lawn Edger also has a short blade, just 7.5 inches – this is big enough for occasional use, but it doesn’t have the grass-root removing power of other tools we reviewed. The edger features a push-button ignition instead of a recoil cord, which is great because it will almost always start on the first try. At 13.24lbs, this is an extremely lightweight edger. So, it may feel a bit flimsy, but the upside is that it is very easy to maneuver.
Since the Greenworks 27032 Lawn Edger requires an electrical outlet to work, its range is limited by the length of your extension cord. Because of this, it isn’t advisable to use the edger on a large lawn.
- Read our Greenworks 27032 review
3. WORX WG896: Best lawn edger for small gardens
The WORX WG896 is a good lawn edger for small to medium-size yards – since it draws power from an electrical outlet, you’re limited by the length of your extension cord. However, it has an electric cord lock, which keeps it from disconnecting – a problem with some corded yard tools.
With two wheels at the back and a guide wheel in front, the WG896 lawn edger is a good lawn edger is very stable and easy to guide in a straight line. You can adjust the shaft length so it is comfortable to use for your height, and the secondary handle pivots so it’s easy to place it in a comfortable position.
Additionally, its lightweight design makes the WORX WG896 lawn edger easy to maneuver around corners and in tight spots. The 12-amp motor is powerful compared to those on other electric edgers we reviewed.
- Read our WORX WG896 review
4. Black & Decker LE750: Best lightweight lawn edger
At 12.4lbs, the Black & Decker LE750 is the lightest lawn edger we've reviewed. Because it’s so light, it doesn’t put much strain on your body and is easy to maneuver and handle. Its weight, combined with its compact size, makes it easy to get in tight spaces and cut around curves.
The 7.5-inch hardened steel edger blade is sturdy but on the short side compared to those on some of the other edgers we reviewed. It has an 11-amp motor, which isn’t bad for an electric edger and provides enough power to cut through tough grass and roots.
The handle adjusts to suit both right and left-handed people and has a trigger that makes the edger easy to start and stop. It also has an auxiliary handle to help you guide the machine. With two rear wheels and a front guide wheel, it’s easy to handle and leaves your grass with a straight cut. If you're looking for an extremely lightweight and easy-to-move lawn edger, this is one of the best you can buy.
- Read our Black & Decker LE750 review
5. Craftsman E405 Lawn Edger: Best adjustable lawn edger
The Craftsman E405 Lawn Edger is a gas-powered lawn edger that features Easy Start technology. Despite the Easy Start function, some user reviews did describe this model as particularly tricky to get started.
This lawn edger does benefit from six different cutting positions and its heavy duty blade is able to cut to a depth of 1.75 inches. The edger is built with three wheels to make it easier to move around. Whilst this model isn’t the most powerful you can buy, it does a good job of edging medium-sized lawns.
6. TORO 51831T: Best lawn edger for power
The TORO 51831T is a nifty electric lawn edger that aims to deliver a performance to rival gas-powered alternatives, without the emissions or cost. With its inbuilt PowerJet technology and variable cutting lengths, this tool is a capable addition to your garden, which can maneuver between different patches within your garden with ease. And you’ll never need to worry about your edger not reaching far enough into your garden with this model’s cordless design.
As is the case with many of our top pick cordless models, it’s frustrating to find that the batteries and charger for this model must be bought separately, therefore bumping up the initial cost price. It does have an impressive three-year warranty and excellent user reviews as a testament to its performance, however, which makes it a high-quality investment for your backyard.
- Read our TORO 51831T review
Are lawn edgers worth it?
If you’re the type of person that takes great pride in taking care of your lawn, lawn edgers are well worth the investment. The health of your grass will thank you too: by channeling excess moisture and rainwater away from the lawn, the result is fewer bald patches or browning grass, and a healthier, happier lawn overall.
Lawn edgers are also particularly helpful as a tool for sculpting out a walkway across your backyard or trimming any fluffy edges around existing paths or decking. They do so in far better time than a hedge trimmer, and without all the extra effort of manipulating a bulky machine.
How much do the best lawn edgers cost?
When it comes to cost, gas and electric lawn edgers aren’t made equal. While you can expect to spend over $200 on a gas-powered lawn edger, an electric model might only set you back by $100 (or even less, if you find a good deal).
Why the difference? Gas-powered lawn edgers have a superior steel build and greater horsepower. In fact, you might find some gas lawn edgers listed for over $500, but you really don’t have to part with that much money for a high-quality lawn edger.
Weed wacker vs lawn edger: When to use which type of tool
It’s rather self-evident, but true: the best tool to use depends on the job you need to do. Weed wackers can be used to trim grass around walls, posts, stumps and all kinds of obstacles. Many have a rotating head that also lets you comfortably edge your lawn. Trimmers are made to get in hard-to-reach places lawn edgers aren’t designed to reach.
Lawn edgers are designed for one job, and they do it better than any other tool can, including weed wackers. An edger’s vertical spinning blade is built to cut through all kinds of grass and even roots to create a straight, clean edge. Gas edgers, while more pricey, have all the power and heft needed to cut a near-perfect line. An edger can give your lawn a pristine, finished look, unlike any other tool can.
However, a weed wacker, also called a string trimmer, is more versatile than an edger. So if you can only afford one or the other, your best bet is probably a string trimmer.
How deep can lawn edgers cut?
On average, lawn edgers tend to have an average depth of about 2 inches, with some going beyond this. Our top pick, the EGO POWER+ MEO800 Electric Edger, has more of a range and can cut up to three inches deep.
If you’re looking for a lawn edger purely to add to the aesthetic value of your backyard, then you probably don’t need to worry about cutting too deep with your tool. But if you are going to be carving out paths and flowerbeds, then consider the edgers with a wider cutting range.
How to use lawn edgers
Wear protective clothing – this includes donning a pair of long pants, heavy boots/ shoes as well as earplugs or sound-blocking earmuffs. You may also want to wear protective eyewear in case any debris gets flicked up.
Mow your lawn before – this will save you time and effort in the long run. Plus it will enable you to see what areas of overhanging grass need tidying up. You’ll also be able to cut your edges to the same height of your lawn, giving it a pristine finish.
Make out a path for you to cut – whether you use a piece of long rope or a section of hose, lay it around the path you will be cutting with your edger. Usually, around ½ inch should do it. This will help keep you on track while trimming the edges and not taking the cut too deep into your lawn.
Turn your lawn edger on – once you have lined it up along the path, then walk slowly forward as it cuts.
Maintain an even cut – aim for around a two-inch channel as a good rule of thumb. This will be deep enough to rid any weeds but not deep enough to disrupt the overall look of your lawn.
