This strimmer can be used to both trim and edge the lawn, with separate settings for either task. Switching between the two functions requires just the press of a button. The line head has a 43 cm cutting path so it doesn’t take long to cover larger areas either; if you have parts of the garden where the mower can’t go, this strimmer should be able to get in and help keep things looking tidy – especially useful around fountains, benches and playgrounds.

I was very impressed with the Flymo Contour XT Electric Grass Trimmer and Edger thanks to its great value for money and user-friendly design. Whether you’ve had a lot of strimmers in the past or this is your first venture, it’s a simple model to use and delivers good results The main business of strimming is performed by a 28cm dual-line auto-feed cassette. The line itself is lightly crimped every centimetre along its length and this helps the line blade cut it more accurately so you don’t end up with uneven ends. Dual-line strimmers may take a little longer to reload but they offer faster cutting and are more easily able to deal with tough undergrowth. Lastly, we have a touch of luxury with a real Lamborghini. No, it’s not a car! This brushcutter has an air-cooled, optimised two-stroke engine that can power through long grass and weeds with low fuel consumption. The tools provided could use work, but this is true for the vast majority of assembly tools that come with these strimmers.Other handy features that Mculloch has seen to adding are that you can access the air filter without the need of tools, and made the fuel tank transparent so you know when it’s getting close to the time to fill up. Thankfully, with it’s excellent fuel consumption, those refills are few and far between.

At 10.7 kg, this is one of the heavier petrol strimmers featured here, but there are a couple of things that help make it more comfortable. Primarily, there is a decent harness included that is more than just a single shoulder strap; it’s adjustable, with padded coverings and should distribute the weight well. Finally, like anything that burns fossil fuels, there will be fumes and emissions to deal with and they are obviously not good for the environment.

Types of Strimmer and Brushcutter

Can be used for any amount of time as the power supply is constant – no refuelling or battery charging required Yes, strimmers are ideal for cutting long grass which would be too long for a lawn mower. Once the grass has been cut to an appropriate length, you can go over it with the mower.

There’s no limit on how long mains-powered strimmers can be used for – it doesn’t have a battery to run down and won’t need refuelling. Of course, the motor may need a bit of time to cool down during extended use.Specification: Warranty: yes (1 year) , 2 or 4 stroke: 2 stroke , Engine power: 2.2 kW , Weight: 10.7 kg At 7.7 kilos, this model is pretty heavy but thankfully it comes with a shoulder strap which, when attached to the balance point, helps reduce the weight on the front so that it effectively floats just above ground level. Just be sure to have the heavyweight battery in place when adjusting the pivot point. The loop handle, meanwhile, comes with a bar extension for a variety of hand positions, though I should add at this juncture that Greenworks also offers a bike-style handlebar version of this model, so perhaps consider that if you think a wider handlebar is better suited to your needs.