How Much Does A Weed Eater Weigh?
A string trimmer is a great tool when working in your yard. The main problem most people have with it is the weight.
Unlike a lawn mower, the average string trimmer doesn’t have wheels and must be carried when doing yard work. This can be a problem for people with less strength or if you have a large yard.
We did some research to discover just how much a weed eater weighs. We sampled the best-selling weed eaters currently on the market in various sizes and types to come up with an answer. Hopefully it will help you as you shop for the right weed whacker for your needs.
How Much Does A String Trimmer Weigh?
The average weed eater or string trimmer weighs between 5.5 pounds to 20 pounds. Corded electric weed eaters averaged about 8 pounds without their extension cords. Battery powered weed eaters weigh a bit more on average at nearly 10 pounds – but they have a much wider range of weights. Finally, gas powered string trimmers average the highest weight at nearly 18 pounds. That’s without gasoline, so the working weight is higher.
Background on Weed Eater Weights
Weed eaters, also known as string trimmers, are used to trim the grass and weeds around driveways and sidewalks. Up until the past decade or so, the average weed eater had an internal combustion engine. We call that a gas weed eater.
Today electric ones – particularly battery powered models – are becoming more popular. How much a weed whacker weighs is determined by the size of the weed eater and its motor type: gas, corded or cordless.
Gas Weed Eaters Weigh The Most
The gas weed eater is the most common type of string trimmer. It has either two or four cycle engine, and it uses both gasoline and oil. All of the manufacturer provided weights we looked at did not include the weight of the gasoline when providing a number. Keep that in mind when looking at gas powered weed eaters – it’ll weigh more.
All of the gas powered weed eaters we looked at weighed more than any of the corded or cordless weed eaters. This makes sense – gas engines weigh more. They also tend to be built with a larger cutting swath than their electric powered brethren.
Use A Gas Weed Eater For Power
The 30 cc models were the lightest at about 14.5 lbs. The 38.9 cc models average around 19 pounds. You do get more cutting power for this weight – so if you have an overgrown yard with thicker weeds it might be worth the extra heft to be able to have more power.
Battery Powered Weed Eater – There’s A Wide Range
Battery powered string trimmers are very popular in 2022. They are easy to use and have enough power for most homeowners. A battery powered string trimmer doesn’t have all the maintenance hassle of a gas powered one. They also come in a wide range of sizes and ranges for battery life.
This means there are also a wide range of weights in the class.
Surprisingly, the weight seemed to be more dependent on the size of the cutting diameter than the size of battery capacity. 10 inch weed whackers averaged 4.6 lbs, while the largest 15 inch sizes weighed in at 15 pounds.
Of course, battery size matters as well. The higher-voltage, higher amp hour (AH) electric model trimmers obviously weigh more than smaller ones. Lithium ion batteries aren’t made of helium after all.
Corded Electric Weed Eater – The Lightest Of All
If you are looking to buy a lighweight weed eater above all other features, the corded electric models are your place to start. Without a battery or a gas engine, they are simply a DC motor and cutting edge on a stick. That makes them light.
There are different varieties – generally they come in 10 amp and 5-ish amp motor configurations. The 10 amp power tools will cut a wider path than the smaller motor sizes.
The 5 to 5.5 amp motors generally have a smaller diameter trimmer line, and are meant for light work – perfect for a smaller city lot for example. They work well around flower beds and tall grass on the sidewalk.
The 5 to 5.5 Amp size cored models weighed in a tight range converging on about 7 lbs. The bigger 10 amp ones weighed more – they averaged about 9 pounds.
Keep in mind this does not include the weight of the extension cord. It’s hard to measure the impact of the extension cord on weight – most of the time it’ll rest on the ground and not feel like much to you while weed trimming.
However, you will notice the cord weight while moving from place to place, and when you stretch to reach areas near the length of your cord. It’s not a deal breaker, but keep it in mind.
Our Methodology
Since we’ve been asked this question in the past, we wanted to have an answer that was based on some data. To get that data, we started by looking at the product descriptions for the 30 best selling weed eaters in February 2022.
We used the manufacturer-provided weights for our results. If there wasn’t one provided, we moved on and added a new weed wacker to our list. We categorized by power type (battery weed eater, corded weed eater or gas powered weed eater), cutting width and engine size/battery AHs.
Weight Isn’t Everything
A lightweight weed eater is important, but for most people weight shouldn’t be the guiding factor. A cordless electric string trimmer is generally the best tool for the average homeowner – even if it isn’t the lightest. They have most of the power of a gas string trimmer without the headaches of one, yet aren’t much heavier than a corded weed trimmer.
Check out our best weed eater guide if you want more help with your buying decision.
Conclusion
There’s a wide range of weights for string trimmers. Hopefully our research helped answer your question, and you’ve become better informed.
