Hi. Let’s have a look at some string trimmers from the GreenWorks company. The GreenWorks company is already an established brand with offices in America and in Europe. They specialise in battery powered products ranging from 24 volt up to the heavy duty 82 volt stuff, plus they do regular corded (plug in and play) product lines as well.
They also make tools for other companies that rebrand them as their own. So these guys are pretty big players in the market. They seem to focus on electric powered tools, which makes sense since their name has the word “green” in them. Although these days with battery technology getting ever more powerful and battery life longer, you don’t really need to go the petrol or gas route anymore unless you want to.
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GreenWorks 12-Inch 40V Cordless String Trimmer
Ok, so lets start with a 12 inch, 40v cordless string trimmer model. This one is from manufacturer, Greenworks. Here’s some main features of this model first.
Features and Specs
- 12 inch dual line cordless string trimmer
- Powered by the Greenworks G-max 40v lithium – Ion battery
- G-max 40v motor system used to power various other cordless Greenworks products as well
- Auto-feed string trimmer head
- Weighs about 9.5 pounds and lenght is around 65 inches
- Adjustable handle and variable speed control
- Straight shaft design
Thoughts on this model
Ok, so one of the biggest gripes with battery powered stuff is if you will be able to get some serious work done before the battery goes flat and you have to charge the damn thing again. According to the manufacturer this Lithium – Ion battery powered string trimmer gives you about 30 minutes worth of work. Unless you’ve been checking out the neighbors wife instead of looking were you were trimming.
The 40v battery powered motor system is shared across a variety of Greenworks garden tools with the same 40 volt specs. It’s widespread use in many of their products seem to indicate that this particular motor is a reliable choice. Plus spares and batteries for it should be readily available as a result. At 40v the G-max motor is properly powerful (about twice the power you’d get with a smaller 24v model).
Some Questions and Answers
How long does it take to recharge the battery?
The amount of time it takes to fully recharge the battery is always a concern of course. Naturally, you would want to “git her done” as fast as possible. Recharging a battery could take anything from 1 and a half to 2 hours.
Amazon.com sells this model with the 2ah battery included in the price.
What is the 12 inch model specification for?
The 12-inch in the product description refers to the width of the path of destruction you will cut with this cordless string trimmer. The dual line is more capable in the cutting department than a string trimmer with a single line head.
Is the dual line an upgrade or something?
The dual line should be more capable in the cutting department than a string trimmer with a single line head. Weeds beware! More durable I would expect, the line should wear out less easy too. The string attaches to an auto feed head on this model.
GreenWorks 14-Inch 40V Cordless String Trimmer
The features on this 14 inch model looks pretty much the same as the 12 inch model above and it uses the same battery and electric motor. This model does feature a brushless motor though, which has some advantages. No brushes to wear and out and replace.
Features and Specs
- Tried and tested G-max 40v cordless battery powered system
- Attachment capable
- DigiPro brushless motor for quieter, more efficient performance
- Thicker cutting line – 0.080
- Straight shaft design
Some thoughts on this model
This is a very similar model to the 12 inch trimmer above. It sports the same G-max 40v Li-ion battery powered system. With the small difference that it is a brushless motor here. The battery powered DigiPro G-max motor is brushless which means no replacing of brushes on the electric motor ever. The manufacturer also gives you a 10 year warranty on the brushless motor.
As well as having a 2 inch wider cutting path, it also features bump feed head string feed with a thicker 0.080 cutting line which will improve cutting performance.
Some Questions and Answers
Does this come with a charging station for the battery?
A 2ah battery and charging station comes included for the price.
Is this thing heavier than the 12 inch trimmer above?
Expect slightly more weight at 12 pounds compared to the 9 pounds of the smaller 12 inch model.
Can I control the cutting speed ?
It has variable speed control on the trigger, though most of the time you’ll likely be tuned to the normal setting. Higher settings use more power of course. In thick grass or weeds the engine will automatically run at slightly higher revolutions within the chosen setting though.
What’s the deal on the ah numbers for the battery?
The ah numbers (e.g. 2ah vs 4ah) translates to how long the battery will be able to supply the required electric current the motor needs. I think the higher the number the longer the cutting time the battery will give. Or that’s how I make it out anyway.
Keep in mind that adding a bigger battery will also add extra weight, which may be an issue when you’re using the trimmer for extended periods on the same day. Not an issue if you’re the Incredible Hulk of course.
Greenworks PRO 16-Inch 80V Cordless String Trimmer
Now, let’s see what upping the ante to an 80v trimmer will do. We are staying with GreenWorks models in this post so I am grabbing their 16 inch, 80v offering. Here’s a list of features.
Features and Specs
- Dual line, bump feed head
- 16 inch cutting path, 0.080 inch dual line
- Brushless motor
- Digital 2 speed trigger
- Attachment capable
- Durable Pro grade, straight shaft frame
Some thoughts on this model
This is a more powerful cordless string trimmer than the smaller models listed above and looks like pretty powerful stuff. It’s probably in the heavy duty category at this power-point making it a good tool if you have a lot of lawn to cover or going to be using this in a commercial setting. I guess thats why it says “Pro” in the product description. Amateurs (like me) keep away.
Once again the 16 inch in the product name seems to signify the width of the unit’s cut path. The 0.080 line that comes standard with the unit is plenty strong but for more rugged jobs it seems it would be possible to up the string size to a 0.095 string line.
The motor is top mounted on a straight aluminum shaft. It is an attachment capable design that accepts attachments from multiple different brands, including their own GreenWorx brand.
Some Questions and Answers
How powerful is this compared to gas powered string trimmers?
According to the manufacturer 80v of electric power equals an 26cc gas powered engine for performance.
Is the brushless motor quieter than a normal electric motor?
You’ll get quieter operation with the electric motor, yes. So you don’t wake the neighbors nearly as easily doing yard work on a Sunday morning. Some other advantages of the brushless motor is better torque, longer run-time and longer life.
You can have a look at this 16 inch 80v GreenWorx string trimmer model, as sold by Amazon.com.
So, that’s it for now, with some great battery powered string trimmers to think about.
Thanks for reading my best cordless string trimmer post! All the best to you!