DeWalt String Trimmer Vs. Edger: Which Is Best For What Jobs?

DeWalt didn't become one of the biggest names in power tools overnight. It has taken years of product development, expansion, and positive customer experiences, among a host of other elements, to make it the globally known brand it is today. It all started in the early 20th century with DeWalt's invention of an iconic woodworking tool for it to eventually become such a trusted brand. Now, it's synonymous with various disciplines, even making a name for itself in the realm of lawn care and general landscaping.

DeWalt boasts quite an impressive outdoor catalog, helping users with all the jobs that come with the four seasons. Yes, that includes something many are about to embark on at the time of this writing: spring cleaning, which DeWalt even has a few tools to help with. While most of these tools are pretty self-explanatory in their application for the average person, some are better for certain jobs than others. For example, despite appearing similar at first glance, DeWalt's string trimmers and edgers aren't interchangeable. There's some amount of visual overlap between DeWalt's string trimmers and edgers, but in practice, one is better suited for specific jobs and situations than the other. 

String trimmers from DeWalt don't beat around the bush when it comes to their name. They're tools that are held at ground level with a horizontally spinning head at the base, from which string extends. With it spinning at such high speeds, it's used to chop down grass, weeds, and more. The brand's string trimmers tend to be relatively lightweight as well, making them pretty maneuverable. This plays into one of their primary use cases, which is for trimming grass, weeds, and the like that lawnmowers can't reach. They're good at getting those stubborn patches along walls, in garden beds — albeit with some precise handling — and other hard-to-reach areas.

At the same time, string trimmers don't have to be used strictly for this purpose. While they can and often are used to wipe out growth that narrowly evaded mower blades, they're excellent for taking care of sizable patches of grass and overgrowth, too. A feature that makes them particularly fitting for both scenarios is the variable speed trigger. This allows the user to slow the string down if it's in danger of hitting a breakable obstacle or speed it up if they want to tear through tall grass with next to no difficulty. Otherwise, though, string trimmers aren't the most precise of tools unless you have a very steady hand.

The DeWalt edger is a deceptively different tool than the string trimmer. An edger is not equipped with a string that spins at a remarkable rate; rather, it's a fixed vertical blade on the end. These tend to be a bit heavier than string trimmers at the expense of some maneuverability. Alongside the blade is an edge guide, intended to extend the lifespan of the blade. This is an inclusion due to the nature of the jobs edgers are designed for, which bring them against abrasive surfaces more often than string trimmers.

As the name implies, edgers are intended for creating edges. They're designed for use along sidewalks, garden beds, and other similar areas where grass meets brick, cement, or similar materials. They're also meant to be used precisely, creating a clear, clean line between your lawn and other surfaces. This is why the added weight of the blade isn't so much an issue, as an edger involves less swinging at tall grass and more consciously guiding the blade along the area being trimmed. The bail handle is adjustable and the depth can be adjusted to best suit the user and the task at hand.

It might be easy to mix up a string trimmer and an edger visually, but they're far from the same tool. Both handle differently and are intended for different tasks, making them both vital elements to any at-home or professional yard cleanup job. In fact, an argument could be made for both that they belong among the best DeWalt outdoor power tools.