Stanley FatMax V20 18V Cordless Line Trimmer (Kit, 33cm, 4.0Ah) vs BLACK+DECKER 18V Cordless Line Trimmer (Kit, 28cm, 2.0Ah)

Pros

• + 33 cm swath, the widest in this ranking, and the only wide head that comes with a battery in the box
• + Genuine automatic line feed rather than a bump head or a trigger-release feed - the mechanism owners complain about least
• + Gear-drive transmission plus a high/low speed switch, so there is torque for thick grass and economy for light edging
• + Includes a 4.0Ah pack and charger, the biggest battery bundled with any pick here, at A$209
• + 2.4 kg bare with a telescopic shaft and adjustable auxiliary handle

Cons

• − Brushed motor, so it will bog in heavy growth where the brushless Bosch 36V keeps its speed
• − Only 21 owner reviews - the rating is good but the sample is far thinner than the Bosch and Kärcher picks
• − No dedicated edging mode is published, which the BLACK+DECKER, Bosch EasyGrassCut and Kärcher all have
• − At 4.7 kg shipped with the 4.0Ah pack fitted it is not a light tool to hold out at arm's length

Pros

• + 4.5 stars from 116 owners, the highest rating in this category on a sample worth trusting
• + AFS automatic single-line feed - no trigger blipping and no tapping the head on the ground
• + The best edging system here: the head flips and runs on its own guide wheel for a clean vertical face
• + Power Select two-speed control noticeably extends what you get from the 2.0Ah pack
• + A$192 including an 18V 2.0Ah battery and charger, the cheapest complete working tool in this ranking

Cons

• − 28 cm swath against the Stanley's 33 cm, so open ground takes longer
• − Brushed motor with no gear-drive transmission - it will slow in thick or wet growth
• − The included 2.0Ah pack is small; a longer session needs a second battery
• − All-polymer housing with no plant-protection stirrup