Cordless String Trimmers Compared: Ryobi 40V vs. Greenworks 60V vs. EGO Power+ ST1521S

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The short answer: for an average suburban yard with typical grass edging and light weeds, the RYOBI 40V HP Brushless String Trimmer is the best value at around $199 as a kit, and it’s the obvious pick if you already own other RYOBI 40V or ONE+ yard tools that can share its battery. If you’re dealing with thick weeds, overgrown patches, or a larger property, the Greenworks 60V String Trimmer‘s wider 16-inch cutting swath and higher-voltage motor cut through dense growth faster. If your priority is the longest runtime per charge and never bending down to manually feed line, the EGO Power+ ST1521S, with its Powerload auto-feed spool and efficient 56V ARC Lithium system, is worth the higher price. None of the three is a bad choice — all three are well-reviewed cordless trimmers from major outdoor power equipment brands. The difference that actually matters is your yard size and whether you’re already invested in one of these brands’ battery ecosystems.

At a glance: which string trimmer should you buy?

• Best overall value for an average yard: RYOBI 40V HP Brushless String Trimmer — 15-inch cutting swath, bump feed, kit with battery and charger around $199.
• Best for thick weeds and overgrown areas: Greenworks 60V String Trimmer — 16-inch cutting swath, higher-voltage motor, kit around $249.
• Best for runtime and hands-free line feed: EGO Power+ ST1521S — 15-inch cutting swath, Powerload auto-feed line system, kit around $299–$349.

How we compared these string trimmers

We pulled current specs and pricing directly from each manufacturer’s product pages (RYOBI Tools, Greenworks Tools, and EGO Power+) and cross-checked those figures against listings at major retailers, including Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Ace Hardware. We also reviewed owner feedback patterns on long-running product listings for each trimmer to see how the specs held up in everyday use. We did not physically test these trimmers ourselves — this comparison is built from verified manufacturer specs, published retail pricing, and documented owner consensus, not hands-on trials. Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently, especially around bare-tool versus battery-kit bundling — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying. This article was published August 2, 2026, and last updated August 2, 2026. See our editorial standards for how we source and vet comparisons like this one.

String trimmers compared: specs side by side

Trimmer	Battery voltage	Cutting swath	Line feed	Price (approx.)
RYOBI 40V HP Brushless String Trimmer	40V, typically sold with a 4.0Ah battery	15 inches	Manual bump feed	$199 kit / ~$149 bare tool
Greenworks 60V String Trimmer	60V, typically sold with a 2.5Ah battery	16 inches	Manual bump feed	$249 kit / ~$179 bare tool
EGO Power+ ST1521S	56V ARC Lithium, typically sold with a 2.5Ah battery	15 inches	Powerload auto-feed (button-activated, no bumping)	$299–$349 kit / ~$199–$229 bare tool

The number on the spec sheet that draws the most attention — battery voltage — is actually the least useful one for predicting real-world cutting power, since each brand engineers voltage, motor design, and battery capacity together differently. The differentiator that matters more day to day is battery ecosystem lock-in: if you already own a RYOBI 40V blower or a Greenworks 60V mower, buying the matching trimmer means one fewer charger and one fewer battery to keep track of, which is often a bigger practical win than a half-inch difference in cutting swath.

Which string trimmer fits an average suburban yard on a budget?

For most homeowners edging a typical quarter-acre lot with light-to-moderate grass and weeds, the RYOBI 40V HP Brushless String Trimmer covers the job without overspending. Its 15-inch cutting swath is on par with the category average, and RYOBI’s 40V platform is one of the most widely adopted cordless outdoor power lines on the market, meaning the battery from this trimmer also runs RYOBI’s 40V blowers, chainsaws, and mowers.

The tradeoff is the bump-feed line system, which requires tapping the trimmer head on the ground to advance more cutting line as it wears down — a minor annoyance during a long session, but a familiar mechanism most homeowners have used before on a gas trimmer. With a 4.0Ah battery, runtime typically lands in the 25–35 minute range on a single charge, which comfortably covers edging and light trimming on an average lot in one pass.

RYOBI 40V HP Brushless String Trimmer: pros and cons

Which string trimmer fits thick weeds or an overgrown yard?

If your yard has thick weeds, tall grass patches that get away from you between mows, or a larger area to cover, the Greenworks 60V String Trimmer is built for more resistance. Its 60V motor and 16-inch cutting swath — the widest of the three — mean fewer passes to clear the same area, and Greenworks’ higher-voltage platform is generally engineered to push through denser growth without bogging down the way lower-voltage trimmers can.

The tradeoff is battery capacity: Greenworks’ 60V kits are commonly bundled with a 2.5Ah battery rather than a larger one, so despite the higher voltage, real-world runtime is comparable to or only modestly ahead of the RYOBI, in the 30–40 minute range depending on how dense the growth is. If you’re clearing genuinely overgrown areas rather than routine edging, budget for a second battery or plan to work in shorter sessions with a recharge in between.

Greenworks 60V String Trimmer: pros and cons

Which string trimmer fits homeowners who want the longest runtime and hands-free line feed?

The EGO Power+ ST1521S is built around convenience rather than raw cutting swath. Its standout feature is Powerload: instead of manually bumping the head or hand-feeding line through the eyelets, you thread the line once, and a button on the head automatically feeds new line out as needed. For anyone who’s fought with a jammed or tangled bump-feed spool, this is the single biggest quality-of-life difference in this comparison.

EGO’s 56V ARC Lithium battery system is also known for efficient power delivery, and owner feedback on long-running listings consistently points to runtime in the 45–60 minute range on a 2.5Ah battery — noticeably longer than either 40V or 60V competitor here, despite EGO’s voltage sitting between the two on paper. The cost of that convenience and runtime is the highest price of the three, especially once you factor in that EGO’s kits and bare tools tend to run at the top of the category’s price range.

EGO Power+ ST1521S: pros and cons

What does a cordless trimmer actually save you over a lawn service or gas trimmer upkeep?

A gas string trimmer looks cheaper on the shelf, but the real cost shows up over time: mixed fuel, two-cycle oil, annual carburetor and spark plug maintenance, and the ethanol-related repairs that are common on small gas engines that sit unused over winter. Paying a lawn service to handle just the edging and trimming portion of yard care, rather than doing it yourself, adds up even faster across a full growing season. Here’s the rough three-year cost picture for a typical homeowner comparing these three approaches.

Option	Upfront cost	Annual running cost	3-year total	3-year savings vs. lawn service
Typical gas string trimmer	~$150	~$130 (fuel, oil, annual tune-up)	~$540	~$1,020
Cordless battery trimmer (average of the three above)	~$250	~$5–10 (electricity to recharge)	~$265–280	~$1,280–1,295
Lawn service edging add-on	$0	~$520 (weekly during a ~26-week growing season at ~$20/visit)	~$1,560	—

The math: a cordless trimmer’s 3-year total cost is roughly its purchase price plus a few dollars a year in electricity to recharge the battery, since there’s no fuel, oil, or engine maintenance involved. Against a lawn service charging around $20 per visit to edge weekly through a 26-week growing season — about $520 a season — any of the three trimmers in this comparison pays for itself well before the end of the first season, and keeps saving money every season after that. Even the pricier EGO kit at $349 breaks even against a lawn service in well under a year of weekly visits.

What actually separates these three trimmers?

Battery ecosystem is the biggest real differentiator for most buyers. If you already own RYOBI 40V, Greenworks 60V, or EGO Power+ tools, buying the matching trimmer means sharing a battery and charger you already have, which is a bigger practical win than any spec on this page. Cutting swath favors the Greenworks, whose 16-inch head clears more grass per pass and is the better pick for larger or more overgrown yards. Line-feed convenience clearly favors the EGO — its Powerload auto-feed is a meaningfully different experience from manually bumping a spool, and owners consistently cite it as the reason they’d pay more for this model. Runtime per charge also favors the EGO in the specs and owner feedback we reviewed, though all three comfortably handle a single average-yard session on one charge.

The real dealbreakers: if you’re starting from scratch with no existing battery platform and just want the cheapest capable trimmer, the RYOBI wins on price. If your yard regularly has thick weeds or overgrown patches, the Greenworks’ wider swath and higher-voltage motor are worth the extra cost. If bump-feed jams are your biggest annoyance with trimmers in general, the EGO’s Powerload system is the one upgrade here that actually changes how the tool feels to use, not just how it’s spec’d on paper.

Frequently asked questions

Which cordless string trimmer is best for an average suburban yard?

For a typical quarter-acre lot with light-to-moderate grass and weeds, the RYOBI 40V HP Brushless String Trimmer offers the best balance of price and capability at around $199 as a kit, and it shares batteries with a wide range of other RYOBI 40V yard tools.

Do I need the 60V Greenworks, or is the 40V RYOBI enough power?

For routine edging and light trimming, the 40V RYOBI is enough power for most yards. The extra voltage and wider 16-inch swath on the Greenworks 60V matter most if you regularly deal with thick weeds, tall overgrowth, or a larger area to clear.

What is the difference between bump feed and auto feed on a string trimmer?

Bump feed, used on the RYOBI and Greenworks trimmers here, requires tapping the trimmer head on the ground to release more cutting line as it wears down. Auto feed, like the EGO’s Powerload system, advances line automatically at the push of a button, without bumping or manually pulling line through the head.

How long does a battery-powered string trimmer run on one charge?

Based on manufacturer specs and owner feedback, expect roughly 25–35 minutes on the RYOBI’s 4.0Ah battery, 30–40 minutes on the Greenworks’ 2.5Ah battery, and 45–60 minutes on the EGO’s 2.5Ah battery, depending on grass density and how much of the session is spent cutting versus repositioning.

Is it worth buying a trimmer in the same battery platform as other yard tools I already own?

In most cases, yes. Buying within a battery platform you already own — RYOBI 40V, Greenworks 60V, or EGO Power+ — means one less charger and one less spare battery to manage, and it’s often the single most practical factor in choosing between otherwise similar trimmers.

How much does a cordless string trimmer actually save over gas or a lawn service?

Against a typical gas trimmer’s fuel, oil, and annual tune-up costs, a cordless trimmer saves roughly $250–300 over three years. Against paying a lawn service around $20 per visit to edge weekly through a growing season, a cordless trimmer can save well over $1,000 across the same three years, since its only ongoing cost is a few dollars a year in electricity.

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