String trimmers and mowers compared
How our 4-man crew clears an overgrown lot, the exact Quik-Lok attachments and blowers we run, then every battery trimmer and mower by voltage with Home Depot prices.
Our 4-man crew on a cleanup
This is how we clear an overgrown lot with a four-man crew. The Milwaukee dual-battery trimmer is my favorite, but the tool I reach for most is the Quik-Lok with the metal brush cutter. Honestly, the Quik-Lok string trimmer comes up short against gas; the 17" dual-battery trimmer is a different animal.
1 · Heavy artillery
I go through first with the Quik-Lok power head and the metal brush cutter. Thick, overgrown stalks you find on a cleanup become easy pickings.
2 · The dual-battery trimmer
The M18 FUEL 17" dual-battery trimmer comes behind me or starts in another area. With thick .105 line it is unstoppable, and better than gas in most cases.
3 · The detail guy
Sidewalks and edges. The bed redefiner cleans up beds and the line where the lawn hits driveways and sidewalks; the metal edger handles the rest.
4 · The sensitive areas
Near cars and windows you do not want a string trimmer flinging rocks. The reciprocator cuts close with almost nothing thrown.
5 · Turf, gravel and paths
The bristle brush stands artificial turf back up. The rubber broom fixes gravel, rock beds, driveways and paths.
6 · Then we go up
After the low work: hedges, trees and bushes with the short pole hedge trimmer and the pole saw, plus the 3' extension when we need reach.
7 · Debris and cleanup
While the phases finish, the edge guy stacks debris on canvas tarps that we tie up and take with us, after filling the customer's green cans first. For the final roundup I deploy two or three blowers starting on different sides of the property, and the fourth guy is already loading.
The Quik-Lok setup we run
| Model | What we use it for | Home Depot* | Walmart* | Buy or compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M18 FUEL QUIK-LOK power head 3016-20 (we run 4) ★ We own it | Runs every attachment below | $329 kit with trimmer (was $379) | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Brush Cutter 49-16-2738 ★ We own it | Heavy artillery: thick, overgrown stalks | $169 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Bed Redefiner 49-16-2795 ★ We own it | Beds and lawn-to-concrete edges; 2.75" deep trench | $299 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Reciprocator 49-16-2794 ★ We own it | Near cars and windows: close cuts, no flung rocks | Check price › | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Bristle Brush 49-16-2741 ★ We own it | Brushes artificial turf back up | $589 with rubber broom (2-tool) | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Rubber Broom 49-16-2740 ★ We own it | Gravel, rock beds, driveways and paths | in the 2-tool set above | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Short Pole Hedge Trimmer 49-16-2796 ★ We own it | Hedges and branches up to 3/4" | Check price › | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| 10" Pole Saw 49-16-2720 ★ We own it | Tree limbs overhead | $539 with hedge trimmer + brush cutter (3-tool) | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| 3' Attachment Extension 49-16-2721 ★ We own it | Reach for the pole saw and hedger | Check price › | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
* Home Depot and Walmart online prices checked October 22, 2026; they change daily and can vary by store. Lowe's only shows a price after you pick a store, and Acme Tools and Amazon can't be read automatically, so use their buttons to compare. "Our receipt" is what we paid at Home Depot.
Blowers for the final roundup
| Model | Airflow | Why | Home Depot* | Walmart* | Buy or compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL dual-battery backpack blower 3009-20 ★ We own it | 650 CFM / 155 MPH | Big-boy blower; I got mine on sale for $350 | $499 tool only | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL dual-battery handheld blower 2824-20 ★ We own it | 600 CFM / 145 MPH | Our second blower | $299 tool only | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V blower RY40LB01K (kit) ★ We own it | 550 CFM / 120 MPH | The third one; crazy strong for the price | $159 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
* Home Depot and Walmart online prices checked October 22, 2026; they change daily and can vary by store. Lowe's only shows a price after you pick a store, and Acme Tools and Amazon can't be read automatically, so use their buttons to compare. "Our receipt" is what we paid at Home Depot.
Which tool for which yard
18V light trimmer (10"–13")
Best for: Small yards and edging along walks; light enough for anyone
Not for: Thick weeds and overgrown lots
40V–56V trimmer (15"–17")
Best for: Full-size yards and rental turnovers; gas-like power without the mix
Not for: Saving money if you already own 18V packs
Attachment system (Quik-Lok)
Best for: One power head runs brush cutter, bed redefiner, reciprocator, brushes, hedger and pole saw
Not for: String trimming alone; the Quik-Lok trimmer head comes up short against gas
Dual-battery 17" trimmer
Best for: Our favorite: with .105 line it is unstoppable and beats gas in most cases
Not for: Light use; it is heavy and costly
13"–16" push mower
Best for: Small rental yards, ADU and townhome lawns
Not for: Half an acre or overgrown grass
20"–21" battery mower
Best for: Standard lots; self-propelled for hills
Not for: Overgrown lots; no mower handles those, trimmers do the heavy lifting
Our honest take
Mowers only come out in maintenance mode
We own a DeWalt and a Ryobi; we got a great deal on them with a set of batteries and they do the job just fine. But we rarely use them now: most San Diego yards are low-water lawns, artificial turf or DG.
If a property is overgrown, no mower can handle it, no matter the brand. The string trimmers and the Quik-Lok do the heavy lifting. The mowers come out afterward, once it is maintenance. So do not overspend: buy the one that runs on batteries you already own.
String trimmers
| Model | Battery | Cut width | Shopper rating | Home Depot* | Walmart* | Buy or compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryobi ONE+ 18V PCLST01K (kit) | 18V | 10" | 4.3★ (3,794) | $79 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi ONE+ 18V P20015BTL (tool only) | 18V | 13" | 4.1★ (3,433) | $69.97 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi ONE+ 18V P20180 (kit) | 18V | 13" | 4.0★ (3,258) | $129 (was $139) | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt 20V DCST925B (tool only) | 20V | 13" | 4.1★ (2,560) | $129 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V RY40ST01B (tool only) | 40V | 15" | 4.2★ (5,045) | $119 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V RY40ST01K (kit) | 40V | 15" | 4.2★ (4,567) | $159 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V HP RY40HPST02K (kit) | 40V | 17" | 4.5★ (296) | $249 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2828-21E (kit) | 18V | 16" | 4.6★ (541) | $249 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL Quik-Lok 3016-21ST (kit) ★ We own it | 18V | 16" | 4.6★ (1,959) | $329 (was $379) | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL 17" dual-battery 3006-20 (tool only) ★ We own it | 18V x2 | 17", .105 line | Our favorite: beats gas in most cases | seen $179.99 on deal (YMMV) | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| RIDGID 18V trimmer + blower R019001 | 18V | 14" | 4.2★ (868) | $249 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| DeWalt 20V trimmer + blower DCKO222M1 | 20V | — | 4.2★ (2,084) | $399 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
* Home Depot and Walmart online prices checked October 22, 2026; they change daily and can vary by store. Lowe's only shows a price after you pick a store, and Acme Tools and Amazon can't be read automatically, so use their buttons to compare. "Our receipt" is what we paid at Home Depot.
Battery lawn mowers
| Model | Battery | Cut width | Shopper rating | Home Depot* | Walmart* | Buy or compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryobi ONE+ 18V P1180 | 18V | 13" | 4.2★ (3,806) | $279 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V P1190 (2 batteries) | 18V | 16" | 4.0★ (4,392) | $319 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V RY401101 | 40V | 18" | 4.2★ (725) | $329 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V HP RY40HPLM06K | 40V | 20" | 4.5★ (1,254) | $359 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V HP 20" self-propelled mower ★ We own it | 40V | 20" | Ours; maintenance mode only | Check price › We paid $258.06 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V HP RY40HPLM05K | 40V | 21" | 4.6★ (261) | $519.70 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Ryobi 40V HP RY40HPLM04K2 (2 batteries) | 40V | 21" | 4.5★ (33) | $739 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| ECHO 56V DLM-2100C2 | 56V | 21" | 4.6★ (143) | $499 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| ECHO 56V DLM-2100R2-2 (2 batteries) | 56V | 21" | 4.5★ (106) | $599 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
| Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2823-22HD self-propelled + trimmer bundle | 18V x2 | 21" | — | $1,449 | Check price › | AmazonHome DepotLowe'sAcmeWalmart |
* Home Depot and Walmart online prices checked October 22, 2026; they change daily and can vary by store. Lowe's only shows a price after you pick a store, and Acme Tools and Amazon can't be read automatically, so use their buttons to compare. "Our receipt" is what we paid at Home Depot.