Best Edgers

Like we said above, keeping your grass edges clean and tidy makes an enormous difference in the overall look of your yard. And sadly, your lawn mower isn’t going to be able to take care of those for you, you’ll need an edger.

Edging isn’t just for looks, though. Grass can grow into your landscaping and even over the edges of pavement if left alone for too long. Edging stops this from happening by creating a root barrier that the grass can’t cross to ‘invade’ those unwanted spaces.

Electric or battery: These edgers don’t need fuel or oil to operate. They either need a battery if cordless or they’ll plug into an electrical outlet. A battery-operated edger isn’t as powerful as a corded edger, but they allow you to trim anywhere without needing to be near an outlet — and vice versa for corded edgers with more power but less mobility. Electric edgers are usually a more budget-friendly option and are great for people with smaller outdoor spaces.

Gas-powered: Gas lawn edgers are more powerful than electric and have better versatility for creating an overall polished yard. They are quicker and much more efficient than electric units so you can cover more space in less time, making them ideal for larger yards. Gas edgers come in either a two- or four-cycle format — two-cycle gas edgers are typically more powerful, cheaper, and weigh less than a four-cycle, but they aren’t nearly as efficient or environmentally conscious. Four-cycle edgers will weigh more and cost you more upfront, but are much more efficient and cause less pollution than two-cycle edgers.

Manual: Hand edgers are easy to control and are great for those hard-to-navigate spaces that an electric or gas powered edger might not be able to reach. You don’t have to worry about maintenance (other than an occasional blade sharpening or cleaning) and they can last for generations. You also don’t have to worry about accidentally dinging up your sidewalk or flower beds, unlike with an engine-powered blade. That being said, a manual edger is much more labor-intensive and much slower to use if you want to cover a lot of ground.

While some edgers are light enough to carry and use on their own, edging an entire yard or large space can be straining on your arms and back. A lot of edgers come with wheels to help guide it along its paths and make the whole process less cumbersome. The most popular wheel design is with three wheels — two wheels in the back and a guide wheel up front. If you want some more stability while you edge, pick a four-wheeled edger instead. Having two wheels in the front and the rear will give it extra balance.

A straight, flat blade can handle basic edging jobs and simple yards just fine, but if you have complex landscaping it may be beneficial to invest in an edger with multiple settings or more advanced blades. Flat blades with scoop-cut edges can handle more delicate features, like flower beds, without fear of them being damaged by flying debris. These are also ideal for when the lawn or other surfaces are uneven. There are also star-shaped blades that can edge against a wall or a fence without dinging the blades or the wall.