Line feed and blade replacements. It’s useful if a blade strimmer comes with spare blades, so you don’t run out if one breaks in the middle of a job. You should be able to get a new spool of line for a line strimmer or replace the whole head. With both types it's helpful if the spare blades or line can be stored on the tool.

Well balanced tool design- The battery position is located under the main handle, exactly at the place that plays a role of pivot point when the tool is swung like a pendulum for grass cutting. The battery is therefore not swung around to minimize user’s fatigue Theres a knob with a grip, just beyond the loop handle, which is used to extend and retract the shaft – and rotate it for edging. It can be extended by 200mm to suit different heights of user. A thumb-pushed safety catch and a trigger start up the strimmer. You push the safety catch forward and pull the trigger, and work holding the trigger.

Makita DUR181RT 18v LXT Cordless Grass Line Trimmer Strimmer Inc 1x BL1850B 5.0Ah Battery & DC18RC Fast Charger

The Makita DUR 181 has been cleverly designed to be a good all-round tool for the average-sized garden. It’s easily manoeuvrable, and able to manage a wide range of jobs. Its lightness and balance mean that anyone small or not particularly strong could use it. Battery life and power is also impressive for its size. Verdict For edging, the head can be rotated through 180 degrees, giving you a clear view of what you’re doing as you work. It gave a nice result, and impressively even managedto cut through turf. Petrol strimmers. Powered by petrol these typically have steer handles - explained in more detail below - and a curved, angled shaft. Because they use fuel, they’re often more powerful than corded and cordless strimmers, but petrol is polluting and messy to store and use. They’re also heavy, noisy and need regular servicing. Thanks to the rise of cordless batteries, they’re less common nowadays, particularly for home use. Since the Makita DUR181 has only a single string – more powerful machines have two – it means you can’t cut that fast. Nevertheless, I still managed to strim 20 square metres of orchard grass in ten minutes.

Cutting head. The cutting head is the most important feature on a strimmer. It should be adjustable, so you can change the angle of the cut to cope with inclines and fiddly jobs. In most models, the head turns 90°, so you can trim along the edges of paths and flowerbeds. In the very best models, the cutting head also has wheels to help guide along edges and support the weight of the strimmer.Spool assembly is easy to attach and remove, also easy to rewind. It comes equipped with a metal bump feed button for wear resistance The Makita DUR181 arrived in sections but was easily put together using a Phillips screwdriver. It’s robust and feels solid and well made. The angle of the head can be adjusted through nearly 90 degrees to suit either working on a bank or down at ground level, and can be rotated 180 degrees for edging. Electric corded strimmers. Corded strimmers use a power cable connected to mains electricity. Depending on the length of the cable, these strimmers are more suitable for smaller gardens, but you can expand their reach with an extension lead. They’re also more dangerous than cordless strimmers because you run the risk of accidentally cutting the cable. It uses a single nylon cord. Press in two latches on both sides of the spool cover and the whole nylon cord cutting head pops off. You lift the spool out, and wind new cord on – it takes a hefty 8 metres, which is twice the amount that fits into more heavy-duty strimmers.