Ryobi One+ Lithium Ion 18V String Trimmer

Ryobi One+ Lithium Ion String Trimmer Makes the Cut!

As I’ve said in other reviews I have done on Ryobi tools, “Ryobi makes no bones about the fact that they are not a Pro Brand (big brother Ridgid handles that area), but instead are designed for the average DIYer, easily found as the house brand for The Home Depot”.  And my opinion still stands that for many homeowners (especially those in the market for outdoor tools), the Ryobi One+ line is a good, solid choice.  I feel the same after trying the Ryobi One+ Lithium Ion 18V String Trimmer.

If you’ve read any of my other reviews on yard tools, especially the Worx String Trimmer, or the Worx Hedge Trimmer, you’ll know that one of my pet peeves finding a tool, using it, and actually, liking the way a tool works only to have it not work next summer because the batteries have died over the winter. So, I’ll be anxious to see if this tool does better than the Worx, but it’s already gotten a better grade since the batteries have a much longer warranty than the Worx.  And, because you can get the tool and the battery at The Home Depot, it makes it easy to take advantage of the warranty if needed.

Ryobi One+ Line:  Use Any One+ Battery with Any One+ Tool

As with the rest of the One+ line, you can interchange the batteries on any of the tools.  And when I say you can interchange, I even mean you can interchange the NiCd and the Lithium Ion, and the Lithium Ion in both sizes.  However, in the case of a string trimmer, I personally think you are crazy if you use anything other than Lithium Ion.   Carrying a string trimmer around is heavy enough and so why not use the longer lasting, lighter Lithium Ion battery if there is a choice.

Enough about the Ryobi One+ line and onto the function of the tool…  No bones about it, I was pleased with it.   Just so you know.  I can’t stand gas trimmers.  So if you are a gas trimmer fan, this tool might be a little lightweight for you, but I think it’s perfect to get the job done in my yard where I’m trimming grass only.   No brush, no thick weeds etc..

There are plenty of pros to this tool.  First of all, it’s pretty much assembled when you pull it out of the box.  The only things you have to do is charge the battery and attach the guard, and that’s simple enough, just a few screws and it’s done.  Like other string trimmers in the same category, it’s lightweight.  The claim is that it’s 5.6 pounds without the battery, and 7.5 pounds with the battery. It’s a straight shaft tool, and it’s easy to adjust the length of the telescoping shaft just by turning the handles and making the adjustment.

This is also the way you adjust the direction of the head to turn it into an edger.  (And yes there is a flower protector for the edging function).

The angle of the head adjusts easily with the push button on the head.

Comparing a Cordless Tool to a Gas Trimmer Unfair:

After reading some of the reviews online, here are a few on the cons that were listed: Some people complained that it’s not as powerful as their gas trimmers, but it’ not the same thing.  A battery trimmer won’t have the same power.  The whole point is that it’s designed to be lighter, be easier to start, and run without the yucky fumes.  A couple of people complained about it not coming with a shoulder strap, and I agree.  It would be better if it had one.  Some people were unhappy with the runtime of the battery.  So far, that has not been my issue.  I’ve been able to trim around the base of my fence (of the quarter acre that’s fenced) and also trim around the trees and rocks.   But my theory on that is to always have a couple of batteries for any battery- powered tool you own.

Final Thoughts:

I’d say for the price (you can get the tool only for less than $50 if you have the batteries already, and less than $100 if you need one with the battery), it’s well worth it.  I give it a thumbs up, and I’ll let you know if the battery is dead next year! Promise.

You can buy the String Trimmer at The Home Depot: CLICK HERE

You can find the 6 port charger at Amazon.com:  CLICK HERE

And you can find the compact lithium-ion battery and charger at Amazon.com: CLICK HERE.