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How to edge a lawn with a strimmer

Updated: October 2026

The photograph you want is a straight line where the turf meets the path. How to edge a lawn with a strimmer is the overhanging grass, cut with the line vertical, not a new trench in the soil. A half-moon does the soil edge once or twice a year. A line trimmer tidies the fringe every mow or two, if the head can turn and, better, if the listing states a wheel. Cable safety stays on [how to use an electric strimmer](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/electric-grass-trimmer/sub/electric-grass-trimmer-how-to-use). Which listing states a wheel is on the [electric grass trimmer comparison](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/electric-grass-trimmer). A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The photograph you want is a straight line where the turf meets the path. How to edge a lawn with a strimmer is the overhanging grass, cut with the line vertical, not a new trench in the soil.

Our top picks

Forte Forte 350 W 3-in-1

Best overall

Forte Forte 350 W 3-in-1
8.0/10about £29.99
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BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER GL7033-GB

Rank 2

BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER GL7033-GB
8.6/10about £66.99
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Bosch Bosch EasyGrassCut 26

Best value

Bosch Bosch EasyGrassCut 26
8.4/10about £29.94
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On this page
  1. 1.Overhang or a new soil edge
  2. 2.Vertical head and the wheel
  3. 3.What these listings actually include
  4. 4.Walls, gravel and flowers

Overhang or a new soil edge

Most people mow first, then edge, then sweep. A strimmer takes the grass that flops over the path. A half-moon recuts the soil line, on moist but not waterlogged ground. Nylon will not cut that trench. Do not move the mains trimmer onto sodden ground because a half-moon likes moist soil. That note is for the hand tool. Cut long grass from the top in passes. Brambles are a brushcutter, not this job. Wattage sits on the electric grass trimmer buying guide. The edge does not get straighter because the motor is 700 W.

Vertical head and the wheel

Turn the head so the line is close to vertical, about 90 degrees, which is the position EGO's UK edging note describes. Throw debris away from you. Do not rest a corded motor on your shoulder. The lead stays behind you. Walk with the wheel or the guard on the path side, the line just touching the turf, and the head upright. If the head leans, the edge scallops. Unplug before you rotate the head. A 33 cm head covers more fringe per step than a 26 cm head, and it bites a wider mistake if you drift.
Forte Forte 350 W 3-in-1

Testsieger

Forte Forte 350 W 3-in-1
8.0/10about £29.99
View offer

What these listings actually include

Two listings state a wheel and one does not. The Forte states a removable roller wheel, a rotating head and a plant guard, at about £29.99. The cutting width is unstated, so the wheel is not a width. The GL7033 states a wheel edge guide and a 33 cm cut, at about £66.99. The Bosch names edging and does not name a wheel. You can still turn a head that has no wheel. Who should skip the Bosch for lack of a wheel is on best electric grass trimmer. Do not invent a 36-degree edging stop from another Bosch model.

Walls, gravel and flowers

Walls, posts and fence feet eat line. Bosch texts describe supplied line snapping on a first edge. Forte texts describe breaks against a hard wall. GL7033 texts describe nylon shredded against posts and fences. That is wear, not a reason to fit thicker line than the manual allows. Gravel throws stones, so loose chippings are a poor place to run the line at full speed. A plant guard on the Forte does not stop a line you aim into the flowers. If the soil edge is what looks wrong, fetch the half-moon.

Common questions

Do I turn the head or buy a separate edger?
Turn the head for overhanging grass, if the trimmer you have can rotate, and use a wheel when the listing states one. A separate half-moon is for the soil face, once or twice a year, not for the fringe after every mow. A dedicated powered edger is a different tool. It is not required for a path edge that only needs the line held upright.
Which of these three listings actually names a wheel?
The Forte states a removable roller wheel, a rotating head and a plant guard. The GL7033 states a wheel edge guide. The Bosch names edging in recommended uses and does not name a wheel. You can still edge with the Bosch if you hold the head upright. You will not have the guide the other two listings describe. The main comparison is where that column stays visible.
Should I edge before or after mowing?
After, in the order Mow and Edge describes: mow, then edge, then sweep. The mower takes the length. The strimmer takes the fringe the mower missed. Edging first leaves long grass flopping over a line you have just cut, and you do the fringe twice. The half-moon, if the soil needs it, is a separate session, not a step between every mow.
Why does the edge look scalloped?
The head was leaning. Mow and Edge says you keep it upright, with the wheel or guard on the path and the line only just on the turf. A fast walk, or a 33 cm head allowed to drift, cuts a series of arcs. A string line or a plank gives you something straight to follow. Scallops are a technique problem before they are a wattage problem.
Can the line recut a buried soil edge the way a half-moon does?
No. The line trims grass. The half-moon cuts the soil face. Forcing nylon into the earth stalls the head, snaps the line and does not leave the vertical soil edge a half-moon is for. Use the strimmer on the overhang through the growing season, and the half-moon when the shape of the bed has slumped.
Do I unplug before I rotate the head?
Yes. Rotating the head is an adjustment. The RHS says you unplug before adjustments, and Electrical Safety First says you unplug before you clear a blockage or change the line. Turn the head with the plug out, check the lead is still behind your shoulder position, then plug in again. Do not hold the trigger while you twist the shaft.

Related pages

Corded vs cordless strimmer

Electric grass trimmer

Best electric grass trimmer for weeds or a short edge

Electric grass trimmer buying guide for UK gardens

How to use an electric strimmer without cutting the cable

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings for this set. Prices saved 19 October 2026. Retrieved 22 October 2026.

  1. Electrical Safety First — Grass trimmers (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Health and Safety Executive — Electrical equipment (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. RHS — Electricity in the garden (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. RHS — Mowing (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. GOV.UK — Noise (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. Expert Reviews — Best grass trimmer (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Which? — How to buy a grass trimmer or strimmer (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. B&Q — Grass trimmer and brushcutter buying guide (retrieved 22.10.2026)