Once grass wakes up from its winter nap and starts growing in the spring, taking care of a Texas lawn involves lots of mowing and trimming. Even if you’re using a string-line trimmer to cut grass where mowers can’t reach, there will still be spots along the edges of lawns that start looking a little ragged.
Grass is relentless. Bermudagrass in particular—one of the most common grasses growing in Texas—sends out runners to creep into flower beds and over the edges of sidewalks. Before you know it, the nice clean edges of the lawn can be overgrown by new grass.
Lawn edgers are a valuable tool for keeping grass in place. Using edgers—particularly during the peak growing season in spring and summer—gives lawns a clean, professional look. They’re a valuable tool for homeowners who want to up their lawn’s curb appeal. Edgers are also an essential tool for commercial lawn care work, giving your customers a polished and professional finish to the edges of their lawns.
Types of Edgers and How They Work
Powered edgers are typically hand-held equipment with handles that resemble a string-line trimmer. The edging head has a guide wheel and vertical cutting blade to help you make straight, clean cuts along the edges of sidewalks, patios, driveways, garden beds, and more.
Walk-behind edgers are also available. These are great tools for large lawns since they’re easy to use and you don’t have to carry them around. They also work well for people who struggle with using hand-held equipment.
Another option is manual edgers, which typically use a straight blade to cut into grass. Manual edgers are time-consuming and require a lot more effort to use. In this article, we’re focusing on electric and gasoline-powered edgers. Those tools are the most efficient and professional way to edge a lawn.
Multi-Tool Edger Facts
It’s also worth mentioning the advantages a multi-tool option can bring. If you’re thinking of buying an edger, then there’s a good chance you have a use for other yard-care tools like trimmers and blowers.
Choosing a multi-tool means you only need to maintain and store one powerhead for multiple tools. It can save storage space and, in the long run, save money as well. Multi-tools are a great choice for homeowners with limited storage. They’re also great for commercial lawn care since they save space on the equipment trailer.
There are, however, situations where you might not want to get a multi-tool. If you already have other equipment that you’re not planning to replace anytime soon, then buying a multi-tool might not make sense right now. Another concern is if you want multiple people to be able to use different tools at the same time. In that situation, it’s better to have dedicated tools.
Choosing an Edger for Your Needs
Edgers all work pretty much the same way. There’s a guide wheel to help keep you on track when you’re cutting and a blade that slices into the lawn to create a clean edge. The main choice you’ll need to make is what style of edger and power source you prefer.
Powered edgers are either hand-held equipment (similar to a trimmer) or walk-behind tools (similar to a small mower). For the hand-held equipment, you have a couple of options. You can either purchase a dedicated edger or get an edger as one of the attachments for a multi-tool. Dedicated hand-held edgers tend to be the least expensive, but if you want to save space and get multiple tool attachments the multi-tool can be a better choice overall.
For a power source, edgers are either gasoline-powered or electric. Modern electric edgers typically use lithium-ion batteries for the power source. Both types of edgers are powerful enough for homeowner or professional lawn care.
The battery-powered edgers have the advantage of being quieter and requiring less maintenance. They’re also “greener” since they don’t produce engine exhaust. Battery power may be less convenient, though, if you’re working on a large lawn or multiple lawns. It’s easier to refuel a gasoline edger than to recharge a battery-powered one. If you do want to use battery-powered edgers without taking the time for them to charge between uses, keeping a few backup batteries on hand can solve this problem.
Edgers at Richardson Saw
Here at Richardson Saw, we carry high-quality edgers from Echo, RedMax, and STIHL. These brands offer some of the most reliable edgers on the market.
Echo edgers are durable and easy to use. These features contribute to their popularity. The GT-225 Curved Shaft Trimmer, for example, received a 100% approval rating from the National Home Gardening Club. You can also get an edging attachment as part of Echo’s PAS multi-tool system.
RedMax edgers offer gasoline-powered equipment with environmentally-friendly engines. This brand boasts highly durable edgers due to features like a solid-steel drive shaft. These tools are also lightweight and easy to use.
STIHL edgers feature the same reliable, top-quality features that make their other tools favorites among homeowners and professionals alike. These tools offer low emissions (or none if you opt for their lithium-ion edgers) and high performance. Whether you choose dedicated edgers or multi-tools and whether you want gasoline or battery power, STIHL is a great choice. They also offer a bed-redefiner tool to cut edges along overgrown garden beds.
When you’re shopping for a new edger, come see us here at Richardson Saw & Lawnmower. We’re sure you’ll be able to find an edger that fits your lawn care needs in our wide selection of battery-powered, gasoline-powered, and multi-tool edgers. We’ll also be happy to answer any questions to have and help you find just the right tool for your lawn care tasks.
