Types Of String Trimmer Heads, And Which Is Right For You

Undoubtedly, your string trimmer is one of your most used garden tools aside from your mower. It's so versatile that you can even use a weed whacker for razor-sharp garden edges. You're probably aware that there are different types of heads you can get, and each one has its pros and cons. Choosing the one that's right for you will depend on what type of yard you have and how often you'll be using your tool. The different types of string trimmer heads include the traditional manual-feed, automatic-feed, bump-feed, locking heads, and dual-line. 

Each manufacturer will have brand-dedicated trimmer heads that are specifically designed for your particular brand of weed eater. But you'll also find that there are now plenty of universal-fit trimmer heads that can be used on a variety of branded weed whackers, as most will come complete with an arbor bolt adapter. The more traditional string trimmer heads are the manual-feed ones. With these, you have to load the line and pull out a length before you do any cutting, and it's imperative that you learn how to restring your weed whacker to maintain this tool. Similarly, if the string breaks, you need to manually advance some more line from the spool. These are great if you want better control over the amount of line you're using and don't mind the task of pulling out more when needed.

Another common string trimmer head is the automatic-feed. These advance the line for you whenever needed, making them less labor-intensive, but they might use up more string because you've lost that level of control over the feed. This head is ideal if you have a smaller yard and only use your weed eater occasionally. However, if the line breaks close to the spool, you may have to pull some more out manually. The bump-feed heads take string advancement up a notch. Every time you've used up a bit of line, you just need to tap the head on the ground, and it will automatically advance more. This can save you time, especially if you have a larger yard and do a lot of trimming. 

Locking heads are slightly different again because they don't have a spool housing. On these, there's a disc with a hole to feed the string through. This allows you to use pieces of precut string that you've purchased or cut yourself. If you don't want to constantly advance the string manually, this will likely be the trimmer head for you. Finally, for those people who have large yards or a lot of growth to cut back, a dual-line trimmer head might be what you need. These units utilize two lines of string, which means they can cut faster and handle much thicker scrub or undergrowth. And, if you're in the market for a new one, you'll want to explore the best gas-powered weed eaters based on reviews.