The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to DeWalt Strimmers: Which Model is Right for You?

Keeping lawns, borders and overgrown areas under control is much easier when you have the right strimmer for the job. But with so many DeWalt strimmers available, choosing the best one for you isn’t always straightforward.

Do you need the extra power of a 54V FLEXVOLT machine? Or will a lighter 18V DeWalt strimmer be better suited to regular garden maintenance?

In this guide, we’ll break down the differences, look at the features that matter and help you decide which DeWalt cordless strimmer is right for you.

Why Choose a DeWalt Cordless Strimmer?

Cordless garden tools have come a long way. For everyday jobs, you no longer need to deal with extension leads or the maintenance, fuel and starting routine associated with petrol-powered equipment.

A DeWalt cordless strimmer gives you the freedom to move around the garden without being tied to a power socket – just fit a charged battery and you’re ready to start trimming.

And if you already own DeWalt cordless tools, you get the advantage of battery compatibility.

DeWalt’s 18V XR system covers a huge range of cordless tools, while FLEXVOLT batteries provide the foundation for its higher-powered 54V outdoor equipment. So if you’ve already invested in one of these cordless platforms, a DeWalt trimmer becomes particularly appealing.

The question is: which platform do you need?

DeWalt 18V Strimmers: The Everyday Workhorse

For routine lawn maintenance, the DeWalt 18V strimmer is likely to be the best starting point.

Models such as the DeWalt DCMST561 are designed to offer plenty of cutting performance while remaining manageable enough for regular use around a domestic garden.

The DCMST561 uses an 18V XR brushless motor and offers a generous 36cm cutting swath, allowing you to cover a good amount of ground with each pass. Its 2mm twisted cutting line is suited to grass, weeds and general garden growth, while the bump-feed system allows additional line to be released as you work.

Where the 18V option really shines, however, is its balance between performance and usability.

What is a DeWalt 18V Strimmer Best For?

An 18V DeWalt trimmer is ideal for everyday jobs such as:

• Tidying grass around fences, walls and garden furniture
• Trimming areas your lawn mower cannot easily reach
• Cutting grass around trees and other obstacles
• Maintaining lawn edges
• Clearing light weeds and general garden growth
• Regular maintenance of small and medium-sized gardens

For these jobs, more power isn’t necessarily better.

A large, heavy-duty machine can become tiring when you’re carefully working around flower beds, paths and garden features. An 18V model provides the manoeuvrability needed for these more precise jobs while still delivering enough performance for routine grass cutting.

If most of your strimming involves tidying the lawn after mowing, the DeWalt trimmer 18V range is therefore likely to offer the best balance.

Why the DeWalt DCMST561 Is Such a Strong All-Rounder

One of the standout options in DeWalt’s 18V range is the DCMST561 brushless string trimmer.

Its 36cm cutting width provides good coverage without making the machine unnecessarily cumbersome, while the brushless motor is designed to provide efficient cordless performance and durability.

You also get variable speed control alongside high and low settings. This means you don’t have to run the machine at full power for every task.

When you’re carefully trimming around borders or tackling lighter grass, you can reduce the power for greater control and improved battery runtime. When you reach thicker patches of growth, you can increase the power as required.

DeWalt also uses an ergonomic grip, secondary D-ring handle and balanced design to make the machine more comfortable during longer periods of use.

For the average garden, that combination of cutting width, control and manoeuvrability makes this style of DeWalt strimmer 18V a particularly versatile choice.

Folding Shaft: A Small Feature That Makes a Big Difference

Storage is easy to overlook when buying garden machinery.

A strimmer might not occupy much floor space, but its long shaft can make it surprisingly awkward to fit into a crowded shed, garage or van.

This is where the folding shaft on models such as the DCMST561 becomes particularly useful. The shaft folds down, making the machine much more compact when it isn’t being used.

That’s particularly handy if your shed is already filled with a lawn mower, hedge trimmer, pressure washer and the collection of garden tools that somehow seems to get bigger every year.

For tradespeople or landscapers transporting equipment between jobs, the more compact design can also make the strimmer easier to fit into a van alongside other tools.

When Should You Step Up to 54V FLEXVOLT?

While an 18V machine is an excellent choice for routine garden maintenance, there comes a point where additional cutting power becomes worthwhile.

That’s where DeWalt’s 54V XR FLEXVOLT machines come in.

These models are aimed at larger areas and more demanding cutting applications. The DeWalt DCM5713, for example, features a 54V brushless motor, 38cm cutting swath and patented gear-drive system designed to power through heavier work.

It retains useful features such as variable speed control and high/low settings, but provides the additional performance required when vegetation becomes tougher or the area you’re maintaining becomes considerably larger.

A 54V DeWalt strimmer is worth considering if you regularly need to tackle:

• Large gardens or rural properties
• Paddocks and substantial boundaries
• Dense weeds and heavy overgrowth
• Long grass that isn’t maintained regularly
• Tougher landscaping and groundskeeping work
• Large areas where cutting speed is particularly important

The trade-off is that a larger FLEXVOLT machine is generally more tool than the average small garden needs.

If you’re mainly tidying grass along the edge of a patio every week, an 18V model is likely to be the more practical choice.

DeWalt 54V Brush Cutter: For the Toughest Clearing Jobs

For vegetation beyond the capabilities of ordinary trimming line, DeWalt also offers dedicated FLEXVOLT brush-cutting options.

The DCM571 can operate with a 38cm string-trimming swath or a 25cm tri-tip brush cutter blade, giving it the versatility to move beyond ordinary lawn maintenance.

That makes this type of machine particularly useful for clearing tougher, more established vegetation.

Think of it as the step up from maintaining a garden to actively reclaiming an overgrown area.

For homeowners with large rural properties, professional landscapers or anyone regularly dealing with dense growth, the additional capability of a brush cutter can make a considerable difference.

For maintaining a typical lawn, though, it’s probably unnecessary.

DeWalt FLEXVOLT Split Boom: The Versatile Option

Another option worth considering is DeWalt’s 54V XR FLEXVOLT Split Boom system.

Instead of buying several completely separate machines, the DCMAS5713 power head can be paired with different attachments. Available options include a string trimmer, brush cutter, pole hedge trimmer and pole saw.

With the string-trimmer attachment installed, the system provides a 38cm cutting swath and is designed for demanding trimming work. The split-shaft arrangement also makes the machine easier to store and transport.

This system makes particular sense if you have a large garden with several different maintenance requirements.

Rather than having a dedicated motor and battery system for every gardening task, you can use one FLEXVOLT power head with different attachments.

For somebody who only needs a strimmer, a dedicated DeWalt trimmer may be simpler. For larger properties requiring regular trimming, brush cutting, hedge maintenance and pruning, the attachment system offers considerably more versatility.

Key Features to Look For When Choosing DeWalt Strimmers

Voltage is important, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you consider. Several other features can make a noticeable difference to how a strimmer performs in everyday use.

Variable Speed Control

Variable speed is one of the most useful features you’ll find on a cordless strimmer.

Not every area of your garden needs maximum power.

If you’re trimming carefully around a flower bed, young tree or delicate border, reducing the speed gives you greater control. When you move onto thicker grass and weeds, you can increase the power.

Variable speed also helps you manage battery runtime by avoiding unnecessary full-power operation.

Cutting Width

Cutting width, sometimes referred to as the cutting swath, determines how much vegetation the strimmer can cut with each pass.

A wider cutting width can help you cover large areas more quickly.

For example, the folding 18V XR DCMST561 offers a 36cm cutting swath, while selected 54V FLEXVOLT models increase this to 38cm.

The difference may sound small, but over a large area those additional centimetres can help improve productivity.

For tighter domestic gardens, however, a slightly smaller cutting area can sometimes make the tool easier to manoeuvre.

Brushless Motor

Many modern DeWalt strimmers use brushless motors.

Unlike traditional brushed motors, brushless designs remove the need for carbon brushes and are designed to provide improved efficiency and durability.

For a cordless garden tool, efficiency is particularly important because it helps make better use of the available battery capacity.

Line Feed System

Having to stop repeatedly to adjust cutting line can quickly become frustrating.

DeWalt strimmers use bump-feed systems that allow you to release more line while working. Selected models also feature DeWalt’s Quickwind system to simplify loading and replacing the line.

It’s not necessarily the feature you’ll think about first when buying a strimmer, but it’s one you’ll appreciate once you’re halfway around the garden.

Ergonomics and Balance

Power figures tend to attract the most attention, but comfort matters just as much if you’ll be using the machine for extended periods.

Look for features such as an ergonomic main grip, adjustable or secondary handle and balanced weight distribution.

This is another area where choosing the right machine for the job matters.

The additional performance of a FLEXVOLT machine is valuable when you’re tackling heavy vegetation, but for lighter routine maintenance, the easier handling of an 18V DeWalt strimmer can be more beneficial.

Folding or Split Shaft

If storage space is limited, pay close attention to the shaft design.

A folding shaft allows the tool to take up significantly less room when stored, while split-boom machines can separate into sections and may also support interchangeable attachments.

This can be particularly valuable if you’re storing several cordless garden tools in a small shed or transporting them regularly.

18V XR vs 54V FLEXVOLT: Which Should You Choose?

Ultimately, choosing between DeWalt strimmers comes down to the type of work you’ll actually be doing.

For most homeowners, the DeWalt 18V strimmer is the sweet spot.

It provides the cutting performance required for regular lawn maintenance without adding unnecessary size and power. It’s particularly attractive if you already own DeWalt 18V XR tools and batteries.

The 54V FLEXVOLT range starts to make more sense when the workload increases significantly.

If you’re regularly clearing dense growth, maintaining large areas or need brush-cutting capability, the additional power and cutting capacity can justify the step up.

What If You Already Own DeWalt Batteries?

Your existing battery collection should definitely factor into your decision.

If you already use DeWalt 18V XR power tools, choosing a compatible DeWalt cordless strimmer can allow you to make use of batteries you already own.

In this situation, a body-only strimmer can be a particularly cost-effective option because you aren’t paying for another battery and charger unnecessarily.

Likewise, existing FLEXVOLT users may find it easier to justify moving towards DeWalt’s more powerful 54V outdoor equipment.

Just remember to check exactly what is supplied before purchasing. DeWalt strimmers are available in both body-only configurations and kits containing batteries and chargers.

Which DeWalt Strimmer Is Right for You?

There’s no single strimmer that’s perfect for every garden.

If you’re maintaining a typical domestic lawn, trimming edges after mowing and keeping weeds under control, an 18V DeWalt trimmer will be the sensible choice for most users. It offers a strong combination of cordless freedom, cutting performance and manageable handling.

If your garden is larger, heavily overgrown or extends into rougher ground, stepping up to a 54V FLEXVOLT machine gives you additional cutting performance for more demanding vegetation.

And if your outdoor maintenance involves more than strimming, the FLEXVOLT Split Boom system provides the option to run multiple garden attachments from the same power head.

The easiest way to decide is to think about the toughest job you perform regularly – not the toughest job you might encounter once every few years.

For routine lawn care, keep things light and versatile with 18V XR.

For serious clearing work, FLEXVOLT earns its place.

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