Craftsman V20 Weedwacker Review

For folks on a budget (and who isn't?), the Craftsman V20 Weedwacker is a rock-solid option. While this string trimmer won't be able to reclaim your backyard from the jungle, it handles basic tasks with ease. Its 35-minute run time is plenty for the delicate edging work your mower leaves behind, and at 7 lbs, the whole family can get in on the yard work.

Performance Comparison

Weed Eating

When it comes it comes to the task of rendering undesirable plants into rakeable detritus, the V20 Weedwacker is up to task for grasses, dandelions, or even very young bamboo shoots. It has plenty of power to eat through short, thick grasses, though it gets tangled if the grass is too thick and too tall. The low-speed setting is excellent for detailed edging (e.g., around sprinkler heads), and you can turn the head sideways to clean up bushes and hedges, so long as the branches are very thin. It also does a nice job of cutting close to the ground.

The V20 Weedwacker isn't the most powerful trimmer in the game, and we wouldn't recommend it to a professional landscaper. It gets tangled in tall, thick stands of weeds, and the battery life is fairly short. Additionally, the guard is large enough that it gets in the way of some detailed work.

Ease of Use

The V20 Weedwacker is tailored for at-home DIY yard maintenance, so it's easy to carry, easy to use, and fairly easy to service. There isn't a shoulder strap attachment, but at a scant 7 pounds, our testers felt comfortable hanging on to this string trimmer as it whacked its way through grass. The V20 has a button to feed the string and when it's time to replace it, it's relatively simple to pop the cap off the spool head, as there is only one line to feed. The spool head will eventually wear out as it's dragged and scraped across the ground, and Craftsman offers an inexpensive replacement.

The ergonomic telescoping pole makes operation comfortable for all but the tallest of users, while the guard does an excellent job keeping flying debris below knee level.

Battery Life

Our independent testing reveals a 35-minute battery life per charge. This isn't an impressive amount of time in a professional setting, but if you refer to your property as a "yard" rather than an "estate," we're willing to bet you can cut those pesky weeds around the gas meter and over by the deck posts with time to spare.

There are models that will keep on whackin' for more than twice as long as the V20 Weedwacker, but they also cost quite a bit more.

Noise

We measured 84 decibels at arm's length from this tool, which is objectively low compared to some of the competition that measured in the low 100 decibel range. For reference, 85 dB is around the same volume as the subway going by, or standing next to a diesel truck. Subjectively, it has a medium-high pitch, and the string thumps fairly loud when we first turn it on.

You'll want to wear ear protection if you're using the V20 Weedwacker for more than a few minutes, but you won't bother the neighbors if you're doing yard work at a reasonable hour.

Value

We think that for the average homeowner, the Craftsman V20 Weedwacker presents an excellent value. It's more than up to the task of cleaning up after a mowing job on small to medium yards, and while it lacks the power and battery life for professional jobs, it's easy to service, easy on the back, and easy on the wallet.

Conclusion