When it comes to taming overgrown grass and weeds, nothing beats the sheer power and portability of a petrol strimmer. These powerful tools use cutting lines to clear large areas of grass or weeds at pace.
Line trimmers have been a staple in the arsenal of both professional gardeners and homeowners for years, and with each passing year, advancements in technology bring us even more efficient and reliable options.
In this article, we will explore the best petrol grass strimmers available on the market today.
Best Options At A Glance
🌿 Best Petrol Brush Cutters & Strimmers Compared
Compare the best petrol strimmers at a glance. We’ve listed key specs like engine size, weight, and included accessories to help you find the best model for you.
| 🌿 Product | 🔥 Engine Size | ⚖️ Weight | 💷 Price | 💬 Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ParkerBrand 52cc Petrol Garden Brush Cutter/Strimmer | 52 cc | 10.7 kg | £ | Budget buyers wanting a capable, no-frills brush cutter with extras |
| Makita ER2600L 2 Stroke Petrol Strimmer | 25.7 cc | 4.3 kg | £ | Users wanting a manoeuvrable, lightweight strimmer with simple setup |
| Hyundai HYBC5200X 52cc 2 Stroke Petrol Strimmer | 52 cc | 9.1 kg | £ | Covering larger areas quickly with practical accessories and support |
| Stihl FS40 27.2CC Petrol Strimmer | 27.2 cc | 7.6 kg | ££ | Premium, easy-to-use strimmer from a trusted brand |
| Stihl FS56C-E 27.2CC Petrol Brush Cutter/Strimmer | 27.2 cc | ~8 kg | £££ | Top-tier, efficient strimmer with smooth starting and reliable performance |
Product Summaries
ParkerBrand 52cc Petrol Garden Brush Cutter/Strimmer
- Brand - ParkerBrand
- Dimensions - 107 x 28 x 28 cm
- Weight - 10.7 kg
- Cutting Width - aprx. 30cm
- Special Feature - Compact Split Shaft Design
Firstly we have the entry level ParkerBrand 52cc Petrol Garden Brush Cutter/Strimmer. It’s currently selling for £110/$148 on Amazon.
This reasonably priced strimmer from ParkerBrand uses a reliable 52cc engine that is capable of driving the blade at an impressive 7500 revolutions per minute. This gives it plenty of power for even the toughest of foliage.
It comes with some useful extras as well. ParkerBrand supply this brush cutter with a tool kit, a shoulder harness and a fuel mixing bottle, giving you everything you need to get the job done. The aditional cutting head gives you the benefits of both trimm
If you’re looking for a heavy duty petrol strimmer that will get the job done without breaking the bank, this cutter from ParkerBrand is a great choice.
Buy the ParkerBrand 52cc Petrol Garden Brush Cutter/Strimmer from Amazon for only £110/$148:
Makita ER2600L 2 Stroke Petrol Strimmer
- Brand - Makita
- Dimensions - aprx. 100 x 11 x 12 cm
- Weight - 4.3kg
- Engine Size - 25.7cc
- Special Feature - Easy Start System
Next we have the Makita ER2600L 2 Stroke Petrol Strimmer. It’s currently selling for £149/$200 on Amazon.
This strimmer from Makita uses a powerful 830W 2 stroke motor that is more than sufficient for overgrown grass and weeds.
The lightweight 4.3kg design and ergonomic loop handle make this strimmer really easy to use. Despite being fairly lengthy, it’s surprisingly manoeuvrable and comfortable during use.
It’s also supplied with a catalytic muffler to comply with the EPA Phase 2 and EU Stage 2 emissions regulations, so Makita have you covered there.
If you’re looking for a well made strimmer that is highly manoeuvrable and easy to use, the Makita ER2600L is an excellent choice.
Buy the Makita ER2600L 2 Stroke Petrol Strimmer from Amazon for only £149/$200:
Hyundai 52cc 2 Stroke Petrol Strimmer
- Brand - Hyundai
- Dimensions - 108 x 27 x 12.7 cm
- Weight - 9.1kg
- Engine Size - 52cc
- Special Feature - 3 Year Hyundai Warranty
Next we have the Hyundai HYBC5200X 52cc 2-Stroke Petrol Strimmer & Brushcutter, available for around £140/$188 on Amazon.
This model uses a Euro V 52cc 2-stroke engine, which provides enough power to handle overgrown grass, brambles and dense shrubs. It has a 450mm cutting width, allowing for faster work across wider areas.
You get both a bump-feed nylon head for standard trimming and a metal blade for tougher undergrowth. The trimmer line is also designed to be quick and simple to replace.
Hyundai includes a 3-year warranty and UK-based after-sales support for added reassurance.
Buy the Hyundai HYBC5200X 52cc 2 Stroke Petrol Strimmer and Brushcutter from Amazon for only £140/$188:
Stihl FS40 27.2CC Petrol Strimmer
- Brand - Stihl
- Dimensions - 160 x 30 x 27.5 cm
- Weight - 7.6kg
- Engine Size - 27.2cc
- Special Feature - Reduced Emissions
Next we have the Stihl FS40 27.2CC Petrol Strimmer. It’s currently selling for £258/$347 on Amazon.
The Stihl FS40 uses a 27.2cc petrol engine producing around 1 horsepower. That might not sound much engine power when compared to the horsepower you might expect from a car, but many petrol strimmers produce 0.6 horsepower or less, so 1 is pretty impressive.
The combination of the ergonomic loop handle and the curved shaft make this strimmer really easy to manoeuvre, even if you’re not used to handling a strimmer. It also features Stihl’s ErgoStart technology, which makes getting the engine started far easier.
If you’re looking for a premium strimmer from a reputable brand like Stihl, the FS40 is an ideal choice.
Buy the Stihl FS40 27.2CC Petrol Strimmer from Amazon for only £258/$347:
Stihl FS56C-E 27.2CC Petrol Brush Cutter/Strimmer
- Brand - Stihl
- Dimensions - aprx. 165 x 35 x 30 cm
- Weight - aprx. 8kg
- Engine Size - 27.2cc
- Special Feature - ErgoStart
Finally we have the Stihl FS56C-E 27.2CC Petrol Brush Cutter/Strimmer. It’s currently selling for £444/$597 on Amazon.
This strimmer uses a similar 27.2cc engine to the cheaper FS40, but this version produces 1.1 horsepower and has 20% lower fuel consumption when compared to the average 2 stroke engine.
The FS56C-E also features Stihl’s ErgoStart technology. This makes it far easier to start, as the starter cord can be pulled at just one third of the usual force.
Stihl’s fuel pump system is also really interesting. A small fuel pump delivers fuel to the carburettor at the touch of a button, greatly reducing the number of required starting strokes. This is particularly useful when you take extended breaks in operation.
If you’re in the market for a top of the line Stihl petrol strimmer, the FS56C-E is an excellent choice.
Buy the Stihl FS56C-E 27.2CC Petrol Brush Cutter/Strimmer from Amazon for only £444/$597:
🌿 Petrol Strimmer Features Comparison
The best petrol strimmers combine strong cutting performance, manageable weight, and reliable engine power for trimming grass, clearing weeds, and tackling overgrown areas. The table below highlights the most important features to compare before buying a petrol strimmer in the UK.
| ⚙️ Petrol Strimmer Feature | 📖 Why It Matters | ✅ Recommended Spec | 🎯 Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔥 Engine Size | Larger engines provide more cutting power for thicker grass and weeds. | 25cc–52cc | Light trimming to heavy brush cutting |
| ⚡ Engine Type | 2-stroke engines are lighter and more powerful, while 4-stroke models are quieter and more fuel efficient. | 2-stroke for heavy-duty use | Dense grass & overgrowth |
| 📏 Cutting Width | Wider cutting paths reduce trimming time on larger gardens. | 38–45cm | Medium to large lawns |
| 🪓 Brush Cutter Compatibility | Blade compatibility allows cutting thicker weeds, brambles, and dense vegetation. | Nylon line + metal blade support | Overgrown areas |
| ⚖️ Weight | Lighter models improve manoeuvrability and reduce fatigue. | 4–8kg ideal range | Longer trimming sessions |
| 🛠️ Shaft Type | Straight shafts improve reach and power transfer, while curved shafts are easier to handle. | Straight shaft preferred | Heavy-duty trimming |
| 🎒 Harness Support | Harnesses distribute weight more evenly during extended use. | Shoulder or dual harness included | Larger gardens |
| 🔇 Anti-Vibration System | Reduces strain on hands and arms during operation. | Integrated anti-vibration design | Frequent use |
| ⛽ Fuel Tank Capacity | Larger tanks improve runtime between refuelling stops. | 0.5L+ | Long maintenance sessions |
| 🏡 Intended Use | Different strimmers suit edging, general maintenance, or heavy brush clearing. | Match engine size to workload | Better cutting efficiency |
FAQs
Both petrol and electric strimmers can be great tools for maintaining your garden.
Electric strimmers are usually quieter and more environmentally friendly than petrol powered versions, but this comes at the cost of annoying power cables or a fairly limited battery life. This makes electric strimmers well suited for use on smaller gardens, where cables and battery life are less of an issue. Petrol strimmers are usually more powerful than their electrical equivalents, and they aren’t limited by battery life or power cables, but they’re usually louder and less environmentally friendly. This makes petrol grass trimmers a better choice for larger gardens when power cables or limited battery life may become an issue.
You may find that your cutting lines becomes dry and brittle after extensive use. Soaking or storing your cutting line in water will help to prevent any damage to the line and ensure that it remains flexible for future use. This does highlight one benefit of brush cutters, as their metal cutting blades remove the need for this regular maintenance. If you’re interested in brush cutters, you may want to take a look at our article covering the Best Cordless Brush Cutter 2023.
This will depend on two factors – the power of your chosen strimmer and the thickness of the brambles.
If you are dealing with compacted brambles, you may find that a traditional cutting line strimmer isn’t up to the task, and this is especially true if your strimmer is electric. Petrol strimmer are usually more powerful and are therefor more likely to be able to cut through brambles, but the ideal tool for the job is a brush cutter.
Brush cutters use specially designed cutting blades that are far stronger than the wire that is usually used by strimmer, allowing them to chop through thick bushes and brambles with ease. If you’re interested in what brush cutters are out there, feel free to take a look at our article covering the Best Cordless Brush Cutter 2023.
Twisted strimmer lines use a twisted design to strengthen the cutting edge and improve grip on thicker foliage like weeds and brambles.
This is ideal if you have an unruly garden but you don’t want to invest in a separate tool like a brush cutter to deal with the tougher areas. Twisted cutting lines are also the quietest operation and the least vibration of any strimmer line due to their low air resistance,
Thanks for reading our article. If you’re interested in taking control of your garden, you might want to take a look at our article covering the Best Electric Lawn Mower UK.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or queries that you’d like us to take a look at – we’d be happy to help.
