Ryobi Switches From Trimmer to Edger With a Twist of the Shaft
The Ryobi P20120VNM 18V HP Brushless 13-inch String Trimmer Edger joins a long line of products pulling double-duty on lawn care tasks. This makes some sense as a tool like this case definitely saves time when you don’t have commercial-level amounts of edging to do. Ryobi also avoided adding any weird gimmicks, relying on a rather straightforward innovation to create the dual-use functionality on this outdoor trimming tool.
What’s the Big Deal?
The big deal about the Ryobi String Trimmer Edger is easily its design. Ryobi has hardly cornered the market on string trimmer/edger combos. However, this tool address trimming in a very straightforward and convenient way. It’s also a design that we haven’t quite seen before.
The Ryobi P20120VNM string trimmer features a button that unlocks the shaft for rotation. This repositions the cutting head to where it functions as an edger. The bit that’s a little surprising is that it looks like it lacks the guide wheel that every other trimmer edger seems to have.
Incidentally, we dislike those. They get in the way and often throw off the weight of the tool.
As you might expect in an “HP” tool, the Ryobi 18V HP Trimmer Edger features a brushless motor. If it holds up to the quality we’ve experienced with other HP tools, this should help it power through both trimming and edging tasks efficiently. It uses 0.080″ line that you matches up with the 11/13″ cutting swath.
Ryobi also takes away the need to keep up with bumping the head against the ground every time you need more line. Instead, every time you release the trigger, the auto-feed line head lets out a 1/4″ of line. Any excess gets lopped off at the trimmer guard. This can result in a significant amount of line waste, but only until you get into the groove of using the tool properly.
The Ryobi 18V HP String Trimmer Edger features an adjustable front handle for better comfort. Meanwhile, variable speed with a two-speed trigger gives you better control over your work.
Side By Side
As we said, the Ryobi 18V HP String Trimmer Edger isn’t the first of its kind. The most recent example of this is likely the Hart 20V 13″ String Trimmer Edger we looked at a few weeks ago. We wanted to see how this tool compared to the Ryobi P20140, which closely resembles that Hart model.
| Model | Ryobi P20120 | Ryobi P20140 |
|---|---|---|
| Motor | Brushless | Brushed |
| Battery Platform | 18V One+ HP | 18V One+ |
| Line | 0.080″ | 0.080″ |
| Switch Mechanism | Push Button | Foot Pedal |
| Guide Wheel | No | Yes |
| Cutting Swath | 11″-13″ | 11″-13″ |
| Auto-Feed Head | Yes | Yes |
| Variable Speed | Yes | Yes |
| Kit Includes | 4.0Ah Battery and Charger | 4.0Ah Battery and Charger |
| Price | $149 | $119 |
The two models look startlingly similar across the board, except for a couple of notable exceptions. The first is that the Ryobi P20120 features a brushless motor, whereas the P20140 keeps to a more basic brushed model.
There is also a difference in design between the two models. The push-button vs. the foot pedal is probably neither here nor there, but you might prefer to have the supporting guide wheel.
The differences between the two models are also reflected in their retail prices. Both kits include the same size battery and a charger, but the Brushless Ryobi does command a $30 premium.
Pricing
You can pick up the Ryobi 18V One+ HP Trimmer Edger a kit at your local Home Depot or online. The tool comes with a 4.0Ah battery and a charger. Ryobi warranties it for 3 years as well. You can pick it up for $149.
Ryobi 18V HP Trimmer Edger Specs
- Model: Ryobi P20120
- Motor: Brushless
- Max Cut Diameter: 13 in.
- Recommended Line Diameter: 0.080 in.
- Shaft Type: Straight
- Weight: 7.3 lbs.
- Warranty: 3 years
- Price: $149.99
