2018 test5 productsOutdoor Power Equipment
Which Trimmer Brush Cutting Blade Brand Wins?
A head-to-head test of 5 trimmer brush cutting blade options with the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.
Ranked first
Grass Gator
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Design | Tall grass | Light brush | Tree | Claims | Light brush (about 1/2 in) | Grass | Tree/thick brush |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Grass Gator | three nylon blades providing an 11 1/2 in swath, designed to cut tall weeds, light brush, and grass in open field areas | seems to be doing okay with the tall grass, but doesn't have enough blade tip speed to get the grass out of the way, so it has to be cut in layers | just hitting the brush did a lot of damage to the blade; nylon or plastic blades are very sensitive to hard objects | not tested on the tree | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 2Craftop | not tested | not tested | not tested | did a pretty good job but is no match for the 1 in tree; would take a couple of different hits to knock the tree down, causing a lot of wear and tear on the trimmer | claims to be more durable than the competition, claims the blade can be resharpened, and claims it can do real damage to weeds, brush, shrubs, and grass | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 3Forester 9 in saw chain grass blade | not tested | not tested | not tested | recapped in the conclusion as cutting through the tree just fine, though it takes a little more effort and energy than the Renegade Hybrid or the regular Renegade blade | claims ideal for all brush cutting applications, but the fine print says the blade is for cutting grass; instructions warn that cutting harder objects could cause the trimmer to rebound out of control, resulting in property damage, serious injury, or death | did a great job, an amazing job cutting small brush; not a straight across cut, the chainsaw teeth cause the blade to move up as it cuts | narrator does not like how it cuts grass, it does not kick grass clippings out of the way and they pile up on top of the blade and get in the way, unlike trimmer cord which whips clippings out of the way | not tested |
| 4Renegade 36 tooth carbide tip, 9 in diameter | not tested | not tested | not tested | cut through a tree in less than a second, described as cutting through it like butter; the tree was about as wide as four of the narrator's fingers, at least 2 and 1/2 to 3 in wide | claims to be good for brush and brambles; described as essentially a saw blade fitted to a trimmer | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 5Renegade Hybrid 68 tooth carbide tip, 9 in diameter (twice as many teeth as the regular Renegade) | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | manufacturer claims the carbide mix in the teeth is proprietary and second to none | not tested | not tested | appears to cut more smoothly and seems better at cutting thick brush than the regular Renegade blade in a side by side piece of wood |
How it was tested
- cutting tall grass
- cutting light brush (roughly 1/2 in to several inches thick)
- cutting a small tree (about 1 in, and separately described as 2.5 to 3 in wide)
- durability when the blade contacts hard or solid objects (guard removed only for demonstration purposes)
“Now, to me, there really isn't a winner or a loser. There are some products I don't recommend, such as the Grass Gator.”