How does the Ryobi 18V brushless edger perform against pavers and curves?

[Claudeduck]

Does anyone know, please,  how the Ryobi 18V 204mm edger would go:

(a) against clay pavers?

(b) against curved surfaces?

All the videos that I have seen on Youtube etc of these edgers show them being used against straight, concrete paths and driveways.  They seem to make a lot of noise against the concrete which tells me that they are constantly striking against the side of the concrete. I would worry that, with the softer clay pavers, they would do damage to the pavers.

Also, my clay paved driveway is a big thing with sweeping curves. I imagine that the machine would do damage on inner curves but how does it go against outside curves.  I would not mind getting one but fear that I will learn that I have made a mistake in so doing five minutes after using it against clay pavers and curved surfaces.

Currently I use a 36 V Ryobi line trimmer to clean up the driveway edges but it gets to be a bit tediously heavy for this septuagenerian old coot after a while.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Claudeduck, 

I understand your concerns about using the Ryobi 18V 204mm Brushless Edger against clay pavers and curved surfaces, and I share them. When using an edger along concrete, the blade typically runs right along the edge without catching, but that’s due to the hard surface of the concrete. With softer clay pavers, the spinning blade could potentially damage the edges, leaving marks or, in some cases, chipping away small pieces if it catches. Given the high RPM of the blade, even light contact could leave visible wear on the clay pavers over time, especially on inner curves where the blade might dig in a little more.

Curved surfaces can also be tricky with this type of edger. The machine is designed to perform well on straight edges, but on sweeping curves, particularly inner ones, it may struggle to maintain smooth contact, increasing the risk of accidental damage. Given the design of these edgers and their intended use primarily on hard, straight surfaces, it’s understandable to worry that your investment could lead to unwanted results on clay.

Since you’re already using a 36V Ryobi line trimmer, it’s worth considering a lighter alternative that might be easier to handle. A line trimmer is more forgiving on clay pavers and curved surfaces because it doesn’t rely on a rigid blade, reducing the chance of damage. You might want to look at the Ryobi 18V ONE+ Line Trimmer. It's similar to the machine you're using but in the 18V battery system. It's much lighter and easier to manoeuvre, especially for prolonged use. This could be a good balance between getting the job done and reducing fatigue. The line trimmer is also versatile and should be much gentler on the curves and pavers, allowing you to maintain your driveway edges without the risk of damage.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Claudeduck]

Thank you, Mitchell.  I really appreciate the wisdom of your answer.   Many thanks.

 I have just compared the specified weight of the 36V machine with that of the 18 V machine and that proved that what you said makes great sense.  I shall have a serious look at the 18V machine.

I have had a lot of use out of a number of 36V Ryobi machines and they are awesome but, steadily, it seems that I am getting a growing collection of the 18V machines as well. 😁.  I think that I need a bigger shed!  😁

Once again, many thanks for your terrific response.

[Claudeduck]

Well, I went to Bunnings today and bought the Ryobi One+ 18V 25/30cm Cordless Line Trimmer that Mitchell recommended as being more suitable for edging along curved, clay paver surfaces and assembled it and tested it out on the job this afternoon and ………..wait for it ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,he was right!  It is a great solution to my problem and obviously better than getting the 204mm brushless edger to do the job

The  lightweight 18V line trimmer is infinitely better to use than the much heavier Ryobi 36V Expand-IT line trimmer that I had been using to do this job for several years.  I have always been very happy with the Expand-IT range because it its versatility and power, eg I have not only the line trimmer but also the long hedge trimmer (not bad!)  and the cultivator. (Excellent!!!). However, the line trimmer, with its 36V battery is getting to be a bit heavy for this old dude and never more so than when edging my “Sir Walter” buffalo grass against my curving, clay paved driveway and other paved areas.

The 18V line trimmer is better for edging on a couple of counts. Firstly, it is much lighter so fatigue in using it is not such a problem. Secondly, it has far more easy adjustments than the 36 V Expand-IT model does.  So flipping up the safety guard and rotating the cutting head to facilitate vertical cutting is a cinch, as is reversing the whole procedure to do horizontal cutting.  The quality of the lawn edge against the driveway was very good.

So, thanks, Mitchell.  The lightweight 18V line trimmer has solved my problem very well. So well, in fact that I kept using it for other standard line trimmer tasks after I had edged my driveway this afternoon.  I was also pleasantly surprised  that the light 2AH battery that I used in the machine was more than adequate for what I was doing in my front yard this afternoon. 

[EricL]

Hello @Claudeduck 

I'm glad that you are happy with your purchase of the Ryobi One+ 18V 25/30cm Cordless Line Trimmer. I have the exact same line trimmer and it's such a handy garden tool to have especially when trimming around tight spaces and soft garden edgings. My family often competes who gets to use it first when we do garden work. 

Eric

[Claudeduck]

Thanks Eric.  I actually used it around some tight spaces myself yesterday afternoon and discovered just how much better it was to use  this line trimmer in those spaces than the more powerful, heavier, bigger 36V machine is. I can understand some of the criticisms about the 18V machine that are to be found in the reviews on that machine from people who want to do some heavy duty work with it, such as handling lots of long unkempt grass. However, for trimming a normally well maintained yard, the 18V machine seems perfect to me. I am very glad that Mitchell suggested that I buy it.

You guys offer great advice!

[Jason]

Great result @Claudeduck. Thanks so much for sharing your feedback with the community. I trust it will also be helpful for other members.

Please don't hesitate to post anytime you need a hand.

Jason