Skip to content
MOW & MEADOW

Trimmers & Edgers

Best edger for flower beds

A sidewalk edge is a maintenance cut. A bed edge is a trench, and the two tools publish very different depths.

By Sawyer V.Published Last updated

Affiliate disclosure: we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we rank first — here is how we're funded.

Crisp lawn edge beside a garden path

We have not tested these units. Every spec on this page comes from the manufacturer's own documentation and is linked to it. Every computed figure is arithmetic you can redo. Prices are checked daily — last verified January 1, 1970. Here is exactly how we pick.

Quick picks

Ranked on the published specs and the arithmetic below. Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. We have not tested these units -- here is exactly how we pick.

#ProductBest forScorePrice
1
No photo
EGO Power+ 8" Edger Attachment EA0800
The only edger here that publishes a runtime for every pack size in the range -- and it costs a fraction of a dedicated tool.
Best edger if you own an EGO power head
8.2
2
No photo
WORX WG896 12A 7.5" Electric Lawn Edger and Trencher
Three published depth settings and a trenching mode, which is what separates a bed edge from a sidewalk edge.
Best for bed edges
8.0

#ad Buy links are affiliate links. Prices come from a live daily check; where we have no verified price we say "check price" rather than print a stale one.

Most edger buying guides are about sidewalks: a crisp line where turf meets concrete, cut a half inch deep and maintained monthly. A bed edge is a different job. There is no hard surface to run against, and the cut has to go deep enough to sever the runners that are trying to cross into the mulch.

The short answer

Depth decides it. The EGO EA0800 attachment publishes an adjustable edging depth of up to 3 inches on an 8 inch blade, with runtimes from 50 minutes on a 4.0Ah pack to 132 minutes on a 10.0Ah and an IPX4 rating — it needs an EGO Multi-Head power head, sold separately. The corded WORX WG896 is a 12 A, 7.5 inch machine with three published depths of 1, 1.25 and 1.5 inches and a trenching mode.

Why bed edges need depth

A sidewalk edge is bounded by concrete: grass can only grow up over the edge, and trimming the overhang restores the line. A bed edge has nothing stopping the grass except the cut itself, and turf spreads by runners at and just below the surface.

Cut an inch deep and you sever this season's surface growth. Cut three inches deep and you cut through the layer the runners actually travel in, leaving a physical gap that takes far longer to bridge. That is the whole argument for the deeper tool, and it is why the depth spec — not the blade diameter — leads this page.

The arithmetic — Edging depth, the two tools compared
EGO EA0800: up to 3 in, adjustable
WORX WG896: 1 in, 1.25 in, 1.5 in
3 / 1.5 = 2.0
Twice the depth at the deepest setting.
WG896 blade is 7.5 in across but cuts 1.5 in deep,
so only 20% of the disc is ever in the ground.

The two, on published figures

SpecEGO EA0800 attachmentWORX WG896
TypeMulti-Head edger attachmentCorded wheeled edger / trencher
Blade8 in7.5 in serrated steel
Cutting depthUp to 3 in, adjustable1 in / 1.25 in / 1.5 in
Depth controlGuide wheel with adjustment knob3-position setting
PowerEGO 56V via Multi-Head power head12 A, 120V~60Hz corded
Blade speedNot published4,700 per minute
Runtime50 min on 4.0Ah, 100 min on 7.5Ah, 132 min on 10.0AhUnlimited on mains
Weather ratingIPX4Not published
WeightNot published14 lb
Warranty5-yr tool / 3-yr battery3 years

Transcribed from the EGO EA0800 edger attachment and WORX WG896 product pages, fetched 9 September 2026.

1. EGO EA0800 — the depth, and the freedom to curve

Up to three inches of adjustable depth on an 8 inch blade, with a guide wheel and adjustment knob, IPX4, and published runtimes across three battery sizes — 50 minutes on 4.0Ah rising to 132 minutes on 10.0Ah. Publishing runtime against three specific packs is unusually useful; most makers give one number and leave you guessing.

For beds specifically, being cordless matters more than it does on a sidewalk. Bed edges curve, wrap around shrubs and run away from the house, and a cord turns each of those into an obstacle.

It is an attachment, so a Multi-Head power head is a separate purchase, and EGO publishes no weight and no blade speed for it. If you already own the power head for a trimmer or pole saw, this is the cheapest way into a capable edger — see multi-head attachment systems.

#ad Check the EGO Power+ 8" Edger Attachment EA0800 price on Amazonhow we're funded.

2. WORX WG896 — the wheeled corded alternative

Twelve amps, a 7.5 inch serrated steel blade, three published depths (1, 1.25 and 1.5 inches), a stated 4,700 per minute blade speed, an adjustable shaft for user height and 14 lb on wheels.

A wheeled edger is easier to keep straight than a handheld one. If most of your edging is a long run along a drive or a straight bed line, the wheels do real work.

Two limits for the bed job specifically. A 1.5 inch maximum depth is half the EGO's, which is exactly the number this page is about. And it is corded, at a working radius set by an outlet — awkward around beds, shrubs and anything you have to walk around.

#ad Check the WORX WG896 12A 7.5" Electric Lawn Edger and Trencher price on Amazonhow we're funded.

Cutting a bed edge that lasts

  1. Lay the line first. A hose makes a smooth curve; a string line makes a straight one. Cut to it rather than freehand.
  2. Cut to full depth in one pass if the tool allows, then walk the line again to clean it. Two shallow passes rarely land in the same slot.
  3. Angle the cut slightly away from the bed, so the soil face leans back and holds mulch rather than shedding it onto the lawn.
  4. Lift the spoil and lose it. Turf left in the trench roots straight back in and you have edged nothing.
  5. Recut once a season, touching up in between. Technique detail is in how to edge a lawn.
Buried services and roots. Three inches is deep enough to find irrigation line, low-voltage lighting cable and shallow tree roots. Check before you cut a new line, and edge existing lines to the depth you cut them last time.

Who should skip both

  • Anyone edging only hard surfaces. A sidewalk or drive edge is a shallower, simpler job — see best edgers.
  • Small gardens with two short bed lines. A half-moon edging iron cuts deeper than either of these, costs almost nothing and never needs charging.
  • Beds with installed edging. If steel or stone edging is already in the ground, a powered blade is the wrong tool to run against it.

What we cannot tell you

We have not cut a bed edge with either tool. EGO publishes no weight and no blade speed for the EA0800; WORX publishes no trenching depth separate from its 1.5 in maximum, no wheel configuration and no cord length. Neither publishes how many linear feet a full charge or a given blade will cut, which depends on soil and root density in ways no specification sheet can carry.

The picks in full

Specs are the manufacturer's own and linked to the page they came from. Prices come from a live daily check; where we have no verified price we say so rather than print a stale one.

1. Best edger if you own an EGO power head

EGO Power+ 8" Edger Attachment EA0800

EGO · EGO 56V ARC Lithium · Our score 8.2/10

#ad Check price on Amazon

No photo
Check price on Amazon

#ad No verified live price right now, so we show none rather than a stale one. How we're funded.

The only edger here that publishes a runtime for every pack size in the range -- and it costs a fraction of a dedicated tool.

Published specs

Blade8 in
Edging depthUp to 3 in, adjustable
Guide wheelDepth adjustment knob
Runtime on 4.0AhUp to 50 min
Runtime on 7.5AhUp to 100 min
Runtime on 10.0AhUp to 132 min
Weather ratingIPX4

Source: 8" Edger Attachment for Multi-Head System (EA0800), egopowerplus.com

Our arithmetic — Energy per minute
~4.2-4.4Wh/min, flat across pack sizes

4.0Ah = 224Wh over 50 min = 4.5Wh/min. 7.5Ah = 420Wh over 100 min = 4.2Wh/min. 10.0Ah = 560Wh over 132 min = 4.2Wh/min. The draw is essentially constant, which is why a bigger pack buys proportionally more time -- not always true of higher-draw tools.

What the numbers favor

  • Published runtime for four different pack sizes -- almost nobody does this
  • 3 in edging depth, adjustable by a knob rather than a tool
  • Costs a fraction of a dedicated edger if the power head is already in the garage
  • IPX4 rated

What they don't

  • Attachment only -- useless without an EGO multi-head power head (PH1400/PH1420)
  • 8 in blade is small next to a dedicated wheeled edger
Skip this one if

you are not already on EGO. Buying a power head plus an attachment to edge one driveway is more expensive than a standalone tool.

How it scores

Spec transparency10.0
Runtime9.0
Depth adjustment8.5
Standalone value4.0
Value on-platform9.5

Scores are our editorial weighting of the published specs above, not a test result. They are deliberately kept out of this page's structured data.

2. Best for bed edges

WORX WG896 12A 7.5" Electric Lawn Edger and Trencher

WORX · Corded (120V) · Our score 8.0/10

#ad Check price on Amazon

No photo
Check price on Amazon

#ad No verified live price right now, so we show none rather than a stale one. How we're funded.

Three published depth settings and a trenching mode, which is what separates a bed edge from a sidewalk edge.

Published specs

Power12 A, 120V~60Hz
Blade7.5 in serrated steel
Depth settings1 in, 1.25 in, 1.5 in
Blade speed4,700 per minute
ModesEdger and trencher
ShaftAdjustable for height
Weight14 lb
Warranty3 years

Source: 7.5" Electric Lawn Edger & Trencher, 12 Amp (WG896), worx.com

Our arithmetic — Depth range as a share of blade diameter
13% to 20%

The blade is 7.5 in across but cuts 1 to 1.5 in deep, so only 13% to 20% of the disc is ever in the ground. That is by design: the shallow bite is what keeps a wheeled edger tracking straight instead of digging in. It also sets the ceiling -- 1.5 in is the deepest trench this tool will cut, no matter how long you push it.

What the numbers favor

  • Three depth settings published in inches, not as vague 'positions'
  • Trenching mode for a fresh bed line rather than just maintaining one
  • Adjustable shaft for user height
  • 3-year warranty

What they don't

  • Corded -- an extension cord around beds and shrubs is a nuisance
  • 1.5 in maximum depth is shallow for cutting a new bed edge in sod
  • 14 lb to steer along a curve
Skip this one if

you want one tool for edging and trimming. A stick edger that shares a battery with your trimmer does both jobs with one charge.

How it scores

Depth control9.0
Bed-edge suitability8.5
Spec transparency9.0
Cord freedom4.0
Weight7.0

Scores are our editorial weighting of the published specs above, not a test result. They are deliberately kept out of this page's structured data.

Where to buy the tools on this page

Every link below is an Amazon affiliate link. We show no price we have not verified today, so where there is no live figure the link says "check price" and takes you to the listing to read it there.

  • Best edger if you own an EGO power head

    EGO Power+ 8" Edger Attachment EA0800

    EGO · EGO 56V ARC Lithium

  • Best for bed edges

    WORX WG896 12A 7.5" Electric Lawn Edger and Trencher

    WORX · Corded (120V)

#ad As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we're funded.

Common questions

What is the best edger for flower beds?
The EGO EA0800 attachment on published depth: an 8 in blade with an adjustable edging depth of up to 3 inches, twice what the corded WORX edger reaches. It needs an EGO Multi-Head power head, sold separately. The WORX WG896 is the corded alternative at 7.5 in and 1 to 1.5 in of depth, with a trenching mode.
How deep should a flower bed edge be?
Deeper than a sidewalk edge, because you are cutting a barrier against grass runners rather than trimming an overhang. The EGO attachment publishes up to 3 in of adjustable depth; the WORX publishes three settings at 1, 1.25 and 1.5 in.
Can I use a string trimmer to edge a bed?
You can define a line with one, and it will not cut a barrier. A trimmer turned on its side cuts the grass leaf; an edger blade cuts through the crown and into the soil, which is what stops runners crossing.
What is the difference between an edger and a trencher?
Depth and intent. An edger maintains a line; a trencher cuts a channel. The WORX WG896 publishes both modes, but its maximum depth is still 1.5 in, so it trenches shallowly.
How often do bed edges need recutting?
Once a season for the full cut, with light touch-ups as grass creeps in. A deeper initial cut buys you longer between recuts, which is the practical argument for the deeper tool.

Sources

  1. 8" Edger Attachment for Multi-Head System (EA0800), egopowerplus.com
  2. 7.5" Electric Lawn Edger & Trencher, 12 Amp (WG896), worx.com