Ego Power+ Powerload with Line IQ ST1623T Review

The Ego Powerload with Line IQ is one of our favorite string trimmers that we tested, thanks to its outstanding performance and plethora of helpful features. Several things about the Ego stand out as best-in-class; two of them were the Powerload/Line IQ features and the Ego battery. The Powerload button makes maintenance and line replacements as simple as threading the line and pushing a button. The Line IQ features ensure that the perfect 7.5 inches of line is available each time you start the trimmer. Lastly, the Ego battery is one of our favorite battery systems. With its long-lasting run time and quick recharge, it will keep you trimming longer and minimize your downtime. Plus, it is compatible with all other Ego batteries and tools.

Performance

The top concern when testing any tool is its ability to perform its designed functions; in this case, that is weed eating. We tested and scored each trimmer's ability to cut grassy areas, mow down thick and dense vegetation, and delicately edge around garden paths, retaining walls, and sidewalks. The Ego Line IQ performed at the top of the pack in this trio of tests.

The Ego Line IQ is more than up to the task of trimming sections of your yard that aren't ideal for a lawn mower. Although the variable trigger is quite sensitive, this model has two power modes to help ensure the right amount of power is delivered to the trimming line and help avoid flatting grass before being able to cut it. The long shaft of this Ego is also great for covering large swaths of an area quickly, rotating the trimmer back and forth trimmed sections of our yard in no time.

Upping the challenge, we pit this trimmer against thick weeds and dense vegetation in unkept areas of our yard, and the Ego rose to the occasion. We had no trouble slicing through even the largest and densest weeds with the Ego and never felt it falter. It has plenty of power and reach, to really help clear weeds on major yard transformations.

Lastly, we throttled back on the power and took the Ego Line IQ to our garden to test its ability to make precise cuts and edge around sidewalks and garden beds. Although the head of this model doesn't rotate, it is still comfortable to hold sideways for edging, and we were able to see our cutting path to ensure we didn't damage anything delicate. The Ego still performed above average in this category, but we had to pay close attention, or it tended to bite into the dirt a little more than we wanted.

Ease of Use

After scoring the raw performance of each string trimmer, we moved on to scoring the ergonomics and ease of use for each cordless yard tool. We looked at features like string replacement, balance, and the guard's ability to shield us from flying debris. The Line IQ once again delivered outstanding results, earning a place at the top of our testing lineup.

By far two of our favorite features, the appropriately named Ego Powerload with Line IQ comes with both a Powerload button for automatic winding of the line, as well as a Line IQ feature that keeps the trimming line topped off at 7.5 inches per side automatically each time you start the trimmer. These features were so easy that refilling the trimming line took less than 30 seconds, and we never felt as though we didn't have enough line out to trim weeds efficiently.

The Line IQ is one of the heavier models, and although it has an attachment point for a sling, we were disappointed that a sling isn't included with it. We tested it both with and without a sling and loved the performance both ways, but we were significantly less tired when we used it. Either way, the trimmer is well-balanced, and we had no qualms after long trimming sessions.

The guard on the Line IQ trimmer is an ideal size. We found that it is large enough to block almost all the debris flying out from the head of the trimmer, but it is small enough that it did not block our view. We also had no trouble when we ventured into dense weeds; the trimmer navigated through without getting caught or stuck.

Battery

Our battery test metric scored how long each cordless string trimmer can run and how quickly batteries recharge. We ran each trimmer on its highest power until it died and timed how long it took to recharge the battery from zero to full. The Line IQ performed adequately in this metric.

This trimmer ran for 50 minutes on its high setting under no load, which fell fairly short of the top-performing models in this metric. Given its larger stock battery size, this was slightly disappointing, but we had no trouble in our real-world testing with the battery lasting long enough.

The Line IQ's battery also recharged slower than most, taking a full 70 minutes to reach maximum capacity.

One of the top features of all Ego cordless yard tools is battery compatibility, and the Ego Line IQ is no exception. If you have other Ego batteries on hand, they're good to plug and play with every other Ego tool in your arsenal.

Noise

Our last round of tests measured how loud each of these yard tools is, with scores based on measured noise levels at ear height. We also annotated whether trimmers had any annoying or high-pitched whines during start-up and performance. The Line IQ performed right about average in our noise metric.

When we used the digital sound meter with the Line IQ, we recorded 85.4 decibels at ear height. While this is in the middle of the pack based on raw data, we felt as though it was one of the more pleasant-sounding trimmers to our bare ear. Either way, you'll likely have no complaints from neighbors about noisy yard tools while operating this model.

Even our tester's pets were unbothered by the sounds of the Ego Line IQ while we worked.

Should You Buy the Ego Power+ Powerload with Line IQ ST1623T?

The Ego Powerload with Line IQ is a top-notch trimmer that will likely exceed all of your string trimming expectations. It has stellar performance across the board and will just as easily trim up your sidewalk edges as it will mow down a field of rampant weeds. Its features are ergonomic and user-friendly so that you can focus more time on your chores and less time on tool maintenance. Overall, we couldn't recommend the Ego Powerload with Line IQ enough.

What Other Cordless String Trimmers Should You Consider?

If you're in the market for top-of-the-line performance, we also recommend the Makita XRU15PT 36V. The Makita has a more versatile and balanced performance across the board and is slightly quieter than most models. It's also compatible with Makita's lineup of 18V batteries. If you're shopping on a budget, Black+Decker LST136 or Craftsman V20 Weedwacker both offer excellent performance in a compact package at a more appealing price point.