Flymo Ultratrim 260 Review
A versatile rechargeable cordless grass trimmer and edger
Verdict
If you want something to trim and edge your lawn, the Flymo Ultratrim 260 cordless trimmer is versatile enough to manage both well, thanks to a clever bit of design. It can be a bit tricky to put together, but once it’s assembled this trimmer does a good job of beheading errant grass stems, and leaves a neat edge in its wake.
Pros
- Wheel for edging work
- Metal guard keeps your flowers safe
- Decent battery life
Cons
- Bit complicated to put together
- Heavier and more expensive than some others
Key Features
- Cutting widthA 26cm cutting width makes this trimmer better for smaller gardens.
Introduction
The Flymo Ultratrim 260 is a slightly more expensive trimmer than many, designed as a standalone tool rather than something to be shoved in a kit with a mower, and it shows.
There’s been a bit of thought put into its design, with an awareness of how gardeners actually use their tools. It flips over to edge your lawn, and can cut through long grass stems, but isn’t suitable for heavier work.
Design and features
- Kick-switch for flipping the head over
- Wheel for edging work
- Metal guard
The Flymo Ultratrim 260 arrives in bits. This is nothing unusual, as many garden trimmers do the same thing to save space when transported, but this model is one of the few that I’ve had to resort to actually reading the manual to assemble. The main culprit is the wheel, which is useful when you’re edging, but isn’t intuitive to attach. Eventually, I got it all slotted together, and found a trimmer that sits nicely in the hands and is adjustable enough for all kinds of grip preferences.
The telescopic tube can be adjusted so you’re swinging the head at a comfortable distance, while the handle near the top of the tool can pivot back and forth so your guiding hand isn’t twisted into a strange position while using it. This is vastly better to models with fixed handles, as it reduces fatigue while using it. Short trimmers like this one are generally pretty light tools, but your arm is still going to get tired if you’re using it for more than just a gentle trim of already short grass.
There’s more thoughtful design further down the shaft, as the head rotation mechanism is triggered by a foot switch, and with the head in the upright position it becomes an effective edging tool.
There’s another switch too, which allows the handle to rotate through 60 degrees so you can flatten the trimmer to get it under things like benches and trampolines more easily, and a useful power gauge on the shaft itself so you don’t have to keep looking at the battery, or just guess.
Performance
- Good cutting in both configurations
- Wide cutting width
- Only a single line
The Flymo Ultratrim 260 is a chunky trimmer, and a kilo heavier than others in the same sector, so you might expect some heavyweight performance. It’s absolutely fine cutting grass, and will gamely have a go at thicker weeds, but with a 1.6mm single line it’s not suitable for slashing through thick nettles or thistles. There’s an auto-feed system at work that delivers more line as it breaks, which is great for uninterrupted trimming.
The cutting head itself is quite wide, with a 26cm cutting width, which means you’ll have to take slightly fewer swings at an area before all the grass is felled. There’s a metal guard to keep the line away from walls, pots and the sort of delicate stems you don’t want to cut through, and then there’s that wheel.
It’s a clever thing to see on a trimmer, meaning that if you retract the guard and swing the head into the edging position, it will roll along the ground keeping the line a set distance above the lawn, making your edge cut more consistent and removing the risk of chopping lumps of earth or flicking gravel or bark around (depending on what your flower beds are covered in) by going too low.
Battery life is decent, and I never saw one run out while trimming and edging in my suburban garden, but battery life will depend on the amount of work you’re doing and how tough it is. The 18V power packs are not only compact but part of the Power For All system that can be interchanged with other compatible tools, so if you already own Power 4 All batteries you can pick up this trimmer for a cheaper price by buying it without the charger and cells.
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Should you buy it?
You need versatility
The Flymo Ultratrim 260 is worth a buy if you’re looking for a versatile garden trimmer that you need to slide under garden furniture, and want an all-in-one trimming and edging tool.
You want more power
If your cutting aspirations extend to more than just grass and a few light weeds. Check out our Best Grass Trimmer guide for more options.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of cordless grass trimmers out there, and it’s rare to find one that offers something the others don’t. With its adjustability and smooth-edging wheel, the Flymo Ultratrim 260 stands out as a tool that’s good for more than just one job.
While it can come in as more expensive than some more basic trimmers, it’s a versatile tool that should find a use in most gardens that have a lawn, but if you need more power the Stihl FSA 57 could be a better choice.
How we test
We test every grass trimmer we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as our main trimmer for the review period
Used on a variety of grass lengths and weeds to see how well the mower cuts
Tested to see how easy the trimmer is to carry, use and store
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FAQs
Yes, its 18V batteries are part of the Power 4 All range.
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
