Review · String trimmer reviews
WORX WG163 Review: A Small Trimmer for Keeping Edges Tidy
A researched WORX WG163 review covering its two-battery kit, Command Feed, wheeled edging, independent runtime tests, and limits in coarse weeds.
Generated illustration of a trimming setting; not a product photograph or a test.
Not every yard needs a large trimmer. If you mostly tidy grass beside a walkway and around a few beds, an easier-to-carry tool can be a better purchase than something built around maximum output. That is the job the WORX WG163 is worth considering for.
This is a research-based review using product information and published hands-on tests. We have not personally tested the WG163. Research checked September 6, 2026.
The Short Answer
The WG163 is a sensible candidate for light, regular trimming and maintaining grass edges on a small property. Its compact format, wheeled edging mode, and two-battery kit make it appealing if you want a manageable tool for short jobs. It is not the model we would choose primarily to clear coarse weeds or recover a badly overgrown boundary.
The two included batteries are used one at a time. They do not turn this into a 40V trimmer, and having a spare does not automatically mean you can work continuously while the other charges. Buy it for the routine you actually have, rather than stretching a small trimmer into a bigger job because the kit looks convenient.
WORX WG163 — 20V 12-inch string trimmer and edger
Small-yard upkeep and wheeled edging
WORX WG163
Linked kit lists two 2.0Ah batteries and a charger. WG163.9 is a separate tool-only option. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Check current price at AmazonWhat You Get and How Line Feeding Works
The linked WG163 kit lists a 12-inch cutting width, Command Feed, two 20V 2Ah batteries, and a charger. Check the selected variation before ordering because the tool-only version appears separately. Amazon’s WG163 kit listing.
Command Feed lets you request line advancement with a button. That is different from both bump feeding and the automatic sensing on an EGO LINE IQ model. WORX’s replacement-spool page identifies 0.065-inch line and lists WG163 compatibility. Use the specified line and spool for the exact model rather than choosing thicker material on the assumption that thicker must cut better. WORX replacement-spool information.
For a homeowner who dislikes taking a head apart and winding line, the replacement-spool arrangement may be part of the appeal. Compare the cost and availability of consumables alongside the tool. A trimmer is much less convenient when the only suitable spool you can find will take a week to arrive.
What Independent Tests Found
Bob Vila’s test team found the WG163 useful for keeping grassy edges and corners neat, but less effective in coarse weeds. It reported roughly 20 minutes of full-power runtime per battery and about an hour to recharge each in its test. Those are the publication’s results for its equipment and conditions, not a runtime promise from this site. Bob Vila’s WG163 test section.
A 2026 Popular Mechanics hands-on review also favored it for light to moderate work and liked the stability of the two wheels in edging mode. It reported needing repeated passes on heavier weeds and overgrown edges. Popular Mechanics’ WG163 review.
Taken together, those findings support buying it for upkeep. They do not support calling it a small substitute for every larger trimmer. The published reviews also differ on some specifications, so we use the linked kit’s 12-inch designation rather than importing every number from a review.
Will Two Batteries Cover the Job?
Use the test figures to ask a practical question: how much trigger time does your normal lap around the yard require? If it is a short finishing job after mowing, you may not need the second pack every time. If you spend much longer cutting, both packs could be depleted before the first has recharged.
That is why the included spare is useful without being an unlimited-runtime system. We would not multiply a test figure by two and promise the resulting time in every yard. Battery condition and workload still matter.
Also consider the whole task. Stopping to move a chair or hand-pull weeds does not consume the same battery energy as continuously driving the cutting head through growth.
Edging with String Has Limits
The wheeled edging setup is useful for following an existing boundary and keeping grass from hanging over it. It does not turn the line into a metal blade for cutting an entirely new edge through compacted soil. If the paving has disappeared under years of growth, the first cleanup may need a different tool before this becomes your maintenance option.
Our string trimmer versus edger guide covers that distinction. It is worth settling before you buy two tools, or expect one inexpensive tool to do both jobs equally well.
Who Should Buy Something Larger?
For regular coarse growth, longer trimming routes, or a preference for dual heavier line, compare the EGO ST1623T. For existing DEWALT batteries and folding storage, read the DCST922P1 review.
The WG163 is most convincing when the goal is to keep a small yard tidy with a tool you do not mind taking out. If you already know the job will involve fighting heavy weeds, choose for that job instead of hoping the smaller tool will grow into it.