An Honest Look at Electric Weed Burners

Hello and welcome to DIY Gardening’s guide to the best electric weedkillers.

My name is Daniel Woodley, and over the last few years, I’ve reduced my reliance on strong chemical weedkillers considerably; in fact, I rarely use them at all now.

I have a dog who loves chewing on grass, weeds, plants and just about anything in my garden, and I hate the thought of him consuming nasty chemicals.

If you’ve never owned a weed burner before, there is something you should know before you buy one:

Electric weedkillers aren’t designed to fry weeds into oblivion; instead, they hit them with a burst of hot air that kills the weed, which then decomposes naturally over a few days or a week or so.

Keeping reading to see what I think of weed burners in the UK.

In a hurry? Based on my testing and independent research, I feel the Draper 2000w burner is the best of the bunch and is available on Amazon.

I even published a short video of me testing it:

1) Draper Electric Weed Burner

My Experience With Draper’s Weed Burner

Draper has been producing good quality, affordable tools and garden equipment for years and is well-stocked in popular stores such as B&Q.

During my test, I found that this electric weed burner did exactly as it says on the tin, without any frills, unnecessary extras or an unreasonable price tag.

At around half the price of the Hozelock weed burner, I think this product is well worth considering; the two-year parts and one-year labour warranty mean you’re covered if something goes wrong.

Putting the device together was easy and only took a minute or so and overall, I found it simple and straightforward to use.

Here are a few things that stood out for me:

• I liked the fixed stand at the end of the lance as this protected the ground from heat damage.
• This was also the lightest burner I tested, which is handy if you plan on using it a lot.
• I found that it took about 40 seconds to heat up and reach its full temperature.
• Most of the weeds I tested it on shrivelled after 5-8 seconds. They then died off within a few days.
  
• Most of the small weeds didn’t grow back, but some of the bigger deep-rooted ones did.
• I didn’t need to fry the weeds into oblivion to kill them.

Everything else about the Draper electric weed burner is pretty standard. You get a short 1.7m lead, a UK plug, a detachable handle to make storage easier and a removable nozzle so you can switch to lighting BBQs if you so wish.

If you’re looking for an affordable product that covers the basics but would prefer a device from a trusted brand that honours their warranties, I think you should consider this electric weed burner from Draper.

Shipping weight: 1.3kg

Cons

Draper’s electric weed burner has the shortest power lead of them all at a paltry 1.7 metres.

The lack of attachments may not suit all situations, for example; a narrow nozzle would be better for treating weeds between patio slabs and driveway blocks.

The power output is pretty standard and it isn’t a multi-tool. This product is a lance weed burner and nothing else.

Test Results

I tested the Draper weed burner on a selection of weeds by burning them for no more than 8 seconds and then photographing them 3 days later.

Here are the results:

As you can see from my test results, the tool produces excellent results, and you don’t need to burn the weed into oblivion; I found that 5-8 seconds is enough and the foliage withered away over the next few days.

Read my full in-depth Draper Weed Burner review here.

2) Hozelock Weed Burner 

Overview

Hozelock is a trusted brand in the United Kingdom and is best known for producing quality garden hoses and accessories.

They also produce garden composters, sprayers and weed control devices, including this electric weeder and a separate gas version.

The Hozelock Weed Burner is built for one thing only – killing weeds. 

I tested this tool in 2021 as a friend has one – I found it performed just as well as the Draper weed burner I own and have previously tested. In fact, I can’t see much of a difference between the two products.

This burner didn’t come with any attachments for other tasks such as paint stripping, lighting BBQs etc. Neither does it convert into a small handheld version, and it isn’t as compact or as lightweight as some other products.

While it only does one thing and does this very well, it isn’t as versatile as some competing products, but what you get with Hozelock is build quality and reliability from a trusted and recognized brand.

This tool, like Draper’s, just felt lightweight but well-built.

Oh, and the 2-year guarantee beats all the competitor’s hands down.

If you’re prepared to pay more and are looking for a straightforward weed burner and nothing else, this is the product for you. 

I recommend this product based on my testing in a friend’s garden, the build quality, warranty period and trustworthiness of the brand.

Shipping weight: 1.6kg

Cons

I really didn’t like the price – nearly double that of many competitors.

It doesn’t collapse down into a small, easy to store product (but it does have a hanging hook).

Upright only, there’s no handheld attachment.

It’s the heaviest product I tested, but only by a small margin.

The 3-metre cable is good, but you’ll still need an extension lead.

3) ToolTronix

Overview

ToolTronix is known for producing professional and DIY tools such as garden trimmers, saws, multi-tools and tyre inflaters.

This product is a dedicated electric weed burner; it doesn’t have different attachments but has two heat settings. The lower one is suitable for patios, decking, and other sensitive surfaces, while the more powerful setting is for use on concrete or soil.

The handle also detaches so you can easily convert the tool into a handheld heat gun. The handle itself is also fully adjustable so that you can reach into tight spaces.

Shipping weight: 1.25kg.

Cons

The short power lead, as with many other products, the power lead was far too short, so you’ll need an extension.

Fast delivery from the UK, Amazon are currently delivering this weed burner within 24 hours.

The brand isn’t as well-known as Hozelock or Draper who manufacture a competing product.

No mention of a warranty beyond Amazon’s standard 30 return policy.

4) Parkland Electric Weed Killer

Overview

The Parkland electric weed burner met my expectations for this price range and ticked a lot of boxes for me.

Designed for use on hard surfaces such as patios, driveways, slate and bricks, you can expect great results from this product.

It’s lightweight, so frequent use isn’t painful on the back or arms – something to consider if you plan to do a lot of weeding.

There’s no gas canister to replace, so it’s cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly than gas weed burners, it’s also safer too.

The detachable handle makes storing this weed burner a breeze, even if you have limited storage space.

Shipping weight: 1.5kg

Cons

I really didn’t like the length of the power lead. 1.3 metres is all you get after setting up the device and clipping the cable onto the handle.

I would have liked to see a much longer cable, you’ll need an extension lead with this electric weed burner, even if you have a tiny garden.

At 600° this burner is slightly weaker than some others on the market at 650°.

I couldn’t find much information about this brand or the seller, other than the fact they sell primarily online via eBay and Amazon. There’s no information about warranties either.

5) URBN Burner

Overview

Finally, a product that has a half-decent power lead length! At 5 metres, this power lead is enough for small gardens and also long enough, so you don’t have to keep dragging an extension lead terminal with you everywhere you go in a more extensive garden.

I also liked the two attachments you get with this weed burner; one for broadleaf weeds and a narrow one for getting into nooks and crannies.

The rest of this product is standard stuff; two power settings with a maximum output of 600°, a small nozzle stand, lightweight and reasonably compact.

When I researched this seller, I couldn’t find much information about this them other than they sell primarily on eBay and Amazon. Neither could I find any guarantee/warranty for this period.

Shipping weight: 1.4kg

Cons

I’ve never heard of this company and when I looked, I couldn’t find any mention of contact details, warranty period etc.

It’s a standard, no-frills electric weed burner with a long lead, nothing else.

Summary

Electric weed burners are an excellent alternative to nasty chemicals that could pollute the environment, harm pets and wild animals and cost a fortune.

Weed burners even made it onto my list of pet-friendly weedkillers which is another guide I recommend you explore.

These products do have an extremely hot heating element that can fail and may need to be repaired or replaced, for this reason alone I think you should choose a trusted brand that offers a warranty period. 

Hozelock and Draper are in my opinion, the best of the bunch, with Hozelock just nudging out the competitor to the top spot.

Nasum is the best of the rest as their electric weed burner converts into a heat gun and has lots of attachments, but do you really need all that?

What I Discovered by Using An Electric Weed Burner

If you’ve never used an electric weed burner before there are some key points you should know about.

I didn’t know much of this until I started researching them and testing one in our garden.

• These weed burners work by targeting the weeds with a short burst of heat that kills the weed. Once killed, the weed will naturally degrade and disappear over time, usually within two weeks or so and from what I’ve seen often much sooner. They are not designed to vaporize the weeds – a common misunderstanding and unrealistic expectation some consumers have.
• It only takes 5 seconds to kill the weed but frommy tesing, I found it takes over 30 seconds to burn it to a crisp. If you spend too much time on each weed, you’ll never clear an entire garden and will probably burn out the heating element trying to do so.
• As a general rule of thumb; I suggest you keep the heat on the weed until the shiny green leaves turn a matt colour, this usually takes about 5 seconds.
• Do pay attention to the weight of the device, especially if you plan to use it frequently, I didn’t get arm ache but the products I tested were lightweight.
• Do you really need all the attachments? Or the optional handheld heat gun? Or the multi-directional handle? After years of testing and experimenting with garden products, I’ve found that sometimes the most effective and long-lasting products are the simplest ones that achieve only one task but do it very well.
• While these weed burners did kill off all of the weeds in my test, some did come back. I found that I had to dig up some deep-rooted weeds or treat them with a chemical. The alternative is periodical treatment with a weed burner, perhaps every month or so throughout the growing season.
• There is no denying that weed burners are far more environmentally friendly than harsh chemicals that could affect pets, children and watercourses etc. 

I Analysed Hundreds of Online Reviews: Here’s What I found

Before writing this guide, I read hundreds of online reviews, and the vast majority of the negative comments were due to a misunderstanding about how the weed burners work.

They aren’t designed to burn weeds to a crisp or vaporize them; they kill the weed, which then degrades naturally; this takes time and won’t happen overnight.

Unfortunately, there were dozens and dozens of 1-star reviews from consumers who felt that the product didn’t work because the weed was still there after blasting it with the weed burner.

This misunderstanding is even present on YouTube, where I saw a gardener blasting a single weed into oblivion for 30 seconds and then recommending others do the same.

Weed burners are hot enough to kill weeds after only 5 seconds, but the weeds won’t degrade instantly, and if you spend 30 seconds on each weed, the heating element of the burner will fail, or you’ll get frustrated and give up or you’ll leave a trail of scorch marks across your garden!

Alternatives

Chemical-free weed killing methods have become popular in recent years as consumers are now more aware of the dangers chemicals pose to human and animal health.

Electric weed burners are popular, but what about gas-powered burners?

I’ve explained in detail the difference between the two here but below is a summary:

Consider these points:

• Gas weed burners aren’t as environmentally friendly as electric burners as they produce more CO₂.
• You’ll need to dispose of the old gas canisters and buy new ones to replace them, which is wasteful and extra hassle.
• You don’t need a lead with gas weed burners, so they are more practical for owners with very large gardens.
• Gas burners are less likely to break. The heating elements in electric burners can burn out from excessive use or break from knocks etc., but gas burners are more robust as they don’t have a heating element.

I think electric burners are better than gas burners, but I’ll leave it to you to decide which best suits your needs.

Beyond weed burners, there are many other “natural” ways to kill weeds, but most of these contain salt, which is harmful and toxic to soil. Hannah recently debunked many of these “organic” and “homemade” weed killers; read her guide to homemade weed killers here.

For deep roots weeds in lawns, your best bet is either a chemical product such as Weedol or a weed puller tool such as this.

FAQs

Garden Edging Ideas

Explore what we feel are 25 of the best lawn and garden edging ideas. Thoughtfully created by the team here at DIY Gardening. Start Here