The true answer to this question depends mainly on the size and type of land you are planning to manage with your string trimmer. Many people think that handheld string trimmers could do the job of a walk-behind string trimmer just as well and for a fraction of the cost. However, for those with large pieces of land to maintain with a wide variety of weeds and grasses to manage, the standard handheld string trimmer will not be able to hold its weight and will likely fail within the first few hundred feet of cutting. When it comes to large land and tough weeds and grasses, you need the thicker string and the powerful engine of a walk-behind string trimmer to truly get the job done right and save you both time and money in the long run.