Reducing herbicide usage is not only expected by society at large, it is also vital to protect our health and the environment. With labour being scarce, weed control using micro-mechanization methods is a useful technique that is well-suited to the sugarcane context in Réunion. Four inter-row weeding tools were compared at the La Mare test site in Sainte-Marie from 2017 to 2021: a rotary slasher, a mower shredder, a power harrow and a duck-foot cultivator. Weeds along the rows for each tool were managed chemically. Each tool was compared to a reference control group, common to farmers' practice on the island. Weed cover, machine efficiency, herbicide amounts, and yields were all measured. In all the trials, the machines were used up to 8.5 months after harvest. Their efficiency varied: 72% for the mower shredder compared to 63% for the rotary slasher. The power harrow controlled 100% of the weeds. The duck-foot cultivator was more effective during the plant crop (60%) than in ratoon crops (33%), due to soil compaction. However, there was a rapid resurgence of weeds, especially during hot and humid periods. Herbicide usage was reduced by 50% in all crops while weed cover was kept below the 30% threshold level. There were no significant differences in yields, although downward trends were recorded (-9%). The trials showed very encouraging results for inter-row weed management coupled with a reduction in herbicide use. However, the full effectiveness of each tool remains to be confirmed and verified in other pedoclimatic situations and with other weed types. We are yet to see herbicides eliminated for managing inter-row weeds, hence the need for additional tests using hot water.