Good place to ask about gas powered line trimmers?

[EliteRetard]

I've had the displeasure of using a few terrible electric trimmers, and some low end gas powered units (like JD homelite). I need something much better, but not super crazy pro grade.

It needs to be highly reliable, very easy to start (1-3 pulls), and be able to cut through thick wet grass and weeds as well as occasional blackberry bushes and the like. It'll probably get used once a month for several hours continuous (~2 acres).

Don't know what/where to look, but I have literally 6 fried trimmers in the garage. Every other year it seems they blow up/fry/catch fire and are a total PIA the entire time they were "working".

I'm now willing to spend to get something that will last 10+ years and not suck the entire time. Do I need to go spend a couple hundred on a Stihl (only high end name I know) or are there some other good options? I'm asking because value is important to me, buying the most expensive thing is easy...but usually a bad deal. Cheap junk doesn't work out so well either.

If you guys could point out a few specific models/units that are good or point me to a better resource it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[EliteRetard]

Oh also, do they come in different lengths, or are any adjustable? There are 2 users, one is 5' and the other is 6.2'. It's not a requirement...but if we can accommodate the short user better it would be nice (short user likes a shoulder strap as well).

 

[twinrider1]

Stihl, Echo, Shindaiwa.
Straight shaft.

Go to a few local mower/lawn power equipment shops. Find one that services what they sell.
Yes, you'll spend a 200-300. But you'll have it for 10+ years. And you'll have someone local for parts/service.

I'm a very happy Shindaiwa T242 owner. I'm sure I'd also be happy with a Stihl.

Edit: They're pretty much one size, with an adjustable front handle. There are extended models, but I don't know that 6'2" would warrant the upcharge. I'm 6' and do fine with my standard length.

 

[LTC8K6]

Husqvarna trimmers have never let me down.

 

[NutBucket]

I'm in the market too and will likely buy a Stihl.

 

[EliteRetard]

Straight shaft, you mean the long pole part?

I see some are 4 stroke, most are 2 stroke...that's just mixed fuel or not right?
Mixed fuel is no issue, but any other significant differences? Which is best?

 

[WackyDan]

But you'll have it for 10+ years.

If you bother to take care of it. Run shit gas/wrong mix through it and kiss the ten years goodbye.

My first string trimmer was a refurbished Ryobi which at the time was the same as a troy built. Lasted six years.... Not bad for $100.

 

[NutBucket]

2 stroke. 4 still seems to be a gimmick. And yes, the long pole part. Not sure why curve is so popular....must be cheaper to make.

 

[rommelrommel]

Shindaiwa.

Clean the fuel system out when you put it away for the winter.

It will last forever with home use and basic maintenance.

 

[NutBucket]

What's winter?

 

[Zivic]

Straight shaft, you mean the long pole part?

I see some are 4 stroke, most are 2 stroke...that's just mixed fuel or not right?
Mixed fuel is no issue, but any other significant differences? Which is best?

i'd go with the 2 stroke.... get one from an implement dealer. not the same as from a big box store. stihl, shindawia, echo or redmax would be me top choices

 

[SearchMaster]

I have a Stihl and it runs fine.

One thing I will warn you about - you should definitely "test drive" if possible. The way I hold the trimmer, the engine tends to rest against my right forearm. It never gets hot enough to burn but it definitely gets hot enough to be uncomfortable. Mine was a gift so I didn't try-before-buy, but if I had I would have likely looked at other models.

 

[Meghan54]

Echo and Stihl and some Husqvarna seem to dominate trimmers, among other gas powered yard tools, like chain saws, etc.

I've been told one thing to look at to infer quality of the engine, probably one of the most important aspects of a trimmer, is to look at how long the manufacturer certifies the engine to meet EPA emission standards.

Most mfgrs. tend to certify their engines for 50 hours of use, the minimum requirement. On the other hand, trimmers like the Husqvarna 128LD certifies the engine to meet EPA emissions for 125 hours. The Echo SRM-225 and GT-225 are certified to meet EPA emissions for 300 hours of use.

I've found the 4-stroke engines are a tad heavier than the 2-stroke versions. The curved shaft models tend to be slightly lighter than the straight shaft models, but curved shaft models are harder to get underneath bushes and other obstructions/overhangs.

And do like others have suggested, handle the model(s) you're interested in. Balance will be an individual feel, so one model one person loves may be horrid for you and vice versa.

 

[iamwiz82]

I bought an Echo SRM-225 after years of dealing with POS trimmers and it was like a choir of angels came down and sang. That thing is a beast. The wire filling process is easy and works really well and there is a ton of power.

 

[rstrohkirch]

I'd also recommend the Echo 225. After doing a lot of research on trimmers a couple of years ago, it's probably the cheapest gas powered trimmer that has a great reliability record.

 

[jaha2000]

I have an echo 225 as well. Its a horse, and starts every spring without any extra work in the fall. It just works.

 

[NutBucket]

So all you guys with the Echo...is that because it's widely available at HD or do you actually prefer it over comparable trimmers?

 

[Mandres]

There are 3 things I would recommend for buying a (good, not disposable) string trimmer:

1. Buy from a place that services them, so that 3 years from now when your machine won't start you have somewhere to take it. That's a very valuable option to have down the line that you don't get if you buy from Lowe's/HD. The prices are always close enough to not make a difference and you'll actually be able to talk to someone knowledgeable and support a local business.

2. Buy one with an easily-reloadable trimmer head. The Shindaiwa-designed/ Echo-licensed "Speed Feed" design is the best I've found. Make sure you're comfortable with whatever design yours has. Some of them are a real PITA.

3. Buy a shoulder strap. They're all fairly heavy and the vibration is bad for your hands. Two acres is a lot of space to keep trimmed out so a strap (or maybe even a real chest harness) is pretty much a necessity.

 

[jaha2000]

So all you guys with the Echo...is that because it's widely available at HD or do you actually prefer it over comparable trimmers?

I bought mine for a lawn store. The fact that HD stocks all the parts and goodies for it, made it a win win. I get in a situation where i need a replaceable part, i buy from HD, i get in a deal where something bad has happened to it and i need somebody to work on it, i bring it to where i bought it from.

I looked at what the local lawn care guys where using. Seemed to be a 40/40/20 mix of Sthil, Echo, and Kaw.

 

[Ksyder]

So all you guys with the Echo...is that because it's widely available at HD or do you actually prefer it over comparable trimmers?

I used to landscape and used echo, stihl, tanaka trimmers, blowers, etc. all for extended periods of time in a commercial setting and they were all great.

I'd buy the HD echo trimmer just based on the price and convenience because I know it probably will work really well. If they sold stihl or redmax or other commercial brands for the same price then I might pick something else.

 

[drbrock]

Any recs for an ultra light trimmer? I have about an acre and the Stihl while nice is still very heavy. I am not cutting brush or anything just standard grass. Strap will def be in my future.

 

[deerslayer]

I have a straight shaft Stihl now (FS 56RC) and it works great for me. When I moved in to my house I went to Home Depot and bought a Homelite. I won't make that mistake again.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I'd also recommend the Echo 225. After doing a lot of research on trimmers a couple of years ago, it's probably the cheapest gas powered trimmer that has a great reliability record.

I would not recommend an Echo 225 for thick wet grass or blackberries.

The 225 is a great trimmer, but it's a smaller engine. I have an Echo SRM 265S and that's about as small as I'd want to go if you're routinely going through blackberries. The 265 series have since been replaced with the 266 series, but I'd recommend those just as well. If you're going through heavy balckberries a lot, I'd even go so far as to recommend an SRM 280 trimmer, which has the biggest engine Echo puts in a trimmer and will be the best at slogging through dense brush.

As far as reliability goes, I bought my 265S in 2009. I do no special maintenance on it, but use it heavily to keep blackberry bushes and marsh grasses at from encroaching on my lawn since I'm in a location where everything grows fast and aggressively. Went out to use it for the first time this year a few days ago and it started up beautifully, just like it did the day I bought it.

My father has a 1980s Echo trimmer that he uses all the time and it's still going strong.

I've heard good things about Stihl and Shindaiwa as well, but given my first-hand experience with Echo trimmers I've never seen any reason to even bother trying other brands. I don't believe that Echo uses different part numbers for the machines sold at "big box" stores either, but I have always purchased from dedicated lawn and garden equipment shops. The place where I bought my SRM-265S has everything from basic trimmers up to backhoes and they do a lot of business with the local professional landscape companies.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

When I moved in to my house I went to Home Depot and bought a Homelite. I won't make that mistake again.

The really sad part is that Homelite used to make machines that were absolutely bulletproof. Until the mid-1990s, Homelite was largely focused on commercial equipment, but they got sold to John Deere, who moved them into a more consumer-focused model, and then to TTI, a Chinese conglomerate that also makes Ryobi, at which point the Homelite name started getting slapped on pretty much any old junk.

ZV

 

[Pacfanweb]

So all you guys with the Echo...is that because it's widely available at HD or do you actually prefer it over comparable trimmers?

Do not buy your gas powered things at Home Depot or Lowes if you want one that is more likely to last.

Buy Stihl or Echo, in that order, and buy them from a dealer. There's no reason to buy Echo from Home Depot...the prices are the same, the products are the same, and even if it's on sale, the dealer will match, and he's the guy you're going to take whatever you buy for service.

Personally, I have a ten year old Stihl straight shaft, still works perfectly.

Have a 1996 Stihl Farm Boss chainsaw, still works perfectly.

Have about a 8 year old Stihl BG55 blower, still works perfectly. It has a SHITLOAD of use, as does the trimmer.

The saw, I hadn't run in 2 years. Started it up last fall, worked perfectly.

That crap about "run the gas out of it" or put stabilizer.....never had an issue. The saw had 2 year old gas in it, fired right up on it. My trimmer has been sitting with gas in it since I last used it...early last fall, and I'll bet anyone any amount that it will fire right up tomorrow on last year's gas mix. I used the blower a few weeks back, it'd been sitting a few months, fired right up.

Mix it properly and don't worry about it.