Weed Whacker Candidates

[monkeyplasm]

I can't find my old bottom of the line "cheap bastage" trimmer. I don't remember throwing it away, but its not to be found. So....

Who makes a 'good bang for the buck' weed whacker? I looked at line trimmers at Tractor Supply and the non-junk ones were $200 and more.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? $200 for a small gas engine on a stick? Most seem poorly weighted and purposely designed to be uncomfortable to use.

I have an acre yard with plenty of fence line that needs trimming. Any recommendations from experience?

Thanks for your input.

 

[krusty the clown]

weedeater featherweight.........$70 at wally world

 

[nissan_crawler]

I have a 4-stroke 32cc briggs powered Craftsman one. I would never go back to Stihl again, I love this thing.

 

[Fast Orange]

I don't know if it's in your budget,but any Stihl straight shaft trimmer will do the job and last better than any others I've tried-unless you "misplace" it.I know the Stihls aren't cheap,but the ones I've had and used took a beating,but never broke and always started easy.
George

 

[Junkman]

I have a Husqvarna and I love it. It has served me faithfully for about 10 years. I was at Lowes a couple of years ago, and they had 2 on the sale table that were returns for $25 each. I bought them both and gave them to a friend that is a professional landscaper. He has used them all last summer without a break down. Now he wants me to find him some more bargains. I was in the right place at the right time once, but I doubt that I will find a deal like that again. I also bought a Husqvarna chain saw for $25. Since then, the manager has been replaced. I wonder if his clearance pricing had something to do with it?????

 

[mickeyone]

Have had Echo for 12 years....The pros use Red Max Its worth the extra bucks to have a machine that starts.Nothing is worse than pulling on starter for an hour..

 

[xroad]

Had a Ryobe (sp?) battery operated one. Good for a few years. When the battery needed change, it cost about 80% of the original cost of the thing new! Buying another new one of another brand cost 90% of the original one new!

Not wanting to gett another battery operated one, I got a Husqvarna (sp?). $200. Works great. Starts fine. I wouldn't say it is very easy, it is easy enough. My wife use to use the battery one often. Now only I use the gas one. She cannot get it started. Needs a quick long pull and she has a short arm.

Power is a bit too strong. At near full throttle, the spinning torques the head sideways so it interrupts my straight line trimming of the lawn edge. I am looking for a rubber block to strap under the trigger to limit my throttle max.

The trimmer was rated as one of the more reliable and better performance unit in a Fine Homebuilding magazine review a few years back.

It is a bit too pricy for me but I expect my grandson to use it someday.

 

[jay50]

Have had Echo for 12 years....The pros use Red Max Its worth the extra bucks to have a machine that starts.Nothing is worse than pulling on starter for an hour..

I second the Echo. I bought the straight shift mid-range model in 1999 for about $230. Never fails to start. The stuff I have cut down with it should have be reserved for a bush-hog.

Get a good model now, or expect to repair or replace a cheapo unit every 3-4 years.

 

[SCguy]

Dolmar! Nothing like them! Light, powerful, economical. We have had a MS-20C for over 7 years and it has never missed a beat! I would recommend the square Gator Line with the steel reinforcement in the middle. Awesome stuff!

Here is the newer version of the one we have: http://www.dolmarpowerproducts.com/productcatalog/product/5084/index.html

Hope you but Dolmar, because you will never turn back!

RD

 

[davestlouis]

I bought a Shindaiwa after I got disgusted with my cheapie that never wanted to start. I've used the Shindaiwa for 6-7 years, haven't done a lick of maintenance on it, and it starts 2nd-3rd try, even after sitting all winter. I seem to recall that it was $225ish, bought it at a Troy Bilt store that has since gone out of business.

 

[Ducroix]

I bought an echo weedwhacker used and its worked great for the last 3 years, and I bought an edger new and its been great, echo is a good way to go

 

[bmwpower]

Low end Echo for me...Home Depot...around $200.
You can add attachments, like a saw blade. Got that and use it for cutting the briars at the root. Saves your line.

Definitely go with straight shaft.
Definitely go with 2 line feed.

 

[TxDoc]

Until a few years ago, I never heard of Echo. I bought a trimmer and then a leaf blower and now a CS 400 chainsaw. 5-year guarantee is good and none of these products has failed. A new plug every so often, clean the air filter or replace it, and Sta-Bil in the fuel has worked great.

I bought from a little locally owned mom and pop shop that does any service. I made the big box purchase mistake once. It was another brand, and the store referred me to a dealer who did their warranty work. They attempted a ripoff and I did not go for that. Took it back and got a refund.

Make sure whatever you buy that you can get service, if needed. I paid a few dollars more, but with my Poulan chain saws, and mower, I get in one day and back the next day, usually.

From the Echo website:

ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment is the best built in the industry and ECHO manufactures commercial-grade equipment...exclusively (not just some products like other manufacturers). And now ECHO is putting it money where its manufacturing is and offering a 5-YEAR CONSUMER WARRANTY on all engine-driven products. ECHO is the only manufacturer in the industry offering this type of warranty.

Good luck on your search

 

[CatfishXpress]

I was going through a cheap weed-eater every season, about ten years ago I bought a straight shaft Stihl and I haven't looked back.

The Stihl seems expensive at first, but its the last trimmer you will ever buy, it actually saves money.

 

[dxdexter]

We have a the lowest priced model Stihl FS36. I bought it to replace an electric weed eater. Had it for 3 years and has never given me any problems. I use it approximately every one to two weeks between May and October on my 1/2"acre property.

 

[Kevin54]

weedeater featherweight.........$70 at wally world

Same for me. I have a Stihl and it just sets in the shed. My Weedeater Featherweight has never gave me one bit of trouble. And if I ever DO manage to kill it, I can toss it in the can and not feel bad. I've had it for about 5 years now. I had a shoulder replacement that does not quite work right, so something heavy kind of takes it's toll on the shoulder. The featherweight is light enough that around the bank on the pond, I can use it one handed, and it is powerful enough that I can knock down cattails if need be.
Now to ask a question but not to hijack......does anyone notice any difference in some of the weedeater line other than the diameters. With both weedeaters, I use the blue line. I think it is .080 on the small one and either .045 or .060 on the large one. I grabbed a roll of yellow line one day that is SUPPOSED to have something like three cutting edges. It seems like that line is softer than the blue and I went through it in no time. I have also noticed this with the red, but the orange seems to hold up well. Not sure of the brand, but all of them are the same brand I believe.

 

[nissan_crawler]

My 4-stroke uses the "licorice" whips that look like 4 pieces of string twisted together. l love them, one of them does my .5 acre yard, which is fully fenced with mostly chain link, and a wood fence on the other side. Even with the chain link, I can usually do it with one whip, not too mention the fact that with the 4-stroke, it'll take out huge weeds like nothing.

I typically only weedeat with 1/3-1/2 throttle, and I've held 30 minute conversations on the phone while weedeating with no trouble hearing, it's quiet. The only time it sees full throttle is for 1/2"+ thick weeds, or when the 4 tine rototiller is on it.

 

[gotmud13613]

I picked up a Homelite (Zip-Start) 6-7 yrs ago, Straight Shaft with the saw blade attachment. It starts everytime on the second pull, it's still got the original plug in it. I have took it through #ell and back between my yard and my 106 acre hunting camp, When I originally bought it, I thought maybe 2-3 yrs use but it keeps on wacking the weeds and clearing brush with no problems.

 

[eschoendorff]

I was going through a cheap weed-eater every season, about ten years ago I bought a straight shaft Stihl and I haven't looked back.

The Stihl seems expensive at first, but its the last trimmer you will ever buy, it actually saves money.

Look no further than Stihl.

On th e right is my old FS-76.. that machine was actually in a fire and is still kicking! Just put some new plastic on it... on the left is my newer FS-110. Both machines are straight shaft - can take a bunch of blades and accessories.

In your case, I would probably go for a home0owner model from Stihl. They are not sold at box stores, and the quality (IMHO) is not compromised. Plus, you will be able to find parts and service (should you ever even need it) more easily.

 

[wilbilt]

Not being able to afford a Stihl, I recently bought a Ryobi at HD after my 10 year old Homelite finally died.

I think I paid $118 for the thing, and have been satisfied so far. It has the same changeable-shaft attachment GIMMICK thing that most other brands do these days.

I bought the hedge trimmer attachment GIMMICK and it actually works pretty well.

 

[l_bilyk]

Homelite and ryobi are made by the same people you know

 

[wilbilt]

Homelite and ryobi are made by the same people you know

I suspect Craftsman is made by the same folks as well. My neighbor's Craftsman has the same attachment GIMMICK as my Ryobi.

The old Homelite I had was purchased at the Grand Opening of a home improvement store here over 10 years ago. They had a giant pyramid of refurbished Homelite trimmers selling for $39.99 each.

I should have bought a half dozen instead of just one. It just would not die. One time, I was out of premix oil, so I ran some 20% nitro model airplane fuel in it. It cut like mad and smelled good, too!

I finally tossed it because the trimmer head broke and I didn't want to spend $30 for a new one.

 

[kblazer87]

Stihl. I have owned Ryobi, Craftsman, Poulan, Homelite, and Echo trimmers before, but none of them were as good or reliable as my Stihl. I have used Husqvarna before and they are quite good as well, but no dealers close enough for me. I have Stihl chainsaws and a blower as well.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Echo. Guy I used to work with was a maintenance man for a large lawn care outfit and said the Echo was the only string trimmer that held up to the constant use and abuse. I have an Echo straight shank string trimmer and it works nice.

I have a Husquvarna brush cutter, it is very good, and any thing else they make is also good.

I have a Stihl pole saw and won't ever buy another Stihl product. The restrict their parts sales to their approved dealers and only over the counter. Any dealer caught selling parts on the internet is dropped. I just don't like a policy that restricts parts to the sorry dealer and at their mercy (high prices). The pole saw is an Ok unit, but nothing to write home about.

Charles

 

[Merkava_4]

It's not so much the weed eater that's important as the spool. These Grass Gators with their four .130 lines are awesome! They're quiet and deadly.

 

[wilbilt]

Nice photo.
You have a bent-shaft trimmer?

Hmm.

 

[nissan_crawler]

Nice photo.
You have a bent-shaft trimmer?

Hmm.

That surprised me, too.

 

[Merkava_4]

Nice photo.
You have a bent-shaft trimmer?

Hmm.

Yeah, it's a bent shaft Ryobi electric, but the Grass Gator is made to fit gas trimmers. It just so happens that this Ryobi electric is the same configuration as their gas model. I got the spool at Lowes for about $20. It's made in U.S.A. and well balanced.

 

[monkeyplasm]

Wow!

Lots of great responses. Thanks!

What benefits would a 4-stroke model give over a 2 stroke model?

 

[bmwpower]

Wow!

Lots of great responses. Thanks!

What benefits would a 4-stroke model give over a 2 stroke model?

No gas/oil mix for the 4 stroke. But then you're gonna have to change the engine oil on the 4 stroke.

 

[eschoendorff]

Be careful... a Grass Gator with 4 .130 lines will really rob your machine of power. .095 line is sufficiently for many jobs - and will let the machine rev freely.

 

[nissan_crawler]

Wow!

Lots of great responses. Thanks!

What benefits would a 4-stroke model give over a 2 stroke model?

A buttload of torque. I run my 4-stroke at about 1/3 throttle, and I can talk on the cell phone at a normal volume while doing so.

I have the 4 tine rototiller for it, and it works great. It had enough power to wedge a 4" piece of concrete into the tines, causing me to have to cut them off to get it out. I couldn't even drive the lynch pins out.

I had a 2 cycle Stihl before this. I wouldn't trade it for a free Stihl.

I will say it's not light, so a 5' 120 pound woman isn't going to like it. I have no problems slinging it around for a few hours, though.

 

[Merkava_4]

Be careful... a Grass Gator with 4 .130 lines will really rob your machine of power. .095 line is sufficiently for many jobs - and will let the machine rev freely.

You're flat out full of it this time Mr. Schoendorff. You're one of the century's great contradictors.

 

[philw]

I had a straight shaft Ryobi which I bought at Lowe's. It lasted about 2 years before the gears at the bottom of the shaft stripped out. I cut through some fairly heavy brush so it must have been to much for it. I have a Weedeater? brand (green ones) purchased at Walmart which I keep at my aunts (I cut her yard for her) and it has held up OK for light duty and it was cheap. My father had a Craftsman which lasted a couple years.

I currently have a homeowners Stihl. Straight shaft FS55? Have had it four years and no problems. It is a little heavier than the cheapie weedeater but I use a strap and have no problems. It cuts much better than the cheapies I have used.

 

[wilbilt]

You're flat out full of it this time Mr. Schoendorff. You're one of the century's great contradictors.

That's a mouthfull.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I'm looking at the C-Man convertible for 119.00. I'm thinking the edger attachment will come in handy. Any thoughts?
Craftsman Convertible 32 CC 2-Cycle Straight Shaft Line Trimmer
Sears item# 07179187000 Mfr. model# 41AD760C799

 

[Uncle Buck]

I'm looking at the C-Man convertible for 119.00. I'm thinking the edger attachment will come in handy. Any thoughts?
Craftsman Convertible 32 CC 2-Cycle Straight Shaft Line Trimmer
Sears item# 07179187000 Mfr. model# 41AD760C799

I bought a Craftsman convertible about 8yrs ago with the edger and blower attachments. I have no complaints against the machine or it's performance.

I have used the edger a handful of times and it did a good job but I would not select it over a dedicated edging machine as it will give you a workout. The blower works great, overall a great machine I would highly recommend.

The only issue I ever had was once I pulled the pull rope out of the head. Good Luck!

 

[kythri]

Yeah, the Craftsman stuff is probably the same as Ryobi/Homelite - it is with their cordless power tools, so it makes sense that it is here, as well.

I bought this three weeks ago:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07179107000P?keyword=line+trimmer

And I picked up the bladed brush-cutter attachment last night during the F&F/VIP sale.

This is my first gas-powered job, but it's a billion times better than the electric **** I've dealt with in the past.

As far as 4-stroke vs 2-stroke, I was under the assumption that 2-stroke was a better choice for a weedeater type of application. More power over a comparable-sized 4-stroke, but not as quiet, and you've got to mix fuel/oil (small price to pay).

The 4-stroke stuff was all more expensive than I wanted to get into, and if everything I read was accurate, I'd be paying more for less power.

 

[Kevin54]

What benefits would a 4-stroke model give over a 2 stroke model?

2 strokes are going by the wayside. Almost anything that you get (possibly everything now) is going to be 4 stroke due to pollution of the 2 stroke. 2 strokes to give more power over the 4 though. And yes...with a 4 stroke you will have to change oil regularly. But with a 4, you don't have to mix oil with gas, keep an extra can of gas around for mixing, or look for that small bottle of oil when you need it.

 

[boiler7904]

Pay attention to what the local landscapers use for the next couple of days. It'll likely be Stihl or Echo. Probably because of local dealer and parts support. You can't really go wrong with either one unless you buy it at a big box.

My dad and father in law both have both had good experiences with their three Stihl FS series trimmers (except for one bad carb). The farmer I work for part time also swears buy his heavy duty Stihls.