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String trimmer/edger. Whatcha got? (1 Viewer)

shuke

shuke

Black Ice Skeptic
My current one is dead.  

I've always liked the power of a gas trimmer, but I am so sick of dealing with them.  Anyone have battery operated one? I don't want to spend more than $100.  

 
How long on average do you need to run this thing at one time?  I've got a battery powered B&D hedge trimmer that runs forever and I love it.  I've heard good things about their trimmer as well, but I think if I had to go more than 20-30 minutes with it, I'd be skeptical.  It runs a bout $150 though.

link

 
Black and Decker rechargeable.  The thing is easy as can be for the 8 minutes of trimming I have to do per week.  No gas. No mixing oil.  No blisters from trying to start the fricken thing for 20 minutes after leaving in the sun for a half hour, priming it 27 times - not 26 and not 28.  Sure, I feel like less of a man when I hear it whir like a 10 year old's quad-copter, but I'm OK with that because I'm happy. 

 
Mookie said:
Black and Decker rechargeable.  The thing is easy as can be for the 8 minutes of trimming I have to do per week.  No gas. No mixing oil.  No blisters from trying to start the fricken thing for 20 minutes after leaving in the sun for a half hour, priming it 27 times - not 26 and not 28.  Sure, I feel like less of a man when I hear it whir like a 10 year old's quad-copter, but I'm OK with that because I'm happy. 
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But does it cut well?

 
shuke said:
But does it cut well?
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It works perfectly for my needs.  I wouldn't take it out to mow down a field of 3 foot high weeds or thick grass that hasn't been touched in a month, but I rarely if ever do that kind of work anyway.  For the suburban homeowner with .25 acre and a normal lawn, it's fine.

 
https://www.ryobitools.com/products/details/578

Bought this one about a month ago, and I love it. My old gas/oil trimmer died, and I was in need of a new one. The 40V battery can last up to an hour and is plenty powerful. String seems really strong too, haven't had to add string yet. This one is also expandable with other yard attachments. I am very happy with the purchase. Cost about $130-150. I have about 1.5 acres on a corner lot, so I'm thinking of getting a second battery (~$100) that I can charge while using the other one. 

 
get the black and decka rechargeable it is great i have one and three batteries and it does it all and here is the great part when your neanderthal guy shows up and starts talking about how a gas powered one blah blah blah you just tell them look  when you are tired from pulling and your hand hurts and you just broke your ratotor cuff and you have to springerize and winterize your fn weed whacker and you stink like two cycle you know what i will be the answer is done and holidng a beer take that to the bank bromigos

 
Tom Skerritt said:
https://www.ryobitools.com/products/details/578

Bought this one about a month ago, and I love it. My old gas/oil trimmer died, and I was in need of a new one. The 40V battery can last up to an hour and is plenty powerful. String seems really strong too, haven't had to add string yet. This one is also expandable with other yard attachments. I am very happy with the purchase. Cost about $130-150. I have about 1.5 acres on a corner lot, so I'm thinking of getting a second battery (~$100) that I can charge while using the other one. 
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What other attachments are you using on it?

It's currently 169, but for 119 can get the model that doesn't have the modular attachment connection.

 
Gotta go commercial-grade for lawn equipment.  I've got the Echo 210 and it has run flawlessly for 6 years now.  I used to buy the cheap crap and like you, after engine after engine of unreliability, decided to go battery powered.  They suck.  Don't waste your time.  Spend the extra money and get an Echo or Stihl.  

Echo has a 5 year warranty on their units as long as you use them for home use.   

 
Another vote for the Ryobi.  I got one last year to replace the gas trimmer I had and was sick of trying to get started each spring.  Love it.  I had it for a couple months, trimmed every other week and only had to charge it once.  Medium size yard, light duty work.

 
How "crisp" of an edge do you guys get with these battery powered ones.  That's important to me.  

 
shuke said:
How "crisp" of an edge do you guys get with these battery powered ones.  That's important to me.  
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i have never got down and tried to chew on it but it is pretty crisp if you ask me take that to the original or crispy style bank bromigosanders 

 
shuke said:
What other attachments are you using on it?

It's currently 169, but for 119 can get the model that doesn't have the modular attachment connection.
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If you buy a Ryobi take your 119 and throw it in the trash.  it will work great for 1 year.

The only reason I bought a gas ryobi after my 2 stroke died is I already had 2 attachments.

 
McGarnicle said:
This is the gold standard unless you're trying to spend big money for commercial grade. I've had this model for 10 years and it's never let me down. Also you can buy other attachments for it like a hedge trimmer (which is a beast), edger, tiller, chain saw, etc.
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I bought this trimme last summer. Works well so far and starts easily. 

 
Stihl...bike handle, straight shaft  

My dad has one that is 20+ years old and still going strong.  Mine runs (and starts) like new and is going on 7 years now.  

 
Put me in the cordless electric camp.

For the typical homeowner, cordless has all the power you need with a hell of a lot more convenience than gas. Go gas if you like, but if you are wondering if cordless has enough power for you, it almost certainly does. 

Unless you are trimming for more than an hour at a time or clearing heavy brush/small trees, cordless is fine. Basically, if it's green and not made of wood more than a half inch thick or so, cordless will cut it just fine.

Other benefits, aside from not having to fool with gas and engines that won't start are that you can weed eat in shorts (flipflops too, if you like) and don't have to wear earplugs. You can hear your cellphone ringing while operating these things.

I've got a Hitachi, which is overpriced, but all of my cordless tools are Hitachi, and I kind of just wanted the big battery too. Mine's only an 18V. Any of the 40V versions (Kobalt, Worx, Ryobi, B&D) are all probably much better deals.

 
Troy Bilt 4 stroke. 

No mixing of gas, has many different attachments and more power than I'll ever need for anything 

 
Went through the pain of buying a string trimmer that sucked.  Troy Bilt 4 stroke died after two seasons only after the string kept getting jammed.  I would typically need to stop and push out more string 3-4 times each session.  Eventually the POS began giving me grief with starting so I would change out string, then crank the chord for 5 minutes.

Had a Tanaka string trimmer for 5 years and it is the best/smoothest string trimmer I have ever owned (almost gave up on gas but my yard is too large).  Every year, I go out and crank this trimmer and it starts right up.  I never have problems with the string jamming up and I remember being amazed at how smooth it was to hold (no vibrations).  I have about an acre of land with a hill that I use my string trimmer.  During peak season, I spend an hour a week using this trimmer and it has held up to the abuse with no issues.

You will pay for this trimmer, but it will be the best that you own.

 
back in 67 me and my friend julio built what is recorded in some publications as the most powerful string trimmer edger ever created it started when a buddy of ours who we all called saggs got his hands on an old duece and a half from the old army surplus catalogs and we took the old continental 478 engine out of that baby it was turbocharged keep that in mind and we mounted that 478 on a 2 inch piece of steel gas line that we found at the dump then we ran a drive shaft down and julio built the lower end i was more on the engine side of things as sixes were my thing anyhow we fired it up to test it out on some weeds by julios place and it sort of got out of control and julio ended up weed wacking a screened in porch off of the back of his house lets just say that his wife was pissed bromigos i bet she did not talk to him for about a half a year even after we rebuilt the porch even better than before using some scrap we got off of a couple job sites but hey you probably would not hear julio complain but anyhow there you have it the legend of the old turbo wacker take that to the bank bromigos 

 
Seems likes opinions are all over the place.  Any stores I can go to and actually start up one of these battery operated models to see how it feels?

 
I have an echo edger that is very nice. 3yo. Easy to start, quiet.

Homelite string trimmer that is garbage, but I found it on the side of the road.  It works well enough to not replace, but it just seems flimsy.

Ryobi blower that is about 6yrs old that still works well & is easy to start.

I just bought a stihl pole hedge trimmer that is nice.  Stihl is a great brand.

 
Screw the

shuke said:
Seems likes opinions are all over the place.  Any stores I can go to and actually start up one of these battery operated models to see how it feels?
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If you want to actually start something up, and have a qualified salesman work with you, then go to a local place.  A brand like Stihl is carried at authorized dealers that usually sell more models than big box stores.  They usually do rentals, and repairs at these places as well.  These places usually target the commercial lawn companies, but carry residential equipment as well.  (Stihl, Torro, tractor stuff, etc)

I can't say much for battery powered.  My BIL had a battery powered hedge trimmer that worked fine for abfew years, but now it doesn't hold a charge very long.  I would stay away from battery stuff unless you have a very small yard.

 
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Part time landscaper here-We use Echo and Stihl.  I don't get

the comments about hard starts. We abuse our trimmers-no

treated gas, never change the plugs, and I think we changed the fuel

filter once in two seasons. They still start easy and will run all day.

 
I would use the non-ethanol gas in the winter where the trimmer could sit unused for 1-3 months.  Or just make sure to empty out the gas.

They sell pre-mix non-ethanol cans at big box stores now.  They also sell stabilizer to put in ethanol gas.  All wawas down here sell ethanol free gas as well.

 
I had nothing but problems with a slew of electric, battery, and 2-cycle trimmers.  Never wanting to spend over a 100 bucks, I ended up spending a 100 bucks over and over as the trimmers failed or disappointed.  Some didn't even make it through a summer.  

I finally spent $200 for a 29cc 4-cycle gas model and I've had zero problems for about 5 years.  No maintenance, no mixing oil and gas, nothing.  My advice is to spend the extra hundred bucks once instead of over and over.

 
shuke said:
Going with this unless someone strenuously objects.
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I've always owned curved shaft models.  Every time I pick up a straight one in the store it doesn't feel right.

Used this today.  It did take 25-30 pulls for that first start but after that was fine.

Worked great when I turned it over to do the edging.  Only problem is the .080" line it came with was gone after the first 2 minutes of use.  Fortunately this new "easy load" design accepts the .095" line I had.  I appreciate the industry is admitting that the bump feed and automatic feeds sucks and are just going with this now.

CRISP results

 
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shuke said:
I've always owned curved shaft models.  Every time I pick up a straight one in the store it doesn't feel right.

Used this today.  It did take 25-30 pulls for that first start but after that was fine.

Worked great when I turned it over to do the edging.  Only problem is the .080" line it came with was gone after the first 2 minutes of use.  Fortunately this new "easy load" design accepts the .095" line I had.  I appreciate the industry is admitting that the bump feed and automatic feeds sucks and are just going with this now.

CRISP results
Click to expand...
nice.

 
shuke said:
I've always owned curved shaft models.  Every time I pick up a straight one in the store it doesn't feel right.

Used this today.  It did take 25-30 pulls for that first start but after that was fine.

Worked great when I turned it over to do the edging.  Only problem is the .080" line it came with was gone after the first 2 minutes of use.  Fortunately this new "easy load" design accepts the .095" line I had.  I appreciate the industry is admitting that the bump feed and automatic feeds sucks and are just going with this now.

CRISP results
Click to expand...
Bought the straight shaft model yesterday and love it

link

 
I got a Ryobi on clearance at HD which I have had since last Spring. I was using it Sat and it just stopped. Not like the battery died but was going fine and then dead stop. I put the battery in the charger and it looks like the charger isn't working anymore because nothing is lighting up. Trying to decide if it is worth getting another charger. I remember a big reason why I was excited for finding this on clearance (at a good price) was that it came with the charger.

 
Chadstroma said:
I got a Ryobi on clearance at HD which I have had since last Spring. I was using it Sat and it just stopped. Not like the battery died but was going fine and then dead stop. I put the battery in the charger and it looks like the charger isn't working anymore because nothing is lighting up. Trying to decide if it is worth getting another charger. I remember a big reason why I was excited for finding this on clearance (at a good price) was that it came with the charger.
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This is why I have yet to purchase anything battery powered besides a cordless drill.  My BIL has a battery powered hedge trimmer that worked well for a year, but now the battery doesn't hold a charge for long & it is weak.  Lithium Ion has definitely improved things, but battery powered equipment still has major drawbacks.

 
Quez said:
This is why I have yet to purchase anything battery powered besides a cordless drill.  My BIL has a battery powered hedge trimmer that worked well for a year, but now the battery doesn't hold a charge for long & it is weak.  Lithium Ion has definitely improved things, but battery powered equipment still has major drawbacks.
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Yea, I got a trimmer this weekend and didn't even look at the battery stuff- went right to the plug ins.

For a drill, I just got a new battery for my one Craftsman drill. I forgot how long it holds a charge because the original is so bad now that is goes from full charge to useless in about 15 minutes of use or a couple of hours of not being charged.

 
smoke monster said:
You did good my Echo was hard to start the very first time too but now has worked flawlessly, going into year 5 with it no issues  :thumbup:
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I realized I was starting it wrong. :bag:

 
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