Sooo...Trying to decide on a weedeater...

adamnflorida

Registered
I saw the thread about the chainsaw, so i figured i would see where i got looking for a weedeater..

We bought our first house last week, so now i am having to buy things that i have not normally had to use at an apartment. lol.. I am having a hard time trying to find one that seems to be A) A good deal B) has good reviews
I have looked at the normal places ,home depot, lowes and sears..I want a 4 cycle,and would like to have exchangeable heads, so i can weed eat,then edge. But most of the reviews are, under powered, stopped working after X amount of days, POS, get what you paid for etc.. So i am having some problems deciding..I am looking in the $200 range,but willing to go a little more if its worth it. I just don't want to have to buy an industrial trimmer for it to be good.

Anybody have any input on what they have?

TIA
 
I've been through at LEAST 5 weed whackers. I've had Poulan, Homelite, this, that, the other thing..

Then I spent the money and bought a Stihl. Done. Starts every time, trimmer head stays working, etc, etc.

Just like the other thread, there is NOTHING worse than equipment that doesn't work when you need it.

Isn't that why we all ride Suzukis? :laugh:
 
Bots is right on this one man. I have a poulan pro weedeater and I can't stand the thing. It doesn't want to start most of the time and that alone is a PIA. Spend the extra and get some better brand equipment. Stihl, Husquvana are two of the better brands but more expensive. And it is so true about this type equipment, you get what you pay for!
 
I bought a Professorial series Troy Bilt Trimmer from Lowes a couple years ago because it was on sale and I got a military discount on top of that. It has been a good trimmer and I have a lot of property to include a 3/4 acre pond that needs the weeds trimmed down about 3 times a year.

It does a good job for the money, no regrets with my purchase. Also, I love having the ability swap the tool on the trimmer motor. This allows me to have hedge trimmer, leaf blower, branch trimmer chainsaw, cultivator and a couple more that I don't have. Each of these tools works well.

I may decide to get a Stihl one day, but not sure if the tools are interchangeable with the Stihl motor.
 
I know you want a four-stroke, but...

I've had a Stihl FS 70 RC-E for three seasons now, and it is great. I think it's only offered now as the FS 70 R, which does not have the Easy2Start feature like mine. That shouldn't be a big deal though. This is the entry level model in Stihl's "professional" line, all of which have a straight shaft. It also came with a shoulder strap, but I've never felt the need to use it. This season I started using Stihl's poly blade head, and I wish I had tried it sooner. You can run it at very low RPM's and still cut just about anything, but the plastic blades won't damage any surfaces you might get too close to. The blades are very inexpensive to replace, but so far I haven't needed to.

It is two-stroke, but the upside of that is no periodic oil changes. I just keep a one gallon gas can for my two-stroke engines. When it's empty, I refill if from my larger can of regular gas and dump in a bottle of oil. No measuring necessary.

Aside from superior product quality, a major advantage is that Stihl products are only sold by independent SERVICING dealers. You won't find them at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Walmart. I got mine from the local tractor dealer when I picked up my Gravely mower (which is also a fantastic product).

This model sells for about $280, but they have a whole other line of "homeowner" models where you could also get great quality and save some money.
 
I have the FS-38 (homeowner model) and I've NEVER had an issue with it. I'm thinking of trying those plastic blades now though (thanks Daniel) but it has ALWAYS started, and the reel system is simple, and works.

I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

I'll also mention that I'm not very good with maintenance on lawn tools. I've owned my push mower for 12 years and never changed the oil. My riding mower has been changed maybe 3 times. Weedwacker just got a new spark plug a few weeks ago, but that was just because it was runnin' funny. Not because it wouldn't start. LOL
 
Stihl is going to be your best bet but others are good too. I have a Craftsmen 4 cycle weed eater that works fantastic, just finishing my second season with it and have yet to have a single issue with it (paid $179 for it). I didn't buy the extra tools that go with it, the biggest scam with a weed eater is the edger tool. All you need to do is turn the weed eater so the string is straight up and down and use it to edge.....Why do you need an attachment for that? I use the heavy duty string in mine it and cuts into that dirt like its not even there. I bought a separate leaf blower because I didn't think the blower attachment would be very strong.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies! Looks like everyone is good with stihl, so i will be looking at those this weekend..I googled them to see where to buy one and it looks like specialty lawn shops..Landscape Supply Co

Stihl is going to be your best bet but others are good too. I have a Craftsmen 4 cycle weed eater that works fantastic, just finishing my second season with it and have yet to have a single issue with it (paid $179 for it). I didn't buy the extra tools that go with it, the biggest scam with a weed eater is the edger tool. All you need to do is turn the weed eater so the string is straight up and down and use it to edge.....Why do you need an attachment for that? I use the heavy duty string in mine it and cuts into that dirt like its not even there. I bought a separate leaf blower because I didn't think the blower attachment would be very strong.

I am going to sears on my lunch break, so i will just look around for a bit. The attachment just looks "Heavier Duty" for edging.Rather than just string.

I will post up what i get this weekend...not to make anyone jealous or anything, just as a, did I do good thing..:laugh:

edger.jpg
 
Just try and edge with the string 1st and see if you like it before you spend money you don't need too. A strong weed eater will power right through with string.
 
just remember to get the heavy duty string so it doesn't break on you as much. Also, if you get the one with the head on it that only take a piece of string like 12'' long on it don't buy the little pre-cut strips, there way over priced. You can get a big roll for like $20 that will last all summer long.
 
bought an echo and it was junk. bought a Stihl and it was 10x better in every way. cost more but well worth it.
 
One thing you didnt mention is what type of work you want to do with it. Do you have acreage and heavier things to mow down or is it just for trimming around the lawn? I have 2 Husq 2-stroke trimmers and each have their own uses. One has a string and the other has a circular saw blade for blackberry bushes. I also have a push type craftsman brush mower that works great on tall grass around the property, does snakes in pretty well too which sucks. Im a motorcycle and small engine mechanic and usually recommend getting a tool for each specific job. I dont like the quick change attachments much but if your doing really light duty work that may be the ticket. 2-stroke engines are 1/3 more powerful than 4-strokes of the same size and require less maintenance, I tend to stick with those.
 
i have a 40 volt ryobi. I have 5 acres. It more then does the job edging etc. Has a twist head and works like a charm. Bout the only thing i dont care for on it is the autofeed doesnt always work.
 
I have two Stihl weed trimmers, bough the first one, gave it to my son, bought a second one for me. I paid about $280 each for them. Always run great. I keep fresh gas in them, clean the airfilter every few times of use, change the spark plug every 2-3 years. Have been super reliable. For me, they have been worth the money. My son runs a landscaping business and I use mine for an hour a week. Stihl makes very good products. When I bought the second trimmer, they had a promotion, buy a 6 pack of Stihl 2 cycle oil and the engine warranty was extended by a year or two.

Jim
 
Who's jumpin on my "Sooo..." bandwagon? :lol:

Hehe...plenty room aboard! :D Lessee...out here, we dont really have access to the big brands (stihl, husky, etc). When we do (thats a huuge when ), it normally involves a barrel, plenty of curse words and even more vaseline. ??? Out here though, the preference seems to be Shindaiwa. Gonna go over your budget of $200 by abou 150 bucks, but they're usually worth it. Just my .2 cents...
 
I know you want a four-stroke, but...

I've had a Stihl FS 70 RC-E for three seasons now, and it is great. I think it's only offered now as the FS 70 R, which does not have the Easy2Start feature like mine. That shouldn't be a big deal though. This is the entry level model in Stihl's "professional" line, all of which have a straight shaft. It also came with a shoulder strap, but I've never felt the need to use it. This season I started using Stihl's poly blade head, and I wish I had tried it sooner. You can run it at very low RPM's and still cut just about anything, but the plastic blades won't damage any surfaces you might get too close to. The blades are very inexpensive to replace, but so far I haven't needed to.

It is two-stroke, but the upside of that is no periodic oil changes. I just keep a one gallon gas can for my two-stroke engines. When it's empty, I refill if from my larger can of regular gas and dump in a bottle of oil. No measuring necessary.

Aside from superior product quality, a major advantage is that Stihl products are only sold by independent SERVICING dealers. You won't find them at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Walmart. I got mine from the local tractor dealer when I picked up my Gravely mower (which is also a fantastic product).

This model sells for about $280, but they have a whole other line of "homeowner" models where you could also get great quality and save some money.

The four cycle stihls still use 2stroke gas mix, but run a 4 cycle stroke. They don't require oil changes, and they are quiet!
 
Best I ever owned was an ECHO. Ran like a champ for over 15 years. I do not loan my tools or woman out, don`t ask.

Today I would buy a Stihl.
 
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