Help picking new trimmer

[VABlue]

My 10yo Ryobi finally stopped starting, so I'm back in the market... I did some prelim research and bought a Stihl FS55, used it twice and took it back because it wouldn't restart after refueling. (The dealer said it was probably a broken wire in the safety switch, but needing shop work after two starts doesn't ring confidence...) One thing I learned about the Stihl is that I don't like the side exhaust! My right arm pretty much rests on the muffler shield, and while not 'burning', it got pretty hot and uncomfortable. The Ryobi had rear exhaust and never bothered me. So I'd like something with rear exhaust. Now for the intended use...

I have 5 acres, mostly wooded, and will run the trimmer for 1-2 hrs (generally once/week) to finish the job. I'll be trimming everything from light grass around mulch beds to heavy weeds along ditch rows. The most cumbersome part, though, is trimming grass along a fence line with rabbit fencing on it and growing between bricks on backyard paths. (So string is necessary, rather than a brush cutter head.) Don't really care about a detachable shaft, the Ryobi had it and I really never used the blower and cultivator I had for it (replaced the blower with a Husqvarna backpack, and the tiller couldn't cut through VA clay...). Straight or curved? Don't know... I like the power from a straight shaft, but really don't know the difference since I've never used a curved shaft. I am only 5'5" tall, so if that makes a difference... I think I'd like to stay with a 2-stroke engine since the backpack blower is 2-stroke, as is my chainsaw. (Better opportunity to keep the gas fresh.)

I know this is a long post, but more info means better help, and I know you guys will come through! TIA...

 

[futuresweets10]

Will cost a bit more, but go with redmax or shindawa

 

[gauthier]

Well,above are good ones,echo is good,pro huskys and sthils are good,but you got to spend some money and get one of those brands top models.

 

[/pine]

it never fails that whenever I'm in the repair shop (where I buy hydraulic hoses etc)...someone brings in a new looking Sthil or husky trimmer because it won't start..

I have had a Poulan PL25 that I got at Wally-world 9 years ago that has never failed to start on the first or second pull...

 

[Bird]

If you've never used a curved shaft, try one before buying. I guess they're OK, but I've owned a couple of corded electric ones in the past, and I've used my daughter's gas powered with a curved shaft and I wouldn't want anything but a straight shaft model myself. I agree with you about my right arm resting on a pretty hot spot with my FS55RC Stihl, but it's not bad enough to make me want to change trimmers. With the easy start system, no effort to pull the rope, and mine has never failed to start. Sounds as if you just got one with a defect that could have been fixed. But I know that such things can sour us on a particular brand.

 

[beppington]

Echo is Stihl's big-box store brand ... FYI.

Get another Stihl. You just happened to catch a bad one. Stihl is great. Nobody's perfect. Around this city, all the pro's landscapers & gov't trucks are full of Stihl's, and once I owned my first one, I discovered why. We have several HD's, several Lowe's & I'm sure all national brands worth considering are represented locally ... yet both pro's & gov't use Stihl.

I now own a Stihl pole saw, string trimmer & blower. All are great. New chainsaw, if/ when the time comes for one, will also be Stihl (So far I'm able to use the pole saw to chain saw everything I want. Cuts way up high, but also keeps me from having to bend down to cut stuff at ground level )

Edit: Oh, and like Bird, both my string trimmer & blower have the Easy2Start: Pull very gently & it starts right up.

 

[beppington]

it never fails that whenever I'm in the repair shop (where I buy hydraulic hoses etc)...someone brings in a new looking Sthil or husky trimmer because it won't start..

This is because Stihl's are actually worth bringing in for repair/ maintenance ... whereas most other brands are throw-aways.

I bet most of those you're seeing are professionally used, get used very hard by low paid hired hands, & simply do require repair from time-to-time. Pro's won't bother with junk brands, can't afford to.

 

[gauthier]

Really? you mean,,,,
Echos are better than 3/4 of what sthil sells,and probably about as good as sthils pro models,but less expensive[kinda like kubota verses kioti],cept kubota don't have pro models just different tractors,like echo,you won't find echos more expensive models in box stores,just at a dealer.

Never did like that pro verses homeowner thing that sthil and husky does,yeah,I'm pretty sure their pro models are better?[least they cost alot more],but same name,same cc,same bar and chain,same color,but one is made better than other,how do they keep parts seperated in their assembly line?

Don't believe shindawa or other top of the line saws and trimmers does that pro/verses/homeowner thing either?

 

[EddieWalker]

Echo is Stihl's big-box store brand ... FYI..

I find this very hard to believe. In fact, I don't believe it at all.

My dealer sells both Stihl and Echo. When I asked for the best one, he said that Echo had a heavier gear box and he liked their engines better. For the same HP, the Echo was a bit cheaper.

I have two Stihl chainsaws and consider them to be good saws, but my Echo weed eater starts a lot easier. I recently bought an Echo tree trimmer and it's much easier to start then my Stihl chainsaws.

I wont buy Stihl again, or any other brand. I really like Echo and highly recomend them.

Eddie

 

[gauthier]

Last I heard,echo was out of canada,sthil was based in va.
But after owning sthils and echos,will say that echos are better than the home owner brand sthils,and comparable to the pro models,but a good bit less money.

Will also say,they are all machines,you get quirks in different ones and in different models in same brand.

Think echo has a 5 year warrenty?

 

[/pine]

This is because Stihl's are actually worth bringing in for repair/ maintenance ... whereas most other brands are throw-aways.

I bet most of those you're seeing are professionally used, get used very hard by low paid hired hands, & simply do require repair from time-to-time. Pro's won't bother with junk brands, can't afford to.

most of the ones I notice look brand new...and "Pros" (in FL we call them "yard fleas" because they hop from yard to yard ...no offense to anyone or profession intended) can't afford to have their equipment in the shop all the time...

Just this year I had to order some minor parts for my 9 year old (lightweight) Poulan PL25 trimmer... the parts are easy to get and reasonably priced...

most of the ones I see on the curbs for the trash man are electric trimmers

 

[beppington]

I find this very hard to believe. In fact, I don't believe it at all.

My dealer sells both Stihl and Echo. When I asked for the best one, he said that Echo had a heavier gear box and he liked their engines better. For the same HP, the Echo was a bit cheaper.

Hmmm ... I may have to take that back. I know for absolute sure I was told that by someone trust dearly, & I thought I remembered reading it myself on Stihl's own website, however I can't find any such info right now.

Let's go with I was wrong, & I'll surely post back if I find out otherwise. Sorry for the wrong info, meantime.


ps I still love Stihl

 

[gauthier]

You didn't have to let us know that you was wrong you know

 

[6thgpSF]

I bought the fs90 by Sthil and it's a heck of a trimmer.It's got the handlebar with the throttle built in so neither arm is resting on the engine,also has the harness. russ

 

[Bird]

My dealer sells both Stihl and Echo.

My closest dealer and the one from whom I bought my Toro mower and Stihl string trimmer only sells Toro, Stihl, and Lawnboy; however, a few miles on down the road is a dealer who does sell a lot more brands of mowers and that dealer stocks both Stihl and Echo string trimmers. A few years ago, just from observation, it seemed that most of the pros were using Echo, but now nearly all of them I see are Stihl. Whether one is better than the other . . . who knows?

 

[LBrown59]

it never fails that whenever I'm in the repair shop (where I buy hydraulic hoses etc)...someone brings in a new looking Sthil or husky trimmer because it won't start..

That's cause the others never make it that far.:thumbsup:

 

[LBrown59]

*This is because Stihl's are actually worth bringing in for repair/ maintenance ... whereas most other brands are throw-aways.

.

The others never get that far.

 

[gauthier]

lbrown wrote,"cause the others don't make it that far"and "the others never get that far",which one is it,I'm confused?

 

[/pine]

lbrown wrote,"cause the others don't make it that far"and "the others never get that far",which one is it,I'm confused?

a third (unbiased) scenario is that the "others" are on the job performing like always...

 

[VABlue]

This question got a lot of life all of a sudden!!

I'm not soured on Stihl's, I know that problem was probably a broken wire - which can happen on anything. But I needed to trim before heading to England for a month, and couldn't do it. Upon my return, the trim was ~2' tall and the wife's Yorkies were lost in it! Needing something quick, I went with the Husqvarna 223L. Review: starts really easy (almost as easy as my Husky blower - 1 slow pull), VERY light and comfy to use, and just as much power as the FS55. I still need to find something to cover my arm, though, but it's not as bad as the Stihl was. The trimmer head seems easier to reload than the FS55, but is also looser - it flew off twice when I was trimming the brick paths and crashed the head onto the bricks (harmlessly in front of me). Have to control it better, I guess...

I don't have enough trim time on either brand yet to say which I prefer (and can't with the Stihl any longer). But overall, I think both machines are equally capable. All other things being equal, the Husky seems about 5-lbs lighter and comfortable to use. With the old Ryobi, my arms would vibrate for hours after trimming and my lower back was sore. The Stihl cut that issue in half, and the Husky all but eliminated it.

So far, I'm happy with the choice. Hopefully, I won't need to choose again for another 10-15 years...