School me on a good string trimmer

[matgyver]

Looking to replace my old, worn out ryobi 31cc trimmer. It wailed like a banshee, shot green stuff all over the world, and then died.

I want something easy to start, that I won't have to rebuild every year.

Straight shaft, not commercial priced.

Echo?...seems like its advertised well at least.

[blue edge]

http://www.shindaiwa-usa.com/Products/Trimmers.aspx

There Blowers are GREAT also

Edited May 29, 2012 by blue edge

[open17]

Bought a Stihl FS-90 a couple of years ago. So far so good. Got the one with the loop

handle, it's also available with the "bike handlebar" handle if that's your preference.

It's as low as you can go on the Stihl line and get a solid driveshaft.

Bought it to replace a 15 yr old shaft drive Shindaiwa----which was one heck of a good

trimmer that we beat the $%#@*% out of on the farm until it finally wore out.

[Bill Nesbitt]

I'm in the market also. I want one thar doesn'r vibrate too bad and make my carpel tunnel worse.

[outerlimits]

Get a gracie! Trims great...

[Sarge]

Stihl is well worth every penny.

[blind bat]

Shindaiwa made the nicest 2 cycle stuff around when I used to work in a commercial shop ~15 years ago.

[sirveyr]

STIHL.

They cost more than most and they are worth it. Any STIHL product will outlast it's owner.

[kbeck76]

My suggestion would be to find the local shop that you like best. For me that was a local family owned place that sells Echo. I have 5 - 6 Echo products (trimmer, hedge trimmer, 2 blowers, chain saw, and edger) and haven't had any issues other than needing a tune up every 3 - 4 years.

Echo, Stihl, Shindawa, Redmax are all good brands. Pick the one that has the best support where you live. In this area I'd guess about 80% of the commercial lawn guys are using Echo products.

Kevin

[Kevin G.]

As already suggested, the Stihl trimmers are bulletproof.

Husqevuarna (spelling?) also makes some excellent trimmers. They tend to be lighter than the Stihl and Echo models and also have great vibration reducing handles.

Any of the commercial / professional models will be easy to start once you figure out the sequence for that specific engine.

[Zebp45]

I have had an Echo for about 8-9 years now. It is still easy to crank and low maintenance. Change the filters and plug every year or two and it's been great.

[Airedale]

I'm in the market also. I want one thar doesn'r vibrate too bad and make my carpel tunnel worse.

Bill,

I went with a walk behind trimmer for similar reasons. I believe mine is a Swisher brand. Had it for ~5 years-first pull starts, lives in the barn, no special treatment.

Dave

[ChrisMcCracken]

I got a Stihl FS-90 about a month ago, couldn't be happier.

[Flexmoney]

Stihl is well worth every penny.

+1

[Kimberkid]

Just purchased a new stihl a couple weeks ago and love it, quiet, runs smooth, EZ start is great and plenty of power. Buy a 6 pack of 2 cycle mix when you buy the unit and it doubles the warranty.

[JeremyM]

I use Stihl...worth every penny!

[Roadkill751]

Stihl is well worth every penny.

+ 1 for Stihl. My dad has a FS 65 which is a straight shaft trimmer. He bought it in 1989, the thing still runs like a beast. All he has ever done to it is change the spark plug and air filter every other year and grease the gears at the end of the shaft every year.

I have a FS 120 which is a commercial brush cutter, I bought it seven year ago and it still runs strong.

You will never go wrong with a Stihl, unless you run straight gas in a two-cycle machine.

[matgyver]

Well, thank you all for the suggestions. I found we do have a good Stihl dealer here so the support would be great.

I've just had terrible luck with lawn equipment (or it's because I buy the cheapest thing)

[martyg00]

Stihl is well worth every penny.

+1

+2

[ChrisMcCracken]

I picked mine by finding the only place in down that does in house service, as I don't want my equipment mailed away to be fixed. It so happened that they sell mostly stihl trimmers and Honda mowers, so that's what I bought. I fully expect them to last a good while so long as I take care of them.

[mildot1]

Husquavarna!!!!!!!!! Mine is 23 yrs old and has taken care of an 11 acre farm and three rental propertys. Never takes over 2 pulls to start.

Mildot

[ZBrooks]

Stihl.

I bought the FS-110 two years ago. It's a 4 stroke motor that runs on 2 stroke fuel mix. It's so easy to start, my 60 year old mother thinks it's easy.

[ChrisMcCracken]

I wonder what others consider easy to start. My sales rep at the store told me to do 4 pumps of the fuel priming bubble and 4 cranks with the choke on and 4 pumps and 4 cranks with the choke off to heat up the engine. It always starts on that last pull as expected. Are the other brands build differently? Is that the normal protocol for a small 2 stroke engine?

[EEH]

never owned stihl but everyone I have owned was a bit**h to start,,there is one or maybe more now that has an electric start attachment,i have a cub cadet now,it starts the way you described,but i only have a small yard so no need for big one,,

the cub does a good job,,now if i could just get some one to run the *****thing.

[leas327]

If your stihl is hard to start you may have the wrong mix. I believe stihl runs a different ratio than most other small two strokes. Use stihl oil and high test gas. They aren't built to run on the cheap stuff but they will (poorly).

Stihl also makes an easy start version of most of their stuff now. I have used a saw that had it and it was like pulling on a saw that has had the spark plug removed.

I worked part time for a neighbors forrest managment service for a while. They have tried about every kind of small saw you can buy at one point or another. Stihl gets their business. They also like husky but they aren't going to run two different brands of saws.

They always said echo would work all the time. Right up until you need it.