What Weedwackers Are Best?

[Stormchaser]

Is there a commercial quality weedwacker that y'all use? How about engine size? I notice the local Walmart has a $70 one, 21cc, and a $100 one, 36cc (or something like that). Would either of these be adaquate, or adaquate for starting out?

[Scag48]

First off, never buy residential equipment. I bought a Homelite a couple years ago not knowing that I would be going into business like I am and that was kind of a mistake. Nothing has broken down on it yet as it's almost 3 years old and it still starts very easy every time. I would either get Stihl or Echo. Some people like Redmax and Shindaiwa but I keep hearing more and more about Stihl and Echo. I will be buying a Stihl for my next trimmer as well. Something else to consider is how many other services do you have and are you going to need and edger, hedge trimmer, pole pruner, etc. With a Stihl FS 85 RT (most other brands as well), you can get different attachments for one power unit instead of having 3-4 different pieces of equipment on your truck. I will most likely be getting a Stihl FS 85 RT so I can get the edger attachment and still be able to change back to a trimmer whenever possible. As for CC's. My Homelite is a curved shaft 25 CC and I've yet to find anything that will bog it down on weekly lawn trimming. I took it out and wacked 2-3 foots weeds and it didn't do too bad. I've heard that with straight shafts you get more power so a 25 CC straight shaft would most likely have a bit more power than a curved shaft. The main problem with cutting large weeds and other things is not so much the engine size, but what your cutting tool is. I also do quite a bit of heavy weed "slashing" so I will also get brushcutter blade when I get my new trimmer. Get some brochures from some different manufacturers and compare each trimmer by size, price, weight, features, etc. Then decide which is the best for you. Also factor in what kind of dealer you have for the product. You want a good dealer that will stand behind you if something goes amiss. I hope this helped a little and I'm sure this will stir up some different insights from the other guys here as well. Good luck! :)

[KirbysLawn]

You get what you pay for. We tell our customers that yet I'm surprised how often cheap products are considered.

I use a Sthil FS85 and a Shindaiwa T260. The Sthil I have had for 5 year and never a single problem. I have 3 extra thread spools around which make changing a snap. I got the Shindiawa last year and havw used it some, good power I just haven't got used to it yet, I like the Sthil better.

Get a good trimmer, then get the starfire (or something like that) Echo trimmer line .095, cuts great. With proper maintenance that trimmer should give years of trouble free service.

Welcome to the forum. If you do a search on weed trimmers or wackers you will find a lot of information! Avoid the Wal-Mart line of "power tools".

Ray

[Tropical Trim]

We try to avoid buying bargain priced equiptment. We have been using shindaiwa and stihl trimmers. Both of these are great machines. We tend to like the shindaiwa trimmers a little better. They seem to be easier to start,the t-230 is very fuel efficient, and the db's seem to be alot quieter. Some of my employees have been having a numbing feeling in thier hands from the stihl. Apparently the vibration levels are alot higher on the stihl. We turned those fs85's into extended hedge trimmers and use those to trim all ground cover. They work great except for the numbness. Shindaiwa T-230 for manicured lawns/T-260 for best all around?T270 for tuff grass situations.

[watatrp]

My last Echo trimmer lasted 10 years and then I sold it in a garage sale for $25 and it was still working fine. My new one, three years old, is giving me the same fine service. I do have a Weedeater brand as a back up. It cost $70 and I've used it for two hours once. Didn't like it but it will do in a pinch.

[Grapevine]

My philosophy on weedwhackers and blowers are that they are good for maybe 3 years. We use Shidaiwa t-230s. Everyone likes them, light, good power and they seem to last for a while. If you're doing this full time,don't get too attached to your trimmer and always have 2 backups. We beat the crap out of them, use them until they blow up and get some more. Go to Shindaiwa.com and download a coupon to buy the
t230 for 249.99 at a local dealer, this is the minimum you can expect to pay for a commercial trimmer.

[scottb]

I have an Echo that is 12 years old or there about. It has been used commerically for about 2 of those. The rest of the time it was used to keep the fence line clean so that might as well of been commerical too. Sthil,Echo,Robin,Redmax,Husky,the list goes on just find a dealer that you feel good about and get yourself a quality trimmer.

[Mid Rivers]

Shindaiwa t-230.

[Double D]

Give Kawasaki a look, I love mine. They have one of the highest power to weight ratio's in the industry.

[Guido]

definetly look at a few things.

1. Commercial Quality - you'll never find it at Walmart!;) Get something thats going to last. A lot of guys buy equipment, just to get started, and they find out its all wasted money because its all broken in a year or less. Its easier and less stressful to just buy the right stuff the first time.

2. As far as the brand goes, look for something that you have a local or close by dealer for parts and any service help you may need. This will come in very handy when you need a part fast.

3. For a brand, once you find the dealers close by and see what they sell, test a few out and buy which brand you feel the most comfortable using. The one joe blow thinks is best you may hate, and the one you love joe blow might not like to use. Its all what you like!

Good Luck, Welcome to Lawnsite, and hope this helps!

[Cutter1]

I have 6 shindaiwa 270's/ I love them. Power to burn. A little heavy, but you get use to it. My buddy just switched to the stihl fs120. He likes those more than the 270's. He says they are smoother, quieter and vibrate less. I'm sticking with my Shindaiwa's.

[lawnboy82]

4 machines i would say to check out:

echo- well priced at the lower end of the spectrum. they do not hold up well if you are using them every day and constantly beating on them.

green machine- i dont know the price on them. they have plenty of power, however are really heavy if you are gonna use them day after day hour after hour.

shindiawa- well priced at the middle of the spectrum, light weight, plenty of power, holds up well with day after day beatings.

redmax- high end of the spectrum price wise. light weight, easy to use, plenty of power, holds up really well to any form of beating, other than theft.lol um, only thing i dont like about them besides price is the heads they give you.

only other one i would say to possibly check out would be the honda ones, they are heavier, but i think have more power, and help beat some emissions standards.

i would say look to spend anywhere from about 200 up to about 500 for a good trimmer.

[oneEXMARKfan]

Shind. T-260

[dmk395]

get the Echo with the biggest engine available, what a difference between a homeowner machine and a commercial one

[bubble boy]

stihl. FS 85 cause the day will come when you want to use an attatchment.

But do take the dealer into consideration, you want to know they'll be there for you.

I know this isn't the place, but while i'm disscussing dealers this of extreme importance for plows. 3Am and you're plow
won't turn? You'll perform sexual favors for your dealer once you're up and running again. And if you buy used, well I go right past them in line cause my plow is under warranty work.

but winter is oh so far away...

[PIONEER]

I have a echo it is very powerful and heavy, coast about $400. don't us it very much, also have two crapsman and they work fine. they are made by weed eater, they are the featherlite straight shaft. you can get them on sale for around $80 buks. if you cant get them on sale there about $100. by two of them its cheaper for starting out. you can get any part you want through sears, and if you cant fix it your self throw it away and get another one. i would not get one with attachments because you are stuck with it and you have to get it fixed or throw all your atchments away too. if you are just starting out a cheaper one will do ok.

[linky]

When i first started out money was tight and i needed a good trimmer for the least amount of money. I chose an echo srm 2100. It was $200 at home deposite. I have beat the heck out of it, runover it and the clutch had a broken spring it just will not stop going. I now use a shindaiwa t 230 but sometimes i get out the wounded echo and try to kill it. All and all it was worth every penny-my shindaiwa was a big step up and only $50.00 more.

[Cutter1]

Lawnboy.....Shindaiwa?? Middle class weedeater?? Are you serious??

[Lawn DOG]

I have two of the Stihl FS120's. They have the anti-vibration feature and will whack anything that gets in there way. I also have the Stihl FS76,85, and a couple others. I bought a couple of the echos last year. Don't remember the #'s but got the top of the line trimmers. The guys always go for the echo's first. Better balanced, easier to start and wiegh less.

I started my business with a bent shaft POS weed whacker. Yes, I was once a scrub. My point is get what you can afford and use it till it falls apart. Then hopefully you have saved enough money to get something commercial.

Good Luck.

[AB Lawn Care]

We have 2 sthil's.A 6 year old FS76 and a 2-3 year old FS85.I actually like the old 76 better then the 85.It has a smaller engine but has WAY more power!!!!Don't buy a cheap model if you can afford a REAL commercial trimmer.

[Esby]

Thats all I have ever used with NO problems....there are other good ones out there, but I have only used Echo and I am sticking to it. Good luck.....and BUY COMMERCIAL!

[joed]

I have used the Stihl FS 75 and FS85. Both are excellent pieces of equipment but I kind of like the curved shaft on the FS75. I haven't had much problem with either. They start relatively easily and it's very easy to change the string. The only negative I can see with the machines is the somewhat excessive fuel consumption. That might be due to the engine's high displacement. Whatever you decide to do, go with a commercial piece of equipment. It's not that much more expensive than a decent residential model but it will last you much longer and with far less headaches. Good luck

[John DiMartino]

I love my kawasaki trimmer too,very light,well balanced,and powerful.

[fastmowing]

I like the Robin trimmer best for residential trimming. It doesn't cut big weeds real well, but it's light and doesn't vibrate much. You do get what you pay for, and I'm real happy with the Robin.

[SMB]

Shindaiwa T270, $400 LOVE IT!

[Toroguy]

My Shindaiwa T-230 has been reliable, and far surpasses my Homelite (R.I.P)

Plus it stripes awesome! :)

[TFL]

John Deere XT's and XTSB's

[Stormchaser]

I appreciate the very informative replys but I'm puzzled a little bit about Scag48's comments on the Homelite. Scag, you say it was a mistake to get it but every single detailed comment you make about it is positive, i.e. it still works after 3 yrs., it still starts right away, it does great with large weeds, etc....just wondering.