WeedWacker

[RobertN]

I have three.

My Husky 225R is an older model, which I have used and used and used. It is a 2-stroke, about 15 years old. It has the big handlebars, and a shoulder harness. It has been a great machine. Easy to start, easy to use. It is getting finicky now, but I seriously have got a LOT of good hours out of it.

My Stihl is a standard "D" handle unit, that accepts other tool heads. Works well. 2-stroke, good for detail work.

My Honda is the newest(3 years old). I got it to replace the Husky(I really have put a LOT of hours on the Husky). It is the 31cc 4-stroke, with the big handle bars and shoulder harness. It is quiet, and really really easy to start. Sounds like an old Honda Trail-50 mini-bike.

I like all three. All three work very well(even though the Husky is really worn).

Having a few acres(5), the big handle bar units make for easy cutting for hours, since the harness supports the weedeater, and distributes the weight on your shoulders. I use the smaller Stihl just for detail work.

The 4-stroke Honda is a bit heavier than the 2-stroke models, but when it is hooked in the harness, I do not notice it much...

 

[Will_C]

I bought a Stihl FS85 5 years ago. It cost $300. It hurt a bit when I bought it, but its been 5 years of starting every time, string feeding flawlessly, never once giving me any trouble. To me, that is like the commercial says...priceless!
Will

 

[MossRoad]

Light weight el cheapo Ryobi works great. $69.00. Use it until it dies and throw it away. Mine is probably 6-7 years old and still works fine.

I also have a Poulan Pro that is much more powerful and also much heavier. I needed it for heavy stuff and it also has the multi tool feature, so I have the pole pruner chainsaw with it, too. They say it reaches 12' but I find 10' to be about the limit of comfortable and not being directly under the thing you are cutting. I bought it as a package for under $200.00. They also make hedge trimmers, clutivators, blowers, brooms, snow blower attachments as well. I think it will take other brand attachments, too. You may want to consider something like this if you don't want to maintain multiple engines. It has a nice starting feature... you just flip a lever to start, push the primer bulb until you feel resistance, turn the switch to ON and give it a couple pulls. Once it starts, you let it run for 30-60 seconds. When you squeeze the trigger it automatically turns off the choke and runs great. I really like it.

 

[wjmst]

Thanks. Lots of good thoughts and suggestions.

We do use my parents DR Trimmer, but it is difficult to manuver around the bank of our pond. If fact, we just broke its handle this past weekend trying to trim the weeds around the pond.

Wes

 

[NewToy]

I have a Stihl FS110 and it's been a good one. It's 3 yrs old and it has always started with a pull or two. It's a 4-stroke but you still have to use a gas/oil mix. It doesn't smoke at all and listening to it you can tell it's a 4-stroke. I use that head with the three nylon blades and it'll chop through all kinds of stuff. The engine is pretty "tourqey" on the bottom end, more so than the 2-stroke versions I have used in the past.

John