String Trimmer Recommendation

[buckeye95]

All,

My old Ryobi 2-cycle string trimmer is having more issues this year, and it's looks like it's time to replace it (it's 6 years old).

I'm torn between getting a cheaper ($70) curved shaft model such as the Homelite Trimlite trimmer or going full out and spending a good $200 on a high end Echo SRM210 straight shft trimmer. Both are available at HD. The tool guy in me tells me to just splurge and get the Echo which comes with great reviews and should give many years of good service. The budget-minded part of me says I'd be better off getting the cheaper $70 model and just replacing it every 5 years or so (after all, I could buy 3 cheap models for the cost of an Echo). However, my time is not free (and is especially valuable to me with my kids being so small), so messing around with a fussy trimmer may end up being more expensive than it is worth. I'm just a little confused here and was looking for any advice people would be willing to share.

Any words of wisdom (or recommendations on models) from the forum out there ? Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Pete

[wreckwriter]

We chose the Homelite. So far its served well but we've only had it a couple months. Its actually the second one; the first wouldn't stay running and I took it back next day. This one has been good though.

[vanguard]

My father has 8 acres in Ramona, CA. He used to use the cheaper versions, but after replacing 2 or three he switched to Echo. He's still has the original unit and picked up a second that he uses when the first one is being serviced. I know he swears by his Echoes.

[buckeye95]

Thanks for the responses.

I have much less than 8 acres (actually, less than 1), and additionally live up north (Ohio) so will only use the trimmer maybe 25 times per year. Again, I'm just trying to balance my consumer use and the cost against longevity/quality.

Pete

[messmaker]

I think you will see two schools of thought on this but I would go with the Homelite. I really like the straight shaft Weedeater featherlite. It about my 10th string trimmer and is about the best.

[Tamarack]

Another vote for the Featherlite. We get about two years of very heavy use out of each, for the price I just buy a new one rather than get it repaired.

Paul

[WayneJ]

I got a weed eater from HD about 8 yrs ago. Still has the orig spark plug in it. I just replaced the string cutter head tho. I also have an echo blower thats about that old. Either one would get my vote.
Wayne

[Pappy]

I splurged on an Echo last time around and upgraded it with the quick feed head. No regrets.

[Bud]

Which ever you decide to go with I would reccommend the straight shaft, it's great if you have to go under anything. I have had both and prefer the straight.

[jAngiel]

I would gamble on the Homelite, but that's me. I have a balance of less expensive tools and some expensive ones. My trimmer is a Weedeater LT7000 that I bought in 1993, paid less than $70 for it back then but it's still going strong, also with the original spark plug. Never had it tuned up or anything.

So if it died today, I would go buy another sub $100 one and give it a try. But if it didn't last that long, say only 6 years or so as your cheaper one did, I would be tempted to get a "good one" and see how long it lasted.

I had a chance to try out a straight shafted one in the last couple of days at my sister in laws. My current one is a curved shaft but I did like the straight shaft so if I were buying one today I would look for a cheaper straight shaft model.

[Luckbox]

I just replaced my ryobi string trimmer with a troy bilt trimmer. All my old attachments fit the troy bilt. The spring assist starter and the simple prime,flip auto choke makes starting the unit very simple. No more setting the choke at "A" pull 5 times, set choke at "B" pull 5 times or untill starts and then turn choke off. The unit has started on the second pull everytime so far and the sping assist you have to get use to. So use to pulling the string as fast as I can and now its a very short easy pull. Granted I have only used it about 5 times, bu

[frumper64]

Straight shaft vs curved shaft

My old Ryobi curved shaft trimmer died this year and I replaced it with a Stihl straight shaft. The biggest difference I notice is that the straight shaft uses heavier line (0.95 I believe) which seems to last quite a bit longer than the thinner stuff the curved shaft Ryobi wanted. I like the Stihl quite a bit but have also heard rave reviews of the Echo.

[LinuxRandal]

semi hijacking thread

Last year, my 9 year old Ryobi trimmer died. I replaced it with the straight shaft model (keeping the old attachments). The fifth time I used it (start of this year) it appears the trigger assembly broke.

As the warranty place is a 1.5 hours away, I thought I would look at this. Has anyone disassembled their trigger mechanism, before? Tips?

TIA

[padboy]

My vote goes to Shindaiwa straight shaft. Had mine for 9 years. No problems.

[sacherjj]

I picked up the straight shaft Echo at HD a while back. I've only used it twice so far, but I like it. The straight shaft has more options, such as fitting a blade and other accessories. Starts nice and easy and low vibration. The only thing that is odd is I was raised on a bend shaft Weed Eater. So as I come into a section of high weeds, I get them plastered all over me. Then I remember that a straight trimmer rotates the other direction. It will take a while to relearn that muscle memory, even though I hadn't used a trimmer in 10 years.