Weed Wacker recommendations

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Husquevarna is owned by the same company that makes Poulan, Craftsman, and other store brands. So is not the same brand as before. I wouldn't get one.

Well that explains why they have been enshittified.

When did that one happen?

 

[djfllmn]

I have about a 25+ year old echo gas powered that i got from my grandfather, still runs but its on its last leg, i use that for thick stuff, but for my normal everyday trim / edge after mowing i got this also from my grandparents when my grandma sold their house this year. This thing is awesome

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-18V-13-in-Cordless-Battery-String-Trimmer-Lawn-Edger-with-4-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-P20180/319022762

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Well that explains why they have been enshittified.

When did that one happen?

Poulan has been a throw away unit for quite awhile.

 

[sgtsandman]

Well that explains why they have been enshittified.

When did that one happen?

It's been a good number of years. Sears started carrying the brand while I was still moon lighting in their lawn and garden department in the early 2000s. Other than the paint and stickers, there wasn't much different.

If memory serves, the parent company is Electrolux. Most of the store brands are owned by them or a other company that escapes my memory at the moment.

 

[Ranger850]

I had a Stihl weed wacker and that thing would get busy. ( Bush hog or brush hog or something like that ). I replaced it with a Echo unit with interchangeable heads, Blower, edger and the like. The Echo Motor runs great, but the shaft cables seem to waller out too fast. the cable is squared (male ) and fits into an aluminum receptor ( female ) at the head. the female side wallers out to a circle. I've used epoxy a few times to fix it, but it gets worse every time. I'm probably overworking the little Echo unit compared to what the Stihl could mange.
EDIT : I' have tried a Kobalt electric trimmer, it just cant do what I need it to

 

[SenorNoob]

I love my Hart 40v. It's got more power than the small 2 stroke ones I'm used to and it isn't hard to start. I fought for 2 hours to get a cheap 2stroke started once. Said f it and went to Walmart for the Hart. I got the 40v chainsaw too. Caught it on sale for $20 more than the battery. So now I have 2 4ah batteries. They'll outlast me in the heat. The saw cuts faster and smoother then my old Homelite Super XL Auto.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Poulan has been a throw away unit for quite awhile.

I mean when did Husqvarna become enshittified

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Stihl has that "easy pull" starter, so might wanna consider that for a gas wacker. I'm looking to purchase an electric - probably a DeWalt or Ryobi since I already have a supply of those batts.

Lisa got one of the little Ryobi 18v weed eaters awhile back and loves it since it’s small and lightweight and does what she needs it for. Got it as a kit with a blower and couldn’t be happier. No messing with gas or anything, just get it done.

 

[Shran]

Stihl has that "easy pull" starter, so might wanna consider that for a gas wacker. I'm looking to purchase an electric - probably a DeWalt or Ryobi since I already have a supply of those batts.

Those easy pull starters do make it a bit easier but god help you if you break the pull rope and have to disassemble it. The spring is wound up one way on the outside and the opposite way on the inside and if it comes out, you will never get it wound back up. Usually the spring just stays in its little spot but sometimes it gets caught and blows apart...that happened several times on my buddy's Stihl trimmer and I vowed never to buy one because of that.

I love my Hart 40v. It's got more power than the small 2 stroke ones I'm used to and it isn't hard to start. I fought for 2 hours to get a cheap 2stroke started once. Said f it and went to Walmart for the Hart. I got the 40v chainsaw too. Caught it on sale for $20 more than the battery. So now I have 2 4ah batteries. They'll outlast me in the heat. The saw cuts faster and smoother then my old Homelite Super XL Auto.

IIRC Hart is being discontinued. Too bad, they made some decent stuff. From what I heard, Hart is owned by TTI, which also owns Milwaukee, Ryobi, Ridgid, etc. TTI decided that they wanted to focus on their more profitable brands or something like that. Walmart is selling GreenWorks instead now.

 

[gaz]

@97ranger xlt
Echo STM-210 with a Shakespeare 3-way hand loaded head; I have gone through 2 of the Shakespeare heads to date, I like the quad heads better than the triples but triples are lighter and use heavier line.

18+ years of residential abuse, I give it a tune up before I put it away after each season, 5 primer bubble pumps and the known choke start position yield a 1 pull start year after year. Acquired used in one of the local pawn shops for < $100.

 

[John97]

Husqvarna owns Poulan and some of those shitty brands. I think they still make good stuff under the actual Husqvarna brand. They also bought RedMax some years ago which is a top-tier brand.

I have a badass RedMax backpack blower that I bought in 2013 and the thing has been flawless. The only repair I did was replace the fuel lines due to dry rot and that was only a few months ago. I replaced the spark plug, air filter, and pre-filter at that time just because I was already working on it. They sell the same blower with orange plastics as a Husqvarna model versus the RedMax red plastics.

 

[JustAnother90B2]

I have an echo and been using it for a decade now. Been good! Just upkeep and she still runs great. I also have a lot to weed eat. So it gets some abuse.

 

[broncc]

Never used an electric one I liked (small sample size). What I can tell you is the RedMax trimmers I was using at work were over 20 years old and still kicking after daily 8 hour use on 50:1. The new ones are still lighter than Stihl.

Do you need a unit that has attachments?

 

[97RangerXLT]

All, thank you for your suggestions. still not sure what I want, but as much as I would love a Stihl or Echo, the price of one is more than I can eat right now. I am also seriously looking at battery. my goal is to get it done under 200 bucks and at this point I am leaning towards a Bauer model. I looked at the Ryobi mentioned above, and they have the best price. for 140, I can get the tool, battery and charger. the comparable Bauer will run me closer to 180 with no coupons available.

But why spend another 40 bucks? the Bauer is marked as comparible to the Ryobi one, and pretty much looks the same functionality wise. But the Ryobi battery system does not have as much tools offered as Bauer. right now, I have very little in cordless tools, I got a craftsman impact drill for christmas a few years ago and it actually is pretty decent for what it is, but Craftsman being what it is, I don't think I want to go that route for getting into cordless. I also have a no name leaf blower that came with two batteries and a charger for christmas this past year, but cannot find it at all, and the battery packs seem to be unobtanium when or if I need to replace them, so while It works good now, I have little hope of getting batteries as they fail and it is less than 9 months old.

Ryobi and Bauer both seem to be in for the long haul, so I feel reasonably assured that I can get batteries for either one. But, Ryobi does not make a battery power impact driver in 3/8 or 1/2 inch. Bauer does. both do have leaf blowers. also looking at a possible 8" chain saw for limbs and pruning that will make my life easier. so it seems that Bauer is the possible best choice.

@PetroleumJunkie412 what was your main complaint on the HF Atlas 80 volt weed wacker? I have been looking at that, and it is a bit more than my price range, but Dad has the leaf blower as well and he loves it too. I liked the design of the head of the atlas, but I am wondering what your issues were with it?

AJ

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

All, thank you for your suggestions. still not sure what I want, but as much as I would love a Stihl or Echo, the price of one is more than I can eat right now. I am also seriously looking at battery. my goal is to get it done under 200 bucks and at this point I am leaning towards a Bauer model. I looked at the Ryobi mentioned above, and they have the best price. for 140, I can get the tool, battery and charger. the comparable Bauer will run me closer to 180 with no coupons available.

But why spend another 40 bucks? the Bauer is marked as comparible to the Ryobi one, and pretty much looks the same functionality wise. But the Ryobi battery system does not have as much tools offered as Bauer. right now, I have very little in cordless tools, I got a craftsman impact drill for christmas a few years ago and it actually is pretty decent for what it is, but Craftsman being what it is, I don't think I want to go that route for getting into cordless. I also have a no name leaf blower that came with two batteries and a charger for christmas this past year, but cannot find it at all, and the battery packs seem to be unobtanium when or if I need to replace them, so while It works good now, I have little hope of getting batteries as they fail and it is less than 9 months old.

Ryobi and Bauer both seem to be in for the long haul, so I feel reasonably assured that I can get batteries for either one. But, Ryobi does not make a battery power impact driver in 3/8 or 1/2 inch. Bauer does. both do have leaf blowers. also looking at a possible 8" chain saw for limbs and pruning that will make my life easier. so it seems that Bauer is the possible best choice.

@PetroleumJunkie412 what was your main complaint on the HF Atlas 80 volt weed wacker? I have been looking at that, and it is a bit more than my price range, but Dad has the leaf blower as well and he loves it too. I liked the design of the head of the atlas, but I am wondering what your issues were with it?

AJ

The head is the problem tbh. It goes splodey after a year or so. There are no replacement parts, or there weren't at the time.