Still working appliances. While I can get a deal on Whirlpool, the significant other wants Bosch. She gets what she wants.

But the next stuff is up to me. Here is my plan but I’d love alternative recommendations. Please try to stay around my price range.

Snow blower: Toro powermax 928. $1350 at Home Depot

Lawn tractor: open to suggestions. Budget $2500 with bagger included. About 1 acre to maintain of my 7 acre lot. Some sloping land. Looking at Home Depot budget version John Deere.

String trimmer. Probably an Echo that takes attachment (edger). Maybe spend $250

Chain saw: Stihl. 18”. $400

Blower: any decent for $200? I’m guessing backpack models are out at that price.

Thanks as always.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: frayedends,

As far as the string trimmer, blower, chain saw, I've owned multiple brands and have the best luck with Stihl.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Still worrying appliances. While I can get a deal on Whirlpool, the significant other wants Bosch. She gets what she wants.

But the next stuff is up to me. Here is my plan but I’d love alternative recommendations. Please try to stay around my price range.

Snow blower: Toro powermax 928. $1350 at Home Depot

Lawn tractor: open to suggestions. Budget $2500 with bagger included. About 1 acre to maintain of my 7 acre lot. Some sloping land. Looking at Home Depot budget version John Deere.

String trimmer. Probably an Echo that takes attachment (edger). Maybe spend $250

Chain saw: Stihl. 18”. $400

Blower: any decent for $200? I’m guessing backpack models are out at that price.

Thanks as always.

Check into Echo brand stuff! I wore out a Husqvarna back pack blower in 3 years. Actually, it just died and the guy at the repair place said it often happened, and would cost more to fix it than to buy new. I bought the echo brand on the innerweb, and love it. Do a search on Echo tools and you will see several backpack blowers in the 300-400 dollar range.

Very happy with my Stihl trimmer. Not sure if it can take an edger attachment, but it does have the capability to swap the string head for a circular saw blade
It came with the shoulder strap, which makes it a lot easier to tote around when doing the yard.

A quick poke at the Stihl site, shows the FS 56 RC-E as looking a lot like the one I have.
Lists for $199.99

What type of property are we talking about? 1 acre residential lot or 150 acre rural?

Chain saw - Husqvarna 450 Rancher $400
After going through various light duty chainsaws i ponied up for a Husqvarna 450 Rancher with a 18 inch bar and it is a work horse.

Think about if you really want a backpack blower. Depending on how you will use it a handheld may be a better choice. I found that i use my blower for short periods picking it up and putting it down a lot and a backpack blower was a hassle.

I'd second the Echo.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SpinZone,

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Snow blower: Toro powermax 928. $1350 at Home Depot

Depending upon how much snow you get and how much area you have to clear, you might wish to consider a Toro SnowMaster

It's a single-stage built like a two-stage. Will handle most of what a two-stage will, without a two-stage's downsides. Less expensive, too. Toro claims it'll clear snow faster than a two-stage.

Check YT for videos. I think you'll be impressed.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Lawn tractor: open to suggestions.

Can't help you with this one. I've got a Walker. While it's a great mower, especially for fall and spring cleanup, it's a freaking maintenance PITA.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
String trimmer. Probably an Echo that takes attachment (edger). Maybe spend $250

I've got separate string trimmer and stick edger: Both Shindaiwa.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Chain saw: Stihl. 18”. $400

Careful with that. I bought an 18" Stihl. Then, a couple years ago, a small, top-handle Tanaka. The little Tanaka sees more use. The "big" Stihl is simply overkill for most jobs for me.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Blower: any decent for $200? I’m guessing backpack models are out at that price.

I've an Echo hand-held that now sees more use than my Tanaka backpack. It was less than $200 spring-before-last.

Finally: All of my lawn gear is commercial stuff. The stuff lawn crews would use. All purchased from the same places commercial lawn and tree crews buy their stuff. If you've never used commercial lawn equipment before: The difference in performance is night-and-day, compared to common consumer/residential gear. And it'll last forever, given care. My Shindaiwa string trimmer and Tanaka backpack leaf blower are ±30 years old.

Last summer I bought an Echo hedge trimmer and Shindaiwa pole hedge trimmer. (We have about 100' of hedge on one side of the property line, and various other bushes that need at least annual trimming.) Those trimmers get the job done in a fraction of the time the B&D electric trimmer used to, do a much much nicer job, and there's no extension cord to haul all over hell's half acre.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
What type of property are we ralking about? 1 acre residential lot or 150 acre

I'd second the Echo.

It’s 7 acres but only about 1 acre of lawn. The chain saw will be for clearing some trails, cutting some oak for the fire pit and smoker.

I’ve had a echo chainsaw and liked it. The Toro I’ve also had in a slightly smaller size. It lasted 12 years and still works fine (for my ex wife anyway). But I’m moving to Mount Wachusett. Not a big mountain but home to a ski area and I’ll have a 90 foot long by 20 foot wide driveway.

I can't help you with the blower, but everything else you list, I have from Husqvarna and will say nothing bad about them. I actually have two Husky chainsaws and they have never failed me. Best saws I've ever owned next my old McCulloch that I had in the early 80s. That thing was a tank.

Go Husky and don't look back.

Unless you have a proclivity for two stroke engines, look into electrics for the small yard implements.

I've got the E-Go trimmer and blower, they've served well for a normal residential lot, it's much improved and these models do well.

Use the electric string trimmer as an edger vs having a separate edger and it works extremely well.

The E-Go blower has plenty of power, with two batteries on charge I have more than enough power to do the whole yard and blow off the drive, patio, garage and street. It has more power than the gas unit.

The advantage is instant start/stop, noise, and eliminates the need to mix fuel

The E-Go trimmer is on my list for hedge trimming, I have an older B&D that still does the small stuff easily, the E-Go has a heavy duty cutting blade.

You'll be amazed at the power of the electric yard tools, they outwork the two strokes easily.

They also have commercial level offerings should you feel the need such as a back pack blower.

In fact they have an electric chain saw, and who likes getting a two stroke chain saw to start LOL, If you have a string trimmer, blower, hedge trimmer and chainsaw from them you'll have 4 batteries on charge, plenty of power to do most yard tasks..

Unless theres no alternative I'm not going to own a two stroke powered yard tool again.

They've even got a snow blower now, don't need one of those down here, so I can't say how well it works, but if it's anything like the other tools it's quality stuff.

https://egopowerplus.com/power-string-trimmers/

I'd look to a John Deere store for a new Deere, they are similarly priced, and get a model with hydrostatic drive, foot activated and the Vtwin engine over the base model.

At that price point you're in the 100 series, the 130 should be your target for a 42 inch blade as thats the level you get the better engine, the 140 series is 48 inch deck.

Also Deere has a cool new oil change system, a self contained filter with oil that you pop on and off, no draining the engine, no mess, it's cool, see the video.

https://www.deere.com/en/mower...tractors/100-series/

Right before I moved from Houston to Anchorage, some jackwads jumped my fence and stole my Ryobi curved shaft string trimmer. When I moved to Anchorage, I decided to buy a premium replacement and purchased a Stihl straight shaft string trimmer. Fuck me to tears that Stihl is a god awful POS and is the worst power tool I have ever owned.

In Anchorage, it spent more time at the Stihl dealer than it did in my garage. The local Stihl dealer went out of business and I didn't try again until I was moved to Canada. I gave the Canadian Stihl dealer one shot and it worked for a few hours. I've been back in Houston for 2.5 years and I've never bothered to put gas in it.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
What type of property are we ralking about? 1 acre residential lot or 150 acre

I'd second the Echo.

It’s 7 acres but only about 1 acre of lawn. The chain saw will be for clearing some trails, cutting some oak for the fire pit and smoker.

I predict you will not be happy with Home Depot budget-version John Deere lawn tractor for an acre of lawn, especially if any of it is challenging (complex borders, steep grades, etc.).

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Right before I moved from Houston to Anchorage, some jackwads jumped my fence and stole my Ryobi curved shaft string trimmer. When I moved to Anchorage, I decided to buy a premium replacement and purchased a Stihl straight shaft string trimmer. Fuck me to tears that Stihl is a god awful POS and is the worst power tool I have ever owned.

One of my best friends bought a Stihl string trimmer. Figured it'd be an upgrade over his decade-old Red Max. He never liked it. Said it had bad vibration.

He gave me both of them, because he doesn't use them any more.

I gassed up and tried the Stihl. My buddy wasn't kidding. And it just plain feels weak. My 30-year-old Shindaiwa is much better.

Now, my Stihl 025 chain saw and Stihl pole saw are terrific. But that string trimmer? No.

I have and use a lot is a Stihl 290. When I got it, dealer gave me choice of bar so I pick 18". Later I got a 16" bar and is much handier. So far 10 years later never an issue. I also had a Jonsered 14" that was a very good saw.
But what ever brand chain saw you get I think 3/8 pitch chain is best, the smaller ones can't take much abuse.

The Echo 2620 trimmer will last you a lifetime, nothing worse than not having enough power. This trimmer has plenty of power and Echo backs it with a 5 year warranty.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Right before I moved from Houston to Anchorage, some jackwads jumped my fence and stole my Ryobi curved shaft string trimmer. When I moved to Anchorage, I decided to buy a premium replacement and purchased a Stihl straight shaft string trimmer. Fuck me to tears that Stihl is a god awful POS and is the worst power tool I have ever owned.

One of my best friends bought a Stihl string trimmer. Figured it'd be an upgrade over his decade-old Red Max. He never liked it. Said it had bad vibration.

He gave me both of them, because he doesn't use them any more.

I gassed up and tried the Stihl. My buddy wasn't kidding. And it just plain feels weak. My 30-year-old Shindaiwa is much better.

Now, my Stihl 025 chain saw and Stihl pole saw are terrific. But that string trimmer? No.

Mine had plenty of power (when it was running), but I had forgotten about that awful vibration. 15 minutes and my hand would be completely numb. All the more reason to hate that Stihl.

quote:

Originally posted by Greymann:
I have and use a lot is a Stihl 290. When I got it, dealer gave me choice of bar so I pick 18". Later I got a 16" bar and is much handier. So far 10 years later never an issue. I also had a Jonsered 14" that was a very good saw.
But what ever brand chain saw you get I think 3/8 pitch chain is best, the smaller ones can't take much abuse.

I used to have several Stihl 280's i believe (the Farm Boss) but more recently got a 250 and it does everything I want with a 16" bar and is about $300

A few months ago I bought a Poulon 14 inch chainsaw. $109 at Lowe's. My main saw is a Poulon Pro 55CC. 20 inch bar.

We had 2 trees blow down in that last windstorm that came through here.

I love that 14 inch saw for limb and trim stuff. Still have some of the bigger branches from that big oak to take care of. Waiting for warmer weather. That damned oak was 88 inches around the base! The second one that came down with the big one was about 36 inches.


Been heating with wood since we moved in here, and so much wood stacked up that we don't know where to put the "new" stuff.

I'm happy with my DeWalt 40 volt chainsaw, string trimmer and blower.

I have a Stihl commercial grade trimmer (can’t remember the model) that takes attachments. It’s heavy but it’s got power like nothing else I’ve handled and the vibration isn’t bad. It always starts with a few pulls. Stihl handheld blower has never failed me and has plenty of power.

Husky chainsaw is a 14” I believe and even though it’s about 20 years old it has only failed once but it was just a spark plug that crapped out early. That saw has out worked bigger, heavier saws every time.

Those big box retailer Deere mowers are trash. Absolute trash. The pumps are weak, the decks are flimsy and won’t stay level, just don’t do it.

It depends on a bunch of stuff. If you are truly on a rural type situation I would look to buy a 4wd compact tractor. Something with a front loader and rear pto rotary mower. Used could be bought for around $6-8k I would guess in your area.

It can be used for many things to include, but not limited to snow removal, lifting/moving, safely reaching high locations. You can also use it for many pto implements down the road.

You should be able to buy a quality Stihl or husky trimer, chainsaw and blower on craigslist or at a pawn shop for about $100 each.

That is one way to approach it.

I like Ariens for snowblowers. You can get a pro series at that price. Stihl for other equipment.