I'm looking to get a new gas powered string trimmer and thought I'd also look at one that can have interchangeable attachments.

I know Stihl is the way to go for string trimmers, but there are quite a few other brands in the multi component game it appears.

Just wanted to see if anyone has any first hand experience.

Thanks,

Don

I bought an Echo trimmer/edger combo earlier this spring and added a brush cutting attachment. I really like it. Starts easily, runs well and plenty of power and it is lightweight.

I have the Ryobi Expand-It. Happy with it. Handy to have the one head unit and multiple attachments.

I've been using the Echo for a year without any issues. I have the trimmer, edger, and pole saw options.

I have always been a big stihl guy. But their stuff is getting to piss me off more and more. I would be tempted to look at Echo as mentioned.

I have the Stihl Kombi system. It works very well and I have no complaints. I have the edger, string trimmer and the blower. That being said, if you have a large lawn (over 1/3 acre), I would get a dedicated tool for each need as it will save you time.

ETA: I like their motor a lot. It’s a four stroke but you mix oil in the gas so you don’t have to worry about an oil pump and the problems associated with holding the motor at different angles.

I have an older Stihl fs85 and bought the pole saw, scythe, and brush cutter attachments. No complaints here. They all work extremely well. The scythe also works as a hedge trimmer.

Another happy Ryobi Expand-it owner. Easy start, plenty of power, attachments are easy to change out.

Cyberbuddy of mine runs a landscaping maintenance business in Ohio, 7 figure annual gross.

I asked him when I was in the market and he said "Shindaiwa, all day, every day." Then he said "Save yourself a pile of cash and get the Swisher branded stuff. Made by Shindaiwa, plenty for home use."

I did and have been extremely happy with it.

Another of his tips: "Use OPTI II synthetic 2-smoke oil in everything." Same deal, happy as can be. I routinely leave mixed gas in my weed whacker, power broom and chain saws all Winter and have never had one fail to start right up when needed.

I have the Stihl Kombi system as well. No issues at all. It just works and works well.

I have the KMR 90 motor and use the edger, hedge trimmer, blower, string trimmer and pole saw. I use it to maintain 1.5 acres with a very long fence line. I highly recommend getting the DuroCut head rather than the auto feed string trimmer head. The blower is also a bit under powered and I only use it for small jobs.

quote:

Originally posted by ubelongoutside:
I'm looking to get a new gas powered string trimmer and thought I'd also look at one that can have interchangeable attachments.

I can't address that. When I wanted a power pole pruner I already had all the other gasoline-powered yard/tree tools I needed, so I just went and bought the Stihl HT-133 at the recommendation of my tree guy.

Thing kicks some serious limb-cutting backside, and no mistake! There'll be a lot less up-the-ladder-with-a-chainsaw from now on.

Last time pole pruners came up, here: Pole pruning saw- Echo or Stihl. A Stihl combo is mentioned in that thread.

quote:

Originally posted by ubelongoutside:
I know Stihl is the way to go for string trimmers, ...

Don't know about that. I've got a Shindaiwa string trimmer and a Shindaiwa stick edger. The string trimmer has to be at least 30 years old and it still fires-up and does another season of string trimming every spring. I've abused the bejesus out of that poor stick edger and it keeps coming back for more. I've had the stick edger for around 20 years or so?

For reference: About an acre of property. Between 20,000 and 25,000 sq. ft. of mowed lawn. Extensive garden borders. Many, many trees.

Not dissin' Stihl. Just sayin' that might not be the only way to go for a string trimmer.

As for the "combo" tools... Can't say one way or the other, save in one respect: I've never seen commercial crews using them, and that's what I base my purchasing decisions upon. That's how I end up with a 30-year-old string trimmer, a 30-year-old backpack leaf blower, a 25-year-old chain saw and a 20-year-old stick edger, all of which work as well today as the day I bought 'em

My only piece of commercial gear I cannot recommend is my Walker mower. Thing's been a maintenance nightmare. Got a love/hate relationship with that thing. Nothing else will do the job that Walker will do, but, Lord, what a PITA it's been over the years.

I've been using the Stihl Kombi setup for 8 or 9 years now. I have the string trimmer, edger, pole saw, bush trimmer and blower. As the machine wears, it gets more and more tedious to get the attachments to seat properly, but all in all it is a good unit and I have had few complaints. It runs well and I have performed minimal maintenance on it.

I have a Craftsman 4 stroke one. It's great. I have the weed trimmer, edger, pole saw and a small tiller.

Well worth the $ IMO.

I see a few 4 strokes out there.

Anyone who's had both, how do they compare? I know for these small engines the 2 stroke is usually preferred.

I gave up on gas personally, as I’m not good with small engines. So I’ve got a 40v Greenworks trimmer. It uses the standard interchangeable heads too and I’ve been very happy with it. I use the Ryobi edger attachment a lot. I want to pick up a tiller and pole saw as well.

I’m a small time user with not a huge amount of property so the battery works great. If your yard isn’t too big I’d seriously consider a battery system. I can string trim, edge, mow, and blow my entire front yard on 1 4ah battery (maybe 600 sq ft of lawn).

Battery aside, I’ve had good experiences with the swappable attachments.

I just recently bought the Stihl Kombi system motor and cultivator. I already have a Stihl commercial grade string trimmer and their cheap hand held blower that work great. I hate the cultivator, the tines rotate backward instead of forward making it difficult to use. I’ve owned other ones that rotated forward so all you do is hold it in plac and it digs in. With the reverse rotation it just wants to run backwards across the soil without digging in.

That’s my sole complaint about Stihl and I’ve owned them for several years.

I eliminated the gas units a while back tired of mixing fuel, starting, and hearing them run the electic E-Go system does well.

They now have a multi head unit, and all the options, edger, trimmer, pole saw etc

Heck they even make a E-Go snowblower!

https://egopowerplus.com/collections/power-head

Buy a blower to use on the property and you'll have two chargers and batteries on the ready, the batteries last quite a while, and unless you are on a huge property it is a good alternative.

They have more than enough power, are quiet, you can put it down between cuttings to clean up without having to prime, fuel and restart.

Better on your ears as well...

I've dumped all the two strokes I had, electric is the way to go for home lawn use.

I have a Shindaiwa and it is a quality machine.

ORC

You posted: But their stuff is getting to piss me off more and more. (regarding Stihl)

What is the problem?

Cost?

No longer reliable?

Or what...?

Thanks!@

I've gone the 40 watt lithium battery - with this battery I can operate I operate a string trimmer, a blower, a hedge trimmer and a small chain saw.

With these new 40 w/lithium batteries in anything I used them for I almost always have plenty of power and the battery holds a charge for a quite long time.

The chain saw came with the same battery that I got when I bought the string trimmer, and it works in all the equipment. So, now I have 2 long lasting batteries.

They're all Black and Decker.

I've been using this equipment for over two years and use all of it often throughout the hot Texas months, that's to say 9/10 months out of the year and I've yet to buy another battery.