your suggestions on electric weed eaters?

[amazingflapjack]

Hey Guys-I have a small area of grass in my otherwise grass less landscape, and what I have now keeps me stopping to re-thread the line that continually breaks off, maybe the hole in the spool has become sharp? Maybe I need a new spool? ( I have tried different line). I am looking at electric models that have automatic feed, and two lines coming out of the head. What do you think? Thanks very much.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Shop Shakespeare Ugly Head Hybrid Trimmer Head at Lowes.com

Buy one of these. You can thank me later. As far as refils for the strign just buy a roll of .95 and cut to length. Got tired of having to restring broken line and I've never had a tap a head work . this one is the best I've found.

 

[1morethan8]

I bought two things...

A Honda 35cc weed eater...

..and the Pivotrim X4 Trimmer Head...

This combination is hard to beat!

 

[03Fatboy]

I have a Makita electric. I like it now that I'm used to it. But it was a tough transition going from the gas model.

 

[speedyquad]

my mother has one. she likes it. it don't seem to give her any problems.

 

[Step N. Mud]

hate them things!

but dislike leaf even blowers more.

just don't see the purpose.

 

[rwsmith]

I have a gas....

I have a gas Ryobi that needs work so I got a B&D electric for $60. The suggestions here are great but if you don't have big demands the B&D words fine.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I just bought a gas powered Echo brand straight shaft trimmer. Buying an electric is like buying a pink gun. What you need is something that requires full face protection, gloves, and ear protection. Professional grade and bystanders are to stay 50 ft away. It even pretty much requires a sling.

That line stuff? Forget about it. Adapt your straight shaft gas trimmer to use what amounts to a buzz saw blade instead. Sure it is dangerous. And might sever limbs. But it cuts trees down. Trees! I still need to order the accessory kit blade for mine. None of those knock off Grass Gators. You need solid steel rippling with razor sharp teeth.

Combine that with your basic 500,000 BTU flamethrower hooked up to a grill propane tank and it makes a fine potent weed killing combination.

 

[shaggist]

Here's another vote for the metal blade trimmers. They don't splatter shredded grass and weeds all over your ankles and pants, and don't split the ends of your grass blades so that they turn brown and ugly. You can get the multi-toothed variety and you can also get a blade that is like a mini rotary mower blade. I prefer the latter. You don't have to continually replace them like string trimmers, and you can sharpen them with a file when they become dull. They are a much better choice than string.

 

[Sconnie]

In the market myself. I have been looking at cordless trimmers and went to the library to see what Consumer Reports had for a list. Couple of Ryobi models (RY40220 & RY24210A), Toro 51488 and the Black and Decker LST136 are the models that I am currently looking at but they definitely rival the cost of a gas trimmer.

Sorry I can speak to one that I have been using and really like but I need to get one soon.

 

[wilkoi]

Ryobi 40V electric rechargable trimmer. Excellent product. A lot of trimming power even with one string. Runs around 35 minutes before needing another charge. Charges in about 1 hour. Great tool.

 

[3dots]

I've always used Toro electric trimmers with no issues at all. Now I use Juan and Oscar.

 

[rwsmith]

The first thing that popped

That line stuff? Forget about it. Adapt your straight shaft gas trimmer to use what amounts to a buzz saw blade instead. Sure it is dangerous. And might sever limbs. But it cuts trees down. Trees! I still need to order the accessory kit blade for mine. None of those knock off Grass Gators. You need solid steel rippling with razor sharp teeth.

This reminds me of the 'Ronco' (or whatever it was), circular saw blade with the extension that you chucked into you hand drill to saw high limbs out of trees. I'm sure that worked really well.

 

[msinc]

I have a Black and Decker I got at Lowe's and it works great. It has a Lithium Ion battery and does what I need it too. I just weed eat around the house after mowing. I mean, it's a weed eater and it uses string. The replacement spools are cheap and already wound and work fine. Now, all that said, if you need a bush hog get a bush hog, not a hopped up version of a weed eater with racing gas and a saw blade.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I purchased a Toro 24V about a two years ago.

So far so good. I'm using heavier string than came with it which lasts longer without having to let more out. Unlike the gas trimmer that I could just bang on the ground to get more string, the Toro requires the unit to come to a stop and restart to ratchet out more string. That part I don't like. Trimming my yard takes about 20min. Battery will do it about twice but I typically charge it each time. The unit rotates 90 degrees for edging which works ok as long as I can walk straight. I paid about $125 for it at Home Depot on sale with discounts blah blah blah... and a three year warranty. If it lasts three years I'll be satisfied to do without the gas.

 

[DWalt]

Nothing specific, but almost anything from Sears has always been good for me.

 

[soFlaNative]

The original

Went through 2 of these in 20 years before I went with an Echo that converts to a stick edger.
The green blade guard may shake loose in time, just duct tape back into place.

Still have one, haven't the heart to toss it as yet.

 

[deadin]

I have one of the Ryobi 18V cordless. Its battery and I both run down at about the same time........

 

[GatorFarmer]

The lowcountry grass and foliage in SC killed one electric weed eater each year that I was there. Thus was bred my distaste for them. Wyoming weeds seem just as resilient. Some specimens survived a good flamethrower session.

I will remark that, depending on pesky things like local laws, I would choose a flame thrower over a weed eater generally, especially for small areas, fence lines, amidst rocks or pavement, etc.

There are small unites about the size of a cane that work off propane torch cylinders. These also work well for fire ants.

The larger size torches aren't that expensive though. Mine was only 50 bucks. Plus the cost of a propane tank and spark lighter. I used it originally to burn out ditches.

 

[DeadAye]

IT'S A TRICK!
I have 3 of 'em and not a one eats weeds!!
Ya want them weeds et?
Get a goat.