How are Echo string trimmers/Weed eaters?

[Chris142]

I've got 2 very inexpensive Weed eaters I bought @ Big lots. I think they were $49 each. Tonight I mixed up some fresh gas and some Echo oil that I use in my Echo chainsaw.

The Weedeaters are worthless! They dont have enough power to spin up fast enough to cut weeds. They just lay the weeds over. If a weed gets tangled up in them the engine just stalls.

I've got an Echo chainsaw that IMO is a pretty good saw and I'm wondering if an Echo string trimmer would work better than the curant pieces of junk?

Anybody familiar with the Echo ones?

 

[jeff194]

I have an Echo string trimmer I bought 2 years ago at Home Depot. It has a straight shaft, and works great. I use it to trim around my 3/4 acre yard. I also have an Echo gas hedge clipper. Also very good. It's heavy, but manageable.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Echo makes good stuff.

 

[Unearthed]

Love my Echo string trimmer...starts quickly every time.

 

[JHZR2]

All the echo products we have are excellent. That said, we have a husquvarna string trimmer that is super-powerful, and is really easy to start. id give them a look at lowes.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

My stepfather bought a Echo trimmer back in the late 80's and runs great. It was used a lot. Back in 2000 I bought a returned SRM-200 (I think that is the model) for $100.00. Use it at my parents. I like the straight shaft compared to my stepfather's curved shaft one. Went to run the gas out of it the end of season last year and ended up trimming 1/4 acre slopped embankment with a lot of tall brush. Used .105 trimmer line the neighbor uses in his Echo. Ran right through everything (except small trees). No bogging down. Just broke line due to small trees. I love Echo and would buy it again. They have a good warranty for non-commercial use.

 

[Herz]

My echo eater is great, the blower I have is so and so, I think the carb is gummed up.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
All the echo products we have are excellent. That said, we have a husquvarna string trimmer that is super-powerful, and is really easy to start. id give them a look at lowes.
I was reading the Reviews about the Husquvarna ones and they seen ok except some people cant get them started. Probly Owner error.

Now I just need to look for a non CARB approved Echo or Husquvarna on Ebay. The non CARB ones run better than the CA spec ones do.

 

[Unearthed]

I've never had a problem starting 2cyl engines and the Husqvarna backpack blower I had was the biggest pain in the butt right out of the box. I bartered it after one season...

 

[tig1]

I have used my Echo for 9 years now and have only replaced the fuil line. I use Ams Saber oil and the machine runs fine. Would buy another for sure.

 

[Deltona_Dave]

I have an 18 year old Echo Stick Edger. Saw 5 years commercial duty when I had my lawn service. Just went in for service a few weeks ago for a carb adjustment. Still runs like new!

When my cheap Troybilt trimmer dies, I will buy another Echo.

dave

 

[boraticus]

I've owned and operated a two cycle Echo self propelled lawn mower for twenty years and it's still going strong.

I've owned/used Stihl, Husqvarna and Johnsereds chainsaws, trimmers etc. and have no complaints with them other than their purchase price. All were much more expensive than comparable Echo products.

I've become an Echo only purchaser now. In the last five years, I bought an Echo GT200R trimmer, an ES210 Shred N Vac, and a CS346 chain saw. Every one of them are top notch as far as I'm concerned and a much better value than a comparable product from the other leading manufacturers.

A couple days ago I took a trip out to camp to cut firewood. The diaphragm on the carb of my big Jonsereds finally quit after twenty six years. I had a good pile of 14" diameter logs to buck and all I had with me at the time was the little Echo 346. I was pleased how well it sailed through that stuff. I usually use it for smaller wood and limbing but it handled the big stuff quite well.

I wouldn't make a habit of it. Big wood needs a big saw otherwise you'll work the small saw too hard needlessly.

 

[Propflux01]

I just bought an echo trimmer from home depot last week, for $219. It's the most I have ever spent on a weed eater. It ran good, and reading this post sure helps my weed eater longevity paranoia! Hopefully it will last a few seasons!

 

[Chris142]

I got my cheap one to run better! I noticed that I needed a special tool to adjust the carb mixture on the thing. It has 2 mixture screws, one for idle and one for high speed.

I went to the local small engine guy to buy the special tool and it's against the law for him to sell me the tool. He told me to cut a groove in the high speed screw with a hacksaw and give it a 1/16th turn out.

So I did that and now it will rev up and cut weeds like it should.

 

[boraticus]

The Echo machines come with plastic "stoppers" on the adjustment screws. I removed mine to adjust the machines for more power. It made a noticeable difference on the Shred N Vac. Before the adjustments I could hold it with one hand and apply full throttle with some increase thrust. After the adjustments, it will twist your wrist if you're not ready for the thrust from WOT. A considerable improvement in power.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I have a GT-200R string trimmer that I bought used from a friend. She was going to put it in my garage sale, but I snapped it up right away. Previously all I had were Weed Eaters, which I thought ran good enough. The Echo's materials are most definitely better, but you of course pay for that.

After owning both brands (Echo and Weed Eater), I'd say the higher price of the Echo is justified. I can't compare it to other higher-priced trimmers as I haven't used them. I can compare it to a 2-cycle Toro trimmer that I use at a neighbor's house and the Echo is much lighter and more maneuverable.

 

[boraticus]

Not to hijack the post but the carb on the Jonsereds is fine. It was the spark plug. Only the second time this has ever happened to me over the years. The plug sparked fine out of the cylinder but obviously failed when subjected to compression within the cylinder. Just goes to show, do the easy stuff first. Now I have a spare carb kit.

 

[BayouTodd]

FWIW, owned a 15+ year old echo trimmer and it ran like a top, also own a newer echo stick edger and hedge trimmer and both have had fuel related issues with the carbs, ethanol my guess but thats another can of worms...YMMV

 

[Jim 5]

I have a straight shaft echo string trimmer that has given excellent service for over 5 years now. Still starts as new and has tons of power. The bump feed head is also still working really well and is very well built.