Need 2 new String Trimmers, one bought, one to go.

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I presently have 2 string trimmers, a WeedEater Featherlight (bought it new 13 years ago @ Wallyworld for $56. and an Echo SRM-225 that I bought a couple of years ago to trim under several 30+ foot Bluespruce trees. About 12 years ago, my Wife got the bright idea to plant some kind of ornamental grass, which as the grass became older, it became gnarly and a total PITA to deal with. Thus, I ended up buying a brushcutter kit for the Echo. That works great, but that has become another PITA to set up and take apart so that I can trim under the spruces. Decided enough is enough and I will leave my current Echo as a dedicated brushcutter and pick up a new straight shaft and probably replace the Featherlite as well.
The Featherlite has been running worse and worse, even after servicing it and cleaning the carb and it was all I could do to keep it running at all. Had been looking and narrowed it down to the Stihl FS-38, or trying one of the propane powered weedeaters. Decided on the Stihl and picked it up today. Totally different world than my previous trimmer. Even though it is a "homeowner" grade (which is fine because I am a homeowner) it appears to be a decent quality piece. Picked up a 6 pack of the oil to double the warranty.
Looked at the Stihl straight shaft and decided that while it was a nice trimmer as well, I would take advantage of the Echo sale that is good until the 30th of the month and buy a second Echo (which I have been extremely happy with, it is just heavy to use all the time) and save $30. over the Stihl and not have to buy more 2 stroke oil (I am overloaded as it is.)
In a way it is kind of wasteful to have three dedicated trimmers but I'm at the point that I just want easy (and don't really care what it costs.)
 
Why did you need 2 new trimmers? Use the old Echo for the brushcutting and use the new trimmer for trimming.

I have an Echo SRM 230 and love it.
 
Originally Posted By: RhondaHonda
Why did you need 2 new trimmers? Use the old Echo for the brushcutting and use the new trimmer for trimming.

I have an Echo SRM 230 and love it.



Cannot trim under the spruces with a curved shaft. Need the straight shaft to get under them (which is why I bought the Echo on the first place.) What I really need is to have someone come in with a backhoe and take out the stupid decorative grass (it has a really large root ball.) If I did that, I wouldn't need the brushcutter anymore.
 
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
What I really need is to have someone come in with a backhoe and take out the stupid decorative grass (it has a really large root ball.) If I did that, I wouldn't need the brushcutter anymore.

Sounds like that's what you should do then. You could always just rent the equipment and do it yourself. Should be a simple job. Just throw down some top soil and tamp it afterwards.
 
Originally Posted By: Joe_Power
Throw em both in the dumpster, and go buy a Stihl. You can thank me later.


Do you have any reading skills at all?
I just bought a STIHL. TODAY EVEN!
Why would I throw a 2 year old Echo that works perfectly fine?
If that's all you have, no thanks are necessary.
 
Originally Posted By: Joe_Power
Throw em both in the dumpster, and go buy a Stihl. You can thank me later.


I suspect a Stihl dealer?????

Otherwise, anyone with even minimal experience with Echo products would know that Joe is talking through his a$$.

I own both Echo and Stihl and respect both products equally. To make such a statement tells me that Joe knows not of what he speaks.

If he's a dealer, I suspect some bitterness due Echo making serious gains into Stihl's shrinking market.
 
How about a Poulan Pro trimmer? You can buy two of them for the price of one echo/Sthil.

...and they are even straight shaft.
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus
Originally Posted By: Joe_Power
Throw em both in the dumpster, and go buy a Stihl. You can thank me later.


I suspect a Stihl dealer?????

Otherwise, anyone with even minimal experience with Echo products would know that Joe is talking through his a$$.

I own both Echo and Stihl and respect both products equally. To make such a statement tells me that Joe knows not of what he speaks.

If he's a dealer, I suspect some bitterness due Echo making serious gains into Stihl's shrinking market.


I know. I have absolutely no complaint with my Echo. I think that it was at the time (and still is) a terrific value. Five year consumer warranty and I didn't even have to by extra oil to get the warranty to four.
I looked at the Echo and it seemed to be fairly heavy. I simply wanted a light weight go-to trimmer. In this case, the Stihl was the better of the two choices IMO.
 
Originally Posted By: Joe_Power
Nope. Not a dealer. I just know what's the best. Just trying to save you some time and headaches, arguing with these other clowns, on which of their pieces of [censored] is better.


I would say that both of them are good. In this case, the Stihl met my requirements the best IMO. If I end up purchasing the third trimmer, it most definitely will be the Echo. I can base that decision on personal experience.
 
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
How about a Poulan Pro trimmer? You can buy two of them for the price of one echo/Sthil.

...and they are even straight shaft.


I would consider that if the price were right, especially since it would only be used occasionally to go under the spruces. In this case, the Stihl was only $30. more than replacing the featherlite with the comparable trimmer. No complaints with the old one, I certainly got my $56. out of it. However in this case, the Stihl was worth the extra $30. THIS TIME.
 
Originally Posted By: jmsjags
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
What I really need is to have someone come in with a backhoe and take out the stupid decorative grass (it has a really large root ball.) If I did that, I wouldn't need the brushcutter anymore.

Sounds like that's what you should do then. You could always just rent the equipment and do it yourself. Should be a simple job. Just throw down some top soil and tamp it afterwards.



Finally talked the wife into doing this. If I can find someone with a backhoe to do so, I will go that way (more because I hate the #$%** grass than anything!)
I'm not going to try to DIY this myself, I can see massive potential for this going sideways.
 
Originally Posted By: Joe_Power
Nope. Not a dealer. I just know what's the best. Just trying to save you some time and headaches, arguing with these other clowns, on which of their pieces of [censored] is better.


Well Joe, please indulge us and tell us what is wrong with Echo products. Please provide details of ownership, i.e. models, problems etc.

Considering your expressed opinion about everything being junk except Stihl, we can only assume that you've had untold numbers of bad experiences with all things not Stihl......
 
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