Shopping for a trimmer

[Mamala Bay]

For home owners that doesn't put that many hours like commercial usage, Echo is a good bargain.

Shindaiwa has a premium selling price. It's a first rate product which from experience has performed beyond hard usage and longevity.

Also Hawaii is Shindaiwa's top seller in the USA. But Shindaiwa financially is hurting, unlike Echo which is financially sound. The reason for the merger.

 

[boraticus]

"For home owners that doesn't put that many hours like commercial usage, Echo is a good bargain."

Don't kid yourself. Many Echo products are commercial grade. My CS346 is a commercial grade light chain saw.

I'll put an Echo product up against any other brand's equivalent machine. Commercial or otherwise.

Despite their reasonable price, Echo products are as good as anything out there and in many cases better. People just have to overcome the fact that with Echo, you don't have to pay a fortune to get a very good product.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Shin is more refine than Echo. Echo's market is very smart and very wise a big reason they are financially sound. From what I've learned even Shin in Hawaii which has a very strong market maybe taken over with the Echo line. Shin market in the USA is going to shrink. Management decision. Sales with the Shin products are more over seas. I believe it has to do with price and lack of advertisement with the Shin products.

We all have opinions and yes Echo does still have the big box store concept. Shin size for size gives great power ratio with good balance and feel. One of the best on the market. With the number of hours of usage from experience I'll pay the premium as I do believe in their quality.

 

[boraticus]

"Shin is more refine than Echo."

Not to be argumentative, but have you used an Echo product lately?

I have a great deal of experience with two stroke technology. I have several vintage Yamaha motorcycles that I have restored and over the years have learned quite a bit about two strokes. I also own many other two stroke engines such as a snowmobile with a Fuji two cycle engine, and a dirt race bike with a two cycle engine, a few two cycle outboard engines and lots of OPE. Echo is at the leading edge of small two cycle engine technology. They are truly amazing little machines. With the catalytic converters on their engines, if it wasn't for the sound, it would be difficult to believe that it's a two stroke. Once warmed up, there is virtually no smoke and very little fumes. They're quiet, powerful and very easy on fuel. They're ergonomically friendly, reliable, well constructed and comparatively inexpensive.

Overall, Echo products are very difficult to beat. I see absolutely no need to shell out my hard earned cash for another brand when Echo covers all of the bases at considerably less expense. Just makes too much sense to buy Echo.

If Echo buys Shin, it will likely be a good thing for consumers. I'm certain that combined, they will give the other leading brands some fierce competition.

 

[Mamala Bay]

I've spoken to dealers that sell both the Shindaiwa and Echo brand products. Shindaiwa is their top sellers. Reason Shin's quality and durability.

Shindaiwa out sells Echo and Stihl. In different regions it maybe different.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Originally Posted By: boraticus


Overall, Echo products are very difficult to beat. I see absolutely no need to shell out my hard earned cash for another brand when Echo covers all of the bases at considerably less expense. Just makes too much sense to buy Echo.

If Echo buys Shin, it will likely be a good thing for consumers. I'm certain that combined, they will give the other leading brands some fierce competition.



Echo I has the consumer and lower end market in North America. The Shindaiwa merger enables Echo to branch out on the higher end commercial level targeting the North America market. From what I've heard there something big that is going to happen with Echo in North America. They needed the Shindaiwa merger...

 

[boraticus]

Not sure what you mean by "consumer and lower end market". Any one who buys anything for any price is a consumer. Lower end implies lower quality. That's where I find your remarks a little inaccurate. My CS346 chain saw for instance has a chrome (nikasil) bore, catalytic converter, advanced porting and air intake design, variable timing ignition system plus a lot of other features all in a light weight package. It cuts wood well beyond what one would expect for a small saw. In this part of Canada, the preferred small saw used by our hydro workers is Echo.

It would appear that you've not had much exposure to Echo products. Do yourself a favour and check them out.

I'm not saying that Echo manufactures the absolute best product in every category. I know that their larger chain saws are not as well liked as the big Stihls, Husqvarnas and Jonsereds. However, I am saying that many of their other products may very well be the best in quality and in value for a lot less money than competing brands.

 

[Mamala Bay]

I'll check out the Echo when I have the time. I'm just going on the dealers feedback. Shindaiwa and Echo were working together years back before the so called merger. Echo's market was not on the higher end commercial level. It was the combine technology with Shindaiwa's help is when Echo started opening up dealers.

Given if I was a home consumer with limited hour usage I would probably be more pleased with an Echo purchase over a Shin. Value savings with quality. I know a person that picked up a Shin trimmer 7 years ago for $385 at discount. But presently he doesn't feel good about his purchase. He doesn't put many hours on it since it's for home usage. He feels he could have purchase something cheaper and still get the job done. In other words he feels he is not getting the best value out of his equipment.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Google Shind-Echo era

 

[Hokiefyd]

For what it's worth, I have an Echo GT-200R string trimmer and it's been excellent. It trims two yards a week during the cutting months (April-October around here) and runs super. No smoke, low noise, light weight. It's a real good machine. I used to be happy with the run-of-the-mill $79 Weed Eater. Not anymore; there really is a difference.