Which Brand Electric String Trimmer and Blower?

john_pifer

john_pifer

Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
5,215
Location
Dickson, TN.
I know there were some recommendations for weed eaters and blowers on the other thread I started on OPE for our new home.

However, I think I've pretty much decided to go electric on the leaf blower and string trimmer, for a few reasons, not the least of which is that I've been looking for an excuse for quite a while to get an electric leaf blower to use for drying our vehicles after washing.

I don't anticipate having more than about 45 min to an hour per week of string trimming and blowing off to do in the summer. Maybe a bit more with leaf blowing in the fall. But, hey, having an extra battery charged and ready to go should solve any endurance problems.

Looking at the EGO series. I first heard about the brand EGO while researching auto detailing, watching YouTube detailing videos, etc. Seems they have possibly the largest market presence with electric weed eaters and blowers these days, being available at big-box stores, Amazon, etc.

I'm wondering if anyone's used their "LineIQ" model, which has a system that senses the trimmer line getting short, and automatically feeds out line without the need for bumping the head. Is this just some new gimmick, or, the best thing to come along in string trimmers yet?

Then there's also their "multi-tool" system, with which you can use multiple tool attachments, such as a string trimmer, hedge trimmer, pole saw, even a powered broom or snow shovel.

I like the fact that I could use the same battery and charger with both the blower and the string trimmer/multi-tool.

What about other brands? Is EGO the standard these days, or are other brands also worth looking into?
 
I have the Ryobi 40v.

When my husky 128ld trimmer wore out. I had a brush cutter, trimmer head, pole saw and edger attachment. I did not want to buy all these accessories over again, they would fit the Ryobi trimmer, so I went that route.
 
I have a 60 volt DeWalt blower and a 60 volt DeWalt string trimmer and 2 batteries. The string trimmer has way more power than I need but the blower it totally awesome. I am very impressed with the blower. I am way overpowered with the DeWalt 60 volt string trimmer however it does everything it needs to do and it's a monster and it would wear you out before the battery ever went dead trimming. I wouldn't buy the 20 volt DeWalt blower because the 60 volt works so well for my uses. A 20 volt string trimmer would be fine for my uses.
 
Echo has some newer stuff that is decent and worth a shot looking it.

With electric OPE, you must actually hold it and see if it is well balanced for you. I forgot what brand but was was heavy on the battery side and very difficult to hold onto.

Also look at battery cost. Plan to replace them on year 3, and for sure by year 5.
 
The Milwaukee blower and trimmer work well for me.

Echo makes a 48V trimmer that is more heavy duty. If you just trimming grass and weeds around trees and flower beds, any of the electric string trimmers are fine.
 
String trimmer you might be able to get away with battery
(I like EGO with the shaft drive)
but if you have any leaves.. the battery blowers last about 10-15 min on turbo/high.

If you are going battery blower make sure to compare both CFM and MPH.

A 300$ backpack echo(on sale) is 500+ CFM @210+ MPH.

My newer echo is 1071CFM@211mph. You can never have too much blower.
 
Following. My 20+ year old corded B&D is expiring slowly but has worked great. Would probably get the same thing. I would avoid cordless unless you have no place to plug in. They seem heavier and the batteries will need replacing every few years.
 
I purchased the 20v Craftsman trimmer and blower at Lowes this summer when they were on sale. The wife insisted I get battery powered stuff since I worked more on my gas stuff than I used them. I HATE small gas engines. Anyways, the auto string release works great I love it. The electric trimmer and blower are so much lighter to use and love them. I have a small yard (2/3 acre) and if it was any bigger I would get extra batteries. BTW the batteries are interchangeable between the trimmer and blower.
Good Luck on your search!
 
None of them have enough run time for me to do what I need to do. That being said, the best battery equipment at the moment is Husqvarna. You will pay dearly for it but it's the best.
 
My 3 yr old cheapo Homelite gas trimmer bit the bullet. No start and pulling the spark plug showed the bad news gray spark plug that all us 2 stroke guys know is the sign of a burnt piston. No need waste time pulling apart a $100 trimmer. It had the non-adjustable rotary carb. BTW.
Looks like I'll be going battery for a trimmer as I only need to edge a 100 ft so I'll be watching the feedback on electrics.
Watching for the winter clearance on summer stuff also.
 
Do you have any other battery tools like impacts or ratchets?

It would be worthwhile to pursue equipment that can all take the same batteries. I have customers that have the Toro battery equipment and are very happy with them since they only need one charger for the batteries that fit in all their stuff. One of my customers has a commercial Scag mower for the big areas, then a Toro battery push mower, trimmer, blower, and chainsaw.
 
I've been using a Makita 36 volt (two 18 volt batteries) blower and trimmer on my commercial properties for three years. They have held up very well and the batteries have lost very little capacity as far as I can tell. Four pairs of 5AH batteries give me about two hours of triming and blowing. The trimmer runs a lot longer than the blower.

Keep in mind that the blower (any blower) uses up a lot of battery power very quickly. So I am actually thinking of going back to a gas blower to get more run time. I can buy a new (Stihl) gas blower for the cost of two batteries.

I chose Makita becuase I am heavily invested in Makita 18V tools and they all use the same battery.
 
jeepman3071 said:
Do you have any other battery tools like impacts or ratchets?

It would be worthwhile to pursue equipment that can all take the same batteries. I have customers that have the Toro battery equipment and are very happy with them since they only need one charger for the batteries that fit in all their stuff. One of my customers has a commercial Scag mower for the big areas, then a Toro battery push mower, trimmer, blower, and chainsaw.
Click to expand...
All my stuff is Craftsman 19.2 as I retired from Sears and got some discounts / deals over the years being there. Cheap Chinese replacement batteries have been filling the void as the OEM die so far.
Craftsman stuff in not my choice anymore so for just a trimmer I'm flexible. Everything else OPE is gas.
I've been using some Milwaukee Fuel cordless tools at my snowmobile club and quality seems good. We have a couple battery saws along with impacts that have been holding up and working pretty good so far out on trail clean ups for cutting up those small blow downs.
Pricey stuff but better quality than the Craftsman stuff.
 
40v ryobi trimmer and bush hedger attachment have been good here. I gave away my gas trimmer once using this a couple weeks. There are times when the 40v doesn’t quite get the big stuff like the gasser could, but I just angle the tool and slice in and it works. Heavier line has helped it work better. I can also edge the driveway and it works well. battery life improved after a few cycles. The hedge attachment is great and the ergo/balance is very nice.

i am slightly envious of the convenience of an electric blower for quick dust off of the garage floor, but any real work would leave me angry, so the blower remains a heavy, poorly balanced makita backpack.
 
I have had two different brands a Ryobi it ran once and the battery melted in the mower. I returned it to Home Depot got a refund and bought the Toro 60V Max smartstow self propelled. It moves fast I have had it for two seasons and I replaced the blade after this past summer because someone left a pinball in the lawn and it took a chunk out of the blade. Outside of that it doesn’t quit working.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Review - Ryobi 40V blower/vacuum mulcher
Replies
4
Views
2K
meep
I
Stihl Kombi scythe vs hedge trimmer for grass
Replies
6
Views
2K
jeepman3071
gregk24
Ryobi 40v blower (730 CFM 190 MPH)
Replies
5
Views
1K
gregk24
shortyb
Turning point
2
Replies
24
Views
1K
Cujet
N
Recommendations for gas handheld blower
2 3
Replies
47
Views
3K
Ausfahrt
Back
Top