Garden Multi-tools - Any good?

[Wilmslowboy]

Moving to a new house and need to clear the one acre overgrown garden (been left less than a year so not too bad), and then onward maintain.

Mostly grass (knee height), some steeply banked areas (so no mower access), some areas with waist hight thick weeds (left a couple of years), overgrown specimen bushes, bramble bushes and weeds on the edge of the drive.


I was going to hire some semi pro tools from the local hire shop (trimmer, brush cutter, hedge trimmer and perhaps even smaller; chainsaw) but the costs soon add up.

What are the thoughts on these multiple tools, any good, durable & effective ?? After the initial clear up (three or four days), they will probably be used less than half a dozen times year.

[m3jappa]

You'll be better off with second hand stihl stuff. different league of tool, more expensive but starting will be easier, replacing parts easier and the machine itself will be far stronger.

[Wilmslowboy]

m3jappa said:

You'll be better off with second hand stihl stuff. different league of tool, more expensive but starting will be easier, replacing parts easier and the machine itself will be far stronger.

Separate Stihl tools or their multitool ?

[AndyTR]

I have a husqvarna 129LK with strimmer, brush cutter, rotavator, hedge trimmer, pole lopper, extension bar and a large brush attachment. It's brilliant and I only have one engine and carb to sort. I had it 5 years on the farm and 1 year at the new place and it's been used for 100s of hrs and been absolutely thrashed. Clean the plug every year, store it dry over winter and use aspen2 in it.

[Pheo]

I have a titan multi tool petrol strimmer. It didn’t last long until going wonky - needs a better carb apparently. Pain in the neck.

Do yourself a favour and get battery stuff unless you’re certain you need petrol and as mentioned above it’s probably a good idea to go branded it’ll last years. More expensive initially obviously

[The Three D Mucketeer]

I have an EGO multi tool battery head with hedge cutter, brush and tiller great with a back pack for large batteries.
Don't buy cheap petrol , you'll be knackered trying to start them before you've done any cutting.

[OutInTheShed]

Wilmslowboy said:

Moving to a new house and need to clear the one acre overgrown garden (been left less than a year so not too bad), and then onward maintain.

Mostly grass (knee height), some steeply banked areas (so no mower access), some areas with waist hight thick weeds (left a couple of years), overgrown specimen bushes, bramble bushes and weeds on the edge of the drive.


I was going to hire some semi pro tools from the local hire shop (trimmer, brush cutter, hedge trimmer and perhaps even smaller; chainsaw) but the costs soon add up.

What are the thoughts on these multiple tools, any good, durable & effective ?? After the initial clear up (three or four days), they will probably be used less than half a dozen times year.


I've had something almost identical, minus the novelty broom thing, for 9 years or so.
It's been fine.
I'm about to change the fuel line for the second time, but TBF, it's had ethanol fuel through it.

The hedge trimmer thing is a heavy awkward beast, but effective.
As a brush cutter it's great, but again, heavy compared to 25cc or 240V tools.
The 'chainsaw on a stick' is brilliant.

When I bought mine, I paid about £120 IIRC, around about the same time my neighbour paid about £100 to have his petrol hedgetrimmer resuscitated.

These days, I'd consider battery tools, but IMHO, 18V is not enough for a strimmer/brush cutter so you are talking £££ for this.
18V or 21V may be OK once you're on topp of a 1 acre garden.

The thing about a 4 in 1 tool, is that it's only 1 tool at a time, so not optimum for exploiting child labour etc.
My partner isn't up to using petrol tools, but does a lot with 240V strimmer, mower etc. Downside is that's dry weather only.

I inherited a 25cc petrol strimmer, which is a great tool. Light, well balanced, adequate power, not too noisy. It's 20 years old and I've rebuilt the carb.

Secondhand Stihl stuff can be expensive and variable. Around here, people want a lot of cash for used designer name stuff, and it tends to be knackered or need servicing, and very likely the expendable parts have been replaced with Chow Mein bits from ebay. Similar to what's on the cheap no-name tools!
You may do better in suburbia where these things don't get the wear.

I would buy some decent manual tools, a 240V strimmer and hedge trimmer,(and some long cables!) possibly a 25cc brushcutter, a cordless mini chainsaw.
A shredder would be up the list too.

I've had something almost identical, minus the novelty broom thing, for 9 years or so.
It's been fine.
I'm about to change the fuel line for the second time, but TBF, it's had ethanol fuel through it.

The hedge trimmer thing is a heavy awkward beast, but effective.
As a brush cutter it's great, but again, heavy compared to 25cc or 240V tools.
The 'chainsaw on a stick' is brilliant.

When I bought mine, I paid about £120 IIRC, around about the same time my neighbour paid about £100 to have his petrol hedgetrimmer resuscitated.

These days, I'd consider battery tools, but IMHO, 18V is not enough for a strimmer/brush cutter so you are talking £££ for this.
18V or 21V may be OK once you're on top of a 1 acre garden.

The thing about a 4 in 1 tool, is that it's only 1 tool at a time, so not optimum for exploiting child labour etc.
My partner isn't up to using petrol tools, but does a lot with 240V strimmer, mower etc. Downside is that's dry weather only.

I inherited a 25cc petrol strimmer, which is a great tool. Light, well balanced, adequate power, not too noisy. It's 20 years old and I've rebuilt the carb. New plug and fuel lines.

Secondhand Stihl stuff can be expensive and variable. Around here, people want a lot of cash for used designer name stuff, and it tends to be knackered or need servicing, and very likely the expendable parts have been replaced with Chow Mein bits from ebay. Similar to what's on the cheap no-name tools!
You may do better in suburbia where these things don't get the wear.
But a lot of this stuff is stolen.

I would buy some decent manual tools, a 240V strimmer and hedge trimmer,(and some long cables!) possibly a 25cc brushcutter, a cordless mini chainsaw.
A shredder would be up the list too. 18V cordless hedge trimmer has been good value this year.
There used to be 25cc multi tool sets on ebay, worth a look IMHO.
If nice used Stihl/Husqy stuff comes your way at a good price grab it though!
If you're sure it's not nicked, which is all too common.
Any petrol tools, I use ordinary unleaded, but drain the tools and carbs for storage.

[emicen]

I bought an SGS version multitool, only used the strimmer so far but it was way better than trying to use cables or keep batteries charged.

With it having a 50cc motor, I’m not sure how much fun it would be to try and swing around trimming hedges though.

[Wilmslowboy]

Thanks all.


I bought a Hyundai 52cc, low cost but online reviews suggest it's more than robust enough for occasional home use.

[Sideways Tim]

Wilmslowboy said:

Thanks all.


I bought a Hyundai 52cc, low cost but online reviews suggest it's more than robust enough for occasional home use.

That looks like just what I need to replace my old strimmer. I’ll be needing a bunch of the attachments soon too. Please let us know how it performs.

[Wilmslowboy]

Sideways Tim said:

Wilmslowboy said:

Thanks all.


I bought a Hyundai 52cc, low cost but online reviews suggest it's more than robust enough for occasional home use.

That looks like just what I need to replace my old strimmer. I ll be needing a bunch of the attachments soon too. Please let us know how it performs.

Used it for around 12 hours (over a week), mainly as a strimmer and brush cutter, with a small amount of chainsaw use.
It’s quite heavy, so I’d definitely recommend using the harness. It starts easily every time and fuel capacity is decent.

The main downside is that switching between the brush cutter blade and strimmer head is a bit of a faff. Extending the strimmer line can also be frustrating, although I probably wound the line incorrectly.

[netherfield]

I bought an Echo multi tool 18 years ago, can't really fault it. Don't clear the fuel out each year but it still starts the following one.

But as I’m getting older I thought I needed something more light weight, so Went and got a Stihl battery hedge trimmer, the difference is night and day on the body, I don't ache half as much, so having the battery went and got a strimmer as well, and no need for ear protection, so quiet. Can't carry on for hour after hour like the engine powered machines, which is no bad thing anyway.

[Murph7355]

I have the Stihl equivalent. Takes a lot of abuse.

If I were starting now, I'd go battery as above.

[Sideways Tim]

Wilmslowboy said:

Used it for around 12 hours (over a week), mainly as a strimmer and brush cutter, with a small amount of chainsaw use.
It s quite heavy, so I d definitely recommend using the harness. It starts easily every time and fuel capacity is decent.

The main downside is that switching between the brush cutter blade and strimmer head is a bit of a faff. Extending the strimmer line can also be frustrating, although I probably wound the line incorrectly.

Thanks, sounds like the ticket. I’ve a battery powered mower that I’ll be giving to my son in law and rejuvenating my petrol one as it just lacks grunt. My strimmer has been on its last legs for years but gets by here, the new place will need a lot more strimming plus brush cutting, plus hedge trimming so this looks like just the job. Will see if I can pick up a deal during Prime week.

Cheers!

[Gazzab]

I cut back the thick tall weeds and brambles using hedge trimmers. Then dug up the brambles roots. Sorted. Not too hard.