I need a garden strimmer thingy - your thoughts!

[Kuroblack350]

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a decent garden strimmer?

It's for light use, trimming grass edges around fencing etc, nothing too heavy. At the beginning of the year I bought a Chinese B&Q special, that promply fell to bits during it's first outing - the guard fell off almost immediately, and the strimmer line feed thing disintegrated... Great. Plus it weight around 20 metric tonnes, which wasn't so good.

So, I'm after a replacement, and a semi decent one - any suggestions? Is cordless the way forward, or will this leave me hugely disappointed when it lasts 5 mins at a time?

Thanks all

[GTSDave]

I bought a Honda for about £140 a couple of years ago, normal unleaded fuel, I cannot fault it, it never misses a beat... It's been modded having had a bump feed head added and is excellent! All my other petrol tools are 2 stroke Stihl, but the Honda is definitely the way to go for a good home strimmer.

I had previously bought a Ryobi from Screwfix for under £100, but it was shockingly bad in my opinion. I learnt several years ago that you get what you pay for when it comes to tools.

They seem to have gone up in price somewhat since I got mine!
http://www.justlawnmowers.co.uk/pages/productspage...

Edited by GTSDave on Thursday 10th June 10:57

[netherfield]

Stihl is the make to go for,had one 8 years and never fails to start.

Started out with a cheap B & Q special thinking the same as you,lasted 2 years before destroying itself.

[Busamav]

Recently bought a Husqvarna , just about £200 .

Comes with a blade for cutting through brush as well, excellent tool .

[miniman]

I have a Ryobi with interchangeable tools (e.g. you can clip on a hedge trimmer). Once it is running its fine, but it can be an absolute pig to start sometimes.

[DavidY]

Another vote for Stihl

[Tuna]

The Stihl strimmer I've got is probably above your budget, but it's four or five years old now and never misses a beat.

I've got a plastic blade head for it and use that far more than the line head. The plastic blades do a great job and cope with a lot more abuse. (The head looks like this) A bump head is a good second choice. Avoid a manual feed as you'll never get the job done for faffing around on your knees letting out more line.

[davemac250]

Guys, I 'think' you may be going OTT from the OP's statements.

I wouldn't go the cordless route, they are heavy and from the ones I looked at not the best battery tech.

I ended up with one of the petrol versions to go with a Bosch corded one.

(I only got the petrol one as the rear garden is a pain to do with two extension leads.

The bosch is brilliant, lightweight, well made and with a decent feed.

I cannot find my exact one as mine is a few years old, but this is close.

http://www.garden4less.co.uk/bosch-electric-line-t...

[convert]

To be honest I bought a cheap JCB 2 stroke Petrol strimmer (bump feed dual lines) for around £60 about 6 years ago.

Starts within the frst three pulls of the cord and hasn't let me down yet.

As well as strimming the lawn edges it also gets used for strimming around 20 or so trees.

It's used plenty of fuel and plenty of line. Not had a problem with it yet.

[ukwill]

Depends how big your garden is I would imagine. My el cheapo has just died after 5yrs late spring/summer use. Think it cost about £20. Will replace with another, fingers crossed I get another 5yrs usage for £20. Happy with that.

[Duke Thrust]

DavidY said:

Another vote for Stihl

Another - I've got a FS400 and it's a great bit of kit.

[Phooey]

A friend helped me do my garden last year - he bought his petrol strimmer. He was approx 10ft away from the back of the house, flipped a stone up and smashed me back window! It was pilkington k safety glass, so shattered into a zillion pieces.

Not sure if an electric strimmer is powerful enough to cause damage, but my point is, these can turn stones into bullets! Don't use it with other people/children in close proximity

[Simpo Two]

Funny how often these posts start by saying 'light use only' and within three posts people are recommending V8-powered things that would clear a rainforest

[live ade]

Goat. you can make curry when the garden is finished

[live ade]

Goat. you can make curry when the garden is finished

[ukwill]

Yeah. Er. Welcome.

[patmahe]

Those Flymo Electric ones a are pretty good if you don't mind plugging in a cable to do your garden. On ours the head can be rotated too so it can edge properly too, also makes it easier to get into tight spots. Its lasted about 6 years so far.

[CO2000]

miniman said:

I have a Ryobi with interchangeable tools (e.g. you can clip on a hedge trimmer). Once it is running its fine, but it can be an absolute pig to start sometimes.

Ditto esp when it cuts out when hot (I took 3 nights to finish my back garden & it got nearly tossed in the skip rather than the shed!)

[Busamav]

Simpo Two said:

Funny how often these posts start by saying 'light use only' and within three posts people are recommending V8-powered things that would clear a rainforest

you have to have one that takes a metal propellor .

One thing I have learnt is to always wear eye protection and a pair of wellies to keep my shins safe , especially when clearing overgrown areas

[ToyotaJim]

I work for a garden equipment distributor, so get to see plenty of different pieces of kit come and go... If you're after cordless, a Bosch Lithium-Ion jobber will perform well provided you can do all of your work in half an hour or so. If you prefer corded, the Flymo models are fairly cheap and cheerful but work well and are easy to get spares for.

Hope this helps!