Opinions on new line trimmer please

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I am going to purchase a new weed trimmer (less than $150) for light to moderate duty work. I see these new "4 cycle" units and was wondering if thats the way to go or stick with a 2 cycle unit. I am sceptical of the 4 cycle units for a weed trimmer. I would appreciate any suggestions and experiences .
 
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Me personally, I'd stick with 2 cycle, they just work. Husqvarna, Stihl, Echo, they all work really well.
 
I'd go 2 cycle. I grabbed a nice 2 cycle Husqvarna last year on Ebay in the price range you're looking to be in. It is a nice machine for the money.
 
I bought a 4 stroke Ryobi trimmer years ago and used it once. It was way too heavy so I took it back and bought an Echo. I'm still using the Echo and they now have a 5 year warranty. Your $150 budget might limit you to a brand other than Stihl or Echo IDK.
 
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I wouldn't recommend any new 4-stroke string trimmer in the ~$150 price range. I'd stick with a 2-stroke and a good premix. If your usage is light and sporadic, go with battery power.
 
If you happen to be tall, Stihl and Echo make a curved long shaft trimmer if you prefer curved shafts.

My first trimmer when I bought a house was a Cub Cadet 4-stroke. Pretty sure it had the Ryobi engine.
It was heavy but didn't bother me. The engine and starting it was very reliable. The clutch broke and I tossed it.

I also had a Makita 4-stroke leaf blower at one time. Light and would start on the first pull in any weather but is under powered.

I can see the appeal not needing to have two different gas cans around. My Stihl is waaaay better quality than my old trimmer.

Choose something that is easy when adding line.
 
I snapped this at a Rural King yesterday.

[Linked Image]
 
If you're a big guy and/or don't mind using a shoulder strap, 4 cycle is an option but the higher power to weight ratio of 2 cycle is why they have persisted for so long despite EPA crackdowns on practically everything else.

For $150 you won't get a decent Stihl (new) nor a decent cordless unless you already have compatible battery packs and chargers but typically a decent battery unit is 36V/40V not 18V/20V. However everyone's idea of light to medium duty can vary. If it's just grass and soft vegetation you're trimming, you can go slower with a weak 18V electric and get a small lot done on an 18V battery charge, but also consider things like use of thinner line and a smaller spool so you may be changing the line at least twice as often, which may offset a price difference over the long run.
 
I have a 4-stroke Troy-Bilt and a 2-stroke Echo. Both purchased a couple years ago. I prefer the Echo, has more power even with a smaller engine. The 4-stroke does fine, just doesn't have the grunt the other has.

As far as weight and ergonomics go, I prefer the Echo, but I believe that's due to being a higher priced, more premium trimmer.

I would save a few more pennies and try to get the affordable Echo model SRM-225 I think. Echo is by hands the best trimmer brand I've ever owned.
 
I previously owned a 4 cycle cub cadet trimmer. It ran great, had power, but was too heavy. It really depends on how much you use it. If a lot or for longer times, 2 cycle is much lighter. If you use it for short periods and its not heavy, and you don't need a brush head, electric may suffice. I don't know how electric compares in weight , i've never used one. But gas, i'll go 2 cycle every time.
 
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Originally Posted by spasm3
I previously owned a 4 cycle cub cadet trimmer. It ran great, had power, but was too heavy..


Same here, except mine was Troy-Bilt branded and a good 12+ years ago. It also had one of those annoying spool/heads on it that held thick, pre-cut sections of line. I thought this would have been great. Nope! Terrible. Like you say, it started easily and ran strong and smooth. Just heavy and you had to be careful how you stored it or the oil sump would empty into the cylinder and out the carb or exhaust.
 
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Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
Stihl. They just work.


I agree.....But your not going to buy a pro-series Stihl for $150! The House Wife series isn't any better than what Echo sells at Home Depot.

I had a Stihl KM 94 R (Kombi) that I must have put 200 hours on with zero issues.....No just using a trimmer attachment! Lots of time with the Pole Saw attachment.
Traded it in on a KM 131 R, Little heavier but quite a bit more power.
Both of these are "4-Mix" engines.
 
2-stroke for sure. I've dealt with many 4-stroke units for customers, and I don't really see the advantage. They are heavier, changing the oil on them can be a huge pain depending on model, and if you use them at an angle it can create issues. To me a good 2-stroke is hard to beat for a weed trimmer.
 
Originally Posted by Chris Meutsch
Stihl. All day long.

Bought a new stihl 10 years ago that just runs and runs. Picked up 2 used ones recently and one at the dump. spent less than $35 on them and now don`t have to change attachments. Only use Stihl two stroke oil in gas.
 
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