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OT: weed-eater advice

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PITT 76

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Apr 9, 2022
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My weed-eater went kaput. I've found this board to be a good source of info in the past, so I'm seeking advice.

My former weed-eater was electric, and I used it exclusively for jobs around the yard.

I've noticed that a lot of the new ones are battery powered, and I have no idea if those are worthwhile or not.

Thanks for any advice on brand, power type, model, etc.
 
Echo, Stihl, or a higher end Husqvarna. Gas . I used to have a steep overgrown field that I would weed whack once month. I got the best Husqvarna they sold at Lowes and the Husqvarna line that has a thin metal wire running through the middle. It was an absolute beast. I ended up paying this guy to come and do it with my equipment and he never had any issues.

Edit: I should also add that I spent a ton of money on a battery powered one. No comparison to a higher end gas model.
 
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PITT 76 said:
My weed-eater went kaput. I've found this board to be a good source of info in the past, so I'm seeking advice.

My former weed-eater was electric, and I used it exclusively for jobs around the yard.

I've noticed that a lot of the new ones are battery powered, and I have no idea if those are worthwhile or not.

Thanks for any advice on brand, power type, model, etc.
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I have an earlier version of the following model. I have had no issues with it.

 
PITT 76 said:
My weed-eater went kaput. I've found this board to be a good source of info in the past, so I'm seeking advice.

My former weed-eater was electric, and I used it exclusively for jobs around the yard.

I've noticed that a lot of the new ones are battery powered, and I have no idea if those are worthwhile or not.

Thanks for any advice on brand, power type, model, etc.
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Battery operated tools make sense if you have multiple tools that use the same battery, because the batteries are expensive. Especially if you buy batteries with enough amps to last more than 10 minutes of work.

If that’s not the case for you, I would still recommend a corded version.

The last thing you want to do is buy batteries and chargers for multiple uses.
 
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Batteries are annoying when they run out of power before the job is finished, even with a spare.

I would get a gas one.
 
I bought a Ryobi battery powered lawnmower and weed eater together. They use the same battery and the mower came with 2, and the weed eater came with 1. So I keep them all charged up and the three batteries are enough to power them in one session of yardwork.

If you are a member of the Carnegie Library, you can asscess Consumer Reports online for free. They have reviews if weed eaters.
 
I like the battery powered ones. I have a large yard but only need to wee eat around the house and walk way not major amounts of work. The gas powered ones you have to mess with mixing gas normally they need service every year to keep carburetors from clogging up. If your yard requires more than 30 minutes of running the weed eater then maybe gas or cord otherwise get a battery powered one.
 
steelcurtain55. said:
If you're doing a ton of weed whacking on a regular basis - stihl can't be beat.
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My next door neighbor has all Stihl products and LOVES them.

I once had to borrow his cordless hedge trimmer. I was impressed with its lightweight and balance, the ease of cut and the overall quality.
 
I love my Black and Decker 40v battery weed eater.

Granted, I have a total of 4 batteries and can therefore go non-stop for pretty much forever. But I just suck at operating and maintaining 2 cycle engines and I really like doing nothing more than popping a newly charged battery in, or popping a pre-wound .065 spool on.

I won’t go back to gas.
 
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ChazzMo said:
I love my Black and Decker 40v battery weed eater.

Granted, I have a total of 4 batteries and can therefore go non-stop for pretty much forever. But I just suck at operating and maintaining 2 cycle engines and I really like doing nothing more than popping a newly charged battery in, or popping a pre-wound .065 spool on.

I won’t go back to gas.
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Taco Bell says "Bet me!"
 
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Ryobi has a good selection of tools that run on a pretty good common battery. I have the string trimmer, various hedge trimmers, edgers, transfer pump, sanders, saw and probably more if I looked in the barn. Buying the higher capacity batteries is key for bigger jobs or if I'm pumping water out of the well.
One thing I am going with gas for is a new chainsaw. Going to get a Stihl for that.
 
I'd like to thank all of you for your comments. I will consider all the advice over the next week or so and make a decision. Thank you.
 
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USN_Panther said:
Ryobi has a good selection of tools that run on a pretty good common battery. I have the string trimmer, various hedge trimmers, edgers, transfer pump, sanders, saw and probably more if I looked in the barn. Buying the higher capacity batteries is key for bigger jobs or if I'm pumping water out of the well.
One thing I am going with gas for is a new chainsaw. Going to get a Stihl for that.
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Plus a leaf blower and sprayer too. Pretty good brand.
 
Had a john deer commercial for years . Took off the string cutter to run string a little longer and I burnt up the clutch. Purchased an Echo commercial model, pushing 400.00 bucks. Really nice. They also make a high torque model that allows you to run string longer.
 
Get the Black and Dekker electric weed eater at Home Depot. You’ll never regret this. It is absolutely fantastic and provides a terrific edge cut that will make your neighbors envy you.

When you edge the sidewalk/grass, bed/grass junctions, hold the edging “wheel” a little higher than you might think in order to not go through string at a rapid pace. You’ll get a feel for it within a few times.

Works much better than gas powered IMO.
 
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Submuloc Ni UVW said:
Get the Black and Dekker electric weed eater at Home Depot. You’ll never regret this. It is absolutely fantastic and provides a terrific edge cut that will make your neighbors envy you.

When you edge the sidewalk/grass, bed/grass junctions, hold the edging “wheel” a little higher than you might think in order to not go through string at a rapid pace. You’ll get a feel for it within a few times.

Works much better than gas powered IMO.
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I thought weeds were the state flower of West Virginia
 
MJG-90 said:
Running out of gas before the job is finished is annoying.

I’d get a battery one.
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Milwaukee cordless 18 volt is what I would use if I were to go battery powered. Cuts like a gas trimmer with a fairly long run time. Home Depot sells them I believe

www.homedepot.com

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless String Trimmer with QUIK-LOK Attachment Capability and 8.0 Ah Battery 2825-21ST - The Home Depot

The MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL String Trimmer kit w/ QUIK-LOK provides you with the power to clear thick brush, reaches full throttle in under 1 second, and features a balanced design. The split boom cordless
www.homedepot.com
 
I have 40V Ryobi battery powered string trimmer and a 40V hedge trimmer. I'll never buy gas again. The 40V are heavier, but they run a long time.

I've had good luck with factory blemished or reconditioned off this site. Bought both here and both showed up brand new. They often run 30% off sales.

Direct Tools Outlet Site

www.directtoolsoutlet.com www.directtoolsoutlet.com

Home Depot often has sales on them as well.
 
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HailtoPitt said:
I bought a Ryobi battery powered lawnmower and weed eater together. They use the same battery and the mower came with 2, and the weed eater came with 1. So I keep them all charged up and the three batteries are enough to power them in one session of yardwork.

If you are a member of the Carnegie Library, you can asscess Consumer Reports online for free. They have reviews if weed eaters.
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Whoa. That’s pretty cool. @PITT 76 if you didn’t buy one yet, H2P’s recommendation is a good one, depending on the size of your property.

I bought a battery powered Ryobi mower and leaf blower and they run off the same battery. The problem is, I only had one battery for my 1/2 acre lot so my battery would die about 90% through my mowing. I went on Amazon and bought another battery for $70 so now I have 2. I’ve been considering a weed wacker and hedge trimmer within the same family so that they all run off the same batteries. I just haven’t pulled the trigger yet.
 
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RoguePanther said:
I took a gamble on the this unit from Amazon. For the money, one of the best tools I have ever purchased once I got the carburetor dialed in. I especially like the chainsaw and hedge trimmer attachments.

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Whoa. That’s a cool tool. I bought a battery powered craftsman pole saw for $100 last year and it’s the best tool I ever bought. Problem is it runs off of a different battery than my Ryobi products. Additionally I like the idea of a chain saw attachment with your product. I might have to move in that direction.
 
ChazzMo said:
I love my Black and Decker 40v battery weed eater.

Granted, I have a total of 4 batteries and can therefore go non-stop for pretty much forever. But I just suck at operating and maintaining 2 cycle engines and I really like doing nothing more than popping a newly charged battery in, or popping a pre-wound .065 spool on.

I won’t go back to gas.
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I have the same weed eater it's pretty darn good and does everything I need. I wouldn't use it to clear a field though. I only have two batteries and they last about 30 minutes of use each, your not running them the whole time only when your actually weed eating
 
MJG-90 said:
Running out of gas before the job is finished is annoying.

I’d get a battery one.
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Running out of gas wasn't an issue for me. I'm also using a lawnmower at the same time in which I always have a cannister of gas before starting the job.
 
DaveTrout said:
Battery powered ones are nice. Depending on the size of your yard, it might be a good idea to buy a spare battery. They tend to run out pretty quickly. That way you ca charge one while using the other.
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This^ I like battery powered rather than dragging an extension cord around the yard.
 
I got a battery-powered one for Christmas. Used it "once" (really only last for about half of my yard) and concluded that I'd have rather gotten a pair of scissors. Bought a gas one off Amazon and never looked back (the one I was replacing was also gas). Only thing I will say is that I kind of prefer the ones with the single string insert rather than the spool, which never goes smoothly for me. But definitely gas all day.
 
cease10 said:
Running out of gas wasn't an issue for me. I'm also using a lawnmower at the same time in which I always have a cannister of gas before starting the job.
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I was just sarcastically pointing out that running out of gas is a giant PITA too. Running out of fuel mid job is not exclusive to battery powered tools.
 
MJG-90 said:
I was just sarcastically pointing out that running out of gas is a giant PITA too. Running out of fuel mid job is not exclusive to battery powered tools.
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Yeah, but it takes less than 30 seconds to dump some gas in the tank (although I don't know why you wouldn't just do it beforehand). If you run out of battery life, you have to find something else to do.
 
TheWerewolfFromTwilight said:
Yeah, but it takes less than 30 seconds to dump some gas in the tank (although I don't know why you wouldn't just do it beforehand). If you run out of battery life, you have to find something else to do.
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I just remove the dead battery and insert my second, fully charged battery, takes 10 seconds max.
 
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My Ryobi charger oy takes 30 minutes, so IF I forget to charge them it's no big deal.
 
TheWerewolfFromTwilight said:
Yeah, but it takes less than 30 seconds to dump some gas in the tank (although I don't know why you wouldn't just do it beforehand). If you run out of battery life, you have to find something else to do.
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I have three batteries so I don’t have that problem. My point is still valid. You could be stupid and not have extra gasoline as much as you can be stupid and not have a charged battery.
 
TheWerewolfFromTwilight said:
I got a battery-powered one for Christmas. Used it "once" (really only last for about half of my yard) and concluded that I'd have rather gotten a pair of scissors. Bought a gas one off Amazon and never looked back (the one I was replacing was also gas). Only thing I will say is that I kind of prefer the ones with the single string insert rather than the spool, which never goes smoothly for me. But definitely gas all day.
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Assume it wasn't a 40V. I spend a solid 15-20 minutes trimming each time and need to recharge every 3rd or 4th use. My hedge trimmer goes for an hour+ easy. Only issue is the motors get hot after using for a while. I have two of the batteries and always keep one charged.

I bought the hedge trimmers 4 years ago when I couldn't get my gas one to start anymore. Bought the string trimmer a year later and my gas string trimmer has been sitting in the shed untouched since. I do still have a gas backpack blower.
 
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