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i need a machine that will be easy on the 65 plus year old bad back. i have had a few dr push trimmers but the back and forth puts me on ice packs for awhile. the hand held ones were bad too when i used em years ago as are heavy and require a lot of hip movement. i have 12 trees and maybe 200 ft of flower bed/fences/posts etc on 3 acres. i think the solution is to use a lighter handheld machine in short bursts rather than the whole thing at one time. duh. so if anyone knows of a light(er) whacker please let me know. thanks

Might be time to change things a bit.
Consider using round up along the edge of the flower bed and around the trees.
You can get long spray wands with spray guides on the end so they spray a very tidy strip.
Put some sort of light coloured edging around your trees with mulch on the tree side and spray around the outside.
You grew the lawn & garden for your pleasure not to put you in hospital.
The other trick is to put timber mowing strips along the edged and then use a hover mower to cut over the strips.

Bent shaft trimmes are generally easier to use for right handed people. Or get a bike handlebar straight shaft with a harness. A bit awkward for detail work though and about impossible to turn on side to edge with. look for a large nearby dealer to have a demo day to try out options but most of those tend to be in the spring. Or a regional expo.

Husqvarna 525L. Lightweight, very comfortable to use, and will probably out last you.

The hover mower idea is interesting, although hover mowers are extremely uncommon in the US. I know that's different in Australia.

I do recommend you Black+Decker LST136W 40V MAX model, It is perfect for a small yard and even for the medium size. It has a max power function that will come handy to finish the job fast. Here is a good post if you need more info on handheld weed eaters.

I am seriously considering purchasing a battery powered Echo PAS unit. I saw one at my dealer last week and i was completely impressed. I am 61 and still run commercially. I let my crew do most of the weed eating but there are times that I still have to do some.

MIght think about a modified battery unit, have the battery in a pocket or on a shoulder strap separate from the machine. Take some wiring changes if you are somewhat handy like that. Sure take some overhanging weight off that back. I'm getting close to that situation myself.

tom3 said:

MIght think about a modified battery unit, have the battery in a pocket or on a shoulder strap separate from the machine. Take some wiring changes if you are somewhat handy like that. Sure take some overhanging weight off that back. I'm getting close to that situation myself.

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doesn't work like that Tom.
The head and the engine need to be balanced so your arms are just directing it to where you want to cut rather than holding it up.
What most people fail to do is adjust the harness properly.
With the harness over your shoulder the head of the trimmer should be about 2" off the ground.
Next you need a proper harness, one with both a shoulder and a waist strap.
I did a little presentation at one of our Mens Sheds a few years back.
Aussie blokes tended to think harnesses were a "sissy" thing but once I fitted a few of them and the old farts found they could trim for a full hour without feeling tired or fatigued there was a long que at the Husqvarna shop buying the big harnesses . Down here the Husky one is a lot better than any other as it has big clips that old fingers can manipulate easily.
The other trick is to start it in a heavy vice and leave it there of a few minutes till it is fully warmed up

I don't have a large lawn, so I don't need a powerful lawnmower. I had an old lawnmower, now it's broken and I use a neighbor's lawn mower. I also want to buy new one. I read a lot of information on the Internet. I chose Oregon 22-895, here in this https://bestyardproducts.com/best-trimmer-line/ article are described the pros and cons of this mower. Do you think I should buy it or should I choose another trimmer line? What characteristics do you pay attention to when you choose a weed eater?

I'm thinking a battery operated one will be a little lighter without a tank of gas, maybe a little smoother too. Although my dad is a weedkiller monster and has roundup on anything that is to be trimmed......so I like the above poster's idea.

As far as brand, I'm done with big box stores. 3 weedeaters in 5-6 years is just too much and I tear everyone of them apart for 2nd and 3rd chances. I'm hearing Echo and Stihl are the good ones.

The new Lithium Ion weed wackers are great. I bought two from Greenworks and both take the 40V batteries. My wife gave up her corded one and loves it.

Recently I bought a new weed eater. Before buying I've read many reviews on many websites. My favorite weed eater is Echo GT-225 2 Cycle 21.2cc Curved Shaft Gas Trimmer
I have read reviews from this website-TOP 5 Best Gas Weed Eater For The Money ? Guide & Reviews and bought it from Amazon.

I see more and more of the professional lawn care people on YouTube starting to use battery operated string trimmers. One big advantage of using them is the noise in residential neighborhoods. They still make noise because of the string spinning.

I have found an article where you can learn simple ways to get rid of weed- http://carlshomeland.jigsy.com/entries/general/how-to-kill-weeds-from-your-lawn--2
Maybe this would help!

If I may....before I got my Stihl fs 70,i was using a Black & Decker "brush hog".It's electric,but it worked out.If I had a smaller yard/garden,i'd say it was perfect,but I don't.The Worx GT may also be a viable solution as doues a battery unit.Hope all goes well.

I have a Poulan Pro 4 cycle weed eater. I cannot say it's the best weed eater in the world as there are some issues with it after long use but still, it's not so bad, just a usual weed eater. I bought it in Walmart but you can also find it at jonsguide

My suggestion is definitely yard machine branded lawn mowers. Because you can use it like a small tractor and I don't think it will tire you at all.

If you are thinking of going to battery operated lawn equipment look at the whole line because the batteries are expensive. I have a lot of 40V Greemworks products. I own three chainsaws, a 21 inch mower, three trimmers, hedge shears and two blowers. The mower isn't for everyone but with a couple of batteries I can do all my trimming including ditches on my 5 acre corner lot. I have a newer Honda mower that I have a love hate relationship with. It is an excellent mower, plenty of power, bags well but a real bear to pull backwards and it is HEAVY. The drive system is a disappointment, it uses a slipping belt for a drive system and as the bag gets heavier it slows down and is not good on hills because of that.

If you're going gas wed eater you could try these Husqvarna 128LD, Makita. If you are going battery powered try CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless.

I really enjoy my Shindaiwa T-235, got new back in 2015, I'm left handed & closer to 70, than 60. That trimmer is light & great unit

For string, I use Husqvarna "Titanium Force" .095, it lasts & lasts for me & my grass..