I should have said that my $65 Yard Mans get heavily used on a 4 1/2 acre yard with LOTS of trees and buildings to trim around, and they hold up great except for that one flywheel tab that broke off. I cannot see spending over $100 for a trimmer unless you use it everyday on a large lot with high weeds and thick grass. I for one will NEVER buy another expensive trimmer, paying $100-$120 for the Craftsmans I used to buy , was a waste of money. My Yard Mans gave me better and longer service than the costlier ones did.
As I said You should judge your purchase of a Weed Trimmer or any piece of equipment on How and under what conditions you're going to be using it or the Trimmer in this case.
The two things everyone who buys equipment should consider when buying equipment is Warranty and Service, when I see a 90 day guarantee on equipment it stays on the shelf because if the manufacturer doesn't believe in there own equipment why should I or the customer.
Yes you can buy the Homelite, Ryobi, Black and Decker, Poulan and even the Weedeater brand itself all new at Home Depot for less than $100 and cheaper than that if you visit the Refurbished section, it always has a good selection and you can do the same at many department stores including Sears. :thumbsup:
I use this rule of thumb or theory when buying equipment, if a piece of equipment cost more to have it fixed than what I paid for it then it's not worth having or it's a throw away to begin with. That's when you consider that most Dealer Bench Rates run between $45 and $65 hourly plus parts to fix equipment.
I say this not to be argumentative but as I've always been told you get what you pay for.
I guess my view point on buying good equipment come from using this stuff and the knowledge that down time cost money and that good equipment saves time and money.
I still think the Echo
ECHO 16 in. 21.2 cc Gas Curved Shaft Trimmer - GT-225 at The Home Depot is the way to go if you're a home owner