Trimmer Comparison- Need to upgrade to a gas one

[DPuro329]

Hi everyone,
We recently moved from a townhouse with a tiny yard to a house on 2+ acres and my ryobi cordless trimmer just doesn't cut it anymore. It was fine for the old yard which took like 10 minutes to trim the front and back but in the new yard I don't even get a 1/3 of the yard done before the battery dies. Its definitely time for a gas model. Its only for homeowner use and I don't want a crap brand. I'd rather get the basic model from a decent brand than a lesser brand. I'd prefer to spend $200 or less, and to only buy a trimmer I don't want or need one of the shafts that takes 1000 other attachments because I don't think ill ever use them. I saw an echo trimmer at home depot for around $220. I forget the model # but is it any good? Are the echo trimmers sold there just as good as ones sold at independent dealers?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Dave

 

[Ric]

Hi everyone,
We recently moved from a townhouse with a tiny yard to a house on 2+ acres and my ryobi cordless trimmer just doesn't cut it anymore. It was fine for the old yard which took like 10 minutes to trim the front and back but in the new yard I don't even get a 1/3 of the yard done before the battery dies. Its definitely time for a gas model. Its only for homeowner use and I don't want a crap brand. I'd rather get the basic model from a decent brand than a lesser brand. I'd prefer to spend $200 or less, and to only buy a trimmer I don't want or need one of the shafts that takes 1000 other attachments because I don't think ill ever use them. I saw an echo trimmer at home depot for around $220. I forget the model # but is it any good? Are the echo trimmers sold there just as good as ones sold at independent dealers?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Dave

The Echo at Home Depot is fine, not the best out there but would probably work for what you need. You can get the same trimmer at a dealer for the same price which would be a better deal because of the warranty and service because HD does neither, they just send it out to a dealer. If you wanted to spend a little more I'd look at the FS 70R by Stihl it's runs 279.95 but it's twice the trimmer that the Echo is and it's a Professional Grade trimmer, would last the homeowner forever.

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

Hi everyone,
We recently moved from a townhouse with a tiny yard to a house on 2+ acres and my ryobi cordless trimmer just doesn't cut it anymore. It was fine for the old yard which took like 10 minutes to trim the front and back but in the new yard I don't even get a 1/3 of the yard done before the battery dies. Its definitely time for a gas model. Its only for homeowner use and I don't want a crap brand. I'd rather get the basic model from a decent brand than a lesser brand. I'd prefer to spend $200 or less, and to only buy a trimmer I don't want or need one of the shafts that takes 1000 other attachments because I don't think ill ever use them. I saw an echo trimmer at home depot for around $220. I forget the model # but is it any good? Are the echo trimmers sold there just as good as ones sold at independent dealers?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Dave

The trimmer you saw was the SRM-225. I bought mine a year-and-a-half ago and use it commercially (now on 20-25 lawns per week). It has never let me down! I think you will be happy with it! And buy it from a dealer. If HD has it for a lower price the dealer should match it.

http://www.echo-usa.com/Products/Trimmers/SRM-225

 

[motoman]

Go low and save. Five acres here. Sears 31 cc straight shaft 2 stroke, bump head. Has Ryobi dna. On sale $118.

 

[jekjr]

Hi everyone,
We recently moved from a townhouse with a tiny yard to a house on 2+ acres and my ryobi cordless trimmer just doesn't cut it anymore. It was fine for the old yard which took like 10 minutes to trim the front and back but in the new yard I don't even get a 1/3 of the yard done before the battery dies. Its definitely time for a gas model. Its only for homeowner use and I don't want a crap brand. I'd rather get the basic model from a decent brand than a lesser brand. I'd prefer to spend $200 or less, and to only buy a trimmer I don't want or need one of the shafts that takes 1000 other attachments because I don't think ill ever use them. I saw an echo trimmer at home depot for around $220. I forget the model # but is it any good? Are the echo trimmers sold there just as good as ones sold at independent dealers?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Dave

The Stihl recommended below is definitely a first choice. I also have Cub Cadet trimmers that can be bought for like $169 I think at Tractor Supply. We have two of them. We ran one of them an incredible amount of hours starting last Aug with the trimmer attachment and throughout the winter even using the other attachments. That trimmer is down right now needing a diaphragm in the carb replaced but it is and has been a great trimmer. 27cc 2 cycle. Don't recommend the 25cc or any others with the crank rope on the front side of the engine.

 

[jimrs]

14 years ago I bought a Echo at home depot and just replaced it with another. The only maint it had was adding new line to the spool.

 

[smitts961]

I would also have to recommend the Stihl FS-70. I have been running it semi-commercially for a few weeks now and loving every minute of it. Comparing your Ryobi to the Stihl is about the same as comparing a Prius to a Dually Pickup.

 

[DPuro329]

Thanks everyone for all your advice. I bought the Ryobi in a moment of weakness, cheapness and from listening to a home depot employee. It was adequate for my tiny yard in NJ but I disliked it from the start. It only has one line that spins so thicker grass takes much longer. I should have bought the echo from HD last year instead. How much does the Stihl FS 70 retail for? Is there much diffrrence in quality between echo and stihl at the lower end basic models for homeowner use?
Thanks again

Dave

 

[smitts961]

I was $307 after tax, without extra oil that adds 2 years to warranty for $12(well worth it). The best part about the Stihl is all dealers service what they sell. Whatever you decide to buy, go to a dealer. I'm sure the echo's are good machines also.

 

[Ric]

Thanks everyone for all your advice. I bought the Ryobi in a moment of weakness, cheapness and from listening to a home depot employee. It was adequate for my tiny yard in NJ but I disliked it from the start. It only has one line that spins so thicker grass takes much longer. I should have bought the echo from HD last year instead. How much does the Stihl FS 70 retail for? Is there much diffrrence in quality between echo and stihl at the lower end basic models for homeowner use?
Thanks again

Dave

Stihls price on the FS 70R is $279.95 so Smitts961 $307 figure is about right. If you talk to the dealer most times or dealers have a little space to work on there price so you can generally speaking get like 10% off that $279 figure, something that you can't do at Home Depot and if you buy the Stihl oil they add the extra 2 years if warranty like smitts said so it's not a bad deal at all. With the FS 70R you get the 27.2 cc engine instead of the 21.2cc engine of the Echo, big difference.