Thank you! I almost took that same deal when I got my blower and just couldn’t decide if the Weedwhacker could get the job done. This is really helpful.
I’m small, and it was impossible for me to even get our gas-powered trimmer going, much less use it. I took advantage of a sale at our local Ace Hardware for a Black & Decker combo of string trimmer, blower, battery and charger (current list price is $119).
Works great for my needs, which are pretty much restricted to edging the front and backyards, around the deck and various beds, etc. It’s seen several years of regular use so far, without any problems.
The Auto Feed spool works fine, and the trimmer only weighs a few pounds, which was important to me. The battery doesn’t last a very long time, but plenty long enough that I want a break from the vibration by the time it runs out. When I really need to get more trimming down, I can get a break while re-charging the battery (which takes a few hours), and do two or three cycles of use/charge in a day without straining myself making the effort.
It’s not fancy, and not up to thick, woody plants, but for trimming weeds and grass, it’s sufficient, and manageable, for me. We have a gas-powered wheeled string trimmer mower (like a DR) for bigger stuff.
There aren’t many things in life I have to ask DH to do, but starting our Stihl weedwhacker is one of them. What is it with these pull starts?
I love the versatility of the Stihl since I can put a blade on it for bigger saplings. But it is heavy and I can’t start it on my own unless it has been warmed up. So we bought a Milwaukee battery one and it’s been great. It came with extra free battery so I can switch out. It lasts long enough to do as much as I want to do in one run.
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What weeds? I have gone Net Zero on trimming weeds.
oriental bittersweet and multiflora rose, for starters.
Kudzu, privet, wisteria, poke weed, poison ivy, goose grass, trumpet vine, mulberry weed, golden rod, thistle, bindweed, wild blackberry, and some other stuff that grows 5 feet tall with seeds on the top. If it grows in the southeast it grows here. I am running a losing battle.
So is there a consensus as to the best string trimmer out there? I’m leaning toward dewalt, but open to suggestions. None if my current battery packs are compatible so that doesn’t help
I intentionally didn’t purchase a second battery for my lightweight B & D trimmer, after consideration, because one battery-worth of charge is all the time I want to spend in a session. It recharges quickly enough that I can get more done, if I really want to, later the same day. So it doesn’t bother me that it doesn’t take the same batteries as other tools.
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Since you are starting from square one not being already tied to a battery system, this video might be helpful to narrow down what is best for your planned use.
They have some recommendations but also go over the considerations on what to look for such as line speed, line mass, motor torque, cutting swath, run time, weight, etc.
I just got a Makita trimmer with a blade, to go with the batteries I already have for my Makita battery powered chainsaw (which I bought after seeing it recommended here, and I LOVE it). It arrived today and I used it for the first time. It works great! I might have to get the string attachment to do the backyard fence with the wire for dogs, but I did around the front yard fence and all they way down my long driveway today.
Same, I just don’t seem to have the height or reach for a pull start of anything, which is so annoying.
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I’m a big Ryobi fan - mainly because I have multiple fans for the dogs. But I branched ou
Put that sucker on the ground and put a piece of tape over the throttle if it needs a little vroom to get going. That should give you the pull length if all else fails.
Also, “drop” the machine while you pull the string. That gives you double power/pull.
I’m 5’1" and can get anything started. There was one push mower that had a timing issue at a job long ago that was tricky - I’d wheel it to the top of a hill and hold the string while letting gravity do the work, and it would start. (I asked my male colleagues exactly once to help me start it and they made fun of me mercilessly. Nope, I’ll work it out in the future)
I have a lot of electric stuff because I’m tired of maintaining engines.
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Mr LS is a mechanic by trade and loves our battery tools for the same reason. He loves not having more engines to mess with after work.
We have Dewalt tools; including two weed eaters. A 20v and 40v. The 40v has the interchangeable heads. We usually leave the blades on it. The 20v is much lighter and we use it in the lawn and garden spaces. The 40v handles tougher and bigger jobs in the horse and shop areas. We have a wheeled gas trimmer for anything gnarly out in the Wild Kingdom
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I have two different Ryobi battery powered weed whackers. I have six acres so definitely need multiple batteries, but also like multipe machines so I don’t have reload the “rope” mid project. One is the OneK 18v and the other is a smaller one. They both work great. I will say that the smaller (cheaper) one requires loaded canisters of the twine, which is expensive. The larger one as twine that comes in coils that you load into a spool–more difficult to load but last longer and are more heavy duty. If I were just getting one, I’d get the bigger machine. It will do tough thick stands of weeds. The smaller one is mostly for trimming grass. I’ve had both for six years and just had to buy more batteries. If you can afford to get two, get two. It’s nice to have them both loaded and extra batteries so you don’t have to break up your project.
I bought a Ryobi over the winter and used it to do my property twice. The battery only lasted 30 min which sucked but I was also ready for a break. The second time I went to weed wack the property this year, I started hearing a crackling noise and smelled something… next thing I knew is that the Ryobi was smoking up a storm. I’ll never buy another one.
Follow up. I bought the 16” power feed Ego. Love it. A little lighter than my Stihl and ran for 45 min with typical fence weeds. One caveat for a new buyer. By the blower (love it) combo bundle with the weed whacker. It’s basically the same price as the weed whacker with battery. Buying separately I now have 2 chargers (and 2 batteries).
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Slightly off topic: Anybody have recommendations for a battery powered lightweight hedge trimmer? I have forsythia and a burning bush that regularly need trimming!
We have the Dewalt one, Mr LS uses it mostly but I’ve used it myself on occasion. It works fine for its intended purpose.
@MsM - We also have a Dewalt hedge trimmer (used it yesterday to trim a huge cedar bush actually) and its amazing (we do have Dewalt everything though so keep with the same type for battery purposes).
