Garden Strimmers

[mjulian]

Has anyone recently bought a reliable garden strimmer please? My old Black & Decker one gave up last year. I replaced it with a Qualcast one which is absolutely useless - only cuts 3" before the cord snaps - and I seem to spend more time taking the reel off and feeding it through than I do cutting! Which magazine recommend a Ryobi RLT6030 Electric Grass Trimmer but, looking at reviews for this model, people either love it or hate it - with the same problem about the cord keeps snapping.

Anyone bought a strimmer - not too heavy - and a reasonable length - the Qualcast one is a bit short for me. Many thanks in advance for any help.

[woofgang]

I have got a GTech cordless one with plastic blades instead of string as I found the cords ones either jammed or the cord kept breaking. Its reasonably lightweight and has an adjustable length handle, they also do one that is a hedge trimmer and various other things as well.

[mjulian]

I didn't know you could get one with blades instead of cord. Are the blades any better - any easier to replace?!!!

[woofgang]

I prefer them they are a doddle to replace and cheap to buy. Used on grass and soft stuff they last quite well, they wear down if used against brick or anything hard but no problem at all to replace.

[Old_Geezer]

If they have blades, are they really a strimmer ? Sounds more like a miniature lawn mower.

I don't believe any of them are particularly durable. But I believe original manufacturers strings and blades tend to be better than the dodgy stuff DIY sheds sell under their own label. But do experiment for yourself.

[woofgang]

it does the same job as a strimmer OG, the blade is a piece of plastic shaped like an elongated pear, it rotates like the cord on a strimmer does.

[alavahalf]

It appears that you are willing to spend approx. £50 a year on strimmers that are useless. Why not spend a bit more and you will have one that will be reliable for many years and wont need the blades/cord replaced every time you use it. I bought the one shown below 4 years ago and I use it every couple of weeks to maintain the paths around 2 allotments (approx. 120 metres). It start's 2nd or 3rd pull and doesn't use a gallon of petrol over the whole season.

http://toolstoday.co.uk/stihl-fs50-c-e-grass-trimmer?gclid=CLbmppbdosUCFTPMtAodChUAwQ

On the long run it is a good investment because of the resale value due to being a recognised brand. People will queue up to buy a second hand Stihl and if it has been cleaned and looked after you will usually get £100 for a 4 year old privately owned model.

The only maintenance I have done with mine is to run it dry at the end of the season and don't store it with fuel in it. At the start of the season put fresh fuel in and off you go.
It's a no brainer .. it will cost you about £50-60 over 4 years for an ultra reliable bit of kit.