Strimmer Recommendations

[vikkib]

I've been lucky enough to be given an allotment (1/2 size) and I desperately need to get a strimmer.

I'll be using it for edging the paths mainly. At the moment there's some long grass (6"-12"), dead nettles and dandelions to be got rid of.

Money is a consideration at the moment.

There's just so many out there and I'm not sure if any of the cheaper one's (£30-£40ish) would have enough ooomph!

Any recommendations gratefully received.

[Two_Sheds]

There are about a dozen old threads on this (search for strimmer). Here's one to get you started: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...nes_17964.html

and another: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...mer_31789.html


I just use shears. I can be finished deadheading the weeds before my neighbour has managed to fire up the petrol strimmer

[SarahStrawberry]

I bought a Spear and Jackson petrol strimmer last year from Argos from around £70. I live on a farm so we have lots of weedy areas that need tidied up. It's been great, i've no complaints, it's lightweight enough for me to use, starts with a couple of pulls and is amazingly powerful for its size (I'm not allowed near the flowers with it though!!)

[Glutton4...]

I prefer shears for lawn edges, and a cutter/spade once a year to tidy them up. If it's path edges between raised beds, however, a strimmer can't be beaten. Good luck on your search.

[WrexTheDragon]

Think about a brushcutter instead of a strimmer.

Ryobi do a 30cc petrol brushcutter at £149.

It supports all the Expand It range:
◦Line Trimmer Attachment.
◦Hedge Trimmer Attachment.
◦Pruner Attachment.
◦Blower Attachment.
◦Cultivator Attachment.
◦Edger Attachment.
◦Extension shaft.

[SawPaw]

Hi

I have the Ryobi battery version. It's powerful enough for my lottie and gets quite a lot of use at home also.

[smallblueplanet]

What price/model no. is your cordless Ryobi SawPaw? I've been wondering if a cordless might be easier than petrol for strimming the edges of the raised beds?

[SawPaw]

I've had mine for a couple of years now but it looks identical to this one. I have had no problems with it and find it strims really well.
http://www.ryobi-direct.com/acatalog...e_Trimmer.html

(If the link is not allow please advise and I will try someting else).

[SarzWix]

Links are fine for recommendations SawPaw, we just don't like them if the postee is profiting for it in some way, as it then comes under 'advertising' rules

[cptncrackoff]

Working in the garden machinery trade... (this is the bit where I say cheap machines are rubbish and a false economy, upset alot of people and every woman, man, child and beast pops up to point out that they once bought a yang-ping strimmer for £2.99 and its great!!) *off topic*

My recommendation is an entry level stihl - fs 40 ideal for light use on mainly grass with the occassional thistle/bramble thrown in. Shop around and pick one up for £115-£120.

[rushall rob]

Strimmers - what am I doing wrong?

I bought a Flymo Lite 250+ (petrol) a year or so back and it has never worked satifactorily after the first couple of goes. The automatic spooler (where you tap it on the ground during operation and fresh line comes out) is a joke. I tried just about every thickness of line available - nothing, just frustration and disappointment. This year I bought a preloaded spool from Flymo. And guess what? It worked for a couple of goes and now that the pre-loaded thread has run out it won't auto-spool with any thickness line I put on it. If I have to buy a new, pre-loaded spool every time it runs out I might as well give up my allotment - I can't afford it (mine's layed out to beds with a network of paths in between). I admit I am not using the guard. This is because my paths are too narrow. But how would that affect the auto-spool thingy?

[SarzWix]

Go to a proper lawn-mower/garden machinery place, and get the more expensive line. Take your strimmer with you to make sure you get the right thickness. It really does make a difference, ours was exactly the same as yours and we bought every type going from the garden centre. It was only when we took it into the specialist place for a repair that we discovered that was the problem. The cheaper stuff warms up and then it doesn't spool properly.

[rushall rob]

many thanks. That sounds like good advice. Glad I didn't throw it in the pond now!