Hello i am looking to buy a new trimmer this week because i am sick of dealing with box store junk. The models i am looking at are Stihl fs91, Husqvarna 324l, Honda 25cc model, Echo srm225 and shindaiwa t242x. Do you guys have any recommendations?
I would recommend the Husqvarna 525L, 525LS or 525LST. Lightweight, amazing anti-vibration system and tons of power. I have the 525L and love it.
I don't buy Echo or Shindaiwa products because the carburetors are not adjustable. You can't fine tune the engine to get the best performance. I was given a 1 year old Echo PE-225 edger by a friend, and I was so disgusted with it that I sold it. Started easy, but it took a whole minute to warm up, and when it did finally warm up it wasn't very powerful.
The Honda and the Husqvarna 324L are good trimmers, but very heavy due to the 4-cycle engine. If you're interested in either one, make sure to test it out before buying. A trimmer that heavy can wear you out fast!
The Stihl FS 91 is a very good trimmer (as are most of Stihl's professional products.) I also considered a Stihl when I was shopping, but I went with the Husqvarna 525 because I wanted the lightest weight commercial trimmer I could buy. Keep in mind though that Stihl only sells parts through their dealers - you can't order them online.
I am a commercial operator. I'm not affiliated with Husqvarna in any way, they have earned my recommendation solely through my experience with their products.
I ran my Husqy 4 times yesterday. No telling how many times I'll use it today.
Before you move forward, let's get something straight. There are 3 models of 525 trimmer:
525L: This is the base model. (Base isn't the best term to use, all of these trimmers are high end commercial units.)
525LS: This is the heavy duty model. It has a solid driveshaft, metal engine guard, and it is 0.13 HP more than the 525L. Don't know why, as the engine parts are exactly the same. :confused2:
525LST: This is basically a 525LS with a different gearbox. The gearbox on this model is geared lower, which means that the trimmer head spins slower but has more torque.
You don't need the LST unless you're going to cut brush or remove the operator guard to run longer line. (I don't recommend removing the operator guard, but some people do it anyway.) If you try to run the LST like a regular trimmer, you'll be annoyed with the results. You will end up using a lot more gas and the strings won't cut as clean due to decreased speed.
If you're just doing regular trimming, the 525L should be just fine. For the record, it's the one I bought and I have more than enough power for 99% of the jobs I do.