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Replies

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  phil smith yewtreelandscapes.com January 25, 2012 at 6:54pm

  agree with paul, try to buy secondhand stihl tools if thats your budget, no shame in buying used tools, also if you get any problems with stihl tools the parts are very easy to get.
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  David Cox January 25, 2012 at 7:50pm

  I would steer clear, they look to be identical to the generic Tools like Sanli / Etc that are all chinese made with Brand names "stuck on". As Paul points out they are false economy.

  I have tried this route in the past (with Ryobi incidentally) and found the Vibrations of these cheap tools to be So so high it was frankly dangerous to use - In one hour getting more vibraiton exp than a day with Stihl tools. The Hedge trimmer in this case also broke apart (literally the crank snapped) after 2 months of use. Waste of £175.

  I use the Stihl Kombi system for all my Long reach hedge trimming, Striming and Pole Pruning requirements, And have found it brilliant overall - If you get a spare Kombi Engine you have the backup so will not risk being without tools. Second Hand you should be able to get a KM85R engine unit and Strimmer head for under £350, try Ebay. Extra attachments are easy enough to come by new and used.
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  GORDON January 25, 2012 at 8:28pm

  I think you will be hard pressed to find anyone who would advocate the use of such unprofessional tools for professional use.

  There is no comparison to the quality of job, time taken , longevity and health benefits that a professional machine will give, even when second hand.

  If you are not experienced with ebay then I can advise that you can set up a seach alert and every time an item (each day) is listed you will receive an email which will take you directly to the new listings. You can edit the search down to items within a certain area if you would rather test before parting with any money. which to be honest is the best idea if you have the time.
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  andy @Doughty Garden Maintenance January 25, 2012 at 9:12pm

  I have to agree with the comments above Jason, and like you my budget is limited, but you will only have to replace it in a few months time.

  I bought a Ryobi hedgetrimmer last year and it was a nightmare from day 1(I was warned by members on here), leaking petrol, over revving, chattering blades, It's metal parts are now on my scrap heap,

  I managed to find a good dealer near me that sold me a brand new Husqvarna hedgetrimmer with £90 off the price, the quality is so much better you can actually feel it.

  I'd NEVER buy cheap crap again!!

  Hope you get something sorted mate.

   
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  David Cox January 25, 2012 at 9:14pm

  Just as a helping list, here are some makes of tool and how easy (I have have found) spares are to get, I've been looking into diff makes for my own reasons (Looking at 4 stroke engines and fuel economy).

  Stihl - Spares easy to get

  Husqvarna - Spares easy to get

  Honda - Spares easy to get

  Makita - Spares from some suppliers and may take a few days

  Echo - Spares for some tools easy to get, others very hard to get, esp older tools.
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  Paul McNulty January 25, 2012 at 10:02pm

  I've learned the hard way as well. You might think that you're going to use an "occasional" tool such as, in my case, a chainsaw, very little. But, I've bought cheap tools, and bought proper tools very soon afterwards to replace them. Having had to leave a job with broken equipment, try to repair it and fail, buy a replacement, go back and finish the job, lose more than the job was worth, you get the idea!

  My only advice is if you're going to buy anything less than professional quality machines, buy from a DIY warehouse like B&Q, at least that way you get your money back when it breaks within a few uses. If you're planning to use tools for more than, say, one season then pay the extra and buy the best. It's only sound investment, and pays back more than they cost up-front.

  Multi-tools? Personally I hate the idea, but I've just bought the Stihl combi with strimmer and hedge-cutter, as it's convenient to carry them in a shorter space in my van. It's all about what works best for you.
• PRO

  Jason Bright January 26, 2012 at 6:37am

  Thanks for the replies everyone, your opinions and comments are duly noted and appreciated.
  Looks like I'm going to go for second hand Stihl or Husqvarna.
  Thanks once again everybody
  
  regards
  Jason.
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  David Cox January 26, 2012 at 9:29am

  Jason,

  One thing about multi tools - to their advantage, is they are backwards compatable - so in a year or so's time you can buy a brand new Engine for a Stihl Combi, if you wanted, and keep your old second hand one as a spare etc - which minimises the cost.

  ebay has a few right now;

  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stihl-backpack-combi-/250979400890?pt=UK_...
  
  Jason Bright said:

  Thanks for the replies everyone, your opinions and comments are duly noted and appreciated.
  Looks like I'm going to go for second hand Stihl or Husqvarna.
  Thanks once again everybody
  
  regards
  Jason.