I gave up on 2-stroke power equipment, hello 40v cordless trimmer!

After fighting two different 2-stroke trimmers I remembered why I hate 2-stroke engines.

So yesterday I bought this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-40-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Attachment-Capable-String-Trimmer-RY40220/204589659

Cordless, brushed motor, 40 volt lithium battery, straight shaft, with ability to use trimmer attachments. The last part is important, as they have a similar unit that doesn't have the attachment ability.

Last night I took it for a test and I am impressed. It laid waste to the strip of underbrush along my fence way better than my old corded unit could. You can tell it isn't 1:1 with a gas unit, but it is darn close. For what I need I am quite happy with it.

I'm going to try my FIL's brush cutter attachment on it (even though it says not to) just to see what happens. After that I'm going to cruise CL for a used ECHO PAS blower attachment and any brand tiller attachment.

Price was $169 plus tax, so $180 out the door. Considering I have never bought a brand new trimmer in my life I figured it was time to spend real money.

Nice. I was looking at another cordless trimmer at THD the other day - the Echo 58V model. It was a bit more expensive, but the same batter can also run a 16" chainsaw. While I have a gas chainsaw, it can be tedious to use. Echo is also selling a 58V lawn mower than might be able to handle my moderately sized yards.

Granted, my old B&D cordless trimmer is still getting the job done for trimming, so hard to justify right now.

Would you please update this post in a month or two? A lot of us would like to hear about what you've found with regards to this trimmer when you've had it a while and have uncovered various foibles about it, both pro and con.

I have a 18V trimmer that shares batteries with all my other power tools and I love it. It does 90% of what I could ask it for though next time I will spring for a more powerful 40v like you have. Mine is a little over a year old.

foxtrapper wrote: Would you please update this post in a month or two? A lot of us would like to hear about what you've found with regards to this trimmer when you've had it a while and have uncovered various foibles about it, both pro and con.

Yup, I'll let everyone know how it goes.

slefain wrote: After fighting two different 2-stroke trimmers I remembered why I hate 2-stroke engines. Considering I have never bought a brand new trimmer in my life I figured it was time to spend real money.

Used 2-stroke trimmers? Could this be the reason for your disappointment?

Glad your new one is sweet and doing the job.

I replaced my Stihl FS55 after 13 years with this: Redmax TR2350S. Weighs 9.5 lbs. Two years old and starts on the second pull every time. I only use non-ethanol fuel with mix.

Nothing is more reliable than a properly tuned two stroke. It's not the engine design, but probably the carburetor that you hate. Nonetheless, I have and have recommended a cordless trimmer in the past and nobody would believe me when I said how well they work.

I honestly just don't have the time to mess with a 2-stroke. Yeah, the ones I have were all used but initially worked well for a season. I had moderate luck with just cleaning them and swapping out parts, but I realized I wasted hours doing that when I could have been doing much more important things. I tried a 4-stroke trimmer but it was heavy as hell and shook like a mofo. And it needs maintenance as well. So I put my money where my mouth is and bought the product that fits my situation.

If I'm going to get back into 2-strokes, it will be with another Kyosho Inferno. Love that shift into high gear.

Just made the switch to 4-stroke myself. I have a big yard so dragging a cord with electric isn't in the plan. Battery just doesn't have the lasting power for me. Started with a Ryobi 2-stoke that takes attachments. Accumulated most of the attachments. After a few years use I got tired of fighting the engine so bought a Troybilt 2-stroke that uses the same attachments. Gave me trouble free use for several years. Till last week when the shaft started smoking and dragging the engine down. Replaced it with a 4-stoke Troybilt that uses attachments. Now no longer have to have 2 gas cans, one straight gas and the other pre-mix for 2-stroke. Although now I'll probably need a bigger gas can. Rider mower, push mower, weedeater and tiller.

Still have both the old ones. Troybilt with good motor but bad shaft. Ryobi with bad motor but good shaft. What are the chances that I can swap shafts and end up with another good one?

In reply to slefain:

You must have bought the wrong 2-stroke equipment. Like Zomby said, they are the most reliable. I have several pieces of 2-stroke equipment, and none of them ever fail to start on the first or second pull.

I get it, I get it. 2-stroke is superior and far more reliable. Fine. It still isn't for me. I'll let everyone know how my inferior purchase pans out as the summer goes along.

In reply to slefain:

I'm with you. Berk 2-stroke engines. Make a god-damn 2-stroke engine that won't clog up on ethanol gas mix. I'm not driving half-way accross the berking county to get non-ethanol gas.

I have 2 of the bastard things. My chainsaw is a mofo to get started. I'm sure the year or three it sits between getting run doesn't help, but what am I supposed to do? Start it every month or so just for the hell of it? My RedMax back-pack blower is a better, but it at least gets started once a year when I go to my mother's house to move leaves.

In reply to Ian F:

I run 10% ethanol gas in mine. I've never had a problem as long as I run them out of gas at the end of the season, which is what you are supposed to do anyway. My hedge trimmer about once a year needs the muffler cleaned out, but other than that my trimmer, 2 saws, and blower are pretty much flawless. The key for me was, after years of having trouble, buying quality products in the first place.
I'm not faulting the use of electric tools, just trying to clarify that some 2 stroke engines run just fine all the time.

Are the higher end 2 and 4-stroke ones less obnoxious about vibration? I've got a Ryobi, and I can't use it for more than 20 minutes without feeling like my hands are about to fall off.

In reply to scardeal:

I had a Tanaka trimmer for about 20 years, and finally replaced it a few years ago with a 4-stroke Stihl. Although it's 4-stroke, it uses mixed gas just like the 2 strokes. The benefit is it's quieter with a lot less vibration. The down side is its a little heavier, but I have a bad back and it doesn't bother me. As an aside, mine has detachable tools, which is pretty cool.

Yes! They have tighter tolerances during manufacture since there are designed for heavy usage. Most dealers will let you try one out. You can tell right away if there is a vibration. However, you will pay more. My Redmax was around $289.

I would be curious how good the battery is after a few years. How much are spare batteries?

I will likely pull the trigger on one of these this weekend too.

I have the landscaping setup at my house so that it's all done via riding mower (smooth woodchip edge banks, no grass up to fixed objects/fences, no tight corners...).

Everything EXCEPT now we have a swingset/play structure in the back yard. I don't really want a giant mulch bed all around this, so I really only have a small amount of weed whacking to do. I figure a battery operated one would be ideal for this.

aircooled wrote: I would be curious how good the battery is after a few years. How much are spare batteries?

My B&D seems to be holding up ok. It came with two batteries. One lives in the tool, the other on the charger. I usually trim every other mowing. I run the unit down to the point where the string stops cutting and then swap the batteries. I've had it about 5 years now (some day I'll start to sharpie buy-dates on these things...).

I've been looking at buying the blower that uses the same batteries. It's usually the cheapest way to get more batteries and I could use the blower for clearing clippings off my sidewalk (not worth dragging my back-pack blower out for).

I have a B&D 20V trimmer. It came with 2 batteries which works OK. I sometimes can't get all the work done that I need to. (I do my neighbors lawn as well)But in the past couple of weeks when I visited my local Menards I found a couple of the B&D 20V batteries for sale for $25! They were loose and in the clearance section for some reason. I took each one to the garden tool area and checked that the battery was good by plugging it into the B&D trimmer on display. They both worked and I now have 4 of these batteries. They go for at least $45 each on line and more in the stores.

I'm starting my 3rd year on my B&D trimmer. no problems. As above.

When the last 2cyle trimmer that was California rated took 5 minutes of running on the choke before I could use it was the last straw after two others.

I'm happy now.

aircooled wrote: I would be curious how good the battery is after a few years. How much are spare batteries?

I have a B&D 40v lithium string trimmer that this is my 3rd year using. I do the trimming every week. 175' of fence in the back yard and 300' of edging along the sidewalks in front. I have two batteries but can usually get the job done with one. I am still on the original two batteries I bought and they show no signs of wearing out.

My FIL has a B&D that I tried out. I really liked it, and it would be awesome for my weekly trimming as it seemed quite light. My only concern would be my fall cleanup that includes cutting down some thick ornamental grass. I'm guessing I could just put a metal blade on and be fine for that. I just keep getting "free" 2 strokes though! I have a Ryobi and a Troy Bilt currently. Ryobi needed fuel and I adjusted the mixture a bit; other than the awful vibration and the stock head being a POS it just won't die. Troy Bilt needed a carb and I tuned it. I've only used the leaf blower attachment so far.

With your attachment system, does it take the standard attachments?

Ian F wrote: In reply to slefain: I'm with you. Berk 2-stroke engines. Make a nicolas cage-damn 2-stroke engine that won't clog up on ethanol gas mix. I'm not driving half-way accross the berking county to get non-ethanol gas. I have 2 of the bastard things. My chainsaw is a mofo to get started. I'm sure the year or three it sits between getting run doesn't help, but what am I supposed to do? Start it every month or so just for the hell of it? My RedMax back-pack blower is a better, but it at least gets started once a year when I go to my mother's house to move leaves.

Run 32:1 in them, only buy stuff with an adjustable carb. The extra oil keeps gunking soft and prevents corrosion, you can leave it all winter full of fuel, and worst case you get it running rough in a few pulls, work the choke in and out a few times, and the gunk is pulled through and it runs great. I don't even use stabil in the 2 stroke fuel jug.

Tip for making the 2 strokes more livable - get an ultrasonic cleaner. I had a 30 year old homelite chainsaw that wouldn't fire. Not feeling like dealing with it, I took it to the local ace who has a small engine shop. $189 to look at it. Nope. Brought it home, pulled the carb off, pulled the side plate off the carb, pulled the diaphragm rubber off, and threw all three pieces in the ultrasonic for an hour. Put it back together and it cranked on the second pull. I was amazed at what a simple makeover it was.