Electric strimmer recommendations wanted

[usenet]

I want to buy a new electric strimmer. We already have a big petrol one (which is also a brush cutter) but I want a more convenient and lighter one to use mostly around lawns etc. Price isn't really an issue, even the most expensive electric strimmers only seem to be £100 or so, however unless there's a real reason to go to a very expensive one I'm probably looking at the £40 to £50 range.

Requirements are:-

Must be reasonably light, the whole point is for it to be much easier than the petrol one to use.

Autofeed of strimmer line

Possible a tilting head to make it easy to use for edging as well.

Some questions:- How good are the automatic line feed systems now? I see that B&D have a completely automatic system where you don't even have to click a button to get more line. Does this work well?

Do the strimmers with wheels (optional) work well, it sounds quite a good idea to take some of the weight off the user but is it practical?

Are the Bosch models with light and heavy strimmer line any good?

What makes do people recommend, there seem to be mainly B&D, Bosch, Draper and Viking (approximately that order in price too).

[Phil L]

[e-mail] wrote: :: I want to buy a new electric strimmer. We already have a big :: petrol one (which is also a brush cutter) but I want a more :: convenient and lighter one to use mostly around lawns etc. Price :: isn't really an issue, even the most expensive electric strimmers :: only seem to be £100 or so, however unless there's a real reason :: to go to a very expensive one I'm probably looking at the £40 to :: £50 range. :: :: Requirements are:- :: :: Must be reasonably light, the whole point is for it to be much :: easier than the petrol one to use. :: :: Autofeed of strimmer line :: :: Possible a tilting head to make it easy to use for edging as :: well. :: I've got a Flymo & trim edge which I've used regularly for almost 15 years....Flymo are not really synonymous with lawn care but they excell at cheapo strimmers!...it has a wheel, head tilting and auto feed...quite powerull too for a leccy tool.

:: Some questions:- :: How good are the automatic line feed systems now? I see that :: B&D have a completely automatic system where you don't even :: have to click a button to get more line. Does this work well? ::

I can't imagine it works at all, mine also has this feature although I've only ever known it to work once or twice, most often it's ust a matter of pulling the plastic cover and feeding it through which takes less than a minute anyway.

:: Do the strimmers with wheels (optional) work well, it sounds :: quite a good idea to take some of the weight off the user but :: is it practical? ::

Yes they do, mines got a wheel on the bottom and after you've been using it for 20 mins or so you are glad of it!

:: Are the Bosch models with light and heavy strimmer line any :: good? :: :: :: What makes do people recommend, there seem to be mainly B&D, Bosch, :: Draper and Viking (approximately that order in price too). ::

As I said, I've only had one and it's a Flymo....I'm assuming that they are all virtually the same - this has been used for 15 years without trouble and the replacement line is cheap too.

There's a picture of one here with specifications:

'd probably get one cheaper than that, this was the first link I found.

HTH

[Phil L]

Please say if you are directing follow ups to a different group, X-posted and FU's set to URG