My parents own a house (let out) with a big garden, needs cutting a few times a year. Really a decent strimmer is the best way forward as it usually gets too long for a mower and has plenty of awkward bits! (long story)

Anyway, a petrol strimmer is tempting, but I gather they are not great if they get left unused regularly, and often need faffing with after the winter. Something I want to avoid...

Are there any good electric strimmers out there? say £150 ish? cordless would be hopeless, it took a hired-in bloke 2 1/2 hours last time it was done.....

Contractors all seem to use petrol.

The after lay up faff is usually down to petroil mix being left in and gumming up the carb as the fuel evapourates and leaves its gum, and the two stroke oil behind.

If you make sure the tank and carb are empty before any lay ups you should be OK.

I have a petrol hedge trimmer, and run it dry after use, and its been OK for the last 10 years or so.

4 stroke petrol strimmers are gaining popularity, might be worth a look?

Definitely petrol for that sort of area, with horns and a harness. Used 4 stroke Honda or Stihl, I see there are new Hyundai ones that look decent value if they maintain the reliability of their cars. Might need to stretch your budget a little though, and as mentioned, run it dry on petrol if only using occasionally.

petrol titan trimmer from screwfix. Reviews speak for themselves. Started mine at the weekend after lying up over winter. Didn't even change the old fuel. Started on maybe 10 stroke. Starts 2nd/3rd stroke now. Had it for 2.5 years no issues.

link

petrol is the way to go i recommend McCulloch but im sure you will get different views

My Dad has run a garden machinery business for 35 years - Personally a 2 stroke does it for me, preferably with a metal blade (just watch your feet) that'll trim most anything in front of it. I've had a Ryobi rechargeable for a few years and it's OK, but not brutal anough for my liking - it sounds like you will need something with some welly behind it.

I had a petrol ryobi for years was fantastic robust had a decent amount of grunt. I then drove over it by accident doh!. I bought another petrol ryobi to replace it but it's not a patch on the old one. Feels cheap plasticky and doesn't have the grunt of the old un. Wouldn't buy another.

OK, so avoid ryobi (and other cheaper models) and get a decent petrol jobbie, but leave it dry over the winter. Or probably after each use.
That I can do!

Thanks all.

Whatever you end up buying try to make sure it has the recoil starting rope on the back of the engine. If it's in front it's a good clue that it's a 'half crank' engine and they're nowhere near as robust. The bargain own branded types tend to be this inferior design.

I'm a Garden Machinery Mechanic, STIHL or Honda are definitely the way to go. I work on all sorts of strimmers all the time and its definitely a matter of you get what you pay for. As others have said, just ensure you don't leave fuel sitting in it during the winter and ensure your not using old fuel from the year before lol and it will be fine! They say fuel has a shelf life of about 3 months, after that period it begins to go stale. Also it sounds like it's going to be doing some more heavy duty work so ensure you purchase a straight shaft machine and not a bent shaft as the driveshaft is stronger and will cope with a blade or thick strimmer line

[Edited on 18/5/16 by JSArmstrong]

get a wheeled one for big jobs

http://www.mowdirect.co.uk/brushcutters-strimmers-line-trimmers/wheeled-strimmers-trimmer-mowers

we have one and they're the way to go, more power and bigger cutting width than you get with a hand held one