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Brushcutter recommendation please ...

Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
in Tools and techniques
Hello Everyone,

We need to buy a new brushcutter and would welcome any advice on good ones (or ones to avoid ).
Either petrol or rechargeable.

Many thanks,
Bee x
image
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    what are you planning on cutting? just grass or brambles , nettles etc? Some come with the option of a blade .
    Devon.
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hi @Hostafan,

    Yes ... brambles & nettles  ...also hogweed (not the giant one) and docks and ragwort.

    We garden on 3 acres, some of which is wild and we just strim paths through.

    Thanks,
    Bee 
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    We also have three acres, Bee witched, mostly wilderness and oak forest, terraced, lots of paths to strim. I’m very pleased with my Ego (lithium battery) brush cutter and strimmer - it’s a multi-tool so you can add hedge trimmer, lawn edger etc. The battery life is excellent, up to 40 minutes for the bigger battery, the fast charger is, well, fast. I also have the backpack battery carrier/harness which really relieves the load. The whole system is not cheap but a good investment if you have lots to do. The metal brush cutter is very effective against brambles and really rough, overgrown bits. I would never go back to a heavy, temperamental petrol version.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I've just bought a Stihl FS 55 and I'm very happy with it, but I'm not sure the line would tackle brambles etc. I wasn't interested in a blade so didn't look into "bigger" machines.
     
    The lady who keeps beehives on our land bought a Stihl battery strimmer and hates it. 40mins tops which she says runs out quicker than you think it should . She wishes she'd bought a petrol one.
    Devon.
  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    edited July 2020
    We had a Stihl which had a blade which was used on tough weeds and a saw blade which would cut through small trees. It was used to keep the perimeter with sloe hedges and many brambles ( used for jam before cutting back with  the brush cutter.) If you want to cut tough  long grass, make sure that what you choose takes the cord which is stat shaped in cross section.  A good brush cutter isn't cheap but makes life easier. 
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hi Guys and thanks for the info.

    We do like the look of the Ego one (but not the price ) ... however, within the last 12 months we've bought a hedge trimmer, lawn scarifier, and chainsaw.
    So if we were going to go down the battery route we maybe should have bitten the bullet before now.

    My OH has been looking at the Stihl petrol one ... and thinks we should go for this, so it's great to hear you are happy with yours Hostafan. We don't have that many brambles to deal with ... just a few that creep in from adjoining woodland .. so we could just hack those back and then keep them beyond the boundary.

    As strimming is a job I've delegated to OH ... I'm happy for him to have the final word (big of me eh!).

    Once again thanks both for sharing your experience.

    Bee x


    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    Just to add a further choice, I was given a petrol Ryobi with two heads - one for strimming, the other for brush cutting.  In terms of reliability, it's great but servicing places seem to get very snooty at the curved strimmer for some reason.  The brush cutter is straight and 'acceptable'.
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hi @nick615,

    Our one that has "died" is a Ryobi petrol. Can't complain ... it's now 20++ years old, and the only attention it has needed was a new spark plug.

    We're going to have a look at a few "in the flesh" ... always good to see how they feel to hold and use.

    Thanks for your suggestion.

    Bee x
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • Lemondrizzle1Lemondrizzle1 Posts: 21
    Hi,
    For £1 you can get one months free Which. They have reviews for strimmers so it may well be worth seeing what they recommend. 
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hi @janejennens,

    That's a really good idea ... thanks,
    Bee x
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
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