Does anyone have any experience of buying/using a cordless strimmer?
Are rechargeable ones completely useless?
Are petrol ones always a fortune?
Thanks,
Sarah.
Cordless things that runs on batteries are always a bit crap in my opinion. Had a terrible time using a cordless strimmer (died after fifteen minutes or so of hard-core nettle chopping!). Borrowed a petrol strimmer, which was fantastic to use. I think they are rather expensive though :(
There's one in argos for £80 (http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=2501&productId=101637&Trail=C$cip=16641>C$cip=16699&categoryId=16699). They did have a few more last year, but obviously they weren't big sellers.
i bought a battery charged one from B&Q, £30 i think, and its quite useless down at the allotment. the charge time is quite poor really about half an hour before it starts running down. Its is okay for a bit of light trimming in the garden bout not the tougher kind of weeds i breed at the lottie!!
i think my next purchase is one of those push lawn mowers, i had a go with a neighbours one and it was quite effective.
Anyone else use one?
If you have anything more than lawn edges etc to deal with, & assuming you can get away with 115 db noise, & assuming you have some mechanical ability, I would always go for petrol. Mobility + .75kw/1hp are my guidelines for the amateur gardener.
Ours is a 30cc Ryobi & it copes with some pretty rough stuff. About £120-140 I think. It's nice to have 'push-button' line feed. = Tim
This has been covered before, and I can only say my 12v B&D does a fair job. Not as powerful as a petrol engined one but not as expensive either. Running costs are lower, maintenance is near zero and there is no need to store hazardous fuels. Having said that, if someone offered me a petrol strimmer I'd take it!
I use my battery one for some quite heavy work now and then and running time is around 15/20 mins which is just about enough time to go round the plot. If you do go for a battery model, go for a well known make and go for the highest voltage you can get. I think there's an 18v one out now.
I recently bought a strimmer off e-bay, including p+p for £70. it is a Trimmac210 and is petrol driven. i use it for grass cutting, nettles ,docks and anything else i can find.
Perfomance Geek'? Anything about it you don't like? Weight, balance etc?
The better battery ones are a lot heavier?? = Tim
In reply to Kenkew, I did not realise that a full performance specification was required, all i know is that is does the job intended and is not to heavy for a man or a woman. It is economical and has not caused any problems in the way of fires but caution must be observed when storing petrol.
I would assume i am getting around 10 allotments to a tankfull on unleaded.
Sarah-b
I acquired a petrol-driven strimmer off a carboot sale. The seller even had petrol in it to demonstrate it works. It's a Flymo make with 35cc engine and for a five foot five female like myself is very easy to use. It's also not too bulky so I can easily manouvre it in and out of the car (cos it lives in the garage when not in use).
I only buy petrol for the strimmer as and when I need it and keep the petrol for the strimmer in it's own can which is clearly labelled. £5 petrol cleared the 5-foot high bindweed/thistles/couchgrass which covered 2/3 of my plot.
As a side benefit of the strimmer is the help I can give to some of the other plot holders. In return for keeping paths and plot edges tidy I've received seedlings/cuttings. Another plot holder rotovated my plot in return for me strimming the weeds on his new, 2nd plot.
I did originally baulk at the £45 price tag but now feel the purchase is worth every penny.
CC
I'd say you got yourself a bargain there CC, :D I spotted one at a Car Boot Sale that looked a bit old and rusty with a £60 price tag on it. :o
Has anyone purchased an 18 Volt strimmer as I have noticed Argos sell a Black n Decker one for just £60 and was just wondering if they performed much better than the 12 volt that Ken has? ???
Roy 8)
Hi. I recently bought a Ryobi strimmer from Argos for £75 (on special at the moment) - see: http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=2501&productId=101637 (http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=2501&productId=101637)
It's pretty good for allotment work. Not too heavy, starts easily (if you follow the instructions and remember to switch the "stop" switch back on again - d'oh!), and doesn't seem to be too thirsty for fuel either.
I also noticed that B&Q (I think it was) sell a graduated 2-stroke mixing bottle (I saw it next to their strimmers) that means you can mix the oil and petrol a small batch at a time (as you're supposed to, apparently). Useful.
PS: I went for a petrol strimmer over a re-chargeable one having seen (and heard) other plotholders at our site struggling with battery strimmers - they sound very feeble. More Power!!! Grrrr.... ;D
Hi Sarah-b :)
After a lot of research and dallying I recently bought a Black and Decker 18 volt cordless strimmer from B&Q for £60. I`m very pleased with it, its not a brush cutter but it tidies the most neglected parts of my lottie and trims my paths without difficulty. I have bramble shoots that it removes easily and all the usual like nettles and dock. I like the way the lottie looks less neglected now. It only runs for about 20 mins on a charge but thats enough as I don`t want to spend all day strimming.
I have to carry it for a half hour walk each time I go to the lotties and don`t find it too heavy as its well balanced.
(Even after a work-related injury to my hand which caused partial loss of feeling in a finger for four months I`ve had no problems carrying or using it)
I leave the detachable handle on the plot and take the battery out and carry that with other things in a rucksack.
Some people here use battery models and some use petrol. I wouldn`t want to fuss with a petrol engine, but most people seem happy with their own choices. best of luck with yours :)
Col
I bought a petrol brushcutter with blade and line from Argos for £100 made by McCulloch. Prefer petrol as I like the power behind it. Battery operated just doesn't cut it for me (pardon the pun). Managed to clear an acre plot of land in an afternoon with the brushcutter. But each to their own.
TrailRat
There were several types on that famous internet aution site beginning with "e" ... not sure whether I am aloud to use the full name ???
May be worth looking there ... did seem cheap but I didn't look at any postal charges ....
Yes - I saw some there too.
Since starting this thread, I went to the Allotment Soc AGM and asked if there couldn't be a shared strimmer for plot holders. Two plot holders then turned round and said I could share theirs - so think that problem is solved.
Sarah.