OT: Echo or Stihl Trimmer. What would you buy?

[Fordiesel69 199]

Echo SRM-225

or

Stihl FS 56 RC-E


Both are $199 straight shaft trimmers, and it appears the echo is lighter and better built, but the stihl seems to have more power in the youtube videos.  The dealers do not allow you to try before you buy, I already asked.  The echo has a secret adjustment screw to adjust the carb, and to do so you have to drill a plastic plug out.  On the Stihl it is adjustable H / L.

[Racinbob 10,256]

Personally I think it's a win-win situation. Both brands are top shelf and it's which ever you like best.

[oldredrider 2,547]

IMO Stihl is overrated. Had weed eaters and saws...hated them. Went the Husqvarna route and never looked back.

[WHX?? 46,633]

Given just the two I would go with the Stihl.  I have a few of their saws without alot of grief but  I know what old red is sayin. The echo is a throw away and the Stihl has a few more cc's I believe.  Both of them are one of their  "occasional" or "home owner" use models so don't expect too much out of either as them will not stand up to professional abuse well. I tend to stick to the pro grade models but then I have a huge area to deal with. Personally I would look at the Huskys but stay away from the Crapsmans at any cost.

[Jrblanke 840]

I have a PAS266 and I love it. I have heard nothing but good things about the SRM225. If it were not for the fact that I take mine down into the woods to cut ivy, or up to our property in the mountains to cut down 3' grass, at the campground, then I probably would have gone with the 225.

But as someone has already said, Stihl and Echo are proven machines. 

[russtiron 41]

My brother in law had a Stihl that wouldn`t run right ,so I looked at it for him and found the problem ,the carburetor is made in China so much for German engineering.

[MalMac 1,328]

I agree with oldredrider, I have had several Stihl saws, trimmers, blowers, The old ones worked not to bad, but the newer stuff that I have is on it's way out. Be no more Stihl stuff around here anymore. Way overrated in my opinion.

[Emerich Sales 0]

ECHO !!!!
 

[ericj 1,576]

all echo products at my house 3 or 4 weed whackers 2 chain saws and a hedge trimmer almost forgot 2 blowers ans 1 blower-vac echo all the way




eric j  

[Fordiesel69 199]

FS 56 video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxeAZHxxNZ0

Echo SRM-225
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHs62aMRJKM

If you listen to the engines, I seem to notice the echo bogs more in tall grass.  My GT-225 has the same engine, and it is really not that powerful.  Its a curve shaft and too short for me (I was an idiot trying to save $50).

I am really hearing a difference in power.

[19richie66 16,857]

If by some chance you do get the stihl, stay away from the "4mix" design. We have had them at work and we hated working on them. Why would you make a 2 stroke with rocker arms,valves? Todays fuel doesnt help either.

[rmaynard 14,853]

I have an Echo hand-held blower and Echo straight trimmer. I also have a Stihl chainsaw. They are all three 100% dependable. I was given a Troy-Bilt 4-cycle backpack blower a couple of years ago when my neighbor passed away. It's dependable, and it starts very easily, but the power to weight ratio is terrible.

I rented space a few years ago to a landscaping company. They swore by Echo, and each of their trailers was equipped with two Zero-turn Toro's, two Toro 21" walk-behinds, and a whole side rack of Echo straight trimmers and blowers. They did carry a Stihl saw in the back of the truck.

[Racinbob 10,256]

I'm disappointed seeing the comments on Stihl. It has been a while since I've really seen them put to the test. That would be 2004, the hurricane year. The Stihl's and Echo's put my thingy to shame. I had Echo trimmers and chainsaws up north and they were great. I guess I shouldn't comment on things that I haven't dealt with for years.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

I have had a Stihl FS 110R for four years. My advice is to spend the extra money and get a pro level trimmer. I have a Stihl chainsaw with the EasyStart and have mixed feelings. So my newest chainsaw is a Dolmar.

Edited June 15, 2015 by shallowwatersailor

[857 horse 2,581]

No one gave me a penny for my thoughts,,,,so here it goes....

no matter what small machines i've had....it always seems....if the carb is clean and you can adjust them...
they aways ran great....and they do need adjusting now and then.....

just my 2 cents  !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Spareparts 84]

We have had every brand available, cheap throw away's to the expensive ones at the golf course, The Stihl's are good but the replacement parts are expensive
and the people who use them don't take the best of care of them. The ECHO's have been the best so far. But we have found that if we use 91 octane in our small engines
they start easier, have more power, and less carb. problems. We use our trimmers more in one season that most people will use one in 3 yrs. The ECHO's hold up well.

[wh5208speed 602]

I have been doing some research on buying a 2nd trimmer. I currently have a Stihl FS250R and it is a beast. I have the need for using a brushcutter about 1x a month and switching back and forth between the string and brushcutter head gets old. I am leaning hard towards the FS110. I have a great relationship with my Toro dealer who carries Stihl. I run Stihl Chainsaw, Backpack blower, and Trimmer and have had no issues for the past 20 years
.

I would make only 2 points.
1. I agree with John Mattews. Buy the entry level Pro-Level. In fact, I would take a Echo Pro vs a Stihl consumer...... and I would buy a Stihl Pro vs an Eco consumer.
2. Know your local dealers and buy from the dealer you get the best service from, as both commercial models are good machines and used by professional landscape crews.

Thad (Ohio)

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,125]

Echo vs Stihl , have heard good thing about both.   I Bought an echo straight shaft trimmer/ weed wacker ten years ago and use it for trimming around the yard and wacking tall weeds down on my second lot.   I can honestly say that my Echo has never had a problem!!  The only items I've replaced are the spark plug , air filter and the bump head spool which in my opinion is a "wear and tear" item from when you use this machine as much as I have.    Still runs great.

Just my 2 cents

[alswagg 128]

Never had an Echo but a few Stihl with problems and very hard starting. Switched to Husqvarna a few years back from chainsaws trimmers blowers and yard vacs.  Easy starting no carb adjustments just keep on running.  My chainsaws are all 60 cc trimmrrs are 38cc 

[19richie66 16,857]

Most of the problems I see with our equipment at work are fuel related and user abuse. Lets face it if you treat it like crap thats what it will end up as. I have an old 30cc Green Machine weedeater that is at least 20 years old. Its a beast. Use good fuel, clean it after use(not with water) and it will last you a long time. 

[midpack 804]

I have an Echo PAS 266, absolutely love that machine!
I have the string trimmer attachment, pole saw, hedge trimmer, pro paddle, and an extension for when I'm trimming my (Christmas) fir tree in the front yard.
I got it from a landscaping dealer, Home Depot carries Echo, but not this model. It was gassed up and they started it before i left to make sure everything was good.
the 266 has great power, starts right up every time.
I do have to admit I like the shoulder strap from Stihl better, the dealer gave me one free... lol, riiiight... I'm sure I paid for it with all the stuff i got there

[Ken B 3,116]

I just bought an Echo String trimmer, not sure what model but it cost 160 at Home Cheapo. It does bog down when you get to the taller grass. I bought the Echo because my Stihl needs a new carb. The trim was already 3 weeks over due for a cut at my house and the old lady was really startin to make some racket. I will eventually get to the carb on the Stihl, it isn't a commercial model but it has a lot more nut than the Echo. When it comes to back pack blowers and chainsaw's its all Stihl for me. (Though the Dolmar saws do have my interest) I do have an Echo trim saw that is probably 15 yrs old that I use all the time and it has been excellent. I recently bought the 550 dollar back pack blower from Home Cheapo to use for cleanups at work. It weighs a TON and doesn't have nearly the power as my 20 yr. old Stihl Br 400 back packer that also seems to weigh half as much as the Echo. That old BR 400 has a gazillion hrs. on it. It spent many yrs. cuttin grass commercially but it can't be killed. I have never even had to take the carb apart! I'm going to have to find that secret adjustment carb screw on the Echo because mine for sure needs it...

[can whlvr 991]

we use sthils ahd husquvarna concrete saws at work,i dislike the huskye due to being bulky and unbalanced,both have problems with the carbs all the time,we use them ALOT,apples and oranges really,just like the echos and sthils weedwacker,both have good and bad,I do like the older sthil weedwhackers but arnt worth fixing anymore

[Fordiesel69 199]

Well......I have thought about it, and being my Dad, and I both own Echo GT-225 curved shaft trimmers (that are indeed undersized for our tasks) would it make sense to take the plunge on the SRM-225 straight shaft, that way if anything engine related breaks, I will have a spare? 

[Wheel-N-It 2,967]

I've owned two string trimmers over the years. The first was an Echo straight shaft. I bought it in 1989 and ran the heck out of it with both string and a brush cutter blade until 2009 when one day the ignition unit died.  The part by then was no longer available so I bought a commercial grade Red Max. That thing has insane power for a string trimmer, and you almost need body armor to operate it safely.