Need Help Choosing the Best Gas Weed Eater for 2018?

If your lawn is beginning to look more like a jungle than a lawn you may well be considering buying a gas weed eater – also known as a string trimmer. The great thing about weed eaters is you can use them to cut the grass, but you can also use them to take out large areas of weeds, easily and quickly.

Which is the best gas weed eater 2018?

Model	Diameter Cutting Area	Weight	Size
Husqvarna 128LD 17-Inch	17-inch	11 lbs	28cc engine	See Price
Homelite 26cc	17-inch	14.15 lbs	26cc Engine	See Price
Tanaka TCG24EBSP 2-Cycle	17-inch	10.8 lbs	23.9 cc Engine	See Price
Hitachi CG23ECPSL 22.5cc 2-Cycle	8-inch	10.3 lbs	22.5cc Engine	See Price
Poulan Pro 967105301 25cc 2 Stroke	17-inch	14 lbs	25cc Engine	See Price

Of course, it goes without saying that you can buy a wide range of products and to decide what will be best for you, you will need to take some important factors into consideration.

Key Factors to Consider to help you Choose:

Is a Gas or Electric Weed Eater Best?

In the case of string trimmers, in almost 100% of cases, gasoline weed eaters are by far the better option.

A battery powered or an electric tool with a lead has limitations to where you can use them. The battery options limit how long you can use the machine for before you have to take it inside to recharge. Then the ones with a lead are limited by the length of the lead and the inconvenience of working around the lead.

The gas machines can be simply refilled if you run out of fuel, and there is no need to have an annoying lead getting in the way while you work. The gas machines are also more powerful and will give a much better long lasting performance.

If you have a very small garden, want a very light machine for health reasons, or you have a low budget an electric weed eater may be a good choice for you.

If you have the budget a gas weed eater is a worthwhile investment.

Power/Fuel – Four-Stroke or Two-Stroke Engine

The next choice to make is in regards to the fuel you use in the machine. Most machines will have a two-stroke engine this means you have to mix oil and gas (according to the instructions). If you don’t like the extra job of mixing the gas and oil then you would need a four-stroke engine that you can just put fuel into. In the case of the four-stroke engines, you still need to put oil, just in the separate compartment.

For most people with an average sized garden and a medium/ low budget the two-stroke engine will be perfectly satisfactory once you get used to the setup.

If you are going to be using your weed eater for your work, or you have a large area of land with a lot of unruly plant growth, you may want to invest in a four-stroke engine that will give you the extra power and strength to tackle larger areas and to use the machine regularly without it breaking.

The String – How it Loads and the Diameter

Another important factor to consider is the string itself. The diameter comes in various lengths with the longer lengths able to cut large areas quickly.

As you work the string gets shorter as it breaks off with the work it is doing. You need to periodically lengthen the string to maintain the best cutting diameter of the string. This mechanism can be:

• Manual – the least convenient but the cheapest
• Push – a good option for people who want to spend in the mid-range. You tap the ground and the machine releases more string
• Automatic – the automatic option is the easiest option and will also be fitted in the machines with the higher prices.

Weight of the Weed Eater

When using your weed eater for a long period of time the weight of the machine is worth considering. Some machines can be lighter and easier to manage. Some will be heavier because they are a more heavy duty machine. A useful extra to purchase can be a shoulder harness which can help you manage a heavier machine.

Sound

When you are working in your yard the sound level which weed eaters produce can be significantly noisy. Therefore, it is worth considering when you are choosing your product the level of noise your machine will generate. It should also go without saying that wearing ear protectors while you work is recommended.

Curved or Straight Shaft

A straight shaft can reach into a multitude of places and areas and the curved shaft is more difficult to use if you want to use it under obstacles. The straight shaft has a longer reach and the curved shaft has a closer reach – which can be a benefit sometimes.

The curved shaft is cheaper while the straight shaft is more expensive.

Another advantage of the straight shaft is you can often buy different attachments for the shaft, which makes the product more versatile.

You May also be Unsure How to Use the Machine:

If so, once you have chosen your machine then have a look at the useful WikiHow – how to use a weed wacker

Our Reviews:

To make your life easier we have chosen five excellent products to review. Each choice has different features and there are options to suit different budgets and needs:

#1: Husqvarna 128LD 17-Inch Straight Shaft Detachable String Trimmer, 28cc

This is a good quality weed eater with a number of handy features.

There is an “air purge” that removes air from the carburetor, which helps to start the machine easily.

The other cool feature is that you can detach the trimmer from the shaft and buy other machine parts to attach to the end. If you are using a range of power tools then this nifty feature will be very useful.

For a homeowner with a medium to large outdoor space this tool is a good choice and for the price, you are getting a good quality machine with the potential to save you money when purchasing other tool attachments as well – such as a hedge trimmer.

I think the main negative is going to be that the price is not within everyone’s range. However, if you can afford it this machine should be a reliable choice and last for many years.

#2: Homelite 26cc Gas Powered 17 in. Curved Shaft Trimmer

This product is a good budget product, however, you have to be realistic it may not last as long as other more expensive choices. The curved shaft means you cannot buy other attachments to fit onto it.

The feed loader for the string is the bump loader style so this is better than manual loaders when you have to stop the machine to pull more length of string from the machine.

This is a light machine so will make a good choice for you if you want more power than an electric model but you don’t want to get a gas weed eater that is too heavy.

For a homeowner with a small to medium outdoor space, this tool is a good choice and will cost and weigh less than other more expensive models.

I think the main negative is going to be that the machine will not handle very heavy use and you may not be able to expect many years from the product. However, if you can’t afford the larger models or want a lightweight machine, this should make a good choice.

#3: Tanaka TCG24EBSP 2-Cycle Gas String Commercial Grade Trimmer, 23.9cc

This is the daddy of the five weed eaters I am reviewing for you or at least the most expensive! This model is not the model with the most powerful engine but it has some features that will be invaluable, especially for people who plan to use their weed eater for work.

One particularly useful feature is the anti-vibration steel shaft. There is also extra padding on the handles making using it a more comfortable experience. This product will be particularly helpful for people who will use their weed eater regularly and for long periods of time.

For consumers, there is a 7-year warranty, for commercial users a 2-year warranty, which gives some reassurance when putting your hand in your pocket.

For a homeowner with a medium to large outdoor space, or people who work in landscaping this tool is an excellent choice. You will get a good quality machine for the price and some benefits which support heavy-duty use.

I think the main negative is going to be that the price is not within everyone’s range. However, if you can afford it this machine should be a reliable choice and should last for many years.

#4: Hitachi CG23ECPSL 22.5cc 2-Cycle Gas Powered Solid Steel Drive Shaft String Trimmer

This product makes a good choice for people with a medium budget. The product is a good quality with a strong engine and a straight shaft. The product has an anti-vibration system so this makes a good choice for people who may want to use the machine for long periods of time.

The machine is not the strongest on the market but the quality/ price ratio is a good one and this machine will make a good choice for a lot of people.

For consumers, there is a 7-year warranty, for commercial users a 2-year warranty, which gives some reassurance when putting your hand in your pocket.

For a homeowner with a medium to large outdoor space with a medium budget, this tool is an excellent choice. You will get a good quality machine for the price and some benefits (anti-vibration, easy start), which support heavy-duty use.

I think the main negative is going to be that the price is not within everyone’s range. However, if you can afford it this machine should be a reliable choice and should last for many years.

#5: Poulan Pro 967105301 25cc 2 Stroke Gas Powered Straight Shaft Trimmer

This is an excellent product really for the relatively low price. To put that statement in perspective, this is the second most powerful engine from the 5 products I have reviewed but the second lowest price. You can see you are getting power for the money. This machine is also the heaviest at 14 lbs so this is not going to be a good choice unless you have the strength to use the product.

You can also buy up to five attachments: a blower, a brush cutter, a cultivator, a pole pruner, and a lawn edger. If you need to buy any of these tools at the same time then this option will be a good choice because you can save a lot buying them as attachments rather than as 6 separate tools.

For a strong homeowner with a medium to large outdoor space or people who work in landscaping with a low budget, this tool is a good choice. In short, if you don’t want to spend too much but don’t want to compromise on power then this is a good choice for you.

I think the main negative is going to be that the machine is heavy and that it may not have some of the more expensive features other machines have, like vibration limiters.

Which is The Favorite?

Personally, I always prefer to choose quality when buying machinery for my work. The machine then lasts longer and performs better. Therefore, my favorite is #1: Husqvarna because it is a good quality choice and has a nice balance of power and weight. My second favorite is #5: Poulan Pro because for a relatively low price you get a lot of power.

Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you have a favorite weed eater? Which is your favorite from the tools above?

How do you start a gas Weed Eater trimmer?