"Nick Maclaren" wrote

"Bob Hobden" writes:
| "Frederick Williams" wrote...
|
| Is the Flymo Power Trim 700 any good? Are any Strimmer-type tools
any
| good? If any are, what would you recommend?
|
| Personally I wouldn't go for electric garden tools if I could avoid it.
Self
| powered ones, although dearer, are so much easier to handle, more
powerful,
| and go places the electric ones can't.

By which you mean internal combustion. There are also battery
operated garden tools, most of which are complete disasters.

They are NOT easier to handle! That is a property of their design,
the use to which they are put, and the combination. Under some
circumstances, they can be easier to handle - under others, they
are right b*gg*rs to handle.

Petrol ones need a HELL of a lot more attention - not just all the
hassle of regular maintenance, but the fiddling about. The cheaper
ones are mostly unreliable, and the more expensive ones tend to
be heavy and are often poorly suited to small or fiddly areas. For
those, electric ones are generally much better.

I wouldn't touch petrol for any garden of below 1,000 square yards,
and it doesn't become a definite win until they exceed about 5,000
square yards.


Don't take much fiddling or attention these days and the maintainance is
minimal, basically cleaning if it's a two stroke motor. You would need to do
that with an electric one anyway and fight with the cord every time you use
it. Yes, after years of use you may need to change the plug and do some
maintainance but then with the cheaper electric one you have to throw it
away and buy another, and another......

I have used an electric strimmer and find my petrol one easier to do jobs,
probably is the better design and better balance and power of the machine.
It is heavier, true, but if you use it for long periods get a shoulder strap
then there is no problem.

As far as I'm concerned all your comments are mitigated by not having a cord
trailing about (trip and electrocution hazard and a right PITB), the
increased power, and being able to use it anywhere. (last bit is important
for me, no electric on the allotments)

--
Regards
Bob Hobden