Echo or EGO?

[Clara]

My husband and I are thinking about getting a strimmer to get rid of weeds. We need it for a 12x8 lawn, but we can't decide whether to buy a high-torque Echo or one of those modern-looking models that EGO Power has out. A salesman told me that I wouldn't be lacking power with a 56v EGO Power cordless.

I have to admit it was very comfortable and attractive, and I know it comes at the top of a number of "Top 5" reviews, but a friend recommended that I go for a high-torque Echo. Honestly, it looked and felt much sturdier.

Anyway, I just want to ask any Echo owners out there what their experience with string trimmers of either brand has been like. Thanks!

 

[bob_hill]

Clara, I got email saying that you asked this question in a thread that I started, but it doesn't show up in the forum yet. But I'll go ahead and comment here.

My application is quite different. I need to weed whack over an acre on a hillside, so a gasoline one is my only option. My neighbor has a battery-powered one (don't know which brand) that he uses for very small jobs around his lawn. (He hires professionals to do his hillside.) He loves it. No gas or mixing to deal with. If you read the questions on Home Depot's site, you'll see that some people are disappointed in the length of time the trimmer will run without a recharge. But for trimming a 12x8 area, my guess is that it would last long enough for you. Also, taking an hour or two break while waiting for the recharge is probably okay for your application. When trying to whack down an acre, I'd never get it done if I took long breaks. Some people mention that a second battery costs almost as much as the entire trimmer, so that's probably not a good option.

BTW, I did not buy the new Echo trimmer. I managed to get my old one running again, so I'm still using that. As for brand quality, I think it's sufficient for me to say that I'm still using the Echo after over 30 years. Since I'm only a home user, not commercial, it probably gets around 100 hours of use per year, but that use is mostly 3' - 5' high, very tough grasses on a fairly steep hillside. I'm impressed with its toughness.

 

[DirtMechanic]

My husband and I are thinking about getting a strimmer to get rid of weeds. We need it for a 12x8 lawn, but we can't decide whether to buy a high-torque Echo or one of those modern-looking models that EGO Power has out. A salesman told me that I wouldn't be lacking power with a 56v EGO Power cordless.

I have to admit it was very comfortable and attractive, and I know it comes at the top of a number of "Top 5" reviews, but a friend recommended that I go for a high-torque Echo. Honestly, it looked and felt much sturdier.

Anyway, I just want to ask any Echo owners out there what their experience with string trimmers of either brand has been like. Thanks!

I own the original (first generation, a new one is now out) echo 58 volt battery powered trimmer. I have owned it for 3 years now. I am going to disagree with @bob_hill because my front yard alone is an acre, and I have yet to come in with a dead battery. I doubt you need such a powerful trimmer. I would look to the ryobi 18v One+ trimmer whereby you can use the same battery as in their drill and other handy household tools. When investigating a battery system, one should recognizing the battery as somewhat of an interchangeable engine, where the usefulness of that powerpack might serve needs both current and future as the property might require.

 

[Clara]

I thank you both for your elaborate responses. We really wanted to know what an Echo owner thought about their purchase and we didn't know anyone personally, so this sure helps a lot! Thank you both again!

 

[DirtMechanic]

I thank you both for your elaborate responses. We really wanted to know what an Echo owner thought about their purchase and we didn't know anyone personally, so this sure helps a lot! Thank you both again!

You are welcome. The echo has a grease port on the head and is in every way comparable to the 2 stihl trimmers I also own. I also have the echo 58v chainsaw and the blowers, older style and newer. As to detail, vibration and weight are key to ease and accurate use. The echo setup with the 2 amp hour battery (20 C cells) is still slightly heavier than my Stihl FS85X. It also vibrates more. I cannot speak to the new unit, and I am sure it is improved. I also note that there is an absolute explosion of Li-ion battery powered tools hitting the market this spring.

 

[bob_hill]

@DirtMechanic, I need to clarify. The email I got from Clara was in response to a question I asked last year about the differences between a high torque gas trimmer and the regular gas trimmer. Reading through this thread renewed my interest in a battery-powered trimmer. In the answers about the Echo 58-volt on Home Depot's site, someone wrote, "Recharge again took ~ 2hours. Went back out and again went through heavy grass (4-6ft tall) with morning glories and occasional blackberry stalks. Hi speed (rabbit mode). the battery lasted ~40 minutes of constant use. toward the last 3 -4 minutes the power was decreasing rapidly, had to go very slowly. Recharge took over 2 hours." This is the sort of application I have. It takes me several days, about 2-3 hours each day to cut back my weeds. I would love to be able to use a battery-powered machine, but I'm concerned that they're still not quite up to the task I face.

This is quite frustrating for me. I'm a retired electrical engineer. I love electric motors. I would love to have all my tools, and my car, be battery powered. But the range is not quite there for me --- several hours of weed whacking at a time, 170 mile car trips fairly often, etc. The state of the art seems to be almost there, but not quite. :-(

 

[DirtMechanic]

Well yes the battery trimmers are not the horsepower the gas motors are, but you are not trimming either as you are brushcutting. I once worked out the calculations to watts and was suprised. Were you to install the brushcutting head and the saw blade with sharp teeth, your workload would be less and the wear and tear on your equipment would be less. This is obviously a ploy to provide you with a justification for a second and brush specific tool. But beating a string on something as tough as a mature blackberry root or the sheer density of man height grass is the absolute limit and has brought out replacement products like the DR walk behind string brushcutter with wheels and a 5 horsepower engine.

 

[bob_hill]

Not quite brushcutting. My Echo SRM-250E Brushcutter/Trimmer came with blades. I've tried them several times over the years when I've let the grasses go too long. Sort of a toss up. I have a Craftsman walk behind string mower. Problem is that the wheels are not powered, and I'm on a hill pock-marked by many gopher holes. (I have a John Deere riding mower for the acre that's reasonably level.) The best method seems to be to keep the grasses cut with string on the Echo before they get too high. A firestorm cleared out the grasses on the lower acre for me back in October, so I have a bit of a head start this year. The firestorm also reminded me of the value of keeping the grasses cut down! Fire stopped 45 feet from the house; I had just mowed that area with the John Deere two weeks before. The fire also cleared out the wild blackberries -- for now.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I am sorry that you had to go through that firestorm because it sounds terrifying. I cannot imagine the stress you must have been under during that time. A fire would not only reach my house, but with trees a few feet away I would think it would simply take it all.

I am hopeful that some smart soul recognizes the opportunity for a bolt-on battery powered wheel system. I have a couple acres of hill around the house steep enough to cause oil issues on the industrial motors. I grumble loudly when having to run a cart or barrow up and down the hill.

 

[DirtMechanic]

This video is about those Ego and Echo batteries, for those who may be interested in the detail.

 

[davefrommd]

i like anything in ECHO products, for gasoline chainsaws they start easy and are very good quality, these are the light grey models that i am talking about, i am not sure on the newer orange models. I have always been happy with ECHO.