Most gas drive curved shaft trimmers use .080 line.Bang for the buck, Stihl is one of the best in your price range. If you want .095 go to a straight shaft. There are some excellent units in this range. Have a look at the Shindaiwa HomePro series.More money but well worth it.

Spent a little more. With good care, a trimmer will last you for a long long time. At least get the top brand like Echo GT200, Stihl FS45 or 55, Shindaiwa Home Pro or Husky 125.

Set your budget to $200 and get a straight shaft. Stay away from Craftsman, Weedeater, Ryobi type of cheap stuff.

If I were to choose one for about $200, I'll get the Echo SRM210 with tap advance head. That is just me.

IMO there an't no good curved shaft weedeater, I like straight shafts, you can reach more and they go under things better and besides if you get a converible you just rotate the head and edge away.

If you are handy with a wrench I would check out ebay (if you don't know where the spark plug is or you can't put a pull rope in then Forget it. , Those ryobi types go real cheap, even 4 strokes, got one for 6 bucks (two stroke) 4 strokes about 20 to 30 bucks most of the time, but you got to watch shipping charges, they know they don't bring much so they up the shipping charge to make up IMO.

The post above mine is just what the mass market manufacturers wanted to hear. Twenty years ago, all of the cheaper trimmers were curved shaft, and all straight shaft were professional. The cheap guys (MTD, McCulloch, Homelite, Weedeater, etc.) then figured out how to make a straight shaft for a few dollars more. Now people think they're getting commercial when they buy straight shaft, but they are getting hosed.

As Yungman states, Echo, Stihl, and Shindawa make high end curved shaft trimmer. Tanaka (TAS) and TMC also made high quality curved shaft trimmers, but TMC is straight shaft only now. The Tanaka TBC-225C is also the longest (52") curved shaft made. Price is about $180 vs $200 for TBC-225 straight shaft.

Also, $90 to $130 won't get it done. That price point leaves you with cheap, mass market curved or straight shaft equipment. Either machine is basically a throw-away.

Pro quality curved shafts will cost you $180 and up. Next step is straight shaft, but with flexible drive shaft, about $25 to $50 more. These are good for trimming, but most manufacturers don't recommend using a blade. Top of line commercial will be straight shaft with solid steel drive shaft. Figure $250 to as much as $500.

Echo GT200 is as cheap as it get for a curve shaft, I don't like the head though. I like tap advanced head. I saw Stihl FS45 on sale once for $150. Get a longer shaft unless you are very short.

With good care, a $200 entry level commercial is going to last twice as long as the Ryobi. I had a Troy Bilt 4 cycle trimmer. The engine is ok. I hate the tap advanced head. It is a pain. Bite the bullet and spent $200, you won't regret.

I forgot Tanaka, they are good. So is Kawasaki. Stay away from Craftsman, Weedeater, Homelite etc.

For me straight shaft is easier to get under bushes and trim along fence line. I really don't care what someone buys. For me I can keep a cheap one running for years after some have been thrown away. I like the bump heads, if you wind the string with out overlapping it it won't knot up so bad, plus there's a art to getting it to unwind without destoring it.

Actually some of the Stihl models are cheaper in price than the ryobi convertibles, but you don't have the option in most cases to run other attachments if that want you want.

No knowledge, no skill, little paitences will kill any model of equipment reguardless what you pay for it. Naturally someone with no pre-ventive or maintenance knowledge should buy the most expensive model with the best warranty in the business.

I have an older Ryobi 775R straight staff trimmer that uses the expand it attachments. I think I paid about $140 for the trimmer and the edger and tiller attachments from Harborfreight. The newer Troybilt 2 stroke trimmers are basically the same thing as my ryobi. The newer ryobis are completely different and I would probably stay away from those based on the reviews at homedepot. If you only have light trimming to do, this is a good trimmer and the edger attachment works well. If your going to use it a lot everyweek consider something else thats balanced better as has a longer reach. Your back will thank you. If you go with the 31cc troybilt, just make sure to get the rpms up because the unit only has 1 hp and getting into the thick stuff with the edger attachment will bog it down. Also, make sure you put stablizer in your gas and run it completely dry before storage.

I'm going on 8 years with my remanufactured ryobi and I keep waiting for it to die but it won't. When I originally bought it, I only had a 1/4 acre yard and it was perfect. Now I have 1.5acres and somewhat hilly yard, so I need something with a longer reach. I just can't go out and buy a new trimmer when the one I have works.

Itsn't it an irony that you pay cheap and it last a long time. You pay a lot for a good one and it has problem!!! This is like crab shoot!!!

I have a Troybilt 4 cycle multi tool. I use it for years as home owner. THe only time it die was because I use older gas that had been sitting and the pressure releave value was left open for months!!! I add the gas in and it die within minutes!!! I just put another carb in and it start running again.

I paid $400 for a big Honda HHT31S and it die in the first year....carb....even I use new gas with Stabil all the time!!!

I don't like the tap advanced head of Troybilt which I think is the same as yours.

It is ironic. In all honesty I probably got one of the better built Ryobi's. I've read lots of post where others have had a lot more problems than I have, mostly the newer models. The starting procedure is a pain, but once you figure it out its not bad. Usually I buy equipment better than I need, but I lucked out on this one. My trimmer has the speed spool which could be the same one just named different. So far its worked pretty good. I trim in some rocky areas and I'm constantly advancing the line when I don't want to, but thank god its really easy to load.

My next trimmer will be either an echo SRM 265 or a Stihl FS90. I like the FS 90 because you can change gear boxes, but the echo seems like a nice trimmer as well.

There are a lot of feel good factor buying a more expensive piece of equipment!!! I can attest to that!!! The TroyBilt work just fine but I have to go spent $400 for the HOnda. I read someone use Ryobi to do commercial and he consistantly get 500 hours out of each one. I use Ryobi cordless tool to do earthquake retro work. They hell up pretty well. Much more than I can say for the more expensive DeWalt. For the money, they are good tool, I have not break one yet, just two batteries worn out. But the cost of the battery of a DeWalt is more than the Ryobi tool with two batteries and charger!!! I see contractors using Ryobi cordless tools also.

If I ever need to buy a trimmer again( I doubted ever), I would consider the Shindaiwa T272. You can change gear box also but the most important for me is they have the power brush head which I really want. I have a lot of moss growing on the brick floor and I can use one for cleaning. I have the M242 but they don't suggest to put on a small engine. But that one is expensive though.

The Echo multitool have dethatching tine attachments also.

Humbleman, get a straight boom. Curved shafts are for short women and 10 year old kids. They'll break your back and take you forever to do your lawn. Forget it.

Go with an Echo. Our first one lasted 16 years (GT2000) and we bought a new one last year GT200 I think. Need to get a bump head for it though. My wife uses it more than I do and she loves it.

GT200 is about as cheap as it gets for a near commercial trimmer. The engine is the same as the other Echo commercial trimmers including all their hedge trimmers of 21.2cc.
As said before, it is more good for woman due to it's shorter length.

Thanks everyone for your help.

humbleman

Get the tap advanced head....bump head if you like to call it.

You can check out here to get more information about this

We have two Echo's. The GT-200 served us very well on an urban lot, I am 6' and didn't find it difficult to use. We are now on an acreage and it is only adequate around the house, the .080 line won't handle the rest of it so I snagged an SRM-2400 for free. (I avoid buying new). It does everything I ask of it and the new Speed Feed head is easy to work with. The old pos head flew apart, I never found the spring or line guides.