weed wacker Archives - The Lawn Review

November 25, 2022April 2, 2024

4 Best Stihl String Trimmers (w/ Prices): 2024 Update

The best Stihl String Trimmer is the Stihl FS 56 RC or RC-E because it is affordable, great for commercial or residential landscaping, and extremely reliable.

Stihl string trimmers are the standard when it comes to landscaping. Just about every landscaper you see around town is going to have one of these bad boys strapped to the back of their trailer.

Now that’s why they are so dang popular. But there are many classes of Stihl weed eaters – residential, landscaping / professional, and even battery-powered. I’d like to cut through all of the options and bring the best right up to the top for you.

Ready?

Let’s get started.

Curious at how Stihl stacks up vs ECHO?

The Ultimate Stihl Weed Eater Buying Guide

To really cut to the chase, we distilled down the dozens of Stihl weed eaters to a concise list, by category of user. No need to do a Top 10 when you just want the best, right?

Most Powerful Stihl String Trimmer for Landscapers: Stihl FS 240 R

When you’re looking for a weed eater as a landscaper there are a few things to keep in mind. First is how effective and reliable the machine is, second is how efficient it is, and third is how it feels to use.

All of these are related to speed. Speed is the name of the game in landscaping. More jobs = more money. You aren’t going to be nearly as fast with a dinky weed eater that you’re constantly having to mess with.

The Stihl FS 240 R is the answer to the speed issue. Here are a few of my favorite things about this Stihl Weed Eater:

A large fuel tank. Having a larger fuel tank allows for less re-fuels which means you can spend more time getting the job done.
Massive cutting width. The 16.5 inch cutting swatch on the FS 240 R is best in class. Having a big cutting swath means you can tackle thicker brush and absolutely devastate any grass. Another huge time saver.
An easy way of starting the string trimmer. This automatically returns the throttle to the start setting whenever the trimmer is stopped. Another time saver.
A shoulder strap. Again, not having to take breaks on your arms or shoulders when using this is going to get you from one job to the next in less time.

Stihl consulted with professional landscapers with each element of this design. Every element of it was meant to be focused on one thing: empowering the landscaper to move from one job to the next while providing consistent reliability.

You can check out more details on Stihl’s website.

The Stihl FS 240 R costs about $670, which is very expensive but also saves you a ton of time on the job. Tough balance. It goes on sale at Ace Hardware.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Green Landscaping: Stihl FSA 130 R

Green landscaping is using battery-powered lawn tools to get the job done instead of exclusively gas-powered tools. It is a growing trend, but still not the most practical way to run your landscaping business.

Frankly, gas-powered tools get the job done faster because refueling is way quicker with gas than it is with a battery. Most batteries take a few hours to fully charge, which is precious time you don’t have on the job site. Even if you buy multiple batteries, they still have to charge somewhere sometime.

But Stihl has recently entered the battery-powered string trimmer space and has a mostly residential line of weed eaters (see below for more). The new FSA 130 R however, was designed for landscaping applications.

The Stihl FSA 130 R differentiates itself from its gas counterparts by selling itself as the quiet weed eater. The reason this sells well with landscapers is that it simply isn’t practical to be an entirely gas-free landscaping company (yet). They aren’t going to be interested if that’s the angle Stihl takes.

So Stihl is playing this really well. Landscapers can use this for properties that require quiet environments. Think schools, churches, hospitals, etc. that are customers of the landscaping company. Having quiet features is a huge benefit to them.

Here are some of the features on this that really make it best in class:

Extremely light at only 8.6lbs, compare that with almost 15 on the gas one above
No maintenance other than replacing string
Starts with the push of a button
Has a quiet motor
Comes with separate “quiet” string trimmer line

Essentially, this is the ninja of commercial landscaping.

One major downside to Stihl’s commercial battery line is that you have to wear the battery as a backpack. You’re reading that right. There’s a backpack that fits their battery and connects to the tool with a cable. It’s weird and bulky, but it does give you the flexibility to have significant run time that an attached battery can’t do without throwing the tool out of balance.

If you’re interested in more, check this one out on Stihl’s website.

The Stihl FSA 130 R costs about $500, which is a heck of a lot of money.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Home / Residential Use: Stihl FS 56 RC-E

Not a commercial landscaper and just want a really high quality and reliable weed eater? Well Stihl has you covered here, too.

We’ve written extensively about the Stihl FS 56 RC-E, which we also did a YouTube video review about as well.

The Stihl FS 56 RC-E is an amazing all-around weed eater for home use. Made right here in America, it provides the power and reliability of the commercial series at a size and price that fit the average homeowner’s needs well.

Me using the Stihl FS 56 RC-E around my house.

I’ve owned this string trimmer for a few years and it has continued to be one of the most reliable tools in my shed. Here are a few things I love about it:

High end power with 5 more ccs of output than its ECHO SRM 225 competitor
Straight shaft and lack of vibration
10.6lbs, super light for a gas powered weed eater
Easy 2 Start technology helps reset the choke and allows you to start on the first pull

One complaint I have after owning this for a few years is that replacing the line is super difficult. It’s always a tedious task and it still takes a lot of guess-and-check for me to get it done right.

I got mine at Ace Hardware, but the Stihl website should be able to guide you well.

The Stihl FS 56 RC-E comes in at about $229, which you can grab at Ace Hardware.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Small Yards: Stihl FSA 57

So you want a Stihl weed eater but don’t need anything big and fancy, just a reliable and easy to use trimmer with the brand power of Stihl?

Maybe you just downsized and sold your big bad gas trimmer?

Whatever your situation, if you have a small yard then you don’t need to go overkill and spend too much money. Stihl is trying to build a bigger footprint in the homeowner sector and has launched their battery line to appeal to lighter-duty needs.

The Stihl FSA 57 (one of their newest) battery weed eater (which we reviewed as well in a long form post) is a great tool for the average homeowner in a smaller house. I love that it still has a straight shaft and it’s super easy to use.

As compared to the commercial line of battery lawn tools that require a backpack that you plug the tool into, the residential weed eaters from Stihl have a nice little battery you can pop right on. I also love that WITH the battery, this string trimmer comes in at 7.5 lbs. That is maybe the lightest weed eater on record.

Lastly, this thing has a really cool feature that auto-feeds string trimmer line when it gets short. Huge timesaver.

One thing I don’t love about this Stihl weed eater is that it doesn’t have a brushless motor, meaning it may have a tendency to not last quite as long as its brushless counterparts. It also only has an 11 inch cutting width, which is probably fine for most small yards but definitely weaker than the bigger string trimmers out there.

The Stihl FSA 57 Weed Eater comes in at about $199.

Fuel Mixture for Stihl Weed Eater

Stihl Weed Eaters take a 50:1 gas to oil fuel mixture ratio. You can measure this out yourself or grab a pre-mixed fuel mixture from Stihl on Amazon.

Best Weed Eater String for Stihl String Trimmers

We developed the world’s best weed eater string by testing dozens of weed eater strings and taking the little elements of each one that we like the most. We found that a .095″, green, triangle shaped string was the most visible, durable, and had the best performance. It is incredible.

Final words about Stihl Weed Eaters

Stihl Weed Eaters are top of the line for a reason – they consistently deliver the most power, the best user experience, and absolutely unbeatable reliability.

From landscapers to homeowners, Stihl’s lineup is impressive.

Not a Stihl person? Try our list of the competitor’s leading ECHO weed eaters here.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.

Stihl’s reputation

Stihl is still at it! Pumping out high quality product after high quality product. They’re thought of as one of the GOATS of the yard product game. The boys in orange are known to have a superior product to their competitors. The Stihl Trimmers are obviously no exception to their already super strong lineup.

The world’s largest chainsaw manufacturer, the company moved some operations to Virginia in the 1970s and opened up their first factory dedicated to a single chainsaw. They have continued to master their craft and expand their product offers in the lawn care space. They have amazing blowers like the Stihl BG 86 C and the Stihl BR600 backpack blower.

Stihl has a great reputation that many commercial landscapers rely on each day. Many residential owners will be more than pleased with their products and they’ve recently launched a new battery line-up.

Gas vs Electric Weed Eaters

When purchasing a piece of lawn equipment in 2023 it’s important to understand your power source options. It basically boils down to gas or electric. Electric trimmers are typically easier to start and require little to no maintenance.

They also have less of a noise and environmental impact. Electric trimmers are usually a good bet for small jobs.

Trimmer powered by gas usually end up having more power and are more suitable for larger, more commercial type applications. Because some electric trimmers receive power by a cord they’re not super mobile, gas powered weed eaters can go where you can go. If you want to trim up the moon, it can go with you.

If you want to know more about weed eater string, check out our guide to finding the right weed eater string.

November 14, 2022April 2, 2024

4 Powerful Ryobi Weed Eaters: Buying Guide for Any Lawn

Ryobi Weed Eaters, also known as weed wackers or string trimmers, are some of the most popular weed eaters in the game. The best Ryobi Weed eater is the Ryobi 40V ExandIt Series (mine is pictured below) because it can handle many attachments and has a super versatile battery.

Ryobi weed eaters are sold everywhere including Home Depot and Amazon. Here’s why: almost everyone has at least ONE Ryobi product. Once you have the battery already, then you can buy the other tools without the battery for cheaper.

It’s called buying the tool-only version. It’s how these brands sink their teeth into you for life.

Here is my ranking of the best Ryobi Weed Eaters in 2024:

For small yards: Ryobi ONE+ 18V 10″ string trimmer
For medium yards: Ryobi ONE+ 18V 13″ trimmer
For large yards: Ryobi 40V ExpandIt attachment capable system
For Attachment Tools: Edger and brush cutter
How to replace the trimmer line on a Ryobi Weed Eater

4 Great Ryobi Weed Eaters

Ryobi weed eaters come in all shapes and sizes. Each yard size has multiple contenders, which is why we spent so much time pulling this list together. Our goal is to remove the confusion and serve up the best recommendation for you. Let’s start with small yards.

The Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Small Yards: The small ONE+ 18V Ryobi trimmer

Smaller yards generally require smaller tools. It’s not difficult. Fortunately, with Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V series you are going to get the perfect amount of power for the job.

And the best part is that Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V series fits a TON of other tools.

But for a small yard, a lightweight, easy-to-use tool is going to fit the bill just fine. That’s why we recommend the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Electric Cordless String Trimmer. My neighbor has one that he uses and he let me borrow it.

Lightweight, easy to use, and still plenty powerful.

It honestly looks a little dinky, but it was a powerhouse. It’s a ridiculously low price and has everything you need for small jobs. It has a nice little ergonomic handle and is easy to roll onto its side to act as a makeshift edger.

My neighbor who used it has a really steep yard and he was moving up and down the hill with relative ease, despite being older and recently having back surgery. If you have a small yard, this thing is going to be enough to handle all your basic needs. With a 10 inch cutting diameter, it can handle most grass and weeds but will struggle with thicker brush.

You can get it on Amazon, but if you already own the battery you can get a tool-only version for a bit cheaper. Now that’s a steal!

But its actually available for an even better price at Home Depot – check it here.

Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Medium Yards: The Ryobi 18V Trimmer

What is a medium sized yard anyways? I consider anything between around 5,000 square feet to a half-acre medium sized.

Lawns like these still don’t require commercial-grade weed eaters, but they do need something with a little more power than you’ll get from the string trimmer above.

That’s where the ONE+ series 18V battery provides its highest-tier weed eater. The big brother to the string trimmer above. It has a similar name, but looks completely different and has a cutting swath that is three inches wider. Comparing the 18V and 40V Ryobi weed eater is tough, but this one is sweet.

This thing is a big deal – I love the long shaft (stop).

I love this one because it comes with a longer lasting battery than the one above. It has a 4.0 Ah battery whereas the smaller version is only 1.3 Ah. Basically they have the same strength but this one lasts longer. It also has an edge on cutting ability because of the larger cutting swath (more velocity on the edge of the trimmer).

The other thing I like about this 18V Ryobi string trimmer is that it has a straight shaft. Many weed eaters out there have a curved shaft, which is nice for clearing out small plots of grass but SUCKS when it comes to doing any type of edging work.

At just over 11 lbs, it is really easy to work with and handle. It was designed for medium-sized yards, which is where most Americans are going to fall. Lastly, I absolutely adore that this one has a brushless motor, which means it is going to have more torque and be much more durable.

This one is available at Home Depot for a great price as well.

Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Large Yards: Ryobi 40V ExpandIt series weed eater

I have a love-hate relationship with this one, because it was my first string trimmer. It was also my first edger and leaf blower. More on that later.

But for large yards, I recommend stepping up to Ryobi’s 40V series. Their 40V Cordless Expand-It series weed wacker is the way to go for large yards and here’s why:

15 inch cutting swath
Bump-feed string trimmer
Variable speed control (not just 1 or 2 speed options)
Operates just as well as some gas string trimmers if you take the guard off

Not sure if I can come out and say this, but two weeks ago I took the guard off of this weed eater and my mind was blown. I can’t believe I’ve been using it for 4 years with the guard.

And what you may have missed there is that I’ve been using this weed eater for 4 years. It has held up amazingly that whole time just with a few string replacements.

Take that guard off! You just need a wrench.

The string trimmer attachment on this attachment-capable kit is the absolute all-star. And having the 40V batteries will save you big money on this one if you already own them. If not, getting them with this weed eater will allow you to save hundreds of dollars on their lawn mowers, snow blowers, and leaf blowers if you want to grab those as well.

I’m 6 ft 7 in, so cranking my back with a weed eater is really easy. This one has never given me too much trouble because I can pop off the attachment and re-insert it at a different angle. This allows me to hold whatever grip is most comfortable with me and continue to use it for whatever type of job I’m doing.

I got mine at Home Depot and still use it to this day – you can check the price now at Home Depot here.

Best Attachments for Ryobi Expand-It String Trimmer

Take it from me, I learned this lesson the hard way. If you are going to go with the Ryobi ExpandIt series weed eater, then you may as well add on some inexpensive attachments.

Here’s what I recommend:

The ExpandIt Edger attachment:
- The edger attachment is an absolute beast. I’ve had it for 4 years and haven’t had to replace the blade. It has consistently given me the best looking lawn in the neighborhood by creating deep borders around my yard.
The ExpandIt Brush Cutter attachment:
- I love this because we have some kudzu growing behind our yard. It is a perpetual war to keep it at bay and out of my grass and off of my trees. The brush cutter once or twice a year keeps it from ever getting out of control and crossing the line. It’s basically like the flamethrower guys from Stranger Things.
The Expand-It Pole Saw attachment
- Pole saws are kind of an insane tool. You strap a chainsaw to the end of a big stick and hope for the best. So basically they are every man’s dream. The attachment takes a while to put together, but when you get it all figured out it is super fun to use.

What I don’t recommend:

The Expand-It blower attachment:
- I burned through three of these in the first year. For whatever reason, the little driveshaft that spins the blower keeps getting stripped inside the blower. No idea what’s happening. Luckily, I haven’t seen these for sale online in a while, so Ryobi may have completely pulled them.

How to replace the trimmer line on a Ryobi Weed Whacker

Check out our YouTube short where we give step-by-step directions on how to replace the line on a Ryobi Weed Wacker.

They aren’t all the same, but they should be similar.

Final review: Best Ryobi Weed Eaters

Folks, you really can’t go wrong with a Ryobi weed eater as long as you are matching the size and strength of the tool to your lawn.

Smaller lawns are okay with smaller weed wackers. Larger yards are going to require a big, higher voltage weed eater with a large cutting swath.

If you are interested in learning about more weed eaters, check out these battery powered weed eaters.

Why we review lawn tools

How to instantly improve your weed eater

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About Ryobi tools

Ryobi is one of the OGs of the battery-powered lawn tool world. They have EVERYTHING. Stuff you had no idea was even a real tool or could be battery powered. Some of our favorite Ryobi products include (links to full reviews we have done):

Ryobi has both a 40V and an 18V series battery that you can use. The 18V series is often called their ONE+ series, which generally fits lighter-duty products of theirs as it is a lower voltage. Their 40V series fits more of their heavy-duty stuff like mowers. Ryobi has different configurations of weed wackers that can accommodate both their ONE+ and 40V series.

They have this distinction because weed eaters are one of those tools that can go either way. Some are lighter duty and some are used for really big yards. More to come on that.

Why would I buy a battery-powered weed eater?

There are a few reasons to check out an electric weed eater when picking out your next lawn and garden tool kit. As compared to gas-powered weed eaters, electric weed eaters tend to be easier to use and maintain. At the end of a long winter season, you may have to refuel your gas powered weed eater and crank it a few times before you can get it to start. With the Ryobi 40V weed eater and other electric weed eaters, you simply place the battery and you are ready to go.

Another benefit to electric trimmers is maintenance. You will not have to do anything to maintain an electric trimmer other than change out the line. No oil change, no filter change, and no messy gasoline spills.

If you are a Ryobi loyalist and have one of their mowers, then you can actually use this same 40 volt battery in both the mower and the trimmer. More on that later.

You also want to make sure you have a nice weed eater string with the best size, color, and shape.

Looking for gas? Check out our post comparing two super popular gas-powered weed eaters: ECHO and Stihl.