Tim Johnson over at OPE Reviews just wrapped up a ton of testing to find the best gas string trimmer for Pros and for those of you just looking to maintain your property. With 10 models in the shootout, there’s a balance of 2-stroke and 4-stroke models to choose from.
Best Gas String Trimmer Starting Lineup
- ECHO – SRM-2620T
- Honda – HHT35SLTA – 4-cycle
- Husqvarna – 525LST
- Makita – EM2650LH – 4-cycle
- Ryobi – RY253SS
- Ryobi – RY4CSS – 4-cycle
- Shindaiwa – T262
- Stihl – FS 91 R – 4-mix – 4-cycle running premix (oil and gas)
- Tanaka – TCG27EBSP
- Troy-Bilt – TB6044 XP – 4-cycle
We’ve got a quick breakdown of how things shake out, but you’ll want to check out the Best Weedeater Shootout for all the details, photos, and graphs.
Cutting Swath
The cutting swath on our group ranges from Makita’s 16″ to a massive 20″ on the Shindaiwa with the others falling somewhere in between.
Auto Choke
Fiddling with the choke doesn’t have to be part of the starting process these days. It may not be a requirement to win the title of “Best Gas String Trimmer,” but it’s an awfully handy feature to have.
Auto Choke Models
- Husqvarna
- Makita
- Stihl
Fuel Efficiency and Runtime
Do you want to run longer or use the least amount of fuel? Yes. Both. It’d be nice, but the reality you’ll need to choose between the two in this case.
Top Fuel Efficiency on 8 oz. of Fuel
- Ryobi 4-stroke (23:29)
- Ryobi 2-stroke (23:20)
- Troy-Bilt (22:35)
Top Runtime on a Full Tank
- Stihl (1:02:37)
- Makita (54:41)
- Shindaiwa (54:20)
Weight
String trimmers are well-known for their ability to strain your back, so the less weight, the better.
Lightest Weights with Fuel and Fluids
- Husqvarna (12.3 lbs)
- Echo (12.6 lbs)
- Makita (12.6 lbs)
Noise Level
Whether you’re protecting your own hearing or being mindful of the neighbors, you need to be aware of the noise you’re producing.
Lowest Noise Levels (at 50′ and User’s ear)
- Honda (74/96 dB(A))
- Tanaka (74/97 dB(A))
- Ryobi 2-stroke and 4-stroke (76/97 dB(A))
Trimming Power
Tim cut through thick and thin bahiagrass to see what kind of cutting characteristics each gas string trimmer has.
Top Thin Grass Cutting Speeds (Average 5′ Square)
- Echo (7.8 seconds)
- Makita (8.0 seconds)
- Shindaiwa (8.4 seconds)
Top Thick Grass Cutting Speeds (Average 5′ Square)
- Husqvarna (10.9 seconds)
- Echo (11.2 seconds)
- Honda (12.8 seconds)
Price and Value
The cheapest price isn’t always the best value. A tool that’s inexpensive but can’t get the job done is worthless. Getting the most bang for every hard-earned buck is always a worthy goal.
Lowest Prices
Highest Prices
Best Value
Warranty
The warranty you get with your gas string trimmer depends on if you’re using it as a consumer or commercially as a Pro.
Best Warranties
- Tanaka (7 years consumer, 2 years commercial)
- Echo (5 years consumer, 2 years commercial)
- Shindaiwa (5 years consumer, 2 years commercial)
Best Gas String Trimmer Final Rankings
- 10th Place, 63.0 points – Troy-Bilt TB6044XP
- 9th Place, 72.3 points – Tanaka TCG27EBSP (Get it online at Amazon)
- 8th Place, 78.3 points – Ryobi RY4CSS
- 7th Place, 80.6 points – Ryobi RY253SS
- 6th Place, 81.3 points – Honda HHT35SLTA
- 5th Place, 84.3 points – Shindaiwa T262 (Get it online at Amazon)
- 4th Place, 87.9 points – Stihl FS91R
- 3rd Place, 89.0 points – Husqvarna 525LST
- 2nd Place, 90.7 points – Echo SRM-2620T
The Best Gas String Trimmer
- 1st Place, 90.8 points – Makita EM2650LH
Editor’s Note: This article originally published on July 6, 2018.
What is the longest trimmer? Being 6’3″ I have a Sthil and by the time I’m done running it my back kills me from leaning over. Or is a curved shaft better for taller people?
I try to refrain from making corrections, but the term 4 cycle is totally incorrect no matter what the manufacturers put on their boxes. All piston driven internal combustion engines have one cycle of events that are completed in either two or four STROKES. Those events are intake, compression, power (aka combustion), and exhaust. A two stroke engine accomplishes those events in one rotation of the crankshaft, (two strokes of the piston),, and a four stroke does it in two revolutions, (four strokes of the piston). I don’t know why some manufacturers started using cycle instead of stroke, when others… Read more »
How do you reccomend that these are the 10 best trimmers out there, i would beg to differ
Sorry guys, I don’t use a gas trimmed anymore. Since ethanol gas has been mandated to us, gasoline gums up the works. I shouldn’t have to pour in additives (which adds cost), and then still have to constantly work on the carb. I use an electric trimmer, weed eater, and an electric edger.