I was in Home Depot looking to buy a Troy Bilt trimmer on sale for $59. The Home Depot employee working the floor recommended the Echo SRM230 for $199. He said if I had any issues with it in the next 5 years, I could bring it back and they would swap it for a new one. I forked out the extra cash and bought the Echo. That was 12 years ago and the only maintenance I've had to do is replace the trimmer line, it has run flawlessly for 12 years. About a year after I bought the Echo, Stihl had the FS 90R on sale so I forked out the cash and bought one. The FS 90R ran great for about a week and then it started having carb issues. That was several years ago and the Stihl FS 90R is now just decoration in my garden shed. I love my Echo and Home Depot stocks the basic tune up parts. My Echo SRM 230 still runs flawlessly but I'm looking to put that trimmer into semi retirement, it has served me well. I'm looking to replace it with either the Stihl FS 94S or the Echo SRM 2620. I think I'll stick with the Echo brand, they have earned my confidence. Thanks for the video !!!
For one the stihl fs94r is 10.1 lbs dry and no shield/cutter head. The 2620 is 12.3 pounds dry no shiled/cutter head. The difference in power between these 2 models is very small, both durable, both vibrate moreso than the 525lst. Between these 2 Id definitely take the 94r its just more pleasant to use for multiple hours.
I've had the Stihl KM 94 Combi engine for the last seven years or so and used it domestically with the line trimmer, blower, bent shaft edger, pole saw, 145 deg hedge trimmer, and extension maintaining a few properties. I've just replaced it all with the new version of them as overall I am very happy with them. The engine is lighter than its 2620 PAS system engine, and weight is a big factor when I am using one all day on a property- pruning, edging, lopping, etc. The 94 has a stratified combustion 2 Mix engine- very economical, way better than the crappy 56 version I had had previously. I too don't use the hand throttle on the engine but love the momentary kill switch. Also Stihl overall has superior industrial design with everything in the engine protected from being snagged and nicely hidden from view. My engine and the attachments have performed faultlessly in the time of ownership although I have heard of gearboxes failing in the hedge trimmers- perhaps being overdriven by the more powerful 4 Mix engines. The blower is my favourite attachment. The salesman said I'd never use a broom again and he made a good point. As well as leaves and tidying up after mowing and trimming, I use it to blow out gutters, garages, blow down sanded paint work prior to painting, and anything else where I need a good blast of air to move things around. It must be the most powerful one on the market and definitely superior to the Honda and Echo ones I have observed. Comaparing the adjustable angle hedge trimmers, my new Stihl one has reduced bite between teeth and shorter bar than the old one which is annoying. The Echo has larger bite than my old one and longer bar. The tubing on the Echo attachments seems to be a lighter wall material than the Stihl ones. The biggest annoyance I have with the Stihl is the combi coupling on the attachments. They have a plastic insert with a moulded key and moulded pin into the tube which in reality relies on the tube clamp on the engine to resist the attachment rotating when using the pole saw, hedge trimmer, edger etc- anywhere where I am twisting the machine to apply torque to the working edge. The plastic key, moulded pin, and clamp can't really prevent this and so it either is pressed into the tube or deforms. The Echo and Honda equivalents have a simple pin lock into the tube which is mechanically far superior. While being an Echo fan and owning a nice 501P saw I had a serious look at the Echo PAS but have decided that the Stihl Combi overall will do the job for me for another few years before I review it again.
I used to use only stihl, then switched to husqvarna. Just this year I switched to echo and I’m here to tell ya. The power and reliability from echo is superior to stihl. I still like husqvarna but will not ever use another stihl product. They are junk in my opinion!
Nothing but problems with stihl all top of the line commercial use, had a problem with all 5 machines. Got a 230$ echo trimmer use it all day commercial use for a whole year not a single problem.
@@vinzlawncarepressurecleani4050 thats so true! im using shindaiwa t303ts over 4 years commercially with zero issue while the stihl fs131 and fs111 both break down often(dodgy 4mix systm),will not touch stihl line trimmer series in future
I work for a school and i do the maintinence and grounds, we have 5 echo's and 1 sthil. Amd we are using them all day long, the stihl is more powerful and vibrates less and is just preferred by all the guys at work even when the stihl is the oldest
@@farmkid1360 I just got the Echo 2620 and can’t imagine needing any more power then this thing puts out. I do think the kind of string you use will make a difference in performance. Do you use the same string for all of them. I’m guessing you’d buy a huge spool to fit all of them. I’ll be adding the Black Diamond when this string runs out.
I can only imagine how nasty and sticky that electrical tape is gonna be after being on for a while out in the heat. Go to Walmart and buy a pack of tennis racquet wraps. They are $3 for 3 been doing it for years.
you probably dont care at all but does anyone know a way to get back into an instagram account..? I was dumb forgot my password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me!
@Santiago Colt i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff now. Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
one thing I find funny about the echo on off switch that everyone likes talking about is I think it kind of exposes everyone's IQ level. 🤣😂😁 Could you imagine having to use a key to start your car, wow that would be crazy.
I wouldn't give you one echo for three stilhs never liked them. I have the 2620 and love it and also just got a shindawa 262 both are great weedeaters super happy with them.
I was down to 94R or 2620 PAS. Dealer ordered a 2620 PAS for me to compare. It came down to the extra weight of the Echo attachments. Echo attachments weigh a lot more than Stihl and the Echo poles are wobbly, just doesn't feel right. The Stihl attachments feel right, especially comparing the poles. I started out wanting the Echo it was cheaper and 25cc. The 94R is 24cc. When I compared them side by side the Stihl Kombi won hands down. Got the 94R and I am pleasantly surprised with how powerful it is. So far easiest 2 stroke I've ever started. The dealer put on a speed feed 400 for no charge. Also the Echo attachments did not snap in place correctly, the Stihl always go on perfectly.
I have the KM90 ( 1.3 HP ) and 56 Kombi units (I have trimmer, hedge trimmer, tiller, and pole saw attachments). I have owned the 90 for about 8 years and the 56 going on 16 years and I have never had one issue with them. I just purchased a FS94R because of the weight. I have use a few weed eaters, and I am sold on Stihl. My blowers, Chainsaw, and weed eaters are all stihl. I’m retired, and I’m lazy, and I want to get the job done as soon as I can so I can get back in my recliner and drink my ice tea. Stihl allows me to do exactly that.
I have both and I do lawn care as well. I will say I prefer the ergonomics of the Stihl, the power of the Stihl, and the Stihl is lighter. The Echo T series has more torque, but is slower. I don’t have the T series so the comparison of my 2 is closer.
I have the echo pas 266, i do ditches just fine. Gotta use the right line. I ise black diamond but am switching to vortex. The echo with the vortex is unstoppable!!
I had one and the starter paws are junk. Stihl knows they have a problem with it but to my knowledge they have changed it. All this easy to start stuff is crap. The old stihl trimmers never had starter problems. They over thought something that was already working fine
I like the Shindaiwa T262 and Echo twin 2620t way more than my Stihl Fs94. So much easier to light throttle with the twins vs the Stihl. Also never had breakdowns on the Shindaiwa and Echo vs the Stihl that I've given up repairing. The factory head of Echo is also more to my liking. Speed feed head also seems to not break string as often during edging and easier to string up. Where Stihl heads shine at,is having replaceable string eyelets. The Stihl Fs94 is also easier on the ears than the twins. I just never had good luck with Stihl. But no denying how many Stihl dealers are out there with a shop. I work on my own equipment though. Carb replacement is easier to find on Echo and tuning is so much easier as well. Nothing against Stihl,just not best for me. I especially dislike the trigger pull choke release carburetors. More expensive for a feature that I can't find a real world benefit from.
It's interesting that you prefer the Echo SRM-266 over the Echo SRM-2060T. They both have the same engine size and the same horsepower, but the piston on the 2060 has two piston rings, whereas the SRM-266 engine has only one piston ring. Two piston rings will give better compression than a single piston ring. Supposedly the 2060 engine is an improvement over the 266 engine.
Great video. I liked and subscribed. Would love to see you make another video that shows both line trimmers in the field so that we can hear the engine power on each. Currently running shindaiwa T 242 and T 254. Hope you will enjoy watching a few of my vids as well. 👍
Shane Yelvington Good choice the stihl fs110 and 130 are great trimmers since new but after 3 years man they after you adjust the valves on them 3 times they never run the same there timing gears also go out of timing there just a pain my echos srm266T and 280T are like 2 years older and they run like champs there carbs do go out on them every 2 years just like stihl so no big issue i have several in my truck swap and go that is it the new echo extreme srm2620 is as powerful as the srm280 and its like $70 cheaper the srm280T is $400 in my dealer.
The Echo 2620 any day over the FS94r. Echo has less maintenance then Stihls 4 mix engine, slightly larger engine on the Echo, and Echos warranty is wayyyy better then Stihls. My PAS 2620 starts with in 2 pull every time.
Vincent- the FS94R is NOT a 4-mix - it’s a 2 stroke. Not sure why you think the Echo warranty is better.. if you buy the 6 pack of Stihl oil, they double the length of the warranty. You need oil anyway. As for starting, I have the 94R in the Kombi system (same engine as the FS94) and it starts first or second pull.
If they made the 94r with a high torque head, I'd have a few of them. As of now, it's all BCZ260TS for me. In fact, even if they started offering a high torque head on the 94R, I'd stay with redmax. Redmax is the only trimmer that will last me more than three seasons. Guys I know running 94R have clutch issues after a few years...
Echo is good until you stick your elbow on the spark plug it shocks your ass every 5 seconds , not sure why they setup their weedeater like that , I use the Stihl 94r, 3 years still running, no money spent on repairs for it, even with a bad carb it’s still running strong
Not sure exact model in your experience. The 225 has shocked me more than anything else in my life. So for the 2620 and 262 haven't shocked me yet. Thought it was my imagination,until I hired my nephew and he complained about the same thing.
@@veilcrowe this was a while back I’m sure hopefully they redesigned it, It got me every time, for me when I use a weedeater I rest my elbow on the engine and it’s right at the top exposed
16” cut swath lime the stihl you might as well just use a pair scissors. The Shindiawa T262 is the same as the Echo but a little different cut swath 20” on the shindiawa. Take the guards off sling equal length and dia. String and get back with us.
Try a Husqvarna 525LST commercial. It weighs less than those, has more power than those, and has a larger cut width than those for the same price as the 94R. I've ran all three. The Husqvarna is better. Perhaps you should give them a try if you want to add to your Rambo fleet. Remember 525LST!
@@sloppyjoe6243 Some differences between Shindaiwa and Echo. Echo is designed for the pro market. Shindaiwa is for the consumer market. Shindaiwa uses a solid steel rod for transmission. Echo uses a steel cable for transmission. All Shindaiwa engines have 2 piston rings, whereas the 21 cc Echo engines only have 1 piston ring. For the Echo only the larger size engines have 2 piston rings. The Echo 2060 has two piston rings. All Shindaiwa models have a 20" cutting swath. 21cc and 26cc Echos like the 2060, 225, 2030 have a 17" swath. 30cc Echos like the 3020 have a 20" swath. Echos have high torque models with a higher gear ratio (2:1). Shindaiwa does not have high torque models with a 2:1 high gear ratio. All Shindaiwa models have a 1.62:1 gear ratio. The only way to get higher torque on the Shindaiwa is to get a model with a larger engine size. Some (or perhaps all) Shindaiwa engines have chrome plating on the cylinder wall, but Echos do not.
I've noticed those on certain models of weedeaters and was wondering the same thing. They aren't on the factory models I looked at so must be installed after buying. Vibration damper???
It’s for mounting in a rack system. There’s a tab on the block at the end of the trimmer that slips into a hole on the rack, and the block near the trigger has a slot that the locking mechanism on the rack engages with. Keeps your equipment from rolling around during transport and keeps thieves from walking off with it when you’re not around.
@@francostacy7675 I am not sire about echo. I would never stray away from Stihl. Both my Tahoe and yukon have a sticker on the driver door stating they were built in Arlington Texas truck assembly.
Bro.. echo all day long..moved on from the stihl.. the only stihl equipment I've never seen fail on a job site are their blowers, chainsaws, and hedge trimmers everything else is crap
snoop furlow I’m not sure what type of shaft but my 94r recoil is having an issue where it won’t engage m?! Maybe it’s my fault for leaving it on my equipment defender rack in the rain lol 😂
I have the exact same weed eater I have both of them and I gotta say that echo is the best steel that's the best steal in my opinion and don't buy it for your business it's really a piece of shit for your business it's really a piece of shit my carburetor went out less then 2 weeks I feel like steel needs to get the right diagram from echo is the right diagram from echo and be like echo because literally still the whole because Larry still the whole weeders everything besides the eaters everything besides the chainsaws really there are all piece of shits you shouldn't have to the shits you shouldn't have to do maintenance after some after so many hours to to adjust it with you adjusted with echo you don't have to do any of that bullshit Yeah changed the gas filters all the filters spark plugs but that's OK because You can do-it-yourself and start up the machine and go everyday Without really any problems sthil is garbage
had 3 of each one of each per crew for 3 crews the sthil has less power but last a little longer then echo IMO they both are crap going back to maruyama
@@stevemiddleton9843 stihls are good no doubt, but to say echo is subpar is an ignorant statement. 2620 T with no guard will stand up to any trimmer. Its all personal preference and I've never had a single issue firing up any of my echo equipment. To each their own. Stihls are known for hard starting, just like the guy in the video says.
@@stevemiddleton9843 I ran echos for my commercial lawn business and had one fall off the truck on the interstate... still runs years later. Had another run over by a Honda Civic, still runs fine.
