Content area
Full text
New brushcutters are lighter, stronger and better value than ever. Our panel is impressed, says Sally Drury
TESTED THIS WEEK
TanakaTBC230 29
Makita RBC2510 29
Stihl FS130 30
ShindaiwaT2500C4 30
Efco 8250IC and 8250 Ergo 30
THE REVIEW PANEL
Dennis Blake assistant groundsman, Sparsholt College
Nathan Bull groundsman, Sparsholt College
Daniel Davies groundsman, Sparsholt College
Justin Trotter groundsman, Sparsholt College
Contractors, mobile mowing crews, groundsmen and professional gardeners all use them - what would we do without nylon-line grass trimmers?
They are essential tools, whether you are aiming to recover an overgrown plot, mow awkward-shaped sites and embankments or trim around trees and obstacles.
The range of hand-held trimmers and brushcutters on the UK market is huge. In this test, we look at five models, all of which are suitable for trimming grass, but which cover different handle and shaft configurations.
We asked the grounds team at Sparsholt College, nearWinchester in Hampshire, to put the machines through their paces. Conditions on the day were dry and sunny.
Tanaka TBC230
What a great value trimmer. It may be listed in the "casual and light duty commercial" section of Tanaka's catalogue, but this little gem shares the features of its professional counterparts, has longlife components and bags of power.
The Tanaka TBC230 is matched with a 22cc commercial-grade engine and comes complete with a nylon-line Tap 'n' Go head. There's a primer for easy starting, a very decent anti-vibration system and an effective low noise muffler. What's more, cutting is easy on the user -just feel the weight.
"It's a top-notch trimmer. It is extremely lightweight and manoeuvrable," remarks Davies. "I don't know how they have managed to trim the weight down to this and yet still provide the power to do such a good job."
Blake, standing at over six feet, is the tallest of our testers. He finds he needs a longer shaft to be comfortable cutting vegetation close to the ground,...