Stihl FS 56 vs FS 70 vs Echo SRM 225 Homeowner Review of new string trimmer / weed eater

Stihl FS 56 vs FS 70 vs Echo SRM 225 Homeowner Review
new string trimmer / weed eater / weed whacker
comparison of features and how i made my decision

[JoseDiaz-kidq]

Engine difference is that the FS70R has two ring pistons vs one ring on the 56 RC. Also the gear box on the FS70 has an extra ball bearing. The FS70 is tuned slightly different than the 56.

[tonyd]

Thank you for making and posting this video, from the perspective of a homeowner and not a pro-trim service.

[keithienmason]

I'm satisfied with my Stihl fs56 string trimmer for now it's my first Stihl weed eater ever used in my life I have a Stihl FS 90 R but the shaft is broken in half it still runs good the primer bulb is cracked on choke it starts up

[EddieLindsay]

FS70 has 2 piston ring that gives it more compression/Horse Power and the the connecting rod is forged, the 56 has a stamped steel rod. Not that big of deal really but should be a little stronger when it come to power and durability, sad your dealer didn’t know this.

[cwebblocksmith]

I have the Stihl 70 and absolutely love it.

[bruceang]

I have a troybuilt 27cc trimmer & have hated it almost from the first day, I have suffered with its difficult starting for too long now & it refuses to run very well this start of spring, no carburetor adjustments possible & the sore between my index & middle finger say its gotta go...thanks for the review on the Stihl, checked them out yesterday & going to go buy it today.

[wespeacock]

Purchased a Stihl 56 RC today for $236 OTD with included 6-pack of synthetic 2-cycle Stihl oil (more than I'll need this year). Used it for about a half hour and I feel good that it was a solid purchase. I'm not a brand fan and own both Echo and Stihl trimmers and blowers but I needed a new trimmer today(!). Of my Echo's I started with an SRM-210 that withstood 10 years of brutal abuse (1 user tool that I cleaned and maintained). Gifted and replaced by an SRM-225 that seemed quite similar if not identical. Purchased a rural home and upgraded to the SRM-280 and the 225 became a wallhanger almost immediately. 225 became a parts donor for my hedge shear and will be put back into service. Had to order Echo parts today and my next trimmer will be the Echo 3020 but needing a trimmer today the Stihl 56 seemed to be the best value locally. Time will tell.

[keithienmason]

Power of weed eaters does makes a difference and the trimmer line does make a difference as well the trimmer head is called auto speed feed trimmer head that trimmer head is awesome

[bamagolds]

I have a semi commercial lawn service- use it 2-3 times a week on a few places. My trimmer gets used the most. 3 years ago, I choose the Echo 225 split shaft because its more convenient to transport on my carrier. Now, HD jacked the price up $70, so I started looking towards Stihl products since my edger and blower are Stihl.
I have the FS 70 edger. The engine body looks identical to this FS 56. Since I prefer spit shafts, I see they make a KM 56. My current trimmer is doing great for now. Just trying to do my investigate all options for my next. I do know that the easy start is a big plus. My trimmer has it, my other Stihl products don't.

[johnclarke]

I am very happy with my FS 56 RCE that I bought several weeks ago. Five primes, full choke and one pull and it’s running. I like the straight through refill of the cutting head a lot better than the older cutting head that I had to disassemble to load it up. It is easier to start than my Husqvarna 28 L and is several pounds lighter, too. I did load it up with the professional orange/black trimmer line instead of the standard .095 orange line. I broke mine in with Stihl Moto Mix (50:1).

[keithienmason]

You can buy a steel fs56 RC string trimmer head it's called auto speed feed trimmer head were you turn the bump head to real in the trimmer line it's a nice feature to use with out winding up the trimmer line by hand it's very convenient to use faster smarter I'm glad engineers design that type of trimmer head it's huge

[chrislewis]

I like my Echo srm225, it's held up for 4 years with no problems. I like stihl trimmers too, but at entry level prices I believe the echo is a better deal. I also have not changed the spark plug or air filter in 4 years and it cranks in 2 pulls.

[keithienmason]

Prime the bulb about 5 times choke it half choke it let the trimmer warm up 5 minutes squeeze the throttle in the run position it's nice that I have my Stihl fs56 RC string trimmer I bought mine at Big blue the power of Stihl fs56 RC string trimmer is in credible i have warranty if anything goes wrong with my Stihl fs56 RC string trimmer overall it's a badass trimmer so far so good

[keithienmason]

It's good to grease your gear box every time you use your Stihl fs56 product

[donaldhammond]

When I first purchased the FS55R, I was told the commercial version is the same motor but with upgraded bearings for everyday use. Since it last me for 18 years before I decided to replace it, I think the residential version was the right choice for me.

[Mirahverl]

One of the better videos reviewing the Stihl FS56, and I also was looking at the other 2 trimmers you considered and came to the same conclusion.

[JoinrDIE]

The fs70 has an extra bearing in the gearbox. It has 10 percent more horsepower and it has 2 rings compared to one ring on the piston in the 56..

[donaldhammond]

I'm not sold on the speed feed by ECHO. Sounds nice but the head only holds 20 feet compared with 33 feet with the STIHL. So it may appear to be more convenient, it will have to be replaced more often which is more trouble than the the added convenience.

[keithienmason]

Man I love my Stihl fs56 string trimmer I'm spoiled love it

[jasonmcbride]

Ford vs chevy argument both are bad ass this dude's a fan boy and probably getting kickbacks