I have the Makita 18V twin battery brush cutter . .
+1 to Adama's review. The Makita dual-LXT model is very decent for a cordless model. I have both a large Husqvarna and a mid-sized Echo gas powered trimmer (both can take blades) -- and it's no where near that powerful. However, it will motor through pretty thick grass and weeds and is light and balanced enough to be comfortable to use. Might add that the Makita dual battery chainsaw is also pretty decent for limbing -- equivalent maybe to a 25cc gas saw. And their electric trimmer works perfect for the bit of hedge we have out front.
My plot is a large and very steep (as in needing soccer cleats to stay upright) backyard area bordering on a tree-filled canyon that needs weed trimming 3 times a year to keep down the fire danger. An actual gas-powered brush cutter is needed once a year for the tiny saplings and heavier weeds -- but the Makita can keep things down in between. While I used to do the weed eating in a single weekend day -- now I hire it out once a year (that costing about as much as the Makita) and nibble at it an hour or so at a time in between to keep it down.
What I like best about the cordless Makita:
- Only have to mess with alcohol-laden gas and potentially clogged carbs and destroyed fuel lines once a year.
- No gas to buy & stablilize
- Quiet
- Always at the ready if I have an hour or so of time
- The twin 5Ahr batteries and my increasingly old frame seem to give out at about the same time
- Actually an almost pleasant exercise for an old guy
- Easy to cart down below (no gas fumes in the back of an SUV) to do the road behind the property
The main problem with most anything cordless is the batteries. You might as well use them constantly as try to use them every once and a while. For this reason, the "system" you choose for various cordless drills, drivers, saws, grinders, vacs etc. is as important as any decision. Makita's battery tech seems pretty good, the whole line of tools is decent. If you're already into another broad line of cordless tools, that might tip the balance. Ryobi is probably the cheap-but-not-terrible choice. Milwaukee and DeWalt are now probably OK; but I abandoned Milwaukee when it screwed up it's first line of 18v Li ion batteries.
The Stihl FSA65 gets good reviews, but it's $500 and the batteries aren't going to see use in drills, saws, etc. Probably only makes sense for a landscape crew working in areas where quiet is required -- or someone who trims their weeds pretty frequently. Greenworks makes what is apparently a decent low powered trimmer that's more affordable -- but those batteries won't see much use beyond the yard.
