I have the SRM-225 and I must say, it is one of the best string trimmers I have ever used! I used to use the curved shaft and I was very impressed with this straight shaft. The only thing I didn't like about it was the shield was small. It would have been nice to have it larger to protect the operator better. One of the biggest "pros" with this trimmer is the pre-mix of gas and oil. When I got this trimmer, it came with a small container and took all the guess work out of mixing the gas and oil correctly. You can purchase the pre-mix at Echo's website or at your local home repair store, automotive store or Wal-Mart.

Deerhunter69

USA

When our weed eater/blower died after about 1 year of use, we had to decide which brand to go with this time.  My husband did a lot of research and we  decided to buy an echo because we knew that although it was more expensive, it would last for many years.  I, being the housewife, do most of the yard work at our house.  I love my new echo. I love the fact that it is not just a weed eater and I don't have to attach the blower to it.  I think that It is very easy to start and very light weight.  It does a great job and take me no time at all to do all of the weed eating around my house and fence.   Another thing that is great about my echo is the easy to load string.  No more bumping the bottom to advance the string.  The echo uses an oil and gas mixture.  We  use either premium or medium gas.  We think that taking good care of it will make it last for many years.   We have noticed that our neighbors yard man also uses an echo.  We know we made a great choice.

bigpennypincher

Jacksonville, FL

Echo has always made good quality power equipment. Look at any lawn service truck and chances are you'll see echo trimmers and edgers. I have a pretty good sized lot and this trimmer does a great job for grass and weeds. I also do work for others in my neighborhood and they have all been impressed with the results. At first it felt heavy to me but I've gotten used to it. The extra weight means it's a quality product. The head is easy to feed line into (once you read the manual), and bumping it for more line is easy as well. The engine is probably the best part of the whole trimmer. Echo engines (to me anyway) actually sound GOOD. This trimmer is no exception. I don't mind mixing oil and gas, as I've done it for years with other engines. This isn't one of those trimmers that you'll be pulling on 20 times to start. Mine usually starts in less than 5 pulls. Sometimes it'll start on the first pull if I've got the choke set just right. With proper care and maintenance, it'll last forever.

dj2gnar

Orlando, FL

I use this trimmer for not only my home but for the 7 other grass cuts i do every week in my personal grass business. Since I bought this trimmer I have cut approx. 150 lawns each say 30 minutes of use. The trimmer performs very well. The only small issue is you cant load quite as much trimmer line onto the spool as they say. If so it must be wound up manually. This is minor however and otherwise is a great trimmer !

ctrimmer

Gold Bar, WA

When I bought my house I decided to get a good grass trimmer to keep the yard looking neat and attractive. I settled on the **Echo Model 225 Grass Trimmer** and have been happy with its performance. This grass trimmer has a strong engine. It fires-up quickly when starting out and does not sputter or hesitate. The unit also has a good balanced feel (once you get used to handling it).  When held properly, it's easy to navigate along tight edges to knock down weeds and cut those pesky blades of grass your mower cannot reach. The unit runs on a gas/oil mixture and uses nylon lines to do the actual trimming. When new the unit comes with some oil mixture too. The nylon needs to be replaced periodically when they wear down, but it's not too hard. I should also mention the fuel filter, spark plug, and air filter need periodic maintenance. Overall I recommend the **Echo Model 225 Grass Trimmer** because it is durable, not too heavy, pretty easy to operate, and effectively trims the weeds and high grass areas around the yard. Big, thick weeds are a challenge though - I suggest pulling those out by hand. Some drawbacks are that it is quite noisy (most weed wackers are noisy though) and does need occasional maintenance. I strongly recommend keeping the users manual handy to remember how to start it, keep it maintained, and to review the safety features from time to time. I'll rate this as 4 stars.

JovialCougar

Denver, CO

My husband and I have over two acres of yard to mow and trim, and given that we live in North Central Florida, where it rains some EVERY DAY almost all summer, we end up doing a LOT of work in the yard. While we were contemplating the purchase of a gas-powered trimmer in a home & garden store one weekend (we had been given an electric trimmer by my husband's parents, but it just wasn't getting the job done), we happened to meet a husband and wife team that own their own landscaping company. Their glowing review of the Echo SRM-225 sold us, and we couldn't be happier with it.  Be aware that if you're not familiar with gas-powered yard tools, you will probably need to spend some time reading the manual before you get started with the trimmer. After that, though - at least in our experience - the trimmer really does not require much by way of maintenance. It's heavy, but not too heavy to work with it for over an hour (more if you get a shoulder strap for it). It really gets the job done!

cristiS

Gainesville, FL