Weeds are an integral part of the garden, lawn and fields. There is a Spanish proverb which aptly describes the presence of this vegetation. It is said that "More grows in the Garden than the gardener sows. " This statement is in fact absolutely true. There can be no garden or lawn which doesn't have the unwelcome presence of these hardy plants.
It is well said that "Give a weed an inch and it will take a yard. " The weeds grow faster than the plants which they infest. Even William Shakespeare had to say that "Sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste. " This disrupts the trim and proper look of the garden or the lawn which if not given proper care turns into an eyesore.
But weeding is also a specialized job. It needs a lot of attention and care. Because if you pull out a weed too hard, it may happen that the weed might break in your hands and the roots remain just where they are, beneath the earth. This might result in another eruption of the vegetation a few days later.
Different weeds need different kinds of techniques and tools to be removed. Earlier the weeding process was done by hand. But it was a back-breaking and a tedious exercise which consumed a lot of time and energy. But in due course, technological advancements took place and in 1971, George Ballas invented the weed eater. This machine was run on gas or electricity and increased the convenience of the gardener.
Weed eater is also known as the weed whacker or string trimmer due to the function it performs and the component it is made up of. There are mainly three types of weed whackers which are in popular demand among the gardening community. These three categories of weed whackers:
Electric Powered Weed Whacker: Some of the weed whackers work on the electric supply. They do not require gas or oil to operate. Such electric weed eaters are lighter in weight and also come in smaller sizes. They are also easy to maneuver. They are perfect for small lawns or yards as they have a restriction of the power cord. To do a bigger size of the lawn, one needs to have an extension cord to operate the machine.
Gas Powered Weed Whacker: Gas powered weed eaters have been traditionally used for pulling out the invasive plant growth. These kinds of string trimmers use oil or gas or at times both to operate. They are the power horses in the trimmer community. The gas weed eaters have more power and can hold more string than their electric counterparts. The gas weed eaters also have a wider scope of operation as they are not restricted by a cord and can reach into the far reaches of the yard. The only downside to this equipment is that is very heavy and not as easily maneuvered as can be done with the electric ones.
Battery Operated String Trimmer: Battery operated weed whackers are being extensively used in the present times. They are still charged by the electric energy, yet it helps in the control of air and noise pollution to some extent. This kind of an instrument doesn't need a power cord or for that matter gas and oil. The battery powered trimmers are also light weight and give the user more flexibility in smaller areas.
There are many prominent brands which have introduced their weed whackers in the market. After George Ballas introduced this machine there have been many changes and innovations in the manufacture of these weed eaters. Major players like Black & Decker, Feather lite, Ryobi, Echo and Toro have a wide range of weed whackers. Some of these are electric powered and many of them are cordless, running on battery.
Black & Decker have introduced a cordless weed whacker which is called The Grasshog 12-Inch 18-Volt Cordless String Trimmer/Edger. It is light in weight and is very easy to handle. This machine runs on battery and is cordless which makes it more convenient to carry. The Grasshog can trim an area of about half acre on single charge using the 18-Volt batteries.
The Feather Lite Weed eater is a product of Poulan which has been manufacturing quality tools since 1944. There are two major models in this category - Weed Eater Feather Lite Plus Curved-Shaft Trimmer - 20cc and Weed Eater 14-Inch 4. 1-Amp Electric Trimmer Edger respectively. These are light weight trimmers which use 4-cycle and 2-cycle engines for better results and a perfectly trimmed lawn.
Ryobi is also one of the leading brands in the field of manufacturing power tools, outdoor products and accessories. There is a perfect blend of innovation and versatility in the products. There are two models from this company which come as gas and electricity powered weed eaters. The Ryobi Lithium 18 volt-12 inch (model p2002) Weed Eater is cordless and weighs up to 7. 5 pounds. It also features adjustable upper shaft to fit user height, a fold out edge guide, and it stays charged 4 times longer to give better results.
The Ryobi gas powered trimmer is heavier and also makes a lot more noise as compared to the electric one. And then one also has to refill the tank from time to time.
Then there is also another brand which takes lead in making high quality weed eaters and that is Echo, which is in the field for the last 30 years. It manufactures fine commercial grade weed eater/trimmer. Some of the more popular models from Echo might include Echo Weed Eater GT-200R, GT-200i, GT-251and SRM-210. Most of these trimmers are light weight with a curved shaft which makes it easier to handle for the user.
Then there is also the Toro manufacturing company which has been making quality equipments since 1914. There are two well known models of weed eaters from this company. Toro 3. 5 Amp 11" Electric String Weed Eater/Trimmer is a dependable machine to trim and edge thick grass and weeds. It runs on a 3. 5 amp motor and is easy to operate.
The second model is the Toro 4. 4 Amp 15" Electric Weed Eater/Trimmer which features a dual trigger handle that makes it easy and convenient for users to switch between trimming and edging.
Thus, the type of the weed eater depends on the need of the user and the area which has to be cleaned of the weeds. One can easily choose from among the three types of machines which suit them best. Any brand of weed whacker will give you the best results if they are handled with care and maintained properly.
