Tools We Have Known (Not The Human Kind) :)

I figured you were going to say standard trimmer string wouldn't fit it.
they gave me a glorified string trimmer for the hard to reach parts of my weedscape at my station - it typically blows out 2-3 of the special strings per use. I tried copper wire, but that did worse. I have some stainless steel aircraft cable I am tempted to try.

It would probably have taken standard string, but with the spool broken that wasn't really the problem. There was plenty of string left. There was just no way to get it out. It was one of those push-to-release things where you push the head against the ground to operate a spring and the string works its way out by centrifugal force. Problem was the head was made of plastic, so it was eventually ground down to non existence by repeatedly pressing it against stone while rotating. What was left of the plastic head had melted into the plastic spool, so there was no way of getting to the string. The only possible fix would have been a new spool.

I have (somewhere at the back of the shed) a petrol chain strimmer.
Its "string" is a one foot length steel chain...
Its bloody lethal.
Its a case of wear steel toecaps and chain mail trousers....
But it does clear the shwubbery very nicely...
It was "retired" from its last job of clearing canal towpaths, because the volunteer group using it were scared cr@pless about using it?...

If you are patient, you can dig holes in the ground with it.
I was going to send it to Tiger Woods....
It will launch stones the size of a golf ball for a good 300yds..... in a straight line....

I think the steel blade makes great sense, even for a smaller trimmer and a smaller yard. it has a narrower profile than string, so it cuts cleaner. I can also get a chain blade, like silver speaks of, or a saw blade, or a string head like you speak of. I also have a head that takes plastic pivoting blades - but those wear down and break. the steel blade just needs to be sharpened once in a while.

It's probably not the weight of the head - it's probably the resistance when it hits something.

it depends on how heavily you will be using it. my mother had a battery one that does everything she wants to do at a time. so if you don't want to spend a lot of time at a time that's a positive for battery trimmers. you have a good excuse for taking a break.

OTOH, if you want a workhorse, I would recommend a Stihl 4-mix model - it runs a 4 stroke engine on mixed gas. the result is a slower quieter engine that uses a gearbox to make up the tip speed. I haven't had direct contact with the headswapping model, though. if you use multiple small tools, for casual use, I can see the benefit of only maintaining one motor.

My yard is small, only 0.2 acres and I only use a string trimmer a few times a year, although I may use it more if it was easy enough to use.

I dont hold with battery garden tools.
The ones I have used are always under-powered, and over-expensive, for the same price you can get a much more powerful corded item, and a durable extension lead with breaker?...

In garden tools, power is critical, getting halfway through a job and no power is infuriating.

The last strimmer I bought uses a think strimmer wire, more durable than thin string, and aluminium coated, so nice and sharp as well, it lasts a bit better.
And can tackle tougher jobs.

ALWAYS have a spare loaded spool to hand...
Halfway through a job and running out of silly-string is infuriating....
Having to work out how to wind on more string is a PITA.

Before use, always get a magic marker under the thing, and mark in direction of rotation....
You know you will need it some day.

Before use, always make not of direction of winding of the supplied string....
You KNOW you will need that one day as well, as you try to work out which way you wind on new string....
Not knowing and getting it wrong is infuriating.

Before purchase, have a look, find out how much its going to cost to replace the string/spool/ whatever...
Replacement parts can be expensive.
Find out of replacement string MUST be manufacturers own.
If not, is there a viable alternative?...

Not having any replacement string to hand is infuriating....

Also, having your neighbour ask you if you have any spare and having to tell them their half-power toenail polisher wont be able to swing a spool of the heavy duty stuff I use, may be infuriating to them, but its a hell of a laugh to see them try when you give then six foot of wire and watch them fight with it....
(It was too think to even go through the holes in the spool...)
They have a wireless thing that struggles with tall grass, as in anything over 6 inch tall is too tough for the thing.

Of course, right tool for the job, if all you are doing is taking the weeds out of a paved area, and you do that weekly, then go ahead with a smaller lighter tool.
If like me you use your strimmer to do some hedge work, as in the bits UNDER the hedge you cant get hedge cutters into, then you need something bigger, if you are edging a lawn, or going against the concrete wall at the edge of a lawn where the mower wont fit, you need a tougher tool.
Mine is a light site tool made by JCB, any more power would be a petrol engine tool.

Here's another fun tool:


It's a faucet and sink installer. One tool that handles most plumbing nut sizes you need, as well as some specialty wrenches. One of my favorite parts is the angle stop wrench--now I don't risk deforming a stuck handle with a channel-lock.

Also, something I've been carrying in my wallet for a while:



Acts as a wrench, screwdriver, ruler, and bottle opener. Not bad for a buck.