Combi-tool. Brushcutter/Polesaw/Hedgecutter

[Wendelspanswick]

I borrowed a friends polesaw last year to trim back the overhanging branches from our access track, it was a Ryobi combi-tool and although it was useful I wasn't that impressed with the quality.
I had a look at the Stihl version but couldn't justify the £700+ for all the components.
I then happened to see that Lidl were doing a combi-tool for £129, I wasn't expecting much but I had a look and bought one and was pleasantly surprised.
The quality is better than the Ryobi version, of course nowhere near as robust as the Stihl version but for the occasional use its going to get from me it seems good enough, plus it has a three year warranty.
It's a 40cc power unit with a brush cutter/strimmer shaft, hedgecutter shaft, chainsaw shaft and an extension pole.
It all clips together very smoothly and its comfortable, if heavy, to use. The fastenings are good quality and it comes with a toolbag containing all the required tools.
After fuelling it started 2nd pull and ticks over nicely, I tried all the attachments and it started cleanly after each change.
Time will tell how it stands up to the abuse I give it but for £129 and a 3 year guarantee I am happy so far.

[The Barrowers]

Its on at Lidl's next Thursday Offers, I think

[The Barrowers]

Sorry, It's Thursday today I'm in a different timeline

[oldclaypaws]

The tool in question is a 'Florabest', which is Lidl's label for its own range of Einhell made tools. The warranty is manufacturers, not Lidl's. When I had an issue after a couple of hours use of an Einhell brushcutter, I rang Einhell UK for the broken part. Contrary to their stated website reassurances, there were in fact no spares available, other than the cutter blade and strimmer line, which are hardly spares. They also said they couldn't replace it, so I should ask Amazon for a refund.

These items are pretty cheap and cheerful designed for a few hours casual garden use and meant to be chucked if going wrong, there are no spares. I suspect in the event that there is an issue, Lidl will refer you to Einhell, who will refer you back to Lidl, in other words the guarantee may well be meaningless and useless.

I also seem to recall scepticism from knowledgeable retailers about most multitools (including from Stihl stockists about the Stihl multitools), they are not up to the performance of the individual specialist tools.

They do say you get what you pay for, although a German Einhell 240V drill I had served me well for about 15 years including a fair bit of abuse, less luck with the later Chinese made Einhell brushcutter.

[Dexter's Shed]

how time flies, seem to remember posting about my chinese import multi strimmer a couple of years back, no different from the above one, and getting hammered by everyone, well both of mine, yes I bought two are still going strong and start up every time, even after sitting over the woods for weeks with the same petrol/oil mix in them

[Wendelspanswick]

Well nearly every garden contractor I see now seems to be using combi-tools, nearly always the Stihl Kombi Tool. Even the council groundskeepers are kitted out with the Stihl.
Time will tell if mine stands up to the abuse I give it. It's really only the polesaw that I will be using regularly as I have a decent Kawasaki brushcutter that is still going strong after 25 years!
As to there being no spares for the Lidl combi-tool it uses a standard Walbro carb and a clone of the Kawasaki engine so diaphragms/short engines/bearings are cheaply available.
The components that tend to fail on small 2 strokes are the carb diaphragms as the bio ethanol added to modern fuels makes them harden prematurely and any plastic bits. The only plastic bits on the Lidl combi-tool are the engine cover, the stand off, the choke lever, the chain cover on the pole saw and the main handle.
I think you'd have to be pretty aggressive to break the main handle. The engine cover and stand off breaking would not be terminal, which leaves the choke lever which is available as a carb spare and the polesaw chain cover which could be replaced by a piece of aluminium sheet if smashed.
The rest of the components are well machined aluminium castings and tubing which all click together very slickly.
The Lidl 3 year warranty has up to now proved very fair with other purchases I have made. I had a 4 1/2" grinder fail after about 18 months (about the normal lifespan of grinders with me as I work them hard), I took it back to Lidl who said they could either give me a full refund or I could hang on till they were back in stock and exchange it for a new one.

[oldclaypaws]

I was in my local Lidl today and saw the cordless 18V hedge trimmer on offer at £49.99

Since buying my Makita cordless 18V hedgetrimmer I'm a fan of the concept, no more wires to get knotted in the debris or cut through, which I must have done a dozen times. The 4aH battery in my Makita was more than enough to cut one side of our 250ft garden hedge, with juice to spare, and it can be recharged in about 40 minutes. By comparison the Lidl only has a 2aH battery and takes 5 hours to charge, but then it should be enough for a small suburban hedge rather than our monster, and the Makita would cost over £200 if you didnt already have the the battery and charger and had to buy them, half that if you did have them as I did.

I found if you want to quickly clear just a few brambles or nettles encroaching on woodland paths at waist or chest height, the 18v hedgetrimmer is very light, nimble and quick to whip them off without all the faffing and noise that comes with a petrol brushcutter. As such its a useful addition to the woodland armoury.

[The Barrowers]

Hello. Bought a Lidl hedge cutter and used it to do my surburban hedge. Good. Light and no faffing with a lead. May even mean I cut it more often And will be useful in the woods as already said. Let's see how the battery holds up under pressure