Ryobi RLT30CESA

...electrical, or petrol powered. The Ryobi RLT30CESA falls into the latter category.
In it’s simplest form, a line cutter consists of some form of engine, a long pole with a mechanical linkage and a rotating spool at the other end which feeds nylon monofilament line.

When turning sufficiently quickly, the line is held taught by centripetal force, and can impart sufficient force to vegetation to cut through grass and shoots.
...a petrol engine, and the Ryobi is one such example.
They’re currently updating their current range with a model with an electric start, however I recently bought mine in a sale with a conventional cord-pull starter.

Petrol trimmers generally use two stroke engines – these are lightweight and powerful, they have the disadvantage of needing a mixture of petrol and lubricant (known as two stroke oil, or ‘2T’) – you generally have ... more

We all look forward to the warmer days, and spending time in the garden, but the downside is that this also marks the ‘growing season’ for plants, and no sooner does the sun start shining than the grass seems to be up to your oaxters (armpits).
In these occasions, there’s no hope of using a conventional lawn mower, and even then, you can never get right into tight corners or round posts.

Line trimmers come into their own in these circumstances, they tend to be either electrical, or petrol powered. The Ryobi RLT30CESA falls into the latter category.
In it’s simplest form, a line cutter consists of some form of engine, a long pole with a mechanical linkage and a rotating spool at the other end which feeds nylon monofilament line.

When turning sufficiently quickly, the line is held taught by centripetal force, and can impart sufficient force to vegetation to cut through grass and shoots.
Electric trimmers are relatively inexpensive, typically costing £40 for a basic mains powered unit, more if they use rechargeable batteries. They lack power however.
To get serious, you need a petrol engine, and the Ryobi is one such example.
They’re currently updating their current range with a model with an electric start, however I recently bought mine in a sale with a conventional cord-pull starter.

Petrol trimmers generally use two stroke engines – these are lightweight and powerful, they have the disadvantage of needing a mixture of petrol and lubricant (known as two stroke oil, or ‘2T’) – you generally have to mix this in a graduated bottle yourself, and this is no exception.

Typical prices are around the £80 mark, although you may be able to pick them up for slightly less, or with additional accessories.

My unit came with a small bottle of 2T, bit no mixer container – expect to pay a couple of quid if you don’t already have one.

Build quality is excellent – the overall feel is that of quality – all the parts fit together well (some minor self assembly is needed, but tools are supplied) and give the impression of being designed as a whole, rather than a combination of individual parts brought together at the last minute.

The trimmer is also lighter than some of the cheaper brands on the market – not by a great deal, but the overall feel is far better balanced than some equipment I’ve used.

There’s even a loop onto which you could attach a lanyard to take some of the weight of your arms, but no such strap was supplied with the unit I bought.

Starting is pretty conventional for a two stroke engine – put the ignition switch to the ‘on’ position, put in the petrol/oil mixture in the fuel tank, press a plastic dome five or six times to ‘prime’ the engine, put the choke in the ‘start’ position and then apply three or four sharp tugs to the starting cord.

There’s definitely a knack to getting an individual engine started, you either don’t prime it enough, or flood the engine – only practice reveals the correct amount, and that partly depends on how warm the weather is, and how recently you last ran the trimmer.

Once warmed up, the engine will generally re-start on the first tug.
Where Ryobi have added extra functionality is by making the trimmer head detatchable. Around halfway down the shaft you can uncouple the business end, and replace it with other accessories – these include a hedge trimmer (about £50) or small cultivator (about £70) – whilst not exactly cheap, they save you filling your garden shed with two stroke engines!

I like the unit for the convenience it offers, of course I have the hassle of mixing up petrol and oil, but I don’t have to get the extension cables out every time I want to use it, and whist I wouldn’t want to use it in the pouring wet, it doesn’t present quite the same danger as using high voltage electrical equipment.

The 30cc engine is certainly powerful enough to see off anything I’ve introduced it to; grass, ground elder, and some fine brushwood, I would urge a degree of caution if working round shrubs and young trees, as the chances are you could damage the bark.

The trimmer head features two filament lines – which helps to reduce imbalance, however I’ve yet to master the auto-feed mechanism which replaces the line when sections become worn out.

At 105dBa it isn’t exactly quiet, although as it gets the job done quickly it shouldn’t annoy the neighbours too long, as a result would always prefer to use ear protection, goggles and heavy gloves (these things can throw debris quite far) but if you take basic common sense precautions, they’re perfectly safe to use.
Were I starting from scratch, this would be the unit of choice – the ability to add extra attachments is a genuine advantage.

In summary, well built, versatile and worth the little extra initial cost.

Look out for special offers or extras (may be even cheaper at the end of the season) 

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