Hedge Your Bets With The Stihl HS 75 Hedge Trimmer, A Good Choice!
Written: Jun 08 '05 (Updated Jun 09 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Commercial Unit, Solid Manufacturing, Warranty, Reliability
Cons: Cost
The Bottom Line: If you appreciate good tools, respect the value of your time and money, Stihl has the Hedge trimmer for you!
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| lllopez's Full Review: Stihl Hs 75 Hedge Trimmer |
There is nothing more unsightly than snarled, unkept hedges and shrubs. I am fortunate enough to live in a community where everyone really attends to their properties and a fair share them have a desire to do the work themselves. That kind of pride is priceless and it is rewarding to get out on a hot day to do your part keeping the neighborhood nice.
I have tried electric, battery and manual hedge trimmers and obviously prefer the ease of a good power hedge trimmer, as is the case with the Stihl HS 75.
Why Stihl, or the HS75 For That Matter?
Stihl is a staple in the power equipment industry with an established reputation as a major player based on excellence of products service and support. Personally, I own a few Stihl Chain saws, a leaf blower and pole pruner all, and in nutshell am thrilled about my ownership experience. So, when it came time to upgrade my tired Echo. I chose to go back to Stihl.
Initially, I thought I would try the Stihl model HS 45 which is a consumer/commercial class model that targets homeowners or light commercial duty. My problem with the HS 45 upon further inspection was that it would not suit my needs as well as I would have liked. I live on a few acres with perimeter hedges and shrubbery along with established Norwegian Spruce trees which love to sprawl. The model 45, while a reciprocating unit, only has 2 cutting blades and is capable of cutting through 3/8” branches, which is fine if you are trimming back Azaleas, large Yews or ornamentals. My needs were more for a commercial model that would handle branches up to ¾”. The Stihl HS 75 fit the bill nicely.
Physical Considerations
The Stihl HS 75 incorporates a 25.44cc or 1.55 cu. in. 2 cycle Professional Series engine producing 1.2 bhp, which for a unit of its size and weight (11.4 lbs). Four cutting blades essentially assure that you aren’t shearing limbs and branches but making sure, clean cuts which go a long way to prevent your shrubs from browning. The 20” cutting bar placed side by side with the HS 45 is a world apart. It is evident that the 45 would be better suited for cleanup and finish work while the model 75 can add initial cleanups to the list, which would call for cutting some thicker limbs. The difference here is that you would have to spend a little more time with the 75 getting that real manicured look as it is best suited to larger work, but with a little practice and patience, you can accomplish it all with the model 75.
The weight is not much of a factor as the unit is nicely balanced and unlike the Red Max, Tenaka, or Echo, it feels solid with little or no flex, which I always found somewhat annoying, especially when reaching for your work. The Echo HC 150 seems heavier at 10.7 lbs., simply because of how the weight is distributed! Wielding the Stihl HS 75 all day will take its toll on you, that’s the downside of using a power implement, however making fast work of your task at hand reduces your time on the job and the Stihl HS 75 does exactly that.
Practical Considerations
While the Stihl HS 75 is a commercial unit, it is a practical unit for the homeowner who needs to trim bushes and hedges of all sizes. Vibration is an issue with a lot of power implements and Stihl addresses this issue head on with an anti vibration system which goes a long way toward preventing user fatigue.
The Fuel tank takes on 12.5 ounces of 50:1 2 cycle mix and will run approximately 45 minutes to an hour under full steam. The transparent tank allows the user to visually assess his fill levels. The fill cap is attached to the unit with a retainer cord preventing accidental loss which is a handy feature if you have ever lost a filler cap.
The hardened cutting blades will need sharpening every other season under light use and twice a season if used commercially although that is not gospel as use varies. If you are familiar with the use of a hone or file you can sharpen the blades at 45º to horizontal. The front hand guard is reassuring that your hand will not come close to the cutting bar, keeping the user safe, although the real danger is in user complacency not paying attention to where that cutting bar is at all times.
Stihl had user safety in mind when they devised the starting procedure on the HS 75. There is a locking slide control which accelerates the fuel feed pump eliminating the need to have one hand on the throttle to start the motor. Now you can hold the unit in place with one hand while pulling on the starter grip. Once started, the Stihl HS 75 releases the slide switch and you are under way.
Once of my pet peeves is an implement that spews exhaust onto the user. The Stihl HS 75aims hot exhaust gases away from the use unlike an older Toro leaf blower I once owned.
The handle on the model 75 is ample and sure and will accommodate anyone. The throttle control is mounted on the handle incorporating a trigger interlock, which must be depressed, topside before the blades will engage. This feature prevents accidental engaging of the very sharp cutting knives. Here again, Stihl has done its homework on user safety. Prime the bulb and pull the starter cord 2-3 times and you are working!
Every two hours of use calls for spraying a lubricant on the blades. I prefer to use a silicon lubricant called “Sili-Kroil” which sells for about 12.00 for a 16.5 ounce aerosol can. This product is a must in any shop as it will loosen anything bound up. Using Sili-Kroil on the blades reduces buildup of sap and sediment that will increase the tolerance relation of the cutting blades and will keep interblade friction to a minimum.
Who Should Own One?
Let’s face it, cheap tools produce cheap results. If you want it done right, you need to spend a few bucks to have a tool that will be there when you need it, making short efficient work of your hedges and shrubs. While it's not cheap at $350.00 it gets the job done right and works effortlessly. Yes, you can go out and buy a consumer grade unit at Home Depot but you will constantly be confronted with situations that will take your unit to task putting undue strain on it and you will find yourself buying another in no time at all. (Can you say law of diminishing returns?) The Stihl HS 75 is a unit that will take on any task making your job easer; and at the end of the day, that makes all the sense in the world to me.
Stihl warranties this product for 2 years as a homeowner and one year for commercial applications.
Recommended:
Yes
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