Summary:
Good performer lighter than some straight shaft models.Enough power to tackle overgrowth.

Strengths:
Good power,start easy,great feed system,Service easy to obtain.Very minor weed winding problems

Weaknesses:
Need to get seperate clamp for harness as stock location is to far back for good balance

Summary:
Good buy

Strengths:
Easy to use Long lasting - had ours 5 years with no probs

Weaknesses:
Gets dirty!

Summary:
I have only owned this for two weeks so maybe my review isn't going to really help anyone. I researched trimmers for 5 days (almost all day) and was torn between the stihl and the echo. My neighbor said they use the stihls at work and they take a beating and keep on running...so I went with that. My last one was a home depot speacial that had a ton less power and froze up after the 2nd season....so far I can tell this is way out of that league.

Strengths:
Solid machine, works like a horse.

Weaknesses:
So far I haven't really found any except for it was a little heaview then some other trimmers in the same price range (echo, shin, etc).

Summary:
great german product, like an American truck built by Germans!

Strengths:
starts line champ lighter than most powerful and completes jobs with ease

Weaknesses:
in the beginning it's hard to get used to feeding the line. you will feel like 3rd hand is appropriate, but i placed mine in a vice to hold it while I fed the line into the feeder. it's a nice change.

Summary:
Great machine, just requires regular maintenance to keep in top form

Strengths:
Starts easy, plenty of power, used with plastic blades it takes down thick weeds, grass, even brambles easily

Weaknesses:
The plastic choke lever broke off after a year of use. After about 2 years of normal use, it was losing power. I discovered the exhaust port was getting clogged. It was easily fixed by removing the port and burning off the residue with a blow torch. Now it runs great again.

Summary:
Purchased new 6/07 to trim small hill. After little use had repaired under warranty on 8/08, clean and adjusted carb. After winterizing and fresh fuel used twice this summer and again it would not idle, hard to start and will not stay running. The repair shop says it needs a new carb and check valve. A one hundred dollar bill, I only paid two. I figure it only has about 10-15 hrs on it.

Strengths:
Works great when it ran.

Weaknesses:
Fuel system.

Summary:
Very ggod overall machine...i had issues installing metal blade .Blade does not fit properly over trust plate,could not use metal yet...

Strengths:
Easy start,,very light,good on gas..

Weaknesses:
Installing metal blade issues

Summary:
Wasted investment.

Strengths:
Easy to start.

Weaknesses:
Sold to me new at BRIM TRACTOR COMPANY of Mount Vernon Washington with a chisel blade installed. It's a vibrating hunk of junk that over-revs the blade mass and is useless. Refund or exchange was refused.

Summary:
Poor customer service at the local level, Four Seasons in Eugene, Or. Unsympathetic to product under performing in both reputation and reliability. Regional Stihl guy did contact me after I emailed a complaint on their website but got more company talking points about ethanol fuel harming their products performance. 6 years, 10 hours engine time, fuel emptied before wintering, new fuel and Stihl mix added at new season....wouldn't start, again. Carb rebuilt a year and a half ago, now NEW carb needed & installed for $112. Will stay with it till it stops but then it goes in the trash.

Strengths:
Reputation...real or imagined.

Weaknesses:
After 6 years hasn't run long enough to gauge + or -

Summary:
Looked extensively at other makes before deciding on the Stihl but the name, expected dependability and reliability convinced me to spend the extra money. I have read hundreds of reviews from other consumers regarding these same issues. Unfortunately I did not heed my first instinct. I won't buy another one. By the way, I previously owned a Craftsmen weedeater (not a plug for Craftsmen - just a comparison), and all I did was put gas in it and go. I used every year for 11 years.

Strengths:
For the price I paid for my Stihl there are no Strengths considering the problems I have had with it. If you can't start it you can't use it!!!

Weaknesses:
Won't reliably start, ever!!! Used maybe 20 hours over a 2 year period. Told I need Carburetor rebuild. Of course $50 to $75 and no guarantee it won't keep happening from what I have read.

Summary:
Why can't Toyota make a weedwacker

Strengths:
Lightweight, seems easy to throw. Useful for holding down tarps, building up forearm muscles while you try to start it, testing patience.

Weaknesses:
Its a piece of junk. Since we bought it its been hard to start and bogs down soon, sounds like it has NO power. We brought it in 3 times. Run it til it runs dry to clean carb or does it just die we can't tell. We put in new gas and oil. Now it needs a new carb. We didn't mistreat it, but now we will.. Wasted 200 dollars. We've used it maybe 5 or 6 times. Would have been cheaper to hire somebody.

Summary:
Would recommend it to others that want a good hard working weed eater.

Strengths:
Great power to take on heavy weeds.

Weaknesses:
Changing the head attachment for a blade attachment is not very easy. Also, seems to vibrate a lot with the steel attachment.

Summary:
Stihl and dealers are unsympathetic to the problem. Very poor product and I am very dissappointed in the Company!

Strengths:
NONE! I purchased this trimmer because of the name. That was a mistake. Previously owned a Homelite for 15 years, It still starts every time! Just wanted to upgrade,

Weaknesses:
Always hard to start since I bought it. After one year of use will not start at all. Dealer blames it on gas problem. New gas, old gas does not make a difference. They say I need a new carb. $100.00 bill.

Summary:
JUNK DON,T BUY THIS TRIMMER! IT WILL NOT LAST 2 YEARS.

Strengths:
NONE! 18 MONTHS OLD, HARD TO START, HAS NO POWER, RUNS 10 SECONDS THEN DIES. DEALER SAYS DIRTY GAS. DON'T BELEIVE THEM. NO GAS LEFT IN TANK DURING WINTER. NEW GAS AND OIL IN SPRING. OLDER STIHL TRIMMER, LEAF BLOWER AND CHAIN SAW FILLED OUT OF SAME TANK NO PROBLEMS.

Weaknesses:
SEE STRENGTHS

Summary:
Don't purchase

Strengths:
none hard to start had to have carburetor rebuilt after 3 months use. Parts required to keep this piece of junk working for one year were more than the price of this weed eater. The trigger fell off when opened up all the plastic tongs that hold it were broken

Weaknesses:
The hole weed eater

Summary:
Piece-of-Crap

Strengths:
Ergonomics and style

Weaknesses:
It truly is a piece of crap. My wife purchased this for me a gift a few years ago. It has never worked properly from one season to the next. I have cleaned the carburetor numerous times, rebuilt it once, and replaced the ignition module. Parts are expensive and can only be purchased from a dealer. I also have Poulan and Ryobi string trimmers, and they just start and run, with almost no required maintenance or "fiddling". I keep hoping I can make the Stihl work, it has almost no hours on it and it looks so clean and pretty. I hate to throw things away, but this machine is a "sinkhole" for time and money. I don't think I will own another Stihl product. I swore off LG products after buying a poorly designed front loading washing machine. I've managed to "stick to my guns" about not getting any other LG products, so I think I can do the same about buying Stihl. I hope someone at Stihl reads these reports.

Summary:
If you want a yard trimmer this is the one to go with. Even in the hands of the untrained it is easy to start and use. This is the smallest machine I would want to use. You need to make sure you buy a trimmer with a straight shaft. They are nowhere near as prone to gearbox issues as an FS35 for example.

Strengths:
Strong for its weight-class and it won't eat line terribly fast. Great for personal use. Extremely reliable.

Weaknesses:
Lacks the juice you get from heavier machines like say, an FS110 or FS250. That being said those are commercial trimmers and the FS55 is much smaller.

Summary:
Parts only available through dealer.

Strengths:
The FS55 is a fantastic tool. I don't know what all these other people are reviewing but if it is a Stihl, they are probably the type who refuse to refer to the manual when there is an issue and so make the problem worse. My application could.have easily warranted buying an even more expensive, commercial unit but as I am a cheapskate and having experience with Stihl equipment, I figured the FS55 would be able to handle the job. I was right, of course. Just spent 8 hours yesterday clearing an overgrown acre of property. Used nylon blades with corresponding head and demolished 8 ft. tall sumac, tons of blackberry brambles, giant patches of thistle, and countless other species of plants. Not a single problem with the Stihl. That machine starts every single time and has way more consistent power than the piece of garbage McCullough that I used to struggle with. Buy a Stihl and get the job done already.

Weaknesses:
Power, ease of starting, string head works like a champ and is easy to refill, nylon blades are the proverbial hot knives through butter, comfortable enough for an 8 hour day (bike handles).

Summary:
going to try a echo

Strengths:
when it runs its great

Weaknesses:
hard to start!

Summary:
Excellent tool by far best yard tool I have EVER owned. Have no idea what all these people are talking about... Life long Stihl customer here!

Strengths:
Solid well built trimmer never ever ever any problems NONE! Starts every time easily! Runs like hell! Runs circles around my father in law's top of the line Husqvarna trimmer.He actually borrows mine from time to time said he likes it better?? Only used Stihl oil in it change the plug once a year like you should any well used 2 stroke tool. Never bogs down never lets me down ever. Even in tall wet grass.

Weaknesses:
Original harness is not adequate for the bicycle handle model upgraded to the double standard Stihl harness and problems are gone! No drink holder ...don't know never had any real problems figured I'd make one up??

Summary:
after 1st start will start 1 pull.ist start,impossible.Good trimmer & easy to handle.Just won,t start.Dealer said bring it in tomorrow & he would show me how to start it.HA HA.

Strengths:
Light & cuts well,bought 4/28/2010

Weaknesses:
Nearly impossible to start.Called dealer,said use 5 tanks would be ok.Not true.Counted pulls this morning to start 7/1/2010.43 pulls.stihls.My 1st&last.

Summary:
i hate everything about it.

Strengths:
none

Weaknesses:
its junk. it has a bad vibration when u throttle up the whole engine shakes terribleall the way down the shaft. the stihl dealeer said it was the cluthes kicking in. ive owned every weedeater they are out there and never had one do this. i hate it, im so discusted i wish i could get my money back. they said u only have 7 days if its used. well no one told me that i had it 9 days beore i started it and the first 5 min i used it it was chattering so bad i just put it up. i hate it its a wastre of money and i have told everyone about this so they dont waste their money.

Summary:
sold it and won't get another Stihl

Strengths:
Worked well when it worked

Weaknesses:
One of the most difficult engines to start I have ever used, carb seemed to clog up every month and need cleaning. Big companies can maybe afford to have a resident repair person, but I can't afford $80 every few months.

Summary:
junk

Strengths:
If you can get it ruuning is ok

Weaknesses:
Unit is junk. Took first one back for quitting running and string breaking. Second one starter rope locked up. Dealer said engine froze. That's crap because chain saw same gas and its ok. First and last stihl

Summary:
great

Strengths:
strong for size

Weaknesses:
none

Summary:
Will never buy another Stihl - had 2 Echo's - each of them lasted 10 yrs - this Stihl isn't 3 yrs old and it's garbage

Strengths:
When it works - it works great

Weaknesses:
Hard to start; Carburetor doesn't last on it; Dealers have no idea how to fix them and if they do they charge you more than it's worth

Summary:
Great trimmer will definetly buy more stihl products!!!!

Strengths:
Great trimmer!!! Screams like a stihl!!! Cuts weeds and brush, it does its job!!! I use it every week from spring till end of summer!!! It runs like my dads older FS90!!!

Weaknesses:
Only problem was that the throttle sticks a little bit. Never had a problem starting the trimmer, its sad that people dont know how to start this trimmer or probably mix the right gas to oil ratio. If you cant run this trimmer or keep it running your too much of an idiot and you shouldnt be running one at all, hire a lawn boy!!!

Summary:
I have owned this Stihl weed cutter for over 2 years and haven't been able to keep it running long enough to do anything to speak of. I have used the manual...in reference to the person who thinks that those of us who have had problems are all morons. I've always used the recommended gas, etc etc. The aggravation of owning it and trying to get it running properly has probably taken a few months off of my life. IT IS A PIECE OF GARBAGE. I've decided to throw it in the trash and try and forget I've ever owned it.

Strengths:
Absolutely none!!!

Weaknesses:
DOES NOT CONSISTENLY START OR STAY RUNNING...YOU WILL SPEND MORE TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG THAN YOU WILL TRIMMING YOUR LAWN.

Summary:
I had used a cheap ryobi for 12 years. When it gave up the ghost, I had heard some many good thins about stihl, I decided to spend the extra cash to get a "good trimmer". I have owned many products in my lifetime, but I can positively say, without a doubt, this stihl FS55 is the biggest piece of junk everbeen made. It has been serviced 3 time in 2 years and still doesn't run good. When it does run for a few minutes at a time, the line continually melds and I have to take apart the head. DO NOT BUY>

Strengths:
When it works, it does cut grass well.

Weaknesses:
Very seldom works