Honda UMS425/U

Absolutely amazing, never going back to 2 stroke! – After my 52cc 2-stroke line trimmer died, I needed a new line trimmer for my 1,450 square meter property. I looked at reviews for the competition for better quality line trimmers, however I decided to go with the Honda UMS425UL Bent Shaft line trimmer. I tell you what, this is a fantastic line trimmer! * The bump head is so easy to use (pro-tip -… Read more

bump the head on grass, not on concrete. This will cause the bump head to last a lot longer). * It is so easy to replace the line. * The trimmer is light and sooooo easy to start up. (I have even managed to start it in about 6 pulls when I forgot to prime the pump... oops!). * The starting cord is so easy to pull. * The line that comes with the line-trimmer is actually really good quality, and has lasted for several uses! * The engine is also very quiet compared to my 2-stroke, and has more than enough power. Pro-tip: Don't run the engine at 100% power, I probably only use 1/3 of the available engine power during most of my trimming, and only rev the engine up if I am tackling dense weeds. * They even through in a pair of safety goggles! (Always wear these, and also ear protection. I actually wear a full-face shield to protect my face. All it takes is for one stone to flick up, and you can damage your eyesight.)

I did replace the oil after 1 use (maybe 45 mins of use?). I would suggest everyone else does this too, as the oil came out black. After using a few more times, the oil is still running clear. The reasoning behind replacing the oil after the first use: The engine is wearing in, and may have wear in particles. See https://www.edmunds.com/car-maintenance/top-7-urban-legends-about-motor-oil.html for more information (myth 5, the web-site is for cars, however as this is an engine, it is also relevant). This will hopefully extend the life of the line trimmer.

Another interesting thing I found, while 4-stroke is inherently less powerful than 2 stroke, this engine is more powerful than my old 4-stroke, even though it's 1/2 the capacity and 4 stroke!

Light enough for the missus! – Have had this bent shaft whipper snipper for over 10 years, it is still running like a beauty. We live on 5 acres so it gets a fair bit of use in summer time. The wife uses it more than me so the following is her feedback. The good:- Light enough for her to use for hours at a time, no mixing of two stroke fuels, no smelly smoky two stroke fumes… Read more

when using, doesn't require a lot of maintenance with a oil change every 6 months or so, not very loud when running, easy to restart when it is hot, very economical on fuel.

The bad:- Sometimes hard to start when first using(I think it maybe technique as it always starts for me), string can be difficult to replace(I usually do it for her), the bump feed can be a little temperamental with it not always coming out which maybe something to do with the way I wind the line in?

The good points with this whipper snipper far outweigh the bad so we are very happy with it.

We paid $351 for it 10 years ago and have no regrets and would not hesitate to purchase another one.

STOP LOOKING YOU'VE FOUND THE PERFECT SNIPPER – I've been using garden tools for over 40 years and have been really disappointed with some of the snipper brands on the market I've always had issues whether it's starting or issues with the head feeding correctly and not jamming I bought a Honda and was absolutely amazed at how easy it was to start and the power The head was a bit fiddly to… Read more

replace line but I am going to upgrade the head to a speed head W4 and that should make this machine the best I have ever used

Well done Honda this is incredible

YGreat starting, agree with comments on line and loading – Starts so easy. The line that came loaded in it, when purchased, was amazing. If only I could find it for sale. I have tried numerous lines and they get stuck. Ended up buying quick load head, but line still gets stuck. The engine is great, quieter than a two stroke. It is heavier, but bought a chest harness to compensate. Hand gets tired holding both buttons to work throttle, when using for long periods, needs a cruise cotrol type buttion. Show details

Amazing whipper snippper – If you are having trouble with the line don't use cheap stuff. I use American brand Oregon 2.4mm, it works flawlessly and is quiet, and lasts a lot longer. I have had mine now for three years plus and it starts second pull every time. Oil is changed every three months and does not burn a drop. A great machine. Show details

It's not great – Great motor, easy to start, solid and quiet 4 stroke, the bad is the bump head/line feed is hot garbage. Jams, won't feed, manually fix it, go another 5m and repeat. Used a handful of times - working with dealer on a solution. Show details

It's ok have had better – There are so many complaints about the bump head, straight from the shop mine would not work. I paid $28.50 for a Honda steel head and it's very easy to load with two 30 cm pieces of nylon. Compared to my old Victa,the Honda is under powered. Also the guy in the mower shop said use small amounts of two stroke mix in the fuel tank to stop seals etc in the carb drying out. Show details

Good machine, terrible bump head! – The motor and power is very good and reliable. The bump head and cord present nothing but grief. Very disappointing and frustrating from Honda.

Change The Bump Head to something better – I've noticed a number of reviews are complaining about the bump head, quite rightly so, because I had the same problem, I purchased my new bump head from GYC Mower Depot with a GA Power Equipment Spares Speed-Feed 375 Head Part No BRN6938, you can also purchase individual parts if something should fail. Give it a go you will not be disappointed, the Honda UMS425 is a beautiful trimmer. Show details

Reliable, easy to start, no dramas – I have a fast growing 1000sqm steep block, this snipper deals with it easily. It took a few refills of the line head to get the hang of the right quantity and tension. It's pretty loud but doesn't have the high pitched scream of a two stroke. Show details

Perfect whipper snipper – Easy to start. Not heavy to carry and get the job done. Bought different brands in the past did not last.. paid bit extra for Honda and work like a magic. Show details

Easy to use, powerful, reliable and easy to start – Bought mine new in 2013 and it's never missed a beat. I've added a shoulder strap which has helped reduce the weight on my arms and to keep it still when edging a path. I strongly recommend using the Honda brand of nylon line as it is hard and rarely breaks. Rarely have I had an issue with the line not feeding. Show details

Reliable, starts every time – We've had this unit for 9 years and it's always been reliable, efficient and performed flawlessly. It's 4-stroke so uses normal unleaded fuel and apart from regular servicing has required nothing else. It's a little dearer than some but well worth the money and with 3mm line tackles most tasks easily. The only negative is the time taken to replace the line and it's a fiddly job as well. Show details

Supreme Power at a great price! – This was my second Honda powered device. My first was a two wheel trencher which I cannot live without. This whipper snipper is ideal for at home or professional use. In my case it is for DIY at home and maintaining my yard. Although I have a small space, I didn't want to compromise on quality. I decided to go with the Honda over other… Read more

counterparts. I'm really happy I did so. This unit exceeds all of my expectations. It does get a little tiring from longer use but I've had that issue with all hand held units like this one. Just goes with the style of unit. Power is good. It looks good and it runs on pure unleaded so I don't need to mix fuel. I bought from Mowers Galore and also was given a speed feeder so I can feed line so easily. This was definitely the best feature!

Great product – Great Whipper snipper, definitely the best product on the market with ease. Always starts first go never had any issues with it at all. Highly recommend to spend the money to get this product. Show details

Great motor, Dodgy bump head – I purchased this whipper snipper about 6 years ago and overall I have been disappointed. I went to honda because I had trouble starting my old whipper snipper. The motor on this one has been great, but the bump head has been nothing but frustration. I can start it first go, but have to stop every 10 metres to fix the bump. The bump head also wears… Read more

out in less than 12 months and I can't find any off market one to fit. As such its $55 for a genuine honda one every 12 months. I have to do quite a bit of whipping on a 1/2 acre corner block so will steer clear of these ones in the future.

Amazing machine. Great performance. Great longevity – Had mine for over 12 years now. Pretty sure this model had only just hit the market when I thought I’d treat myself. Best decision I made that year. Never let me down. Machine has done way more work than a bent shaft should ever be subjected to and in some darn harsh conditions too. Replaced the plug maybe three times in all. Line head is… Read more

great. I see other reviews here saying it can be a little of a nuisance but generally that’s because someone has wound the line too tight or loose and perhaps overloaded it. I also found using a slightly lighter line gets me more power, longer life of line and less strain on the motor. Keep your engine oil clean and at the right level, keep your air filter clean and honestly they are an amazing little workhorse

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!

Best Whipper Snipper Ever – Bought one from GYC Narellan on the weekend, best machine i have every used. One pull start as it is a 4 stoke and powerfull motor for domestic use. The cord winder is also a no brainer, very happy Honda. Show details

Starts First Time Everytime – Absolutely love this. Starts like a dream everytime. Does a brilliant job and has more than enough power for a normal back yard. Really good on fuel. The only thing I can say would make this perfect is a shoulder strap, although the handle is more than good enough one you get used to it. Typical Honda quality.  Show details

Super Reliable! – Super reliable and effective trimmer with an excellent start mechanism, engine and ergonomics. Pretty low maintenance and fuel efficient with having only needed only one oil change in the last 12 months. The tap line release is a bit unreliable as it never seems to release extra line during operation. Other than that, highly recommended.  Show details

Great machine, but parts are a rip off – I like honda machinery for their reliability and the UMS425/U is no exception. runs well, easy to start but a little under powered. Needed a diaphragm kit for the carby, that's where I was disappointed. Carby is a Walbro and the diaphragms for them come as a kit but not those purchased through honda. Each diaphragm is sold individually and… Read more

overpriced total cost of nearly $40 for the set. Can get a full kit for a stihl or any other walbro or zama carby for between $15 and $25. Hope this is not an indication of the price of other parts. Found the kits elsewhere for $12. Prefer to use genuine parts, but for this price I can buy 2 kits in case one does not last and still be in front.

Disappointed – Buying a Honda thought I was buying something decent but the line trimmer head is an absolute joke. I tried several times to wind it as shown in the instructions be only worked once or twice before getting tangled inside the head. So I took it to the Honda dealer and he wound it but again it worked twice. So I bought a Honda easy load head and it… Read more

was just another waste of time and money, the line again gets stuck and doesn’t work. What a huge disappointment this whipper snipper is. I noticed that other people are having the same problem. l should have stuck with my old Ryobi trimmer it was great.

Bought yesterday very, very unhappy – Bought this yesterday to replace a Stihl that was terrible to start. Got the Honda home and it started first time. 1. First problem, the balance is all wrong. The weight of the engine pulls down. I am not criticising the overall weight of the unit, it is just the out of balance weight. 2. Used it for a few minutes and the engine cut out, it… Read more

would start again immediately but continued to cut out. Eventually I found that when it was cutting out if I released the trigger the engine would go to idle and then I could press it again and it would immediately go back to full revs. This lasted for about half an hour.

3. The line ran out very quickly. Removed the line spool and found plenty of line still there but it was jammed up. I had a good look at how it was wound on, one track was wound on clockwise and the other anti clockwise. Thought that was a bit odd so attempted to read the instructions which are written in Chinglish and near impossible to interpret. I wound the line on as per the instructions and in the rotation as shown and line feed was terrible. It kept jamming and not feeding properly, only one side was feeding out. Eventually I gave up.

4. Had a look on Honda website this morning and the instructions provided with the mower on how to rewind the line is WRONG!! The line has to be wound on in the opposite direction to that shown in the instructions.

It is raining at the moment so will wait until later to try again. But I am extremely unhappy with this unit. I have had a Honda mower for years and it is the best mower I have ever had also own a Honda CRV which is a brilliant car so am perplexed as to why this unit is so bad.

I have been in the engineering and automotive repair business all my working life so I know how things should work.

Bit heavy but buying a harness helps – Takes a bit of getting use to after having an electric Ryobi. Starts easily on first pull. It came with a strap but I ended up buying a proper harness to take the weight off my shoulder, much easier to use and control. Find it a bit hard to do edges as you have to swing it in an awkward position but I guess time will make it easier as I have only… Read more

used it 4 times. Cuts easily through our couch and the bloody runners. Got a deal with buying a mower and this from our local mowing company Mowers Galore.

Honda reliability and service – Good 4-stroke trimmer for domestic use. However, be aware that 4-strokes are inherently heavier. I borrowed my neighbors 2-stroke Stihl and it was lighter and revved up faster. But this trimmer is fantastic for domestic use. Although, it does struggle a bit with thicker grass like kikuyu or buffalo when it grows too long. For that reason I wish I… Read more

bought the one up from this model which is more powerful.

The reason I am taking away a star is it tends to vibrate a bit and hence fatigues me quicker. I have a feeling it's because of the nature of a bent shaft trimmers, so another reason to have bought the straight shaft. I reduce the impact by wearing thick leather work gloves though.

Amazing mashine and staff – I bought my Honda recently and had no trouble at all. Works perfectly every time. Quite and functional. Great staff members especially Cameron from RedShed Dandenong. I got my Honda and tank of fuel and oil into reservoirs. Also Cameron explained all details about mashine and how to maintain all parts. Easy to look after it. Definitely the best choice for small and medium size of cutting areas.  Show details

Please fix the head and winding of the cord – Have had this for 2 months now and despite the best efforts of the good folk who sold it to me I cannot wind the cord without it jamming up after a few bump feeds, I think that the head design could be more user friendly when removing and replacing it. I will have to look at other options for the head. Other than that the machine is everything that I had hoped, it starts first pull - has plenty of power and just gets on with the job.  Show details

Great in most areas – I am done with 2-stroke! This machine, even though it is a domestic unit is a 4-stroke and everything that I hopped for. Quiet, powerful and easy to use. My only negative would be the balance of it - the controls need to be a little higher up the shaft to make it more comfy when using. Easy to start and you can't over-prime it. So simple now just using normal unleaded fuel. Have had it for 6 months and never missed a beat.  Show details