Kawasaki KBL 34A

Excellent – This unit has the best power-to-weight ratio of a brushcutter or trimmer I've used in this engine capacity range, it is easy to maintain, easy to use, light weight, and results in less back pain with extended use (compared to similar line trimmers). Fewer mower shops sell this brand (apparently because of the lower profit margin) but it is worth persisting to buy one. As a professional mowing contractor I have used a lot of different brushcutters and trimmers in my time and I've found nothing starts as easily as a Kawasaki; just prime the fuel, push in the Slow Idle Starter button and pull the rope. There is no fiddling around with chokes. It starts and runs in all temperatures even as hot as 42°C in western Sydney and the fuel tank is easy to fill without a funnel. The line trimmer blade can be removed so the nylon can pass under the guard while trimming - this is particularly handy for trimming around a tree without having to walk around the whole tree. The bump feed head holds 7m of 2.7mm trimmer cord, it's easy to load once you know how, and Kawasaki also sell spare cassettes you can keep in your backpack if you service large areas like factory sites or parklands. It is easily one of the quietest machines I've used, and it can also accept 80 tooth saw blades for trimming tree limbs, roses, and branches upto 20cm thick. When our employees and franchisees want something a bit bigger than the KBL27A they buy this bigger unit. It's handy if you clear blackberry, bamboo, or lantana on a regular basis or if you frequently do long grass. Our franchisees may try other brands but they keep coming back to the Kawasaki. There is no indicator telling the operator how much trimmer line is remaining. This could be resolved by making the cassettes out of clear plastic. An experienced operator knows the line is running low when one side emerges from the head on a 90° angle. The carburettor is not user adjustable, so if you turn up the revs, the head will spin at idle speed. The reverse is that the unit won't trim neatly if the head is still at idle speed. The solution is another trip to the mower shop, or an annual adjustment. If you ever need spare parts, make sure you're sitting down when you get the invoice!