Poulan Pro PP125 17-Inch 25cc 2-Cycle Gas-Powered Straight-Shaft String Trimmer with Split Shaft

Bought this mostly for the versatility. The modular type system with the different attachments is the main reason I chose this model.Opened the box, added gas/oil mixture, and it started right up on the third pull. Absolutely flawless operation so far, cuts well, the string advances easily, and the design is great. It is very easy to carry and use this trimmer. I have about an acre of lawn to trim, and this allows me to wander around freely and quickly trim everything.I would not use this for edging, the angle is awkward. I bought the Poulan Pro edger attachment to take care of that.Edit - I have had this item for 5 years now. Still starts and run flawlessly. Absolutely no problems and I highly recommend it for those looking for a good, long lasting trimmer.This trimmer has plenty of power, is easy to use, and the modular nature of the attachments makes this the centerpiece of my lawn care accessories. I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking for a good trimmer.Edit - 3/27/14 - almost 3 years later, still running with no hiccups.

I bought this to replace an older unit (PP133) that quit starting/running after 3yrs. I believe that unit was not worth repairing (think it blew a ring) esp. with the low cost of this replacement. This model, though with a slightly smaller engine (25cc vs. 33cc), seems just as powerful. I've had it for 6 months & it starts quickly every time. I use it about 70% of the time for cutting honeysuckle/tree branches with the chainsaw attachment & about 25% of time with the weed eater. Occasionally, I'll the use edger attachment.It runs smoothly - have not had to make any adjustments to throttle/idle speed. The weed eater straight shaft attachment works great - much better than the previous curved shaft one. I've run this weed eater once a month for about 45-60 min. each time and have not had to extend the string cutter even once. That is amazing to me - It seems somehow impervious to breakage.As said, it is plenty powerful enough to cut even large branches (7-8 in diameter) on trees. I have even cut small tree trunks with it - cutting first one side than the other. It has gotten a good workout in only 6 months. I have used it virtually every week during that time & has worked flawlessly. I have 5 acres with a lot of woods & need a dependable machine. I would recommend this unit based on use so far.

Update to what's written below: The unit worked well the first summer but Winter must have done it it. Although I kept it in the garage, when I started it up the first time, it took a little longer to start but I figured that was just because it hadn't been run. Then I discovered that there was a slow gas tank leak and after about 15 minutes it stopped spinning all together even though it had gas. Too late for a warranty so I just pitched it in favor of a Cub Cadet unit I bought at a local store. It had a brush cutting attachment, is longer, and has a strap. It was only $20 more. Time will tell....Really I can't say anything bad about the product. It starts with a few quick pulls makes noise and spins. That's what I was looking for but there's so many ways Poulan could have made this a great product and didn't. Let's start with the weight. A gas powered trimmer is by definition going to be used a lot and you're going to have to carry it so a shoulder strap would have been nice. I had one on an older trimmer and it really helped distribute the weight. Another problem is the length of the shaft. I'm 6' and have to bend over slightly to get the trimmer close to the ground. After about 20 min you can start to feel it. Would it have cost that much to add an additional 6 inches to the shaft? I can imagine there were engineers at Poulan asking for these things but some manager was too concerned about the bottom line to actually listen. Too bad. The motor deserves better. Overall it's just average.

I just received mine a few days ago. It seems to be a decent tool; not a whole lot of power, but has a high revving engine. It is really easy to start, if the directions are followed. I wish the choke had a middle setting though. It seems to take a while for the engine to warm up and run smooth. If you don't leave it on the "start" setting long enough, it tends to bog and die on you, but once it gets warmed up, it runs well. Mine idles a little rough, and I had to adjust the idle setting a bit higher. It seems to be running better the longer I use it; probably still in the "break in" stage. I like the fact that the gas tank is on the bottom and is FLAT on the bottom. I had a Ryobi (which died, hence the Poulan purchase) and it had this triangular stand on the bottom which sucked. That stupid thing would NOT stay upright when you set it down, and it also had an exposed muffler which would burn the crap out of you if you made a wrong move. This one stays upright and has the muffler covered by fins in the cowling and doesn't smoke like the old one with it's 32/1 mix. The new one uses 40/1, same as my Poulan chain saw, and runs pretty well fume and smoke free. Yea for new stuff! It could use a shoulder strap. Even though it is pretty light weight, I found it a bit hand-fatiguing to carry for long. I attached one from an electric trimmer I had (also Poulan) and it helped a lot. It's no Stihl or Husqvarna, but for normal occasional use for the homeowner, it's fine. I've also used it with the chainsaw tree-limb trimming attachment, and it works well. I love that attachment for cutting branches on trees I've cut down. It's the nuts. I also looked at the model that came with the brush cutter attachment, but I didn't like the type of trimmer head it came with. It had the type with the pre-cut chunks of line, and I preferred this one with the feeder head ('Tap and Go'). I did have one worry when I ordered, and that is the fact that these things are shipped in the original package, no over-packing. No foam or bubble wrap, just cardboard holders inside to keep it in place. Not much protection, so I cross my fingers when I order and hope it isn't broken when it arrives. UPS, bless 'em, sometimes aren't very gentle. Mine arrived with a hole in the carton, and one end taped up, but fortunately it was OK. (The plastic cowling isn't very sturdy. It wouldn't take much abuse.) I wish the companies would do a better job of packing. They must know these things are getting shipped individually all over the place. So, for around 100 bucks, it's decent. Oh, and for the ladies, it's a cute orange color!