Stewart, I sell all the brands you listed plus Shindaiwa. The Shindaiwa and the RedMax are my favorites, they give great power and are generally lighter in weight for the horsepower. All current models feature solid steel drive shafts to transfer power from the engine to the lower gearbox, this does two things, first it doesn't have the flex like a flex cable trimmer does so it has less viberation, next is the durability factor, the steel shaft works the best if you ever decide to put a blade on it. I would recommend the Shindaiwa T-230 or the T-260 if you want more power. Next would be the RedMax BCZ2400S which is a great trimmer,next would be the Stihl FS85, then the Echo SRM-260S, and last but not least would be the Husqvarna 326LX. As for Cub Cadet, I'm a dealer but I quit selling the regular CC trimmers as they were only Ryobi trimmers rebadged. I can't stand the thought of selling something based on the brand name instead of the quality of the product. They (Cub Cadet) are bringing back the Cub Cadet Commerical trimmers that are Japan made by Shibuari ( I think I spelled it right) to sell in TSC. I recomend finding a good dealer to help you pick the best trimmer and give you service after the sale.
