Whacking My Way At This World One @RYOBIpowertools ‏At a Time

I am convinced that one rite of passage into adulthood is absolute frustration with outdoor weed-whacking products. In my Kentucky years, my New York years, and now my Connecticut years, I've learned that summer means pools, barbecues, mosquitos and frustration with weed-whackers. I loved my electric chord one, but when it bit the dust, I immediately moved to gas-powered ones. The headaches I got, however, with the line and starting them was horrific. They'd last a couple of trials, then I'd pull the chord and the string would break off. Or, I'd reline the feed and head to the edges of my lawn and it would immediately break.

Screwdrivers. Dirt. Ret-wining. Cussing.

The last Ryobi, a gas powered one, I bought only lasted one summer. After the 3rd use, the chord came out when I pulled, but never retracted back in. I had to take it all apart and figure out the coil needed so it would retract (and hence start). I fixed that, and it worked for the rest of the summer (minus the line disasters which seem to be the case for such machines).

This summer, though, when I got the gas-powered one out, fixed and all, the pump to the side pushed in, but wouldn't pop back out. Although it was wrapped and stored indoors all winter, it appeared to be dry-rotted, and the plastic bulb could no longer be pushed to prime the machine. Of course, then I pulled the string and it didn't retract again. I was too frustrated to do the math of how many uses I get each summer from such technology before they break...Maybe it's $40 a whacked weed.

Then my sister told me she bought a Ryobi One+, battery operated one, and that it worked wonderfully. She said you don't have to pull start it and the line feeds out by releasing the trigger on the handle. I said I looked at them and she said, "I'm on year three."

Walking the dog a little later, I came across two men in differing yards, smiling as they edged their sidewalks. I noticed they had the same Ryobi One+. They reported the same as my sister. "Oh, I got it from my wife for my birthday." "Oh, my kids gave it to me for father's day last year."

That was enough to convince me, and I went to Home Depot and picked one up. The most stressful part thus far was waiting for the battery to charge, but I have to admit, I whacked my entire lawn with out it stalling, without losing line, and without having to take it apart. It's a miracle and I didn't think it was possible. I'm 1 for 1 and I hope this continues.

In year's past, I've taken weed whackers to various small engine shops, where it sits for a couple of weeks and I'm told (a) they can't fix it or (b) they fixed it, only for it to fall apart during the next use. I've associated the job of whacking the lawn with absolute frustration.

Now, I'm hoping I've hit gold and I wish there was a Ryobi cemetery to send the product I bought from them last year. It lasted five or six chops...that's it! I filled out the warranty and paperwork, but I'll be damned to know where it is and now I have another dead device in my garage (would be cool to sell them all to make a Transformers like movie....would love to know they have other lives in them, especially for the cost).

This time, Ryobi, I'm hoping you've nailed it! I'm hoping the rhythm and flow I experience yesterday will stay with me the entire summer.