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This could help 

Chris it depends on how much land you have to strim, but I reckon it's one of those thing that you only get what you pay for and stihl are by far the best. However there are a couple �������� makes/engines (Olmac I think is one) which are very good as well, but may cost as much. We have a mcculloch with a husqvarna engine (would not have it without this) and it's been great the last 4-5 years, but it is on the heavy side. I would make sure I bought from somewhere that had good after service centre and could/would maintain the thing. We have a service place which is 20 minutes away but worth the trip as people come from miles around to go there. If you are only needing it for around the house i.e. small amounts of work I would look for a good make but much lighter machine.

Oh and I did mean to add that you may need to venture onto the "Bagni di Lucca" forum for help on where to go! 

Echo are widely considered as the best.  get the biggest you can manage, both in money and size.  You wony regret it. 

Yes our �������� neighbour said the same about Echo, but mind you he did buy a stihl when his Echo chainsaw packed up. The other I was thinking of was a very similar name "Efco" who use Emak engines. We have a traction lawnmower of theirs only 2 years old, but thrashed to hell which is very good on the half hectare of grass we cut. As to size, well that was the reason I asked what you wanted it for, we strim almost all of the other half hectare of land we have and it needs something with power. However weight is also an issue if strimming for a long time. A bit like chainsaws you dont always pay more for larger powerful models, small and reasonable power sometimes cost more.  I think with strimmers you will find the better the make the more you pay, but as Modi has indicated it's best to pay a little more unless you don't use it often and/or are prepared to pay for a couple more within a year or two. A certain country of origin comes to mind and those makes (made in that country) which are sold in your bigger DIY shops and some ferramenta. I doubt I would ever consider buying strimmers, chainsaws at the bigger DIY places like Leroy or Brico as much as I do use them for not so big items.

Thanks Modi and LL.  Sounds like I need to have a good look when I next come over.  I'll check out the place Gala mentioned in Borgo a Mozzano, and there's a place just outside Lucca which has a lot of lawnmowers and similar in the window - big stuff, so they might have what i'm looking for.  I've not actually measured the land we'd need to cut but its pretty decent in size.  I used to have it cut for me but its the kind of job i'd get some pleasure from doing myself. And, if I buy the right machine, long term its a reasonable investment.

'Less is mower,' for sure if the land is reasonably level. Saves a lot of time.

Avoid the DIY places as adised above - pop along to a agricolo services, where the locals go - and they will stock the ones that work/arent the same Chinese model in different colours/you can get spares for - Yoll be paying upwards of 350/400 but it wll last you years.    However if your land will take a mower then get one - a hectare doesnt look much until you have to strim it.   I bought a strimmer a mniBCS and a rotorvator - and in retrospect a tractor would have been better, although I am now thinking about dwarf goats and donkeys. 

Thanks Modi.  I had a feeling it'd be somewhere in the €350/400 range and upwards to get a decent one - i've seen the state of the land after the winter and spring and something heavy duty is required.  Its my aim to landscape as soon as possible, which will leave us with a number of diffent surfaces, some gravel, grass, stone - the usual mix.  But until that ambition is realised it needs a looking after!  I'll ask locally about an Agricolo - now that you mention it there are lots of locals with strimmers and quite a few landscaping/gardening contractors around so they must all be taking their nachines for repair or serviciing locally.