Customers ask us all the time: "What edger should I buy?" The honest answer is "depends on your budget and how often you'll use it." But here's what 40 years of repair work tells us about who's making them properly and who's not.

Stihl. Hard to fault. The FC range and the Kombi attachments are both solid. Genuine parts are easy to get, the engineering is consistent, and they're built to be repaired. Expensive new but the resale and longevity make up for it. If you'll use it weekly, this is what we'd buy.

Honda. Engines are bulletproof. Honestly the best small engines in the world, and we'll die on that hill. The edger frames around them are fine. Parts can be slightly more expensive but you almost never need them.

Atom. Australian-made, and that means something. Built tough for our conditions. The 588 has been around forever and we still service ones from the 90s. Spare parts available years after manufacture. Underrated brand.

Husqvarna. Good gear, especially the petrol edgers. Their battery range (the 36V) is also solid. Slightly less common in Perth than Stihl but no worse.

Masport, Victa, Bushranger. Mid-range, residential focus. They'll do the job for a home block. Not built for daily commercial use. Service them properly and they'll last 8 to 10 years.

The cheap ones. Going to be straight with you here. Anything under $200 from the big-box stores, we struggle to economically repair. Parts are hard to source, the metal is too soft, and by the time you've paid for diagnosis and labour, you'd be better off buying a new one. We'll have a look at anything but don't be surprised if we tell you it's not worth fixing.

One more thing. The brand on the side of the edger matters less than how you look after it. We see neglected Stihls that are scrap and we see well-loved Victas going strong after 15 years. Service yours every year, store it dry, change the spark plug every 4 years, and most edgers will outlast their warranty by a decade.