The ever popular and trusted commercial brand Shindaiwa has had a recent change of Australian distributor and is now under the Briggs & Stratton banner.
This should see an improvement on spare parts availability, which has been a frustrating issue in the past.
I recently had the pleasure of testing Shindaiwa’s latest release on the Australian market – the M262S Combi Tool.
At first glance the unit looks different to the Shindaiwa tools we are all familiar with. The engine, cowl and air filter assembly has been changed significantly as a result of Shindaiwa advancing into the future emissions legislation. I’m sure customers can still expect the reliability and longevity these machines have offered in the past. Powered by Shindaiwa’s 25.4cc two stroke engine – now future emissions compliant – the engine was the same easy starting and powerful unit as its predecessors and provided ample power for all the attachments.
The part that often fails on Combi Tools is the locking coupling that joins the attachment to the powerhead due to the wear and tear of constant changing of attachments. Some Combi Tools are extremely awkward to change attachments and the joins are weak. However, the Shindaiwa M262S has a solid and easy- to-use joining coupling with a simple spring-loaded locating pin and wing nut securing knob. It is fast to change attachments and provides a solid join, reducing wear on both the powerhead and the tool attachment.
When using the machine with various attachments I found the brushcutter to operate as well as Shindaiwa’s dedicated Brushcutters that are both manoeuvrable and accurate with plenty of power. I also used the short hedge trimmer attachment (a longer version is also available), which produced a neat, even cut and was well balanced ensuring operator comfort. The head has multiple lock-in adjustment positions that are the same as Shindaiwa’s dedicated pole hedgers, which means the head can be set at different angles to suit different hedging situations.
A Pole Pruner chainsaw is another attachment that is easily set up on the Combi Tool. The handy addition whipped off small branches with ease and an extension pole is also available for reaching higher if required.
An old-school edger is another Combi tool that you don’t often see these days, but it worked well and I suppose it still has a place for landscapers who prefer this type of tool. One of my favourite attachments is the cultivator, and this is because I have a passion for growing vegetables. At first glance I thought it was a toy and wouldn’t do much, but when ploughing into my vege garden I was amazed at how well the little cultivator pulverised the soil. It would never be intended to use this on hard and large areas but it is ideal for use in a vege garden.
A two-stage heavy-duty air filter is fitted with no tools required for access, which makes on-the-job inspections fast and easy.
The Shindaiwa M262S Combi Tool is an excellent tool for a small commercial operator or someone just starting out in the maintenance game. It’s also ideal for a homeowner who could use the trimmer to start and add other attachments when required – a great space saver too!
An impressive two-year commercial and five-year domestic warranty is offered.