ECHO has been fabricating the PE-230 edger for decades, but in the company’s 2014 model line up, it’s just one of several strong edger models. The PE-230 is thought to be a commercial-level update to the low-end edger version, the PE-225, but the venerable PE-230 lacks some newer features with that its less expensive sibling is outfitted.
Engine
The PE-230 has an air-cooled, two-stroke, single-cylinder 22.8 cc engine. As it’s a two-stroke engine, it needs an oil-and-gasoline fuel mixture rather than gasoline alone. The engine features a rotary-valve diaphragm carburetor, electronic ignition, a centrifugal clutch and a normal recoil starting system; the PE-230 is the only one of ECHO’s power edgers that is not equipped with all the i-30 reduced-effort starting system. The engine is isolated by the edger’s shaft and manages by a rubber cushion mount that limits the amount of vibration that is transferred from the engine to the operator’s hands.
Edging Capabilities
The PE-230’s cutting head is equipped with a steel blade that has 8 inches in diameter, 2 inches wide and also 0.09 inches thick; it’s driven by a Pro-Torque equipment case that ECHO claims provides 25 percent more torque compared to the standard drive mechanism. The blade spins clockwise when seen from the right, therefore it turns away from the operator about the upward portion of its spinning, and a cast-metal debris shield limits the amount of debris which the edger throws up. The cutter is mounted on a curved shaft that puts the end of the shaft parallel to the floor, a design that is easier to maneuver but tougher about the edger’s internal drive cable.
Dimensions
At 14.5 pounds without fuel, the PE-230 is not a lightweight edger, but it weighs almost 1 pound less than ECHO’s more potent PE-266 and PE-280 edgers. The PE-230’s reach is all about 69 inches, which is approximately 1 inch shorter than the straight-shaft PE-266S version.
Other ECHO Edgers
The PE-230 is a step up from the PE-225, ECHO’s low-end power edger; the PE-225 is outfitted with 21.2 cc engine, a nylon debris protector and a smaller fuel tank, but it’s also more than one pound lighter than the PE-230, and it’s equipped with all the i-30 starting system, a rubber debris flap and a steel wear plate in the equipment case. The PE-266 has a 25.4 cc engine, as well as the PE-266S features a straight shaft that reduces wear on the machine’s drive cable. The PE-280, with its 28.1 cc engine, is the strongest of ECHO’s edgers, but it’s a suggested retail price of $90 more than that of those PE-230.