Owned my T230X for over a decade. The machine has had a very hard life and continues to perform perfectly despite the abuse dished out to it. I use Bynorm Heavy Duty star shaped line in it which turns it into a very effective machine for knocking down really heavy grass and weeds in a bush setting. It stands up to wide open throttle for hours on end in the Tropical Qld heat with the only caveat being, during summer I run about 40:1 oil/fuel ratio as it seems to keep the engine cooler. The machine has around 300 hours on it & it's never needed a visit to the repair shop. I'd buy one again tomorrow if i had to.

Bought the Shindaiwa T230X professional on a recommedation for my big yard some years ago after wasting my time and money on the cheaper rubbish especially those with bent shafts. It wasnt cheap but I can tell you 100% that it is worth the money. Excellent build quality. Heavy duty head. My advice to anyone is that a good quality trimmer will cost you AT LEAST $500.

Looked around for a while and did some research before buying this T230X. Couldn't be happier. It starts every time and is light. I wanted a machine that didn't weigh me down. Threading new line is a breeze. You doen't have to pull the head apart, it just winds in... Brilliant! The only gripes I have had is there is a part that gets hot and nips me on the arm occasionally (I've learnt to avoid it now), and the handle came as a D handle with a straight bar handgrip attached. The straight bit used to get me in the thigh all the time so I cut it off... no problems now. It wasn't cheap ($479) but the quality is excellent and yes... it was actually still made in Japan.

In a tropical environment it doesn't need the choke to start. Just outta da shed, pull the cord, and off ya go. Flick up the revs to munch up the hard stuff, or sweet-spot-throttle the easy trimmings. Whatever you want with a line trimmer, a Shindaiwa is a choice tool.

This Shindaiwa has a great motor but I do find it a little heavy after long periods of use. I did have an issue when the throttle cable. It seemed to move a little causing the revs to drop and therefore the head rpm's dropped off too much to cut properly. It was fairly easy to fix yet a little annoying. I think it is very well made.

We have 1 acre, mainly lots of lawn and about 200m2 of tougher stuff.
The unit is a great balance of power and weight, nice and light.
Solid shaft, comes std with a speedfeedhead and can't ask for more really.
Best part is how much less vibration this unit has to my old unit.
Glad my old one finally packed up.

No real cons as yet, however 5 year warranty is awesome.

The 2 strokes still offer the best bang for buck, in a few years that will change.

Bought this machine preloved. T230 4.6 kg dry weight, Head 7500 rpm. Speed feed. Great lightweight machine for smaller areas. Starts on 2nd pull every time when cold. Found the manual easily online. Fuel mix and most things you need to know. Had a minor problem at first with the speed head as the line had fouled inside. A you tube clip allowed me to fix the problem and also learned more in the bargain.