I use this model of Tanaka all year round as a professional gardener. This isnt a "once-a-year" tool and the price reflects the very high quality. The blades are made of some superb steel and stay sharp for ever. I have never had any problems at all with the carburation. One down side is that it runs on 25:1 and so on still days you can end up breathing in a bit a 2-stroke smoke. Its light and the backbone of the blade is not as strong as some. My friend broke the back of his and replacement cost £60. Then again he did tend to throw it into the back of the landrover rather than place it in gently. Sadly he had it stolen and replaced it with a different model which he has never liked as much. It is a contractors model due to the price but the quality speaks for itself.