I'm very happy with the Stihl FS 90 that I purchased about 3 years ago. It always starts easily and is well balanced with the handlebars and shoulder harness. Mine has a tap string feed head, but I believe you can get a head that takes pop in strings. The coolest feature is that you can purchase a saw blade attachment that turns it into a serious brushcutter that makes quick work of thick weeds and small saplings. The only issue is that it's about double your budget. frown