Stihl. I have an FS 80 model for about 20 years. A running and cutting son of a gun.
When your 20 YO Stihl finally wears out, good luck finding any comparable modern replacement. I used to have a Husky pro model (225R? maybe) brush cutter/whacker that I used and abused for 25 years. It started on the second pull after sitting for months in the off-season.
I've bought multiple pro-quality Stihl products since and every single one has been problem prone. They're finicky to start, won't stay in tune and wear out fast.
Some others have pointed to a Milwaukee battery string trimmer and I bought an open box one on a whim when my latest Stihl Kombi went down for the 3rd time (2nd carburetor and it still runs like crap). The Milwaukee hands down gets my full endorsement. I have 1 acre of yard with fence lines, foundation, bushes etc. to whack around. I have another 6 acres of pole barn, horse paddocks and fence lines. No regrets at all with the Milwaukee. All my tools are Milwaukee, so no issue with spare batteries at my house, although you'll be surprised how far you'll get with a single 9- 12 aH battery.
