ethanol – Thriving Yard

Stihl Motomix is the defacto premixed fuel of choice for many homeowners and professionals, but in recent years Trufuel has been gaining a sizable share of the market. Before switching brands, it's important to understand how these fuels compare, where they differ, and which one truly provides the premium choice. Stihl Motomox vs Trufuel - Each brand offers an ethanol-free, premixed fuel in a 50:1 ratio. Octane ratings are nearly identical with both brands using synthetic oil in their mixture. Aside from a minor price difference, there is no significant variance between Stihl Motomix and Trufuel. I've covered the variations between different brands of premixed fuel in a previous article, but the argument against these two brands, in particular, deserves its own focus. Side By Side Comparison To really compare apples to apples, let's summarize these features comparisons so that we can really see how these products stand up against each other. FeatureStihl MotomixTruFuelEthanol-FreeYesYesShelf Life (Opened)2 Years2 YearsShelf Life (Unopened)10 Years5 YearsOctane Rating9392+Oil TypeSyntheticSyntheticFuel-Oil Ratio50:150:1Container / Delivery ModelSquare Can - prone to spillsCylinder Can As you can see, there is little to no significant difference between Stihl Motomix and TruFuel when it comes to these features. Sure, each may have other features and benefits that they market and promote their product under but the essential features of a premixed solution add up to, essentially, a toss-up. Stihl does edge out this side by side comparison with a longer unopened shelf life and marginally higher octane rating than TruFuel but it is doubtful that a consumer would notice a difference in performance between 92+ and 93. All in all, either brand should serve you well and provide your outdoor power equipment with the fuel and lubrication that it needs to provide reliable performance for years to come. Let's break down each of these features to really understand the similarities and differences between the two brands. Ethanol-Free Fuel While E10 may be legally allowed for use in outdoor power equipment, there are strong arguments for choosing an ethanol-free option such as Trufuel or Stihl Motomix. Ethanol can result in the premature degradation of engine parts. Click here to read our complete review of Ethanol And It's Impact On Small Engines. Each of these brands offers ethanol-free solutions for your gas-powered yard tools. Shelf Life Both Stihl Motomix and Trufuel market their premixed solutions with a 2-year shelf life once opened. Stihl claims a longer shelf life for unopened fuels with 10 years while TruFuel states their product is good as long as it's unopened for 5 years. Octane Rating TruFuel promotes what they refer to as a 92+ octane rating (source). Despite my best efforts, I was unable to find any source literature that would explain what the mysterious "+" is comprised of or how it matters. I reached out to the manufacturers of TruFuel for an answer. Below is their response: So for our comparison, we will consider TruFuel as 92 for its octane rating. It sounds like their quality assurance process guarantees this as a minimum rating, Stihl's position on octane was a little confusing when I first looked into it. Their website clearly stated a 92 rating for Motomix, yet their product label shows a 93 minimum octane rating. It's right on the front of the container. Confusing, so I contacted Stihl for clarification. To their credit, they quickly responded with an explanation: And now we know for sure. Stihl has a 93 minimum octane rating. I'm still not confident that there is any difference at all between a 92+ and a 93 rating when it comes to performance, reliability, or price justification but Stihl gets the win here based on raw numbers. Oil Type Each brand offers a fully synthetic formula in its premixed solution. Synthetic oil has been shown to last longer than conventional oil by resisting chemical breakdown. I've found that most of the premixed solutions use synthetic when we compared Stihl Motomix to alternatives previously. This results in longer-lasting lubrication and less oxidation (source). Fuel-Oil Ratio Here again, both brands run neck-and-neck with a 50:1 fuel-to oil-ratio in their two-stroke premixed solutions. Each provides a ready-to-go formula that doesn't require manual (and possibly inaccurate) mixing of fuel and oil. Container / Delivery Model This one seems like a non-issue until you really spend some time talking to homeowners and small engine mechanics. TruFuel offers its product in a simple cylinder-shaped can that allows for easy pouring. Stihl used to offer something similar but recently converted to a rectangular-shaped container that has frustrated a number of consumers. Due to its design, it's prone to spills when filling a tank with a small fuel opening such as a Stihl trimmer. To combat this, Stihl offers an add-on nozzle but that is at an additional cost. It's a small cost to be sure but it does seem like they modified a design that wasn't in need of improvement. And so, TruFuel gets the win on this aspect. Again, it has nothing to do with the performance of the product but it can influence the customer experience. Product Availability Both products are available from Amazon and other online retailers. TruFuel can also be purchased at many home supply centers. Stihl Motomix should be available from any Stihl dealer in your area. Check the latest pricing for each of these products (images and text link to the product on Amazon): Stihl Motomix TruFuel Conclusion You really can't go wrong with either product. Both are designed to provide your gas-powered outdoor yard tools with the fuel and performance that they are designed to deliver. Curious about how other brands stack up against Stihl Motomix? Be sure to read Stihl Motomix vs Premixed Alternatives: 4 Products Compared. Know the dangers to your gas-powered yard tools from using fuel with too high of ethanol content. Read our in-depth report on Ethanol And The Growing Issue Of Small Engine Problems.