Manual brushcutter: tool selection criteria
Manual brushcutter: tool selection criteria
Working in the garden and front garden requires a lot of attention, effort and time. A variety of tools come to the gardeners’ aid. Their correct set will help to make a certain type of work much faster and more efficient. A reliable assistant for amateur gardeners is a manual brushcutter. This article will tell you about the variety of models, their features and the rules of choice.
Manual brushcutters come in different types, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages
Manual brushcutter: a variety of models and characteristics
The modern market is represented by a wide range of brushcutter models. The tools are divided into groups and types depending on the power source and functionality of different device variants. Based on the method of energy consumption, brush cutters are divided into four types. The most popular are manual (or mechanical) models. Quite common are devices that use gasoline, battery or electric power.
Mechanical brush cutters are the most popular among all models
A mechanical brushcutter is the easiest option. Similar in structure and function to conventional garden shears. A distinctive feature is a long handle, thanks to which the efficiency of work increases.
The manual brushcutter is easy to use. The tool does not need maintenance, and its cost is significantly lower than gasoline, electric or battery models. The average size of the device reaches half a meter in length, while the cutting part is almost half of the product – up to 0.25 m.
The main disadvantage of a hand tool is the need to use physical force, so it is impossible to work with it for a long time, and it is also difficult to process large areas with its help. The advantages of the device are much more than the shortcomings: it is lightweight, compact, silent, inexpensive, suitable for use in all weather conditions, without requiring power and fuel.
It is convenient to cut low hedges from bushes with thin branches with manual brushcutters. It is difficult to take care of thick and tall plants using this tool, as the hands get tired quickly, which negatively affects the result.
Mechanical brushcutters are not expensive and easy to use
Choosing a mechanical tool, it is better to give preference to a brush cutter with rubber pads, thanks to which the hands do not slip, and the quality of work increases. The best models of this type are the Gardena brush cutter, as well as the products of the German company RACO and the Chinese company GRIND.
Useful advice! Before buying an electric brushcutter, it is necessary to inspect the tool, paying special attention to the blade and handle, and it is also recommended to try it out in practice first.
Brushcutters rating: electric, gasoline and battery models
According to the functional features, brushcutters are divided into two groups. The first is made up of tools resembling gasoline pumps. The mechanism consists of crossed knives working in the same plane. You can cut with such scissors in the forward and reverse directions. If you need to give a certain shape to the bushes or you often need to level the hedge, it is better to buy a gasoline brushcutter.
The second group of brushcutters includes devices whose functionality makes them look like trimmers or gasoline mowers. Tools of this type are equipped with gasoline or electric motors, special rods that transmit energy to the head, and a cutting part – in fact, it is a circular saw. The Stihl gasoline brushcutter is considered the best among such options.
Stihl brushcutter – rightfully considered the best among gasoline models
Brushcutter Stihl 450 (Stihl FS 450) belongs to a number of professional models that mow large volumes of tough and dense grass, undergrowth. With their help, roadsides and railway tracks are cleared from undergrowth up to 12 cm in diameter. The device has a powerful engine and a relatively low weight of 8 kg. The handle of the mower is adjustable for the height of a person. The system is equipped with an anti-vibration device.
The most famous professional models include Husqvarna products. The brushcutters of Huskvarna are light, but very strong units designed for long and heavy work in order to clean the forest.
An electric brushcutter is a more powerful device compared to a mechanical tool, which makes it possible to use it to perform the most complex tasks.
The battery brush cutter has an identical (with the electric model) principle of operation. It is worth buying such a device if it is not possible to use an electric cable. The absence of a cord makes the device more maneuverable, but in terms of price, such brushcutters are the most expensive.
Husqvarna brushcutters – belong to professional models
Technical characteristics and rules for choosing a brushcutter
Brushcutters, regardless of the principle of operation, have such general technical characteristics as power, size of knives, speed of revolutions. The power of the electrocutter is on average 0.5 kW. The gasoline-powered device has a power of up to 1.6 kW. The optimal value of this indicator of the device is 0.6 kW.
A knife or tire is the main cutting element of the device. Its length determines the capture area and the number of bushes being processed. Thus, the longer the tire, the more shrubs will be treated in one pass. But at the same time, too long a knife reduces the maneuverability of the brushcutter. For gasoline devices and electric models, the length of the knife varies from 40 to 70 cm, for battery devices – from 10 to 60 cm. The most popular sizes of knives are 50 cm.
In the operation of the device, an important role is played by such an indicator as the number of revolutions of the knife per minute. The stronger the rotation, the more perfect the slice. This characteristic varies from 1600 to 3500 revolutions per minute for different models. The most powerful are considered to be the electric brushcutters Bosch.
Choosing the right model, it is necessary to take into account such nuances:
The more revolutions per minute the knife makes, the more perfect the cut turns out
- the size of the treated area and the amount of work;
- types and sizes of plants;
- frequency and duration of work;
- distance to the power source;
- the material from which the tool is made;
- the gardener’s age and gender.
Electric brushcutters: rating of the best models
The use of electric brushcutters is advisable if the distance from the power grid to the treated area does not exceed 30 m – this is the maximum length of the cords of electrical appliances. Under the condition of a longer distance, it will be necessary to use an extension cord, which significantly reduces the level of work safety.
Useful advice! Do not use an electric brushcutter after the rain. Such work involves risk.
In addition, the very possibility of electric shock causes a potential danger in the use of the device. Its power is an order of magnitude less than that of its gasoline counterpart. The work is complicated by a long cord. During the use of an electrical device, you can get tangled in the wires.
Electric brushcutters are quiet in operation, lightweight and multifunctional
At the same time, electrical appliances have a number of advantages. Their advantages, in comparison with the gasoline analog, consist in the absence of the need to purchase fuels and lubricants and conduct regular inspections, as well as in a lower cost. They are eco-friendly, lightweight, multifunctional, have high performance and work quietly. The list of the most popular models includes brushcutters of the Italian company Alpina, the American Black & Decker, German AL-KO, Metabo and Bosch.
One of the most popular models is the Bosch AHS 45-16 electric brushcutter. The tool is designed for pruning bushes, with its help it is easy to give the hedge the desired shape. The power of the electric motor is 450 watts. The tire length is 42 cm, the gap between the knives is 16 mm, the number of revolutions is 3400 per minute. The device is quite compact, its weight is only 2.9 kg.
Buy a battery-powered brushcutter: which model is better
The principle of operation of rechargeable brushcutters is an autonomous battery, which must be recharged periodically. The tool is used in cases when the shrubs are far from the power grid or the hedge is small in size.
Battery-powered brushcutters may not be able to cope with thick branches, they cannot handle large amounts of work. The device needs to be constantly recharged, approximately every 40 minutes. With a very intense load on the blades of knives, recharging may be required after 20 minutes of operation.
Bosch batteries charge quickly and work for a long time
Therefore, such a brushcutter is best suited for pruning branches with a thickness of 2 cm. For cutting tall plantings, it is better to use telescopic bush cutters with folding rods. With their help, even shoots with a height of 3 m can be cut.
The best among these models are Bosch and Gardena battery bush cutters from Germany, as well as Japanese analogues of Hitachi and Ryobi.
Bosch cordless brushcutters are wireless devices for pruning hedges and bushes. Most models are equipped with a removable lithium-ion battery pack, which needs to be charged for a little less than an hour. The tools have an anti-lock system of uninterrupted operation. These are lightweight and compact structures that work for quite a long time. At the same time, they practically do not affect a person’s fatigue. The cutting system, thanks to special teeth in the front of the knife, allows you to quickly remove branches up to 25 mm thick.
Useful advice! It is not allowed to use the device for cutting branches having a thickness greater than that provided by the technical characteristics of the device.
Battery powered Ryobi brushcutters are among the best
Gasoline brushcutter-trimmer: a universal device for gardening
A brushcutter-trimmer is used for mowing grass in hard-to-reach places where a wheeled lawn mower is unable to reach. These are places near trees and shrubs, walls, fences and paths. When purchasing a tool, you need to proceed from the tasks facing the tool. The gasoline unit is perfect in cases of hay harvesting or removal of a large number of weeds.
Cutting elements should be selected depending on the type of plantings. If there are trees, bushes and stones, then you should use a special cutting line. Its use will prevent damage to knives and preserve the integrity of trees. If the trimmer is used only for mowing weeds, then electric models from companies such as Viking, Jonsered or Bosch are suitable. The choice of a particular tool is influenced by the thickness of the grass and branches.
Trimmers come in two types. They are distinguished by the shape of the handle, which can be T-shaped or in the form of the letter “D”. The second option is used when maximum maneuverability is required. The device with a T-shaped handle is used to perform a large amount of work in an open area. Powerful models are equipped with a three-blade knife capable of cutting branches up to 15 mm thick.
Gasoline brushcutter-trimmer can also be used for pruning trees and mowing grass
Modern trimmers are equipped with connectors for additional attachments. The tool can be used not only for mowing grass, but also as a knot cutter, snow plow or cultivator.
Rechargeable garden shears: features and characteristics
A great alternative to brush cutters for processing small areas is battery shears for grass and bushes. Like any garden equipment, this tool can have an amateur or professional purpose. Which is better to buy rechargeable scissors for cutting grass and shrubs, we will figure out below.
Related article:
Rating of the best models of gasoline trimmer: reviews, which option to choose
Features of professional and household trimmers. Popularity rating.
The principle of operation of rechargeable lawn shears is quite simple. In the care of a small territory of up to six acres, and this is the area that most suburban areas have, it is simply impossible to do without special equipment. For cultivating the lawn, pruning branches of fruit and berry trees and bushes, summer residents use pruners, mowers, brush cutters, but increasingly prefer lawn battery scissors.
It should be noted that the use of mechanical scissors and pruning shears negatively affects the skin of the hands, since force and friction lead to the formation of calluses. Gasoline cutters, as a rule, have a large weight, dimensions and are not cheap. These simple arguments encourage experienced gardeners to buy cordless scissors for grass and other plants.
Rechargeable garden shears are convenient for processing a small area
Useful advice! Battery and electric cutters do not emit exhaust gases. They are light enough to allow women to use them.
Why you should buy cordless scissors for cutting grass and bushes
The main advantage of such scissors is that there is no need to refuel them and connect them to the network. Therefore, you can use the tool in different places, even the most remote from civilization. Also, you will not have to inhale the fumes emitted by gasoline appliances.
Battery shears differ in a simple principle of operation, so even inexperienced amateur gardeners can use them. The mechanism is driven by lithium-ion batteries. They are built into the device or made replaceable. A conventional battery is enough on average for 2 hours of continuous pruning. The duration of the operation time depends on the battery capacity. The duration of operation of the scissors is also affected by the load. Cutting thicker branches leads to a rapid discharge of batteries, and a full charge can take up to 5 hours.
But the most important advantage lies in the small size and low weight. According to reviews, cordless scissors for grass and bushes are quite light, compact and maneuverable. The maximum weight of most models barely reaches 600 grams. The exception is powerful professional devices with a weight of more than one and a half kilograms.
Cordless scissors are easy to use, so they are suitable even for beginners
Before you buy garden battery shears for cutting grass and shrubs, you need to check the width of the grip, that is, the maximum area that can be processed in one cut. There are two sizes – 8 and 16 cm.
The principle of operation of the battery tool is quite simple. The mechanism includes a working unit consisting of two knives. The upper blade, powered by a motor, is movable, and the lower knife is static.
Cordless grass shears: manufacturer’s choice
Equipment for gardening is produced by many manufacturers. Experienced gardeners advise to give preference to branded brands that have proven themselves well in this market segment. By right, the leader in this list are the cordless grass scissors Bosch and the tool of the Gardena trademark. Models of other brands are less popular.
The Bosch cordless grass shears have replaceable nozzles, one of which is designed for mowing lawns, and the other for pruning bushes. The duration of continuous operation of such a tool is at least one and a half hours.
Bosch scissors are the leader in this market segment
For cutting the edges of lawns and processing hard-to-reach places, lightweight and compact cordless grass shears with a Bosch ISIO telescopic rod are ideal. The instrument is powered by a lithium-ion battery. Its charging lasts for 40 minutes of work. The degree of charge is controlled by a four-stage LED.
Gardena Comfort Cut cordless grass shears are an analogue of the model discussed above, in no way inferior to it in terms of characteristics. The tool is also equipped with two nozzles for processing grass and cutting branches of bushes. Garden’s battery-powered scissors can work up to 2 hours continuously.
Garden battery shears: professional models
Hitachi scissors have one head, are used both for mowing lawns and for pruning shrubs. They are characterized by high productivity: up to 25 square meters of grass can be processed in 40 minutes. The unit easily cuts branches up to 8 mm thick without additional attachments.
Makita cordless scissors is a professional tool, it is used both for lawn treatment and for cutting bushes. A distinctive feature is a wide grip, reaching 160 mm.
Professional Makita cordless scissors are used not only for pruning bushes, but also lawns
Useful advice! To perform a large amount of work, cutting thick branches and old bushes, it is better to buy gasoline bush cutters. But only men can cope with such a tool, since the device is quite heavy. When choosing a gasoline device, you should pay attention to the anti-vibration system and exhaust gas filtration. The operation of the device should not have a negative impact on the human body.
The listed models are made in accordance with the latest technologies, are characterized by high quality, reliability of materials, ergonomics and a high level of safety. As for pricing policy, battery–powered Garden grass shears are the most budget option.
Working with garden battery shears for cutting grass: gardening tips
Before using any device, it is necessary to carefully study the instructions, as well as take into account a number of special nuances not specified in the recommendations. They are referred to by experienced gardeners who have experienced the tool in work:
Before starting work, it is recommended to study the instructions and tips of experienced gardeners
When buying a brushcutter or garden shears, you should take into account the amount of work, the frequency of use of the tool, the ability to connect to the network. You should also pay attention to the manufacturer, listen to the advice of experienced gardeners. Choosing the right brushcutter model directly affects the degree of comfort of the gardening work performed. Reliable assistants, which include brush cutters, will help turn hard work into pleasure.
