Comparison STIHL BG 50 vs STIHL SH 56

Operating modes provided in the design of the garden vacuum cleaner. Many models support more than one mode. Also note that, despite the common name "garden vacuum cleaners", not all units are capable of suction.

— Blowing out. This mode can be called “vacuum cleaner in reverse”: the device generates a powerful air stream, which can be used, for example, to remove debris from hard-to-reach places, or “sweep” garden paths.

— Suction. The classic mode of operation of the vacuum cleaner: drawing in air along with various debris that is sent to the bin. Suction is well suited for "uncomplicated" debris — leaves and small chips.

— Shredding. This mode of operation is similar to the suction described above, however, the garbage drawn in by the vacuum cleaner is not immediately sent to the bin (or “to the exit”, into an external container), but is preliminarily crushed. The meaning of this function is twofold: firstly, due to crushing, the volume occupied by garbage is significantly reduced (see “Chopping factor”), and secondly, recycled leaves and branches can serve as fertilizer.

The highest speed of the air stream given out by the vacuum cleaner. The higher this parameter, the stronger the thrust provided by the device, and the more efficiently it is able to pull or blow out debris particles from cracks and other hard-to-reach places (of course, if there is an appropriate operating mode — see above). At the same time, in most modern models, this figure exceeds 150 km/h — this is more than enough for work of small and medium complexity. Therefore, paying attention to a high flow rate makes sense only when choosing a powerful model for working in difficult conditions; we note that in the most “high-speed” vacuum cleaners, the indicators can exceed 400 km/h.

Performance of the garden vacuum cleaner when blowing (see "Operating mode").

This parameter determines the amount of air that the device distills through itself in a certain time. It should be noted that it depends not only on the speed of this air, but also on other parameters — for example, the diameter of the pipe. Therefore, two models with the same performance can noticeably differ in speed, and vice versa. You also need to keep in mind that the efficiency of "purging" bottlenecks with stuck debris does not depend on performance, but on the flow rate. On the other hand, good performance makes it easier to work on large areas, as allows you to simultaneously cover a large area with a jet of air.

Most modern garden vacuum cleaners in blowing mode provide up to 15 m / min; higher rates are typical mainly for professional models.

Performance of the garden vacuum cleaner when working on suction (see "Operating mode").

As with blowing described above, this parameter primarily characterizes how large the area covers the vacuum cleaner when working: high performance means that the device captures more air and draws debris from a larger surface. But this indicator is weakly related to suction efficiency: the ability of a vacuum cleaner to “pull out” debris particles from cracks, thick grass, etc. depends primarily on speed characteristics, not performance.

The engine power of a garden vacuum cleaner, expressed in horsepower. This unit of power is considered somewhat obsolete and is mainly used for internal combustion engines (see "Engine type"), while in many cases the power figures in horsepower are also duplicated in watts. However, if there is no such clarification, it is quite simple to estimate the power in watts: 1 hp. approximately corresponds to 735 watts.

For more information about the value of engine power, see the paragraph of the same name below.

Power of the garden vacuum cleaner motor, expressed in watts. This unit is by far the main one, it is used for both electric and gasoline engines (see "Engine type").

The more powerful the motor — the more air the vacuum cleaner is able to pass through itself, the greater the speed it is able to give the air flow and the more efficient the chopper (if there is one at all — see "Operating mode"). At the same time, all these moments depend not only on power, but also on many other design features; and manufacturers select each motor in such a way as to provide the vacuum cleaner with certain performance characteristics. Therefore, when choosing, it is worth looking primarily at practical characteristics (flow rate, blowing and suction performance), and engine power is of secondary importance.

The highest speed at which the vacuum cleaner engine is able to operate in normal mode.

Theoretically, faster motors are capable of delivering more solid performance; however, in fact, these characteristics depend on so many different design features that the engine speed is practically lost against the background of these features. Therefore, this moment, in fact, is purely reference (and partly promotional — impressive rpm numbers can at first glance give the impression of high power and performance; but this impression is often deceptive).

The volume of the fuel tank installed in a garden vacuum cleaner with a petrol engine (see "Engine type"). The more capacious the tank, the longer the unit is able to work without refueling (for more details, see "Fuel Consumption"). On the other hand, a large volume affects the dimensions and weight of the vacuum cleaner.

The noise level generated by the vacuum cleaner during normal operation. The lower this indicator, the more comfortable it is to work with the unit, the less the operator gets tired; and high noise levels may require the use of protection (e.g. earmuffs).

When assessing the noise level, note that the decibel used to measure this level is a non-linear quantity. Therefore, it is easiest to evaluate specific values using comparative tables. Here is one of the variants of such a table (rather simplified):

— 60 dB — sound comparable to a TV at medium volume. From this value, the indicators of modern garden vacuum cleaners begin, because. this technique works quite loudly.
— 70 dB — to a truck at a distance of about 8 m;
— 80 dB — traffic noise on a busy street;
— 90 dB — freight train noise at a distance of 8 – 10 m;
— 100 dB — the noise of the demolition hammer;
— 110 dB — indoor rock concert