Comparison AL-KO Combi Care 36.8 E Comfort (113654) vs VIKING LE 540

The area of the site for which the device is designed. It cannot be argued that this parameter is critical when choosing a device, these are only manufacturer's recommendations and are very conditional. However, they are more than justified and, in general, show the available front of work based on the heating of the motor, the capacity of the tank or battery, and other factors that affect the duration of work.

The width of the strip processed by the aerator in one pass. The higher this indicator, the faster the device works, the fewer passes will have to be made to process a certain area. On the other hand, a wide grip noticeably affects the dimensions of the entire structure and makes it difficult to work in hard-to-reach places, if not impossible. Therefore, when choosing a model in terms of working width, it is worth considering not only the overall dimensions of the site, but also its configuration and the presence of tight areas — sometimes it is preferable to sacrifice the performance of the aerator for the sake of its manoeuvrability and patency.

The greatest depth to which the aerator nozzle is able to penetrate the ground during operation.

This parameter is relevant primarily for models that support verticutter functions (see "Type") — the very format of operation of such units implies "biting" into the ground. For scarifiers, the processing depth is often not indicated at all, because. they work mostly above the surface.

The number of nozzle depth adjustments provided in the design of the aerator. Note that we can talk not only about the depth, but also, in the case of scarifiers, about the height of processing (for more details, see above). Anyway, the more depth (height) settings, the wider the choice of the operator, the more accurately he can choose the optimal value for a particular situation.

The design of the working mechanism provided in the aerator, in other words, the number and types of working elements installed on the shaft. For verticutters (see "Type") such elements are blades, for scarifiers — spring teeth. For combined models, in this case, the design of both working shafts is indicated, for example "14 knives / 20 spring teeth".

The type of waste bag provided with the aerator.

— Hard. Bags made of a hard material, usually plastic. Such containers are convenient in unloading, moreover, they are more durable than soft ones: a sharp object that has fallen into such a bin will only scratch the wall. The main disadvantages of hard bags are quite heavy and bulky — they cannot be folded or rolled up, as is the case with soft ones. In addition, in the absence of special indicators (see below), it is more difficult to control the filling of such a container than a soft container — in fact, you have to remove it every time and check the amount of garbage collected.

— Soft. Soft garbage bags are light in weight and easy to store and transport: during non-working hours, such a bag can be folded compactly, and it will not take up much space. In addition, the dimensions of the soft bin are directly dependent on the amount of content in it — in other words, the bag increases in size only as it is filled. In fact, this allows you to monitor the filling in the absence of special indicators (in fact, they are not provided in such models at all), and in general, the small size of the bag is convenient when working. On the other hand, emptying such a container is more difficult than a rigid one, and sharp, hard objects such as twigs, glass fragments, etc. can pierce soft material.

— Is absent. The complete absence of a garb...age collector in the kit. In such cases, a garbage bag must be purchased separately; on the other hand, its type and volume can be chosen at your discretion. And in some situations, a waste bin is not required at all, and its purchase would only be an unnecessary waste of money.

The ability to change the height of the aerator handle. This feature makes it possible to adjust the unit to the height of the user in order to ensure comfort and reduce fatigue.

The power of the aerator motor, expressed in watts. Today, the watt is the common unit of power and is used for both electric and petrol models (see "Engine type"). In general, the more powerful the motor, the higher the performance of the unit, the greater the depth of processing and the working width (see above) can be provided in the aerator; however, the consumption of electricity / fuel also directly depends on the power. Therefore, when choosing an engine for their equipment, manufacturers proceed from a reasonable compromise between these properties, and in general, engine power allows you to evaluate the performance of the unit and its suitability for large volumes of work.

One of the parameters on which the diameter of the wheels depends is the weight of the unit: a heavy powerful aerator requires large wheels, and a light model can get by with small ones. In addition, the larger the wheels, the easier they cope with various obstacles, the better the car is suitable for difficult terrain, where you have to move through bumps, stones, etc. However, the downside of such cross-country ability is an increase in the cost of the aerator.