Comparison AL-KO Combi Care 36 E Comfort vs AL-KO Combi Care 38 P Comfort

Type of engine installed in the aerator.

— Electric (mains). Mains powered electric motors. The main advantages of all electric motors, regardless of the type of power supply, are the low cost of both the units themselves and electricity, ease of maintenance, an absolute minimum of consumables (usually, you have to buy something for such a motor only in case of malfunctions or breakdowns), as well as a low noise level and the complete absence of emissions into the atmosphere. Among the shortcomings, in comparison with gasoline, one can note a relatively low power. However, in this category there are also quite solid models in terms of power, which may have problems except for the most complex work. But the unequivocal disadvantage of network aerators is the need for a nearby outlet and various inconveniences due to the presence of a power wire. However the length of this wire can be quite large, and many units of this type are quite suitable for processing a medium-sized lawn in the yard of a private house, in extreme cases, you can use an extension cord.

— Electric (battery). Battery powered electric motor. Such models have all the advantages of electric motors described above; the battery makes the device as autonomous as possible, allowing you to work even if there are no outlets nearby. And the absence of a power cord, which can get underfoot, can also be attributed to dignity. On the...other hand, battery units are noticeably more expensive and weigh more than similar mains-powered models, their power is lower than that of gasoline ones, and the operating time is limited — and after the charge is exhausted, the battery needs to be charged, which takes quite a lot of time. However the latter can be partly offset by the use of replaceable batteries and the ability to buy a spare battery in such a way that one battery is charged while the second one is being used. Anyway, battery models are relatively rare; it is worth paying attention to such aerators if you need an autonomous unit, however, gasoline-powered devices are not suitable for one reason or another.

— Petrol. Internal combustion engines (ICE) on gasoline. Such motors provide more power than the electric motors described above, while they are completely autonomous and do not depend on the presence of outlets nearby. On the other hand, internal combustion engines are noticeably more expensive (and gasoline is expensive for them), more difficult to maintain, very noisy and produce exhaust gases. Therefore, such engines are used only in the most performant aerators designed to process large spaces — it is for such units that the combination of high power with battery life is almost mandatory. Note that gasoline models are either verticutters or a combined type (see above); There are no “clean” scarifiers among them, because a rake aerator simply does not require high power.

— Without motor (manual). Aerators that do not have any engine and work at the expense of the user's muscular strength. Usually they are devices in the form of a frame with a working shaft and a handle, with which the operator pushes the structure in front of him. Such units are extremely simple, compact, light and inexpensive, but their functionality is very limited — for example, there is no question of collecting garbage from the treated area.

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.

Rotation speed of the aerator shaft in normal operation.

Manufacturers select the shaft speed in such a way that the device is guaranteed to be able to cope with the tasks for which it is designed. So in most cases, this parameter is more of a reference than practically significant. At the same time, for verticutters (see "Type"), it can also have a practical meaning: lower speed, with the same power, provides higher tractive effort and allows you to better cope with dense soils and thick rhizomes. So for such conditions, it is worth choosing a model with lower revolutions, and for a favorable environment, on the contrary, higher (high revolutions have a positive effect on performance).

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 volume of the petrol engine installed in the corresponding type of aerator (see "Engine type"). Usually, the larger the engine (with the same type of internal combustion engine, see above) — the higher its power and the more fuel it consumes. In general, this parameter is for reference: manufacturers select it in such a way as to provide the necessary practical characteristics (in particular, the same power).

Aerator engine power expressed in horsepower (hp). In the case of aerators, this unit is used only for models with gasoline engines (see "Engine type"). Note that some time ago, the designation of power in horsepower was standard for internal combustion engines, but now watts are increasingly used for this; so hp is used more as a tribute to tradition than as an urgent need, and most often these data are duplicated in watts. However, even if there is no such duplication, some units can be easily converted to others: 1 hp. approximately corresponds to 735 watts. For more information about the value of engine power, see the paragraph of the same name below.

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.

The noise level produced by the aerator during operation. It is worth noting that this indicator can be indicated in different ways: some manufacturers give the maximum noise level in the characteristics, others give average values \u200b\u200bduring normal operation, etc. Anyway, this information allows you to assess the noise level of the unit and, if necessary, provide protective measures — for example, get headphones in advance.

When evaluating specific loudness values, note that the decibel used to indicate the noise level is a non-linear value. Therefore, it is easiest to evaluate specific values using comparative tables. Here is a simplified table for the range that most modern aerators fit into:

70 dB — a conversation of several people in raised tones.
75 dB — high power vacuum cleaner.
80 dB — traffic noise on a busy street.
85 dB — motorcycle engine with muffler in close proximity;
90 dB — freight car at a distance of 7 – 10 m;
95 dB — noise in the subway car on the stage;
100 dB — industrial shop.