Comparison Makita DUN500WRGE vs Stiga SMT 100 AE Kit

- For bushes. An attachment designed for cutting thin branches, typical of most shrubs. The general principle of operation of such a device is similar to hair clippers: there are two sets of teeth located close to each other, one of them is stationary, and the second moves back and forth at high speed during operation. As a result, each pair of movable and fixed teeth works like scissors, cutting leaves and branches that fall under the blades. The nozzle itself looks like a blade stretched forward, with teeth on both sides of it; this allows you to move it in any direction during work - to the right or left, depending on the situation. It is worth noting that bush attachments are capable of coping with branches up to 2-3 cm (depending on engine power), however, they are still not designed for use as full-fledged saw.

- For grass. Attachments designed for cutting grass and leaves. Like bush ones (see above), they use two rows of teeth; and in general, a hedge trimmer with such an attachment is similar to an enlarged clipper, only not for hair, but for grass. It is worth noting that it is not capable of replacing a full-fledged lawn mower: the cutting width most often does not exceed 20 cm, and the devices themselves are usually small battery-powered models (see “Power”) and are not designed to work with large areas. Their main purpose is the decorative treatment of small flower beds, as well as edges...that a regular lawn mower cannot reach.

— Saw blade. Such attachments are very similar to the working element of a chain saw: an elongated rounded base (bar), along the edge of which cutting teeth move during operation. They are designed for cutting thick branches that conventional bush attachments cannot handle (see above), and are used primarily in pole pruners (see “Type”).

The length of the bar usually refers to the total length of the brush attachment or saw blade (see Attachments) supplied with the hedge trimmer. The longer the tire, the longer the cut that the tool can make at a time. In general, it is believed that a short length is typical for entry-level tools, while professional ones are equipped with larger attachments. However, here you need to take into account that the choice depends not only on the scale, but also on the specifics of the intended work: long attachments are less maneuverable and less suitable for topiary trimming of bushes. In addition, the cost of a brush cutter also largely depends on this parameter.

Overall length of pole saw (see "Type").

The height that can be reached with a pole saw from the ground depends on this indicator, without the use of additional devices (stools, benches, stairs, etc.). In modern models, the length of the rod can reach 4 m — this is enough to handle even fairly tall trees, and a longer length would make the unit too heavy and bulky.

When choosing according to this parameter, note that a too long rod affects not only the weight and cost of the pole saw, but also can be inconvenient when working at low heights. Therefore, it is worth looking for a "long-range" tool only if most of the work is planned to be carried out at high altitudes. However, some models of pole saws allow you to adjust the length of the rod in a certain range, which makes it possible to adjust the tool to specific working conditions. For such models, this paragraph indicates the largest value of the length.

The model is equipped with a telescopic rod, the length of which can be adjusted by the user. Increasing the length of the rod opens up the possibility of easy and simple pruning of trees / shrubs in hard-to-reach places. If the length of the average brush cutter holder, in the folded position, is 2 m, then the telescopic mechanism makes it possible to increase the length of the holder by an average of 1 m.

The distance between the individual teeth of the shrub attachment (see "Tips") supplied with the tool. The larger the pitch of the teeth, the easier the tool will cope with thick branches, however, the quality of the work will be quite rough. Conversely, more densely spaced teeth work "cleaner" but are less suited to tough conditions and large branches.

Hedge trimmer motor power expressed in watts.

The performance of the tool primarily depends on the engine power, and this concept includes both the overall speed of work and the ability to cope with difficult tasks like cutting thick branches. Therefore, when choosing, it is necessary to take into account both the general volumes of the planned work and the material with which you will have to deal. For example, a powerful hedge trimmer may be needed even if it is only a few metres of hedge — if the branches in this hedge are quite thick. On the other hand, "more powerful" does not always mean "better" — after all, this parameter affects the weight, energy consumption (or fuel consumption) and the price of the tool.

If we talk about specific numbers, then the optimal power for most household tasks will be about 400-600 watts. Battery models (see "Power"), designed for small amounts of work in simple conditions, may have less power, and in gasoline models (see ibid.), on the contrary, it can reach 900 – 1000 watts.

In addition to watts, power can also be expressed in horsepower; this designation is traditionally used in gasoline engines. 1 HP approximately equal to 735 watts.

The frequency of movement of the teeth in bush or grass attachments (see "Tips"). The design of most of these tools is such that for one revolution of the engine, the teeth make one complete cycle of movement back and forth; therefore, the stroke rate is usually determined by the speed of rotation of the engine and is indicated in revolutions per minute.

It is believed that the quality of the tool’s work largely depends on this parameter: the more often the stroke, the cleaner the cut will be. Ratings up to 2200 rpm are usually typical for entry-level devices, up to 2800 rpm are average, and advanced models can have speeds of 3400 rpm and even higher.

Features of the battery-powered hedge trimmer. Most devices out of the box have one battery. But there are models that are equipped with a replaceable battery ( 2 batteries included). This solution allows you to extend the operating time of the device by replacing a discharged battery with a charged one. And the absence of a battery in the kit will be appropriate if you buy a hedge trimmer, which is suitable for a universal battery from other devices of the brand. Or you yourself want to choose a model with the required capacity. And for low-power devices there is a built-in battery.

Operating voltage of the battery in a battery-powered hedge trimmer (see above). This parameter is usually selected by the manufacturer according to the characteristics of the engine: the greater the power, the greater, the battery voltage is likely to be. In fact, voltage data may be needed only if the battery fails and it will be necessary to replace it with an equivalent one. In addition, there are formulas that allow you to roughly estimate the battery life depending on the battery voltage, its capacity and the power of the tool; they can be found in special sources.