Hedge trimmer – battery or electric?

Which trimmer is better: electric, gasoline or battery-powered

The garden trimmer is a worthy alternative to the lawnmower. It is cheaper, more maneuverable, more convenient, easier to use, storage, starting, starting, and most importantly, it can work on irregularly shaped areas, any area, mow grass not only on an even surface, but also on lawns with mixed terrain. . The complexity of the choice lies in the many models offered, which differ both in price and in functionality, ergonomics and other criteria. In this article, we will tell you what trimmer is better for dacha to buy for a private home – electric, gasoline or battery-powered.

Which trimmer is better: electric, gasoline or battery-powered

Simplify the choice will help the summary table, with the help of which you can easily compare the functional features of each variant.

parameter	electric	battery	petrol
performance	+-	—	+
Weight	+	+-	—
Comfort with long hours of use	+	+	—
Easy maintenance	+	+-	—
Mobility	—	+-	+
operating time	Depends on the load on the motor	15-30 minutes	Limited by fuel tank capacity
Option to fit a tiller	Optional	—	+
Noise	85-95 dB	80-93 dB	100-110 dB

When choosing a garden tool, it is important to pay attention not only to technical specifications, but also to the peculiarities of the site, the owner’s preferences. For private use, an electric device with a power of 600-900 watts is enough. If the lawn regularly grows weeds with thick stems, it is better to take a model with a 1000-1200 watt motor, which has a steel knife. Retirees, women are recommended to buy a simple version with an electric motor of up to 500 watts.

Owners of large lawns simply can not do without a petrol cutter. This is a high-performance tool, capable of covering a vast area faster and, most importantly, without being tied to a power source.

For work in quiet places, where there is no opportunity to connect to the mains to use discocuts, a battery-powered compartment with its own advantages and disadvantages will do.

Read also:

Types of trimmers

The main classification of garden tools is carried out according to the power source. Among the possible

Cordless

An interesting, but low-powered type of manual lawnmower, which has all the advantages of an electric tool. Cordless trimmer does not emit carbon monoxide, unpleasant odors of gasoline, oil, reduced noise level, easy to maintain and operate.

The device runs on battery power, which allows you to use the tool without connecting to a power outlet. The operator will not have to constantly pull an extension cord and remove the cable from the mowing area. He will also be free to work outside the garden, for example, when it is necessary to mow grass from the street along the fence.

In terms of mobility, a battery-powered device can be compared to a gasoline-powered trimmer, albeit with limitations. Considering the operational features, manufacturers equip the cordless trimmer with a rather modest motor to ensure constant operation. Its power is enough to care for an ungroomed lawn, in which the main task is to trim young shoots. In addition, the engine will successfully put in order a front garden with a flower bed. Most models support a cord reel up to 1.6 mm thick.

Choosing a cordless trimmer, the owner should be aware that the usual battery will eventually fall into disrepair, or the operating time and shaping is removed when unloading. If the task is to cover a large area, it is necessary to buy an additional high-capacity battery or divide the process into several stages and take breaks to recharge (on average, it takes 60 to 300 minutes to replenish the energy). Depending on the model of battery trimmer).

Among the best models that help keep your lawn in perfect condition:

Corded .

Electric trimmer with cable is an affordable option, ideal for compact households that do not have to mow large areas. The cutting element, which is a disc or fishing line, is driven by an electric motor. The power of the motor depends on the modification. There are on sale both low-power variants, which are suitable for the care of a small flowerbed, and professional lawnmowers that can not only mow grass of any size, density and dryness, but also bushes and even young trees.

The absence of battery, fuel tank has a positive effect on the balance of the overall weight. This allows the electric trimmer to work very comfortably. The tool is comfortable in the hand, the hand is not overloaded during prolonged use, so it can be recommended to elderly women. The only drawback is the connection to the power grid. Most models are equipped with a short power cable, which requires the additional purchase of an extension cord. The scope of possible applications depends on its length.

If you are looking for a trimmer for beginners, we recommend:

Among the powerful models with a good value for money:

Gasoline trimmer .

Gasoline trimmer is a powerful hand-held device for mowing the grass. It can be used both on small plots and on an industrial scale. Like other types, the lawnmower also has its advantages and disadvantages. The main one is the increased power of the engine, with which you can take care of the lawn and garden, without thinking about the type of mowed vegetation. The device can easily cope with young grass, bush branches, deadwood, fallen trees.

Unlike its networked counterparts, the gasoline trimmer is not tied to the power supply, it can be used in areas where there is no central electricity, no diesel generator. The cutting time depends only on the amount of mixture in the tank. The owner of two-stroke models must make fuel by mixing gasoline and oil in certain proportions. In the AI 92 four-stroke units, the fat is poured into isolated tanks, so that it is easier to equip such a tool for work. In addition, the 4-stroke unit makes less noise, which is important when mowing in quiet areas, for example, on weekends when the neighbors are resting at their summer cottages.

All disadvantages of the gasoline trimmer are related to the characteristics of the internal combustion engine. Such a motor weighs more than an electric one, even with an outboard battery. As a result, the weight of motorblocks reaches 8-12 kg. Therefore, the delivery set usually includes a parallel belt, which evenly distributes the load over the body. But even this solution does not allow physically unprepared people to function comfortably. For this reason, the gasoline version can not be recommended to women and pensioners.

Among the top models:

selection criteria

To understand which trimmer is better: electric, gasoline or cordless, it is necessary to compare some functional features:

Weight of the tool

The simplest type of manual mower is the mains version. Low-power models up to 500 watts weigh between 2.5-4 kg. More functional options for 800-1200 watts – 1.5-2 kg. If we consider the trimmer with a battery, it is heavier than the electric ones. This is due to the fact that the weight of the battery adds additional weight to the device. The most cumbersome is a benzokosa. Such a tool is designed for physically trained men. Ladies will hardly like it.

performance

The model with a battery has the lowest productivity. This is due to the need for rational use of the battery. The electric tool is inferior in functionality only to the gasoline tool.

Mobility

The presence of wires limits the territory of application of the scythe with an electric motor. If there is no centralized power supply in the house, there is no outlet near the lawn – it is better to abandon the purchase of this type in favor of more mobile options. For compact plots, you can consider a cordless trimmer, for large areas, a gasoline analog will be ideal.

operating time

The only thing that can limit the duration of use of a network tool – the lack of power. The time of continuous mowing of the cordless version depends on the battery capacity, engine power, on average 15-30 minutes. It is necessary to periodically refill the fuel for the work of the chain saw. With a standard 700-900 ml tank you can usually mow grass for 50-70 minutes uninterruptedly.

Line thickness

The effectiveness of the trimmer depends on the diameter of the line. The more productive the tool, the thicker the line that can be installed in the reel. Cordless trimmers support a line up to 1.6 mm, which is quite enough for fighting young shoots. The head of the mains models with a power of 800-1200 watts allows you to fill the trimmer with a line up to 2.3 mm. Such a mower cuts not only fresh grass, but also dry grass. The ice motor is considered the most powerful, so without overloading such a device can rotate a fishing line with a diameter up to 3.5 mm.

An alternative to the cord, with which you can cut not only grass, but also ragweed, hogweed, shrubs, grapes, trees up to 70 mm in diameter, is a plastic or steel knife. Performance, cutting quality depends on the material, shape, brand of the disc.

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services and transportation

If you compare trimmers in terms of usability, the priority can certainly be given to the electric version. The only thing it needs is regular monitoring of the level of this. Fluid, if necessary, to pour oil into the control line. For normal operation of the cordless version, the user must regularly charge the battery and monitor its actual capacity. The manual chainsaw is the most complex. Owners of such a tool must constantly prepare the fuel mixture, change the spark plugs and clean the nozzles from fouling.

In order for a useful tool to really simplify mowing the grass, caring for flowerbeds, lawns, front gardens, it is important not to make a mistake when buying. We told you about the advantages and disadvantages of the electric, gasoline, battery trimmer, which should significantly affect the final decision.

Which trimmer is better: battery, electric or gasoline?

As you know, depending on the type of engine there are battery, electric and gasoline trimmers for lawns.

About these devices we told separately on our website in the relevant articles.

Each type of trimmer has a number of advantages and disadvantages, which determine the effectiveness, and sometimes the possibility of using these devices in different situations.

Advantages and disadvantages of lawn trimmers

The main advantage of this type of trimmers is the maximum autonomy, they do not depend on the outlet and do not need to charge the battery, it is enough to fill them with gasoline or a gasoline-oil mixture.

Fuel for you can buy at any gas station, and for transportation will do a plastic bottle from the sweet or mineral water.

Another important advantage is the high productivity, which allows you not only to mow weeds or reeds, but also to cut down trees of small thickness.

The engine power of the most powerful models is 4-6 hp, i.e. 3-4,5 kW.

The disadvantages of gastrimers are much more, and they are all due to the design of these devices.

Here are their disadvantages:

1. They produce a lot of noise. Regardless of the number of engine revolutions, these trimmers produce a loud characteristic noise, a mixture of crackle and roar, which can be heard hundreds of meters away, and also easily penetrates through windows. No matter how good your home’s soundproofing is, when you start mowing grass near the windows, you hear a corresponding noise inside the building.
2. Generate toxic emissions. The combustion of gasoline not only releases carbon dioxide, but also many other substances, some of which burden the environment and negatively affect humans. Two-stroke trimmers have more toxic exhausts because oil is involved in the combustion process in addition to gasoline.
3. The need to interact with petroleum products. Gasoline and oil are petroleum products, so they have a strong unpleasant odor, ignite easily and leave stains on hands or clothes that are difficult to remove. To prepare fuel for two-stroke engines, pour gasoline and oil into a measuring container and mix thoroughly. Such a mixture is stored for a short time, so it is better to do it before use. Read more here.
4. Large weight. The internal combustion engine is quite a heavy unit, so the trimmer with it can not be light. The weight of the heaviest devices exceeds 9 kg, which is much more than the weight of electric or battery-powered.
5. high price. The cost of the most powerful chain saws exceeds 80 thousand rubles, which is noticeably higher than the price of electric or battery-powered counterparts (except for the power supply).

Pros and cons of electric scythes

The advantages of electric scythes include:

• low cost (even powerful models of famous brands can be bought for 12-15 thousand rubles;)
• low weight (even powerful models with a folding cane and bicycle handle weigh less than eight kg);
• Work relatively quietly – the electric motor makes much less noise than its gasoline counterpart, so even the closed windows well drown out the noise.
• Do not emit toxic substances, since the electric motor has no combustion processes.

Here are their disadvantages:

1. Dependence on mains power supply with 220V, which is why they are useless where it is impossible to connect to the outlet.
2. Dependence on the cable. The higher the power, the greater the current consumption, which means that the voltage will drop more because of the resistance of the cable and contacts. Therefore, only low-power models can be used at a distance of 100-200 m from the socket.
3. Insufficient power – only some models deliver 2.5 kW. For the vast majority of electric mowers, this parameter is 1-1.5 kW.

Comparison of the characteristics of rechargeable devices

The operation of batteries (batteries, batteries) combines the advantages and disadvantages of other types of these devices.

Here are their advantages:

1. Does not depend on the result. As long as the batteries are charged, the electric hood works regardless of whether there is a 220 V mains supply nearby or not. If one battery is not enough to mow an area, you can buy several batteries and charge them at home.
2. They work silently, so closed windows whine about the noise they make.
3. Do not use toxic substances.
4. The power source can be used together with a trimmer and other devices of the same line.

Here are their disadvantages:

1. The cost of even high-capacity devices from well-known brands is low, but high-capacity batteries cost several times more than buying a trimmer.
2. The mass of a high-capacity battery is comparable to the mass of the internal combustion engine, so powerful devices together with the trimmer are noticeably heavier than their electric counterparts.
3. One battery charge, especially when mowing weeds, is enough for a short time, and buying more batteries is not always affordable because of the high price.

When is it better to choose batteries for grass?

Given all the advantages and disadvantages of these devices, they are preferred only in one case – when it is necessary to mow the grass under the windows of a non-electrified, but residential building or house.

After all, in such circumstances, it is important to have a device that can work not only without connection to the socket, but also with a minimum level of noise.

If the noise level is not important, it is better to use a gasoline unit, and where it is possible to connect to the outlet, an electric COC is preferable.

In addition, trimmers with a battery are preferable where there is no possibility to connect to the outlet, and it is undesirable to pollute clean air with toxic exhausts.

To decide for yourself which grass trimmer is better to choose, gasoline, electric or battery-powered, decide what and under what conditions you will mow them.

interesting video

In this video, the author reflects on what trimmer is better to choose, shares his experience and tells you what parameters are better to use when buying:

Conclusion

Cordless electric mowers, especially with power sources, are not cheap, so their purchase is justified only if they really do the job of an electric or gasoline mower.

In all other cases, batteries are strongly inferior to their gasoline and electric counterparts, so their purchase is not justified.