How to choose a grass trimmer?

Neat lawn is the dream of any summer resident. The British, who especially love evenly trimmed grass, argue that the lawns in front of the house should be cut every day, then they will look beautiful. But not everyone has the time to trim their favorite meadow with an ordinary scythe every day. An electric or gas mower can be a great helper. In the article you will read how to choose a grass trimmer.

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Gasoline or electricity?

If you are looking for the best grass trimmer, pay attention to the fact that they are of two types:

• gasoline;
• electric.

The choice of one or another option depends on a number of circumstances:

• land area;
• the presence of animals that need a lot of plant food;
• state of electric networks;
• relations of households and neighbors to noise.

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Petrol trimmer

So what are the best grass trimmers - gasoline or electric?

pros

Each has its own advantages. In a gas mower, they are:

• full autonomy;
• high power;
• the ability to cut stiff stems and even small bushes and trees.

Important! This unit has another name - a mower. It is very convenient, for example, for farmers who have quite extensive possessions. The gas trimmer is independent of the location of the power supply. He does not need an outlet and extension cord, so he can work absolutely anywhere in your area.

This is an invaluable helper for those who keep a cow or goats. In order to provide these animals with a worthy existence in winter, grass needs a lot, and goats need branches. In such situations, the mower will be able to help out, capable of cutting branches a half centimeter thick.

Disadvantages:

• The main disadvantage of the mower is that it is quite an expensive pleasure. Therefore, the owner of the suburban area, where all the land is located on six acres, should think three hundred times whether he needs such an aggregate or is it better to find something simpler and cheaper.
• The second drawback is the rather large weight. To deliver a gas trimmer to the place of work, you need to make a lot of effort. Such units are often equipped with a trolley or mounted on a platform, and this is the best option of all possible.
• There is another significant minus. Like any gasoline engine, the lawnmower engine makes quite a bit of noise. This, of course, does not mean much if you need to work for several hours once a month. But if you are going to do this all summer, as English lawn lovers offer, you will have to endure the discontent of your neighbors.

Important! There are other disadvantages common to all gasoline units. The trimmer should be regularly filled with gasoline and oil, so its maintenance is not cheap. In addition, the engine emits exhaust fumes.

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Electric braid - all about features and choices

If you do not need to constantly mow many, many hectares of grass, then to the question, grass trimmer - which is better, you will get a definite answer. Of course, electric.

pros

It has a lot of advantages over gasoline:

• ease;
• maneuverability;
• compactness;
• ergonomics;
• silent work;
• low price;
• lack of exhaust gases;
• no need to refuel.

Minuses

But to say that the electric mower is perfection itself is also hardly appropriate.There are no devices without flaws; compact trimmers also have them:

• low power;
• dependence on the power grid.

Power

The power of the electric trimmer can range from 200 watts to 1400 watts. By choosing 200-400 watts, you will get a very light tool that can be used to mow the freshly sprouted grass of the lawn; it is not suitable for any more serious work. Such a mower can not cope with weeds.

Universal summer trimmer has a power of at least 1000 watts. He is able to perform all popular gardening work:

• mow lawn;
• remove weed grass;
• cut tight weeds between the beds.

Where to mow?

The most significant drawback of an electric mower is its dependence on the location of its electrical networks. The device is equipped with a cable - an ordinary power cord that plugs into an outlet. The cord is quite long, and the owners of the traditional six hundredths have no problems with the power supply. Another thing is if the site is larger, but there is no possibility to transfer the outlet.

Important! Owners of most models of electric mowers have to use all kinds of additional devices like extension cords - this is not very convenient, but in principle, permissible.

Where is the motor?

When deciding how to choose an electric trimmer, pay attention to the location of the motor. It can be:

• lower;
• the top one.

A unit with a motor below will be cheaper. In addition, it is more convenient and easier. But such a trimmer is less reliable: water periodically enters the engine if you work in a wet meadow. A device with an overhead motor does not have this drawback.

Electric trimmer: which is better - with or without battery?

Are all models of electric mowers completely dependent on the mains? No. Manufacturers made sure that the owners did not have to bother with extension cords. Some models are equipped with rechargeable batteries.

But it is not worth hoping that with the help of a battery-powered device, you can mow a meadow with an area of ​​several hectares. The battery lasts 20-30 minutes, then it needs to be charged for several hours. Therefore, this function is needed in cases where the lawn is located near the house, but the cord is not enough to the edges.

Cutting tool

So, you do not need a gasoline motokosa, and you decided to give preference to a less powerful, but lighter and more compact device. When deciding how to choose an electric trimmer for a summer residence, be sure to pay attention to the cutting method. As cutting devices are used:

• circular knives:
• fishing line.

Disks

A circular knife, of course, can do anything - from soft grass to excessively overgrown bushes. But it costs most often in gasoline units. Although there are powerful electric equipped with just such cutting devices.

Knives are:

• plastic;
• metal.

Important! In the most powerful units are steel knives that easily cope with thick branches and can work for many years without replacement. Plastic cutting tools are usually placed in small-capacity mowers designed for grass.

Fishing line

In most electric trimmers, as well as in low-power gasoline, sharp fishing line is used as a cutting tool. She is wound on a reel.

If you often use the mower, the fishing line is frayed and needs to be replaced. This is done in two ways:

• semi-automatic;
• automatic.

In the first case, if you feel that the mower has begun to cope poorly with its task, you need to press its head to the ground - without your participation, the reel unwinds a piece of fishing line of the desired length. In automatic mode, you don’t have to do anything at all. As soon as you turn on the trimmer, a piece of fishing line is unwound by itself.

The trimmer should be comfortable

Work argues and gives pleasure if in the hands of a convenient tool. This also applies to the electric mower. It should be not only light and mobile, but also ergonomic - pay special attention to the handle. She may be:

• in the form of the letter T;
• in the form of the letter D.

Which one to choose depends on how much work your unit will have to do and you:

• If you are going to mow large areas, a handle in the form of the letter T is suitable. In this case, your movements will be approximately the same as when working with an ordinary scythe.
• A pen in the shape of the letter D will be ideal for small areas of complex shape. It improves the maneuverability of the trimmer.

For your comfort

There are a few more features that are designed to make your work easier:

• ability to absorb vibrations;
• the presence of a telescopic handle.

Important! Of course, it will not be possible to completely get rid of vibrations, but the design of the trimmer must be such that they are minimal. As for the telescopic handle, it is possible to adjust the height with it, that is, it will be convenient for any member of the family to use the mower, regardless of its height.

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How to use it?

An electric trimmer can last a long time. But many beginner gardeners make mistakes, and the equipment breaks pretty quickly. How to avoid this? Follow a few simple rules:

1. If you have a mower with a lower drive, do not use it immediately after rain or dew.
2. Wear gloves and feel free to wear safety glasses.
3. Make sure that the extension cord that you will certainly use is in good condition - without creases or tears.
4. The socket must be working.
5. It will be safer to work if you make grounding.
6. You can only use an electric trimmer where there is a stable energy supply.
7. Do not remove the protective cover from the machine - there are cases when the fishing line was sharply unwound and the worker was seriously injured.
8. Before you start working for the first time, do not forget to read the instructions, which indicate including the time without interruption.
9. If you have a model with a precast rod or circular knives, do not forget to lubricate it periodically - this is done at the beginning or at the end of the summer season.
10. Do not forget to clean the head in which the fishing line is located - this should be done after each time.

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The most vulnerable places

Improper operation of the trimmer usually results in damage.

Head

The most problematic place is the head, which fails when overloaded. With semi-automatic machines this happens more often - the summer resident, wanting to rewind the line, presses the head too much to the ground, and it breaks.

Engine

Another detail that needs special attention is the engine. It tends to burn out if the owner does not follow the simplest safety rules. Tools with lower drive are more vulnerable than with upper drive. But in any case, it is necessary to observe cyclicality - the duration of work and rest is usually indicated in the instructions. For example, the unit can work 25 minutes, but then you need to take a break for the same time. You can increase the duration of the rest, while the work does not.

Important! In electrical devices, the start button quite often burns out. This is because it is not pressed to the end, as a result, the contact weakens.

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Stock footage

Definitely it is impossible to do without such a useful device if you have a private house. And so that the technique meets your expectations, consider the useful tips from this article on how to choose a grass trimmer. Then the well-groomed plot will be for you not a fantasy, but a reality!