How to choose a gasoline grass trimmer

Rating of the best gasoline trimmers in 2020

Gasoline grass trimmer is often purchased for mowing grass on areas with more than 10 acres and in cases where there is no possibility to connect the tool to the mains. Trimmers with a combustion engine usually have a fairly powerful engine and high output. That is, it is possible to mow with their help faster than with the help of electric. In addition, models with gasoline engine do not overheat quickly and cope better with large amounts of work.

Advantages of petrol trimmers

Good for working on plots of 10 to 20 acres

Effectively mow weeds, perennial grass with thick stems and even bushes

Can work for long hours without interruption

models than in the case of electric trimmers

There are disadvantages to chain saws, too. They are more expensive, weigh more, they are noisy, need careful handling and maintenance. However, if you need to often mow thick grass or work long hours away from home, equipment with an internal combustion engine is the best choice.

The gasoline models of the leading manufacturers are equipped with motors with a capacity of 600 to 2500 watts. powerful engines are sometimes equipped with inexpensive equipment from companies that export their products from China. The productivity bonus of such devices is insignificant, but the vibration level increases significantly. The cutting width of the line in different models is from 37 to 45 centimeters, when working with a knife. 25-26 cm.

Design of a gasoline grass trimmer

The basis of the gasoline trimmer for grass is a rod, on which the cutting module, motor and control elements of the tool are located. Special belts distribute the load on the operator during operation.

Grass trimmer device

Engine

Gasoline grass trimmers are most often equipped with two-stroke motors, but there are models with a four-stroke engine.

Each internal combustion engine has a work cycle. a number of processes that result in a portion of the force acting on the crankshaft. The duty cycle is:

Expansion of gases and their escape from the cylinder

A stroke is the movement of the piston in one direction (up or down). If an engine completes a work cycle in two strokes (one shaft revolution), it is called a two-stroke, if in four. four-stroke. Fuel motors can run on gasoline or diesel fuel, but garden trimmers use only gasoline motors.

Two-stroke engines are relatively simple, weigh less and are not afraid of low temperatures. They are cheaper than the four-stroke, which is why they are popular. At the same time 2-stroke engines are noisier and produce more harmful exhaust gases, so they are almost useless for greenhouses and hothouses.

For two-stroke engines it is necessary to prepare a special fuel mixture of gasoline and 2T engine oil. The manual usually recommends using gasoline with an octane rating of over 89, but the best choice would be fresh unleaded AI-92. Gasoline with a higher octane rating (95 and 98) contains additives that can have a destructive effect on the engine piston system, leading to overheating and damage.

Each manufacturer has its own recommendations for what proportions to create a fuel mixture and what components to use. Ordinary car oil is not suitable in this case, as it is created for water-cooled engines. 2T oil is just right for air-cooled engines. Some major brands also produce special oils for their own engines.

Four-stroke engines on gasoline trimmers are much less common due to the fact that they are heavier and more expensive than two-stroke engines. but it is quieter, more economical and produces fewer harmful exhaust emissions. There is no need to prepare a fuel mixture for a four-stroke motor, because the mechanism runs on pure gasoline. Oil is also used, but it is not mixed with fuel, filled into a separate container, does not catch fire and is used only for correct engine operation.

Cutting equipment

Petrol-powered trimmers use cutting line (filament) or cutting blades and discs.

A filament reel can be mounted on any grass trimmer. You can always find the recommended line diameter in the instruction manual. With a cord, it’s convenient to mow grass near trees, fences, walls. A line for a trimmer is good for thickets of grass that doesn’t have thick stems.

The filament feeding system can be semi-automatic or automatic. Semi-automatic is more common: there is a button on the bottom of the reel to adjust the length of the protruding line ends. The automatic system is supposed to feed every time you turn on the motor.

Almost all gasoline grass trimmers are equipped with blades and cutting blades. The only exception are some models with less power (up to 700 watts).

Blades come in metal and plastic. A blade is good for mowing reeds, burdocks, thorny grass with thick stems, and for trimming bushes, but it is not a universal tool. The blade cannot be used in places where there is construction debris, where stones or metal parts hidden in the grass can be caught. There is a greater chance of damaging the reel in this case. It is much safer and easier to mow near trees, fences, walls and greenhouses.

Boom

The boom can be straight or curved, of collapsible or monolithic design. Telescopic drives are not used in chain saws.

Grass trimmers with a curved boom are a bit easier to handle, but they use a flexible cable to transmit the torque from the engine to the gearbox. Such a system is not well adapted for high loads and short-lived. Straight boom models, where the torque is transmitted by a rigid transmission shaft, are better suited to intensive use.

Grass trimmers with a collapsible rod is easier to store and transport in the car, but this design is less common because it does not always guarantee a high margin of safety. Solid-boom models are better able to support heavy loads and are more durable.

Gearbox

Gearbox is a module of two bevel gears that transmit rotation from the motor to the cutting head. Gear wheels require periodic lubrication. Moving parts fail much faster if not lubricated. The lubrication hole is located on top of the rotating nozzle block.

Cover

The grass trimmer‘s cutting attachments are always protected by the hood (skirt). The cover protects the operator by preventing debris and small rocks from flying to and fro. The blade guard usually has a sharp knife on it to remove the excess length of line.

Belts

Since gasoline grass trimmers rarely weigh less than 4 pounds, special straps with fasteners and clasps help distribute the load. The straps can be shoulder or backpack type. Shank trimmers distribute the load more efficiently and are considered the preferred option.

Gasoline grass trimmer. which one is better to choose?

What to look for when choosing a gasoline grass trimmer? The decision will depend on what you need to do:

All brushcutters are categorized by engine type into two-stroke and four-stroke.

The former are unpretentious and easy to install, but they require a special fuel mixture, have a high noise level and produce a lot of exhaust gases. The most popular of these models are Husqvarna 323 R, Ryobi RBC31SESO, Patriot PT 3055, Partner Colibri II S.

The latter are complicated in maintenance, but do not require preparation of mixture, have lower noise level, economical fuel consumption and low level of wear of the engine internal parts. Makita EBH341U, Patriot PT 3155 T, Caiman VSP255S-EH025 are worth mentioning among them. Two-stroke engines are more common, so it makes sense to opt for them, especially if you consider that the type of motor has no effect on the performance of the tool.

The next thing worth paying attention to is the shape of the rod.

Straight is characteristic of professional models with high power, with the ability to withstand heavy loads. This is due to the use of a steel shaft for the transmission of torque from the motor to the cutting tool. Al-ko FRS 4125, Ryobi RBC31SESO, Hitachi CG 40 EY. T (CG40EY-T), Caliber BK-1900.

A steel cable runs in the bent boom instead of the shaft. Such a device, as a rule, is used for household and some semi-professional scythes. They are not required to be especially robust and resistant to overload, and intensity of use of such models is not too great. Among such trimmers are particularly successful STIHL FS 45, Interskol MKB-43/33, Elitech T 1000 RK.

Next, it makes sense to evaluate the characteristics of the tool, namely its power.

From this indicator will directly depend on the performance of brushcutter, its ability to work with a certain type of equipment, the ability to mow different grass, weeds or even bushes.

In our store you can always buy models with fantastic power: STIHL FS 550 K, Echo SRM-4605, Husqvarna 343 F. These machines are capable of cutting even small undergrowth and are used for clearing wild vegetation in forests. Their price is high, but the exchange they offer is worth it. This is the choice of real professionals.

The more modest the amount needed to perform the work and the softer the vegetation on the site, the less power you need a grass trimmer and, accordingly, it will be cheaper.

As for the cost, here, as always, very much depends on the brand.

But there are quite well-known brands that offer excellent quality products at very affordable prices. For example, Husqvarna 128 L, Ryobi RBC430SBD, Elitech T 1250 V, Champion T284.

Another important feature to evaluate this or that model is the volume of the fuel tank.

Its size determines the time of uninterrupted operation. Let’s say you have to prepare a gasoline-oil mixture three times a day or all six. As you can imagine, the difference in time is significant. Here are the best examples with a volume of about 1 liter, such as Hitachi CG40EYA (TP). That and the total weight is not so much increased, and gives quite a long working time between refills.

But there are models with a very small tank. They are, as a rule, either domestic class or designed for small amount of work with considerable load. For example, the STIHL FS 450, Partner BC 433B would be perfect for clearing a small clearing from undergrowth.

Then we look at cutting attachments that are available.

Usually, if we buy a lawn mower with high power and high output, we expect that with such a tool we can mow almost anything. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the availability of steel knives and discs in a particular model. This equipment is the “main striking force”, as they say, allowing you to cut small bushes and easily deal with the thickest bushes of tall grass with a trimmer. It also makes it easy to quickly cut hay or simply clear large areas of vegetation.

So it is good to have a brushcutter that works with both a fishing line and a metal or plastic blade. Examples of such models are Patriot T 535 Pro, Husqvarna 327 RX.

The next step is to choose a handle.

Working with a brushcutter is often a very long job, so you need to have comfortable handles and a firm grip on your hands.

The best handle in this regard is the T-handle. It allows you to mimic as closely as possible the movement of a common non-motorized grasshopper when working on large areas and to hold and guide the tool firmly with both hands. Patriot PT 3355, Echo SRM-22GES, Kalibr BK-1400 have such a handle.

You may also find J- and D-handles. They are more typical for semi-professional and amateur models, such as Elitech T 1000 RK, Husqvarna 128 RJ, Kalibr BK-1900.

Unusual gasoline grass trimmers for professional work. backpack trimmers for grass. deserve a special mention. Their peculiarity is the location of the engine separately from the boom in a special bag, which is attached behind the shoulders of the worker. It communicates with the cutting attachment via a flexible shaft. Examples of these models are the STIHL FR 450, the Patriot T 552 Pro Plus.

When choosing a tool, always have a clear idea of what you need it for. Then you won’t have to complain that the trimmer bought for grass lacks power or, conversely, that it is lying idle and does not work out the money invested in it.

Rating of gasoline trimmers for grass 2022

For well-groomed lawns near the house are excellent mechanical and battery-powered mowers. To care for a lawn more neglected, you can buy a gasoline or electric lawnmower. But what to do if the dacha is overgrown with tough weeds and young trees?

That’s where the best gasoline grass trimmers come into play. They are comparable to petrol lawnmowers in price and quality, but trimmers are much more convenient to operate. The device allows you to work with both trimming line and discs. If the garden is overgrown with tall grass, or it is necessary to mow on an uneven site, there is no better tool than a gasoline trimmer.

Rating trimmers on quality and reliability will help make the choice in favor of the best in performance and price model. It is based on the opinion of professional experts from specialized foreign editions (DIY Garden, The Salutation Gardens, etc.) and Russian customer reviews on Yandex.Market and VseInstrumenty.ru

RYOBI RBC 254SESO

Although Ryobi is known for its battery-powered garden tools, it also has a fantastic heavy-duty gasoline-powered grass trimmer.

Large mowing width (with a guide bar) and a good ground clearance for easy daily mowing. 43 cm, 25 cm with blade) it is suitable for applications as wide as mowing lawns. Also features a very robust and maintenance-free motor.

The RYOBI RBC 254SESO can handle long, wet lawns and is suitable for all cutting tasks, including trimming weeds. Plus, one of the best gasoline-powered brushcutters weighs only 5.5 kg, so it should be light enough to work for long periods of time.

Ergonomic D-handle makes it easy to work in confined spaces and reduces fatigue from constant engine vibration. After work, the handle can be folded for easy storage.

If necessary, you can buy a drive for electric start-up gasoline trimmers and battery (18 V; 1.3 Ah) Ryobi OES1813 5132002804.