The best brush cutter: rating of 2023, TOP 12, description of gasoline, battery, network, pros, cons, price

You can also cut a bush or cut young shoots on the site using a hand tool. But only if you have to do this a couple of times a year and on a small site. In other cases, brush cutters come to the rescue. It is with their help that you can free the beds or lawn from annoying shoots.

What to look for when choosing

A brush cutter is a common name for a mechanized device for cutting dense, solid residues of grass, branches, and undergrowth that breaks through the ground. Which brush cutter is better to buy depends on the purpose of the application. In general, it is heavier than traditional trimmers and electric scythes, as a more powerful engine and a special cutting tool are used. Moreover, the shape and size of the cutting parts may differ for different models, depending on the power and main purpose.

A milling cutter, a long serrated rod with a sharp edge, or a short comb-like knife with several teeth is usually used.

The most common option is a long bar with moving teeth on it. The size of the rod and teeth, as well as the speed of movement, depend on the specific model and the nature of the material that is planned to be cut on bushes or trees.

It is clear that for trimming you have to apply a certain physical effort, so when choosing a brush cutter, you need to pay attention to the grip of the handle. Gasoline and power corded models are usually designed for two-hand operation. Simpler, battery-powered brush cutters are usually made for a one-handed grip and with a small cutting edge.

When choosing a model, you need to pay attention to:

• tool weight;
• engine power;
• the quality of the cutting edge, some manufacturing companies make blades from special steel;
• knife format - single-sided or double-sided;
• engine features;
• duration of operation depending on the battery charge or tank capacity.

It is clear that the most powerful models are made with a gasoline engine, usually a two-stroke. If possible, it is better to choose the option with a light gasoline engine. The lighter the weight, the easier it is to work. Usually you have to hold the tool with your arms outstretched to reach the tops of bushes or trim the top of a hedge.

The classic version of the layout looks more like a familiar chainsaw or a large hair clipper.

There is another type of tool that can be conditionally attributed to trimmers. These are rod models; instead of a flat knife, they have a cutter on the rod. It can also be used to form the volume of bushes, select undergrowth or trim tree crowns.

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Manufacturers and models of hedge trimmers

The market for horticultural and specialty manual plant care equipment is a huge business. Traditionally, this niche is dominated by large manufacturers of garden tools:

• Bosch;
• Makita;
• Black & Decker;
• gardena.

The tools of these companies are valued primarily for the high quality of mechanics, saw drives, gearboxes, engines, both electric and gasoline.

You can buy a cheaper Chinese version. Most often, manufacturing companies from China copy far from the worst models. Such a tool turns out to be cheaper, but the reliability and service life remain low.

Therefore, you can either purchase a knowingly high-quality, but very expensive device, or limit yourself to its Asian clone.

If we compare the tool in terms of reliability and quality of work, then the leaders in the niche of gas-powered brush cutters will be Makita, Gardena, Ryobi. Usually they hold the first places in the ranking of the best in terms of reliability and ease of use of brush cutters.

The best brush cutters on gasoline

When choosing a gasoline version of the tool, first of all, you need to pay attention to 2 main details - the saw blade and the engine itself. Both parts must be as reliable, durable and easily adjusted in operation as possible. You will have to do this constantly, much like it happens with a chainsaw.

In addition, you need to pay attention to the presence of protection from flying scraps, sawdust and pieces of leaves. The gasoline-powered tool is one of the most powerful, so the debris scatters to the sides with great speed.

Husqvarna 545FX

Today, Husqvarna is the top of the best gasoline vehicles that can be found on the market. First of all because of the engine. If the gearbox or the cutter knife drive can still somehow be replaced or adjusted, then in case of poor gasoline engine brush cutter will create a huge number of problems with frequent stops and unstable work.

Swedish indestructible engines are expensive, but they last a long time, withstand the most barbaric maintenance. All thanks to the high quality of metal, assembly and special coating of parts. It is clear that Husqvarna brush cutters have a reliable drive and the tool itself.

If you need a tool for large volumes, then you can choose the Husqvarna 545FX. The classic design of the rod, the engine at the top behind the back, at the bottom of the console - a drive with a rotating cutter. Exhaust fumes do not interfere with work, and the suspension system of the hedge trimmer on wide belts supported by the back and shoulders makes cutting branches and dead wood more comfortable.

Characteristics:

1. Weight in working position - 8.4 kg.
2. Gasoline engine power - 2.3 kW (3 hp) With.).
3. Fuel consumption - 1.2 l / h.
4. Cutting width with a brush cutter knife - 24 cm.
5. The suspended rod design is more comfortable to use than petrol versions with flat serrated knives.
6. Less vibration.
7. Less load on the hands, since the entire mass of the engine and frame is transferred to the belt suspension equipment.

Easy start of petrol engine. In powerful motors with a serrated knife on the engine, starting with a recoil starter, even when hot, requires considerable physical effort.

The only negative of the Husqvarna 545FX is the smaller cutting edge of the cutter. You have to make several passes with a pole hedge trimmer, while a flat knife cuts everything at once. In addition, the price of the Husqvarna 545FX is clearly overpriced - 87 thousand rubles. rub.

Stihl HS 45

A popular model for use in the local area, in the garden or in the country. Stihl HS 45 is designed according to the classic scheme with a double-sided flat knife, 60 cm long. In its appearance and drive scheme from a gasoline engine, Stihl is in many ways reminiscent of a conventional chainsaw, so strong hands are required to use a brush cutter. The weight of the tool prepared for work is 5 kg.

The blade is covered with an overlay, so it is safe to work with it. True, you need to do this with headphones, since the sound level during the exhaust reaches 110 dB. Due to the high quality of the metal and the special shape of the teeth, the blade easily cuts branches up to 10 mm thick.

Characteristics:

1. Engine power - 0.75 kW (1 hp) With.).
2. Total length - 110 cm (motor plus knife).
3. Fuel consumption (gasoline plus oil) - 350 ml / h.
4. Built-in 225 ml tank.

The main purpose of the Stihl HS 45 is cutting hedges from ornamental shrubs. Use in landscape design. You can cut dead wood and large stems of woody shrubs for a short time. But this type of work should not exceed 5% of the operating time.

If you use the Stihl HS 45 only for thin branches, then the tool life will be at least 2 thousand km. hours. At least Stihl gives a 24 month warranty on the hedge trimmer. from the date of purchase.

Husqvarna 122 HD45

Another version of the brush cutter of the Swedish company of the same name. In this case, the unit is made according to a more familiar cantilever mounting scheme for flat knives. The Husqvarna 122 HD45 has a 60 cm double-edged tool.

The main part of the brush cutter - the engine is made according to the traditional scheme for Huksvarna. In fact, this is a standard gasoline engine with a capacity of 0.82 liters. With. (0.6 kW). Similar two-stroke engines are used for manual electric mowers and trimmers.

Characteristics:

1. Weight - 4.5 kg.
2. Fuel consumption at maximum load - 300 ml / h, idling 180 ml.
3. The maximum diameter of a branch that can be cut with a tool is 20 mm, while a pair of teeth opens up to 28 mm during operation.
4. The sound pressure at the engine exhaust is 101 dB, at the level of the operator's ears - 97. So when working with a brush cutter, be sure to use headphones.

In general, the cutting speed is quite high. Despite the fact that the Husqvarna 122 HD45 has the least engine power in comparison with competitors, the engine turned out to be torquey and gains momentum very quickly. It is clear that he is far from the level of power grid models, but, according to the owners, the sensations when cutting bushes are about the same as when working with a network brush cutter.

Husqvarna 122 HD45 is manufactured at factories in China, so the build quality is lower, the warranty from the company is only 12 months. Price - 31 thousand rubles. rub.

PATRIOT SLP 800

Heavy, but at the same time powerful and reliable machine made in China. Developed by the parent company in the USA, manufactured at the factory in China. Like most American gas powered hand tools, the Patriot is heavy, bulky, durable and fuel efficient.

PATRIOT SLP 800 Specifications:

1. Weight (motor plus flat knife) - 6 kg;
2. Motor power 1.4 hp;
3. Double-sided knife dimensions: length 80 cm, cutting thickness 10 mm;
4. Fuel consumption (A92 gasoline plus two-stroke oil) - 380 ml / h. A 450 ml tank is enough for 60-70 minutes of work.

This is more than enough, since working with a huge blade with a brush cutter weighing 6 kg is difficult even for a physically strong person. The main advantage of the Patriot is a large torque at low revs. If a thick branch (more than 25 mm in diameter) has fallen under the blade of the brush cutter, then the tool will not stall, but will bite into the dead wood to the end.

But this is still not a chainsaw, so experimenting on material with a thickness of more than 25 mm is not recommended. The tool copes with all types of overgrowth, dead wood, shrubs, but it cannot be used for cutting wood. The design of the knife is such that the incision is made to a shallow depth, the motor is powerful, therefore, if not comply with size restrictions, you can simply break the gearbox or the attachment of the cutting part tool.

The price is 18900 rubles, a guarantee for 3 years.

The best network hedge trimmers

This category includes tools equipped with a 220V DC electric motor. Chain cutters are gradually replacing petrol models for several reasons:

1. No need to breathe exhaust from burned gasoline. No need to mess around with gasoline and lubricating oil.
2. More comfortable working conditions, less noise, no headphones required.
3. Electric network models are lighter than gasoline ones.

A corded tool is commonly used for trimming branches or beautifying a hedge near a house. Therefore, the fact that a long carrying length is required to connect the hedge trimmer does not particularly affect the level of comfort. But the network extension-carrying must be with cores with a cross section of at least 1.5-2 mm2 and no longer than 30 m. Otherwise, the voltage drop on the extension cord will be large, and the electric motor will not develop the required power.

GARDENA Comfort Cut 550/50

The brush cutter is made in Germany, so the reliability of all tool parts is higher than that of Chinese competitors. But at the same time the price is higher. Today GARDENA ComfortCut 550/50 costs 16 thousand euros. rub. This is the option when a brush cutter is bought once for 20 years of use, so as not to have problems with the repair and maintenance of the engine.

Characteristics:

1. Weight - 3.6 kg.
2. The length of the cutting edge of the knife is 50 cm, the blade is with one-sided arrangement of teeth.
3. Engine power - 550 watts.
4. At the same time, the force on the moving part of the knife is about twice as high as that of most gasoline versions.

The design is reliable, the handle is not telescopic and not adjustable, but the grip is comfortable, so you can work with the device without feeling discomfort from the weight of the tool.

Black&Decker BEHTS301

A more powerful version of the chain cutter of the once popular Black & Decker brand. Now the brand and the instrument itself belong to China. Price - 7700 rubles.

According to the main characteristics, BEHTS 301 is somewhat inferior to Gardena. For example, the engine power is only 500 watts, while the competitor has 550 watts. But at the same time, the brush cutter turned out to be much lighter, 2.47 kg, an additional handle appeared in the design for a more reliable hold with both hands.

Another advantage concerns the design of the knife. It is double sided. Moreover, a saw with a fine notch is made at the end of the blade. That is, with the help of a brush cutter, you can easily cut dry branches with a diameter of up to 35 mm. So, in addition to cultivating the look of a hedge, the Black+Decker BEHTS301 can be used for pruning trees in the garden and even sawing brushwood. It will not work to cut firewood like with an electric saw, but it is possible to remove deadwood and cut deadwood to kindle the stove.

Ryobi RH5150

The brush cutter is a popular Japanese brand, but the tool is made in China. According to its characteristics, it approximately corresponds to the standard medium power model:

1. Engine - 500 watts.
2. Weight - 2.4 kg.
3. Tire length - 500 cm.
4. The maximum cutting diameter is 22 mm.

There is an additional handle and a protective shield. But the main advantage of the Ryobi RH5150 brush cutter is the quality of the knife. It is double-sided, the blade is forged, with a specially shaped edge sharpened and polished with a diamond disk. The brush cutter cuts very gently, even dry branches are cut without much effort.

There is an additional trigger on the front handle. It must be pressed with the hand when working with a brush cutter. If you drop it or simply let it out of your hands, the engine will instantly turn off.

The price of the tool is 5600 rubles, a guarantee from the manufacturer for 5 years of operation.

Makita UH5580

Japanese brand, famous for its high-quality and hardy power tools. Makita UH5580 is produced at the company's factories in China. Most of the components are from Japan. Powerful and heavy brush cutter, designed for continuous use for several hours of cutting bushes.

Characteristics:

1. Weight - 4.2 kg.
2. Motor power - 670 watts.
3. The length of the double-sided knife is 55 cm.
4. Pruning is possible for shrubs with branches up to 21 mm thick.

The brush cutter uses a release clutch, similar to the one used on electric and gasoline chain saws. To work, you need to hold and press the trigger so that the clutch of the engine disks transmits torque to the knife drive.

A feature of the model is the use of copper-graphite brushes with an increased service life in the engine.

Price 14500 rubles, 1 year warranty subject to registration of the purchase.

The best cordless hedge trimmers

Despite the lower power of the electric motor, battery-powered tools are gaining popularity. Battery-powered brush cutters are more convenient to use, there is no power cord getting under your feet or a pungent smell of burning from the exhaust of a gasoline engine. Therefore, the rating of the best cordless hedge trimmers is only growing. Perhaps in the future all garden tools will be cordless.

Model Greenworks G60PHT 60 B

Bar-type brush cutter with flat double-sided blade. It can be used as a garden one, you can take it to the dacha, to a country house, to cut the lawn in front of the porch.

Thanks to the rod design and the relatively short length of the knife, it is more convenient to cut grass, even weeds, with Greenvox than with a conventional trimmer with a fishing line. The only inconvenience is that if you cut low grass with a brush cutter, then the nature of the load on your hands changes. You need to get used to this way.

On the other hand, a long telescopic pole of 2 m makes it possible to cut branches at high heights, where petrol and network cutters obviously cannot reach.

Characteristics:

1. Weight - 4.29 kg.
2. Power - 250 watts.
3. Double-sided knife 35 cm, with a nozzle - 51 cm.
4. Cuts branches and bushes up to 19 mm thick.
5. Li-Ion batteries with an operating voltage of 60 V are used.

The design feature is the ability to change the angle of inclination of the knife relative to the bar, fix it in 7 different positions. The brush cutter has protection of the electric motor from overheating, a lock trigger from accidental start. The design uses a brushless electric motor, so the resource of the brush cutter is quite large.

The price is 12,000 rubles, the warranty for the device is 3 years from the date of purchase and registration.

Ryobi ONE+OGS1822

Universal model of accumulator scissors. Basically, it's a scissors-brush cutter. The Ryobi ONE + OGS1822 comes with 2 types of nozzles. The first is short, comb-shaped, it can trim the tops of grass or ornamental plants. The second nozzle is an ordinary flat knife, 20 cm long. They can work like a regular brush cutter. The tool has a low center of gravity, so in the process of work, the hand gets tired less than even if you cut the bushes with ordinary mechanical scissors.

Characteristics:

1. The weight of the brush cutter is 1.52 kg.
2. Engine - 80 watts.
3. Can cut branches up to 10 mm thick.

Li-Ion battery with voltage of 18 V and capacity from 1.3 A*h to 5 A*h are used. In the first case, the battery lasts for 35 minutes of cutting, in the second - for 2 hours of work. In general, a convenient and practical tool. It should also be noted sharp blades, so you need to work with a brush cutter carefully.

The price is 5400 rubles, a guarantee from the manufacturer for 5 years.

Patriot CSH361

Unusual variant of the brush cutter. It's called hedge trimmer. One device combines battery-powered hedge trimmers for cutting grass and refining "living" hedges, trimming tree branches in the garden, in the country.

Externally, the brush cutter resembles a low-power battery lawn mower. But if you recall the features of the Patriot brand tools, you can be sure that the energy reserve and engine capabilities are enough for normal operation.

Characteristics:

1. The weight of the device is 1.3 kg.
2. Cutting tool dimensions: width 80 mm, knife length 120 mm.
3. Battery (Li-Ion) 3.6 V, capacity 1.3 Ah.

The cordless hedge trimmer is designed with removable wheels and a telescopic handle. The grip of the brush cutter is comfortable to work with gloves. The battery charge lasts for 15 minutes when cutting brush cutters, if you fasten the telescopic rod and mow the grass, then 20 minutes.

The battery is charged within an hour. That is, for normal operation of the brush cutter, at least 3 batteries are required. This is the best solution if you need to clean the grass on the site with a brush cutter. Instead of carrying a huge 5Ah battery, you can install a small one. Moreover, the brush cutter has a connector for a standard power supply from a tablet. Therefore, it is not difficult to make a stock of charged batteries.

Today it is one of the most convenient low-power brush cutters in work.

WORX WG260E.9

Classic hedge trimmer with long flat blade, compact drive and two-handed handle. The WG260E.9 differs from the petrol and mains models only in having a 100W low-voltage electric motor and a 20V battery.

The result is a light and powerful brush cutter without a power cord and a heavy gasoline engine. If necessary, the tool can be operated with one hand, for example, when cutting trees at a height, standing on a stepladder.

Characteristics:

1. Weight - 2.1 kg.
2. The length of the blade of a flat knife is 61 cm.
3. Width - 19 mm.

It can be noted the high quality of the mechanical drive. For most similar models of brush cutters, it is necessary to repair the drive more often than to change the battery or electric motor. In WG260E.9, the resource of the gearbox and drive is approximately at the level of the electric motor, i.e. 1200 hours

Spare batteries are not provided with the brush cutter, but one battery lasts for 40 minutes. work at an average pace. The blades are quite sharp, so an additional accessory is used for transportation - a sheath worn directly on the knife.

Price 11 thousand. rub, a guarantee from the manufacturer's company 3 years.

Each brush cutter is good in its own way. Usually, the choice of a particular model depends not only on engine power and weight, but also on the level of comfort in working with the tool. You need to choose a tool depending on the planned amount of work and your own physical capabilities. Gasoline models have the largest resource, but the purchase of such a brush cutter is justified only with volumes of shrub pruning.

Tell us about your experience in choosing a brush cutter - which model, in your opinion, can be considered the most successful?