Comparison Makita DLM380PM2 vs Makita DLM431Z

The capture width provided by the unit, in other words, the width of the strip of land cultivated in one pass. In fact, this size corresponds to the width of the working nozzle.

The large working width is useful when processing large open spaces, as it allows you to finish the job in a small number of passes. On the other hand, for hard-to-reach places, relatively narrow tools are better suited, able to go where a wider unit will not fit. In addition, the width of the tool directly affects the weight and price.

In general, it makes sense to compare in terms of working width only units of the same type (see above). However, it is worth noting here that trimmers do not differ so much from each other — most models capture from 25 to 45 cm (and a wide processing band is provided by moving the nozzle from side to side). As for the other types, in the most modest models the capture width does not exceed 40 cm, in the heaviest and most powerful it can be 56 – 60 cm or even more(in mini tractors — up to 1.5 m).

The minimum cutting height provided by the lawnmower — that is, the smallest height of grass that can remain after the passage of the machine. It makes sense to pay attention to this indicator mainly in cases where the lawn is planned to be cut as short as possible. In addition, the lower the minimum height (with the same maximum), the wider the height adjustment range of this model.

The number of cutting height settings provided by the lawn mower. The more such settings (with the same adjustment range) — the more accurately you can choose the mowing height. Note that in some robots (see "Type") this number reaches 30 or more with a range of 30 to 60 mm; in other words, you can select the height to the nearest millimetre.

The area of the site for which the lawn mower is designed. It cannot be argued that this parameter is critical when choosing a device, these are only manufacturer's recommendations and are very conditional. However, they are more than justified and generally show the available front of work based on the heating of the motor, the capacity of the tank or battery, and other factors that affect the duration of work.

The volume of the grass clipping bag supplied with the lawn mower. Manufacturers select this volume depending on the power, performance and overall level of the unit, however, similar models may differ in this indicator. In such cases, it is worth considering that a larger bag takes longer to fill and needs to be unloaded less often, but it weighs more and takes up more space (even when empty). Mostly the difference in the volume of the bag is 5 liters and there are lawn mowers for 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and more liters.

The maximum speed that the engine in an electric mower can run at (see "Engine type").

It makes sense to compare according to this indicator only engines of the same power. In general, higher rpm improves performance but reduces torque. Conversely, a relatively slow engine will be inferior to a “fast” one in overall speed, but it will better cope with dense dense vegetation. So it’s worth choosing by engine speed, taking into account what is more important to you — speed or efficiency in difficult conditions.

Features of the battery-powered lawn mower (see "Engine type"). Most modern models of this type are initially equipped with one battery, but there are exceptions. They are indicated in this case, the options can be as follows:

- Without battery. This option is intended primarily for tech who do not want to rely on the choice of the manufacturer and would like to choose a lawn mower battery of their own choice. Theoretically, this may be associated with additional troubles, however, in practice, batteries are often sold literally "next to" the tools - on the nearest rack or in the next section of the online store. In addition, many brands make batteries universal - for example, a battery from a drill can be put in an electric trimmer. So such equipment will also come in handy for tech who already have a cordless tool on the farm - the main thing is to clarify compatibility before buying.

— 2 pieces in a set. Includes two replaceable batteries. The most obvious advantage of this configuration is the increased battery life: when the charge is exhausted, it is enough to change the dead battery for a fresh one. However, in addition to this, this option provides other advantages. So, it allows you to reduce interruptions for charging: one of the batteries can be charged at a time when the second is used for work. In addition, even if one battery fails, the s...econd will remain operational; and the probability of simultaneous failure of both batteries is extremely low (and definitely lower than that of a single battery). On the other hand, you will have to pay extra for a second power source - although often its cost is less than if a spare battery was purchased separately.

Nominal capacity of the battery, nominally installed in the unit of the corresponding design (see "Engine type").

In general, the higher this indicator, the more energy the battery can store and the longer it can power the electric motor. At the same time, we recall that the actual battery life of the lawn mower will depend not only on the characteristics of the battery, but also on the power consumption of the unit — and this, in turn, is determined by the engine power, nozzle type, operating mode, grass density, etc. In addition , capacity is usually specified in ampere-hours; and the features of these units of measurement are such that only batteries with the same nominal voltage can be compared by them (see above).

Thus, the battery capacity when choosing is more of a reference and advertising parameter than practically significant, and only models with similar performance characteristics can be compared by it. To assess the actual battery life, it is better to pay attention to the operating time directly stated in the characteristics (see below).

The model of a standard battery allows you to find out its characteristics in more detail, and also helps you understand what devices it is like and which one should be purchased in case of a replacement due to a malfunction or, if necessary, buy another similar one.