Comparison STIHL FSA 130 vs STIHL FS 250

The type of engine that drives the cutting tool of the lawn mower, and in self-propelled models, the device itself. At the moment, the following types of engines are used:

— Electric (mains). Mains powered motor. Its advantages are low noise level, low cost and ease of operation (no need to buy fuel and oil) and no emissions into the atmosphere. Among the shortcomings can be called a relatively small power and a short range, limited by the length of the power cord.

— Electric (battery). Electric motor powered by its own built-in battery. It has all the same advantages as a mains-powered motor; in addition, such devices are not limited in movement, since they do not require a network connection during operation. On the other hand, the battery life of battery lawn mowers rarely exceeds half an hour, the battery weighs a lot and takes a long time to charge, and the power of such devices is even lower than that of network ones (despite the fact that they are noticeably more expensive).

— Petrol. Gasoline internal combustion engine. The advantages of such engines, in comparison with electric ones, are independence from the mains connection and high power, which allows you to work with dense thick vegetation. On the other hand, gasoline engines are heavier, more expensive to run, require the purchase of fuel and lubricants, and emit exhaust gases into the...air.

— Diesel. A type of internal combustion engine. In terms of basic features, diesel engines are almost identical to those described above, but they also have their own characteristics. On the one hand, in such units it is easier to provide high power and good torque, so they are better suited for "heavy" tasks; and diesel fuel is cheaper than gasoline. On the other hand, diesel engines themselves are more expensive, heavier and more difficult to operate. Therefore, they are not particularly popular among lawn mowers, this option is found mainly in riders (see "Type"), where high power is more important than the mentioned disadvantages.

— Gas. A rare variety of internal combustion engines that use a propane-butane mixture of gas as fuel. Their advantages over gasoline units are economical consumption, high mowing performance, and a small amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, gas fuel reduces the load on the engine, which, in turn, prolongs its operational life. The reverse side of the coin is the need to fill the cylinder with liquefied hydrocarbon gases at specialized filling complexes or the frequent replacement of gas cartridges.

— Without engine(manual). Lawnmowers that are not equipped with any motors and use the muscular strength of the user — when working, it is necessary to push the device in front of you. The advantages of such a scheme are low cost (both the device itself and its operation), independence from fuel and electricity, and maximum environmental friendliness; disadvantages are the relatively low quality of work and the significant expenditure of physical strength.

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 width (diameter) of the trimmer knife characterizes the size of the paddle knife (or saw blade). Such a nozzle has a smaller capture width than a fishing line, however, it allows you to mow more dense thickets, including shrubs.

— Adjustment of the tilt of the rod. Possibility to tilt the rod or the working head relative to the rod. The setting will come in handy for mowing grass in hard-to-reach places. Trimmers with this function are much more convenient to work under swings, benches and garden furniture. Also, by adjusting the tilt of the rod, you can adjust the grip of the trimmer to the height of the user.

— Telescopic rod. Possibility of increasing the length of the trimmer by extending the rod. Due to design features, this solution is available only for models with a lower engine and helps to maximally adjust the device for a person of any height.

— Collapsible rod. Possibility to disassemble the trimmer rod into several parts. This feature greatly simplifies storage and transportation: packing, carrying and transporting side-by-side components is easier than a solid long rod. In theory, this design is less reliable than a non-removable design, but trimmers are usually not subjected to such high loads that this would be noticeable.

- Belt. The strap for carrying the trimmer is a shoulder or backpack strap. This design significantly simplifies the operator’s task and reduces operator fatigue: carrying it with a belt is not as tiring as holding the tool in your...hands. The shoulder strap is supposed to be worn over one shoulder. It helps you control the trimmer better and reduces fatigue, especially during long periods of use. A more complex backpack strap system allows you to distribute the weight of the tool on both shoulders and back. In this implementation, the belt will not slip off the shoulder when wearing the trimmer. Please note that in models without a belt, it may be possible to purchase it separately. However, it is easier (and often cheaper) to immediately buy a tool with this accessory.

— Limit bracket. The bracket acts as a limiter and is designed to protect tall (necessary) vegetation from mowing. Those. you can extend a small structural element at the base of the rod, which, when approaching the bushes, will move them away, thereby not cutting them off. The bracket will also be appropriate when mowing an area with a fence, decorative landscape with many elements that can be damaged during mowing, or can once again “shorten” the fishing line by breaking its ends.

— Rotating head. Possibility of rotating the trimmer working attachment on the rod. Typically this function is used to move the cutting system from a horizontal to a vertical position. Vertical cutting can be useful, for example, for leveling edges and creating borders in lawns.

— Edging roller. The roller is necessary for a neat “haircut” between the lawn and the sidewalk. It is found in models with a rotating head and is designed for more comfortable work. Since the device does not need to be suspended, leaning on the roller makes it much easier to edge flower beds, decorative elements on the lawn, borders, etc.

— Support rollers. Special rollers mounted on the cutting head of the trimmer. Thanks to such rollers, you can rest the head on the ground and roll the tool in front of you - this is more convenient than carrying it “on yourself”. Another advantage is that the rollers support the working attachment at the same height, which means that mowing is as accurate as possible, almost like using a regular lawn mower (with all the advantages of a trimmer). The main disadvantages of models with rollers are the high cost, as well as increased weight, which makes it difficult to work “off the ground.”

— Blade knife. A knife in the form of a pair of blades, rotating around a vertical axis in the manner of propeller blades. Two blades are the most popular, almost standard option for rotary lawn mowers (see “Cutting system”). Note that in the case of trimmers, using a knife allows you to achieve higher performance and cope better with thick grass than using a reel with fishing line. On the other hand, the blades do not tolerate contact with stones and other hard objects very well; in case of such troubles, various tricks may be provided (for example, automatic engine brake).

— Spindle knife. Attachments used in spindle-type lawn mowers. For more information about such units, see “Cutting system”; here we would like to remind you that spindle blades are inferior to blade blades in terms of productivity and efficiency in thick grass, but they provide a cleaner cut, which allows you to give the lawn the most neat appearance possible. So this option is well suited for regularly trimming relatively sparse, well-groomed vegetation.

- Reel with fishing line. Most often used in trimmers (see “Type”). According to the general principle of operation, it is similar to a blade knife (see above), however, the working tool in this case is not blades, but pieces of thick fishing line rotating at high speed. The main advantage of a fishing line over a bladed knife is it...s almost complete insensitivity to collisions with stones and other hard objects: upon impact, such a “blade” will simply bend and literally immediately straighten due to centrifugal force. True, such attachments cope somewhat worse with thick stems, but in practice everything depends on the thickness of the fishing line (see above) and the speed of its rotation.

— Cultivator. An attachment designed to loosen the soil. Externally, it is a set of gears mounted on a horizontal axis with teeth of a specific curved shape. Due to the rotation of these wheels, loosening is carried out. Combisystems are mainly equipped with such attachments (see “Type”). At the same time, the width of the cultivator is usually small; it is poorly suited for full-fledged garden work, but it can be useful when cultivating a small flower bed or several beds.

— Saw blade. Attachment for cutting relatively thick woody stems (for example, bushes or small tree branches). Installed mainly on trimmers (see “Type”). Externally, this attachment is very similar to the working element of a circular saw: it uses a rotating rim with characteristic teeth along the edges. The disc may have holes to reduce weight.

— Scissor mower. In this case, we mean a special attachment, most often used in mowers (see “Type”). This attachment has the appearance of a characteristic horizontal “comb” with two rows of teeth moving relative to each other. Its design is described in more detail in the paragraph “Cutting system - Scissor”, but here we note that trimmer-mowers are indispensable when working with dense vegetation and thick stems; they can easily cope with thickets that are too tough for other attachments.

— Brush cutter. As a rule, the brush cutter attachment is used in trimmers (see “Type”). It is a long blade with teeth for trimming and trimming bushes or hedges, and trimming small tree branches.

— Without attachments. Absence of any attachments in the standard configuration of the lawn mower. It is assumed that the customer will purchase them separately for specific needs.

Additional accessories included with the lawn mower. This point is mainly relevant for robotic mowers (see “Type”), they are most often equipped with the mentioned accessories, such as:

— Boundary wire. A wire designed to limit the working area of the robotic mower. Such a wire is laid along the perimeter of the work area (taking into account all permanent obstacles such as trees, flower beds, etc.) and is connected to the charging station in a special way. If everything is done correctly, when approaching the border of the site, the mower will change the direction of movement in such a way as not to go beyond the established perimeter - this is more convenient and safer than relying on collision, tilt sensors, etc. Note also that the absence of a wire in included in the kit may mean either the need to purchase it separately, or the fact that the mower, in principle, is not designed to use this function.

- Remote control. A remote control that allows you to control the robotic mower from a distance. Remote control is especially convenient during operation: the user does not need to chase a moving device, just press the desired button while at a fairly close distance. The operating principle of the remote controls may be different (infrared, radio), but they all have a range of at least several meters.

— Charger (charger). Device for charging batteries used in lawn mowers wi...th appropriate power supply. For models supplied with such a device, the charger model may be further specified in the specifications. This information can be useful not only for finding a spare or replacement charger, but also in case the household has other cordless tools and/or batteries for them. The fact is that many manufacturers nowadays use universal batteries that are compatible with a whole set of tools from the same brand; so, for example, the included charger for a mower may be quite suitable for a cordless saw from the same manufacturer.
On the other hand, the package may not contain a charger at all. This option will be optimal primarily if a compatible memory device is already available, and there is simply no need to overpay for a second device. In addition, the absence of a charger will be appreciated by those who want to choose this accessory separately, without relying on the manufacturer’s decision.


- Charging station. Cordless robotic lawnmowers (see Type) may be supplied with a charging station. Such units independently return to the base after completion of work or when a low battery level is detected. Automating the charging processor allows robotic lawn mowers to operate autonomously and makes them more convenient to use. Typically, a charging station contains a “parking” platform (base plate) and special docking contacts for replenishing energy reserves in the battery cells. The base can serve as a place to store the lawn mower during periods of inactivity, and in advanced implementations, the charging station is integrated with smart control systems, making it possible to control the operation of the lawn mower through mobile applications (see “Control from a smartphone”).

Please note that the above list is not complete - other additional items may be included in the kit.

Scheme of operation of an internal combustion engine installed on a lawn mower. Note that this division is relevant only for gasoline engines (see "Engine type") — diesel engines are extremely rare and are made only four-stroke.

— 2-stroke. The main advantages of two-stroke engines over four-stroke ones are the simplicity of the device and higher power with the same working volume, due to which such units are lighter, more compact and cheaper. On the other hand, they consume more fuel and are distinguished by a high level of noise, and such an engine needs to be filled with a mixture of gasoline and oil in the correct proportion, which complicates maintenance somewhat (there are separate refueling systems, but they are complex and expensive, which is why they are almost never used ). As a result, this option is found mainly among trimmers (see "Type"): it is there that small dimensions and weight are decisive, and the required power and fuel consumption are relatively low.

— 4-stroke. Engines of this type are somewhat more complicated and more expensive than two-stroke ones; in addition, to achieve the same power, they need more volume, which affects the size and weight. On the other hand, if the engine does not need to be "carried in the hands" (as is the case with trimmers), these points do not really matter; and the difference in price, thanks to the development of technology, is becoming less and less noticeable. With a...ll this, four-stroke engines are quieter and consume less fuel. As a result, almost all units where a relatively large and heavy internal combustion engine can be installed are equipped with this particular type of engine. And relatively recently, light and compact engines have appeared, suitable even for trimmers.

Lawnmower engine power expressed in horsepower. The common unit of power these days is the watt, but gasoline and diesel engines (see "Engine Type") are traditionally referred to as hp. Some units are easy to convert to others: 1 hp. approximately equal to 735 watts.

In general, the more powerful the engine, the more performant the mower is and the better it handles with heavy work such as cutting thick grass, bushes, etc. On the other hand, high power has a corresponding effect on fuel consumption, as well as the weight and price of the engine. In addition, it should be taken into account that different types of mowers (see "Type") differ in terms of power requirements. For example, among trimmers there are many models with a capacity of 0.7 – 1.3 hp., for gasoline lawn mowers, the minimum power is already in the range of 1.3 – 2 hp., and for mowers, at least 2.5 hp is required. . So you can only compare units of the same type in terms of power. Detailed recommendations for choosing a mower depending on its type and features of the planned work can be found in special sources.

Lawnmower engine power expressed in watts. This designation is used absolutely for all electric models (see "Engine type"), and it is also often found in gasoline and diesel units along with horsepower (these units are clearly related, 1 hp is about 735 watts).

In general, the more powerful the engine, the more performant the mower and the better it will cope with heavy work such as cutting thick grass, bushes, etc. On the other hand, high power has a corresponding effect on fuel / electricity consumption, as well as the weight and price of the engine. In addition, note that the power requirements depend on the type of mower itself and its engine (see above for both). For example, for most robots, the power does not exceed 500 W — more, taking into account specialization, is not required, besides, otherwise the devices would turn out to be too bulky and heavy. Trimmers and lawn mowers of similar power are only electric, and the power limit for power tools is 2500 – 3000 W when powered from the mains and 1500 – 2000 W for battery models. But in gasoline tools, the minimum power is about 500 – 1000 W for trimmers and 1000 – 1500 W for mowers; the maximum value can exceed 4 kW.

Detailed recommendations for choosing a lawn mower d...epending on its type and features of the planned work can be found in special sources.