Comparison Pro-Craft T-4500 vs Tatra Garden BCU 55 Plus

- Lawnmower. Classic wheeled lawn mowers in the form of trolleys with two or four wheels. They can have different types of engines; there are both non-self-propelled and self-propelled models. Such units are intended mainly for flat areas of small and medium-sized areas - for example, for caring for a lawn in the courtyard of a private house or a lawn on a city street. At the same time, a lawn mower is in many ways more convenient than a manual trimmer (see below): it does not need to be “carried”, and the design often includes a special bag for collecting grass. On the other hand, traditional mowers are not well suited for tight spaces, uneven areas and long grass.

— Trimmer. A hand-held garden tool, a kind of mechanized analogue of a scythe. Consists of a motor, a cutting attachment and a handle(s) mounted on one rod. The small width of the working attachment allows you to work even in narrow spaces where the lawn mower cannot pass; with one stroke of the trimmer you can capture a fairly wide strip of grass; and you can cut at any height—including vegetation that is too tall for traditional lawnmowers. In addition, a special fishing line is most often used as a cutting attachment in such devices, which is not afraid of collisions with hard objects (although there are also models with blade knives). The disadvantages of a trimmer are traditional for hand tools: you have to constantly carry the unit on yourself, which can be tiring...during long-term work; and the cutting height has to be adjusted “by eye” (the exception is models with rollers - see “Advanced”).

— Rider (mini tractor). A self-propelled machine that the operator rides on horseback; in essence, it is a smaller and simplified analogue of an agricultural tractor. Note that although riders and mini tractors are combined into one category here, they are still somewhat different units. So, in riders, the engine is usually located in the rear, and the mowing deck or other equipment is in the front; Thanks to this arrangement, the grass is not crushed by the wheels before cutting, and it also makes it possible to work in hard-to-reach places (for example, close to trees). And in general, riders are quite maneuverable and well suited for cramped conditions. Mini tractors, in turn, are not so agile, but they are more powerful, heavier and more passable; the engine in such units is located in the front, the mowing deck is located below, between the axles, and additional equipment (if the possibility of its use is provided at all) can be suspended from below instead of the deck, from the back and/or from the front, depending on the model. The common features of riders and mini tractors are, on the one hand, convenience and comfort during operation (some models can even be equipped with closed cabins), on the other hand, high cost, bulkiness and significant weight. So you should pay attention to this category only if you need a mower for large spaces - it is in such conditions that riders and mini tractors show their best side.

- Haymaker. A type of lawn mower with a reinforced design, designed to work primarily in “wild” conditions, outside manicured lawns - in meadows, long-uncultivated and heavily overgrown areas, etc. In fact, such units belong more to professional agricultural machinery than to lawn mowers in the traditional sense of the word. Most mowers have a distinctive appearance: the body is mounted on two large wheels, and the front part houses a scissor-type cutting system (see below). This design ensures maneuverability on uneven terrain and allows you to effectively cope with even thick stems, even bushes and young trees.

— Robotic lawnmower. The most automated type of lawn mower: in fact, it is enough to set such a machine a program, release it onto the site and press the start button - the robot will do the rest itself. The simplest models use movement along random routes and obstacle sensors; more advanced ones can use a full-fledged mapping system (see “Functions”) and even systems for “smart” recognition of grass height and “memorization” of the areas traversed. Robots are generally able to return to the charging station on their own; Some models may even include solar panels to save energy and increase autonomy. At the same time, the efficiency and productivity of such devices is low; in general, robotic mowers are designed mainly for regular maintenance of already “cultivated” lawns.

— Combisystem. Structurally, such lawn mowers are similar to trimmers: they are based on a rod on which the engine and attachment are mounted, and the tool must be held in your hands when working (in the classic mode of use, like a scythe). The main difference between combisystems is the ability to install a variety of different attachments, thanks to which the functionality is significantly expanded. In addition to standard options like a paddle blade or a line reel, models of this type are compatible with attachments for mowing hay, trimming branches, and even cultivators. Note that attachments can either be included in the standard equipment of the lawn mower or purchased separately. Combisystems are useful primarily for small but complex areas, where, on the one hand, there is no need to process a large area, and on the other hand, one has to deal with an abundance of tasks of a different nature.

- On an air cushion. A rather rare and specific type of lawn mower that uses the principle of an air cushion: when the engine is running, air is pumped under the sole, lifting the entire device above the ground. Such units are not self-propelled, but they are very easy to move: there is practically no friction when moving, and you can push the mower in any direction, not just back and forth. At the same time, the air cushion requires high engine power and is effective only on relatively flat surfaces; and the ability to adjust the height in such models is limited, which is why they are so rare.

— Edge cutter. Garden tool for lawn edge maintenance - neatly trimming the edges of grass around flower beds, borders, paths and trees. As executive bodies, lawn-edging mowers can be equipped with blade knives or a traditional reel with fishing line. Edge cutters are designed for vertical cuts and the vast majority have a wheeled chassis, which makes working with them easier.

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.

The diameter of the fishing line supplied with the trimmer (more precisely, with a reel attachment, see "Tips").

In modern models, this parameter can be from 1 to 4 mm. At the same time, a thicker fishing line handles better with dense thickets, but it works rougher, the treated lawn is not particularly even, and for the effective operation of such a nozzle, a fairly powerful engine is needed. On the other hand, a fine line provides a clean and neat cut, but is not suitable for heavy vegetation and large stems. Thus, thick fishing line is usually equipped with powerful units designed for "launched" lawns with an abundance of thick stems. Thin, on the other hand, is found mainly in low-power electric trimmers with a lower engine location, designed for neat lawns with regularly cut grass.

We also recall that many trimmers have the ability to replace the standard reel with another one that differs in line thickness.

— 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.

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.

The level of noise produced by the device during operation. Usually, a certain average indicator is indicated in the characteristics — in the standard mode of operation; however, the actual values usually do not differ much from the claimed ones.

The lower the noise level, the more convenient the unit to use and the less tired the operator. In the case of lawn mowers, this is especially true, since such equipment is quite noisy — even the quietest models (some robots) give out about 47 – 48 dB, which is comparable to talking at an average volume. Note that the decibel is a non-linear quantity, and it is easiest to evaluate the actual loudness using comparative tables. Here is the simplest table for the values found in modern lawn mowers:

— 60 – 65 dB — talking in raised tones at a distance of about 1 m;
70 dB — loud conversation of several people at the same distance;
75 dB — loud laughter at a distance of 1 m;
80 dB — motorcycle engine, medium power vacuum cleaner.
90 dB — loud screams, freight car at a distance of 7 – 10 m;
100 dB — a subway train or a loud car signal at a distance of 5 – 7 m, an industrial workshop;
110 dB — tractor engine at a distance of about 1 m.

In addition to subjective sensations, there are specific sanitary standards that limit the impact of strong noise. So, according to European standards, noise of 85 dB is allowed to be heard without protective equipment for 8 hours, 91 dB — 2 hours, 97...dB — half an hour, and 103 dB — only 7 minutes. So when choosing a unit, you should take into account the duration of work with it — with high noise, you may need protective headphones.