Comparison Procraft PTA24BL vs Procraft ATA40

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 location of the engine on the trimmer bar. Most petrol trimmers and high powered electric trimmers are overhead motorized – given the latter's significant weight, this is the best option in terms of balance. In turn, for low-power electric trimmers, the motors are lightweight and can be located below — this arrangement allows you to significantly shorten the trimmer shaft and reduce power losses when transmitting rotation to the working tool. Thus, bottom-mounted trimmers are usually significantly lighter, but have less power, do not cope well with thick dense vegetation and are poorly suited for work in wet weather due to the risk of electric shock (the latter, however, applies to all electric lawn mowers regardless of type) .

There are also models whose engine is carried on the back like a backpack. The shoulder-mounted engine is a convenient way to reduce the strain on the operator's hands.

— Direct. In straight bar trimmers, the rotation from the engine is transmitted to the cutting tool using a straight rigid shaft. This design is considered optimal for medium to high power trimmers, although the straight stem shape may not be perfect in terms of ease of use.

— Curved. A curved rod may be more convenient to use than a straight one, however, such trimmers have low power due to the fact that the rotation from the engine to the working tool is transmitted to them using a thin metal cable — such a transmission is not designed for high loads.

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.

— 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.”

The presence of a soft start system in the lawn mower engine.

The design features of electric motors are such that when power is applied directly, the start occurs very abruptly — both in a mechanical and electrical sense. Firstly, the engine itself spins up in a jerk, in a very short time, which increases the wear of its parts. Secondly, at the moment of start-up, there is a sharp jump in current strength, which creates significant loads on the power grid (or the batteries of the unit). The soft start system eliminates these phenomena: it limits the starting current, allowing the motor to accelerate smoothly and preventing voltage surges.

On the other hand, additional electronic circuits affect the cost, sometimes quite significantly. So there are few models with this feature nowadays, and you should pay attention to them mainly in cases where the mentioned advantages are of fundamental importance — for example, if the device is purchased for a house with weak wiring that does not tolerate voltage surges.

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.

The name of the battery platform supported by the device. A single battery platform is used to combine various power tools of the same brand (drill, grinder, saw, etc.) into one line. Devices on the same platform use interchangeable batteries and chargers. Thanks to this, for example, there is no need to select a battery for each individual model of a power tool, because one purchased as a spare battery can be used in various power tools, depending on the situation or as needed. Batteries of the same platform basically differ from each other except perhaps in capacity.

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).