Comparison Bosch ALR 900 Raker 060088A000 vs AL-KO Combi Care 38 P Comfort

The type determines the method of operation and, accordingly, the general purpose and specific application of the aerator.

— Verticutter(knife). The name comes from the English "vertical cutter" — "vertical blade". In accordance with this, the working tool of the verticutter is a horizontal shaft with vertical blades mounted on it. In the process of work, such an aggregate leaves characteristic slots in the ground, which contribute to the penetration of air, moisture and nutrients into the soil. In this case, the blades cut the roots of the grass, thus stimulating their growth in loosened soil and, accordingly, the growth of the grass itself. In addition, verticutters are good (better than the scarifiers described below) for removing debris from the surface of the earth. They easily cope with both “lying” debris like wood chips or acorns, as well as with dry grass, moss cover, etc. Therefore, the main purpose of such units is the cleaning of neglected lawns that have not been cultivated for a long time, which require intensive processing. It should be noted that verticutters also include hand-held devices (see "Engine type") with a working tool in the form of characteristic "sprocket" wheels: according to the specifics of work, they are a cross between rake and knife models, however, the teeth of the "sprockets" are more similar on knives than on the antennae of scarifiers, and they penetrate deeper....

— Scarifier (rake). Aerators of this type work on the principle of a wire rake: like verticutters, they use a working tool in the form of a shaft, but not blades are installed on the shaft, but wire “antennae”. Thus, most scarifiers do not so much work on the soil as they comb the lawn, removing debris from it — like last year's leaves or dry grass. However, there are models that are able to pierce the soil; however, even with them, the depth of influence is very small — up to 5 mm. In general, such units are designed mainly to maintain healthy already “cultivated” lawns that do not require intensive processing.

— Combined. Models that can be used both as a knife aerator and as a rake aerator. Features of both types are described in detail above. And to realize their functions in one aerator, it is possible through the use of interchangeable shafts: by installing the appropriate shaft, the owner can turn the unit either into a verticutter or a scarifier. Note that only those units that are initially equipped with working tools of different types belong to the combined ones. If the possibility of replacement is provided, but there is only one shaft in the kit, the aerator will be assigned to one of the types described above.

Type of engine installed in the aerator.

— Electric (mains). Mains powered electric motors. The main advantages of all electric motors, regardless of the type of power supply, are the low cost of both the units themselves and electricity, ease of maintenance, an absolute minimum of consumables (usually, you have to buy something for such a motor only in case of malfunctions or breakdowns), as well as a low noise level and the complete absence of emissions into the atmosphere. Among the shortcomings, in comparison with gasoline, one can note a relatively low power. However, in this category there are also quite solid models in terms of power, which may have problems except for the most complex work. But the unequivocal disadvantage of network aerators is the need for a nearby outlet and various inconveniences due to the presence of a power wire. However the length of this wire can be quite large, and many units of this type are quite suitable for processing a medium-sized lawn in the yard of a private house, in extreme cases, you can use an extension cord.

— Electric (battery). Battery powered electric motor. Such models have all the advantages of electric motors described above; the battery makes the device as autonomous as possible, allowing you to work even if there are no outlets nearby. And the absence of a power cord, which can get underfoot, can also be attributed to dignity. On the...other hand, battery units are noticeably more expensive and weigh more than similar mains-powered models, their power is lower than that of gasoline ones, and the operating time is limited — and after the charge is exhausted, the battery needs to be charged, which takes quite a lot of time. However the latter can be partly offset by the use of replaceable batteries and the ability to buy a spare battery in such a way that one battery is charged while the second one is being used. Anyway, battery models are relatively rare; it is worth paying attention to such aerators if you need an autonomous unit, however, gasoline-powered devices are not suitable for one reason or another.

— Petrol. Internal combustion engines (ICE) on gasoline. Such motors provide more power than the electric motors described above, while they are completely autonomous and do not depend on the presence of outlets nearby. On the other hand, internal combustion engines are noticeably more expensive (and gasoline is expensive for them), more difficult to maintain, very noisy and produce exhaust gases. Therefore, such engines are used only in the most performant aerators designed to process large spaces — it is for such units that the combination of high power with battery life is almost mandatory. Note that gasoline models are either verticutters or a combined type (see above); There are no “clean” scarifiers among them, because a rake aerator simply does not require high power.

— Without motor (manual). Aerators that do not have any engine and work at the expense of the user's muscular strength. Usually they are devices in the form of a frame with a working shaft and a handle, with which the operator pushes the structure in front of him. Such units are extremely simple, compact, light and inexpensive, but their functionality is very limited — for example, there is no question of collecting garbage from the treated area.

The width of the strip processed by the aerator in one pass. The higher this indicator, the faster the device works, the fewer passes will have to be made to process a certain area. On the other hand, a wide grip noticeably affects the dimensions of the entire structure and makes it difficult to work in hard-to-reach places, if not impossible. Therefore, when choosing a model in terms of working width, it is worth considering not only the overall dimensions of the site, but also its configuration and the presence of tight areas — sometimes it is preferable to sacrifice the performance of the aerator for the sake of its manoeuvrability and patency.

The greatest depth to which the aerator nozzle is able to penetrate the ground during operation.

This parameter is relevant primarily for models that support verticutter functions (see "Type") — the very format of operation of such units implies "biting" into the ground. For scarifiers, the processing depth is often not indicated at all, because. they work mostly above the surface.

The highest processing height provided by the aerator.

This parameter describes the maximum height above the lawn surface that the working head can be raised to. It is of practical importance only for models with scarifier functions (see "Type"): it is this type of aerator that allows you to leave the space between the working nozzle and the soil surface untouched during operation. This can be useful, for example, when removing debris from a previously fertilized lawn. But in the case of verticutters, the maximum height only affects the convenience of transportation: the higher the nozzle can be raised, the higher obstacles the unit can overcome without hitting it with knives.

The number of nozzle depth adjustments provided in the design of the aerator. Note that we can talk not only about the depth, but also, in the case of scarifiers, about the height of processing (for more details, see above). Anyway, the more depth (height) settings, the wider the choice of the operator, the more accurately he can choose the optimal value for a particular situation.

How to adjust the working depth (for verticutters) or height (for scarifiers, see "Type"). Usually, such adjustment is carried out by adjusting the suspension (in other words, changing the position of the wheels), and its types can be as follows.

— Synchronous. A method that involves adjusting all four wheels at once. It is convenient because the user does not have to perform numerous actions — just use the switch (for example, move the lever), and the desired height will be set on all wheels of the aerator. On the other hand, synchronous systems are somewhat more expensive and more complicated than manual ones.

— Manual. With manual adjustment, it is impossible to change the position of all the wheels of the aerator at the same time: in some models it is necessary to adjust each axle separately, in others — each wheel. This option is simpler and cheaper than synchronous adjustment, but not as convenient.

Rotation speed of the aerator shaft in normal operation.

Manufacturers select the shaft speed in such a way that the device is guaranteed to be able to cope with the tasks for which it is designed. So in most cases, this parameter is more of a reference than practically significant. At the same time, for verticutters (see "Type"), it can also have a practical meaning: lower speed, with the same power, provides higher tractive effort and allows you to better cope with dense soils and thick rhizomes. So for such conditions, it is worth choosing a model with lower revolutions, and for a favorable environment, on the contrary, higher (high revolutions have a positive effect on performance).

The design of the working mechanism provided in the aerator, in other words, the number and types of working elements installed on the shaft. For verticutters (see "Type") such elements are blades, for scarifiers — spring teeth. For combined models, in this case, the design of both working shafts is indicated, for example "14 knives / 20 spring teeth".