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When you’re dealing with thick grass, tree seedlings or unwieldy shrubs, brushcutters are the perfect power tool for maintaining your garden like a pro. However, there are several factors you should consider before purchasing a brushcutter of your own. From durability to motor ability, these different factors should play a role in your purchase decision.
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As a leading distributor for construction and garden equipment, we at BS Power import and manufacture a wide range of high-quality brushcutters. In this quick read, we’ll be breaking down the key factors you need to consider when purchasing a brushcutter.
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Guidelines For Purchasing Brushcutters
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When it comes to finding a portable, reliable power tool that can handle the ins and outs of your garden, you can’t go wrong with a brushcutter. That being said, it is crucial that you do your research and consider various elements before deciding on which brushcutter you’d like. If you’re ready to start investing in high-quality brushcutters but aren’t sure where to start, here’s a quick guideline of the most important factors you should consider:
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Slice Width
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Depending on the size of the area you’ll be working on and how quickly you’ll be tackling your garden, this will help to determine the slice width you choose for your brushcutter. To determine the cutting width of a brushcutter, you’ll need to calculate the breadth of a single pass with a brushcutter.
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If you’re looking to purchase larger brushcutters for maintaining your garden, it may be best to use a slice width that can handle more force, as they could easily get trapped in thick foliage and shrubbery.
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Power Level Of Tool
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One of the most important factors to consider when purchasing brushcutters is power level. If you’re maintaining a large plot of land that has tree saplings and thick foliage that require cutting, it may be wise to purchase a brushcutter that is powerful enough to handle the work.
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For intensive cutting and maintaining thick shrubbery, you may need to choose brushcutters with bigger engines as they can provide enough power for completing these tasks. Powerful brushcutters can handle more work over larger areas of land and can easily cut through dense foliage.
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Alternatively, if you have a smaller garden and are looking to purchase a brushcutter that can assist in your gardening activities, rather opt for a less powerful model with a smaller engine.
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Durability & Maintenance
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As brushcutters are highly powerful tools that are capable of performing a range of cutting operations, they come at a cost. If you’re looking to keep your brushcutter in working condition for years to come, it’s best to invest in a high-quality brushcutter that is highly durable and requires minimal maintenance. By investing in a brushcutter that is made of durable materials, you can rest assured that your power tool will withstand demanding tasks for several years.
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Additionally, be sure that any spare parts you may require over time are easily accessible and that serving options are readily available. This way, you can keep your brushcutter in prime condition despite any wear and tear.
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Type Of Handle
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When it comes to ergonomics and safety, brushcutter handles are essential to consider when determining your purchase decision. Depending on the different types of vegetation you’ll be working with, certain brushcutter handles may be better suited to handle different operations due to their manoeuvrability and control.
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Loop handle brushcutters, for example, are perfectly suited for tending to small to medium-sized gardens and neatening lawns. This is because these types of handles are far easier to manoeuvre and control, making them perfect for garden enthusiasts. On the other hand, a bicycle handle brushcutter would be better suited for tackling uneven terrain and thick foliage as it provides more stability and control.
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Beginner Friendly
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If you’re looking for a quality brushcutter but are fairly new to the world of landscaping and forestry, it’s best to start small and choose a brushcutter that is beginner-friendly. Be sure to look out for brushcutters that are easy to start and control, as this will affect your performance while tending to your garden.
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If you choose a more professional model for your brushcutter that has a powerful engine, it could hinder your working ability or, in worst-case scenarios, result in minor to severe injuries. Rather than investing in the most powerful model on the market, start small with a beginner-friendly brushcutter and work your way up to the more professional models.
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Electricity Vs Gas
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Another important factor to consider when perusing brushcutters is whether they’re powered by gas or electricity. If you’re maintaining large expanses of shrubbery and thicker vegetation, it may be better to opt for gas-powered brushcutters.
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With a gas-powered brushcutter, you can tackle larger areas for longer run times due to its long-lasting power. As these types of brushcutters are highly powerful, they work extremely well at trimming tree saplings, rough terrain and thick shrubbery. Additionally, gas-powered brushcutters are fully transportable as they don’t require a power cord.
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Electricity-powered brushcutters, however, are much more neighbour-friendly due to their quieter motors. If you’re working in a residential area with a smaller garden, it may be better to opt for an electric-powered brushcutter. These types of brushcutters are also far easier to use than gas-powered brushcutters, making them great for beginners.
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Versatility
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Above all else, one of the most crucial factors you should consider when choosing a brushcutter is versatility. If you’re investing in a high-quality brushcutter, it would be beneficial to purchase a model that is versatile, as it can perform more gardening tasks at lower costs.
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A versatile brushcutter not only increases productivity and efficiency, but it also enables you to handle a diverse range of vegetation as well as tackle hard-to-reach areas of your garden. Unlike standard trimmers, brushcutters can cut through weeds, thick shrubbery and even small trees. Additionally, a versatile brushcutter can be equipped with a variety of blades and attachments, allowing you to perform several tasks other than cutting.
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Safety Features
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As brushcutters are highly powerful and capable of performing various tasks, using them incorrectly can be dangerous, especially if they don’t have certain safety features. No matter your skill level when it comes to gardening and forestry, you should always consider the safety features of the brushcutters you use.
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If you typically maintain your garden around passersby or bystanders, you may want to opt for a brushcutter with blade guards, as your brushcutter may fling rocks and other debris while you’re cutting.
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Another important safety feature to consider when buying a brushcutter is the throttle lock. This feature allows you to have better control when using your brushcutter as it prevents any accidental acceleration when not in use.
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Transportability
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Brushcutters come in a variety of models and sizes that are beneficial for different landscaping tasks. If you’re a professional landscaper who regularly tends to large expanses of land, it may be best to invest in a brushcutter that is portable and can be easily stored.
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A portable brushcutter, which is ideally gas-powered, should have handlebars that can be folded, as this allows for better transportation and storage. If you’re a garden enthusiast and are tending to a small garden, however, a brushcutter without contractable handlebars should work just as well for maintaining your shrubbery and being stored in your tool shed.
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Blade Type
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Depending on the type of garden or terrain you’re working on, this will help to determine which blades you should opt for when purchasing your brushcutter. When it comes to cutting light weeds and grass, trimmer lines are the best choice as they are ideal for light garden maintenance. If you’d like to cut through some light vegetation or thick grass, a metal blade may work better for your style of gardening.
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Unlike trimmer lines and metal blades, brush blades are used for heavy-duty cutting in rough terrain, anywhere from thick foliage to tree saplings. If you’re maintaining wide expanses of land with rough shrubbery, it may be best to opt for brush blades for your brushcutters.
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Which Size Brushcutter Should You Choose?
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The size of the brushcutter you opt for when purchasing will depend on the type of gardening work you do. If you use brushcutters to professionally maintain foliage, it may be wise to invest in a brushcutter that has a strong enough engine to cut through rough vegetation. That being said, the stronger the engine, the heavier the brushcutter, which can make you tire out quicker.
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For any professional landowners, landscapers or forestry workers, the best choice is to have multiple brushcutters of varying sizes and engine strengths to accommodate the various jobs you’ll be working on. This way, you can switch out the best brushcutters suited for the current tasks at hand without drastically hindering your energy levels.
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How Easy Is It To Operate A Brushcutter?
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One of the contributing factors as to why brushcutters are such superior power tools is that they are incredibly user-friendly. While this may differ from model to model, most basic brushcutters have comprehensible controls that are simple to manoeuvre. Depending on your level of expertise, it may be wise to opt for a brushcutter that can be easily changed out with different cutting blades and trimmer heads.
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If you’re tending to grass and light foliage, a brushcutter should be fairly simple to use to maintain your garden space. These nifty power tools are designed to make quick work of clearing vegetation and neatening landscapes while maximising efficiency.
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Additionally, brushcutters are especially ergonomic as most models come with adjustable harnesses and handles to minimise fatigue and maximise your comfort while operating.
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Maintain Your Garden Like A Pro With BS Power’s Brushcutters
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Whether you’re a veteran landscaper with years of professional experience or a humble garden enthusiast with a passion for tending to your lawn, brushcutters are the perfect tool for performing a diverse range of gardening tasks. From versatility and durability to safety features and power level, there are many important factors to consider when choosing the right brushcutter for your landscaping needs.
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To find the highest quality brushcutters on the market, look no further than BS Power. From professional brands like STIHL to Husqvarna, we stock a wide variety of brushcutters boasting impressive features and industry-grade labels. View our extensive catalogue of brushcutters or drop us an email at info@bspower.co.za to find out more about the other power tools and equipment available from our store.
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