Brushcutters are amazing tools specifically designed with overgrown vegetation in mind. Vegetation like tall grass, weeds, shrubs, small trees and brackets can all be pruned, trimmed and cleaned with the power of a brushcutter. Brushcutters purchased from BS Power are made to last and are generally fitted with heavy-duty metal blades to quickly and easily slice through vegetation. Brushcutters can handle everything from thick and dense plants to simple hedge trimming.
What sets brushcutters apart from alternative tools is that you can also easily fit a variety of modern attachments that can quickly transform the tool to be used for multiple other cutting tasks. Because brushcutters are very powerful, there are a lot of important safety procedures you should follow before using them. This includes wearing protective gear like a helmet, gloves, and eye protection to avoid injury.
In this article today we at BS Power want to help convince you of what brushcutters can do. In order to achieve this goal, we will look at several other gardening tool alternatives, and compare them to brushcutters. By doing so we hope to highlight how versatile and useful the cutter can be, and hopefully encourage you to consider purchasing one to make your own gardening tasks easier.
Brushcutters Alternatives: Lawn Mower
Lawnmowers are designed to cut grass on lawns and other well-maintained areas. These pieces of equipment cannot handle dense brush or shrubs and tend to provide a basic service. The cutting mechanism of a lawnmower is a rotating blade positioned horizontally below the mower deck. Lawnmowers are perfectly suited to cutting grass cleanly and evenly, maintaining grass levels at a uniform height.
Best suited to flat and well-groomed grassy areas, lawnmowers cannot perform the basic tasks of brushcutters and cut grass on uneven surfaces. They also cannot be adjusted to cut grass at different heights, making them quite a simple piece of equipment.
Lawnmowers are generally safe to use and don’t require the usage of safety equipment to be operated. Because they are only used for trimming grass on flat surfaces, they are not likely to cause hazardous action from the grass being cut.
Lawnmowers are quite loud in volume when being used, however, they are still quieter than brushcutters, regardless of whether they are gas or electric-powered. They also emit less emissions compared to brushcutters.
Brushcutters Alternatives: String Trimmer (Weed Eater or Grass Trimmer)
While string trimmers and brushcutters may appear similar, the two are very different. String trimmers are used for trimming and edging grass, light weeds, and other small vegetation in areas such as lawns, gardens, and around obstacles like statues. This piece of equipment is not suited to clearing heavy-duty foliage which brushcutters can handle.
Unlike brushcutters which have a metal blade used for cutting, string trimmers use a flexible nylon string (line) that rotates at a very high speed. This allows the tool to cut through grass and light weeds by striking them, making the string trimmers’ cutting mechanism a lot less robust compared to brushcutters.
String trimmers are better suited to a smaller cutting area, which requires finer work and precision. Unfortunately, this piece of equipment cannot handle uneven surfaces or obstacles, and it works best when used on flat and well-groomed lawns.
String trimmers are a lot less versatile than brushcutters and are specialised in trimming and edging. Because of their simple purpose, string trimmer operators don’t require safety gear, making them safer to use compared to brushcutters. The trimming machine makes some noise and emits emissions when being used, however, it is still quieter than brushcutters.
Brushcutters Alternatives: Hedge Trimmers
Hedge trimmers are versatile tools that can be used for several different garden upkeep tasks. From cutting and trimming hedges to pruning plants. There are many types of hedge trimmers and although they cannot cut back thicker branches, like brushcutters, they can cut back smaller branches or twigs.
Hedge trimmers have rotating blades, or reciprocating blades, used to trim hedges and shrubs with precision, making them perfect for shaping bushes or trees. While brushcutters can cover large areas with thick and dense vegetation, hedge trimmers are limited to smaller areas of foliage and finer work.
Hedge trimmers, similar to a lawnmower, are best suited to flat and well-maintained surfaces of terrain, making them less effective compared to brushcutters when tackling rough terrain. The hedge trimmer, like most of the power tools discussed in this article, can be dangerous and therefore should be treated with care. One way to do this is to always dress with the proper safety gear that can include goggles, gloves and shoes that are closed. Because hedge trimmers make use of reciprocating blades, it is also essential to make sure that you understand how to handle the tool properly. Reading the user manual that is packaged with these products will have all the information you require in this regard.
Compared to brushcutters, a hedge trimmer is far quieter and produces far fewer emissions when being used. The specialised piece of equipment is not as versatile as brushcutters and is best suited to maintaining shrubs and hedges rather than clearing tall grass or brush.
Brushcutters Alternatives: Chainsaws
Both brushcutters and chainsaws are very powerful tools, however, chainsaws are used for cutting wood and not clearing dense brush or undergrowth. Chainsaws are suitable for clearing larger trees, logs, and branches as they have cutting teeth attached to a rotating bar, allowing for an easy cut through thick woods.
Chainsaws are best used on flat and even surfaces and are not adaptable to other tasks like brushcutters. A chainsaw should only be used when wearing protective gear and implementing proper handling techniques. Because of the large variety of chainsaws available on the market today, that have different levels of power and some larger ones may have a significant kick back, it is crucial to understand that different chainsaw models will have different safety measures you should follow. Making sure to educate yourself fully on these considerations before using the machine is critical.
When considering noise and emissions, chainsaws emit exhaust fumes and are very noisy, especially when they are gas-powered. Electric models of chain saws are much quieter and produce fewer emissions.
Brushcutters Alternatives: Hand-held Tools (machetes, axes, pruning shears)
Manual tools, like machetes, axes, and pruning cheers are designed for smaller scale cutting, compared to brushcutters. These tools require physical effort to cut through vegetation and the cutting edge of the tools may not be as robust as brushcutters.
While brushcutters can cover a relatively larger cutting area and are suited for clearing larger patches of vegetation in a short time frame, handheld tools have a more limited area and are better suited to precision cutting, trimming, and shaping.
Handheld tools are suited to even surfaces, rather than challenging terrains, and have a low environmental impact, especially if used in small-scale gardening or landscaping projects. These tools are operated manually, thus they rely entirely on the user’s physical strength and stamina, whereas brushcutters are powered by gas, electricity, or batteries.
Compared to power tools, hand-held tools have fewer safety risks but do require their user to exercise caution. Typically serving a specific purpose, hand-held tools are less versatile and adaptable, compared to brushcutters which can be equipped with various attachments.
Brushcutters Alternatives: Forestry Mulcher
Forestry mulching is a process of using a forestry mulcher machine to clear, grind, or cut down vegetation or residue after land-clearing projects. Forestry mulchers can be used for vegetation control, site preparation, lot clearing, trail clearing, and much more. They are best suited to clear small to medium-sized trees and can handle heavy-duty clearing on a larger scale, compared to brushcutters.
Forestry mulchers have a rotor equipped with multiple flails or fixed teeth that shred or mulch vegetation, such as trees and underbrush. This piece of equipment is used to cover much larger areas and can clear vegetation in a short time frame.
Rough and uneven terrain is not something to worry about when it comes to forestry mulchers as they are built to be robust and handle obstacles like rocks and tree stumps. Because forest mulchers are typically powered by high-horsepower vehicles or machinery, such as skid steers or excavators, they come with extensive power requirements.
Forestry mulchers require a skilled professional to operate them and demand strict adherence to safety protocols. This is because of their large-scale, high-power operation, and potential hazards.
Similar to brushcutters, forestry mulchers’ environmental impact depends on how they are operated and managed, as well as how large the project is.
Brushcutters Alternatives: Flail Mower
A flail mower is a type of powered garden/ agriculture equipment that is used to deal with heavy grass/ scrub. This specialised equipment was designed for clearing large-scale vegetation, particularly in agriculture, forestry, and roadside maintenance. This tool has a drum or rotor with multiple flail (hammer-like) blades that shred and mulch the vegetation. Compared to brushcutters, flail mowers can handle much larger and tougher growth in a shorter time.
Flail mowers were built to handle rough and uneven terrain, and can handle rocks and tree stumps. They are powered by high-horse-powered vehicles or machinery, such as tractors or excavators, to handle the extensive power requirements of the large-scale clearing.
Just like a forestry mulcher, a flail mower requires a skilled professional to operate it. The operator must also adhere to strict safety protocols as these machines have a large-scale, high-power operation, and potential hazards.
Unlike brushcutters, which are highly versatile, a flail mower is not as adaptable to various cutting tasks and is mainly used for large-scale vegetation clearing. This also results in the machine having a higher environmental impact than brushcutters, however, the overall environmental impact depends on how they are operated and managed.
Brushcutters Alternatives: Goats or Livestock
A modern trend of trimming back bushes, shrubs, and grass is allowing some goats or livestock to feed on the vegetation. This method is used for large-scale vegetation management in areas with extensive overgrowth or where machinery access is limited. These grazing animals consume a wide variety of vegetation, including desirable and undesirable plants. Brushcutters might be better suited to the job if you want to target specific vegetation and leave others intact.
Grazing animals are environmentally friendly compared to other tools and machinery, making them a good option for environmentally friendly areas. These animals, however, may be limited in what terrain they can work on as they may struggle with steep slopes, rocky terrain, and other obstacles.
Compared to brushcutters which offer high-speed and efficient vegetation clearing that yields almost immediate results, goats and livestock are slower as they graze at their own pace.
Brushcutters From BS Power
Shop for new brushcutters and many other garden products from BS Power. We stock several different models, allowing you to choose which of our brushcutters are best suited to your needs. Currently, we stock Stihl Brushcutters which have an easy startup and a long-life filter system.
We, at BS Commercial Power, would love to help you find the perfect gardening equipment to help you maintain your beautiful land. Check out the rest of our website for more products used in construction, agriculture, forestry, and a variety of other applications.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information or to ask questions about what equipment is best suited to your needs.