Which Petrol Brushcutter Best Suits Your Requirements and Your Budget?
With frequent April showers punctuated by periods of strong spring sunshine, vegetation has been going wild over recent weeks, and if not tamed soon, it will be too overgrown to tackle by the time summer arrives.
That being the case, at CompassGM, we strongly suggested you avail yourself of a petrol brushcutter!
What is a Brushcutter?
A brushcutter is essentially a ‘souped-up’ version of a garden strimmer, often with a larger and more powerful engine, and usually supplied with an aggressively sharp metal blade, which will cope with the sort of out-of-control growth that would defeat a nylon line-based grass-trimming head (with which they’re also supplied).
Many strimmers have a curved shaft, which means the internal driveshaft has to be flexible rather than rigid. That’s not so with brushcutters – instead, they use a solid driveshaft, which ensures more power and torque is delivered to the cutter head.
Brushcutter handles are either ‘loop’ or ‘cowhorn’, with the former recommended for areas where space is restricted, and the latter – which is favoured by gardening professionals – ideal for day-long use.
There are around 70 petrol brushcutters available on CompassGM, and we understand that amount of choice can be bewildering.
To help you make the right selection, both for your budget and for your particular needs, we’ve put together a list of a few of our favourite machines, including two-stroke, four-stroke and backpack mounted.
Echo SRM-222ES Petrol Brushcutter
First up, an entry-level, loop-handled petrol brushcutter designed and built in Japan to a standard that belies its affordable price point.
With a compact 21.2cc two-stroke engine, the Echo SRM-222ES Petrol Brushcutter is super-efficient, and therefore gets through very little fuel.
Don’t let the small engine fool you into thinking the Echo SRM-222ES is underpowered – it features Echo’s Power Boost Tornado technology, which means it offers performance levels comparable to brushcutters sporting engines with significantly larger displacements.
This is the only brushcutter on the list to come with a line head and no blade, so it’s recommended for less demanding applications.
Oleo-Mac BCH-250T Petrol Brushcutter
From closer to home comes the Italian-engineered Oleo-Mac BCH-250T Petrol Brushcutter.
The Oleo-Mac BCH-250T is a cowhorn-handled model with a larger 25.4cc engine incorporating a nickel-plated cylinder sleeve, a two-ring piston and a forged-steel connector rod, all of which combine to optimise long-term reliability.
The blade is included, as is a fatigue limiting shoulder harness.
Hedgetrimmer and pruner accessories are offered separately.
Stiga BC 760 B Petrol Brushcutter
From famous Swedish brand, Stiga, the 52.8cc BC 760 B is a range-topping petrol brushcutter with a raft of premium features, including Electronic Engine Management for easy starting, whatever the conditions and situation; and a digital readout displaying performance, efficiency and maintenance parameters.
Built with durability to the fore, and designed for extended landscaping sessions, the Stiga BC 760 B Petrol Brushcutter boasts a 30mm-diameter, forestry-grade shaft, and benefits from Stiga’s supremely effective Vibration Control System.
A three-tooth blade, twin-line head and double-shoulder harness are all supplied as standard.
Echo SRM-3021TESU High-Torque Petrol Brushcutter
As its full name indicates, the Echo SRM-3021TESU, from Echo’s superior X-Series range, employs high-torque gearing, and is therefore capable of taking down tall, dense growth.
The optimised transmission design also means more power from a smaller engine – in this case 30.5cc – which in turn means less weight, fewer emissions and reduced fuel costs.
High-end anti-vibration measures ensure the operator’s body is exposed to minimal stress and strain; a quality two-stage air-filter works to greatly extend the engine’s useful life.
The Echo SRM-3021TESU comes with a brush blade, but, if the going gets really tough, you can purchase and fit Echo’s optional rotary-scissor attachment.
Oleo-Mac Master BC550 Professional Petrol Brushcutter
Next, let’s have look at a true commercial-grade workhorse; the Oleo-Mac Master BC550 Professional Petrol Brushcutter.
The Oleo-Mac Master BC550 is supplied with a tri-arc blade, but the line head – with its seriously thick 3mm cord – shouldn’t be underestimated in terms of its cutting capability.
It provides all the features you’d expect from a pro-use model, including an extra-heavy-duty 32mm shaft, a hefty 51.7cc/3.3hp engine, a comfortable cowhorn handle and a full harness.
In short, this one will handle the toughest vegetation tasks the horticultural contractor or local-authority worker will encounter.
Mountfield BC 450 HD 4-Stroke Petrol Brushcutter
Traditionally, four-stroke engines have been too big and too heavy for use on handheld garden machinery, but, since Honda’s development of the mini four-stroke engine, that’s no longer the case.
This hasn’t escaped the notice of classic UK brand, Mountfield, so they’ve recently launched a range of four-stroke, Honda-powered brushcutters, of which the BC 450 HD is part.
What Are the Key advantages of 4-Stroke?
Four-stroke – or four-‘cycle’ – has numerous advantages over two – you’ll get less stressful noise, cleaner, smoother operation, and, perhaps most importantly of all, there’s more torque at lower revs, meaning you’ll get powerful performance without having to thrash the engine.
Echo RM-520ES Backpack Brushcutter
Finally, something a bit different; the Echo RM-520ES Backpack Brushcutter.
With its engine mounted on a backpack frame with padded shoulder straps, the 2.9hp Echo RM-520ES is suitable for use on the sort of steep verges and ditch banks upon which it would tricky and potentially unsafe to wield a conventional handheld unit.
It has a high-tensile steel driveshaft, so you can expect superior performance and excellent longevity, and it features a loop handle with an additional bar for improved control and manoeuvrability.
