Further trend towards motorisation

The trend is moving in the direction of motorised products: quieter engines and less effort. The suppliers have now grasped this and are setting their standards ever higher, with trendy shapes, colours and arrangements along with optimum quality. Ecological considerations – e.g. toxic emissions – are more than ever to the fore, as are safety aspects as well.
Many garden enthusiasts regard their hobby as a sporting challenge, though the majority of them would like to work in comfort, without expending too much strength or physical effort. Motorised implements for making the work easier are in demand and manufacturers are equipping ever more formerly hand-operated garden implements and tools with motors. The palette of such products ranges from hoes with mini four-stroke engines to cordless branch loppers.
Two directions are evident among motorised light cultivating implements. On the one hand are surface crumblers with electric motors, which remove the weeds as well but require a mains-connected cable, and on the other hand are motor hoes with mini petrol motors that work to a somewhat greater depth, do not require a cable and produce an almost imperceptible amount of exhaust gas when using an alternative fuel.
Brush cutters and motor scythes with petrol engines do a thorough job in relatively large gardens where a grass trimmer is no longer adequate. The rapid spread of these light implements has resulted from both leisure gardeners and horticultural businesses finding that they present the ideal solution for ecologically friendly cultivation needs.
A broader range has recently become available in the category of hedge clippers, from the light and particularly handy battery-operated shrub cutter, to conventional hedge trimmers and through to larger models with handles that are extended or even articulated for trimming every conceivable hedge contour.
So-called branch loppers are spreading rapidly. All excess wood can be cut out of trees at a height of 3 or 4 metres by the miniature chainsaws in this category which are powered by rechargeable battery, electric motor or petrol engine and have telescopic tubular handles. This makes the use of ladders superfluous in many cases.
The trend towards silent models is continuing in the category of shredders for chopping up prunings from shrubs and other garden debris. These silent shredders achieve a reduction in noise level by working either with slow-running blades and costly reducing gears or with special blades which cut with a shearing action.
Up to now implements for splitting logs for the fire were on the whole large models which seemed more suitable for professional use. That has changed in that several firms now make small versions for table-top usage, which represent an alternative for private consumers and seem likely to catch on in the marketplace.
Exchangeable storage batteries for lawn-trimmers, edge-cutters, brush cutters, hedge trimmers or branch loppers are recording considerably stimulated demand. It takes no time at all to remove these little batteries from the machines and recharge them.
Every company still uses its own batteries with its own specific connectors. However, there is discussion within the branch about developing a general manufacturing specification with standard plugs.