Max. air flow rate
The highest speed of the air stream given out by the vacuum cleaner. The
higher this parameter, the stronger the thrust provided by the device, and the more efficiently it is able to pull or blow out debris particles from cracks and other hard-to-reach places (of course, if there is an appropriate operating mode — see above). At the same time, in most modern models, this figure exceeds 150 km/h — this is more than enough for work of small and medium complexity. Therefore, paying attention to a high flow rate makes sense only when choosing a powerful model for working in difficult conditions; we note that in the most “high-speed” vacuum cleaners, the indicators can exceed 400 km/h.
Air flow (blowing)
Performance of the garden vacuum cleaner when blowing (see "Operating mode").
This parameter determines the amount of air that the device distills through itself in a certain time. It should be noted that it depends not only on the speed of this air, but also on other parameters — for example, the diameter of the pipe. Therefore, two models with the same performance can noticeably differ in speed, and vice versa. You also need to keep in mind that the efficiency of "purging" bottlenecks with stuck debris does not depend on performance, but on the flow rate. On the other hand, good performance makes it easier to work on large areas, as allows you to simultaneously cover a large area with a jet of air.
Most modern garden vacuum cleaners in blowing mode provide up to 15 m / min;
higher rates are typical mainly for professional models.
Mulching ratio
The ratio of shredding debris provided by a vacuum cleaner with the appropriate mode of operation (see above).
This parameter shows how much the volume occupied by garbage decreases after passing through the grinder. For example, the value "8:1" corresponds to a reduction of 8 times. These figures, of course, are quite approximate, because. in fact, much depends on the type of waste, and in different cases, the indicators will also be different. For example, bulky large branches are “packed” very tightly, and soft leaves initially take up relatively little space, and for them the difference in volume before and after the chopper may be small. Nevertheless, the claimed values quite reliably describe the capabilities of the vacuum cleaner for processing the collected garbage.
Garden vacuum cleaners with a grinding ratio of 1:10 can be classified as average; lower rates are typical for relatively modest models, larger ones for advanced ones.
Motor power
Power of the garden vacuum cleaner motor, expressed in watts. This unit is by far the main one, it is used for both electric and gasoline engines (see "Engine type").
The
more powerful the motor — the more air the vacuum cleaner is able to pass through itself, the greater the speed it is able to give the air flow and the more efficient the chopper (if there is one at all — see "Operating mode"). At the same time, all these moments depend not only on power, but also on many other design features; and manufacturers select each motor in such a way as to provide the vacuum cleaner with certain performance characteristics. Therefore, when choosing, it is worth looking primarily at practical characteristics (flow rate, blowing and suction performance), and engine power is of secondary importance.
Max. engine speed
The highest speed at which the vacuum cleaner engine is able to operate in normal mode.
Theoretically, faster motors are capable of delivering more solid performance; however, in fact, these characteristics depend on so many different design features that the engine speed is practically lost against the background of these features. Therefore, this moment, in fact, is purely reference (and partly promotional — impressive rpm numbers can at first glance give the impression of high power and performance; but this impression is often deceptive).
Battery voltage
The battery voltage for which the powered garden vacuum cleaner is designed (see "Motor type"). For a powerful unit, usually, a fairly high voltage is required.
For the user, this parameter is important if the purchased vacuum cleaner is not equipped with a battery (see "Battery included"): in order to successfully select the battery, you need to know the required voltage. If the battery is included in the kit, then this indicator has a purely reference value, and can only come in handy when looking for a spare or additional battery.
Capacity
The capacity of the battery that the garden vacuum cleaner is equipped with the appropriate power supply (see "Motor type").
Capacity is essentially the amount of energy a battery can store. The more powerful the device, the more energy it needs to work and the higher the battery capacity should be so that it does not have to be charged too often. At the same time, capacious batteries have a large weight and dimensions, which significantly affects the convenience of work. Therefore, the power of battery units is relatively low — otherwise, too bulky batteries would have to be used.
To some extent, this parameter also determines the time that the vacuum cleaner is able to work without recharging. However, taking into account the fact that different models can differ markedly in power consumption, it makes sense to compare battery properties with each other only tools with very similar characteristics — and even then very approximately.
Note that the same tool can work with batteries of different capacities — it is enough that they are compatible in terms of connectors and operating voltage. Therefore, for units that are not equipped with batteries, this parameter is not indicated at all — the capacity is not critical for compatibility.
Operating time
The time of continuous operation of the cordless garden vacuum cleaner (see "Motor type") on one charge of the complete battery. This parameter is directly related to the battery capacity, and therefore is indicated only for models that were originally equipped with batteries.
When choosing a vacuum cleaner for this parameter, note that many manufacturers indicate the “perfect”, maximum possible operating time — at a low speed, with a small amount of debris, at an optimal external temperature, etc. In fact, the performance of the device may differ slightly from those stated in the specifications. Nevertheless, according to these characteristics, it is quite possible to evaluate the battery life of the unit, including and compared to other models.
Charging time
Time for a full (from 0 to 100%) battery charge.