Makita DUR368LZ vs DUR369AZ: which 36V brush cutter?

Both machines share the same battery platform — two 18V LXT packs for a 36V brushless output — so on paper the Makita DUR368LZ and Makita DUR369AZ look like siblings. In practice they’re built for different jobs: one prioritises low weight and easy handling, the other prioritises cutting width and raw grunt.

At a glance

	Makita DUR368LZ	Makita DUR369AZ
Power	36V (2× 18V LXT), brushless	36V (2× 18V LXT), brushless
Cutting width	23-35 cm (line head)	Up to 43 cm (wider)
Weight	~3.9 kg (lightest)	~6.5 kg with batteries
Handle	Loop handle	Bike (double) handle
Blade capability	Line-focused, not blade-set-up	Yes, built for blade use
Best suited to	Grass, light growth	Scrub, light brambles
Supplied	Bare tool (no battery/charger)	Bare tool (no battery/charger)
Price position	Entry cordless LXT	Mid-to-upper cordless LXT

Weight and handling: the biggest practical gap

This is the single most noticeable difference between the two. The DUR368LZ sits at around 3.9 kg, which makes it one of the lightest professional-grade cordless brush cutters you can buy — genuinely comfortable to swing one-handed with its loop handle for an hour or more of grass trimming. The DUR369AZ, at roughly 6.5 kg with batteries fitted, is a different proposition: heavier, built around a bike handle, and designed to be braced against rather than held loosely. That extra weight isn’t a flaw — it’s what lets the DUR369AZ stay controlled at a wider cutting width and with a blade fitted — but it does mean more arm and shoulder fatigue if you’re using it for anything less demanding than scrub clearance.

Cutting width and what it cuts

The DUR368LZ runs a string head with a 23-35 cm cutting swath, which is plenty for maintained lawns, verges and light overgrowth but starts to feel slow in anything dense or woody. The DUR369AZ steps up to a 43 cm cut — nearly a third wider — and its brushless motor is tuned to hold revs under real load. Fitted with a metal blade, it gets close to semi-pro petrol performance and will take on tall grass, scrub and light brambles that would bog the DUR368LZ’s line head down.

Loop handle vs bike handle

The handle types reflect the intended use directly. The DUR368LZ’s loop handle suits fast, one-handed manoeuvring around borders, fences and tight corners — the kind of work where you’re constantly repositioning. The DUR369AZ’s bike (double) handle is the standard configuration for blade work: it gives two-handed control and keeps the operator at a safe, consistent distance from the cutting head, which matters when you’re swinging a metal blade through scrub.

Bare vs kit: budgeting for batteries

Neither machine is sold with batteries or a charger — both the “LZ” and “AZ” suffixes denote bare tools. That makes this comparison less about sticker price and more about what you already own. If you’re already running Makita 18V LXT batteries from other tools, either machine slots straight in and the decision comes down purely to weight versus capability. Starting from zero, factor in the cost of two 18V LXT batteries and a charger on top of either tool — and remember that cost is identical whichever of the two you pick, since both need the same twin-battery setup.

Choose the DUR368LZ if…

• You mainly cut maintained grass, lawns and light growth
• Low weight and all-day comfort matter more than raw cutting width
• You want the more affordable way into Makita’s 36V cordless range
• You don’t plan to fit a metal blade

Choose the DUR369AZ if…

• You regularly face scrub, tall grass or light brambles
• You want the wider 43 cm cut and near-petrol brushless power
• You’re comfortable with a heavier, bike-handled tool for two-handed control
• You want the option to run a metal blade

Which should you buy?

If your ground is grass and light growth, the DUR368LZ is the better buy — it’s lighter, easier to live with over a long session, and there’s no point paying for capability you won’t use. If you’re clearing anything tougher — scrub, brambles, or ground that a line head simply can’t keep up with — the DUR369AZ’s extra width and power justify its extra weight and cost.

Either way, the value of both machines hinges on already owning (or being willing to buy into) Makita’s 18V LXT battery system — that’s the real cost that sits behind both prices.