Makita EM4351UH vs Einhell GC-BC 52

The Makita EM4351UH and Einhell GC-BC 52 both burn petrol and both swing a metal blade through brambles, but they’re built for very different buyers. The Makita is a professional-grade 4-stroke engineered around comfort, low vibration and clean running for people who cut for a living. The Einhell is a straightforward 2-stroke workhorse that leans on raw displacement and a low price to win over anyone clearing an overgrown plot without a professional budget. Neither is the “better” machine outright — it’s a question of what you’re clearing, how often, and what you’re willing to pay for refinement.

At a glance

Attribute	Makita EM4351UH	Einhell GC-BC 52
Engine	43cc, true 4-stroke (MM4)	51.7cc, 2-stroke
Power	1.5kW (2.0hp)	1.5kW (~2hp)
Weight	~8.5kg	Heavier-feeling, budget 2-stroke build
Fuel mixing	None — runs on pure petrol	Yes — needs 2-stroke oil mix
Vibration	Very low (1.7–2.2 m/s²), class-leading	Typical for a budget 2-stroke, not class-leading
What’s included	Machine only, U-handle and harness	Blade, line head and padded harness included
Price positioning	Premium, professional-tier price	Budget entry price
Build target	Professionals, all-day use	Homeowners with tough, overgrown land

Clear wins: the Makita wins on refinement, vibration comfort and fuel convenience; the Einhell wins decisively on price and out-of-box kit, and edges it on raw displacement.

Engine and cutting power

Numerically, the Einhell’s 51.7cc engine is the bigger of the two, and both machines are rated around 1.5kW, so on paper they look evenly matched on power. In practice the story is more nuanced. The Makita’s MM4 4-stroke is built to professional tolerances, with smoother, more consistent torque delivery that holds up over long sessions without the surging some budget 2-strokes show. The Einhell, being a simpler and cheaper 2-stroke design, gets the job done on brambles and tall growth but doesn’t have the same refined feel under load. For most garden-scale clearing, the Einhell’s extra cc is plenty; for sustained commercial use, the Makita’s engineering shows.

Fuel system: mixing vs no mixing

This is one of the clearest practical differences. The Einhell GC-BC 52 is a conventional 2-stroke, so every tank means measuring and mixing 2-stroke oil into the petrol — a small but real chore, and a risk of engine damage if you get the ratio wrong or run stale mix. The Makita EM4351UH’s MM4 engine is a true 4-stroke that runs on pure, unmixed petrol. If you’re buying a second or third machine and already own 2-stroke kit, the Einhell’s fuel system is no extra hassle. If you want to simplify your fuel routine to “just petrol,” the Makita is the one that delivers that.

Weight, vibration and comfort

The Makita’s standout feature is its vibration figures — at 1.7–2.2 m/s², they’re among the lowest in its class, which translates directly into less fatigue on long working days. The Einhell, as a budget 2-stroke, doesn’t chase the same comfort benchmarks; it’s built to clear ground effectively rather than to be pleasant to run for eight hours straight. For someone using a brush cutter for the odd weekend session on an overgrown plot, this difference barely registers. For a landscaper on the machine daily, it’s one of the main reasons the Makita costs what it does.

Price, kit and who each one suits

The Einhell GC-BC 52 wins comfortably on value: it ships with a metal blade, a line head and a padded harness, all included at a genuinely low price, so there’s nothing extra to buy before you start cutting. The Makita EM4351UH sits at the opposite end, priced as a professional tool and sold accordingly — you’re paying for engineering and comfort, not for the completeness of the box. Full details on each are in the Makita EM4351UH review and the Einhell GC-BC 52 review.

Choose the Makita EM4351UH if…

• You cut professionally, or for hours at a stretch, and comfort matters
• You want a true 4-stroke with no fuel mixing to think about
• Low vibration over a full working day is worth paying for
• You’re comfortable buying the harness and blade situation as-is on a premium machine

Choose the Einhell GC-BC 52 if…

• You want maximum petrol power for the lowest realistic price
• You’re happy mixing 2-stroke fuel as part of the routine
• You want blade, line head and harness included in the box
• Your use is occasional to moderate — a big overgrown plot rather than daily professional work

Which should you buy?

If you use a brush cutter for a living, or you’re clearing brambles for hours at a time and comfort and clean running matter to you, the Makita EM4351UH is worth its higher price — it’s a genuinely refined professional machine. If you’re clearing an overgrown garden or smallholding a few times a season and want the most cutting power for the least money, the Einhell GC-BC 52 is hard to argue with: bigger displacement, everything included, and a fraction of the cost. Most buyers outside professional landscaping will find the Einhell does the job perfectly well; it’s only the daily, all-day user who needs what the Makita adds.