Makita UR3501 vs Bosch AFS 23-37: corded

Corded electric brush cutters are a narrow category — you’re already committing to a cable and a nearby socket, so the two machines that actually compete here are ones that both take that trade-off seriously. The Makita UR3501 and the Bosch AFS 23-37 are both 1000W corded machines with blade capability, which puts them a step above the many line-only corded trimmers sold at a similar price. The real differences come down to what’s in the box, what it costs, and how much control the handle gives you once a blade is spinning.

At a glance

	Makita UR3501	Bosch AFS 23-37
Power	1000W corded motor	1000W corded motor
Cutting attachment	Line head or metal blade	Line head and metal blade included
Cutting width	35 cm	Narrower, front-balanced design
Handle	Loop handle	Loop handle
Typical price	Higher (≈ €185)	Lower (≈ $150)
Best suited to	Medium gardens near a socket	Small, tough plots near a socket
Brand strength	Wide parts availability, build reputation	Value-focused, well-reviewed

What’s actually in the box

This is the first real dividing line. The Bosch AFS 23-37 ships with its metal blade already included alongside the line head, so you’re cutting nettles, tall grass and light woody growth from day one without buying an accessory separately. The Makita UR3501 is built to accept a metal blade too, but whether one comes in the box depends on the specific listing, and it’s worth checking before assuming parity. If getting blade capability without an extra purchase matters to your budget, that alone tips things toward the Bosch.

Cutting width and control

The Makita UR3501 has a documented 35 cm cutting width, which suits typical medium-garden jobs where you want reasonable coverage per pass without an oversized machine. The Bosch AFS 23-37 is a narrower, more front-balanced design, which trades a bit of coverage for a lighter feel and easier handling on a small plot. Neither uses a bike-style handle, so two-handed control with a blade fitted is broadly similar between them — this isn’t a comparison where one has a meaningfully better handle setup than the other, just a different balance point.

Power: 1000W on both sides

Both machines draw on the same 1000W corded motor class, so raw power isn’t the deciding factor here — it’s genuinely a wash. That figure is enough for grass, weeds and light brambles with a blade fitted, but it’s on the modest side for anything thick or genuinely woody. If your land regularly throws up saplings or dense scrub rather than grass and light bramble, neither of these is really the tool for it; you’d be better served by a higher-wattage corded model or a petrol brush cutter built for clearance work. Within their intended range, though, both hold up fine.

Price and value

The Bosch AFS 23-37 typically undercuts the Makita UR3501 on price while including its blade, which is a meaningful combination — you’re not just paying less, you’re also not paying extra afterwards for blade capability. The Makita UR3501 costs more, and that premium mostly buys into Makita’s reputation for build quality and the wider availability of spare parts and accessories across most regions, which can matter if you’re planning to keep the tool running for several seasons rather than replacing it.

Choose the Makita UR3501 if…

• You want a slightly wider 35 cm cutting path for medium garden coverage
• Long-term parts availability and brand reputation matter more to you than upfront price
• You’re comfortable checking (or buying separately) whether a blade is included on your specific listing
• Your garden is medium-sized rather than a small, tightly bordered plot

Choose the Bosch AFS 23-37 if…

• You want the metal blade included in the box with no extra purchase
• Budget is a bigger factor than brand loyalty
• Your plot is small but still throws up tougher patches — nettles, tall grass, light woody stems
• You’d rather have a lighter, more front-balanced tool than a wider cutting swath

Which should you buy?

If your priority is value and you want blade capability sorted from the first day, without checking small print on what’s included, the Bosch AFS 23-37 is the more straightforward buy — it’s typically cheaper and comes with the blade already in the box. If you’d rather pay a bit more for a slightly wider cutting path and lean on Makita’s longer-standing reputation for build quality and parts support, the Makita UR3501 is the safer long-term pick, provided you confirm what ships with it.

Either way, remember that both machines are corded: you’re committing to an outdoor socket and an extension lead regardless of which one you choose, and neither is meant for large or remote plots. Within that shared limitation, this comparison is really about box contents and price versus a small edge in cutting width and brand backing — not about one machine dramatically out-powering the other.