Among the concrete cutter engine brands we stock at HMS, the Honda GX390 13HP at around ₹75,000 is the reliability pick, the Husqvarna 13HP at around ₹65,000 is the value petrol pick, Greaves diesel starts lowest at around ₹55,000, and the VST Shakti 13HP at around ₹1,30,000 is the heavy duty diesel choice.
What are we actually comparing here?
An honest framing before the comparison. All the concrete groove cutting machines we sell share similar cutter bodies with a 240mm maximum cutting depth and a 35 litre water tank for wet cutting. What genuinely separates them is the engine bolted on top, so this is really an engine brand comparison: Greaves, Honda, Husqvarna and VST Shakti. These are the four brands in our own range. We are a dealer giving trade-offs from sales and service experience, not a lab publishing market-wide test results.
Greaves diesel: the lowest running cost
Greaves is the default choice for contractors who cut every day and count fuel bills. The 5HP Greaves diesel cutter at around ₹55,000 is the entry point to the whole category, suited to smaller jobs and thinner slabs. The 10HP Greaves with the heavy Gujarat body at around ₹95,000 is the daily workhorse most road contractors buy, and an electric start version is available at around ₹1,15,000 for operators tired of rope starting a diesel every morning. The trade-off: diesel engines are heavier and louder than the petrol options, and the 5HP unit is genuinely entry level power.
Honda GX390: pay for reliability
The Honda GX390 13HP petrol cutter at around ₹75,000 carries the most proven small engine in the business, with a service network almost everywhere. Starting is easy, running is smooth, and resale value holds better than anything else we sell in this category. The trade-off is fuel: petrol costs more per litre than diesel and the GX390 is a 13HP engine, so heavy daily users pay for that reliability at the pump.
Husqvarna: the value petrol option
The Husqvarna 13HP petrol cutter at around ₹65,000 delivers comparable cutting performance to the Honda for roughly ₹10,000 less. Husqvarna is a respected Swedish name in concrete cutting. The honest trade-off against Honda is the service network: Honda spares and mechanics are easier to find in smaller towns. If you work near a city and want 13HP petrol power at the best price, this is our pick.
VST Shakti: maximum diesel power
The VST Shakti 13HP diesel cutter at around ₹1,30,000 is the top of our range. It is water cooled, which matters when the machine cuts for hours without a break, and it combines diesel running costs with 13HP output. The trade-offs are the highest purchase price in the category and the extra weight of a water cooled diesel. Buy it for highway and heavy infrastructure work, not for occasional cutting.
Comparison table: engine brands in our range
| Machine | Engine | Fuel | Starting price (approx.) | Strength | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5HP Greaves | Greaves 5HP | Diesel | ₹55,000 | Lowest entry price | Entry level power |
| Husqvarna 13HP | Husqvarna | Petrol | ₹65,000 | Best value 13HP | Thinner service network |
| Honda GX390 13HP | Honda GX390 | Petrol | ₹75,000 | Proven reliability, service everywhere | Petrol running cost |
| 10HP Greaves Gujarat body | Greaves 10HP | Diesel | ₹95,000 | Daily workhorse, cheap to run | Rope start (electric start ₹1,15,000) |
| VST Shakti 13HP | VST Shakti | Diesel | ₹1,30,000 | Water cooled, sustained heavy cutting | Highest price, heaviest |
Does the engine brand change how the machine cuts?
Less than most buyers expect. Cutting depth, blade capacity and the wet cutting system are close to identical across the range, so a Husqvarna machine does not cut deeper than a Greaves. What the engine decides is everything around the cut: how easily the machine starts on a cold morning, what each hour of running costs in fuel, how far the nearest mechanic is, and how long the machine keeps its value. Judge the brands on those points, not on the cut itself.
Which brand should you buy?
- Occasional cutting, lowest budget: 5HP Greaves diesel at around ₹55,000.
- Best all-round petrol: Honda GX390 if service access matters, Husqvarna if price matters.
- Daily road contractor: 10HP Greaves Gujarat body; add electric start if you can.
- Heavy infrastructure, long cutting hours: VST Shakti 13HP water cooled diesel.
Prices are indicative and change with stock, so contact HMS for a current quote. The fuel question is covered in more depth in diesel vs petrol concrete cutter, and blade selection in our concrete cutting blade guide.
