Cutting performance is always an important direction in coal research, and it is related to different structural and working parameters. However, most references tend to judge the effectiveness of optimizations with a mean value method while not taking the randomness of load into consideration. Based on this, the paper provides a method to judge the effectiveness of optimizations based on stochastic load fluctuations. Before providing the method, the shearer drum is established, and cutting performance is studied under a different number of conical picks, mounting angles, and cutting positions. To make judgments of optimization effectiveness, we find that only when the "fluctuation by structure" is larger than "fluctuation by randomness" can we make sure that the optimization is valid. Results indicate that the optimization of cutting position variations on cutting performance is invalid. In addition, the order of impact on cutting performance from strong to weak is the number of conical picks, the mounting angles, and cutting positions. The present paper provides a new idea for judging of the effectiveness of structure optimizations from the perspective of load randomness, and it is conductive to enrich related research on coal cutting.