As part of the landscaping, hedges can form boundaries, provide privacy, and enhance curb appeal. A well-groomed hedge will look its best, but it must first be groomed.
The use of power hedge trimmers makes this task much easier. By using the best hedge trimmers, you can shape and otherwise control the growth of plants in your yard.
A cordless hedge trimmer allows you to prune, trim, and shape your bushes without restriction, no matter if you’re a professional landscaper or just want to give the bushes in your backyard a more manicured look.
Several hedge trimmers from leading brands were evaluated for their battery life, effectiveness, and ease of use.
The following are the top five cordless hedge trimmers.
| Products | Price |
|---|---|
| DEWALT DCHT820B Hedge Trimmer | |
| WORX WG261 20V Power Share 22″ | |
| BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX Cordless Hedge Trimmer | |
| Sun Joe SJH902E 21-in 4-Amp Multi-Angle | |
| Makita XHU02M1 18V LXT® Lithium-Ion |
1. DEWALT DCHT820B Hedge Trimmer
Power and durability come together in the DEWALT Cordless Hedge Trimmer, while the lightweight design makes it easily maneuverable for most users.
It is equipped with a double-sided 22-inch blade that can cut branches up to 34-inches thick and is powered by a 5.0Ah lithium-ion battery. Furthermore, it has pre-hardened hook-teeth blades that allow you to use it for a longer period of time before needing to be maintained.
Weighing just 7.5 pounds, the DEWALT Trimmer delivers up to 2,800 cut strokes per minute. The tool has anti-vibration technology to make it easy to use, and you can purchase it with or without the battery and charger if you already own a DEWALT battery that works with it.
2. WORX WG261 20V Power Share 22″
If you need to manage the biggest home landscaping projects without blowing your budget, this cordless hedge trimmer is the answer.
In addition to its lightweight design and 22-inch dual-action blade, the WORX WG261 Cordless Hedge Trimmer features a D-shape handle, which makes it easy to direct the blades to shrubs’ sides and tops.
A large grip handle provides the leverage needed to reach any place, hedge, or shrub, from any angle. You can finish it in a matter of seconds, easy as a game, with a 2,600 spm speed.
Vibrations are reduced by the overmold construction in the grips, which also improves user comfort. Thanks to WORX PowerShare technology, the 20-volt lithium-ion battery can be used interchangeably with most 20- and 40-volt WORX cordless tools.
In just a few hours you can be back up and running with the high-efficiency charging station. Having no battery indicator might be an inconvenience, but overall, it doesn’t affect the performance.
Additionally, WORX offers a 3-year limited warranty, so you are covered if something goes wrong.
3. BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX Cordless Hedge Trimmer
Using dual-action blades, the BLACK+DECKER LHT2436 hedge trimmer measures 24 inches long. Therefore, you will be able to trim your hedges in half the time it takes you to trim them using a single-action blade hedge trimmer.
Most overgrown branches should fit easily through the 34″ teeth gaps, and this makes it an ideal trimmer for bushes and hedges of all kinds.
Equipped with a 40V lithium-ion battery, it can trim hedges up to 6,000 square feet when fully charged. Moreover, a fast charger is included, which will fully charge the device within an hour.
This hedge trimmer is equipped with Black & Decker’s Power Drive transmission mechanism, which delivers powerful and swift cuts. It gets more branches cut with the dual-action system, saving you a great deal of time.
Soft rubber grips provide a secure way to handle the hedge trimmer while providing a secure grip on the wraparound front handle. It is also light, even when it is powered on, and you can use it for long periods at a time without being bothered by its weight.
The company provides a 3-year warranty on this model, so you can rest assured that they will take care of any technical issues that may arise.
4. Sun Joe SJH902E 21-in 4-Amp Multi-Angle
Try this telescoping hedge trimmer from Sun Joe for trimming high-up and out-of-the-way branches. Moreover, the head of the trimmer pivots so that it can be adjusted to trim under or above tall hedges and bushes.
It comes with an extendable arm that can reach up to 13 feet. Power hedge trimmers weigh about 9 pounds, so they are heavy for some people, but they are still lighter than most gas trimmers.
Using a dual-sided, 21-inch blade made of hardened steel, the Sun Joe can prune branches as thick as 34.5 inches. The electric trimmer is powered by an electric motor with four amps, and it uses an extension cord to power it, which means users may be limited in the range of the cord, but they won’t need to worry about running out of gas or battery power.
5. Makita XHU02M1 18V LXT® Lithium-Ion
Using the low-power setting, this hedge trimmer runs for up to 120 minutes on a small 18-volt lithium-ion battery.
This hedge trimmer is equipped with a low-battery warning system that turns off the motor when the battery is low and activates an indicator light. A full charge of the battery takes about 40 minutes on the included charger, allowing you to return to work.
Designed for use in residential gardens where shrubs, bushes, ferns, and hedges are small to average in size, this electric hedge trimmer delivers clean, lasting power to the 22-inch cutting blade.
A padded front handle and five cushions within the motor housing reduce muscle strain and fatigue. The device weighs only 7.4 pounds and has an anti-vibration design.
Things to Consider Before Buying
Depending on which tool you use, trimming hedges can be a frustrating task. It’s always a plus if something reduces the time it takes to complete. However, no two battery-operated trimmers are the same, and some can be quite different from one another.
There are several aspects to consider when looking for one, but since the above section reviewed such a variety and range of sizes, it is important to mention the basics.
This guide will help you narrow down your choices. So you’re less likely to experience dissatisfaction or returns.
Knowing your hedges
It is a good idea to check your bushes before using one of the trimmers reviewed to work on your own landscaping.
In order to choose the right hedge trimmer, consider the hedge’s thickness, density, and length. They are not designed for thick vegetation and are mostly designed for light to moderate jobs.
As an example, a trimmer that’s built to handle only thin hedges could jam whenever you make any cuts. Unless the product is given time to cool down, jamming may cause the device to overheat quickly and malfunction.
On the other hand, you might need something durable that can cut through anything, regardless of thickness, on your front lawn. In this case, you will want to choose a trimmer with a powerful battery.
Battery
A wireless hedge trimmer’s most important component is its battery. A gas trimmer or power trimmer with the same amount of power would have been difficult to find in the past.
However, no longer. The power supplies shown in the above list come in a wide range of voltages, with some as low as 3.5 volts and others exceeding 40 volts.
Despite not always being the case, there is consensus that batteries with higher voltages have more power behind their cuts.
Moreover, charging time is another important factor. Depending on the battery strength, it can take anywhere from four to eight hours to fill the battery.
However, when full, you won’t have to worry about recharging for an entire day of trimming. You can only use a battery from one brand of product with another brand of product.
Those listed above (that have the same voltage) could be used with the newer one if you already have one. Even so, it’s recommended that you buy a hedge trimmer with a new battery anyway, in order to avoid mishaps.
Handling
You might feel fatigued if you’re new to using hedge trimmers, especially if you’re not used to yard work. Look for a hedge trimmer with a comfortable grip.
Getting gloves for the job is advisable, but trimmers with movable handles are a plus since they can be adjusted to fit the user’s desired reach.
Getting a perfect cut that isn’t irregular will be a huge benefit to anyone who will use the trimmers the most.
Having fewer stops from feeling tired means a faster job, so if you’ve had or anticipate having difficulties cutting your bushes with something hard to handle, look at the product’s handling.
Smaller Trimmers
Some areas of your hedges do not require the use of a large, bulky machine for trimming.
It’s just impossible to reach all parts of a lawn with the big tools, and having a nicely lined hedge inundated with unreachable areas (with the blades) can make the whole project appear awkward.
In this situation, small trimmers that are compatible with other cutting tools would suffice.
In addition, some of the products made specifically for such jobs include shears or scissors, so the hedge will look like a professional landscaping company did it themselves.
Please note that miniature trimmers should only be used when bigger equipment is not needed. You should skip this, as the tools aren’t capable of reaching hedges.
Hedge Thickness
The thickness of your shrubs should be a major consideration when choosing a hedge trimmer. In addition to discussing battery power and length, identifying the vegetation was also discussed. As a hedge age, it tends to grow thicker, so you’ll need more powerful tools to cut off the excess stems.
You should check the stems carefully before cutting blackberries or beech, paying attention to how big they are and whether or not the woody parts are more prominent than the leaves that cover them.
Light or moderate trimmers will work well if they are thin. Trimmers with wide teeth and rapid action are best suited to those with bigger shrubs or older yards that haven’t been cut in a while.
Battery vs. Wire Hedge Trimmers
When you’re actively trimming with a corded trimmer, one that needs to be plugged into an outlet to start, you already know what an inconvenience the cord can be. It gets old quickly having to drag it everywhere you want to work, and certain areas might even be out of reach.
A similar scenario is likely to occur if there are not enough extension cords to connect to the device. To avoid anything getting tangled, you have to roll everything back up again when you’re done to avoid tangles later on. All power is supplied by the battery of a battery-operated hedge trimmer.
Charge it a few hours before your job starts, so that you won’t run out of power while trimming. However, some wireless trimmers are always the most battery-efficient, so keep that in mind when you see one advertised as having a short battery life.
Inconveniences
Nothing is perfect, including mechanical devices. Wireless trimmers are no exception. There are exceptions to the flimsy construction often found on many brands. They must be handled carefully, as the plastic pieces can break easily if dropped.
Several models come with blade guards, but you must either buy them separately or have them sent to you by the manufacturer.
A major problem is the way batteries depreciate over time, especially lithium-ion batteries. One or two years of heavy use can cause a battery’s power capacity to drop to the point where it becomes nearly impossible to use the hedge trimmers you purchased at the same time.
It is likely that the trimmer will outlast it. The good news is that most tools can be powered with other batteries of the same brand and voltage, so finding a replacement is easy online and in home improvement stores.
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