Hedges and shrubs are a green decoration of any house, but without proper care, they quickly lose their attractiveness. A cordless hedge trimmer is the best way to keep your hedges looking attractive.
Most hedge trimmer models have a double-action blade that increases their efficiency, which helps them cut through thick branches and sticks.
And having a rechargeable battery lets you move freely around your garden.
The following comparison presents 5 cordless hedge trimmers in detail, informs about the features of the devices. The following guide informs about the plus points of a cordless hedge trimmer compared to a corded electric hedge trimmer or a gasoline hedge trimmer and gives practical tips for hedge care. A buying guide is intended to make it easier for garden owners to buy the right cordless hedge trimmer with important buying criteria. So, what is a cordless hedge trimmer?
Battery hedge trimmer for Homeowners
A cordless hedge trimmer is a cordless electric hedge trimmer. It is equipped with an electric motor, which in most cases is powered by only one battery. In rare cases, two batteries are required to operate the cordless hedge trimmer.
Most cordless hedge trimmers require a battery with a voltage of 18 volts.
The cordless hedge trimmer consists of a housing in which the motor is located and in which the battery is inserted. On the housing, there is at least a handle and the blade with the knife. Between the handle and the blade are usually mounted a handguard.
The Best Cordless Trimmer For Hedge
BLACK+DECKER Cordless Hedge Trimmer
4,9 Rating
Features:
- 40V max lithium-ion battery.
- 24-inch dual-action blade.
- 2400 cutting strokes per minute.
Able to cut up to twice the amount of branches without stalling, and the 24-inch dual-action blades produce less vibration while trimming compared to single-action blade models. It’s enough to cut through branches up to 3/4-inch thick. It features a full wrap-around front handle that provides a comfortable gripping area in all cutting orientations (and is large enough to accommodate gloves), a soft rubber grip, and a built-in cord retention system to avoid accidental unplugging.
BLACK+DECKER Cordless Hedge Trimmer – How does it work?
How to Choose Battery Hedge Trimmers?
Buyer’s Guide for the Hedge Trimmers with Battery
This review and guide provide information on some best cordless hedge trimmers you can find.
There are quite a few manufacturers of cordless hedge trimmers on the market, and the prices vary greatly. From a pure price point of view, the type of cordless hedge trimmers can be priced from $130 to $193.
Best Cordless Hedge Trimmers for your Garden
Battery-Operated Trimmers In Comparison
All our reviews are based exclusively on expert judgments or practical experience with most of the cordless hedge trimmers we have tested. We strive to make our guide as independent and as detailed as possible.
Best Lightweight Battery Hedge Trimmer
WORX Power Share Cordless Hedge Trimmer
- Powered by two 20V Max Lithium Power Share batteries.
- 2200 strokes/min.
- Less than 10 lbs.
4,9 Rating
Double-action blades
Powered by two 20V Max Power Share batteries for 40V of total power and performance. The Head rotates 180°, so you can trim the tops and sides of hedges comfortably. 24” is our longest hedge trimmer, giving you the flattest, longest hedge tops. Stamped-hardened, dual-action cutting blades slice through hedges like butter. ¾” large cutting diameter expertly designed to cut thick twigs and branches. Full wrap front handle for ease of top and side cutting.
Best Cordless Hedge Trimmer with Rotating Handle
Ryobi Cordless Battery Hedge Trimmer
- 24″ dual-action blades for reduced vibration
- Hedge sweep debris remover clears clippings while you trim.
- Rotating handle for trimming at all angles.
4,8 Rating
Trimming at different angles
With a cutting speed of 3200 strokes per minute, the RYOBI 40V 24 in. Cordless Hedge Trimmer delivers GAS-LIKE POWER and longer run time than a gas hedge trimmer. The dual action steel blades offer an aggressive 1 in. cutting capacity, all while reducing unsafe vibration. Other features include a rotating rear handle for precision cutting at any angle, along with a wrap-around front handle for ultimate control.
Best Powerful Cordless Hedge Trimmer
CRAFTSMAN Cordless Hedge Trimmer
- 24 inches Laser Cut Blades.
- Cut up to 1 1/2 inches thick branches.
- Maximum maneuverability.
4,8 Rating
High battery capacity
V60 Cordless 24-In. Hedge Trimmer Kit features a powerful motor and is equipped with a 2.5Ah battery allowing you to Power Through Yard work. The hedge trimmer is fueled by a high capacity 2. 5AH lithium-ion battery, and compatibility across other V60 CRAFTSMAN tools.
Best Budget Battery Hedge Trimmer
PowerSmart Cordless Hedge Trimmer
- 180° Rotating Handle.
- 22″ Dual-Action Hardened Steel Blade.
- No Load Speed – 3000RPM.
4,6 Rating
Double Safety Switch
This electric hedge trimmer is equipped with a 20V 2AH lithium-ion battery that can provide power and running time for most fine-tuning tasks, and can be used continuously for 30 minutes. Considering safety protection as the most priority of garden tools, these newest hedge clippers have a double-switch design to protect your hands and people around the tool.
What are the Types of Cordless Hedge Trimmers?
A well-trimmed hedge not only ensures that you have plenty of shade, but you can also keep yourself safe from prying eyes and easily delineate an area.
There are several types of cordless hedge trimmers:
- Cordless hedge trimmers
A battery-powered hedge trimmer offers the advantage of cordless use. There are also electric hedge trimmers.
Especially compared to gasoline-powered models, they are quite quiet and don’t cause annoying exhaust fumes. If you use such a model, you do not always need to pay attention to the gasoline charge. Nevertheless, a fully charged battery is a prerequisite for working with the device in the garden for a few minutes. Therefore, depending on the size and design of your hedge, you should pay attention to the equipment of the hedge trimmer, which refers primarily to the battery used, its capacity, and charging time.
Overall, a battery-powered hedge trimmer has many advantages and is probably the model that most gardening enthusiasts should use on a certain budget.
- Gasoline hedge trimmers
In addition to battery-powered hedge trimmers, gasoline-powered garden tools are also available. These gasoline-powered hedge trimmers are often very powerful, but they are also quite loud and available at a higher price point. So if you place a high value on maximum performance and efficiency, you can’t avoid a gasoline-powered hedge trimmer.
You should also expect more weight, especially compared to electric models. If you also fill up your gasoline hedge trimmer with enough fuel, you’ll always be especially flexible and able to work long distances, as well as be able to work optimally with large hedges and multiple hedges.
- Wire Hedge Trimmers
Wire hedge trimmers are the cheapest models when you compare all the common types of drives for these garden tools. Since these models don’t have a battery either, they’ve gotten a little lighter again.
Nevertheless, you should of course always make sure that you have a standard power cable. Therefore, you should always keep an eye on this cable to ensure maximum safety.
Of course, it is also a good idea to use extension cords to increase the range. However, in terms of performance, you should keep in mind that you are behind compared to gasoline-powered versions.
How does a cordless hedge trimmer work?
The principle of operation of the battery hedge trimmer does not differ from that of any other motorized hedge trimmer. The differences between an electric hedge trimmer, a gasoline-powered hedge trimmer, and a cordless hedge trimmer lie solely in the motorization and drive.
In terms of function, the motor-driven hedge trimmers resemble a beam mower. The cutting blade consists of two superimposed parts with blades on one or both sides. They move in opposite directions so that the sharply ground blades cut branches, twigs, and leaves that get between the blades.
Single-edge hedge trimmers have blades on only one side of the blade. They are suitable for cutting straight areas and provide a good cutting result/quality of cut here. Most cordless hedge trimmers cut on both sides. On both sides of the blade are the sharp knives and the double-sided blade provides more flexibility in shaping the hedge.
What should you look for when buying the cordless hedge trimmer?
You may be wondering which hedge trimmer drive is best for you. Basically, it depends primarily on your preferences for use in the garden. The same goes for the size and number of hedges you have to work on.
When buying should pay attention to the following:
- Price
For smaller hedges where you only need to provide a classic shape cut, you can rely on a corded electric model, which is already available at a low price.
- Cordless hedge trimmers
With hedge fronts and lots of hedges to work on, cordless hedge trimmers may be a better fit for you. Especially if you place a high value on the environment and want to navigate wirelessly, this will be a great option.
- Telescopic arm
Of course, always pay attention to the height of the hedge and the telescoping arm that the garden tool should be equipped with. This is especially true for hedges that have grown more than 9.8ft.
What are the advantages of cordless hedge trimmer?
The cordless hedge trimmer comes with many advantages. The biggest advantage lies in its drive. The cordless drive makes it flexible and can be used anywhere. However, compared to the corded electric hedge trimmers and the gasoline-powered hedge trimmers, they also have some disadvantages.
Battery hedge trimmers
Hedge trimmers with rechargeable batteries offer the advantage of cordless use. They can be used flexibly even for angled parts of the garden or on properties without electricity. They are often lightweight and easy to handle. Compared to models equipped with a gasoline engine, cordless hedge trimmers are quiet and work in an environmentally friendly way without exhaust fumes. They are easy to clean and require little maintenance. However, the battery limits the working time. In terms of engine power, they can not compete with powerful gasoline devices.
A second battery can compensate for a major disadvantage of battery-powered hedge trimmers. If the battery is empty, nothing works with the battery hedge trimmer, regardless of whether the hedge is finished cutting or not. In the best case, it means waiting an hour until the work can be continued, but often it takes longer until the battery is ready for use again.
A second battery solves the problem because if one battery is empty, the replacement battery can be used.
This doubles the run time and most hedge maintenance jobs can be completed as planned.
Gasoline hedge trimmers
Gasoline hedge trimmers are very powerful, flexible, and mobile, but often quite a bit heavier and more cumbersome than the smaller cordless hedge trimmers. Gasoline-powered hedge trimmers are noisy, they produce exhaust fumes, and they require much more maintenance than hedge trimmers with electric motors.
Corded electric hedge trimmers
Corded hedge trimmers are the most affordable devices in comparison. They are lighter and easier to handle than gasoline hedge trimmers, and since they don’t have a battery, they are often lighter than battery-powered units. They are easy to clean and require little maintenance, are quiet and environmentally friendly. Working time is not limited by the battery or the fuel in the tank.
The biggest disadvantage: the cord. It restricts freedom of movement and requires a power connection within reach. Likewise, it is very prone to accidents and is not infrequently cut in the tangle of twigs, leaves, and branches.
The advantages and disadvantages of the cordless hedge trimmer
Advantages:
- Cordless and can be used without a power connection
- Flexible
- Mostly light and handy
- Easy to clean and low maintenance
- Environmentally friendly
- Quiet
Disadvantages:
- Less powerful than gasoline hedge trimmers
- Working time limited by the battery
Is the cordless hedge trimmer better than a gasoline-powered or corded hedge trimmer?
The hedge trimmer must fit the hedge and the intended use. Therefore, it is not possible to make a blanket statement that the cordless hedge trimmer is the better hedge trimmer.
If there are many smaller hedges and shrubs to be trimmed and if there is a power connection within reach, a corded electric hedge trimmer can do a good job, even if the handling is a bit more difficult.
On the other hand, the working time is not limited by the battery life. Those who need to maintain a large hedge with thicker branches and twigs may be better served by a powerful gasoline hedge trimmer.
Battery hedge trimmers are good for small to medium-sized hedges, and particularly powerful models can handle large hedges. However, there should not be so much hedge area to maintain that the work takes the whole day, because then even the strongest battery breaks down and the work rests until the battery is recharged.
How to take care of a hedge?
Taking care of a hedge is very easy if you follow a few tips and tricks. In this way, you will get particularly accurate results and ensure good care overall.
- Treat your hedges as early as February
If you choose the earliest pruning date of the year, hedge shoots will tolerate pruning best. This has the advantage that you will get great growth until May and you can take extra care of your hedge until this time of year. Also, keep in mind that the breeding season for birds has not yet begun in February. In that regard, you won’t be destroying nests if you start trimming hedges in February.
- Trim the hedge a second time in June
We recommend June as the second date to trim your hedges. Make sure that a third of the annual growth is left. It’s also important not to prune your hedges too much. In the remaining months, you can schedule small cuts to get accurate results, and then return to pruning the hedge to the desired height in February of the following year.
- Trim the hedge straight
Especially amateur gardeners who haven’t had good experience trimming hedges often can’t simply trim them. To do this, it is recommended that you cut a separate guideline and use two sticks that you insert into the ground. You can also stretch the cord to the proper height and thus provide a free hand-cut with the hedge trimmer, allowing for straight cutting results. Always work with your hands and stand straight, with all movements behind your back. It’s important to always check your current trimming so that you end up benefiting from straight hedge trimming.
- Here’s how you cover holes and gaps in the hedge
The overall appearance of a hedge is not positive if there are visible gaps. However, the defects in question can easily be corrected. If it is a deciduous or coniferous hedge, you can close them by providing sufficient openness. To do this, it is advisable to remove branches from neighboring trees which can cast a large shadow over your garden hedge. Check the development of the hedge and take
Battery-powered Hedge Trimmers Price
Battery-powered Hedge Trimmers Under $200:
- Worx Power Share 24″ Cordless Hedge Trimmer
- CRAFTSMAN Cordless Hedge Trimmer
Battery-powered Hedge Trimmers Under $170:
- RYOBI Cordless Battery Hedge Trimmer with 2.0 Ah Battery and Charger
Battery-powered Hedge Trimmers Under $150:
- BLACK+DECKER MAX Cordless Hedge Trimmer
Conclusions
Trimmers for hedge will make working in your garden a lot easier. Cordless hedge trimmers are incredibly efficient and worth the money if you choose the right model for you.
Cordless hedge trimmers, which can be used flexibly and without cables, are easy to operate and inexpensive. Hedge cutters need to be sharpened periodically, this is after about 50 hours of tool use. If there are obvious signs of wear or reduced performance, you can do it sooner.
Trimmer cordless for a hedge is recommended for optimal performance on tall hedges. To keep the hedge in shape you can use such a device up to twice a year on average. This will keep your garden looking well-groomed without much effort.
FAQs- Cordless Hedge Trimmers
✅ Which is better: corded or cordless hedge trimmer?
Cordless and corded hedge trimmers do the same job, the only difference being the power source between the two tools.
Cordless hedge trimmers are more popular because you don’t have to worry about the long cord getting caught in trees or bushes. They are also the perfect choice for larger areas.
The main advantage of corded hedge trimmers is that you have a constant power source, and you don’t have to worry about running out of battery power in the middle of pruning.
✅ Can a hedge trimmer cut through branches?
Most hedge trimmers have a tooth gap of about an inch, which means you can cut through branches and sticks an inch thick or less with no problem. The more effort your hedge trimmer takes to cut a branch, the more your hedge trimmer’s battery drains. If you have a lot of branches to cut, though, it’s a good idea to buy a chainsaw instead, or buy a brush cutter with an electric saw on the end of the tool.
✅ Can I use a chainsaw as a brush cutter?
Yes, of course. You can use a chainsaw as a hedge trimmer, but it is not the most effective alternative. Chainsaws are generally less accurate when it comes to pruning or shaping hedges, and won’t cut through small branches. And that means the job will take you longer and will be more tedious.
