Trimming hedges, especially those that have grown taller than you can reach, is a tedious task to do by hand. Doing the job using only shears and a ladder can be a hassle because you have to cut with accuracy to shape or trim the hedge, often while balancing yourself at the ladder.
If you’re still trying to keep your hedges and bushes trimmed using shears, you may be better off investing in a hedge trimmer to save you time.
Shears alone does not ensure consistent cuts because it is heavy and can be difficult to use depending on how adept you are at landscaping – especially if you have stretches of border hedges to trim.
What Are Hedge Trimmers and How Do They Work?
Hedge trimmers are incredibly useful power tools that can cut excess leaves and small branches with ease with one pass of its blade across the hedge’s surface. They are similar in appearance to a chainsaw in that they have a bar that you sweep across the hedge using a saw grip, often with two hands.
Hedge trimmers are very convenient for extensive gardening and landscaping. Unlike your typical shears that require a lot of tedious physical labor and several passes to get a clean, even cut on an overgrown hedge, you can get the job done much quicker with a hedge trimmer, and with a professional-looking result to boot.
As a power tool, the hedge trimmer is incredibly simple in its user - all the user needs to do is turn on the motor, aim its blades and slowly drag the bar and its blades along the desired direction and angle.
Because of its perks, hedge trimmers is a must have for every homeowner who loves gardening. Even more so for professionals who work in landscaping, design, and gardening – no other power tool can turn an overgrown yard into a neat, crisp piece of landscaping like a hedge trimmer.
What Are The Main Types of Hedge Trimmers You Can Choose From?
There are three types of hedge trimmers that are available in the market, in terms of the way they are powered. Like most types of power outdoor tools, there are the gas powered, electric powered and cordless hedge trimmers for you to choose from.
Each of these variants has its own perks and cons when it comes to their features and design. Their perks often vary depending on your experience with power tools and the extent of your yard – especially the type and size of hedges you will be using the hedge trimmer on.
Aside from the power type, hedge trimmers also come in the single blade and double blade varieties as well.
If you are still not decided on the type of hedge trimmer that will be ideal for you, there are some hardware stores that offer power tool rentals. You can rent a hedge trimmer for a week or so, and use it for the interval to get familiar with its features, to orient yourself on how does it work and to determine whether you really need a hedge trimmer for your home or not.
Gas Powered Hedge Trimmers
Gas powered hedge trimmers are well regarded for their superior performance when it comes to cutting speed and power. Gas powered hedge trimmer have the most powerful motor you can get for a trimmer, which means that it can cut into thick bushes and hedges faster.
Being gas powered, however, comes with the downsides you might expect - this type of hedge trimmer is noisy when being used, and is also very heavy because of its motor weight and fuel tank. Plus, there’s the issue of emissions, too.
On the other hand, since it is gas powered, the user does not have to worry about staying within range of a power outlet while working since this hedge trimmer can work anywhere as long as there’s gas in the tank, which makes gas powered hedge trimmers ideal for working in large yards, or places where power outlets are few and far between such as parks and public gardens.
Features to Look For In Gas Powered Hedge Trimmers:
- Easy start features such as spring assisted pull start system.
- Vibration eliminating features for the comfort for the user and stability when cutting.
- Large see-through fuel tank longer running times between refills, and an estimate of the remaining fuel.
- More economic fuel consumption for longer running times.
- 4 stroke engines are generally more convenient in terms of refills. Unlike 2 stroke engines which require a refill of the proper oil and fuel mix of the correct proportions, a 4-stroke engine will work with just plain gas in the tank, as long as the oil level is sufficient.
- Self-cleaning features for less time spent on maintenance.
- Automatic brakes can stop the blades in an instant as soon as the trimmer is turned off.
Electric Hedge Trimmers
Electric corded hedge trimmers are usually lighter and cheaper to own compared to the other types of hedge trimmers. A steady supply offers the user of the hedge trimmer an unlimited running time, as long as they are within range of a power outlet, and do not exceed the recommended length of cord given by the manufacturer.
Unlike other types of hedge trimmers, there’s no need for refills or charging. Plus, corded electric hedge trimmers run quieter and are emissions free, too, for those of you out there that are interested in those aspects.
Features to Look For In Corded Electric Hedge Trimmers
- Longer and thick power cords for much longer working coverage without having to resort to extension cords.
- Powerful electric motors at 4-amps or more for efficient cutting capability.
- Vibration control features for user comfort and added stability.
- Compact and smart body design for added maneuverability when being used, as well as for extra portability that can help the user in cutting different angles with ease, especially for higher hedges.
- Instant start features.
Cordless Hedge Trimmers
Cordless hedge trimmers are also known as battery operated hedge trimmers. As this type of electric hedge trimmer is powered by batteries, they are a lot more portable and can be used over a larger yard compared to the corded variety.
The cordless hedge trimmers are also some of the newer models being introduced to the market, and they can be much more expensive compared to the regular corded hedge trimmer.
The main drawback, of course, is the unwelcome downtime of having to wait for the batteries to charge up. Getting a unit with an extra battery can help with that, just like with most other types of cordless power tools. I would recommend using 4.0 Ah (minimum) batteries with cordless hedge trimmers.
Features to Look For In Cordless Hedge Trimmers:
- Large battery capacity and estimated running time, enough to do your yard or at least a big part of it before having to stop to recharge or replacing batteries.
- Fast charging features for built in battery models for lesser time spent on charging.
- Battery compatibility on different brands and variants in case of the need in replacing battery (exclusive for models whose battery are not built in).
- Low vibration features for stable cutting and comfort for the user.
- Comfortable grip such as rubber grips for comfort when being held. This could also help in eliminating hand fatigue when the hedge trimmer is being used for a long time.
Single Sided vs Double Sided Hedge Trimmers
The above three types of hedge trimmers can also come in either single sided or double sided varieties. Just like the names suggest, the difference between these two variants is which sides have trimmer blades running alongside them.
Single Sided Hedge Trimmers
Single sided hedge trimmers excel at cutting down thick branches, thicker hedges and similar tasks that require a bit of power. Single sided hedge trimmers are also relatively easy to use and simpler to operate – you just have one side to watch out for.
The user can make cuts along a single direction which makes it easier to do selective trims of hedges with thick branches, plus this variant is usually cheaper compared to double sided trimmers, as well.
Double Sided Hedge Trimmers
Double sided hedge trimmers, on the other hand, are more versatile from when it comes to shaping hedges. The double sided blade lets the user do back and forth passes, which can work better for making flat tops and sides for box hedges or sculpting complex shapes.
The Things To Consider When Buying Hedge Trimmers
Hedge trimmers are specialized tools that can only do one job: trim hedges. The best hedge trimmer for you is one that helps you do this one task efficiently and comfortably, with perhaps one or two extra features that can be useful for you.
Blade Length and Spacing
Just like chain saws, hedge trimmers also come in a variety of lengths. Longer blades can make it easier to make straight, even, flat hedges with fewer passes – they can also prove to be unwieldy if you’re working in a narrow yard. Shorter blades, on the other hand, can be easier to use especially if you are shaping a hedge into a certain shape.
Most yards with typical hedges can be maintained with an 18-inch hedge trimmer. For wider, more open yards that feature lots of flat, straight hedges, a longer blade (around 20 inches or so) might work better, especially in the hands of an experienced landscaper.
Hedge trimmers designed for home use will usually feature single sided blades, which are simpler and safer for the beginner to use. They also typically come with smaller blade haps, around 3/4 to 3/8 of an inch in between, which lets them do more even cuts at the expense of ripping power.
Hedge trimmers designed for landscaping businesses are usually served better by a double sided blade with larger gaps between the blade.
Power and Battery Capacity
In terms of sheer motor power, gas powered hedge trimmers still hold an advantage over electric models, although the gap is continuously shrinking over the past few years. Electric models now perform similarly to most gas powered models in all but the toughest of trimming conditions, and cordless models generally lag behind a bit.
Although cordless trimmer models try to achieve a balance between running time and power, many cordless hedge trimmers these days begin to approach the corded and even the gas powered models in terms of performance. Given the current state of batteries, you can expect around 20 minutes or more from a fully charged battery, with charging times of up to an hour or more.
Weight and Comfort
A hedge trimmer is made to be lifted and guided by the operator, and since there is no surface to rest the tool on while in use, the weight of the hedge trimmer is an important consideration. Keep in mind that much of the weight of a trimmer is that of the motor, so a heavier model might actually be better if it has enough power to get the trimming job done faster.
Hedge trimmers run the trimmer blades at a high speed, and vibrations can’t be avoided, especially for the gas powered models. That said, a properly padded grip will let you use the tool all day in comfort, especially if it has two handles and a lock switch that lets you take the hand off the trigger.
Noise
Hedge trimmers, even the electric ones, make a lot of noise. Even a relatively efficient cordless hedge trimmer will put out noise of around 90dBA, enough to cause some hearing difficulties if you are exposed to it all day – the same as your typical gas powered lawn mower, and enough to require hearing protection.
When it comes to gas powered hedge trimmers, the noise issue is even more significant. A gas hedge trimmer outputs noise from around 97 to 103 dBA, and they can get really loud indeed.
When shopping for a hedge trimmer, consider getting one with some noise dampening features. In any case, hearing protection is a must-have, especially if you see yourself using the tool regularly.
