Hedge/Bush trimmer? (LIDL)

Infidel

Hi. I see that LIDL start with their gardening equipment promotion tomorrow (Thursday 10th)

I'm actually after a "hedge trimmer" to trim some bushes and cut the top off a holy bush. I was wondering if the one they have is worth the money at £30

http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=26555

Or should I head to B&Q?

Or any other recommendations. Thanks.

DaftyDuck

I bought one of the even cheaper Aldi versions for £19:99 last year. I needed one in a hurry, my quite powerful petrol one was left at another house, and I had a hedge to trim in a hurry. It was only a small one, and I thought the cheap one would just about manage to do that. I was wrong. Well, in as much as it's still going strong, kept the hedge perfect while I was selling the house, trimmed a neighbour's bush (!) and various other choppy jobs. It's great.

I have had a couple of returns on Aldi gear, and I have always had an easy task of it, even down to a battery drill with a failed battery, where I had to call a (freephone) German number. Answered in German, then swiftly to impeccable English, and just sent out a second battery, no need to return the first.

I'd go for it, and expect it to be pretty good. However, before attacking that bush of yours, I would consult a Higher Authority to seek permission, or you might meet a sticky end....

Infidel

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I'd go for it, and expect it to be pretty good. However, before attacking that bush of yours, I would consult a Higher Authority to seek permission, or you might meet a sticky end....

Wha...????:eek: You mean Mother Nature?

Moving on swiftly.....When you're trimming, do you wear some kind of face protector? I wouldn't like to lose an eye.

Also, how do these things normally run? The Lidl one is electric - but there isn't any indication on whether it's battery powered or whether I'd need to get an extension cable to run it outside.

peter_the_piper

It depends if you want it to last a few years, if so go more expensive , if not worried then go for it. Is the Aldi one the same as the lidl one you linked to?

londonTiger

I bought some small purchases from these brands, things that I wouldn't really need parts for at a later date. I wouldn't buy a £80 circular saw or mitre saw from them though, you'll need parts for them and if you cant get them what do you do?

I'd much prefer to buy a branded item from screwfix which will have better after sales support.

Davesnave

londonTiger wrote: »

I bought some small purchases from these brands, things that I wouldn't really need parts for at a later date. I wouldn't buy a £80 circular saw or mitre saw from them though, you'll need parts for them and if you cant get them what do you do?

I'd much prefer to buy a branded item from screwfix which will have better after sales support.

A lot of the Lidl stuff, is made by Einhell, so there is a spares back up to the 3 year guarantee.

http://www.einhelltools.co.uk/cmspage.php?page_id=67

I've had no probs getting refunds from Lidl or Screwfix. The difference is, if it's Screwfix, the item may be still in stock. I have a Screwfix electric chain saw, which is doing fine, but the first one didn't oil the chain properly, so you can guess how long that lasted!

DaftyDuck

Infidel wrote: »

Wha...????:eek: You mean Mother Nature?

Nope, an even Higher Power might be after you if you

cut the top off a holy bush

It's a cable-to-mains one, not battery.

The Aldi one was similar, but 500W and I think 500mm. I do buy a lot of Aldi/Lidl junk, and it's nearly always fine. It is cheap, but gives value for money. You certainly can buy better... but it'll cost quite a bit more to do so.

londonTiger

Davesnave wrote: »

A lot of the Lidl stuff, is made by Einhell, so there is a spares back up to the 3 year guarantee.

http://www.einhelltools.co.uk/cmspage.php?page_id=67

I've had no probs getting refunds from Lidl or Screwfix. The difference is, if it's Screwfix, the item may be still in stock. I have a Screwfix electric chain saw, which is doing fine, but the first one didn't oil the chain properly, so you can guess how long that lasted!

tghe thing I dont get is, they just bring these DIY items in stock for a week and then sell a few and stop stocking them. I always consider them to be some sort of one hit promo so I get the impression they wont have a huge supply of parts.

It's a strange business model, and they're obviously not selling as many circular saws as say titan/screwfix so how can they keep supply of parts for them.

In the past I thought they were end of line clearance items or something.

Davesnave

londonTiger wrote: »

It's a strange business model, and they're obviously not selling as many circular saws as say titan/screwfix so how can they keep supply of parts for them.

In the past I thought they were end of line clearance items or something.

It's because they 'badge engineer' stuff. The basic models already exist, but they're just a different colour and maybe have other cosmetic changes.

Very often, the same models come around again a year later. I'm currently waiting for the log moisture meter and the chain saw sharpener (which is a re-badged Portek model.)

I've just remembered, my mother in law recently took a dead kettle back to Lidl a month after its guarantee had expired, and they still sent a replacement out from Germany! :rotfl:

pendragon_arther

I've got one and the Lidls trimmer has a long lead, but you may need an extension depending on how long your hedge is. It's a good piece of kit.

Infidel

And so it continues......I did buy one of the aforementioned Hedge trimmers from LIDL (Not ALDI)....and I've used it to trim off some bushes/trees. It's fair to say that even it if broke tomorrow (or even today) I've already done much more than a gardener would have charged more than a hundred for so in that respect it's already saved money.

Anyway.......like I said, the saga continues..........the Hol(l)y bush is indeed Holy....in fact it's a tree more than a bush these days as it's gotten so big. Basically the part I want to cut it at is quite a branch/trunk and it's at least 2 inches in diameter and so the hedge trimmer might not do the trick. So now I'm wondering if I should get a chainsaw (lower end of the market) or try a hacksaw (more work but a lot cheaper).

Anyway, I've been browsing B and Q and have seen a decent hacksaw for about a tenner and a chainsaw (electric) for just under £70.

Any advice and/or recommendations? Thanks again green fingered ones (and any wannabe Jason Vorhees's).