hedge trimmer advice!

wallofbeans

Hi All,

I've got to trim a hedge (probably 1.4m high and wide and a metre deep at most) in my back garden and don't quite know what hedge trimmer to buy. I know I'll get a corded one as most seem to have a 10 metre cord, which is plenty. But I'm not sure if I can get away with the cheapest 45cm ones or if I need something sturdier! I've had a google but can't seem to find an answer - any advice welcome!

Jonboy_1984

I bought a £20 corded one from Aldi or Lidl around a decade ago, to have a go at a 8m long by 2m high x 1m deep hedge twice a year and it’s still going fine.

daivid

A good corded one looked after should last decades, so if you are expecting to be cutting for many years to come buy something good - it will be worth it in the long run. I cannot advise on hedge trimmers as I'm still persevering with shears (this might be the year I go electric…) but have found bosch and makita tools to be well worth their money and will probably look at those options for a hedge trimmer in the near future.

wallofbeans

Jonboy_1984 said:

I bought a £20 corded one from Aldi or Lidl around a decade ago, to have a go at a 8m long by 2m high x 1m deep hedge twice a year and it’s still going fine.

Thanks - that's good to know! How long is the blade on it? That seems to be a thing to be aware of; do I get the basic 45cm length or something longer with wider gaps between cutting bits?

wallofbeans

daivid said:

A good corded one looked after should last decades, so if you are expecting to be cutting for many years to come buy something good - it will be worth it in the long run. I cannot advise on hedge trimmers as I'm still persevering with shears (this might be the year I go electric…) but have found bosch and makita tools to be well worth their money and will probably look at those options for a hedge trimmer in the near future.

I was planning on going with a good reviews for something solid. There is a 45cm Bosch one that's a reasonable price and looks like it will last. The issue is if the standard size will do the job, or will I be wishing I'd got a bigger one shortly after...

Eldi_Dos

A battery or electric trimmer will last a few years or maybe a couple of decades but a mid range set of shears will last a lifetime if looked after.Flat file and a bit of 3 in 1 are all you need.

With that height and length you would have half it done by the time you ran extension lead and unravelled trimmer lead, plus with shears you can do the work if ground and hedge are damp, in the morning or in shady area.

danrv

I have a Bosch PHS46 G still going strong after 25+ years. Standard 45cm size. Never felt that I need a longer blade even for large/tall hedges. 

daveyjp

OP have a look see if you have a 'library of things' locally.

For a few quid they will rent you a hedge trimmer for a week and it may be better kit than you would want to buy.

ka7e

I've got a cheap Aldi one and it's fine on a similar-sized hedge (privet). I think a bigger one would have been too heavy and unwieldy for me. I am left-handed and shears don't work for me - I'm continually forcing the blades apart!

Jonboy_1984

wallofbeans said:

Jonboy_1984 said:

I bought a £20 corded one from Aldi or Lidl around a decade ago, to have a go at a 8m long by 2m high x 1m deep hedge twice a year and it’s still going fine.

Thanks - that's good to know! How long is the blade on it? That seems to be a thing to be aware of; do I get the basic 45cm length or something longer with wider gaps between cutting bits?

Just a standard 45cm.

Soot2006

Given the affordability of battery trimmers these days, I wouldn't go back to a corded one. The freedom of movement without a cable is very useful + I find I keep on top of it more, as it's less of a faff.