Hedge Trimmers

Hedges are fast-growing and need to be regularly trimmed. Choosing the right hedge trimmer will depend on the size and density of hedge and the distance from a power source. There are three types of powered trimmer:

Corded hedge trimmer

Run off mains electric and are fairly light and easy to use, but you must keep the cable away from the blade.

Cordless hedge trimmer

Run off a re-chargeable battery, cordless hedge trimmers are lightweight and quiet. Best suited to smaller or lighter hedges.

Petrol hedge trimmer

Petrol hedge trimmers are ideal if you have large dense hedges far from a power source. They are larger and heavier than corded or cordless, but more powerful.

Features explained

Power

• Corded - measured in wattage. A higher wattage means more power and better performance.
• Cordless - measured in voltage. Lithium ion batteries (LI-ION) charge quicker than nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and hold charge for longer.
• Petrol - measured in cubic centimetres (cc). The larger the cc, the greater the power output.

Cutting edge

• Hedge trimmers have two blades that use a rapid back and forth motion to cut and are either;
• Single-action - top blade moves against a stationary bottom blade or
• Dual-action - both top and bottom blades move against each other, making cutting more efficient and reducing vibration.

Blade length

The longer the blade on the hedge trimmer, the more you cut with each sweep. For most gardeners, a blade between 40-60cm is suitable.

Tooth gap
The wider the gap between the teeth on the blades, the larger the branches it can cut and the more quickly the hedge trimmer will cut small branches.