What is the Best Hedge Trimmer?
Hedges are a great addition to any garden and provide not only decoration but also security. They often define the border between your land and another’s, and depending upon the variety you have can grow very tall. Also, many species of the hedge may lie quietly dormant in the winter, but once spring comes around will start growing again at an alarming rate. This means you soon have an untidy hedge that needs trimming if it is to look neat, tidy, and attractive. Trimming a hedge can be a lot of work when done with traditional shears, so what’s the alternative?
Electric hedge trimmers are a very popular and affordable garden tool these days – you can get petrol-powered models, but they are less popular and more complex, as well as heavier – that is simple to use, effective and will save you a great deal of time and effort when it comes to keeping your hedges trimmed. They do come in different types and with varying power levels, so which is best for you? Below, we will explain the difference between the two main types of electric hedge trimmer, so you can make a decision more easily.
Cordless or Corded?
There are two distinct types of electric hedge trimmer: those that are cordless, and those that need to be plugged into a mains power outlet by an attached power cord. Each has its merits, and each also has its drawbacks. Which is for you? That depends on what you need a hedge trimmer for, how often you are going to need to use it, and the size of your garden or yard. Here are some factors you need to consider:
Weight – a cordless hedge trimmer requires a large and quite heavy battery if it is to be used for sensible lengths of time. A corded trimmer does away with this, so it is always going to be lighter and easier to move around. This is an important consideration if you have a lot of edges to trim.
Run Time – the corded model has an endless run time; as long as it is plugged in, it will operate when you press the button. The corded model will need recharging every now and again – the length of operating tie varies by model – hence you will have to stop when it runs out, and either wait until the battery is recharged, or invest in spare batteries.
Distance – naturally, your corded hedge trimmer can only operate to the length of the cord, plus any extension leads you might add. A cordless model can go anywhere, with no need to be near to a PowerPoint.
Power – check the power of the electric motor, as if you have larger, strong and established hedges to trim, you may find that some of the cheaper, lower-powered models are not up to the job. The more power you can afford with your budget is the way to go.
Single or Double Blade – all hedge trimmers have two blades, but in some models, only one move. This is the single-blade design in which the other blade remains static, acting as a solid cutting blade against the moving one. However, most newer models have two moving blades: the advantage is not only greater effectiveness, but also less in the way of vibration, which can make using a single-blade model uncomfortable.
Safety – whether you buy a corded or cordless model, always ensure it has safety features such as a cut-off when the blades get jammed, a shield in front of the handle, and a cord lock for models that are plugged in, so it cannot be unplugged accidentally.
That’s our list of factors to consider, and essentially it boils down to what size space you are dealing with and how large and tough – and fast-growing – your hedges are. In either case, you will find a hedge trimmer to be a vast improvement on a set of shears, and some can be bought with accessories such as extended blades, and pruning blades for tackling trees and other shrubs. Check them out now, and you’ll see that this is the one, affordable power tool that you have been missing out on all along.