Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Kyle Whitley
If you own or rent a home more than likely you have hedges in your yard or garden. Trimming hedges is generally a task that most homeowners dread. To make the task faster and easier, you should use a hedge trimmer. Let’s find out, are battery powered hedge trimmers any good?
Hedge trimmers come in many different forms. You can have manual hedge trimmers, electric hedge trimmers both corded and cordless hedge trimmers, and you can have gas powered hedge trimmers. I am a big fan of electric and battery powered cordless hedge trimmers here at The All Electric Lawn, and battery powered hedge trimmers are becoming the go to choice for those folks that don’t want to use gas or manual powered hedge trimmers.
Table of Contents
- 1 Types of Hedge Trimmers
- 2 Battery Powered Hedge Trimmers: Pros and Cons
- 3 Cordless Hedge Trimmers FAQ
- 3.0.1 How much do battery powered hedge trimmers cost?
- 3.0.2 What size of battery powered hedge trimmers are available?
- 3.0.3 Are cordless hedge trimmers good for large hedges?
- 3.0.4 Do you need to oil or lubricate cordless hedge trimmer blades?
- 3.0.5 How much time will a cordless hedge trimmer run on a full charge?
- 3.0.6 Can a cordless hedge trimmer cut through branches?
- 4 So are cordless hedge trimmers any good?
Types of Hedge Trimmers
There are a few main types of hedge trimmers.
- manual hedge trimmer
- corded electric hedge trimmer
- cordless or battery powered hedge trimmers
- gas powered hedge trimmers
Manual hedge trimmers
These trimmers are like large pairs of scissors, that have the ability to trim hedges. Obviously, they are the most labor-intensive of the group and require the most muscle to do the work. I keep a pair around the house for when I just need to precisely clip a few branches for a bush or hedge. They are not my go to trimmer of choice.
Corded Electric Hedge Trimmers
The corded electric hedge trimmer was a giant leap forward from the manual hedge trimmer. You had an electric motor the powered the trimmer that had a seemingly endless supply of power, as long as it was plugged in. If you had an accessible power outlet and a long enough extension cord, you could trim your hedges in no time flat. That endless supply of power was also the biggest con of the corded hedge trimmer. You had to be near an outlet, and if you are like me, you might have clipped a few extension cords in half.
Cordless or Battery Powered Hedge Trimmers
While corded electric hedge trimmers were a giant leap forward from manual hedge trimmers. Cordless or battery powered hedge trimmers were a game changer. You had a clean quiet supply of energy, but you also had mobility. That is why cordless hedge trimmers are my hedge trimmer of choice. You get power, lightweight, and quiet clean operation. Hard to beat that.
Gas Powered Hedge Trimmers
Gas hedge trimmers are much like the corded and cordless hedge trimmers but they have a gas engine mounted to the top of the trimmer. These trimmers are intended for the commercial end of lawncare. Unless you are a home owner with a lot of hedges or hedges that are extremely tough to cut, then you more than likely won’t need a gas hedge trimmer. You are more likely going to see these in the hands of commercial lawn care companies tending to lots of properties.
Battery Powered Hedge Trimmers: Pros and Cons
Since we are here to decide are battery powered hedge trimmers any good, we should take a look at what makes a battery powered hedge trimmer a good or bad outdoor power tool.
Pros
- They are light and easy to maneuver
- They are cordless which allows you to trim hedges farther from your home
- Powerful brushless motors and lithium-ion batteries rival gas powered model power
- They are relatively inexpensive when compared to gas hedge trimmers
- Little to no maintenance
- Simple operation, just insert the battery and squeeze the trigger
Cons
- Heavier than their corded cousins. The batteries are most of the weight
- Limited runtime of batteries
- Battery replacement can be expensive
- Not as powerful as gas powered models
As you can see I couldn’t find too many cons of using a battery powered hedge trimmer. I did list the limited runtime of the hedge trimmer batteries, but I will tell you from personal experience with my battery powered hedge trimmer that I have yet to run a battery down when trimming my hedges at home. I can easily trim all my hedges on a single charge of an 18v battery.
They simply don’t use that much power when in operation. I also generally use a smaller battery to limit the weight of the hedge trimmer to make the job that much easier. Larger batteries bring on extra weight which will make trimming exhaustive.
Cordless Hedge Trimmers FAQ
How much do battery powered hedge trimmers cost?
Prices for battery powered hedge trimmers vary greatly. Prices can be as low as $40 for small hedge/grass trimmers with shorter blades, up to $200 + for 24″ – 26″ full sized cordless hedge trimmers. Generally, the range for a quality cordless battery powered hedge trimmer is around $150 – $180.
What size of battery powered hedge trimmers are available?
Hedge trimmers come in a wide variety of blade lengths. The average size of current hedge trimmers blades on the market is between 22″ – 26″. With 24″ blade is the most popular length of hedge trimmer currently on the market.
Are cordless hedge trimmers good for large hedges?
Absolutely they are. Most modern cordless hedge trimmers have a blade length of almost 2 feet and can cut a branch with 3/4″ – 1″ in diameter. You should be able to trim back larger hedges with ease. Most newer models come with rotating handles to cut at different angles making trimming tall hedges easier than ever.
Do you need to oil or lubricate cordless hedge trimmer blades?
If possible you should oil the blades before and after each use. However, you should lubricate your trimmer blades after each use, to make sure sap and moisture do not ruin the trimmer blades. Lubricating the blades will help the trimmer run smoother and last longer.
How much time will a cordless hedge trimmer run on a full charge?
For most 18v – 60v lithium-Ion battery trimmers, you should expect a runtime between 60 – 90 minutes depending on the size of the battery. Battery life can be affected by the thickness of the hedge branches you are cutting. Having extra batteries on hand would be nice but not a necessity for hedge trimming for the average user.
Can a cordless hedge trimmer cut through branches?
Cordless trimmers aren’t designed to cut through tree branches, however, you can trim hedge branches in the 3/4″ – 1″ range with modern cordless battery powered hedge trimmers. So thicker branches shouldn’t be an issue for most battery powered hedge trimmers.
What are some companies that make cordless hedge trimmers?
Here are a few of the major manufactures that make cordless battery powered hedge trimmers.
So are cordless hedge trimmers any good?
The simple answer is yes. Actually, they are better than good, they are great. When I had the opportunity recently after moving into our current home, to get a cordless hedge trimmer I jumped at the offer.
Trimming the hedges is so easy and quick. I think I actually trim the hedges more now that I have a battery powered hedge trimmer because it is so convenient. No cords to cut through accidentally, no gas to buy, no oil changes, or engine to start. Battery powered hedge trimmers are a good choice for the homeowner and are a great outdoor power tool.