It is well worth investing in the best set of hedge trimmers you can buy if you have a hectic lifestyle and like to enjoy your free time without spending too much of it on chores around the garden. Compared to cutting your hedge with a pair of shears, a set of powered hedge trimmers will get the job done in no time flat. However, there may still be occasions when you want to get your trusty shears out – for trimming delicate shrubs, or perhaps you have a topiary feature that needs that extra little personal touch that makes all the difference.

There are three sorts of powered hedge trimmers. The smallest, cheapest and least powerful are the cordless, battery-powered trimmers. These small blade trimmers are only really suitable for small gardens but would have a use for more delicate trimming jobs as mentioned above. Next up in price and power are the electric hedge trimmers that run on mains electricity and have a power cord. These are suitable for most general garden applications although the cord could have safety issues for some as you have to be careful not to cut through that as well as your hedge! Although electric models have an automatic power cut-out in case of accident. Finally, there is the petrol hedge trimmer (called a gas powered trimmer in the USA). These are the most powerful and are the choice of professionals because of their reliability and ability to get the job done and despite their initial higher cost.

Blade length is another way of grouping Hedge trimmers. The battery models tend to be referred to as small blade trimmers. Sizes start at around 14” and these are most suitable for smaller hedges, perhaps box hedging in a small garden. A blade length of about 22” is average and is the right sort of size for general work around a medium sized garden. The petrol models often have a blade length in excess of 30”. If you are choosing one of these models in order to get a large amount of hedging cut quickly, choose a model with double action blades. These are very effective at cutting out a great deal of the vibration that can be so tiring and hard on the joints when using a hedge trimmer for longer periods.