The Einhell 3410866 GE-HH long reach hedge shears comes with a tiltable main handle with four settings for optimum performance. Also, the motorhead is tiltable and you can use it in seven settings. Its telescopic aluminium handle is adjustable so that you can be more flexible with your operations. Power is important, but so is size,” Ljudmil says. “I wouldn’t recommend a long-bladed petrol trimmer for most domestic use because they’re heavy and can be dangerous if your arms get tired. 55cm is the ideal blade length. Anything over that I think you should leave to professionals. There is an extra handle, which is adjustable so that you can position yourself properly for effective trimming. You can rotate the rear handle if you are working on high hedges, especially when you want to engage in horizontal or vertical cuts. With its 50-cm long reach strong telescopic handle, you can adjust to your required to get the most flawless outcome. If you own an expansive garden, you may find that an electric hedge trimmer is not the best choice. This is because the cord often limits the reach of the machine since the wire always has to be plugged into a power source during use. At the other end of the scale from the mighty Stihl is Ryobi’s far lighter and quieter trimmer that uses the same 18V battery as their electric screwdriver but is still powerful enough for the vast majority of garden jobs.

Flymo might not be the coolest brand name but it’s familiar and trusted by those of us, perhaps older, who fit the small-garden description. The Easicut 460 has an 18-inch blade which is on the short side, but sharp and powerful enough to handle yew, privet and even tougher-stemmed laurel hedges. And being shorter it tires your arm out far less than the others we tried. There’s no worry about the battery of the machine running down because it doesn’t have one. The machine gets its power from petrol which you simply have to pour into the tank of the trimmer, and you can get to work.

Sign up for special offer emails

I don’t have any concerns about this pole trimmer being underpowered. Coupled with the 2.5 Ah battery, I trimmed around 10 metres of hedge on the top and sides without any drop in power. It’s rated to trim 20 m² per charge, so you could do quite a lot of work before needing to down tools. The BU-KO Multifunction Garden Tool is a 5-in-1 machine for effective garden maintenance. It is powered by a heavy-duty 3HP motor, and that is why it is one of the most powerful trimmers in this review. It features a 52cc 2-stroke petrol engine with a fuel tank capacity of 1200ml. A shoulder strap is in place to reduce pressure on your shoulders during operations. There is a blade sheath that helps in providing adequate safety during and after use.

If you have a range of Bosch tools then you will know all about their batteries. This battery fits 100+ other Bosch machines , from hedge trimmers and chainsaws to combi drills and jig saws, in fact any other 18V tool that they make. It is easy to assemble, within just five minutes, you are good to go. There is a safety switch that you need to press so as to unlatch the trigger, which provides optimum protection against the accidental trigger. It weighs just 2.25 kilograms, and that is why you can manoeuvre it without much hassle. It comes in two pieces. The front section houses the motor and blade assembly, and the rear contains the handles, battery, and trigger unit. The 430 mm blade of a reasonable length, and the individual teeth are squared off at the ends with a 16 mm tooth clearance. This means you can cut through branches up to that size. A carrying belt is supplied so that you won’t have issues moving this cordless battery trimmer from one place to another. It is powered by an 18V lithium-ion battery (not included), and that is why we guarantee its optimum performance. Its lightweight is a plus, and that is why you can manoeuvre it without much hassle.Besides, the cord can easily get caught between the hedges, or you may accidentally cut through it with the machine. Either way, an electric hedge trimmer is not the most straightforward machine to use, and you will have to be extra careful to trim with it. I’m relatively strong, but I needed to take frequent breaks when trimming the top of the hornbeam hedge especially. Once I’d adjusted the cutting head to trim the top flat, it became a bit of a struggle, to be honest. The only way round this would have been the inclusion of a decent front handle, preferably a “D” shaped one.

The Bosch PowerForAll Tool range is a range of tools you can buy knowing that batteries are compatible with all tools in the range providing they are of the same voltage. eg 18v fits 18v, 12v (10.8v) fits 12v (10.8v) etc. Please also note that 10.8v is compatible with 12v & vice versa as it is just a name change. Indego Lawnmowers also use the PowerForAll 18v battery but require a cover plate to be removed if changing. As of 2021 Bosch has licensed PowerForAll to other manufacturers whereby batteries between these manufacturers will be interchangeable. For trimming long hedges you need to buy an extension pole separately that’s worthy for long reach cutting. If you want to extend the performance of any hedge trimmer, it needs a decent blade cover. I’m happy to report that the blade cover is one of the best ones I’ve tried out. What makes it easy to use is that it’s more like a sleeve that completely encloses the blade. I much prefer it to a fiddly bit of plastic you need to feed onto the blade. It’s much better at keeping the dust off the blades for long term storage as well.The Flymo SabreCut XT is one of the best product for medium-sized lawns. With its dual-action blades, you can get rid of bushes and maintain hedges successfully. Its long telescopic handle can reach difficult places, and that is why you don’t need a ladder to get the best outcome. Delivered in one of Bosch’s familiar green boxes, I was immediately surprised at how small and light it felt, especially compared to some of the huge ones I’d also tested out. This continued with the overall feel of this pole trimmer. It’s what you’d expect from a Bosch tool. It feels solid and the plastic casing doesn’t have any movement unlike some trimmers I’ve tested out. Also known as battery hedge trimmer, a battery-powered hedge trimmer is also an electric machine. However, this trimmer makes use of a battery for its power. Because of this rechargeable battery, there is absolutely no need for a power cord. This long-reach cutter has a telescopic pole that you can adjust in accordance with the height of the hedge you are trimming. The pole has a pivoting head and can reach up to 2.6 metres in height. That is why you can be sure of a ladder-free experience at all times for optimum safety.