Discover Everything You Need to Know About Hedge Trimmers
Hedges are making a comeback. In fact, they’ve never really been out of style, but more homes are seeing them as a nice garden addition with a whole host of benefits. While Lilly pillies, orange jasmine and common box hedges are just three varieties that adorn a lot of Aussie homes, homeowners have a lot of choices, from hedges that double as effective shields from hot summer temperatures, to those that also add a sweet scent to delight the senses.
They also keep the calm by limiting noise from the neighbours, and serve as a welcoming patch of shrubbery for a variety of different wildlife. And if you’re all about gardening, hedges can redirect attention to highlights in your home or garden, redirect foot traffic from less-than-perfect areas, and when accompanied by other perennials, can entirely transform the look and feel of your home.
Maintaining hedges goes along the lines of using the right amount of fertiliser, along with adequate doses of water and mulching. Overgrowth can be dealt with a pair of pruning shears to keep a tidy look. Trimming them to keep the hedges looking nice and lush during the spring and summer months is easily done with a hedge trimmer. Here too there are heaps of choices, with user-friendly cordless hedge trimmers being more popular than ever.
Hedge Trimmers -The Basics
Using hedge trimmers keeps hedges looking their best. They’re the tools used in shaping, removing dead overgrowth, and restoring the hedge’s health. You’ll want a trimmer that’s lightweight and easy to use, has the right blade length and teeth design to get the job done quickly, and one that’s easy to clean and maintain.
The first thing to do though is to consider how they’re powered. This will make you consider things like cord length in corded variants, battery capacity in cordless trimmers, and weight and noise in petrol variants. These aren’t necessarily negatives as such, but will impact performance and price.
Why Choose a Cordless Trimmer?
Cordless trimmers are what appears first when browsing any tool or gardening retailer. Their popularity is owed to their low weight, silent operation, and lack of vibration, unlike some other types. They’re easy on the hands and get the job done quickly. A battery-powered hedge trimmer is one that won’t annoy the neighbours, and is what you’ll want in noise-sensitive areas, such as schools, hospitals and public spaces.
And contrary to what many people believe, it’s not short of grunt. Newer battery technology means this type of trimmer lasts a full two hours or more when equipped with the right battery. And this can be the same one that you just took off your cordless drill. Maintenance also won’t be a hassle. In short, this is a versatile, quiet, and simple tool without any major cons.
Cordless trimmers can be sold bare or without the battery and charger and this is a cost-effective option if you already have these lying around. Mind that you get the same brand as with your other tools, as batteries across different brands may fit but not power your tools, including the battery hedge trimmer. With all toolmakers and gardening specialist brands now having several models in their lineup, prices are also coming down.
Other Options
Corded tools, including corded hedge trimmers, are a dying breed. You’ll have too many compromises to make to get your hedges looking just the way you want. These are fed power from a nearby socket, and cords are their main weakness, for several reasons. Larger yards and gardens will see you struggling to get the trimmer right where it’s needed, so pray that you have an extension cord or socket running in the garden shed. Next is that cords add to the weight, and can become a safety hazard.
Buyers also have the traditionalist’s choice, petrol trimmers. These are what were used when trimming down large areas with thicker leaves or branches. And they’re quick at what they do, relying on either a 2 or 4-stroke engine. The downsides are the higher initial cost, the need for regular maintenance with fuel and oil, and that they can be very noisy and quite heavy and hard to handle.
What to Look for in Trimmers
Blade Length
Longer blades let you trim more material in a single pass and also help with hard-to-reach places. Conversely, where space is tight, you’re better off with a trimmer fitted with a shorter blade. Trimmer blades aren’t standardised and vary with different brands. In general, smaller trimmers have 450mm blades, while the largest top out at 750mm. Most buyers gravitate towards trimmers with 600mm blades that are more than able to scour through thicker shrub.
Blade Types and Teeth Distance
Blades can be single or double-sided. The first is safer and easier to operate but removes less in one go. Double-sided blades take out more of the hedge and will get work done quicker. Most trimmers with medium and long blades are double-sided. Another thing of note is the gap between the teeth.
This impacts cutting efficiency and the types of vegetation the trimmer can handle. Wider set teeth also minimise the chance of jams in thicker branches. Look for a 25mm cutting width between teeth for home use. Anything above that is good for heavy-duty commercial trimming.
Weight, Handling and Ease of Use
There are weight differences between the different types. Even larger cordless hedge trimmers are a fair bit lighter than the petrol variants. This includes a beefy battery that will last. As a comparison, a cordless trimmer with a 750mm blade, packing a 5Ah battery comes in at 4.5 kilos compared to 5 kilos in a petrol-powered version with the same blade length. Lighter trimmers are undeniably easy to manoeuvre and carry to and from the garage or shed.
Look for comfortable wrap-around handles that make getting in harder areas that much easier as well as when working for longer periods. Some trimmers also have rotating blades to cut through areas at different angles. Also look for variable speeds as these will make work quicker and easier while putting less stress on the cutting teeth.
Power Needs and Maintenance
In cordless trimmers, look for 18V batteries and a higher capacity stated in amp hours. 5Ah is reaching the higher end of available battery capacity and this will provide the longest run times. Most cordless hedge trimmers for sale run efficient brushless motors that work at their best with newer battery lines.
Petrol trimmers range between 1 and 2 horsepower. Maintenance involves checking fuel and oil levels and periodically changing out the spark plug. Keeping all trimmers clean is common sense. What requires more attention is the condition of the blades and the sharpness in the teeth. And these too at some point will need to be replaced.
Safety Features
Trimmers can be dangerous and should be operated with caution. Look for a trimmer with included safety features, such as auto-power cut-off as the trigger button is depressed, dual switch activation to prevent accidental starts, front blade shields to keep hands well clear, and sealed components to prevent damage from water or dust.
The Final Cut
Cordless trimmers are the ones to go for if you’re looking for efficiency, all-day reliability and working in areas with doubtful power supply. They are lightweight, easy, and safe to use, won’t require a mechanic to keep them in top condition, and have more power than needed for most jobs. And there are different brands with affordable starting prices. When buying, also consider the need for a suitable battery and charger.