Review The Best Manual, Electric, and Gas Hedge trimmers used to create stunning landscapes

by teddletonmr

Trimming low hanging tree branches, overgrown Privet, unshapely Boxwoods and Azalea, out of control Holly bush, and scraggly old security hedge is easy with the best hedge trimmers

Homeowners and gardeners as you and I understand all too well, the importance of keeping our boxwoods, yews, azaleas and privet hedge plants shaped and kept neatly trimmed. After all we have learned by trial and error not doing so, our shrubs and bushes will soon become overgrown and unsightly.
Many of us actually look forward to annually cutting, trimming and shaping and remove old dead and dying branches from our privets, while continually clipping new growth from our decretive boxwood hedge plants. All the while maintaining that sculpted look we so desire in our landscape. Shaping and pruning our treasured perennial plants in our landscape such as our, beloved butterfly bush, carefully sculpted yews, holly bushes and let us not forget the lovely flowering azaleas. After all, I believe we all will agree ensuring healthy plants filled with an abundance of stunningly beautiful blooms each spring and summer is worth all the effort.

Hedge Trimmers

Manual, electric and gas trimmers

Using the best gardening tool save time and money

Garden Tools With three basic options from which to choose, manual hand powered shears, gas or electric trimmers and manual or powered pruners. In this article, we take a close look at both the pros and cons of each of these garden tool configurations. After all what models work best for different applications is something we should understand. Before we will feel good about knowing how to select the best trimmers, pruners or shears we will need.

Pruning, trimming and shaping

Manual Hedge shears,

Pruning roses Hedge clippers, pruning shears, or garden shears they all have one thing in common, they are similar in design to a set of dressmaker’s shears. Shears incorporate two sharp cutting edges that using a scissoring action pass by each other; referred to as bypass shears they make clean precise cuts without tearing or crushing plants stems.

Pruning shears Their compact size are easily used by one hand, pruning shears are great for making precise cuts on the stem of a rose for your vase, shaping yews, clipping small branches in your hedge plants, topiary and bushes. Limited to cutting plant materials ¼-inch or seven mm in diameter or roughly, the same size as a #2 pencil these hand operated hedge pruning shears are great for the small jobs that require finesse and small detailed pruning.

Fiskars professional quality pruning shears

Gardeners with small hands will enjoy the way this garden tool make pruning roses and other garden plantings easy
Fiskars 9124 Professional Bypass Pruning Shears
$29.27  $26.99
electric hedge trimmers

Bypass and Anvil style loppers

The best garden tool for cutting thumb sized canes, branches, and briars

bypass loppers Trimming hedge plants with larger diameter stems ranging in size, say from the size of your thumb, or ¾-inch (19mm), through larger one-inch (25mm) branches. A good set of long handled loppers will work nicely.

Sometimes called garden loppers, tree loppers or even alligator loppers the long handles on these types of garden tools provide the additional advantage necessary to cut large woody stems and branches. Like the limbs and branches found in overgrown privet hedges, holly bushes and ornamental or fruit trees.

Anvil style loppers These types of manual hedge trimmers are commonly available in one of two cutting configurations, the bi-pass, or anvil style cutters. The bypass loppers and pruners are best suited for large rose bushes and canes that are hollow inside you do not want to crush or splinter, where the anvil style cutters are best suited for cutting woody branches, limbs and large stems, like fruit and ornamental trees and privacy hedges and bushes.

 

The best Fiskars bypass & anvil loppers

These Fiskars Professional quality loppers cut up to 1 3/4-inch branches with ease
Fiskars 9154 PowerGear 32-Inch Bypass Lopper
Only $44.79
Gilmour Anvil Lopper 1-3/4-inch Capacity Wood 55T
Only $49.99
The best hedge trimmers

Electric hedge trimmers

Easy to start and use Time saver

For many homeowners, renters and gardeners, when we think about trimming our hedges, the first powered hedge trimmer we think of using is an electric hedge trimmer. The thing about electric hedge trimmers is they require electricity to operate, so we either need a heavy-duty outdoor rated extension cord to power the thing or get a battery powered cordless hedge trimmer instead.

Black & Decker hedge trimmer For those of us that have spent the better part of an afternoon trimming their boxwood hedge with a set of hand shears you will appreciate an electric hedge trimmer. Instead of spending most of the day trimming and shaping your boxwoods, a top of the line electric hedge trimmer will take only a few minutes to accomplish the same task.

Actually, you will spend more time raking and cleaning-up all the clippings, than you will spend trimming and shaping your bushes and decretive hedges. Have you ever thought about using a power hedge trimmer for other tasks in your landscape? They are ideal to use for cutting back your perennials such as mums, and your very showy, herbaceous peonies.

The best Black & Decker electric Hedge Trimmer

Save time and money using an electric hedge trimmer to shape that overgrown Yew Hedge
Black & Decker HT020 3.8 amp 20-Inch Electric Dual Action Hedge Tri...
Only $69.99

Outdoor rated extension cord

Outdoor rated extension cords are absolutely the best choice,

Corded electric hedge trimmers require an extension cord specifically rated for outdoor use. Yes, there really is a difference. Outdoor rated and indoor rated extension cords are not built the same. In the construction of extension cords rated for outdoor use, the outside insulating cover is made of materials that resist abrasion, nicks, cuts and moisture from the morning dew or watering of your plants, herbicidal soaps, oils and other chemicals found in your lawn, garden and landscape plantings.

You owe it to your loved ones to do everything you can to protect you and your electric trimmers, avoid electrocution, starting a fire and protect yourself and your garden tools from under rated extension cords causing the electric motor to overheat and fail prematurely. Use a properly rated extension cord, and prolong the life of not only your garden tools.

Protect yourself by only using outdoor rated extention cord

Coleman Cable 02309 16/3 Vinyl Outdoo...
$29.99  $27.07
Coleman Cable 02589 12/3 Vinyl Outdoo...
$71.94  $63.07
use only outdoor rated extention cords

Single or double-sided cutter

Which electric hedge trimmers are the best?

When choosing an electric hedge trimmer you will need to make a few important decisions. You will need to decide on either a single or a double-sided blade assembly, and just to complicate life a bit more both, single or dual reciprocating cutting blade assemblies are available, separating the user-friendly high-end models from the rest.

Mantis electric hedge trimmer The Mantis DEHT19 19-Inch 4.5 Amp Electric Double Edge Heavy Duty Hedge Trimmer is a perfect example of a top quality garden tool, it is equipped with a 19-inch double sided, dual reciprocating blade assembly. That easily makes cuts through small limbs and branches up to one half of an inch / 13mm diameter, and is by far, one of the best electric hedge trimmers your hard earned money can buy.

Mantis Heavy-Duty Electric Hedge Trimmer

19-inch dual action 4.5 amp electric Double edge cutter is easy to control
Mantis DEHT19 19-Inch 4.5 Amp Electric Double Edge Heavy Duty Hedge...
Only $289.00
The best hedge trimmer

What is the difference in Single and double-sided hedge trimmers

Selecting the best Single, double and reciprocating cutting action hedge trimmers

double sided cutter Double-sided cutting blades make it easy to cut right or left, up, and down without changing the position of your hands on the tools handles, which would potentially create a dangerous situation for the operator with the hedge trimmers motor still running.

Dual reciprocating blades make better cuts, both for your plants and for your comfort. Dual reciprocating blades work a lot like a pair of pruning shears. The blades bypass each other making a clean cut, lessening the damage to the plants stem, leaves, and branches, not to forget to mention, fewer vibrations felt by the operator. The less expensive single reciprocating blade and anvil style cutters are prone to produce.

Resulting in the tips of the plants stems and leaves turning yellow, brown or both while causing that uncomfortable numbness in our fingers, hands, and forearms. The important thing to remember, a corded electric power hedge trimmer is limited to the recommended length of an extension cord; 100 feet / 30 meters is as far as you can safely get from an electrical outlet.

Cordless hedge trimmers are Portable, easy to use, and lightweight

Cordless battery powered electric hedge trimmer is easy to use

6-inch cordless hedge trimmer Cordless hedge trimmers are available in a range of sizes, from the Black & Decker GSN 32 compact trimmer with a six inches / 15cm blade, this little tool, designed for trimming small shrubs in tight spaces is lightweight and works surprisingly well. On the other end of the cordless spectrum, Black & Decker’s larger model NHT518 hedgehog 18-volt, cordless hedge trimmer. With the twenty two inches / 56cm dual action blades, the cordless trimmer provides a smoother cutting action, making the hedgehog quite a handy garden tool. The down side, you can only expect, twenty to thirty minutes of working time maximum on a fully charged battery. You can always purchase an extra battery just to have on hand when the need arises; but they are a bit pricey and are not always available at local retailers.

The best Black & Decker cordless hedge trimmers

Designed for the Homeowners with a small security hedge or bushes
Black & Decker GSN32 3.6-Volt NiCad C...
$49.99  $40.32
Black & Decker NHT518 18-Volt 22-Inch...
Only $119.99

Gas Powered hedge trimmers are powerful

Gas powered hedge trimmer is the best choice for large gardens and landscapes

Gas powered hedge trimmers give you the freedom of a cordless trimmer without the limitations of a rechargeable battery, but are heavy, when compared to the electric hedge trimmers. The increase in weight is due to a combination of the larger more powerful gas powered engines, and the availability of heavy-duty longer trimmer blade lengths. Double reciprocating blades in either single or the heavier double-sided blades increase weight. Lengths that range from 20 inches / 58.2cm, 24 inches / 61cm to 30 inches / 76.2cm, and cutting capacities increasing to include materials three quarters of an inch / 19mm in diameter. Combine to increase the gas hedge trimmer overall performance in both cutting capacities, which increases the operator’s productivity by reducing the amount of time it takes to get their hedge-trimming task finished.

Mantis Gas Hedge trimmer with 30-inch cutter

Designed for homeowners and professional landscapers with big jobs
Mantis SGHT30 30-Inch 21.2cc 2-Cycle Gas Powered Single Edge Heavy ...
Only $349.00

5 Important things to keep in mind when buying a hedge trimmer

The Best Manual, Electric, and Gas Hedge trimmers used to create stunning landscapes

1. Hedge trimmers should feel balanced in your hands, and be as lightweight as possible.

2. Double-sided blades allow the right or left-handed homeowner or professional landscaper to cut in either direction, rather than from left to right, as does a single-sided blade configuration.

3. The comfort, safety and convenience of a wraparound handle are an excellent feature.

4. Electric trimmers are by far, the tool of choice for most homeowners; electric hedge trimmers are lightweight, inexpensive, and less noisy and are more environmentally friendly than a gas hedge trimmer.

5. Make sure you read the owner’s manual thoroughly, do not overlook the safety precautions, and the chart with the recommendations concerning the proper use and selection of the properly raided extension cord.

The best hedge, bush and tree trimmers

Use the proper gardening tools and create stunning landscapes

teddletonmr The thing we newbie and master gardeners should keep in mind, using the proper trimmers, pruners and garden shears for all our pruning and shaping garden chores. Will make a tremendous difference in the way all our garden and landscape plantings complement our home and lawns. Let us not forget, more rewarding for us.

Now before you run off, get started with your trimming, and pruning projects, please let me thank you for reading my Review the Best Manual, Electric, and Gas Hedge trimmers used to create stunning landscapes. I would like to hear what your thoughts are or answer your questions in the comments section.

Be well and happy gardening, Mike  

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Updated: 07/24/2012, teddletonmr
 
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teddletonmr on 07/25/2012

@EnelleLamb thanks for stoping by, in the off chance your trimmer does not work out hopefully this article will help you make the right decision next time.
Be well, and enjoy your lawn and gardens, Mike

EnelleLamb on 07/24/2012

Would have been nice to have seen this before we bought our trimmer - however, I think we did fairly well for newbies LOL...great article.

teddletonmr on 06/08/2012

@StephanieManning glad you liked it:)

SharileeShares on 05/15/2012

This is an excellent overview. My husband adores looking at new lawn care tools. I will share this with him and he can drool! We're not buying right now but when we are, I will be sure to keep this as a reference guide. Nicely done! Voted up and sharing.

teddletonmr on 04/07/2012

@Dustytoes I agree using a pair of Fiskars hand-powered pruning shears makes shaping our shrubs, bushes and ornamental trees in great detail easy, a labor of love if you will.
Enjoy your time in the garden, Mike

teddletonmr on 04/07/2012

@katiem2 glad to hear from you, using the cordless electric hedge trimmers and pruners make it easier for many folks to clip and shape their own shrubs, bushes, and security hedges.
Enjoy improving your landscape. Mike

dustytoes on 04/07/2012

I don't have any hedges to trim, but I do buy Fiskars clippers for pruning shrubs and such. I always thought that making shapes out of shrubs would be fun! I always learn new and helpful things about taking care of the yard from your pages.

katiem2 on 04/05/2012

If I didn't know what to do with electric hedge trimmers I do now. Great guide to the usefulness of trimmers. I have a few trees and bushes that need a good trimming. I had not realized these types of garden tools could be light weight enough for me to handle.


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