10 of the best hedge trimmers

Our experts have trialled and tested hundreds of tools to bring you our top recommendations of the best garden products.

Through rigorous testing we’ve identified 8 of the top cordless, petrol and electric hedge trimmers. We assess performance, ease of handling and value for money, and provide a breakdown of the pros and cons of each product.

We ranked every product on this list at least 4.3 out of 5 stars in our detailed hedge trimmer reviews, so you can be certain they’re of high quality and will deliver excellent performance.

10 of the best hedge trimmers

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Husqvarna 122HD60 hedge trimmerPros:

• Powerful with a brushless motor
• Rigid guard with hanging option
• Fast, efficient cut
• 3-position handle
• Lowest noise level of the petrol models

Cons:

• Highest price petrol model(in our 2018 test)

This hedge trimmer is compact and light but still delivers a powerful and efficient cut. The rotating handle makes awkward angles easier and the anti-vibration system means it’s comfortable to manoeuvre. The tool is quiet, so there’s minimum disruption for your neighbours, and would be best for high hedging and large shrubs. There is also a two-year warranty on the product and we rated this a Best Buy for a premium petrol tool.

Read the full review: Husqvarna 122HD60 hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Pros:

• 5-position rotating handle
• Widest tooth spacing
• Tip guard
• Easy to start
• Handles and cuts well

Cons:

• dB rating (117) higher than others in our test

An easy-to-start model with a five-position rotating handle.  This is a versatile trimmer which suits most sized and shaped hedges while the wide tooth spaces make it tough on wider, mature stems. The tool is heavy but felt well-balanced to hold and cut powerfully through hedges. A well-placed tip guard protects the blade and it comes with a two year warranty, making this product great value for money. We judged this a best buy in the well-priced category as the best petrol hedge trimmer.

Read the full review: Webb HC600 hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Pros:

• Quite light yet efficient
• Compact, lightweight battery
• Long warranty
• Stout blade guard

Cons:

• Power indicator hard to view

For its compact size, this hedge trimmer offers a surprisingly impressive performance and trims different materials well.  The blade guard is sturdy and feels built to last although the power indicator on the battery is difficult to view. The tool is lighter than previous Ryobi models and is ideal for sculpting hedges and shrubs. The battery and charger come at an additional cost but can be used for other tools in the Ryobi ONE+ System, making it a money-saver in the long term. We judged this a Best Buy for a lower-voltage cordless trimmer.

Read the full review: Ryobi ONE+ OHT1845 hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Pros:

• Very quiet and light weight
• Easy to handle at all levels
• Anti-blocking system (uninterrupted cutting)
• Long warranty

Cons:

• No charge indicator on battery
• Shortest blade

This hedge trimmer is quiet and lightweight, making it easy to manoeuvre but its compact size means this tool had the shortest blades of all those we tested. For shaping small hedges it works well and can cut different types of growth efficiently. That said, it would take longer than other models to trim large hedges. The anti-blocking system ensures uninterrupted cutting but it could benefit from a charge indicator so you know when the battery is about to run out.

Read the full review: Bosch EasyHedgeCut 12-35 hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Pros:

• Efficient, wide blade
• Blade tip protector and stout guard
• Hanging storage facility
• Top-loading battery

Cons:

• Instructions generic so not very clear

This efficient cordless hedge trimmer earned itself a spot on the this list as it can cope well with even mature, woody growth. The tool is quiet, comfortable to use and has safety features like a neutral locking position and a tip protector over the blade. The blade guard also feels sturdy and built to last although the instructions let it down. The trimmer comes with generic instructions which aren’t as clear as those for other hedge trimmers we tested.

Read the full review: Stihl HSA 56 hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Pros:

• Longest warranty in our test
• Anti-vibration system
• 4-point rotating handle
• Cuts efficiently

Cons:

• Hard to start
• Thin plastic guard

The Mitox model is a heavier petrol-powered trimmer. Despite the weight, it’s well-balanced and has a handy rotating handle and anti-vibration system to help make handling comfortable. The trimmer was harder to start than other models we tested and the plastic hand guard felt quite flimsy, although it does come with a generous five-year warranty. The long blade is great for tall hedges and offered an almost professional cut.

Read the full review: Mitox 600DX hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Pros:

• Light, easy to use and quiet
• Long for size and weight
• Blade tip protector
• Hanging facility
• Stout, sleeve-type blade guard

Cons:

• Poorer cut quality on woody stems
• Battery indicator hard to see

This lightweight trimmer is small, quiet and easy to handle. Given its smaller size, the blade is relatively long and has a stout, sleeve-type blade guard which feels sturdy. There isn’t a rotating head like some of the other hedge trimmers and it struggles on woodier stems, but it does cut well on thinner growth. It’s great for smaller, less mature hedges and comes with a two-year warranty, making it excellent value for money.

Read full review: Einhell GE-CH1846 Li hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Greenworks G40HT61K2 hedge trimmer

Pros:

• Light, easy to use and quiet
• Long for size and weight
• Blade tip protector and hanging facility
• Stout, sleeve-type blade guard

Cons:

• Poorer cut quality on woody stems
• Battery indicator hard to see

A fast and efficient trimmer which is lightweight and easy to use, particularly over head or at shoulder-height. The jam function prevents the blade clogging while 20mm tooth spacing allows it to cut through woodier growth. The handle rotates to three different positions for easy handling, although the hand guard does feel a little thin. We awarded this product Best Buy status as we judged it to be the best cordless hedge trimmer we tried. Both the battery and charger can be used with other tools in the same range if you decide to expand your kit.

Read the full review: Greenworks G40HT61K2 hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Pros:

• Versatile, with six cutting speeds
• Powerful and efficient
• 5-position handle
• Safety features
• Tip protector and stout blade guard

Cons:

• Relatively heavy

This cordless trimmer is a powerful tool which has lots of handy features including a lock/unlock switch, a tool protection system and a tip protector for the blade. A speed control dial activates six different cutting speeds while the handle rotates into five different positions making it a very versatile trimmer. Although heavier than other models, it offers a powerful and efficient cut and, if registered, comes with a three-year warranty.

Read the full review: Makita DUH551Z hedge trimmer review

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

Pros:

• 3 – position rotating handle
• Easy to handle
• Good-sized battery

Cons:

• Thin blade guard
• Struggles with thick stems
• Most expensive of the models tested (including battery and charger)

This hedge trimmer is powerful but still easy to handle and cuts neatly. The rotating handle has three positions which help shape awkward angles. The wide tooth spacing cuts most things efficiently but it struggles on very woody growth. The tool’s long blade is useful for sweeping over large hedges quickly and it comes with a two-year warranty. However, this was the most expensive trimmer we tested when the battery and charger are included.

Read the full review: Mountfield MH48Li hedge trimmer review