The best hedge trimmers, including cordless, petrol and extendable models

With advice from a professional gardener, here's how to choose the best hedge trimmer for you and how to use it safely and well

What is the best hedge trimmer to buy? It depends on what you're looking for. Electric trimmers are cheap and easy to use but are constrained by their length of cord. Cordless models give greater freedom but only last as long as the battery charge. Petrol hedge trimmers are the most powerful, but are noisy and need regular maintenance. With each available in a variety of sizes, it helps to know what kind of job you’ll be using your hedge trimmer for.

For advice, we went to Ljudmil Vasilev of Fantastic Gardeners, who's been sculpting hedges for a decade. If you’ve read our guides to the best lawnmowers, best strimmers and best secateurs, you know that professional gardeners have strong opinions when it comes to cutting and Ljudmil is no different. He's dedicated to his petrol-powered Stihl HS with its two-foot blade, but at £700 it's probably more machine than most gardeners need. He recommends Mountfield as a more affordable petrol option.

Below, we've tried and tested several hedge trimmers and recommended Vasilev's top picks. In an FAQ section at the bottom, we've also answered whether petrol hedge trimmers are better, and how thick a branch you can cut through. If you're in a rush, here's a quick look at our top five trimmers:

"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.

"A lot of people prefer a battery hedge trimmer. You can get a good one, like a Ryobi, for under £100 and they are lighter and easier to control. Cordless ones are better than electric hedge trimmers with a cord, in my opinion. When you are going up and down ladders the cord is a hazard. I would also worry about safety if the hedge is wet."

The main reason for choosing petrol, Ljudmil says, is to tackle tougher branches, but more powerful 20V and 36V cordless hedge trimmers can be just as good or better.

The Recommended team does not own a hedge big or bad enough to test the petrol-powered monster trimmers at the top of the market. For that we have taken professional gardener Ljudmil's advice. The rest were tested on a mix of conifer, deciduous and thorny hedges found in most gardens. Because hedge-trimming is a strenuous job, we were looking for a clean, easy cut, good balance and light weight.

If you're looking to spruce up your garden, read our guide to the best leaf blowers and best garden parasols. As for hedge trimmers, read on below.

£708, Stihl

Best overall, 10/10

We like: weapons-grade performance, if you can afford it

We don't like: it doesn't come cheap

At over £700, the 60cm-long Stihl recommended by Ljudmil is not cheap but it can tear through almost anything, from big mature hedges to invasive brambles and overhanging branches. That's why you’ll find it in the back of any serious groundskeeper's van.

The 1bhp two-stroke petrol engine starts with a short yank on the cord and, although it's heavy and very loud, the anti-vibration system makes the HS 82 R reasonably comfortable to work with, although perhaps not for the 90 minutes a tank of fuel will last and not without gloves, ear protectors and goggles. When switching between vertical and horizontal trimming, you can rotate the handle by 90 degrees either way, but that's about the only concession to comfort.

As you’d expect from a famous chainsaw maker, the blades are extremely sharp and, in this R model, extremely widely spaced. Combined with the relatively low RPM and higher torque, they’re specifically designed for thicker branches and clearing work. Topiarists may prefer the HS 82 T model, whose more closely-spaced teeth slice at nearly twice the speed for precision cutting.

The cheaper, quieter and lighter hedge trimmers below will be a better choice for most gardeners. But if you’re asking what the experts recommend, this is it.

£119.99, Ryobi

Best light hedge trimmer, 9/10

We like: extremely light and nicely balanced

We don't like: it's not powerful enough to tackle thicker branches (though you wouldn't expect that at this price)

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.

The sword-like linear design makes it easy to store and fun to wield. It's particularly good for making repeated, light passes – which is the best way to tend a neat garden hedge, according to Ljudmil. To that end, the big selling point is a Hedge Sweep attachment that clears away clippings as soon as you cut them, like a hairdresser blowing the fluff off your neck.

The teeth are slightly further apart than on most cordless trimmers, which in theory means you can tackle thicker branches, but the Ryobi doesn't quite have the requisite power. The run-time isn't the longest, either, making this an excellent choice for regular garden use, but not for tackling monstrously overgrown mature hedges.

Currently £126, B&Q

Best cordless hedge trimmer, 9/10

We like: good all-rounder with clever branch-sawing function

We don't like: it's not quite up to the big jobs

B&Q tell us that their biggest selling hedge trimmers, alongside their own brand MacAllister, are all made by Bosch – and this 18V cordless model is popular choice. It uses the same battery as their cordless drills, power washers, lawn trimmers and even lawnmowers - so you only need one £39 battery and £34 charger for a whole shed's worth of power tools, not just from Bosch but from any manufacturer in the ‘Power Alliance’ using the same system. It must be a big reason for its popularity.

Another is the extremely light weight of 2.6kg and the comfy grip, with easy switches and a bar all the way round for your supporting hand, making it very usable for something with a 55cm blade. It has an interesting design: the teeth get smaller at the end, designed to act more like a hacksaw when tackling wider branches - although, as Ljudmil advises, loppers and secateurs are often a better choice for those.

Though perhaps not the best choice for big jobs, the Bosch is well-specced for privet, conifer and slightly tougher hawthorn hedges and represents the sweet spot for most gardeners.

£189.99, Screwfix

Best petrol hedge trimmer (affordable), 9/10

We like: much cheaper than the Stihl with almost comparable performance

We don't like: it's heavy and loud

With fractionally less horsepower than the Stihl and teeth 2.7cm apart rather than 4cm, this is a slightly more domesticated petrol trimmer at a far more reasonable price. Ljudmil recommends it as a credible alternative for serious hedge trimming work.

Although bigger and heavier than the electric models, and the loudest trimmer on our test, it's well-balanced and reasonably comfortable to use, with a three-position rotating handle and reasonable vibration damping. You’d choose it for the robust build and ability to slice through everything but the toughest branches – and, if we’re honest, the macho pleasure of wielding a petrol-powered blade.

£229, Husqvarna

Best telescopic hedge trimmer, 8/10

We like: perfectly balanced for tackling high hedges

We don't like: the charger and battery are expensive

"My advice when trimming a hedge over 2m is definitely to get a platform," Ljudmil advises, "but I do use extending hedge trimmers that reach up to 4m. They’re useful for the adjustable head which you can angle to 90 degrees, or 45 degrees if you want a pointed top to your hedge."

The best we’ve found is from Swedish pro-grade toolmakers Husqvarna. Although they don't recommend cutting branches wider than 1.5cm, its 36V battery makes it very nearly as powerful as the petrol-powered Stihl favoured by Ljudmil – but much quieter. It's simple to use, weighs 5.3kg with the battery in (less than many extendable models) and feels nicely balanced, which is important when working on tall hedges, which can be one of the most strenuous garden tasks.

The pole extends to 4m length and the 50cm blade can be angled to seven different positions, or swapped for a chain saw attachment, sold separately for £140. When buying, you will have to bear in mind those extras: the cheapest battery, with a two-hour duration, is £100 and the charger another £50. But this is a hard-wearing piece of kit from a 330-year old firm, likely to last a very long time.

£59, Homebase

Best electric hedge trimmer (corded), 8/10

We like: the simplest, cheapest option for smaller hedges

We don't like: T-shaped crossbar is too narrow

As Ljudmil points out, cordless hedge trimmers are generally more manoeuvrable and, he thinks, safer. But if you only have a small garden with modestly sized hedges, you may be better off with a cheaper corded trimmer.

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.

At just 3.1kg, the Flymo's lightness and fine balance is a big plus but the T-shaped crossbar for your supporting hand, supposed to make it more comfortable to use, is not really big enough to add any control. It does make the trimmer narrower and easier to store, though.

Flymo also make cordless models from about £100, but this is the choice for anyone who doesn't want to overthink the job.

£289, Screwfix

Best hedge trimmer for thick branches, 8/10

We like: neat blade-reverse feature and adjustable grip

We don't like: shorter blade limits your reach

To trim thicker branches you need wider-spaced teeth – these are 2.4cm compared to the usual 2cm – but also a plan to get you unstuck when the trimmer inevitably gets jammed. Makita's answer is a Blade Reverse button, which briefly sends the blades backwards and reliably frees them.

It's a nice addition to a well-equipped trimmer, whose higher price is justified by the more powerful 5ah battery and vibration-control system. This also makes it quieter to use - eerily quiet, in fact (apart from furious snipping sounds) on the lowest of the three speed settings. Another semi-pro feature is the adjustable handle, which can be rotated 90 degrees to either side for vertical trimming, or 45 degrees for sculpting at an angle.

The blade is slightly shorter than the average 55cm but that's an advantage on more intricate jobs, as is the lower weight. For anyone with more ambitious trimming in mind, or stocky, thorny hedges to cope with, the upgrade makes sense.

£264.99, Screwfix

Longest run time, 8/10

We like: extremely sharp blades and 75 minute run time

We don't like: the long battery life adds quite a bit to the price

America's DeWalt have a reputation for making tough, effective tools. We rated their SDS drill very highly in our review of the best cordless drills. If you already have that, or any DeWalt tool that uses their high-capacity 5.0ah battery, you can use that battery in this and save yourself £70: the bare unit is £169.98 at Screwfix.

That battery is the secret to its impressive 75-minute maximum run time, which makes this a decent alternative to petrol powered trimmers at the top end of the market. It's certainly easier to use, being light, well-balanced and compact with an ergonomic grip.

The laser-cut hardened steel blades are another reason to buy, making short work of tough branches up to 2cm – the same as the Bosch, Husqvarna and Flymo, to which this is a creditable alternative at a similar price for the base model. It's just a shame the long-life battery adds such a price premium.

FAQ

"The thickest branch I would attempt to cut would be one inch," gardening expert Ljudmil says, "and that is with a professional-power trimmer. Even then I would need to apply pressure to it for about ten seconds. Really, for anything over an inch you’re far better off with hedge clippers or loppers. Trimmers aren't designed to cut actual branches."

Ljudmil has two tips – one about safety, one about technique.

"I have hurt myself in the past when my arm got tired and I let the trimmer fall on my leg," he says. "It was turned off, but I was hurt badly enough to go to hospital. A trimmer's teeth are basically knives, so always use a trimmer that feels comfortable for you."

As for technique, Ljudmil's tip is always to trim little and often – and always start at the bottom. "Go lightly and stop when you see the brown old growth. If you cut too far into that, it won't go green again. It's better to cut your hedge lightly three or four times a year than to try to cut it right back once a year."

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