Best hedge trimmers 2023: Electric, cordless and petrol trimmers for a neat finish

Whether you’re growing a hedge for privacy screening or something altogether more ornamental, a hedge trimmer is a handy bit of kit to keep your topiary tidy. While a trimmer won't necessarily replace small hand tools for those last few finishing touches, it will certainly make short work of long or tall hedges.

In fact, hedge trimmers are so effective in keeping foliage at bay, you may only need to use your garden tool two or three times a year.

There are many different types of hedge trimmer available, with models offering different blade and teeth sizes. But which is best for you and your needs? Each type will have its pros and cons, so in our guide we reveal the key things to consider before you buy, as well as our top models for ensuring your shrubs are kept neat and tidy.

Ultimately, the most suitable type of hedge trimmer for you will come down to the size, type and number of hedges you need to tend to. For smaller gardens, an electric or battery-operated hedge trimmer may be best, but if you have a lot of hedge to edge, or it's a long distance from the nearest available plug socket, a petrol trimmer might be more suitable.

Electric hedge trimmers are generally affordable, easy to use, and they require very little maintenance. In fact, the only real downside is the power cord: long cables are usually preferable, but you still might need an extension reel. Either way, there's still a risk of slicing through it, so a circuit breaker – either built into your extension cable or a plug-in type – is a very good idea to keep you safe.

Cordless hedge trimmers are now getting cheaper, and while there used to be some major limitations in battery life and cutting performance, these seem to be disappearing fast. The biggest negative is battery capacity; even today's lithium-Ion models only run for between half an hour and an hour on a full charge, which means they’re better for small to medium-sized hedges than regular maintenance of a series of long hedges running all around your garden. Having said that, charging times are getting shorter and you can get around the problem by buying a second battery or a bigger battery. In some cases, you may need to buy this separately, anyway.

Petrol hedge trimmers can be used anywhere and will tackle any type, length or number of hedges – as long as you have fuel. They will even tackle thicker branches that would scare off most cordless or electric models. This comes at a cost, though. You’re looking at a heavier, bulkier piece of equipment that's more awkward to store and requires more maintenance. Unless you’ve got endless hedges or you’re a professional gardener, you’re better off with a cordless trimmer these days.

Generally speaking, bigger is better, especially if you have a lot of hedge to trim. However, the bigger the trimmer, the heavier it is, and you will be surprised how much difference a kilogram or two can make when you’re spending an hour or so holding the machine at shoulder height or reaching up to tackle the top of a taller hedge. The sweet spot for most people is usually around 45-55cm, but you may want to go bigger if you have a lot of long or high hedges in need of a trim.

The bigger issue is the space between the teeth of the trimmer, or the maximum cutting width. This effectively sets how big the branches in your hedge can be and still get cut, so take a good look at your hedges before you decide to go too small. The odd thicker branch here and there isn't a problem – you can usually deal with it using loppers or a pruning saw – but try to tackle a thick conifer hedge with a tool that isn't up to the job, and you will find you keep stopping and starting as the trimmer jams. For lighter box, privet or lonicera hedges, 15mm will be fine; but go upwards of 20mm if you’re dealing with, say, laurel or conifer.

Many hedge trimmers now come with extra features to make your experience safer and easier. These include safety mechanisms, such as an automatic brake to stop movement instantly, anti-jamming systems to prevent stalling caused by trapped branches, and handguards to offer extra protection while working.

Occasionally, a hedge trimmer will also come with a clipping collector. This will save you from having to pick up all the clippings after you’ve finished, but these are quite rare and can make trimming more difficult if they’re poorly designed.

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Price: £81 | Buy now from Amazon

This pint-sized Flymo cordless has three big things going for it: it's very cheap for a cordless trimmer and, at just 2.1kg, very light. It's also incredibly easy to use. Just plug it into the wall-wart charger, leave it for around three and a half hours and you’re good to go. Amazingly, the built-in battery will keep on strimming for around an hour. In our testing, we ran out of stamina long before it did and had to come back for a second go.

Before you get too excited, there are some limitations. With a 40cm blade and a 16mm blade gap, this really isn't built for bigger or taller hedges, and we found that 16mm is probably pushing it, as any twigs or branches bigger than around 10mm stopped it dead. Also, unless you have mains power in your shed or garage, you will have to bring the whole unit in for a recharge. Still, if you’ve got a small garden and low privet or honeysuckle hedges to maintain, then the SimpliCut makes the job nice and easy without even the hassle of a cord.

Key specs – Power source: Built-in 14.4V Li-ion battery; Power: Not supplied; Blade length: 40cm; Maximum branch width: 16mm; Weight: 2.1kg

Price: From £63 | Buy now from Tooled-Up

If your hedge-cutting needs are relatively light, look no further than this cordless little wonder. Nicely balanced and easy on the arms, it won't have any trouble trimming down the average lonicera, privet or box hedge, and it didn't struggle as much as we expected with our tougher conifer or laurel hedges, either, thanks to Bosch's tried-and-tested anti-block technology. It uses one of Bosch's 18V "Power for All" system batteries, which takes about an hour to charge and gives you around 30 minutes of trimming. Those with lengthy or tougher hedges will soon want something with a bit more reach and clout, but this is a great tool for a speedy trim or getting your unruly hedges ship-shape two or three times a year.

Key specs – Power source: 18V li-ion battery; Power: Not supplied; Blade length: 45cm; Maximum branch width: 15mm; Weight: 2.3kg

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Price: £282 (tool only) | Buy now from Tooled-Up

At 1.2m long and weighing 4.5Kg with battery, the DUH751Z is a seriously heavyweight cordless trimmer. However, when you’ve got a few dozen metres of hedge to trim you will be glad you’ve got it, especially if that hedge includes dense conifers or woody laurel. The 75cm blade makes light work of massive hedges, while the three-speed brushless motor and triple-edged tooth design will slice cleanly through the toughest material, up to a thickness of 23.5mm. One fir hedge that normally takes an hour to do was done and dusted in just over thirty minutes, and where lesser trimmers choke on thicker protruding branches, the Makita took everything in its stride.

It's a great tool to use, as well, with a rotating handle for comfortable horizontal and vertical trimming, three speeds to cover different types of hedges, an on/off button for added protection and an automatic shutdown. Plus, paired with the 18v 5.0Ah battery Makita sells in its DUH751RT kit, the DUH751Z seems to go on forever; we had over 90 minutes of use from a single charge and there was still some juice left. Given that Makita's (rather noisy) fast charger can recharge the battery within 75 minutes, you could easily run it with a pair of batteries and keep it going all day long. A real alternative to the big petrol trimmers, the DUH751Z tackles even the most demanding hedging jobs.

Key specs – Power source: 18V li-ion battery; Power: n/s; Blade length: 75cm; Maximum branch width: 23.5mm; Weight: 4.5kg

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While noticeably bigger and heavier than the EasyHedgeCut 18-45, the Bosch AHS 55-20Li gives you much more cutting power in a blade big enough to tackle larger, taller hedges. While cordless, this model chewed through everything we could throw at it, including lonicera, laurel and some really woody confider hedging. What's more, it takes massive and untidy hedges in its stride, meaning you will get through that summer or late-autumn trim that much faster. Our test model shipped with a 2.5Ah version of Bosch's 18V "Power for All" battery, which will work with other products from Bosch and its Power for All alliance partners. It takes just over an hour to charge and runs for around the same time. This trimmer is ready to get some hard work done, and it makes it all look easy.

Key specs – Power source: 18V li-ion battery; Power: Not supplied; Blade length: 55cm; Maximum branch width: 20mm; Weight: 2.6kg

Price: £67 | Buy now from Amazon

While it should be able to tackle branches of up to 25mm in diameter using its trimming blades, an additional saw blade at the end of the blades allows cutting of wood up to 35mm across.

The compact body of the trimmer has been engineered to be 10% lighter than previous models in the range, but it still can't compete with the lightness of the Bosch above.

What it offers in return for this extra weight is greater power, the 600W motor putting out more cutting ability, especially with thicker or tougher branches.

However, you will need to weigh this up against the need to carry an extension reel with you as you cut.

Key specs – Power source: Electricity; Power: 600W; Blade length: 60cm; Maximum branch width: 35mm (using saw blade); Weight: 2.7kg

Price: £110 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs – Power source: 20V li-ion battery; Power: Not supplied; Blade length: 10-20cm; Maximum branch width: 8mm; Weight: 550g

Price: £200 | Buy now from Tool Britannia

But the Superlite 4528 is perfect for domestic gardens, with an impressive level of power and user-friendly features including safety guards, a transparent fuel tank and a quiet-running motor that won't annoy the neighbours.

Despite the name, it's heavier than any electric trimmer on this list, but by petrol trimmer standards it's pretty light.

And it packs in all the technology you would expect at the price – an anti-vibration system to make trimming as smooth as possible, OxyPower technology to minimise fuel consumption and a Soft Start feature that reduces the resistance in the starter cord by 40%.

Key specs – Power source: Petrol; Power: 22cc; Blade length: 45cm; Maximum branch width: 20mm recommended; Weight: 4.8kg

Price: £152 | Buy now from Tooled-Up

There's plenty of power here – and a 22mm maximum cutting width – to deal with most garden hedging, and if you do come across something thicker or tougher, the GE-HC 18 has a party trick. The trimmer head can be switched for a mini-chainsaw attachment, with a 20mm blade that's perfect for slicing through thicker branches or pruning your trees. We found it worked superbly on an overgrown hornbeam hedge then helped us prune a series of conifers and fruit trees without any hassle. Einhell also does a cheaper, hedge-trimmer only tool, the GE-HH 18/45, but this is one brilliant and versatile garden tool.

Key specs – Power source: 18V 3Ah li-ion battery, 60min charge time; Blade length: 40cm; Maximum branch width: 22mm; Weight: 2.9kg

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Price: £126 (tool only) | Buy now from Amazon

If you’ve got a lot of big, tough and unruly shrubs and hedges, the Karcher HGE 18-50 won't have any problems taking care of them. It's a chunky, hefty cordless trimmer, but with a 50cm blade length and a maximum cutting width of 22cm, it's comfortable taking on anything from beach to hornbeam to overgrown conifers, and we really had to work hard to stop it in its tracks.

What's more, the ergonomic design has an ingenious mechanism where pulling on a lever allows you to rotate the blade by twisting around the top handle. You can keep adjusting the position as you trim each side of the hedge or work along the top to match what feels most comfortable to you.

Even with a heavy battery attached – we tested with Karcher's 18V, 5Ah unit – it's a very easy trimmer to work with, and that battery kept on going for nearly an hour and still had enough puff left to sweep up some clipping in a Karcher garden vacuum. It's compatible with all batteries from Karcher's 18V platform, which is handy if you have existing tools. Otherwise, you will need to budget an additional £93 to £120 for a battery and charger.

Key specs – Power source: 18V li-ion battery; Power: Not supplied; Blade length: 50cm; Maximum branch width: 22mm; Weight: 2.9kg