Got a hedge about 12m that needs a good trim. Ordinarily I’d get some shears but it’s bloody hot and if I can get away with buying a new tool/gadget that (in my head) makes things easier, then I’d always favour this way…

Fanx

A petrol one, no cord to cut through.

Pelenc, if you’ve got deep pockets.

petrol for 12 metres – really ?

if your cutting through the cord on a corded trimmer you really shouldnt be operating the thing.

cord goes over your shoulder and across your front. then it acts as a retractable cord due to weight to the floor when you move the trimmer.

i borrowed my neighbours challange argos thing and it did the job fine (and i used to cut hedges for a living) Then i inherited my old stihl back from my employer and i use that now – but i wouldnt have gone out and bought one for the length of hedge i have …..

I’ve had a bosch li ion hedge trimmer for quite some time that does the job well. I think it’s about 50″, probably 5+ years and used to cut about 20m+ hedge twice yearly. Light, cuts well and very easy to use.

that was at the old house. Just moved and plan on planting a new hedge (to be decided) that’ll be about 50-60m so will be an interesting test 🙂

Somebody gave me an unwanted petrol trimmer, a really cheap nasty one. It was so heavy that I’d have needed muscles like a gorilla to use it so I took it to the dump. Plus, I don’t actually have a hedge…

12m of straight hedge – any electric one with a long enough cut is probably fine.

I got a petrol one from screwfix with an extension pole for trimming the top of the tall hedge, which is great. It’s also a pretty average strimmer too.

Our new garden has a lot of bushes to be trimmed (phnaar phnaar), so I’ve just treated myself to an electric trimmer. I bought a Qualcast one from Argos for about £50, the blades rotate 90deg which is really handy when you’re swapping between cutting up and down and side to side. Longish blade and reasonable max branch size (20mm) too.

They’re certainly better than the cheaper set I bought the week before from a local garden centre, whoch last half an hour before, well, setting on fire…

Battery powered for that size. Safer as you can’t trip yourself up or snag it, and enough grunt these days to finish most jobs on a single charge. The B&Q own brand one I have is fine. (MacAllister?)I guess if it’s bloody hot you might have a long walk to B&Q.

Got the biggest electric Bosch one from B&Q a few years ago it’s an animal. Not too heavy, fairly quiet and smooth

We have a row of conifers at the end of the garden they are scared to grow

Hmm… do battery ones have enough power? Corded is probs fine tbh.

FWIW, this is the one I got:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1458675.htm#pdpProductReviews

I bought one of these brand new off Ebay for £15:
http://www.diy.com/departments/mac-allister-mht520-corded-electric-hedge-trimmer-520-w/197142_BQ.prd

Works perfectly when trimming my conifers.

interested in the idea of an electric one for stealth trail maintenance (bramble city here), is the battery life any good?
(yes I’ve done it by hand but it hacking is very slow to get a good finish)