When engaging in a spot of weekend groundskeeping, a good hedge trimmer is vital. Shears and secateurs can be great, but if you have yards of hedge to tame, you need a powerful hedge trimmer to carve through your shrubbery.
There are a few things to consider when looking for the best hedge trimmer for your plot, though. If you’re hedges are quite a way from the house, you’ll be better served with a battery-powered tool to manage them. If you have more limited usage in mind, however, a mains-powered trimmer will suffice.
If you opt for a battery-powered hedge trimmer, you can choose between those that come with the battery included or a ‘bare tool’, meaning the battery isn’t included. This latter category often sees brands creating a range of tools with interchangeable batteries, which usually makes them a little less costly.
Ergonomics is a priority, too, as you’ll often be working up against hedges and shrubs, vertically and horizontally, in quite unnatural positions. From the rear handle to the blade tip, you need the tool to enable comfortable working positions.
That’s a lot to bear in mind, and there are lots of options on the market, so I tried out a range of hedge trimmers to work out which one is best. Keep scrolling to find out which hedge trimmers are a cut above the rest.
How I tested
I tested each hedge trimmer in my own garden. I was looking for machines that cut precisely and cleanly to promote new, healthy growth and don’t leave the hedge looking like it’s been hacked to pieces. I also considered value for money before drawing up my final list of favourites.
I assessed each hedge trimmer by a few key metrics:
- Cut: The most obvious test, I examined whether each hedge trimmer gave a clean cut through the hedge rather than tearing leaves and branches. I looked to see how the trimmers performed on different species of shrubs to see how they handled different branch thicknesses and textures.
- Blade length: A long blade is crucial; the longer the blade, the more you can achieve in one sweep. I wanted trimmers with long blades, but I also tested some shorter trimmers to find those that can work in narrow areas or for close-control work like topiary.
- Ergonomics and balance: The tradeoff with a long blade is that it can become unwieldy. I looked for well-balanced machines that were comfortable to hold.
- Power: I examined the power in watts of each hedge trimmer. If it ran on mains power, I measured the length of the cable; if it ran on battery, I timed the battery life.
- Safety: The most crucial feature of all, I assessed each machine’s hand guards and dead-man switches to ensure that they’re safe to use.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Jon Axworthy has been a feature writer since 1996 and has been contributing reviews to IndyBest since 2017. He specialises in the outdoors and has tried and tested myriad products, from grass strimmers to cordless drills and much more, offering his honest opinions to help you find the best tools for the job at hand.
The best hedge trimmers for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Bosch universal hedgeCut 18V-50: £144, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Cobra H5024V: £85.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for high hedges – Ego power PTX5100 pole hedge trimmer: £629, Justlawnmowers.co.uk
- Best lightweight option – G Tech HT50: £299.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best value – Karcher HGE 18-50: £179.99, Kaercher.com
- Best for cutting power – Stihl HLA66: £345, Oakleysgardenmachinery.co.uk
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Bosch universal hedgeCut 18V-50
Best: Hedge trimmer overall
Power: Battery
Blade length: 50cm
Why we love it
- Rubberised grip minimises vibrations
- Relatively lightweight
If you need to trim and shape medium-sized hedges, this lightweight, battery-powered tool is extremely capable. The high-powered 50cm blade with 20mm tooth gaps lets you trim a lot of hedge at once. The tool’s ergonomic handles made it easy to operate on hedging at waist height, but I also found I could turn over the machine so that I could more easily trim hedge tops above head height.
The Bosch also worked well at eye level when I needed to perform more precise cuts or some shaping. I got 80 minutes of operation from one charge, which was monitored from a battery level indicator that is always in view, so you can see how much time you have left to work with. It’s also fairly priced. Overall, I achieved really good results and the rubberised front grip minimised vibrations from the motor, which was a nice extra.
Buy now £144.00, Amazon.co.uk
Cobra H5024V
Best: Budget hedge trimmer
Power: Battery
Blade length: 50cm
Why we love it
- Great price
- Well-thought-out controls
Take note
- Two-hour charging time
This is a well-balanced tool with a sturdy, comfortable handle that makes the blade easy to manoeuvre around any working area. Well-thought-out controls enabled us to switch with ease between two working modes: economy (when you’re just tackling garden hedging) and turbo (when you get into the rough stuff and need the blades to parallel faster).
The lightweight design of the tool, combined with a wraparound handle, means I was able to work with it for the entire duration of the battery’s slightly limited 54-minute working time without suffering any aches and strains. However, the battery does come with a charging time of about two hours, which eats into your gardening time.
Buy now £85.99, Cobragarden.co.uk
Ego power PTX5100 pole hedge trimmer
Best: Trimmer for high hedges
Power: Battery
Blade length: 51cm
Why we love it
- Pruning and trimming attachments included
- Six adjustable angles
- Great battery system
Take note
- Pricey
As the name suggests, this is part of the telescopic pole system, which will get you within cutting distance of high hedges so you won’t have the hassle of constructing platforms or balancing on ladders. The system has two heads, so you can switch between the PSX2500 pruning saw attachment and PTX5100 hedge trimmer attachment.
The extension reaches 4m, and the double-sided trimmer head has six adjustable angles. It can be a bit of a workout when operating at its limit; however, the 51cm blade with 26mm of blade gap and excellent cutting speed is super-efficient, so it will make quick work of tidying up, including areas clogged with thicker branches. It also works really well when it’s brought back down to earth and you need to cut in a scything motion.
The variable speed control means that you can increase or decrease the blade speed when needed, and this is all backed up by Ego’s battery system, which is one of the best on the market. The drawback is obvious, however. £600 is a lot of money to trim a hedge.
Buy now £629.00, Justlawnmowers.co.uk
Husqvarna aspire H50-P4A
Best: Trimmer for urban gardens
Power: Battery
Blade length: 50cm
Why we love it
- Leaf catcher attachment
- Good ergonomics
- Auto shut-off function
This machine is very user-friendly, with all the products from the brand’s ‘aspire’ range being designed with ergonomics and easy storage in mind. The balance is excellent, and the machine was comfortable for prolonged use, complete with a soft-grip handle, and the tool was a pleasure to use for the working life of the battery.
The 50cm-long cutting deck optimises cutting performance, as does the innovative detachable leaf catcher, which slides onto the spine of the cutting deck, so, when you’re working horizontally, it sweeps the cut materials along with the blade as you work.
There’s also an automatic shut-off, and the cutting capacity of 23mm means the machine can be used for multiple tasks, from shaping to cutting back dense vegetation.
Buy now £119.99, Husqvarna.com
Stihl HLA 66
Best: Trimmer for cutting power
Power: Battery
Blade length: 50cm
Why we love it
- Good battery life
- Powerful enough to tackle some thicker branches
- Good balanced design
This long-reach cutter has a double-sided 50cm blade. This meant it was able to tackle high hedges that were a metre wide at the top, thanks to an easily adjustable head. I think you’ll have no problem beheading any border while keeping your feet firmly on the ground. The machine also has plenty of power to cut through unseen, thicker branches that would snag lesser machines.
It’s well designed and balanced with a loop handle on the shaft for easy operation, and is backed up by Stihl’s tried-and-tested battery range. This means it will produce more than two hours of working time with the recommended battery, so you can trim at the far end of the garden without having to worry about running out of juice.
Buy now £345.00, Oakleysgardenmachinery.co.uk
Worx WG284E.9
Best: Heavy-duty hedge trimmer
Power: Battery
Blade length: 66cm
Why we love it
- Double battery power
- Can tackle thicker branches
Take note
- Battery and charger sold separately
Powered by two 20V Power Share batteries, this is a real workhorse of a trimmer for those who need to do some dramatic reshaping or rejuvenating on areas of shrubbery that are starting to get out of control. The cutting capacity of 27mm means it can go to work on those thicker areas, without the blades getting jammed. However, the machine is also capable of a lighter touch for shaping.
The wraparound handle and 180-degree rotating rear handle make for excellent working ergonomics, and there’s good balance to the tool with both batteries in the housing. The fact that the machine runs on Worx Power Share batteries means they are interchangeable with other machines that operate on the same platform, too.
Buy now £164.99, Amazon.co.uk
G Tech HT50
Best: Lightweight hedge trimmer
Power: Battery
Blade length: 55cm
Why we love it
- Relatively lightweight
- Good battery life
- Adjustable blade
Gtech has done an excellent job of keeping the weight down on this battery-powered machine, which tips the scales at just 2.94kg with the battery on board. The battery also adds to the ergonomics of the tool, counterbalancing the 18V motor that sits at the cutting end of the machine.
The 55cm blade, with an ample blade gap of 25mm, is adjustable through 135 degrees, and it effectively tackled column-shaped shrubs that were planted together to create a border. The 144cm pole length means you can extend the tool for hedge tops, and I managed to get just over an hour of working time from the battery.
Buy now £299.99, Amazon.co.uk
Karcher HGE 18-50
Best: Value hedge trimmer
Power: Battery
Blade length: 50cm
Why we love it
- Relatively lightweight
- Good ergonomics
- Decent battery life
With 50cm of cutting length and 22mm of blade gap, this tool can cope well with small to medium-sized growth. It’s also very lightweight to use, with a swivelling handle that helps you find the most ergonomic working position, especially when trimming hedge tops and shaping.
It has good blade speed for tougher areas, and I managed to get about an hour of work out of the battery that’s supplied in the trimmer package.
Buy now £179.99, Kaercher.com
Stiga HT500e
Best: Hedge trimmer for medium-sized gardens
Power: Battery
Blade length: 55cm
Why we love it
- Powerful
- Good ergonomics
Take note
- Not available as a bare tool
The Stiga has a soft grip, 180-degree rotating handle, offering three positions for good ergonomics. We managed to eke out 52 minutes on a single charge of the powerful 48V battery, which loads in between the rear handle and the cutting deck.
The Stiga’s cutting capacity of 27mm, combined with the powerful battery (which gives the blades’ teeth a speed of 3500spm), really allows the tool to cut through dense bush while managing to keep vibration to a minimum, to avoid any numbness from prolonged working. You can keep an eye on the machine’s battery life from the easy-read keypad indicator, and, once you’re finished, there’s a hanging hole, so you can keep everything in your shed as neat and tidy as your garden.
Buy now £129.00, Stiga.com
Your questions on hedge trimmers answered
Which is the best hedge trimmer?
Suitable for gardens both big and small and for hedging of all heights, the Bosch universal hedgecut 18V-50 is a real all-rounder that offers excellent value for money and is more than capable of dealing with swathes of overgrown hedge as well as more detailed and delicate shaping.
What size hedge trimmer do I need?
Ultimately, it depends on the size of your garden and the hedges you intend to trim. If you have a bigger garden to tackle, you’ll be best suited to double-sided cutters, which allow you to trim in a sweeping, back-and-forth motion, for a speedier process. Meanwhile, single-sided machines tend to have longer blades, so they can cut through more material in a single sweep and work more efficiently for smaller tasks.
What is the difference between a hedge trimmer and a hedge cutter?
Trimmers are typically used for tidying up and shaping shrubs, branches, and bushes. Hedge cutters, on the other hand, are designed for more heavy-duty work involving breaking down thicker bushes and bigger branches.
Can a hedge trimmer cut through branches?
In a word, yes – but typically they are limited to medium-sized branches, rather than bigger tree branches. If you plan to try and manage branch growth, then look for larger teeth on a trimmer, as this will help it avoid getting snagged in the undergrowth.
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