The best electric hedge trimmers, compared.
Top pick: WORX WG264E.9 Best value: Hyundai HYHT550E – 4.5 from 601 reviews at about £43.99, with a 51 cm blade and a stated 10 m cable. Updated 22 October 2026.
An electric hedge trimmer is a one-person reciprocating cutter for hedges and shrubs. In the UK the three household formats are a corded mains tool, a cordless battery tool, and a pole tool for growth you cannot reach with both feet on the ground. Petrol cutters and tractor flails sit outside this category. You tell a suitable electric hedge trimmer by the blade length against the hedge, the tooth gap against the stem, and a weight you can hold at the height you cut. The box either includes the battery and charger or it says that it does not. A bare tool is a different purchase from a finished corded tool. Corded tools need a BS 1363 plug on 230 V or 240 V mains and a 30 mA RCD. Keep the cable behind you, and do not cut in the rain. A pole belongs only when the top is too high for a handheld blade. Format, blade and tooth gap are set out in the [electric hedge trimmer buying guide](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/electric-hedge-trimmer/sub/electric-hedge-trimmer-buying-guide).
An electric hedge trimmer is a one-person reciprocating cutter for hedges and shrubs.
42 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Can an outdoor socket reach the hedge?
The WORX WG264E.9 is a tool-only cordless trimmer at £87.99 with a 52 cm blade and a stated weight of 2.88 kg. The listing shows 4.7 from 49 reviews, a high star line on a thin sample next to Bosch and BLACK+DECKER counts above a thousand. The title says 20 V and the item-type name says 18 V (20 V Max), and the battery and charger are sold separately. Reviewers who already own a WORX pack call it light, including one with limited mobility, and some use it on tall laurel and thick shrubs. A two-handed multi-grip switch is praised, though one owner could not register the three-year online warranty, one full pack lasted about 30 minutes on their hedge, a replacement arrived missing the bolt for the top trigger handle after the first unit cut out often, and another owner read 56 cm on the box against the 52 cm title, with cutting capacity absent from the comparison block. It fits a shed that already has the matching pack, and it is an expensive start if that pack is still to buy.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A domestic hedge when a WORX 20 V pack and charger are already charged
Less suitable: A first cordless buy, or anyone who needs a large review sample and one agreed blade length
Specifications
Common questions
Does the WORX WG264E.9 include a battery?
No. The title says tool only. The highlight says battery and charger are sold separately. It is a 20 V / 18 V (20 V Max) cordless trimmer with a 52 cm blade and a stated two-handed switch.
How many reviews are on the listing?
The listing shows 4.7 out of 5 from 49 reviews. One owner could not register the three-year online warranty, and one wrote that a full pack lasted about 30 minutes on their hedge.
The GARCARE 500 W listing is the lowest shelf price in this set at £39.99, with a stated 510 mm blade, 16 mm tooth spacing and a spec weight of 2.8 kg. It scores 4.6 from 138 amazon.co.uk reviews, and older users in the notes call it light, with one owner finding it stronger on a woody hedge than a weak cordless tool they had used before, and a blade cover stated in the highlight. One reviewer cut the lead within the first minutes, another reports jams and the motor cutting out, and the tool is also described as noisy, with one owner not treating it as a professional tool. The model number field says GHT05 and the manufacturer part number says GHT06, with CHEERY on the manufacturer line, so the name on the carton may not match the title, and voltage is not printed. The price is real, and the cut lead, the thin sample and the split model numbers are why the best-value badge stays on the Hyundai at £43.99.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A short maintained hedge when £39.99 is the budget and you will keep the lead behind you from the first minute
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a clear model number, a stated 10 m cable, or a large review sample
Specifications
Common questions
Is the GARCARE 500 W model cordless?
No. It is a corded trimmer stated at 500 W, with a 510 mm blade and 16 mm tooth spacing. Spec weight is 2.8 kg. One reviewer cut the lead in the first minutes.
Which model number is on the listing?
The model number field says GHT05 and the manufacturer part number says GHT06. The manufacturer line says CHEERY.
The BLACK+DECKER BEHT201 clears a short domestic hedge as a complete 240 V corded tool: 420 W, a 45 cm blade and a stated 16 mm cut, at a saved £44.94. Across 1,331 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.5, and the spec weight of 1.92 kg is the lightest in this set. Reviewers who had used heavier cutters call it light and easy, and one report includes a thick honeysuckle tangle as well as ordinary small hedges. The cable can pop out of the tool unless you hold it, and at least one owner had the guard fall off. A two-hand switch is what reviewers describe, and the same notes say that switch makes a high reach awkward. Cable length is not in the spec block, so the “useful lead” some owners mention is not a length you can plan from. It is the top pick in this set because the box is finished and the UK sample is large, and it is still the wrong tool once the hedge top is above a comfortable handheld reach.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A short, regularly cut hedge beside an RCD-protected outdoor socket, when you want a light complete corded tool
Less suitable: The top of a tall hedge, stems thicker than the stated 16 mm, or anyone who has already cut through a lead
Specifications
Common questions
Does the BLACK+DECKER BEHT201 come with a battery?
No. The listing is a corded hedge trimmer marked 240 V and 420 W, with a 45 cm blade and a stated 16 mm cut. Cable length is not in the spec block.
How heavy is it?
The amazon.co.uk spec line says 1.92 kg. Reviewers often call it light, and some say the cable pops out of the tool unless it is held.
The Hyundai HYHT550E is a 550 W corded trimmer with a 510 mm double-action blade and a stated 16 mm capacity, listed at £43.99. It scores 4.5 from 601 amazon.co.uk reviews, and owners who compared it with an older cutter often say it feels lighter in the hand and that the long cord is the part they notice. The bullets state a 10 m cable at 230 V, which is a length you can actually quote, unlike several neighbours. Spec weight is 3.2 kg while the title prints 3.17 kg, so it is still heavier than the 1.92 kg BLACK+DECKER. One early review says fine twigs of about 3 mm were chewed rather than sliced, and another buyer found the warranty paperwork unclear. The lead can still be cut if it trails into the blade. The Amazon cutting-width field repeats 510 mm, so that cell is the blade, not the tooth gap. It is the best value in this set on price, stated cable and stars, and it remains a mains tool with a 16 mm claim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A maintained hedge near a socket when you want a 51 cm blade and a stated 10 m lead at £43.99
Less suitable: A first cordless kit, a rotating rear handle, or a hedge you cannot reach with both feet on the ground
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the Hyundai HYHT550E cable?
The bullets state a 10 m power cable. It is a 550 W corded tool at 230 V, not a battery trimmer.
What can the blade take?
The listing states a 510 mm double-action blade and branches up to 16 mm. The spec weight is 3.2 kg. The cutting-width field repeats 510 mm, so do not read that field as the tooth gap.
The NETTA corded trimmer is listed at £44.99 and scores 4.4 from 2,726 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest sample in this set. The title says 600 W, a 55 cm diamond blade, a 16 mm tooth opening, a 6 m cable and a two-way safety switch, with a stated weight of 2.5 kg. Reviewers often call it light next to heavier or cordless tools, and several say it feels sturdy on hedges and small branches. One buyer measured the cutting area nearer 50 cm than the 55 cm in the title, and a bullet on the same listing says 51 cm, so the length you plan around is not a single figure. The cord is shorter than some rival trimmers, and reviewers say a very large overgrown job needs the motor minded. Voltage is not in the spec block. The review volume is why it looks like a value contender, and the disputed blade length is why the best-value badge sits on the Hyundai instead.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A domestic hedge in the mid-£40s when you will measure the blade on arrival and a 6 m lead plus your own extension is enough
Less suitable: Anyone who needs one agreed blade length on the listing, or a 10 m lead printed in the bullets
Specifications
Common questions
Is the NETTA blade 55 cm?
The title says 55 cm and 16 mm tooth opening, with a 6 m cable and a two-way safety switch. One bullet says a 51 cm diamond blade, and one reviewer measured the cutting area nearer 50 cm.
Is a battery included?
No. It is corded, stated at 600 W and 2.5 kg. Voltage is not in the spec block.
The Bosch EasyHedgeCut 45 is a corded 420 W cutter with a 45 cm blade, a stated 16 mm tooth spacing and a listed weight of 2.6 kg, at £53.95. Across 1,319 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.4. Owners praise mains power that does not fade, and many use it on privet and light hedges, with one preferring it to cordless tools that stall in twigs. The included-items line lists an extension cable, yet one UK reviewer wrote that the cable supplied was 7 m rather than the 10 m they expected. Another received a two-pin plug, and a shaver adaptor would not run it, which leaves you without a BS 1363 connection until the plug is sorted. A plastic blade tip made side sweeps harder for one buyer, and another found the tool suited only to light growth. Voltage is not in the spec block. You pay more than the £44.94 BLACK+DECKER for a similar 45 cm class, with a large review count and a cable and plug you should check on the day it arrives.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A light privet hedge on mains power when you will check that the plug is a UK three-pin before the first cut
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a stated 10 m lead in the spec, a battery, or a cut through old thick wood
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Bosch EasyHedgeCut 45 include a cable?
The included-items bullet lists the tool, an extension cable and a carton. One UK reviewer wrote that the cable supplied was 7 m, not 10 m. Another received a two-pin plug.
What is the blade?
The title states 420 W, a 45 cm blade and 2.6 kg. A bullet states 16 mm tooth spacing. It is a corded tool.
The Bosch EasyHedgeCut 18-45 is a 45 cm cordless body at £57.00, and the title excludes the battery and charger. It scores 4.4 from 1,035 amazon.co.uk reviews. Owners who already have a Bosch 18 V pack call it light enough that older users who had dropped a heavier trimmer could finish a small hedge, and some finished one hedge on a single pack. One buyer priced a separate pack at £44.99, so a first cordless purchase is well above the complete corded tools near £45. The highlight says an 18 V system while the voltage field prints 3.6, and a reviewer limited clean cuts to about 0.5 cm, taking 1 cm bramble one piece at a time. The same notes call it less powerful than a 240 V tool and gutless next to a heavier Milwaukee. Tooth spacing is stated as 15 mm and weight as 2.3 kg. It is the bare body to open when a green 18 V pack is already charged, and it is an incomplete price if the pack is still to buy.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small, regularly cut hedge when a Bosch 18 V pack and charger are already in the shed
Less suitable: A first cordless buy with no pack, or stems that will not enter a 15 mm gap
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Bosch EasyHedgeCut 18-45 include a battery?
No. The title says battery and charger are excluded. Owners who already have a Bosch 18 V pack treat that as the point of the £57.00 price. One buyer priced a separate pack at £44.99.
What voltage is printed?
The item highlight says an 18 V system and a 45 cm blade. The voltage spec field prints 3.6. Tooth spacing is stated as 15 mm and weight as 2.3 kg.
The GARCARE 680 W model is a corded trimmer at £69.99 with a stated 61 cm blade, a 20 mm capacity, a 10 m cable and a spec weight of 4.49 kg. It scores 4.4 from 198 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the bullets state a two-trigger stop and a D-shaped rotating rear handle. Reviewers say it cuts thicker privet than a recent battery trimmer, and some found more power than the price suggested. The same file includes a motor that cut out, smelt of burning and was returned, and a tooth that broke on first use and then snagged. Plastics feel flimsy to some owners, and the weight is enough to ache arms. Voltage is not printed. At £69.99 it is the dearest handheld corded tool here, overlapping the Hyundai HYHT680E at £59.99 with a stated 24 mm gap and 4.14 kg. The cut on thicker privet is the reason it stays in the table, and the return stories are the reason the score sits lower.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A long privet face when you want a rotating handle and will accept the failure reports in a 198-review sample
Less suitable: A light garden, a tight budget, or anyone who wants the quieter failure file of the cheaper corded tools
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the GARCARE 680 W box?
The bullets state a 680 W motor, a 10 m cable, a 61 cm blade and a 20 mm capacity, plus a two-trigger stop and a rotating rear handle. Spec weight is 4.49 kg. Voltage is not printed.
Do reviews mention failures?
Yes. One UK review describes the motor cutting out with a burning smell and a return. Another says a tooth broke on first use. Other reviewers praise the cut on thicker privet.
The Ryobi OPT1845 is an 18 V ONE+ pole trimmer at £106.00, sold without a battery or charger, and it scores 4.3 from 2,059 amazon.co.uk reviews. The listing states a 45 cm blade, an 18 mm gap, a sheath, a shoulder strap and a length up to 2.9 m, with a spec weight of 5.6 kg before you add a pack. Reviewers use the articulating head to cut tall hedges from the ground instead of a ladder, and the strap helps some of them. The same reviews call it very heavy and top-heavy when fully extended, including for a user of about 6 ft, and they say it never becomes a short handheld trimmer. One review put the shortest length at about 4 ft. Cuts are described within the stated 18 mm gap, and one owner found it shorter and less sharp than another Ryobi hedge trimmer they already had. The review volume is the largest pole sample here, and the weight at full stretch is still the limit. The £106 price is the pole body alone.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The top of a tall hedge when you already own a Ryobi ONE+ pack and can hold 5.6 kg at full extension
Less suitable: A low hedge, a first battery purchase, or anyone who needs a light tool at shoulder height
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Ryobi OPT1845 include a battery?
No. It is an 18 V ONE+ pole trimmer sold without battery or charger. The listing states a 45 cm blade, an 18 mm gap, a sheath, a shoulder strap and a length up to 2.9 m. Spec weight is 5.6 kg.
Can it be used as a short handheld trimmer?
Reviewers say no. It stays a pole, and several call it heavy and top-heavy when fully extended. The listing has 4.3 out of 5 from 2,059 reviews.
The SuperHandy is a corded pole trimmer at £99.99, stated to extend to 2.7 m, with a 550 W motor, a 51 cm blade in the highlight, a four-position head and a 10 m cord. Stated weight is 3.7 kg, so the spec line is lighter than the Ryobi’s 5.6 kg and you do not buy a separate battery. The listing shows 4.3 from only 11 reviews. Those reviews like the angled head for tall sections from the ground, and one reviewer felt safer than on a ladder. The same small file calls it heavy once fully extended, says the plastics feel basic at this price, notes that blade oil was not in the box, and records a power lead that disconnected in use. Cutting capacity and voltage are not in the comparison block. A one-year warranty is stated. It is a corded reach tool when an RCD-protected socket can feed the lead and you can hold 3.7 kg overhead, and 11 reviews are not a large sample beside the Ryobi’s 2,059.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A tall hedge you can still reach from the ground with a 10 m cord and a 3.7 kg pole
Less suitable: A low hedge, a battery-only plot, or anyone who wants a large review sample before buying a pole
Specifications
Common questions
How far does the SuperHandy pole reach?
The title and bullets state 2.7 m, a 550 W corded motor, a 51 cm blade, four head angles and a 10 m cord. Stated weight is 3.7 kg. The listing shows 4.3 out of 5 from 11 reviews.
Is it cordless?
No. It is a corded pole trimmer. One of the eleven reviews says the power lead disconnected, and another notes that blade oil was not in the box.
The Hyundai HYHT680E is a 680 W corded trimmer with a 610 mm blade and a stated 24 mm cutting capacity, listed at £59.99. It scores 4.2 from 383 amazon.co.uk reviews, a lower star line and a smaller sample than the HYHT550E. Spec weight is 4.14 kg, with a stated 10 m cable at 230 V and a rear handle that rotates through five positions across 180 degrees, plus a two-handed safety switch. Reviewers credit the rotating handle on sides and top, and one owner took 30 cm off the top of a hedge, which is still a handheld cut. The motor is described as having more bite on thicker privet than a short or weak cordless tool. One buyer had the motor burn out with a pop after early use, and another had a gear bushing split and the cutter seize about a year on. It is also louder than an old Flymo in one comparison, and the 24 mm figure is the seller’s claim, so choose it when you can hold just over 4 kg and you want the longer blade and the moving handle.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A longer domestic face when you want a rotating handle and a stated 24 mm gap and can hold 4.14 kg
Less suitable: A light 45 cm job, a battery-only garden, or anyone who needs a pole rather than a 61 cm handheld blade
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a stem does the Hyundai HYHT680E claim?
The listing states a 610 mm blade and a 24 mm cutting capacity, with a 680 W motor, 230 V, and a 10 m cable. Spec weight is 4.14 kg.
Does the handle move?
Yes. The listing states a rear handle that rotates through five positions across 180 degrees, plus a two-handed safety switch.
The Flymo SimpliCut 550 is the only cordless handheld in this set whose title states a battery and charger, at £114.99. The saved listing has no Customer Reviews line and no review text, so there is no star rating to quote and the score sits below every reviewed tool. The highlight says branches up to 14 mm and up to 55 minutes, while a bullet says up to 17 mm, and the cutting-width field is 55 cm. Weight is 3.04 kg with a loop handle, and the title says 18 V. Those runtime and capacity lines are seller claims, not a measured cut on a UK hedge. You pay more than a bare Bosch EasyHedgeCut 18-45 at £57.00 because the pack is in the box, and you buy without a UK review sample in this extract. It is the listing to open when a cordless tool has to run on the day it arrives. It is a poor match if you already own a Bosch, WORX or Ryobi pack, or if you want review evidence before you spend £114.99.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cordless hedge when you do not own a battery platform and you accept an unreviewed kit at £114.99
Less suitable: Anyone who already owns Bosch, WORX or Ryobi packs, or who wants a star rating before they buy
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Flymo SimpliCut 550 include a battery?
Yes. The title says with battery and charger. The highlight says branches up to 14 mm and up to 55 minutes. A bullet says up to 17 mm. Weight is 3.04 kg and cutting width is 55 cm.
What is the star rating?
The saved listing has no Customer Reviews line and no review text, so the rating is not available from this listing extract.
Twelve amazon.co.uk listings are in this set. The score starts from the star rating times 20, then a reduction recorded for a missing battery, a conflicting blade or voltage cell, a thin sample, a cut lead, or a reported motor failure. Listings with no Customer Reviews line are not scored from stars. This is not a lab test, not a Which? award, and not a BBC Gardeners’ World score.
Amazon stars, then the note
100%The published score starts from the amazon.co.uk star rating multiplied by 20. A missing battery, a conflicting blade or voltage cell, a thin review sample, a cut lead, or a reported motor failure changes that number only as the note describes. Equipment, price and review comments are used in the written assessment and in the badge choice. They are not a second hidden percentage.
Start with the power format, then whether a battery is in the box, then blade length against the hedge and tooth gap against the stem. A pole is only for a top you cannot cut with both feet on the ground. Prices below are the saved amazon.co.uk files, not a live basket, and this is not a lab test.
An electric hedge trimmer is a one-person reciprocating cutter for hedges and shrubs. UK household listings are a corded mains tool, a cordless battery tool, or a pole tool. Petrol cutters and tractor flails sit outside this category. Corded tools give continuous 230 V or 240 V power and a lead to manage. Cordless tools have no lead and are limited by the pack, and they are often sold without a battery. A pole is for the top of a hedge you cannot reach with both feet on the ground.
A bare-tool price is the cost to start cutting only if you already own that battery and charger. Read the title for a pack excluded, a tool-only line, or a stated battery.
The cutting-width field sometimes repeats the blade length and sometimes means the tooth gap. Quote the two figures separately, and measure the blade if the title and a bullet disagree.
Cable length counts only when the listing prints it. A missing spec line is not a 10 m lead, and a reviewer measurement is not the same as the bullet.
Do not damage a nest in use or being built. The 1 March to 31 August ban is the England rule for qualifying agricultural hedgerows, not every garden privet. Active nests are protected anyway.
Power format comes first. Choose corded if an RCD-protected outdoor socket can reach the hedge. You get continuous mains power and a lead you have to keep behind the blade. Choose cordless if the hedge is away from the house or you have already cut a lead. The limit is then the pack, and many cordless hedge trimmers are sold as a bare body. Choose a pole only when the top is too high to cut with both feet on the ground. A pole does not replace a short handheld tool for a low formal hedge.
Blade length and tooth gap decide whether the tool matches the hedge. A short blade, about 45 cm on domestic corded and cordless bodies, suits a regularly cut face you can reach. Longer handheld blades, about 51–61 cm, cover more of a long face and weigh more. The tooth gap is the stem the teeth are meant to take. On these files the stated gaps run from 15 mm to 24 mm. If a stem is thicker than the stated gap, the trimmer is the wrong tool.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
An RCD-protected outdoor socket can reach a short, regularly cut hedge, and you want a finished corded tool. The BLACK+DECKER BEHT201 is a 45 cm, 420 W tool with a stated weight of 1.92 kg. Cable length is not in the spec block, and reviews describe a lead that pops out unless it is held.
You already own a matching pack and want a bare handheld body. The Bosch EasyHedgeCut 18-45 is a 45 cm tool at 2.3 kg, and the title excludes the battery and charger. The highlight says an 18 V system and the voltage field prints 3.6. One buyer priced a separate pack at about £44.99.
The top is too high to cut with both feet on the ground, and you already own a Ryobi ONE+ pack. The Ryobi OPT1845 is a cordless pole with a stated length up to 2.9 m and a spec weight of 5.6 kg before a battery. Reviewers say it does not shorten into a handheld trimmer.
The top pick is the BLACK+DECKER BEHT201. It has the highest score in this set, from 4.5 and 1,331 amazon.co.uk reviews, as a complete 45 cm corded tool with a stated weight of 1.92 kg. Cable length is not in the spec block, and reviews describe a lead that pops out and a guard that can fall off. The best value is the Hyundai HYHT550E at about £43.99, with 4.5 from 601 reviews, a 51 cm blade and a stated 10 m cable. The cheaper GARCARE 500 W does not take that badge: 138 reviews, a lead cut in the first minutes, and model GHT05 against part GHT06. NETTA has the largest sample, and the blade length on that listing is disputed.
Hyundai HYHT550E
4.5 from 601 reviews at about £43.99, with a 51 cm blade and a stated 10 m cable.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Safety and wildlife points are from the RHS, Electrical Safety First, GOV.UK, the RSPB and HSE. Prices and star lines are the saved amazon.co.uk listings for the twelve ASINs. Updated 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores start from the amazon.co.uk star rating times 20, then the note on that listing. They are not a lab test, and they are not a promise of the cheapest price.
