The best long reach hedge trimmers, compared.
Top pick: MZK 20V, 15-review listing Best value: BlueMars 12V, two 2.0 Ah – Best value at about £62.99, score 80 from 4.1 and 184 ratings: two 2.0 Ah packs, where the cheaper one-pack has more ratings and those reviews ask for a second battery. Updated 23.10.2026.
A long reach hedge trimmer is a powered cutter on a shaft, also called a pole or telescopic hedge trimmer, so you can cut the top of a tall hedge from the ground. In the UK you buy one when a handheld trimmer cannot reach the top without a ladder. You tell a suitable one by the shaft length the listing prints, kept apart from a reach figure that already includes your height, by a blade and a cut claim that match this year's growth rather than old wood, and by the weight at full extension, plus a strap. A cordless pole suits a hedge away from a socket. A corded pole with a 10 m lead suits a continuous cut if you use an RCD on a dry hedge and keep the cable behind you. UK mains are 230 V, and the plug should be BS 1363. Work from the ground and look for nests before you cut. Shaft length, blade and power are set out in the [long reach hedge trimmer buying guide](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/long-reach-hedge-trimmer/sub/long-reach-hedge-trimmer-buying-guide).
A long reach hedge trimmer is a powered cutter on a shaft, also called a pole or telescopic hedge trimmer, so you can cut the top of a tall hedge from the ground.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where is the hedge?
This second MZK listing uses the same model number, ET1611-2-EU, at about £85.99 with two 4.0 Ah packs and a 2.4 m title reach. The star line is 4.5 from 15 reviews, and 12 UK texts were read, so the average sits on a very small sample. The bullet says a 57 cm blade, the blade-length field says 46 cm, and the cutting-width field says 5 cm. A charger earth pin was broken on delivery in this sample, which echoes a fault also reported on the MZK listing with 2,071 reviews. A few of the 12 texts say it cuts thick branches and lasts for shrub work; others simply want more power. At about £6 more than that deeper listing, this listing does not give you a single agreed blade length.
Pros
Cons
Best for: This exact ASIN is the one you can get, and you will measure the blade when it arrives.
Less suitable: You are choosing from the star average, or you want one blade length printed the same way throughout.
Specifications
Common questions
Why is the star higher but the score lower?
The line is 4.5 from 15 reviews. A higher star on 15 ratings does not outrank 4.3 from 2,071 ratings on the other MZK listing.
What blade length is printed?
The bullet says 57 cm, the blade-length field says 46 cm, and the cutting-width field says 5 cm. Measure the bar when it arrives.
Is this the same model as the other MZK?
The listing uses the same model number, ET1611-2-EU, with two 4.0 Ah packs and a 2.4 m title reach, at about £85.99 rather than about £79.99.
The Hyundai HY20CPHT is a 20 V pole at about £88.99 with one 2.0 Ah pack, a 450 mm blade and a shaft stated at 2.6 m. The same page claims a maximum reach of up to 3.6 m and a run of up to 50 minutes, with about 60 minutes to recharge. Across 115 ratings at 4.4, owners praise beech and privet and a robust feel, and some, including a woman over 70, call it light against a catalogue weight of 3.59 kg, the lightest printed weight here, with a D-handle and a shoulder strap. Other reviewers say it is heavier than they expected, hard to hold steady, and not a substitute for a cable tool on thick branches. The 16 mm figure is a listing claim, and a named safety lock is not printed. The five-position head is useful on a face you can already reach, and the single pack is the limit on a long run.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Beech or privet, where a lighter pole matters and one 2.0 Ah pack will finish.
Less suitable: A long hedge that needs a second battery, or thick branches.
Specifications
Common questions
Is 3.6 m the length of the pole?
No. The listing states a 2.6 m pole and a separate claim of up to 3.6 m reach, so the longer number includes you.
What battery is supplied?
One 20 V 2.0 Ah pack and a charger. Runtime is stated as up to 50 minutes and recharge as about 60 minutes.
How thick a stem does it claim?
The listing says 16 mm on a 450 mm blade. That is a listing claim. Reviewers say it will not replace a cable tool on thick branches.
The Flymo EasiCut Reach 480 is a 500 W corded pole at about £105, with a 48 cm blade, a 25 mm tooth gap and a highlight that claims hedges up to 3 m high and branches up to 22 mm. Across 57 ratings at 4.4, owners praise that gap on established hedges, including laurel and thicker branches, and they like staying off a ladder. The handle is telescopic, the tool comes apart for storage, the head tilts, and the cable is 10 m. The listed weight is 6.18 kg. Reviews call it heavy, awkward to control and poorly balanced when the head is horizontal, and the start button has to stay held in. Tilt in degrees is not printed, and neither is a shoulder strap. One review mentions battery life on a corded machine, so that comment is not a specification.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An established hedge, including laurel, within reach of a 10 m lead.
Less suitable: You want the higher wattage in this comparison, or a strap in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
What reach does the listing state?
The highlight claims hedges up to 3 m high. A separate shaft length in metres is not printed, so that 3 m figure is a height claim.
What is the 22 mm line?
The highlight claims branches up to 22 mm, beside a 25 mm tooth gap. The 22 mm line is a listing claim, not a measured cut.
Does it include a strap?
A shoulder strap is not printed. The listed weight is 6.18 kg, and reviews call the balance poor when the head is horizontal.
This MZK 20 V pole is about £79.99 with two 4.0 Ah packs, a 57 cm dual-action blade and a title reach of 2.4 m. Across 2,071 amazon.co.uk ratings at 4.3 it is the deepest review pool on this page, and the texts say a pack can last a long session and that neglected privet came off more easily than with a short trimmer on steps. The head is listed at 0–180° in five settings, with a double-lock, and 16 mm is the printed cut claim. Owners also sent it back as too heavy, including people with arthritis, against a catalogue weight of 3.8 kg. A shoulder strap is not in the bullets, though some owners mention a harness. In that sample a charger arrived with a pin missing, a blade stopped while the motor still ran, and one unit quit after about 20 minutes. It is the cordless row with two large packs and a review history you can actually read, provided a previous pole was not already too heavy for you.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 20 V cordless pole with two large packs and a deep amazon.co.uk review history.
Less suitable: You need a strap named on the listing, or the last pole you tried was already too heavy.
Specifications
Common questions
How far does this MZK pole reach?
The title states 2.4 m, with a 57 cm blade and a printed cut claim of 16 mm. That 16 mm figure is a listing claim, not a measured stem.
Are the batteries in the box?
Yes. The title says two 4.0 Ah packs, and the highlight says a charger is included. A shoulder strap is not printed in the bullets.
What do the reviews say about faults?
In the sample a charger arrived with a pin missing, a blade stopped while the motor still ran, and one unit quit after about 20 minutes. Some owners returned it as too heavy.
This second BlueMars 1010 W pole is about £84.99, listed up to 2.58 m, with a 45 cm dual-action blade, 20 mm tooth spacing and a 10 m cable. Across 21 ratings at 4.3, 18 UK texts were read. They praise the cut against cordless tools, including on conifers, plus straightforward assembly and the adjustable head. The item weight is 6.43 kg, a bullet warns that it is heavier than plastic-bodied models, and reviewers call it very heavy once extended. One unit was not working after a single use, which is one report in a small sample. Head angle in degrees is not printed, and the rear motor, strap and electromagnetic brake match the other 1010 W BlueMars at a higher price and a thinner review count.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a mains pole of about 2.58 m and you can accept a small review sample.
Less suitable: You can buy the BlueMars at about £82.99 with more reviews, or you cannot hold about 6.4 kg.
Specifications
Common questions
How does this differ from the other 1010 W BlueMars?
This listing is about £84.99, up to 2.58 m, with 21 reviews. The other is about £82.99, 2.6 m, with 47 reviews. Both are 1010 W with a 10 m cable, a strap and an electromagnetic brake.
What does 20 mm mean on this blade?
It is tooth spacing on a 45 cm blade, not a stem measured on the tool.
How heavy is it in the reviews?
The item weight is 6.43 kg. Reviewers call it very heavy once extended, and one unit was reported dead after a single use in an 18-text sample.
On a hedge you already keep tidy, this BlueMars 12 V pole is about £57.99 with one 2.0 Ah pack, a charger and a shaft printed at 1.92–2.56 m. Across 354 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.2, and the texts say it cuts cleanly for the money and assembles without a fight. The bullet claims about 30–40 minutes at 1400 RPM, then about 1.5 hours to charge, which is a catalogue figure rather than a timed cut on your garden. The same reviews say the 41 cm blade jams once the growth is denser than small twigs, and several people found it weaker than an old corded trimmer. At the listed 3.7 kg it still draws wrist-strain comments at full length, so the shoulder strap in the title is doing real work. There is no stated cut thickness, and the head range of -45° to 90° does not add power. It is a short session on soft growth if you can pause when that single pack is flat.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You trim soft yearly growth and can pause when the single 2.0 Ah pack is flat.
Less suitable: A neglected conifer, or any hedge that already stalls a short corded trimmer.
Specifications
Common questions
What comes in the box?
One 2.0 Ah pack, a charger and a shoulder strap named in the title. The listing also names a dual safety start.
How long will the pack run?
The bullet claims about 30–40 minutes at 1400 RPM, then about 1.5 hours to charge. That is a catalogue figure, not a timed cut.
What growth does it stall on?
Reviews say the 41 cm blade jams once growth is denser than small twigs, and several people found it weaker than an old corded trimmer.
This BlueMars pole is a 1010 W mains tool at about £82.99, with a stated length of 2.6 m, a 450 mm blade and a 10 m cable. Across 47 ratings at 4.2, 36 UK texts praise the cut on beech and mixed hedges from the ground, and some say it took growth a cordless Bosch pole had stalled on. The motor sits at the rear, there is an electromagnetic brake, and a carrying strap is included. The item weight is 6.45 kg, and reviewers call it heavy and unwieldy once the shaft is out and the head is horizontal. The lead decides where you can stand, and the trigger is tiring to hold. Tooth spacing is 20 mm, which is the gap on the blade rather than a measured stem. One strongly negative review is in the sample, without a repeated electrical-failure theme across those 36 texts.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A hedge within 10 m of a dry, RCD-protected socket, where a continuous cut matters.
Less suitable: A hedge beyond the lead, or anyone who already finds a 4 kg pole too heavy.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this cordless?
No. It is a 1010 W mains pole with a 10 m cable. Use an RCD, keep the hedge dry, and keep the cable behind you.
What does 20 mm mean?
The listing prints 20 mm tooth spacing. That is the gap on the blade, not a stem measured on this tool.
How heavy is it?
The item weight is 6.45 kg. Reviewers call it heavy and unwieldy once the shaft is out and the head is horizontal.
The MAXLANDER at about £74.99 is a cordless pole whose title states 2.8 m and a 45 cm blade, with two batteries and a harness in the highlight. Voltage and pack capacity are not printed, so you cannot line it up with a 12 V or 20 V row from the page alone. Across 285 ratings at 4.1, the 22 UK texts praise quick assembly and thin branches on a tall hedge cut from the ground. Those same texts put the packs at about 15–20 minutes and say they cut out while the bars still show. One buyer was missing the charger and one battery. A bullet lists 8.4 lb without the battery, the item weight is 5.5 kg, and the page also prints 10.4 feet and up to 16 feet with the user. The 3/4 inch figure is tooth spacing, and the head runs from 0° to 135°.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A tall hedge of thin growth, if you can accept an unpublished voltage and a short run.
Less suitable: You need a named 18 V or 20 V platform, or a run longer than about 20 minutes.
Specifications
Common questions
What voltage is it?
Voltage is not printed, and neither is the amp-hour capacity. The highlight names two batteries and a charger.
Is 16 feet the shaft?
No. The title states 2.8 m. A longer feet figure on the page includes the user, so it is the advert rather than the shaft alone.
How long do the packs last in the reviews?
The UK texts put the packs at about 15–20 minutes and say they cut out while the bars still show. One buyer was missing the charger and one battery.
This is the two-battery BlueMars 12 V pole at about £62.99, with the same 1.92–2.56 m telescopic shaft and a 41 cm cutting length. Across 184 ratings at 4.1, owners say the second 2.0 Ah pack and the strap are what get them around the face of a maintained hedge, and that the length and the head both adjust. The listing claims about 30–40 minutes per pack at 1400 RPM. Reviewers still call the run short, and one says an old 450 W corded trimmer was better on conifer. The blade feels short to some of them, and the pole is heavy once it is fully out. Catalogue weight disagrees with itself: the item weight is 4.03 kg and a bullet says 3 kg. The 15.99 inch blade field is about 40.6 cm, close to the 41 cm line, so that pair is rounding rather than two different cutters.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Yearly soft growth, where a second pack matters more than a higher voltage.
Less suitable: Cutting back woody conifer, or any job you already know needs a mains pole.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a second battery included?
Yes. The title says two 2.0 Ah packs and a charger. The listing also names a shoulder strap.
How long is the shaft?
The listing prints a telescopic shaft of 192–256 cm, which is 1.92–2.56 m, with a head from -45° to 90°.
Why do the weights disagree?
The item weight is 4.03 kg and a bullet says 3 kg. Both figures are on the listing. Reviewers still call the pole heavy once it is fully out.
The POSENPRO PGCS20B is a 20 V kit at about £93.49 with a 450 mm hedge head, an 8 inch saw, two 2.0 Ah packs and a pole stated at 2.5 m. The highlight also claims up to 4 m for a six-foot user, so that second number already includes a person. Across 62 ratings at 4.1, owners describe a long hedge on one battery and say the length keeps them back from the blade, including on overhanging trees. The listing weight is 6.62 kg, the heaviest here, and reviews call it heavy on a large hedge. A shoulder belt is named in the highlight, and reviewers say it was not in the box. The pole is described as usable with the extension fitted, which makes close work awkward, and a 5-foot user found it ungainly. The hedge head adjusts up to 135° in 10 positions, and 16 mm is the printed hedge claim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one kit for a hedge and an overhanging branch, and you can hold 6.62 kg.
Less suitable: Hedge-only work, a shorter user, or anyone who counted on the strap being in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it include a saw?
Yes. The kit has a 450 mm hedge head and an 8 inch saw, plus two 2.0 Ah packs. The pole is stated at 2.5 m.
Is the shoulder strap in the box?
The highlight names a shoulder belt. Reviewers say it was not in the box, so treat the strap as claimed rather than confirmed.
Does up to 4 m mean the pole is 4 m?
No. The pole is stated at 2.5 m. Up to 4 m is a reach claim for a six-foot user, so it already includes a person.
The Bosch UniversalHedgePole 18 is about £149, with one 18 V battery and an AL 1830 CV charger. Across 1,487 ratings at 4.0, owners praise the lack of a cable, a solid feel, and conifers that some of them could cut, and they say other Bosch 18 V packs fit. The Amazon blade-length field prints 43 inches and the item weight prints 4.12 kg, while Bosch’s UK page for this model prints 43 cm, 3.6 kg and 210–260 cm. The Amazon bullets do not state a reach. Reviewers call it head-heavy, and the included pack does not finish a hedge for many of them; one owner says that after three years the supplied pack lasts about five minutes. Warranty registration is described as fiddly. The head is listed at 135° and an anti-blocking system is claimed, which still leaves you buying a second pack if the hedge is long.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already run Bosch 18 V tools and will add a second pack.
Less suitable: You need a shaft length printed on the Amazon listing, or two batteries in the box at this price.
Specifications
Common questions
What blade length does Amazon print?
The Amazon blade-length field prints 43 inches, and the bullets do not state a reach. Bosch UK prints 43 cm, 3.6 kg and 210–260 cm. Those are not the same numbers, and the UK page is not used to overwrite the listing.
Is the battery capacity printed?
The listing says one 18 V battery and an AL 1830 CV charger. Amp-hours are not printed. Reviewers say other Bosch 18 V packs fit, and that the included pack does not finish a hedge.
Why is the blade not given in centimetres?
Amazon prints 43 inches, and Bosch UK prints 43 cm. Those are not the same number. The centimetre row is left blank rather than converting 43 inches into a false length.
No hedge was cut for this page. Eleven amazon.co.uk listings are scored from 0 to 100 using the star line, the review count, whether the kit prints a battery or a 10 m cable, price against that kit, and the review themes. Conflicts and faults are deductions. The label still repeats the amazon.co.uk stars and the review count. Those inputs are not separate published percentages, so the only weight is the listing score, at 100. This is not a lab test. The top pick is the highest score. Best value is the two-pack 12 V pole: the cheaper one-pack has more ratings, and those reviews ask for a second battery.
Listing score
100%The published score uses the amazon.co.uk star line, the review count, whether the kit prints a battery or a 10 m cable, price against that kit, and the review themes. Conflicts and faults are deductions inside that 0–100 score. They are not separate criterion percentages, so this weight is the whole score.
Buy the shaft you can compare with the hedge, a head you can lock for the top and the face, and a power plan you can switch on. A reach number that already includes you, a millimetre line treated as a tested cut, and a star from a handful of reviews are the mistakes that waste the afternoon.
A long reach hedge trimmer is a powered cutter on a shaft. It is also sold as a pole hedge trimmer or a telescopic hedge trimmer. You use it to cut the top of a tall hedge from the ground, so you are not standing on a ladder. A handheld trimmer is a different shape. A petrol pole is a different purchase, and so is a professional forestry shaft. A pole that is only a saw, with no hedge head, is a different job. The first check is reach, in the unit the listing prints.
Some listings print the pole. Some add your height, so up to 3.6 m can be a 2.6 m shaft, and up to 4 m can assume a six-foot user. Compare the shaft with the hedge.
A 16 mm, 20 mm or 22 mm figure is a listing claim. A 20 mm line can be tooth spacing. Which? points loppers at stems over about 1 cm. Forcing old wood stalls the blade.
A 4.5 from 15 reviews is not a better tool than a 4.3 from 2,071 reviews. Check the review count before you rank the star, and do not cut a damp hedge with a mains lead.
Shaft length is the first check because a reach claim often includes the person holding the pole. Compare metres of shaft with the hedge. If the listing prints one length for the pole and a longer length for reach, use the pole. A 2.6 m pole with a claim of up to 3.6 m, a 2.5 m pole with up to 4 m for a six-foot user, and a 2.8 m title beside a longer feet figure are three versions of the same trap. If you cannot control the head from flat ground, the pole is the wrong tool.
Choose a cordless pole when the hedge is away from a socket, and a corded pole with a 10 m lead when you need a continuous cut on a dry hedge through an RCD, with the cable behind you. UK mains are 230 V and the plug should be BS 1363. A 12 V pack is the light-duty end. An 18 V or 20 V pack is the domestic cordless step up, and you still need the amp-hours and the number of packs printed, because one small pack is a short session.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You can hold a shaft for short bursts and you want the top of the hedge from the ground. The MZK 20 V pole is the top pick, score 87, at about £79.99, with two 4.0 Ah packs, a 57 cm blade and a title reach of 2.4 m. Some owners returned it as too heavy, and a shoulder strap is not printed in the bullets.
You already run Bosch 18 V tools and you will add a second pack. The UniversalHedgePole 18 is about £149, score 66, with 4.0 from 1,487 ratings. Amazon prints a 43 inch blade and no reach. Bosch UK prints 43 cm and 210–260 cm, and those figures are not used to overwrite the listing.
You are within 10 m of a dry, RCD-protected socket and you can handle about 6.2–6.5 kg. The BlueMars 1010 W pole at about £82.99, score 73, has a 2.6 m length, a 45 cm blade, a 10 m cable and a strap. Reviews call it heavy once the shaft is out.
The top pick is the MZK 20 V pole, score 87, at about £79.99: 4.3 from 2,071 amazon.co.uk ratings, two 4.0 Ah packs and a 57 cm blade with a title reach of 2.4 m. Charger-pin and blade-drive complaints in the sample are already in that score. Best value is the BlueMars 12 V pole with two 2.0 Ah packs, score 80, at about £62.99, with 4.1 from 184 ratings. The one-pack at about £57.99 is cheaper and has more ratings, and those reviews ask for a second battery. A catalogue weight of 4.03 kg against a 3 kg bullet is a small deduction, not a reason to hide either figure.
BlueMars 12V, two 2.0 Ah
Best value at about £62.99, score 80 from 4.1 and 184 ratings: two 2.0 Ah packs, where the cheaper one-pack has more ratings and those reviews ask for a second battery.
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.
Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 23 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. Star ratings and review counts are from those listings. This is not a lab test, and a commission does not change the scores.
