The best Makita cordless hedge trimmers, compared.
Top pick: Roadtime SS236-MT Best value: KIESBOHR CSL502 – Best value if a non-G-series 18 V pack is already owned: 51 cm, 16 mm tooth spacing and 4.6 from 261 ratings at about £74.99. It is not a Makita. Updated 23.10.2026.
A cordless hedge trimmer is a battery-powered cutter for the sides and top of a garden hedge. In the UK you buy one when you want to trim without a mains lead across the lawn. You choose by blade length, the gap between the teeth, and whether a battery and charger are already in the box. Most maintained hedges suit a bar of about 45–60 cm. Stems past about 1 cm are a job for loppers. A handheld cutter suits a face you can reach at about chest height. A telescopic pole is for a tall top you can still trim from flat ground. A bare body will not run until a matching pack and a charger with a UK 13 A plug are in the house. Take the pack off before you clear a jam, and stay clear of overhead lines. Cut in the daytime, and stop if a nest is in use. How blade, pack and reach fit together is set out in our [cordless hedge trimmer buying guide](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/makita-cordless-hedge-trimmer/sub/makita-cordless-hedge-trimmer-buying-guide).
A cordless hedge trimmer is a battery-powered cutter for the sides and top of a garden hedge. In the UK you buy one when you want to trim without a mains lead across the lawn.
26 products checked · 61 hrs invested · +21,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Do you already own a Makita 18 V pack that is not G-series?
The Roadtime SS236-MT is a 52 cm handheld at £59.99 and 2.5 kg, with a brushless motor and a 180° cutter head stated in the bullets. The star line is 5.0 from six ratings, which is why the score prints 100, and that sample is small: the saved listing has three review blocks and one of them is marked United Kingdom. That UK review calls it light and says the omnidirectional handle works at any angle. A Spanish review says it runs on Makita batteries, mentions a robust gear with bearings, and says it arrives with little grease, suggesting you open the underside to add grease. The bullets say the SK5 blades cut branches up to 16 mm, and the specification table prints that 16 mm as cutting width, so the width cell is the capacity claim rather than the 52 cm bar. The dimension cell is 44 × 18 × 10 cm. G-series exclusion is not stated, and there is no contents list beyond the title’s no-battery line. There is no badge, because six ratings are not a test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already have a Makita 18 V pack and you accept a six-review sample on a £59.99 52 cm body.
Less suitable: You want a large review count marked United Kingdom, or a listing that keeps the 52 cm bar separate from the 16 mm cell.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Roadtime 52 cm trimmer come with a battery?
No. The title says no battery, and the bullets describe a Makita 18 V fit without listing a pack in the box.
What does the 16 mm cell mean?
The bullets say the SK5 blades cut branches up to 16 mm. The specification table prints that 16 mm as cutting width, next to a 52 cm blade in the title.
How many reviews support the 5.0 score?
The listing says 5.0 from 6. The saved listing has three review blocks, and one of them is marked United Kingdom.
The Makita DUH523RF is the only row whose brand field says Makita. It is listed at £199.41 with a 520 mm stainless blade, 3.4 kg and 1,350 RPM on the amazon.co.uk specification table, and the score is 94 from a 4.7 star line across 1,254 ratings. UK reviews call it light and suitable for small hedges, hawthorn and privet, and they praise the build. A UK review also says it is not for heavy remodelling, another finds the charge state hard to read and the instructions useless, and one would like a faster blade. The title names a 3.0 Ah Li-ion battery. The bullets do not list a charger or a contents line, and reviews both mention a charger and report the battery or the charger missing. Of the first 50 review blocks saved with the listing, only five are marked United Kingdom. The listing says international products are sold from abroad and may differ in labelling and instructions, tooth spacing is not on this listing, and the 1,350 RPM cell is left as printed rather than replaced with the 2,700 strokes per minute on Makita’s UK sheet. It is the top pick on this page because the brand field says Makita and the score is 94 from 4.7 and 1,254 ratings. That is a star line, not a cutting test, and a charger is still not in the bullets.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the brand field to say Makita for a small maintained hedge, and you check the carton for the 3.0 Ah pack the title names.
Less suitable: You need a charger confirmed in the bullets, or the job is a heavy remodel rather than a maintained hedge.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the DUH523RF include a battery and a charger?
The title says with a 3.0 Ah Li-ion battery. The bullets do not list a charger or a contents line. Captured reviews both mention a charger and report the battery or the charger missing.
What speed does this Amazon listing print?
The specification table says 1350 RPM, with blade length 520 millimetres, cutting width 52 centimetres and weight 3.4 kg. Tooth spacing is not on the listing.
Is this sold as a UK retail kit?
The listing says international products are sold from abroad and may differ in labelling and instructions. The brand field is Makita and the model is DUH523RF.
The KIESBOHR CSL502 is a 51 cm handheld at £74.99 and 2 kg, with 16 mm tooth spacing stated, a 5-step rotating handle and 1,400 RPM on the listing. Across 261 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.6 and the score is 92. UK reviews call it light, quiet and comfortable with the rotating grip, and they say it works on the reviewer’s Makita battery as a backup for light trimming. One UK review says it looks like a Makita, is not a Makita, and that Makita warns against using its batteries in other manufacturers’ products. Another says it is adequate and not as good as a Makita. One user oils the blades and will not cut branches larger than 10 mm, on a 4 Ah Makita pack. The model-number cell says Taille-haies while the manufacturer part number says CSL502, and the unit-count cell says 1.0 gram, which is not the 2 kg weight. Battery and charger are excluded, the listing does state that it is not for G-series packs, and the bullets state a 12-month warranty. It is the best value on this page if that pack is already owned. It is not the top pick, because UK reviews say it is not a Makita.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You own a Makita 18 V pack that is not G-series and you want the largest review count among the compatible handhelds for light hedges and shrubs.
Less suitable: You want the brand field to say Makita, or you need to cut stems past the 10 mm limit one reviewer set.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the CSL502 come with a battery or charger?
No. The bullets say battery and charger are not included, and that the tool is not for G-series packs.
What tooth spacing is printed?
The bullets state 16 mm tooth spacing on a double blade, with cutting width 51 centimetres and weight 2 kg in the specification table.
Do reviewers treat it as a Makita?
No. One UK review says it takes a Makita battery, looks like a Makita, and is not a Makita. Another calls it adequate for light trimming and not as good as a Makita.
The OHAISFELA YYQH-HT52-MT is a 52 cm handheld at £59.99, with a brushless motor and a 180° handle stated, and the specification table lists 2 kg while a bullet says 4.4 pounds. Across 155 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.6, and the score is 92. Reviewers call it light on small hedges, box and thinner branches, and they say it runs on Makita packs they already own, including a stated 4 Ah pack. Several of them also say it is not a Makita tool, and longevity is called unknown because the use was recent. The specification table prints cutting width as 0.6 inches beside a 52 cm blade and a 20 inch blade-length cell, so that width cell is not the bar. The bullets claim 15 mm and 22,000 RPM, which is a different count from strokes per minute. One UK review says the handle needs four screws on arrival, and the same opening review text and the same 155 count appear on the 58 cm OHAISFELA, so this pool is shared and it does not carry a top-pick mark.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own a BL1820 to BL1860 pack, including the B variants, and the job is box or a small hedge rather than thick wood.
Less suitable: You want reviews that belong only to this ASIN, a brand field that says Makita, or a stated cut beyond light growth.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this OHAISFELA 52 cm trimmer include a Makita battery?
No. The title says battery not included. The bullets list BL1820 through BL1860, including the B variants, as packs you already own.
Is the brand Makita?
No. The brand field is OHAISFELA and the model is YYQH-HT52-MT. UK reviews say the same: the battery can be Makita, the tool is not.
Why is cutting width 0.6 inches?
The specification table prints 0.6 inches beside a 52 cm blade and a 20 inch blade-length cell. The 15 mm figure is in the bullets, not in that width cell.
The OHAISFELA YYQH-HT58-MT is listed at £68.99 with a 58 cm bar in the bullets and 22 inches in the title, at 2 kg, with a stated 180° handle and an 800 W brushless motor in the bullets. The star line is 4.6 from 155 and the score is 92, yet the captured review text, dates and titles match ASIN B0FWBYNK6N, and the best-seller rank is the same: 3,913 in Garden and 33 in Hedge Trimmers. Those comments describe small bushes, box and thinner branches, and they note that the tool is not a Makita. The box line is the trimmer, a blade cover, a screwdriver and a manual, with no battery. The bullets name BL1820B, BL1830B, BL1840B, BL1850B and BL1860B, and they do not mention G-series packs. A bullet says the double blade reduces vibration by up to 50% versus a single blade, which is a seller claim only. The speed cell here is 3,000 RPM, while the 52 cm OHAISFELA prints 22,000 RPM, so the two rows do not share a speed figure even though they share the review text. There is no badge.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the longer stated bar and you already treat the 4.6 from 155 as a pool shared with the 52 cm OHAISFELA.
Less suitable: You need reviews that are only about this 58 cm body, or a brand field that says Makita.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the 58 cm OHAISFELA include a battery?
No. The title says battery not included. The box line is the trimmer, a blade cover, a screwdriver and a manual.
Which Makita packs does the listing name?
The bullets name BL1820B, BL1830B, BL1840B, BL1850B and BL1860B. They do not mention G-series packs.
Are these 155 reviews only about the 58 cm model?
The star line is 4.6 from 155, and the captured review text matches ASIN B0FWBYNK6N, including the same best-seller rank. Treat it as a shared pool.
The KIESBOHR CSL401 is the only pole in this set, listed at £94.99 with a 41 cm dual-action blade, a pole stated to lock at any height up to 262 cm, and an 11-position head from 60° up to 90° down. Across 295 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.3 and the score is 86. Reviewers say it reaches tall hedges from the ground, angles the head with a button, and runs on Makita 18 V packs they already own, and they call it cheaper than a genuine Makita pole. They also call it heavy when fully extended. UK reviews say the cutter stays on the shaft, so you cannot use the head as a short handheld, and one UK reviewer calls the trigger small. The weight cell is 2.9 kg, and the dimension cell is 13.5 × 14 × 89 cm, which reads as carton size rather than the extended pole. The bullets say a 12-month warranty and the specification cell says 2 years, it states that it is not for G-series packs, one bullet still uses the German label Laser-Schneidklinge, and there is no battery in the box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need to trim a tall hedge from the ground and you already own a Makita 18 V pack that is not G-series.
Less suitable: You want a handheld, a head that comes off the shaft, or a genuine Makita DUN pole.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the CSL401 include a Makita battery?
No. The bullets say it is compatible with Makita 18 V batteries and not with the G-series. The box line has no pack and no charger.
How long is the pole on the listing?
The bullets say the pole locks at any height up to 262 cm, with an 11-position head from 60° up to 90° down. The 41 cm figure is the blade, not the pole.
Can the head be used without the pole?
UK reviews say no. They report that the cutter stays on the shaft and that the tool is heavy when fully extended.
The STEEIRO CK06221 is a 50 cm handheld listed at £49.99 and 3.08 kg, with 20 mm tooth spacing and 1,350 RPM on the title. Across 12 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.3, and the score is 86 because that star rating times 20 is the method used here. None of the nine captured review blocks is marked United Kingdom, so the praise sits in German-language reviews that say it cuts hedges and shrubs and fits common Makita 18 V packs. Those same reviews repeat that the battery and charger are not supplied. The brand field is STEEIRO, not Makita, and G-series packs are not excluded in the text. One bullet calls the tool a brushless chainsaw, which is a different product name on the same page. There is no badge: twelve ratings and no UK review block are not a reason to treat the lowest price as a pick.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own a BL1830, BL1840, BL1850 or BL1860 pack, including the B variants named in the bullets, and you want the cheapest 50 cm body in this table.
Less suitable: You want a review block marked United Kingdom, a brand field that says Makita, or a listing that excludes G-series packs.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the STEEIRO CK06221 include a battery?
No. The title says without battery, and the bullets name Makita 18 V packs such as BL1850B as batteries you supply.
What blade length and tooth spacing does the listing state?
The title and bullets state a 50 cm cutting length and 20 mm tooth spacing. The specification table repeats 50 centimetres as cutting width and 3.08 kg.
Are the reviews on this listing from the UK?
The star line is 4.3 from 12. None of the nine captured review blocks is marked United Kingdom.
Seven amazon.co.uk listings are scored as the star rating times 20. That figure is the whole score. It is not a lab test. A sample of six ratings does not take the top-pick badge, and two listings that share one review text do not take it either. The top pick is the only row whose brand field says Makita, which is also the highest score among listings with more than 1,000 ratings. Best value is the compatible handheld with the largest review count that states it is not for G-series packs, and only if that pack is already owned. Neither badge means the best hedge trimmer in the UK. A missing charger line, a shared review pool and a conflicting speed cell stay in the written notes. They do not change the star score.
Amazon stars
100%The amazon.co.uk star rating on that listing, multiplied by 20. A 4.6 becomes 92. That figure is the whole numeric score. It is not a cutting test, and a thin sample is not adjusted inside the number.
Choose the job before the badge. A maintained hedge, a tall top and a woody face are different tools, and a bare price is not a cutter that will run on the day it arrives.
A Makita cordless hedge trimmer in this class is an 18 V cutter with a toothed bar, for a garden hedge you can still reach from the ground. On amazon.co.uk the listing is either a genuine Makita or a third-party body that claims the same slide battery. The brand field is the check. A title that names a Makita pack is not the same thing as a brand field that says Makita. Start with the pack you already own.
OHAISFELA, KIESBOHR, STEEIRO and Roadtime are not Makita. A title that lists BL packs describes batteries you supply. The brand field on the DUH523RF is the only Makita in this set.
Six listings exclude the battery. The CSL401 and the CSL502 also exclude G-series packs. Add a pack and a charger with a UK 13 A plug before you compare a body price with the DUH523RF, whose title names a 3.0 Ah battery and whose bullets do not list a charger.
1,350 strokes per minute and 22,000 RPM are not one scale. The DUH523 manual and the Makita UK sheet do not state the same stroke rate, so they stay separate. Check for a nest before you cut. The March to August farm-hedge rule is not a ban on a hedge in the curtilage of a dwelling.
The brand field comes first. Only the DUH523RF says Makita. The other rows are bodies for an 18 V slide pack, and a fit is not an approval. Six listings are bare. The CSL401 and the CSL502 state that G-series packs are excluded. A handheld cutter is for chest height. The CSL401 is the only pole, stated to 262 cm with a 41 cm head, and UK reviews say that head stays on the shaft. Makita DUN poles are not in this table.
Which? points most people to a bar of about 45–60 cm, and to loppers past about 1 cm. Handheld bars here run from 50 cm to 58 cm. Tooth spacing is 20 mm on the STEEIRO and 16 mm on the CSL502, and it is not printed on the other rows. A cutting-width cell of 0.6 inches beside a 52 cm blade is the gap claim, not the bar. Do not rank 22,000 RPM against 1,350 strokes per minute. On the DUH523 the manual states 1,350 strokes per minute and the UK sheet states 2,700.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You trim privet or box once or twice a year and you want the brand field to say Makita. The DUH523RF is the top pick, at about £199.41, with a 520 mm blade and 4.7 from 1,254 ratings. The title names a 3.0 Ah battery. The bullets do not list a charger, so check the carton.
You own a BL1830B or BL1850B, or another pack the listing names, and it is not G-series. The CSL502 is the best value, at about £74.99, with a 51 cm bar, 16 mm tooth spacing and 4.6 from 261 ratings. It is a bare body, and UK reviews say it is not a Makita.
You cannot reach the top at chest height and you can hold a pole for a short session. The CSL401 is the only pole in this set, at about £94.99, stated to 262 cm with a 41 cm head. UK reviews call it heavy when extended and say the head stays on the shaft.
The top pick is the Makita DUH523RF. The score is 94, from 4.7 and 1,254 amazon.co.uk ratings, at about £199.41. It is the only row whose brand field says Makita, with a 520 mm blade and a 3.0 Ah battery named in the title. The bullets do not list a charger, and reviews conflict on what arrives. Best value is the KIESBOHR CSL502 at about £74.99, score 92 from 4.6 and 261 ratings, if you already own a Makita 18 V pack that is not G-series. It is a 51 cm bare body, and UK reviews say it is not a Makita. A 5.0 from six ratings does not take either badge.
KIESBOHR CSL502
Best value if a non-G-series 18 V pack is already owned: 51 cm, 16 mm tooth spacing and 4.6 from 261 ratings at about £74.99. It is not a Makita.
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 and the amazon.co.uk listings saved with this set. Page updated 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.
