In order to keep your garden looking tidy, a Hedge Trimmer is an essential tool for keeping hedges in good shape whilst saving plenty of time and effort.

There’s a wide choice of models available in Australia, from electric to petrol to cordless, and from a variety of world-renowned brands. With such a range of prices, power types, and blade lengths on offer, we aim to help you choose the perfect model for your needs.

Why trim hedges?

All hedges need to be trimmed – and the most obvious reason for this is to prevent overgrowth. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, new hedges require pruning for their first couple of years after planting in the winter or spring. Maintenance can then be carried out annually for elaborate hedges, and bi-annually for more formal hedges to keep them compact.

It is also good for the health of hedges, by cutting out dead or diseased parts of the plant as well as reducing any danger of insect issues. Keeping hedges more compact increases the privacy of your space, as the plant will fill in trimmed areas.

Regularly maintained hedges can also reduce the chance of damage to buildings, and be less of an obstruction. Keeping hedges well maintained can keep plants healthier, provide a neat and tidy border for your land, and even add decoration with a little topiary.

Things to consider before purchasing a hedge trimmer

There are a few key questions to bear in mind when browsing hedge trimmers and the purpose for your model of choice.

1. Think about where your hedges are – would a corded model suffice or do you need a cordless hedge trimmer? Are they up high, where you’ll need a light weight model that’s easier to move around? Long-reach hedge trimmers are another option to consider.
2. How large is the area of your garden that you’ll have to trim? How long would it take you approximately? If it’s well over an hour, you may want to consider a more powerful model to cut down the time and effort taken to trim your hedges.
3. Which type of hedges do you have? Are they the ornamental, slightly more delicate, and flowering kind, or rather more established and rigid, dividing hedges?

Also Which? has an interactive tool to help you answer some questions to determine the kind of hedge trimmer you may need for your garden, and ConsumerSearch offers a buyer guide with more features to consider for your hedge trimmer, from rotating blades to locking on/off switches to noise levels.

Hopefully now you’ll have a good idea of the type of hedge trimmer you’ll be best suited to from the range on offer in the Australian market:

Electric hedge trimmers

Although not quite as powerful as petrol powered hedge trimmers, electrical hedge trimmers do have a number of advantages for home hedge maintenance. There is a number of models out there with various cutters, hand guards, and position heads.

The bargain electric hedge trimmer

If you’re looking for an affordable and simple to use model that’s perfect for maintaining light foliage around a small garden space, the Ozito Pole Hedge Trimmer is ideal. With a 12 position pivoting head, the user has versatility and maneuverability for whatever the hedge trimmer may be required for. A 2.3 metre long reach means higher areas of hedge can be easily reached, and dual action laser cut blades of 410 mm and 1000 cut strokes per minute means efficient cutting in less time. Made from aluminum, the model is relatively lightweight at 6kg, although it is corded. Another bonus is a rear positioned motor for increased safety and improved balance.

You can purchase the Ozito Pole Hedge Trimmer from Ozito.

The powerful electric hedge trimmer

While it is a bit more pricy, the Ryobi 450W Electric Pole Hedge Trimmer offers much more industrial action for tougher hedges with harder to reach places to cut. With a 4 year replacement warranty, it’s a great investment to keep up maintenance of hedges for years to come and its robust model means users can trim hedges at difficult to reach heights and angles thanks to a rotating head of 135 degrees.

There’s a 450W motor for strong and prolonged performance, and it features laser cut diamond ground blades to tackle the toughest of hedges. With a 400mm bar length and a 4m extension, it really is well equipped for demanding hedge spaces. At 4.1kg in weight, it’s lighter than most other corded electric models.

You can purchase the Ryobi 450W Electric Pole Hedge Trimmer from Ryobi.

Cordless hedge trimmers

It’s great to get rid of cables and plugs and get to work with a battery powered cordless hedge trimmer. Cordless models are typically compact and lightweight for the utmost convenience, whilst still having precise blades and excellent maneuverability.

The low-price cordless hedge trimmer

The Ozito 18V Hedge Trimmer Kit is the ideal model for some simple maintenance and shaping in smaller garden spaces. The 510mm dual action cutting blades allow for an efficient, clean cut with 15mm cutting capacity, and the dual handed safety switch stops accidental starting for more cautious usage. The hedge trimmer has a lightweight design and an 18V lithium ion battery for relatively long lasting usage, and a 3 year replacement warranty comes as standard.

You can purchase the Ozito 18V Hedge Trimmer Kit from Ozito.

The go-to cordless hedge trimmer

The Bosch 10.8V Li-Ion Cordless Shrub Shear is a great value model offering reliable and powerful hedge maintenance. As a cordless model, it is really convenient and agile to use with a comfortable ergonomic grip, and even has an ‘anti blocking system’ for increased power throughout use that won’t be held back by stalling.

At just 0.9kg, it’s an extremely lightweight cordless hedge trimmer that makes getting the job done much easier – and features a long run time of 100 minutes thanks to the powerful 10.8V lithium ion battery that ensures performance is on great form.

When the battery runs out, it takes just 3.5 hours to charge again. The blades are robust, precise, and Swiss-made, and have a 20cm length for cutting through a variety of hedge types. Additional bonuses include a two year warranty and a one year warranty extension.

You can purchase the Bosch 10.8V Li-Ion Cordless Shrub Shear from Bosch.

The ultimate cordless hedge trimmer

For the ultimate in power when it comes to cordless hedge trimmers, the Victa 82V 26” Hedge Kit with Battery should be your model of choice. Operated by a Briggs & Stratton 82V lithium battery and a 800W brushless motor, it’s perfect for even the unruliest of hedges, all whilst maintaining the agility required of a cordless model through a lightweight design. You’re guaranteed a perfect finish thanks to the 26” double sheer action steel blades with generous 25mm cutting, a high end 26” bar with a double sheer and 180° five-position multi-positional rotatable rear handle for getting a great finish even on the most tough to reach places. A release button easily dislodges any material caught in the blades for a smooth cut, and a pole extension is also included. The model is also backed by a 5 year warranty for your reassurance.

You can purchase the Victa 82V 26” Hedge Kit with Battery from Bunnings.

Petrol hedge trimmers

There are various advantages to using a petrol hedge trimmer, thanks to their lack of cables and ability to have greater agility as a result. As petrol models are typically more powerful than cordless or electric hedge trimmers, they’re perfect for maintaining larger garden spaces and tougher plants.

The go-to petrol hedge trimmer

Whilst there’s a more limited selection of petrol hedge trimmers available in Australia, the Ryobi 26cc 600mm Petrol Blade Hedge Trimmer has got you covered.

Although many people prefer to use electric or cordless models for the environmental benefits, nothing quite compares to the power of petrol hedge trimmers, making them perfect for larger gardens and the most rigid of hedges. A commercial grade 2 stroke engine provides good power throughout use, and generous 600mm dual action blades ensure fast clean cuts and good coverage with a wide 28mm cutting capacity.

This petrol hedge trimmer has a lightweight design with a 180° 5 position rear rotating handle to capture all of those hard to reach places, and user comfort is ensured through a zip start spring assisted pull start and vibration reduction. There is a magnesium hard wearing gearbox for durability and a 2 year replacement warranty.

You can purchase the Ryobi 26cc 600mm Petrol Blade Hedge Trimmer from Ryobi.