Are you having trouble with your hedges and bushes growing out-of-control? If you’ve had many issues with maintaining your hedges, investing in one of the best lightweight hedge trimmers might help alleviate your concerns. Unlike normal-sized hedge trimmers, lightweight ones make your life easier because they are much easier to hold for longer periods of time. They also are nearly as effective as regular hedge trimmers and are ideal for not very thick hedges and bushes.
In this review of lightweight hedge trimmers, we hope to give you an idea of the best products out on the market today. We’ve focused on a few key features of these excellent products, including the type, SPM, blade length, cutting capacity, weight, and warranty. All of these factors are important to the overall functionality and effectiveness of these products. Also, we’ll take a closer look at these individual features in the buying guide section of this article. Let’s get started!
More features: 3.5-amp motor, cord retention, full wrap-around front handle, reduced vibration, lightweight, compact design
Thanks to the combination of terrific affordability with supreme quality and great power, our Editor’s Choice is the BLACK+DECKER BEHT200 Hedge Trimmer.
This corded lightweight hedge trimmer is great for a number of reasons but none more so important than its power. It uses a great 3.5-amp motor that has a stroke per minute rate of 3,760, by far the highest SPM of any lightweight trimmers on our list. It has a very good blade length of 18 inches and has a solid cutting capacity of 5/8 of an inch (0.625). Its design is also very sleek, and it weighs only 4.5 pounds.
A great feature of this trimmer is that it comes with reduced vibration, which your hands will be thankful for after trimming hedges for hours. As we’ve mentioned, it is very affordable and also comes with a 2-year warranty. The vast majority of owners absolutely love this product, but a small handful of owners did mention that cord could be a bit longer.
More features: 7.2 V lithium-ion battery, durable and lightweight, safety lock-off button, ergonomic handle, battery charging indicator, instant start
If you’re looking for a lightweight hedge trimmer that is both lightweight and very affordable, look no further than our Best Value pick, the Snow Joe HJ604C 7.2 V 2-in-1 Cordless Grass Shear + Hedger.
This battery-powered trimmer is best used for grooming your hedges since the blade length is very short at only 6 inches. It’s also best used for small gardens and any tough to reach areas that larger tools may have difficulties with. This battery-powered trimmer comes with a 7.2-V lithium-ion battery, which means you’ll get plenty of power, and your trimmer will stay charged for a long time. Since this trimmer is also much smaller in size, its weight is also significantly less at only 2.5 pounds. This trimmer is great for cosmetic purposes on your hedges and comes with an ergonomic handle, which means your hand and wrist will be comfortable while holding it.
As a fantastic safety function is that this trimmer has a lock-off button, meaning no one can start it unless they switch this button. Unfortunately, a few people did complain that this trimmer has a habit of tearing the leaves apart as opposed to trimming them.
More features: 20 V battery and adapter included, D-grip front handle, overmold soft grip, compact design, ensures less vibration, causes less fatigue, 5 hours to recharge
If you’re looking for a hedge trimmer that has the utmost craftsmanship and quality, then you need to consider the WORX WG255.1 20V PowerShare 20″ Cordless Hedge Trimmer. We’re calling this our Premium Pick because it is significantly higher in price than the other lightweight hedge trimmers on this list and has exceptional build quality.
This battery-powered trimmer comes with a 20-volt battery and adapter as well and only takes 5 hours to recharge fully. When it’s charged and ready to go, you will enjoy its performance thanks to a 20-inch blade, 2,200 SPM, and 9/16 of an inch cutting capacity.
It’s very comfy to hold as well since it has a D-grip front handle that ensures less vibration, which means that you will be less fatigued and tired while using it. Not many owners had anything bad to say about this trimmer, but some did notice that the blades can begin to dull rather quickly.
More features: weather-resistant construction, compatible with all EGO POWER+ Arc lithium batteries, electronic brake
For battery-powered lightweight hedge trimmers, the strength of the battery is obviously the most important aspect of it. It can determine how much usage you get out of the trimmer before needing to recharge. That is why with the EGO Power+ HT2400 Cordless Hedge Trimmer, you’re getting the best battery.
This hedge trimmer comes with a 56-volt, ARC lithium battery. What’s so unique about this battery is that it can be used across all of EGO Power+ tools! It has a very long blade length of 24 inches with an excellent cutting capacity of ¾ of an inch (0.75). Moreover, it has 3,000 SPM, which ensures that it’s very powerful and makes very little noise as well.
However, it is a bit on the heavier side, weighing just over 6 pounds, but it also comes with a terrific safety feature of an electronic brake, where you simply release the trigger to stop it.
More features: 3.2-amp motor, protective blade cover included, comfortable molded handle with wrap-around grip and auxiliary support, built-in cord retention
This list is composed of various corded and battery-powered trimmers, but our choice for the Best Corded Lightweight Hedge Trimmer has to go to the Scotts Outdoor Power Tools HT10020S.
Cords can often be a nuisance, but with this Scotts trimmer, it doesn’t have to be an issue because of its built-in cord retention. This helps to keep your connection safe and avoids tangles and knots that can lead to someone tripping on the cord. This corded trimmer also comes with superb power as it is powered by a 3.2-amp motor that gives it an excellent SPM of 3,400! It’s blade length of 20 inches, which is just long enough to catch those hard to reach areas, and the weight of this trimmer is only 4.8 pounds.
On top of that, it is incredibly easy use, thanks to its comfortable molded handle with wrap-around grip and auxiliary support. As great as this trimmer is, a few people noticed that the blades could dull rather quickly.
More features: 4-amp motor, convenient cord lock, lightweight and compact design, hassle-free maintenance
One of the finest motors on any of the lightweight hedge trimmers belongs to the Greenworks 22-Inch 4-Amp Corded Hedge Trimmer. As included in the name, this Greenworks hedge trimmer works very well with its 4-amp motor. You’ll get a bit more power with this one as opposed to smaller models from our list, and it works like a beauty.
Starting with a very high 3,200 SPM rating, this corded hedge trimmer also has a cutting capacity of 9/16 of an inch (0.5625). Despite being a corded hedge trimmer, Greenworks has thought of the customers well and has included a very convenient cord lock that prevents you from having any troubles with it. Additionally, unlike gas-powered hedge trimmers, there is very little maintenance required of this hedge trimmer. Apart from the little maintenance, you can also take advantage of the 4-year warranty if something does go wrong with it.
As powerful as this hedge trimmer is, quite a few people did mention that it is much heavier (7.7 pounds) than the other lightweight hedge trimmers.
More features: 4-amp motor, soft-grip handle and two-finger trigger, easy to use, ensures even and clean lines
If all you really care about is the cutting capacity when it comes to care and maintenance of your hedges, then look no further than the CRAFTSMAN CMEHTS822 Electric Hedge Trimmer. It comes with a great cutting capacity of 3/4 of an inch (0.75). This means that you’ll easily be able to cut the toughest of hedges and have no issues with them.
The 22-inch blade length is excellent for trimming tougher to reach hedges, and with 2,400 SPM, you’re sure to get faster results. This Craftsman hedge trimmer is a corded model, but it is still very easy to use nonetheless and is comfortable thanks to its soft-grip handle and two-finger trigger. Comfort is not just limited to the handles as it only weighs 5 pounds, which is light enough so that you won’t get fatigued quickly.
Many users enjoyed the light feeling of this hedge trimmer, but a few said that they would sacrifice more weight if it meant more power from it.
More features: 3.5-amp motor, ETL approved, full wrap-around front handle, instant start, dual safety switch
Sometimes operating with machinery like a hedge trimmer can be dangerous because they are so light and feel almost weightless in your hand. With an emphasis on safety features in mind, we bring to you the Safest Lightweight Hedge Trimmer, the Sun Joe HJ22HTE.
With this corded model, you get a dual safety switch that will stop it if anything happens. Also, this lightweight hedge trimmer has a 22” blade that helps you to achieve the precision you are looking for. Next, there is a 3.5-amp motor that gives it just enough power to get the job done. However, a few people think that it is not enough for this product. On the other hand, this helps to make a tool a lot lighter.
As for the comfort, the full wrap-around front handle makes it quite convenient to carry around for extended periods. On top of that, you get an instant start feature.
More features: 7.2 V lithium-ion battery, up to 40 minutes of operation, compact design, safety lock, blade quick-release system, charge LED indicator
If you are looking for something even smaller, you might be interested in the WORKPRO 7.2V 2-in-1 Handheld Hedge Trimmer. This is particularly good for hedges that you just want to touch up, as evidenced by its cutting capacity of 0.39 inches.
It’s not meant to be used for heavy-duty hedge trimming purposes, and you’ll only get about 40 minutes of usage out of each battery charge. The blade length is only 4.7-inches for the hedge trimmer, and if you want to trim your grass, you can do so using the 3.5-inch grass cutting blade that comes with it. It has a safety lock as well to prevent any accidents, and there is a 2-year warranty included.
Users commented that they wish they could’ve gotten more use time out of this battery than the 40 minutes, especially if they have a big garden that requires plenty of hedges to be tidied up.
More features: 4-amp motor, convenient handle, well-balanced, durable, cord lock, reduced vibration
If you want to achieve better comfort while trimming hedges, then you’ll probably find it with the Toro Corded 22-Inch Hedge Trimmer. The handle on this model is very convenient to use, while the product also provides users with a well-balanced design, which makes operating it a breeze.
It comes with a cord lock to prevent this corded hedge trimmer from disrupting your gardening activities. This Toro hedge trimmer comes with a 22” blade, which is long enough to get to the harder to reach areas. It also has a solid cutting capacity of 9/16 of an inch with an SPM of 1,600.
Users enjoyed using this hedge trimmer but did make mention that it is a bit heavier at just over 6 pounds than other lightweight hedge trimmers they’ve used before. However, with the reduced vibration of this model, operating it for extended periods shouldn’t be an issue.
Now that you have been introduced to the 10 best lightweight hedge trimmers on the market, it’s time to take you through our buying guide. In this section, we’ll outline for you all the reasons why a lightweight hedge trimmer will benefit you and all the factors you need to consider when buying one. We’ll focus specifically on the individual features, and you’ll need to decide on your needs, which of these features are most important to you. After that, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions and finish things off with our top three lightweight hedge trimmer picks with our verdict.
There are many fantastic advantages of lightweight hedge trimmers that make them worthwhile tools to have for your garden. First off, unlike regular hedge trimmers that require a bit of strength and stamina to carry them around for hours at a time, the handle on lightweight hedge trimmers only requires you to hold it with one hand, which makes it less tiring on your arms and hands. Even if you get tired, you can easily switch to holding it with your other hand. Holding a lightweight hedge trimmer with just one hand is made possible by its weight. You can find one that is light as 1 pound, but generally, a normal-sized lightweight hedge trimmer weighs about 4-7 pounds. Moreover, these tools perform exceptionally well when it comes to tougher spaces. Another great benefit of having one of the best lightweight hedge trimmers is its superb durability. Since you are not going to cut through tougher branches, it is going to last for years to come. If you do begin to notice a lack of quality with your lightweight hedge trimmer, you’ll be happy to know that the best ones come with a great warranty.
Finding the best lightweight hedge trimmer ultimately comes down to your needs. There are plenty of different factors that can be quite important for you. Before making a purchase, check the product type, weight, SPM (strokes per minute), blade, cutting capacity, handle and grip, the vibration and noise level, its safety features, warranty, and finally, price. We are going to discuss each of them in detail in this section. Are you ready? Read on!
There are three particular types of lightweight hedge trimmers: corded, battery-powered, and gas-powered. Unfortunately, we chose not to nominate and mention any gas-powered hedge trimmers in our list for several reasons.
Gas-powered hedge trimmers are very powerful and are quite portable. However, there are a few things with them that make them less desirable, including the fact that they are heavier because of the engine and gas tank.
As you use it more, it does become lighter, but the added weight at the start will be fairly heavy for most people. Gas-powered models are also much noisier than the other two and require more maintenance. The other two types of lightweight hedge trimmers we featured in our list are corded and battery-powered ones. With corded trimmer, it runs on electricity when it’s plugged into a wall socket, and you are limited in terms of mobility with the cord and access to the closest your socket. For battery-powered trimmers, the trimmers are run by an attached battery, and they are more portable than the corded trimmers. However, they are heavier, thanks to the attached battery.
One of the reasons anyone would want to invest in one of the best lightweight hedge trimmers is its weight. The weight of these trimmers is very much a selling point that allows people to trim their hedges for much longer. As we can see from our list, all of these models are highly portable. In fact, we can see with the WORKPRO 7.2V 2-in-1 Handheld Hedge Trimmer that it weighs as little as one pound. On the other side of the spectrum, the Greenworks 22-Inch 4-Amp Corded Hedge Trimmer is the heaviest one on our list coming in at 7.7 pounds while also offering immense power. Nonetheless, the best lightweight hedge trimmers are much lighter than regular hedge trimmers and are much more portable as well.
SPM refers to strokes per minute, and it is a very valuable indicator of the power of the lightweight hedge trimmer. Basically, a hedge trimmer operates by having two layers of blades on top of each other going back and forth to trim the hedges. The SPM then is referenced to how fast the blades are moving. The lightweight hedge trimmers that have a higher SPM figure usually come with more powerful motors, which translates into better cutting power overall. The lightweight hedge trimmer with the highest SPM in our list is our Editor’s Choice, the BLACK+DECKER BEHT200 Hedge Trimmer.
The blades of lightweight hedge trimmers must be solid and made of steel. Most of these steel blades are hardened to ensure that they last longer, and this helps to prevent rusting.
It’s recommended that after using your lightweight hedge trimmer, you lubricate the blades so that they operate at the highest speed and provide better cutting.
The blades on these hedge trimmers are dual-action, which means they are two layers of blades stacked on top of each other. When the trimmer is turned on, these layered blades work against each other to trim your hedges. The lengths of these blades all vary, but we found that anywhere above 20 inches, such as seen with the Sun Joe HJ22HTE 22″ 3.5 Amp Electric Hedge Trimmer, is better for harder to reach hedge areas.
The cutting capacity of the lightweight hedge trimmer refers to the thickness of the hedges it will be able to easily cut through. All of these hedge trimmers vary in terms of their cutting capacity, but anywhere above 9/16 of an inch (0.5625) should be good enough to cut through hedges. Some of these lightweight hedge trimmers even have the capacity to cut through mini branches that are thicker than their cutting capacity states. The CRAFTSMAN CMEHTS822 Electric Hedge Trimmer states that it is able to cut through 1.5-inch thick branches thanks to its power saw innovative blade that is on the tip of its blade.
Comfort and ease of use are at the heart of these lightweight hedge trimmers, and that’s pretty much what you’ll get with all of these tools. Since they are much lighter than gas-powered hedge trimmers, battery-powered and corded hedge trimmers offer customers more ease of use through their comfy handles. Some of them have an ergonomic grip that gives you more comfort when you hold it. Several hedge trimmers, like the Scotts Outdoor Power Tools HT10020S Corded Hedge Trimmer, come with a molded handles that allow you to use these tools longer.
Typically, when you work with a motor of some sort, there is usually some level of noise associated with it, which can be partially true with the lightweight hedge trimmers. Some make louder noises, but generally, most of these lightweight hedge trimmers have a decent level of sound – not too quiet, but not too loud either. Having sound is unavoidable with these hedge trimmers as they need to use the power from the motor to be able to work. In terms of vibration, this is something these lightweight hedge trimmers have a bit more control over. Just about all of these hedge trimmers, including the WORX WG255.1 PowerShare, have a reduced level of vibration.
Reduced vibration feature will help you hold the trimmer without having your hands buzzing while using it. This helps you to keep your hands steady as you trim your hedges.
Perhaps, one of the best things with these lightweight hedge trimmers is that they come equipped with good safety features. Since you’re dealing with sharp objects, there are a few things put in place to protect you. One is the flap that stands up between the bottom hand and the blade. This flap is meant to protect your hand in case your bottom hand happens to slip off the handle. Another good safety feature for corded trimmers is the addition of a cord lock. This helps to prevent you from accidentally unplugging your trimmer when you have strayed too far out from the plug. Some also have a safety lock button on it to prevent anyone else from accidentally starting it when they shouldn’t be. Moreover, there are models that require you to press both buttons simultaneously in order to use it.
If you are not sure which of the lightweight hedge trimmers is going to last for years to come, you’re more than welcome to try it out for quite some time and see if anything breaks or malfunctions. The best lightweight hedge trimmers all come with some good warranty conditions. We found that all of the products from our list come with a minimum of 2 years of warranty. The EGO Power+ HT2400 Cordless Hedge Trimmer has the best warranty among them with a 5-year protection plan. A note of caution, however, is that each of these trimmers has different stipulations as to what can qualify to be able to redeem the warranty. Therefore, it’s best to check each trimmer’s policy to see what the warranty covers.
Another great aspect of the best lightweight hedge trimmers is that they are very affordable. While you could opt to buy our Premium Pick, the WORX WG255.1 20V PowerShare 20″ Cordless Hedge Trimmer, which retails for a stiff $170, you can also find something much more affordable. Thankfully, the remaining 9 lightweight hedge trimmers are just that and can be found anywhere between $35 and $65. We still think our Editor’s Choice pick, the BLACK+DECKER BEHT200 Hedge Trimmer, is the best buy at $44!
In our final verdict, we present to you our top three picks.
Kicking things off with our Editor’s Choice, the BLACK+DECKER BEHT200 Hedge Trimmer, we love this lightweight hedge trimmer because of its overall quality and great affordability. It has the highest SPM rating among any products on our list and a terrific cutting capacity of 5/8 of an inch.
Next up is our Best Value choice, the Snow Joe HJ604C 7.2 V 2-in-1 Cordless Grass Shear + Hedger. It doesn’t get much more affordable than this one, but this model doesn’t seem to sacrifice any quality for its price. This handheld hedge trimmer is great if you need to touch up some hedges and bushes and comes with 4-inch shears and a 6-inch hedge trimmer, giving you different options depending on your purpose for it.
For those who are not worried about price, you might want to settle for our Premium Pick, the WORX WG255.1 20V PowerShare 20″ Cordless Hedge Trimmer. This battery-powered model has the highest quality among the best lightweight hedge trimmers on our list. We absolutely love that this hedge trimmer will get you an amazing 5 hours of use time on a full charge!
