Electric hedge trimmers are very effective but also dangerous tools to use as it is so easy to cut the cable or get tangled in it and fall.

Battery powered cordless electric hedge trimmers have really improved in recent years and many use batteries that fit other tools as well. One of the best, and affordable is the 18v Ryobi Cordless Hedge trimmer. A good feature is that the battery for this can also be used in drills, sanders,  grass trimmers and about 20 other tools.

Check prices on Ryobi 18v cordless hedge trimmer

See the other tools that run on the Ryobi one plus battery system

Flip-over handle on this Black and Decker Hedge trimmer gives extra reach.

Electric hedge trimmers can be dangerous to use.

You should wear goggles and use and RCB in case you cut the cable.

Gardengroom safety hedge trimmer

Many accidents happen with electric hedge trimmers, either by cutting fingers or electrocution from cutting the cable.

Although my testing concluded that the Garden Groom is not the best hedge trimmer per se. It is definitely the safest and the only one that collects and shreds the trimmings.

The Garden Groom works best on well maintained hedges that are not too wide. It is fairly heavy and the collecting box fills quickly. However it is now supplied with a tube and large collecting bag which is also available for the older model, known as the Maxi

Price guide £89, inc  external collecting bag

Nominated for a 2007 Golden Shed Award

This is the Garden Groom Midi, there is also a higher performance model known as the Garden Groom Pro

 click to buy Garden Groom Midi, Maxi or pro

Best Heavy Duty Electric Hedge Trimmer

Probably the most impressive mains electric hedge trimmer I have tested is the Makita UH4850 from Japan.

This well made professional quality machine has precision ground  48cm blades and a 500w motor that cuts even thick stems with ease.

It is priced well above the Bosch and Black&Decker but if you do a lot of hedge trimming then it may be worth the money. This machine is built to last and has been designed so you can easily change the motor brushes. Makita models have a long market life and spares are available for many years.

RRP £175 commonly discounted at around £100

 check price of Makita UH4850 hedgetrimmer

Built to last -

Designed to perform

Lightweight - Long reach -Cordless Hedge Trimmers

G tech HT 01 Nominated for a Golden Shed Award

This fantastic tool is so light and easy to use yet has enough power to cut a proper size hedge. The secret is that the powerful 12v battery is carried on your person (like a handbag full of make up).

The head can be tilted to a comfortable angle and the shaft is telescopic too.

This was one of the best new tools of 2005 and is a real joy to use. The long reach and low voltage also make this tool much safer to use than conventional mains powered hedge trimmers.

The Gtech HT01 is still in production in 2008 and is a well tested product that I have no hesitation in recommending as it is the lightest and easiest to use with good quality cutting blades.

Fredshed - best cordless hedgetrimmer!

Flymo Sabre Cut 24v Cordless System

This multi tool system uses a powerful 24v battery that you carry via shoulder strap to keep the tool as light as possible.

There are 4 tools available which are the hedge trimmer, pruning saw, grass trimmer and a blower.

To compare prices on the Flymo Sabre cut with another online retailer or to see the optional accessories click here.

Hedge trimmer

Pole saw

Many retailers and websites want to sell you the Grass Trimmer - but can't be bothered to sell the line and spools you will need to continue using it.

 buy trimmer spool for Draper, Ryobi and Bosch Grass Trimmers

After testing most of the popular makes of electric trimmer I was very disappointed. Many were either uncomfortable to use or had ridiculously complicated nylon line dispensers that were very hard to replace.

I know of at least 2 people who became so frustrated that they smashed their trimmers  against a wall and threw them away!

Another annoying thing about electric grass trimmers is the cable - that's why I much prefer the battery powered cordless grass trimmers.

The new cordless trimmers from Wolf and Bosch have a wheel that supports the weight of the machine and the handles and shafts are adjustable in every way to make the tools easier to use.

The Wolf Trimmer featured here is the Wolf GT845. it is mains powered and uses a twin line spool called a GTF8.

The cordless version of this grass trimmer is one of the most expensive but has a good quality battery.

Flymo 24 volt cordless grass trimmer

Most battery powered grass trimmers lack power due to small batteries, or if they have large batteries they become heavy or unwieldy.

Flymo has tackled this problem by using a large 24v battery which you carry about your waist in a bag. This leaves the trimmer as light as possible and makes for a good alternative to a petrol trimmer for small to medium size areas.

As well as the decent battery the Flymo trimmer forms part of the Sabre system so you can use the handle and battery to power 3 other tools, which are,

Pole type light chainsaw

Hedgetrimmer

Leaf Blower

Click here to buy the Flymo 24v grass trimmer from a Fredshed recommended retailer

The trimmer head can be easily turned to trim the edges

 Bosch  Grass Trimmer Range

18v cordless trimmers

Pictured right is the Bosch ART 26 cordless trimmer. This is a well balanced and easy to use trimmer and has the all important swivelling head to enable you to trim the top and side edge of your lawn. This battery powered trimmer also has the advantage of using small plastic blades instead of a nylon spool.

The Bosch range of trimmers has been improved for 2008 and are now available with the lighter and more powerful Lithium Ion batteries that are set to change the whole cordless powertool market.

The 2 Bosch Cordless trimmers are called Accutrim whilst the 3 corded models are called Combitrim as they have a normal tap and go spool and a extra strong spool as well

I really like the idea of plastic blades on grass trimmers and found that they perform well and are VERY easy to change when worn. A pack of 24 for the ART23 and ART 26 Accutrim grass trimmers costs around £4.99.

click here to buy the Bosch ART 26 18v cordless trimmer from Amazon

or better still!

 buy the latest model with Li-ion battery

 see the largest range of discounted grass trimmers

including the above mentioned Bosch, compare prices!

under testing!

14.4v Li-ion Trimmer

The plastic blades are not so good when cutting the edges against concrete or brick as they are liable to shatter.

If you want to trim this type of edge use a line trimmer or better still save the planet and use edging shears!

Plastic blades uses on the Bosch cordless trimmers -stored neatly in the handle

Buy pack of 24 plastic blades for Bosch ART 26 Grass Trimmer  

Black and Decker GL690 Grass Trimmer

The most powerful electric trimmer available is the Black & Decker GL690 Strimmer,  which has a 630w motor. As with other higher spec machines it has full adjustment and can be used to trim the top or sides of your lawn.

An interesting feature with the GL690 is that is has two different and interchangeable cutting cassette systems. One conventional spool of nylon and then a "heavy duty" clip in blade like a big nylon cats whisker.

see more trimmers from a Fredshed recommended supplier

DID YOU NOW?

The word "Strimmer" belongs to Black and Decker. If you call any other make of grass trimmer a "strimmer" you could be sued!

Black & Decker Trimmer Spares

Black and Decker trimmers use 3 types of nylon cutting systems. Manual for the older and low spec models and reflex for later models.

The large machines like the GL680 GL685 and GL690 use the Reflex plus system which has the option of the heavy duty "cats whisker" type blade.

I quite like the cats whisker blades as they are easier to fit. Personally I hate nylon trimmer spools as I have wasted many hours trying to fit or fix them. I have also wasted many hours gazing at a rack of plastic in B&Q wondering which one to buy!

Buy the cats Whisker heavy duty line for the Black & Decker GL680 GL685 and GL690 Trimmers

click here to buy nylon spool for the GL680/685/690 Trimmers

Cant see the trimmer that you want?

Prefer a Draper or Ryobi Trimmer

 see the largest range of discounted grass trimmers

Got a big garden?

Maybe you need a Petrol Trimmer?

 see the largest range of discounted grass trimmers

Although I don't get involved in petrol machinery so much my readers provide me with a lot of feedback on the latest products like the interesting expand it range form Ryobi that uses the motor from the trimmer to power other attachments like a hedge trimmer, saw, and even a rotovator!

 see Ryobi expand it petrol trimmer

Alternative to Nylon Grass Trimmers

Personally I don't like electric trimmers that cut with Nylon cord. I find that the cord is likely to become brittle over time and break, fail to self feed and can be hard to replace or find replacement cord.

For small jobs I prefer an electric version of the sheep shear that has  metal blades and is battery powered.

This type of tool has been around a long time and is well tested. The Wolf tools version is the most versatile as it can be fitted to a telescopic handle and have wheels attached.

Turn your Wolf grass trimmer into a hedge shear!

With a few simple clicks you can  remove the grass shear blades and replace them with a small hedge trimming blade!

latest price of Wolf ACCU 60 Shears

 price of the 7.2v Wolf Accu 100 shears

 buy long handle for Wolf electric shears

check another site for prices and info for Wolf Accu shear range

The Wolf cordless shrubber attachment

New Product -  2 Tools in 1

as above but with Lithium Ion Battery!

Grass and shrub trimming!

The Bosch ISIO can be converted from a grass shear to a small shrub trimmer in seconds and is surprisingly efficient. I also like the drop in charger base and metal tin that the tool comes in.

 Running time is very good thanks to the Li-ion batteries and I get 20 minutes use which included some woody shrub material. The softer the material you cut the longer the battery will last between re-charges.

The Bosch Isio comes in 2 versions. The shrub cutting version and the grass cutting version. Also you can save money and get both in an interchangeable blade kit.

The best accessory I think is the telescopic handle which makes the Isio a joy to use on your lawn edges. The handle has wheels and also allows the Isio to be turned on its side to cut vertical edges.

 best price on Bosch ISIO shape and edge kit

shown below - get both blades!

Replacement blades are available for the Bosch Isio and I believe this tool and it's spares will be available for many years unlike cheap versions from discount chains and mail order catalogues.

The best price currently is from Amazon using the link above which includes delivery. If you want to check and compare prices use the link below

latest price on Bosch ISIO battery grass shears

shown above

Telescopic handle and wheels

The Isio cordless shrubber

 price of Bosch ISIO cordless shrub shears

shown above

This little Bosch has an auto cut-out switch and has enough pressure to cope with a grotty patio, and is ideal for car and conservatory cleaning.

This little Bosch Aquatak  100 has survived 4 seasons use without any problems.

The tough hoses that come with pressure washers have to be one of the most annoying items ever. if you can afford it do get a machine with on board hose storage as this will save you a lot of work and swearing!

 check price on the Bosch Aquatak 115 plus

Karcher - The brand leader in Pressure washers

This is my neighbour Annette with cleaning her land rover with a Karcher pressure washer. Karcher are a German company and the recognised brand leader in pressure washers - but are they really the best?

As Karcher specialise in powered cleaning products you should get a well researched and reliable tool and not just a "me too copy from the far East .

Many of my readers use Karcher pressure washers and the feedback has been very good -until recently.

If you have had problems with a broken Karcher pressure washer please let me know.

 see the largest range of pressure washers and accessories online

The Bosch and Black & Decker Lawn Aerators are small domestic machines with a 400w motor and wire tines.

If you have a lawn bigger than a tennis court then you will need a more powerful 1000w (or more) machine and this will likely have metal blades to remove the thatch and moss.

This can be done manually with a rake  (if you are mad, skint, or in need of some good exercise). A more efficient and easier way is to use an electric lawn raker.

 I have used this old Black & Decker for years and found it's 400w motor perfectly adequate. If you only use it once or twice a year on a small to medium size lawn a cheap model like this will do.

Larger lawns will require a substantial machine or you could hire in one of the many firms now offering lawncare services.

 see the Bosch,Black&Decker and other low price domestic lawn rakers

 buy replacement tines for Bosch lawnraker

click to see a large range of heavier duty lawn scarifiers

They also work better on blow than suck as wet leaves stick to the ground. Contractors do use blowers and blow material onto a sheet in a corner. This is more practical and dedicated blowers are very simple and reliable machines.

I declare the electric garden shredder vac to be a triumph of marketing over practicality. However if you really want one I can recommend the one below as the best of the bunch I tried

AL-KO Hurricane Blower Vac

One quality machine I tried was the AL-KO Hurricane 2000.

The AL-KO  Hurricane is now available with a 2400 watt motor or 2000w).

As with most other blower vacs it has a roller on the front to take the weight.

The AL-KO 2400 Hurricane shredder/vac is the most powerful in its class and costs about £90.

click for prices of blowers and garden vacs

 Cordless Blower from Black and Decker

As part of the 18v range of cordless garden tools Black and Decker have introduced this battery powered leaf blower.

I am not a fan of the garden vacs but I do prefer the blowers as they are simple to use and do not cover you in dust and dirt as the debris is drawn into the bag.

This one is fine small garden use and is ideal for blowing the leaves off your decking or patio and into a corner of the garden for collection. It is also great for blowing the leaves and dirt out of my garage when I can't be bothered to use a broom!

This machine is no -where near as powerful as the petrol machines that it imitates. It may be useful for small jobs of 10- 15 minute duration, drying your car or Afghan Hound.

Price guide £40- £50

click to check price and availability from a fredshed recommended supplier