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Review – EGO Power+ Cordless Hedge Trimmer

I have never had a garden with a hedge until I moved into my new house three weeks ago.

There is a tall Leylandii hedge running down the length of the front garden, separating my garden from my neighbour’s, and a smaller Hawthorn Hedge running around the edge of the rest of the front garden.

Both hedges required a trim when I moved in and would need trimming a couple of times a year going forward so I knew I had to invest in a good hedge trimmer.

I already knew I wanted a cordless hedge trimmer as I always thought electric trimmers looked dangerous and I really didn’t fancy using petrol. After a little research I came across the 56v Lithium-ion EGO Power+ Cordless Hedge Trimmer.

Here is a quick overview of the product from their own website:

“The EGO POWER+ Hedge Trimmer is the most powerful rechargeable product of its kind, performing as well as, or better than premium petrol-powered models. It runs on the industry’s most powerful battery, the first ever 56-volt lithium-ion battery with 40% more power than the leading 40-volt battery. The EGO POWER+ Hedge Trimmer delivers the performance of petrol without the noise, fuss and fumes.

The features of the EGO POWER+ Hedge Trimmer include: 24” dual action, hardened steel blade, for precise cuts that promote new growth; 3,000 Strokes Per Minute (SPM) allowing for clean, fast cuts to get the job done faster and a large cutting capacity that allows the trimmer to cut branches up to ¾” thick..”

Currently the trimmer is available to buy through their website for £119.99* and it retails for £129*. If you put in your postcode you can get a list of authorised dealers near you if you prefer not to buy online.

This price is for the trimmer only, you have to buy the battery and charger separately. This may be a bit off-putting for some but it does mean that you can buy other products in the range and use the same battery which could save money in the long run.

Here are the prices:

  • 2.0 Amp Hour Battery – £79
  • 4.0 Amp Hour Battery – £149
  • 6.0 Amp Hour Batter – £229
  • Standard Charger – £39
  • Rapid Charger – £69

Specification

  • 61cm Dual-Action Blades: Laser cut and diamond ground
  • 3000 SPM: Clean, fast cuts
  • Up To 1-Hour Run Time (with a 2.0Ah battery – supplied separately): Plenty of run time to get the job done
  • 22mm Cut Capacity: Cuts through even the thickest branches
  • Electric Brake: Stops the blade action immediately upon release of the trigger for maximum safety
  • Primary D-Handle Soft Grip Design with Auxiliary Bale Style Assist Handle and Integrated Trigger: For maximum comfort, control and convenience while trimming at any angle

DSCN1934Despatch and Delivery
The trimmer was despatched and delivered within a few days with the charger and battery being packaged separately. All seemed to be well packaged and everything was intact.

DSCN1935Set Up
There wasn’t anything to set up really. The unit came with the blade guard in place so I just had to put that to one side while I charged up the battery. All you have to do is slide the battery onto the charger and plug it in. There are bright red and green lights on the battery to tell you what is happening so it is easy to tell when it has been fully charged. I left it on overnight so I’m not sure exactly how long it took but I always give new products longer on their first charge.

The following day I just had to unclip the battery from the charger and slide it onto the trimmer.

Testing

DSCN1974
Before

At this point I have to say that I found the trimmer much heavier than I was expecting. The addition of the battery balanced the weight and it felt quite secure in my hands. The weight details aren’t in the specification on the website but I managed to find out subsequently that it weighs 2.8kg without a battery and a 2.0Ah battery weighs 1.1Kg making a total weight of 3.9Kg. I went for the 4.0Ah battery so I don’t know what the overall weight is for me.

There are two handles, each containing a trigger, and both triggers have to be used together for the blades to work. As soon as you let go of one of the triggers it stops which I found very reassuring.

I started with a few shrubs at the base of the hedge; it just swept through them like butter clearing the way to begin on the hedge.

DSCN1979
After

The lower part of the hedge was very easy to trim using an upwards sweeping motion, it cut the growth cleanly and managed the thicker branches without any problem. However, I began to struggle when I had to stretch up to do further up the hedge, the weight of the trimmer kept pulling my arms down. The top part I did standing on a low step but I still had to stretch so continued to find it difficult.

Summary
Basically being just 5ft tall and of small build the trimmer is just too heavy for me. This is a real shame as I think it is a fantastic product and it did a great job on the hedge (see the before and after photographs).

I would recommend it, dare I say, for men, or for women with more height and muscle than me but for me I think I will have to rely on my hand shears or get someone in to continue to keep my hedges in shape.

The Bad Stuff
To be honest the only thing I don’t like about this product is that it is too heavy for me. I am sure others will find this a useful, efficient addition to their garden shed.

 

*Price correct at time of publishing