Hedges are a beautiful addition to any landscape, providing a natural perimeter that provides food and safety for various types of garden wildlife. They provide wonderful foliage, flowers, and fruits while also providing lots of privacy for homeowners that have them around their property, highlight why hedges are so popular.
However, one big setback is maintaining the hedges. They are constantly growing and can quickly get out of control if left uncut for too long, which is why most people with a large hedgerow opt for the best petrol hedge trimmer they can afford for their garden.
When you have overgrown hedges with thick branches or simply have a large volume of hedges that need regular maintenance, a petrol hedge trimmer is the best option. It provides unrivalled cutting power while the cordless design means your movements aren’t restricted. It will run longer than any battery operated model, making it a great investment.
- 22cc engine
- 56cm dual action blade
- 22mm teeth opening
- Soft start system
- Adjustable wrap around handle
The McCulloch HT 5622 is a compact and lightweight hedge trimmer suitable for smaller spaces. With a 56cm blade, you may find it takes longer to trim hedges that are high and wide, so it’s best for smaller hedges.
Equipped with a 22cc engine, it certainly doesn’t lack power despite its size, so it is more than capable of handling thicker growth common on older hedges. Teeth spacing is 22mm and the blade operates on a dual action motion, providing a clean and precise cut on branches of various thicknesses.
The rear handle is wrap around so very comfortable to use, offering good balance and stability, while you can adjust it for cutting at various angles. Starting won’t be an issue thanks to the soft start function, which makes it around 40% easier to start than other devices. Many owners consider this to be the best petrol hedge trimmer for small to medium sized gardens available for sale in the UK.
- Ideal for frequent use the HT 5622 is a 22.7cc petrol powered hedge trimmer that…
- The rear handle is possible to adjust in multiple positions for ergonomic work
- Weighing only 5.2 kg this petrol hedge trimmer also features dual action blades,…
Makita EH7500W Hedge Trimmer, 680 W, 127 V
- 2cc engine
- 75cm double blade
- Cuts branches up to 22.5mm
- Adjustable wrap around handle
- Electric start system
The EH7500W is great petrol trimmer from Makita, coming with a robust 22.2cc engine that provides lots of cutting power.
A 75cm double blade offers plenty of reach for those long and wide hedges, ensuring less time spent trimming, with the powerful cutting action being suitable for branches with a diameter of up to 21.5mm.
An electric start system provides instant start up, while there is also an antivibration system in place to reduce fatigue and increase comfort when operating for long periods. You can also adjust the thick wrap around handle to 5 settings, allowing you to find the perfect angle for those awkwardly positioned hedges.
Despite its size and power, it only weights 5.2kg so shouldn’t be too difficult to operate, even for longer periods.
McCulloch SuperLite 4528 Petrol Hedge Trimmer
- 600W engine
- 45cm double action blade
- Large blade gap
- Soft start system
The SuperLite 4528 is the perfect trimmer for lighter hedge maintenance. Weighing under 5kg and coming with a compact design, it’s great for regular maintenance of hedges that aren’t too tall or wide.
A 45cm cutting blade powerful 600W engine that produces some seriously quick cutting speeds at 4050 cuts per minute. This makes short work of hedge growth, allowing for fast and effective clearance of those overgrown areas.
The inclusion of a soft start system means it much easier to get started than most products using a recoil start, reducing resistance so that fewer pulls are needed to power the device. Once you get started, expect it to make short work of growth both thick and thin thanks to the extra wide blade gap.
Hyundai Petrol Hedge Trimmer Cutter
- Best Petrol Hedge Trimmer for Large Gardens
- 26cc engine
- 72cm double blade
- Recoil start system
- Antivibration system
- 90° rotatable handle
Although best known for their cars and motorcycles, Hyundai also produce some of the best gardening equipment, with the HYT2622-3 being one of the top hedge trimmers around.
Powered by a 26cc engine, it offers almost unrivalled cutting power, making it a great choice for professional landscapers or anyone with lots of hedges to maintain. Measuring 72cm, the double reciprocating blade offers an effective cutting length of 66cm, so it got plenty of reach for those tall and wide hedges.
Although it comes with a powerful engine the trimmer comes with an antivibration system that greatly reduces the effects of prolonged use – you can easily work on hedges uninterrupted without getting tired.
For added comfort and improved manouvreability, you can adjust the handle to various positions to accommodate different cutting requirements.
Einhell 21 cc Petrol Hedge Trimmer
- 22cc engine
- 55cm cutting blade
- Quick start system
- Rotatable handle
- Antivibration system
This petrol hedge trimmer form Einhell comes with a 55cm cutting blade that makes it suitable for small and medium sized hedges. Powered by a 22cc engine, the counter rotating, double cutting steel blades have ample power growth up to 22mm thick, providing a clean cut that leaves the hedge looking great.
Starting the machine is easy thanks to the quick start system. This includes an electronic ignitions to reduce resistance and an automatic choke system for easy starting, both combing to provide effortless start up.
You can also adjust the handle to various positions for easier working, with the rear handle swivelling from -90° to 0° to 90°. There is also a second front handle for improved operation, allowing you to get the perfect working position for any task.
Types of Hedge Trimmer
Electric
Electric trimmers are the most affordable type available and will run uninterrupted providing they are plugged into mains power. Available in various sizes, electric models lack the power of petrol-powered devices, although they are usually powerful enough for smaller hedges that aren’t too overgrown.
They are lightweight so much easier to use for long periods but movement is restricted due to it needing to be plugged in.
Cordless
Cordless trimmers are electric models that are battery operated. This means they don’t restrict movement so you can use them anywhere, whether you’re high on a ladder or in the far corner of your garden, with the lightweight design also helping to improve usability.
However, the batteries tend to provide short run times, usually no longer than an hour or so, meaning there is limited time to get the hedges trimmed until the battery needs recharged. The battery will also need replacing eventually, which can be quite expensive.
Read our review of the Gtech Cordless Hedge Trimmer.
Petrol
Petrol hedge trimmers are powered by a small combustion engine. It is fuelled by a mixture of petrol and oil, giving it a very long run time. Even if the fuel runs out mid task you can easily refill it and get straight back to work, so it’s great for trimming long and high hedge.
The petrol engine offers unrivalled cutting power, making this type the best for thicker growth, such as older hedges with a lot of thick wooden branches. These can be difficult to remove with electric trimmers, which is why most professional landscapers use petrol powered models instead.
What to Look for in a Petrol Hedge Trimmer
Blade Length
The length of the blade is important as it determines how quickly you can trim the hedge. Maintenance for wider hedges is easier with a longer blade, as you can create a flat top with a single pass, saving time and effort. It also means you can reach higher so won’t need to rely on ladders as much.
Most blade lengths range from 400mm to 700mm, so consider the size of your hedges and what blade lengths make maintenance the easiest. 400mm to 500mm is ideal for smaller hedges and gardens, while anything above 500mm should be considered for larger areas.
Teeth Spacing
The teeth spacing on the blade influences how thick a branch the trimmer can cut through. Wider gaps between the teeth mean the blade can cut through thicker branches, with anything 30mm or above being best for older hedges
Smaller gaps, usually 15mm or 20mm, should be suitable for hedges with lighter growth that doesn’t need as much cutting power.
Engine Size
Measured in cubic capacity (cc), the engine size impacts the overall performance of the trimmer. For instance, a larger engine is better suited for tackling thick and woody growth found on older hedges, while it makes trimming long hedges much faster.
However, a bigger engine means more fuel consumption and heavier piece of equipment, so don’t make the mistake assuming that a larger engine is going to be the best option for you.
Safety
Operating equipment like this is not free from risk, so always check to see what safety features are included to minimise the chances of injury. For example, a wrap around handle offers the best grip and stability, so you have more control and are therefore safer when operating with this type of handle.
Last update on 2025-01-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
