Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:52 pm
Do you still trim your hedge with a conventional lawn trimmer? Then you could make your life a lot easier and resort to a battery-powered hedge trimmer. Or do you rather need an electric hedge trimmer for your project?
In the following, I will show you the differences and advantages and disadvantages of each type of hedge trimmer. This should make it clear to you which type of hedge trimmer is the best option for you. Thus, you can achieve high quality cutting of your hedge and not have to spend so much power and even money to achieve this perfect result.
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The battery hedge trimmer at a glance
A battery hedge trimmer is basically no different in function than the comparable electric hedge trimmers. The only difference is that battery hedge trimmers, as the name suggests, draw your energy from the battery.
If you now have preconceptions about the power being too limited by rechargeable batteries, it can be assured that the technology is making great progress. Not only in electric cars or in e-bikes are increasingly powerful batteries installed, which allow greater performance, but also battery hedge trimmers benefit from this progress.
This progress even goes so far that it can be assumed that gasoline-powered hedge trimmers will be completely displaced by battery or electric hedge trimmers. The disadvantages of a gasoline hedge trimmer are simply too high and the advantages become ever smaller, so that from the purchase of a gasoline hedge trimmer is to be advised meanwhile against.
Battery hedge trimmers are not an inferior alternative to electric hedge trimmers. They are appreciated by professionals and hobby gardeners alike. Particularly noteworthy here is the easier handling and independence from the power grid.
Therefore, the battery hedge trimmer can be used even in small gardens, where there is no electricity connection.
The electric hedge trimmer
Electric hedge trimmers currently make up the majority of hedge trimmers on the market. With over 50% market share, these are the most popular version of hedge trimmers, closely followed by cordless hedge trimmers.
Although electronic hedge trimmers are of course also powered by electricity, you do not get this energy from a battery, but directly from the socket. The electric hedge trimmer is therefore always connected to the mains. This, of course, leads to the fact that for the operation of the electric hedge trimmer a socket is needed in the vicinity. Otherwise, it cannot be operated.
The range of the electric hedge trimmer is then limited only the length of the cable.
In terms of performance, the electric hedge trimmer comes in a wide range of varieties. They can take on any gasoline hedge trimmer and also have the advantage that no fuel is needed and likewise a costly maintenance and oil changes are omitted.
It is these circumstances in maintenance that make the electric hedge trimmer the most popular hedge trimmer in private gardens.
The operation of the electric hedge trimmers is very simple and often they have more than just a safety switch. For a better quality of the processed garden, these hedge trimmers also optionally have a cuttings container in which the hedge residues are collected.
Battery or electric – Which variant should you choose?
Basically, the differences between the two variants are conceivably small. Both are powered by an electric motor, the only notable difference is the way from where you get the electrical energy.
Nevertheless, there are some details that can be decisive for the choice of the future hedge trimmer.
Cost
Of course, the price is always a weighty criterion when it comes to buying a garden tool.
Battery hedge trimmers have the disadvantage here that they include battery costs in addition to the purchase price. This is because the batteries of the hedge trimmers lose power with each charging cycle and must be replaced at regular intervals.
However, with proper handling, these should be sufficient for a long period of time.
Electric hedge trimmers are therefore often more economical than battery hedge trimmers.
Maintenance
Electric hedge trimmers basically require no additional maintenance and yet are always ready for maximum performance. A normal care and cleaning is already sufficient for electric hedge trimmers so that they survive the next few years.
Battery hedge trimmers do not require more maintenance than the electric version, but the battery is also a limiting factor.
The battery only has a limited lifespan and must therefore be replaced at certain intervals. So in addition to the cost of changing the battery must also be considered.
Performance
Most electric versions are superior to battery hedge trimmers in terms of power. The electric motors can be designed to be larger and more powerful when connected to the mains. Therefore, it is to be expected that battery hedge trimmers will always lag behind in the point of performance.
Nevertheless, it should also be mentioned that for ordinary hedges the power of cordless hedge trimmers are already more than sufficient. Only if you have greater demands and want to do more extensive work, so the electric hedge trimmers are advisable.
Cutting length
Since the motors of the electric hedge trimmers are generally more powerful, they can also be equipped with longer cutting lengths. This allows you to complete the work faster and work on the hedge more expeditiously than with a battery hedge trimmer.
The right choice
If you consider the previous points, they speak to a large extent for an electric hedge trimmer. There is a reason why electric hedge trimmers have a market share of over 50%.
They are relatively inexpensive, powerful and require less maintenance. The downside, however, is that you need a direct power connection.
So, if you are more likely to use the hedge trimmer in a simple garden shed, the electric hedge trimmer is not recommended.
Generally, the battery hedge trimmer is the first choice for small plants without a direct power connection. In addition, if you are planning to work on areas that are difficult to access and the power cable is bothering you, you should also go for the battery version.
However, you must bear in mind that you will have to charge the battery regularly and possibly also change it.
Therefore, in normal cases, the purchase of an electric hedge trimmer is advisable.
From the purchase of a gasoline-powered hedge trimmer should now be completely abandoned. Although these also have a high performance, they represent a major disadvantage in terms of both environmental protection and running costs. Since electric hedge trimmers are now on a par in terms of performance, these should always be preferred for private use.