Under a week away from the longest day of the year, the lawns are loving all the rain and the hedges are full of Spring growth which needs trimming back.
The two things which show off a garden more than anything are neatly-trimmed hedges and a lawn with sharp edges.
And with the barbecue season about to get it full swing – if it ever stops raining – here are ten top hedgetrimmers to keep things neat and tidy.
Remember, if you’re worried about getting a perfectly straight top line on your hedge, put a stake at either end and use a garden line to give to a level to which you can cut.
The first is a popular best-selling machine from a leading brand.
Currently on special offer, the Mountfield MHJ2424 Double-Bladed Petrol Hedgetrimmer, with a 61cm blade is powered by a 24.5cc engine developing bags of power.
The 61cm blades are ideal for larger garden hedges – you can cut a good area with each sweep – and with the 28mm tooth spacing it can cut through thicker growth as well.
Balance is all important in a hedgetrimmer and this one ticks all the boxes in this respect. And it weighs only 5.5kg.
The twist grip rear handle makes it easier to cut hedge sides.
It costs £139, £40 off the maker’s recommended price and has a one year warranty.
And we deliver it free the next working day.
Hedge sides are all very well, but it is the tops which often prove a problem – it’s no joke teetering a-top a ladder trying for a level finish.
So this is where the Greenworks 24v Long Reach Cordless Hedge Trimmer (G24PH51K2) comes into its own.
This great machine has a lithium-ion battery so there is no trailing power cable to worry about and yet it still produces excellent cutting power.
The battery will give you 35 minutes of continuous running time and is re-charged very quickly.
It weighs just 3.9kg and again is well balanced.
The head pivots to seven positions to help you tackle all manner of topiary and it can reach between 2.4 metres and 3.6 metres, including the height of the person using it.
It is delivered free with the battery and charger and remember the battery will fit a number of other Greenworks garden machines.
It costs £139 including a two year warranty and next working day delivery.
Here’s another long-reach hedgetrimmer, a long-time favourite from a Japanese manufacturer.
Mitox 26LH-SP SELECT Long-Reach Hedgetrimmer is 2.26 metres in length enabling you to reach the top of tall hedges in safety.
The machine has 40cm double-reciprocating blades and with its 14.5cc engine it can cut thicker stems as well as soft new–season growth.
And easy starter, the shaft splits in two to make storage and transportation easier and has a front handle to make control easier.
The cutting head pivots through 150 degrees with 12 settings making it easy to trim odd shapes and sides as well as tops. And it weighs 6.5kg.
This one costs £149, £50 off the recommended price and is delivered free the next working day. There is a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Now one from a manufacturer whose machinery is rapidly becoming a favourite with professional gardeners and estate workers.
Tanaka TCH22E-AP2 (50) Petrol Hedgetrimmer, currently on special offer, is the lightest one its class and has a 21.1cc engine using PureFire technology so it has very low emissions levels and is mean on fuel.
Exhaust gasses are ejected to the front making it more comfortable to use.
It is also designed to fire up on the lightest tug on the starter cord.
The double-sided cutting blades are 50cm long and have a 30cm tooth gap.
Plus it has a 180 degree twist grip rear handle.
It costs £219, £70 off the recommended price and is delivered free the next working day with a free safety helmet with ear defenders and faced guard worth £24.95.
Plus it has a five year warranty from Tanaka.
From the same company comes the Tanaka THT-240 Hedgetrimmer, also on special offer and in a style often preferred by professionals.
It has an extra-long 76cm blade and is powered by a 22cc engine, and yet weighs just 4.9kg.
This is very well balanced and made to be used in a sweeping motion to cut large areas with one pass.
It is delivered free the next working day and costs £279, a great reduction on the recommended price of £399. And it has a five year warranty.
Now one exclusive to us at MowDirect and new for 2016.
The Oleo-Mac HC265XP Heavy-Duty Petrol Hedgecutter is from a leading European manufacturer and is designed for the toughest cutting tasks and for the type of abuse often dished out by professional gardeners.
It has 60cm blades and a tooth gap of 35mm and a 21.7cc engine and yet the weight is kept down to 5.6kg.
The engine provides great power and yet its design keep the emissions to very low levels.
Designed to be comfortable to use over long periods it has a comprehensive vibration-damping system and great balance.
The handle rotates through 180 degrees to make it easier to use in tight situations.
It costs £299, a full £100 off the maker’s recommended price and is delivered free the next working day.
Back now to Tanaka, the Japanese company with a reputation for making hard-working and reliable garden machinery.
Tanaka TCH22E-CP2(66) Petrol Hedgetrimmer is another new machine for 2016 and has been designed with commercial gardeners and those of you with large gardens in mind.
This has Tanaka’s PureFire technology in a 21.1cc engine producing great power and few emissions. It also uses little fuel, important if you’re a commercial gardener.
It has 66cm double-reciprocating blades to cover a large area with each pass and yet weighs only 5kg. The tooth gap is 35mm.
It has an extensive vibration damping system and is started very easily with a light pull on the starter cord.
The rear handle rotates 180 degrees with five settings.
It costs £329, £90 off the recommended price and is delivered free the next working day.
Plus there is a five-year warranty.
Now one from a manufacturer, a long-time favourite with professionals.
Kawasaki KHDD750A Hedgetrimmer with Twist-Grip Handle, currently on special offer, has massive 72.7cm double-sided blades and a tooth gap of 35mm.
This engine is designed for a long, hard life with forced air cooling and advanced air filter and is a reliable and easy starter.
It can cut huge areas with one sweep and yet has the power to deal with thicker, woody growth like old thorn. To help give neat and regular finish it has a transparent safety guard.
It weighs 5.8kg and has very efficient vibration damping.
It costs £399, £70 less than the maker’s recommended price and has a five year warranty and free next working day delivery.
Now another machine made with the professional gardener in mind who has thicker, high hedges to maintain.
Oleo-Mac BC240-HL Long-Reach Heavy-Duty Hedgecutter is powered by a 21.7cc Emak engine designed to give consistent power at all revs and to be easy to start even from cold.
The shaft is 2.4m long so you can reach quite tall hedges and it is fitted with four anti-vibration springs.
The head has 12 articulates through 12 settings and 180 degrees so it can cope with really difficult shapes and work close to walls and fences.
New for this year and exclusive to MowDirect, the recommended price is £549 but we have it for sale for just £399.
It has a two year warranty and is delivered free the next working day.
And finally, a lightweight trimmer for smaller gardens and hedges.
The Greenworks G80HT Cordless Hedgetrimmer (Tool Only) has 61cm blades with 33mm tooth gap, and is the industry’s most powerful cordless hedgetrimmer.
It has a DigiPro motor which gives a high peformance and a long life and the blades have a guard at the tip to stop them from being damages by walls and fences.
It weighs 5.9kg and is powered by a 80V lithium-ion battery, but please not this battery and charger must be bought separately.
It has a twist-grip rear handle to make working in restricted spaces easier.
The price is £169, there is a two-year warranty and free next working day delivery.
These are just ten of the hedgetrimmers on our site and please remember you can ring us on 020 3026 8712 if you would like our advice before ordering.
And one final plea. Please check the hedges to make sure there are not birds nesting before trimming.
