Our ten top hedge trimmers to keep the garden looking tidy

As sure as night follows day, once the lawns start to grow vigorously the hedges sprout new shoots and can soon start to look untidy.
And while simple electrically-powered hedge cutters are fine for a short run of hedges longer runs need a good petrol hedge cutter.
Hedges need trimming several times a year so an investment in a good sturdy trimmer is truly worthwhile for any gardener.
So here are our ten top hedge trimmers to make the job of choosing one easier

First on the list is the Einhell BG-PH 2250 Petrol Hedgecutter from a German company which makes garden machinery which offers excellent value for money.
Designed to give a smooth clean cut it is ideal for the medium sized garden with its 22 cc 2-stroke engine. It has been made to minimise vibrations and has a throttle lock for when you are cutting monger runs of hedges.
The 26 cm double sided blades are really efficient and will whiz through thicker stems without jamming.
It has a quick start system so that it fires up quickly even when cold.
This cutter costs £104.95, a saving of £95 on the manufacturer’s recommended price.
There is free next working day delivery and a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Next comes the Mountfield MHJ2424 Double-Bladed Petrol Hedgetrimmer with a 61cm Blade and which is currently on special offer.
It has strong dual reciprocating blades and there is a 28 mm gap between the cutting teeth so you can tackle thicker tougher stems.
The engine is 24.5 cc 2-stroke and easy to start. Light – it weighs just 5 kg – and easy to handle it has a three position twist grip rear handle.
Mowdirect are the official on-line partner with Mountfield meaning we can bring you special prices on many of their products and this is currently on special offer at £149 – a saving of £70 on the recommended price.
Delivery is free the next working day and there is a two year manufacturer’s guarantee.
The Sanli HSS2660 Single-sided Petrol Hedgetrimmer with Rotating Handle is a single sided action machine preferred by some gardeners both professional and amateur.
Designed to cut hedges with a sweeping action it offers excellent value where more challenging tasks are involved and is ideal for shaping hedges.
It has dual reciprocating blades to give a more efficient cut and there is a 25.4 cc engine and a large fuel tank.
The blades are 60 cm designed to cope with stems up to 14 mm in diameter and there is a hand guard to keep cuttings away from the user and a collector to clear them away.
The rear handle has a 180 degree rotation so it is suitable for left handers as well.
This cutter costs £149.95, virtually £50 less than the maker’s price plus there is free next working day delivery and a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Tanaka makes excellent hedge trimmers so one for your short list should be the Tanaka THT-2000 Hedgecutter with Twist Grip Handle, currently on special
offer at only £199.95, a saving of nearly £90.
It is very efficient and will easily cut through thicker thorn twigs and the like.
And very easy to use it is as it has a 20 in double reciprocating blade and its 22 cc engine is very easy to start.
Plus it is very light at 4.2 kg.
There is a five year manufacturer’s warranty on this machine and free next working day delivery.
Tops of tall hedges will always present a problem and this is where the Mitox 266-LRH Long-Reach Petrol Hedgetrimmer comes into its own.
The power for this machine comes from a reliable Mitox engine which has a full-crank.
The blades are 40 cm long double reciprocating and the cutting head is articulating allowing you to work at the best angle for the job.
But this is a really versatile machine as you can buy a 10 in chain pruner attachment for £79 and a brush cutter kit for a further £59.
The machine itself costs £219 and there is a two year maker’s warranty and free next working day delivery.
Next on our list is a very special offer we have on the Lawnflite E2221W Petrol Hedgetrimmer with a Robin Engine.
This very reliable machine from a top manufacturer has a Japanese engine and has great power for such a lightweight machine.
The 25 cc two stroke engine is very easy to start and has been designed with the best centre of gravity for easier use.
It has 56 cm long blades which are dual reciprocating and have been specially ground to stay sharp for longer giving a neater cut.
This model would normally cosy £379 but we have it on a special limited offer for £219 with free next working day delivery.
Now we’re getting into some of the best hedge trimmers available for demanding domestic use and for use by professionals.
The STIHL HS45-18 Petrol Hedgecutter was originally designed for professionals working in parks and on large projects, but it is an excellent cutter for domestic use as well if there are long runs of hedges to trim.
This model is light as it weighs just 4.6 kg and has an 18 in cutting blade. The engine is a powerful 27.2 cc.
Delivery is free with two to three working days and it is for sale at £229, much less than the manufacturer’s recommended price. There is a 12 month maker’s warranty.
The Efco TG2750-XP Double-Sided Petrol Hedge trimmer has a 75cm blade so it is very well placed to tackle major jobs in the garden.
Powered by a 24.5 cc engine it has an aluminium gear case and strong double sided steel cutting blades with 35 mm tooth gap to deal with thicker harder growth.
It is very light in weight considering its power at just 5.5 kg and is comfortable to use thanks to the rear handle which can be turned through 180 degrees to one of five positions.
It costs £359 compared with the manufacturer’s recommended price of £441.81.
Another very powerful machine we have on special offer is the Kawasaki KHT750D Hedgetrimmer with Twist Grip Handle.
This is a very powerful machine with a 22.5 cc 2-stroke engine with an easy start system and double reciprocating 29 in blades and an has been designed to be easy to start.
It weighs in at 5.8 kg and has an advanced anti-vibration system so that the user can work for very long periods.
There is a two year manufacturer’s warranty and free next working day delivery.
This really top class machine costs just £419 compared with the manufacturer’s recommended price of £523.20, over £100 off.
And finally there is a real professional machine, the Husqvarna 226HD-60S Professional Petrol Hedgetrimmer with a 60cm Blade, designed for major hedge cutting tasks with the professional use in mind.
It has a 23.6 cc X-Torq two stroke engine at its heart offering powerful torque and less emissions and has great fuel economy as well. Plus it has heavy duty gearing to prolong the machines life.
The 60 cm blades are double sided and dual reciprocating to cut neatly and quickly.
The rear handle rotates to allow comfortable working so that through prolonged use it is comfortable even on really long runs of the thickest hedges. And it weighs just 5.7 kg.
The manufacturer’s recommended price is £479.99 but we have it for sale for £429 a handy £50 saving.