gardening
Cordless hedge trimmers at Warentest – only a few bite through
Working in the garden with a battery is much easier than with a cable.
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Cordless hedge trimming is tempting, but many tools only cut thin twigs. If you want to cut back, you have to stick to the test winners.
With the end of summer comes the time to trim hedges in the garden. Devices with rechargeable batteries are tempting. With cable devices, the transport of the power cable is almost more work than the actual cut and if you are not careful, you will not only cut branches, but also the power supply. The product testers looked at two types of cordless shears. Short ones, with which you can work a little over 2 meters in height and devices with a long handle. They allow higher bushes and hedges to be worked from the ground, with an angled head you can even cut a hedge straight at the top. The advantage is obvious: with medium-high hedges, there is no need to transport a ladder and you can stand on solid ground. But the long scissors are bulkier and heavier.
Two different types
15 battery-powered models were tested: Six out of ten normal hedge trimmers scored “good”. But if the device is also supposed to cut a somewhat thicker branch, only three remain – the others are only good for a shape cut, they are not enough for a pruning. Our opinion: You should always choose one of the more powerful tools, otherwise the shears will quit the job once you have left out the hedge trimming. They stay Einhell Arcurra 18/55 for 185 euros, the same good but more unwieldy Wolf-Garten Lycos 40/500 H Set for 284 euros and the Ryobi RY18HT55A-1 20 for 172 euros. For someone whose growth only reaches their chest, they are recommended. In the case of the long devices, only the from Stihl HLA 56 a good grade. It costs a whopping 410 euros. It can be used to trim hedges more than three meters high. Less attractive: the unwieldy style devices are not suitable for working at low heights. With a corresponding garden you then need two scissors. A 66-hour endurance test was intended to simulate ten years of operation in private households. There were two failures. The scissors from Black + Decker failed after a third of the time, the Einhell long-handled scissors failed after two thirds.
The functional principle of the scissors is always the same: two serrated blades move against each other at around 2000 times per minute, together they form the sword. The distance between the teeth defines the maximum thickness of the clippings. Combination devices in which the sword can be exchanged for a pruning saw were not tested. When it comes to cutting performance alone, the long scissors from Stihl and the short ones from WolfGarten are recommended. They cut branches up to about 12 millimeters thick very well. And even with larger branches, they still bit through. This also shows that hedges need regular care and trimming, and if you wait too long, you won’t be able to get through with the hedge trimmers.
Battery costs money
The testers do not indicate a problem. Most devices use system batteries that also fit other devices from the same company. If you have entered a system and already have the charger and batteries, it is highly recommended to remain loyal to the brand, even if the individual device is not the test winner. Then you save considerable costs with another machine. The freedom from the line comes at a high price. Cable machines cost about half, with higher motor power. With a large hedge, a second battery is also required if the work is to be done all at once. And the battery life is limited. Our cable device still works after 30 years of private use. When working with the hedge trimmer, you should always wear safety goggles and appropriate gloves. Those who do not dare to work from a ladder for physical reasons will not be happy with the style devices either. The weight and the handling of the long device require a lot of fitness.
You can take the whole test for a feehere see
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