Long reach hedge trimmers

Stihl, Bosch, Makita or any other known reputable brand. Get a seperate power unit and pole trimmer and then as time goes by you will be able to add other attachments as and when required. Annually I use my long reach hedge trimmer attachment, the mini- chainsaw, the strimmer and the extension bar. Now looking at getting a brush cutter attatchment for the mad thicket that was once a raised patio and pond area.

Stihl. I use the smaller folding one in the pro range with the smallest, lightest ap100 battery. They also do a larger telescopic one.

Ego. I was going to get a Stihl but the local shop was doing an Ego pole trimmer/saw for an ok price so went for that. It's been very good for 2 years of regular use now.

Do you already have batteries... Makita, bosch, etc?

I've Makita tools so when i wanted to add some garden tools, i just bought the bare units from the likes of buyaparcel etc

I’ve got a Stihl standard battery hedge trimmer (not a pole one) and it’s awesome - fairly light in use and the battery lasts for ages. As others have said though I suspect any of the Makita/Bosch ones will be OK and probably cheaper…

How often will you use it?
I'm guessing that you don't have existing common battery tools, so if it's once or twice pa I'd go either mains electric or petrol depending on access to power. Batteries are a cordless machine's heart and decent brands are spendy for minimal use.
When comparing price make sure that you include everything, batteries, chargers and extension poles can be extras
I'd look at Cobra's range with 2 years warranty, which is available online or through "proper" horticultural suppliers. Their own engine is fine for domestic use and they're 2.5m reach. They offer a Kawasaki version at more £££ and a much cheaper mains electric one

I would also recommend popping to the local garden machine shop and try some for weight and handling. Especially if someone small is going to use it.

Ive a ryobi one

I've nothing to base it on but it works!

No the Macalister one it's shut*

* Always had Stihl ......thought how bad can it be ..,.,. Very is the answer

How long does it have to reach ?

I have the longest Stihl one and have to use it with a ladder for the worst bits. It's hard work so need quite a few tea breaks.

I have an older power 4 all 18v Bosch batteries set but I don’t think they work with the newer Bosch 1 for all. I was tempted by the Bosch trimmer on price but limited reviews suggested maybe not very powerful.

Domestic usage - I’ve some nasty leylandii on a couple of boundaries so they require a few cuts a year. Saw will see much less usage than the trimmer.

I went with the ryobi one+ system a few years back and it’s been pretty good. Perhaps not the very best value around but the long pole hedge trimmer and pruner (mini chainsaw on pole) have certainly come in handy. The pole sections are interchangeable so I’ve have the pruner on a very long reach indeed - it’s hard work but just about manageable. And the hedge trimmer is of course much easier and quicker than faffing around with a ladder.

But bear in mind they are big awkward unwieldy things at best. I bet a lot of back injuries arise from enthusiastic use!

We have Stihl and Husky electric polesaws at work and no one sees any difference between them.

@muddyjames
We have a newish (2 years old) green Bosch power4all trimmer (not long handled).
Despite the different outside shape my 10+ year old batteries from v. Tired old Bosch drill fit OK but are only half the capacity and seem to run it slower.
The battery trimmer is great on privet and will do trimming on beech and light trimming or the newest growth on the Leylandii but for taking more than the new growth off it needs the mains trimmer or a saw (usually a Bahco Laplander).
I would buy the Bosch or similar again if it dies as it works well on the privet which we have most of and needs cutting most often. Way less hassle than a power lead and almost as fast.
Hope this helps your choice and yes we have too many hedges.

In the typical STW habit of recommending what you have: Makita DUX60Z

Awesome bit of kit.
The hedge trimmer and chainsaw attachments are not cheap, but the strimmer one is. If you already have Makita kit its an easy choice.
As powerful as my Makita 4 stroke strimmer and the hedge trimmer and chainsaw bits are very powerful too, you can also get a middle pole to extend it even further. I use mine a lot for community work in Leeds.

I have a Lidl corded one. It’s shit, but I use it for about 20mins, twice a year, so it’s acceptably shit.

Silly question, but is it for a hedge? And how tall is it? I have a barn with some sort of creeper that grows like grandad's eyebrows and it reaches up to the first floor gutters. I borrowed a mains powered hedge trimmer on a pole. I found it really hard work, as it's pretty heavy to wave around over my head. I was then lent a set of secateurs on a lightweight telescopic pole and found it slower in general, but way more accurate and less fatiguing. I've since used it for the tree branches that overhang the road too. The snippers are worked via a thick string that runs through some sort of block and tackle to increase the power, so they'll go through anything finger thickness... Just a thought.

Thanks all. Yup have several hedge type things. Two large stretches of leylandii like things that go brown if you cut too much. Plus some other hawthorn spikey ones.

Good tip on the pole with cord activated cutter though, I have one of those and it is very useful but mainly for smaller number of thicker branches on trees, would take a while to do the aforementioned 20 odd ft high green monsters.

Interesting to know on the Bosch batteries-will keep that in mind.

i got a mountfield... 4.3m fully extended
https://www.justlawnmowers.co.uk/mountfield-hedge-trimmers/mountfield-mph50li-cordless-long-reach-hedge-trimmer-power-unit.html

that just means that the top of the hedge is now even higher... i really should take 2' off it before next year
pole loppers are more manageable, so i use them in winter (beech, hawthorn, hazel, holly, ivy mix)

Where are you based? I've got a corded one you're welcome to borrow. I'm south Manc.

If your near Aberdeen and want 2 power4all batteries let me know. Not sure I can post em seeing as liion.

My green drill caught fire and the charger is also dead so no use to me - I've moved to Bosch blue system