Having neat and tidy hedges can mean the difference between a beautiful looking yard, and it appearing to be an overgrown mess.
By the using the best gas hedge trimmer possible, you can keep your hedges looking at their very best and display your yard at its finest.
If you are considering buying a gas hedge trimmer, before jumping in and purchasing, there are several factors that you first need to consider. These include knowing what features you should be looking for and comparing these between any of the gas hedge trimmers you are considering.
There are also a few important matters that you should be aware of, which will apply, regardless of the specific product you choose. These relate to safety, local regulations, and the general use of gas powered hedge trimmers.
Best Gas Hedge Trimmers
Trimmer Weight
Gas hedge trimmers are obviously powered by an engine, which carries a reasonable amount of weight. Add to that the gear mechanisms, the blade, and other parts of the machine, and you’ll soon realize that hedge trimmer weights need to be considered before buying.
The range of weight specifications across the various gas hedge trimmers is from around 9 lbs. at the lowest end, up to about 17 lbs. for the heavier models. The majority are normally between 11 lbs. and 12 lbs.
Engines and Fuel
For smaller garden tools like these, you will find that they are powered by either a 4-stroke or a 2-stroke engine, which each have their own characteristics that you need to be aware of.
Two-stroke engines are the most widely used and are regarded as the simpler engine of the two. They are easier to maintain, and they also have fewer moving parts. This should mean there’s less to break, and therefore it is less likely that you’ll need to replace any parts.
One important difference is how each of the engines is fueled. With a 4-stroke you can simply fuel it with standard gas, but with a 2-stroke there is bit more work involved. You need to mix gas and oil in certain proportions to fuel a 2-stroke engine. This is relatively straightforward, but if you do not like the idea of mixing fuels, you can purchase fuel for 2-stroke engines which has been pre-mixed.
Exhaust Emissions
Just as your car burns fuel, and emits fumes via its exhaust pipe, so do hedge trimmers that are fueled by gas. As you are going to be adjacent to these fumes it is recommended that you wear a face mask that covers your mouth and nose, so you do not breathe in too many of them.
You will also have to comply with your city, county, or state regulations in relation to gas-powered tools, so make yourself familiar with them. Actions which will help you to comply ensure you use the correct proportions of gas and oil, maintaining the hedge trimmer, and switching the engine off if you stop trimming, rather than letting it idle.
Noise Pollution
There no denying that gas-powered tools such as hedge trimmers are noisy, and this requires some thought, even before you purchase one. There may be regulations in your city or state that limit the use of noisy garden tools, and these could even go as far as banning them.
Your own well-being in relation to the noise from your hedge trimmer needs to be addressed, by wearing ear protectors when you are using it.
Personal Safety
We’ve already mentioned the use of a face mask and ear protectors to protect yourself from emissions and the noise, but there are one or two other safety matters that you should take note of.
The most basic one is to make sure you read the operating instructions fully before you even attempt to start your hedge trimmer. It will explain how to start it properly, adjust the handle, and how to switch it off safely too.
The wearing of safety googles is highly recommended, given that there will bits of leaves and branches flying through the air as the trimmer cuts them. You don’t want to risk any of them hitting your unprotected eye, with all the ramifications that might have.
It is also a good idea to wear gardening gloves while using the trimmer, as this will protect your hands from any of the debris hitting them. Gloves will also give you a better grip on the machine which should all but negate the chances of it slipping out of your hands.
Blade Sizes
You will find that gas hedges trimmers come with blade lengths that normally range between 20 inches and 30 inches in length, although there will be exceptions either side of those sizes.
The length of blade that is right for you will mostly depend on the height and depth of the bushes and hedges that you have in your yard. If they are on the large side, you will want to consider a longer blade as this will give you greater reach and allow you to trim the tops without the need for a step ladder.
Vibration Dampening
Feeling some vibration when using a gas hedge trimmer is unavoidable, however many hedge trimmers have some form of dampening which can reduce it. This may be a more important feature for you if vibration makes your arm joints prone to excessive pain or discomfort.
Comfort and Control
Another feature to consider in relation to the well-being of your arms is how easy the trimmer is to hold and control. Some are designed with adjustable handles, so you can get them into exactly the right position. These make it easier to guide the direction of the trimmer’s blade as it cuts.
The Best Gas Hedge Trimmer Product Reviews
Our first gas hedge trimmer review looks at one from Husqvarna, who have manufactured numerous gardening tools, and have a reputation for quality products.
The weight of this hedge trimmer comes in a bit higher than many, at 16 lbs., but when you feel it, you should realize that it’s certainly light enough for most people to lift comfortably. This is helped by the fact that the trimmer’s weight is balanced evenly across the machine, therefore when you are trimming with the 23-inch blade, you do not feel as though the trimmer is pulling you in one direction or another.
Getting underway is made easy by Husqvarna’s bespoke starting system, which they call Smart Start. The process removes air from the carburetor, thus giving the engine a fuel boost to start quicker. This also means that you will have to exert less effort when pulling the starter.
The machine uses a 2-stroke engine, so you will need to mix gas with oil to fuel it correctly unless you choose to purchase this already pre-prepared.
As you are cutting your hedges you may need to stop for whatever reason. Rather than having to restart with the pull string again, the stop switch can be set so that engine restarts at the push of a button.
The engine has been specifically designed to produce less noise than many other engines, which is good news if you live in an area where noise regulations are very stringent. No doubt your neighbors will also love this feature too.
To assist you to maneuver the trimmer, and to make it more comfortable to use when you are trimming, the machine has an adjustable handle at the rear. This pivots and has five different positions that you can set it to, so there’s plenty of scope for you to find the most comfortable one for the trimming job you are working on.
Adding to your comfort and well-being is the patented dampening system within this trimmer, which reduces the amount of vibration that your arms, wrists, and elbows must endure.
- Adjustable rear handle
- Quick start system
- Machine weight is balanced
- 23-inch trimming blade
- Low-noise engine
- Patented vibration dampening system
- Carburetor may need some adjustment when new
- Rubber grommet at fuel tank occasionally defective
This gas hedge trimmer from Tanaka should appeal to those that might be concerned about both the effort required to lift a garden tool such as this and the amount of vibration that it creates in the arms.
In respect of the weight, this trimmer comes in at just 11.4 lbs., so it is a lot lighter than many similar-sized gas hedge trimmers. Continuing to make sure the user is comfortable when using this trimmer, we have the adjustable handle. This can be set in 5 different positions and has a quick-twist mechanism to allow you to get it at the right angle as quickly as possible.
As for vibration, there should be no worries here either, because Tanaka have incorporated multiple spring mounts into this machine’s construction, which act as dampeners. This negates the amount of vibration it creates and allows you to work with it for longer periods without any discomfort.
The trimmer is powered by a fuel-efficient 21.1cc 2-stroke engine. As is normal, it requires a pull string to start. However, the effort required for this is minimized thanks to the S-Start starting technology which is used. This requires about half the effort normally needed to pull start this type of engine, so most users should have no difficulty starting this one.
Not only are the emissions low, but the noise pollution is reduced also, by Tanaka’s Sound Reduction System. This will help you eliminate the issue of loud noise annoying your neighbors and can also bring the tool within the limits set by local noise regulations.
A great safety feature is the front-facing exhaust outlet, which directs all the hot exhaust fumes away from the machine, and more importantly, the person using it.
The cutting blade in this trimmer is a dual reciprocating one, which is 28 inches long. This allows you to reach the upper branches and stretch to the rear of larger hedges.
- Reduced noise system
- Fuel efficient engine
- Multiple vibration dampeners
- Adjustable rear handles
- 28-inch blade length
- Front facing exhaust outlet
- Leaks reported from fuel line
- Blade susceptible to jamming when trimming thicker branches
This gas-powered hedge trimmer from Echo uses a 2-stroke engine with a 21.2cc capacity to power it. This provides a powerful basis for this trimmer to cut through hedge branches and other foliage. Being a 2-stroke engine, it will require a gas/oil mix.
The fuel tank has a 15.6 fl. oz capacity which should be enough for most hedge trimming jobs, even those which take some time. One feature of the fuel tank is it is clear, so you can tell when the fuel level is getting low, and how soon it will need refilling.
To reduce the amount of sound coming from the engine, Echo has used a muffling system, so you should be able to keep on the right side of noise pollution regulations. This muffling also reduces the level of fumes which emanate from the engine too, so the air around you doesn’t get too polluted. This is aided by the commercial-grade air filtration system, which prolongs the life of the engine.
Using the trimmer, you will find that the weight of it is a reasonable 11.8 lbs., which is not the lightest, but it is certainly not the heaviest in this category either. Holding the trimmer should feel comfortable, especially as it has a large fixed forward handle for enhanced grip, and an ergonomically designed rear handle. These should also give better control as you move the trimmer when it is cutting.
The blade is 20 inches, which may mean you have to stretch to reach some of the branches at the back, or at the top of your hedges. On the plus side, this blade length makes the trimmer more balanced, so it will be easier to maneuver, and allow you greater precision when trimming. To protect you from flying twigs and leaves, a debris shield is fixed to the base of the forward handle.
Although it is very comfortable, one disappointment is that the trimmer does not have any dampening system to reduce vibration.
- Clear fuel tank to check fuel levels
- Powerful 2-stroke engine
- Strong, fixed forward handle
- Muffling to reduce engine noise.
- Commercial-grade filtration system
- Debris shield on the front handle
- Protection fin on the blade is flimsy
- No vibration dampening system
There’s no doubting that using any power tool in the yard for a reasonable length of time can cause your arms to ache, and this applies especially to gas hedge trimmers as they often need to be held up high to reach all the branches that need to be trimmed.
If this concerns you, then this Poulan Pro trimmer should appeal to you as it is the lightest we have reviewed at just 11.1 lbs. Not only is it light in comparison to the others, it is set up to be comfortable too. The rear handle can be adjusted to multiple positions so that you can trim at whatever angle or in any direction, without straining your wrist or elbow.
The features that help to make trimming hedges less strenuous don’t end there. Built into the construction of the hedge trimmer is an advanced dampening system, which limits the amount of vibration you will experience. This can significantly reduce the strain and fatigue felt in your arms when the machine is being used.
Obviously to get to the point where you are using the trimmer, it must be started, and as with most gas trimmers, this is done via a pull start. This should take no more than a couple of pulls, thanks to the easy start system employed in this trimmer.
As for the engine, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that it is a 2-stroke engine, so a gas/oil mix will be required to fuel it. The capacity of the engine is 23cc which makes it one of the more powerful ones we have come across and bodes well for the trimmer’s ability to cut through hedge branches.
Doing that cutting will be blade, which is dual sided and made from stainless steel, so it shouldn’t be susceptible to rust. It is 22 inches long, which is in the mid-range, so it should give a decent reach when needed for those bigger hedges.
- Lightweight – only 11.1 lbs.
- Powerful 23cc engine
- Stainless steel cutting blade
- Advanced vibration dampening system
- Easy to start
- Adjustable rear handle
- Starter cord can break if pulled with too much force
- Engine choke is not consistent
What Is The Best Gas Hedge Trimmer?
With all these gas hedge trimmers having very similar construction and features, trying to decide which was the best became an exercise in seeing which model topped more of those features than the others.
There wasn’t much on it, but in the end, the one which we believe is the best gas hedge trimmer is the Poulan Pro PR2322 Gas Powered Hedge Trimmer.
Not only does it have the most powerful engine of the ones we reviewed, it is also the lightest. This win-win scenario means you have the power to cut through branches more quickly, and you can do it with less strain on your arms.
It also has the other features you would hope for, such as vibration dampening, an adjustable handle, and an easy start system for the engine.
- Best Lawn De-thatcherReviews and Buying Guide - October 27, 2023
- How To Grow The Sky Pencil Holly(Ilex crenata) - September 22, 2023
- Best Watering Can Reviews - July 16, 2019
Last update on 2024-10-12 / Affiliate links / Product Images from Amazon Product Advertising API