BLACK+DECKER Cordless Pole Hedge Trimmer, 18-inch

The 90-degree adjustable head lets you change the cutting angle while reaching up to taller hedges, which can make it easier to orient the blades around the shape you’re trimming. Its 18-inch dual-action blades are also listed as producing 40 per cent less vibration, though the listing doesn’t specify the comparison baseline.

The shaft is fixed-length, so you can’t extend or shorten it to suit a different reach.

How to use it

This cordless pole hedge trimmer is intended for shrubs and hedges that sit above comfortable reach for a standard handheld trimmer. The stated usable length is 6-1/2 feet, and the listed reach is up to 11 feet when held at shoulder height by an average 5-foot person. Treat that reach as an estimate tied to the stated posture and person, not a guarantee for every yard or user.

For example, it may help when tidying the upper face of a hedge from the ground, with the adjustable head angled to follow the top edge. The tool is listed for branches up to 7/16-inch thick, so it’s meant for trimming rather than taking on larger woody growth. What does the fixed shaft mean in practice? You’ll want to be comfortable with its reach as supplied, since there’s no adjustment for shorter hedges or different working positions.

Pros

• The 90-degree adjustable head offers more control over blade orientation when shaping a hedge.
• The 18-inch dual-action blades are listed as cutting with 40 per cent less vibration.
• The kit includes a 20V MAX lithium-ion battery and charger, so those items are included with the trimmer.
• The battery is rated at 1.5Ah, the product description says lithium-ion holds its charge longer and has a longer lifespan than NiCad batteries.

It suits you if the main job is maintaining taller shrubs from the ground and you value a cordless setup. Compared with a basic handheld hedge trimmer, the pole design gives you more stated reach, a more adjustable or lighter tool may be a better fit if flexibility and reduced weight matter more.

Spec sheet

• Type: Cordless pole hedge trimmer
• Model: LPHT120-CA
• Blade length: 18 inches
• Battery: 20V MAX lithium-ion, 1.5Ah
• Usable length: 6-1/2 feet
• Listed reach: Up to 11 feet
• Maximum branch thickness: 7/16 inch
• Weight: 7.7 lb
• Included: Trimmer, battery and charger
• Warranty: 2-year limited warranty

What I’d decide

The clearest trade-off is reach versus handling: at 7.7 lb, this is described as heavier than the average model, and the shaft cannot be adjusted. That may be noticeable during longer trimming sessions or when working at awkward angles, even with the head’s angle adjustment. It is not for you if you need a lightweight tool, a variable-length pole or a trimmer for branches thicker than the stated limit.

For occasional hedge maintenance where the upper growth is the problem, the included battery and charger, fixed reach and angled head make the intended use fairly clear. If your shrubs are low, a conventional handheld trimmer may be simpler to manage, if the hedge is unusually tall or the branches exceed the listed thickness, this model’s stated reach and cutting capacity may not be enough. The listing doesn’t give battery runtime, so in the absence of that detail, there’s no basis for estimating how much hedge one charge will cover.