Taking care of wild and unruly shrubs in your front yard used to require overpowered equipment. Now, lightweight and energy-efficient options offer better performance than those bulky behemoths.

It’s time to maintain your trees, shrubs, bushes and underbrush smarter, faster and easier than ever before with these top-notch hedge trimmers. We gathered up some of the highest-rated options to help you pick the right one for you.

Sun Joe leads the electric landscaping debate with its powerful grass shear and shrubber. This little number is a one-handed cordless machine. You can handle light maintenance without whipping out the big guns.

The simple latch and trigger system is simple for anyone to use. Despite only being 7.2V instead of your standard 20V or 24V electric landscaping tool, it powers a much shorter chain. It’s deceptively powerful for its size and voltage and can handle small tree branches under 3/4″ with a bit of patience.

Sun Joe includes a front-facing tool attachment for small jobs in those hard-to-reach spaces, a lithium-ion battery charger and a protective case for both attachments. It’s lightweight, durable and the battery lasts long enough to make difficult hedges a little more manageable.

DEWALT is one of the most-recognized tool brands in America, especially when it comes to 20V landscaping tools. With this one, you get a 22” chain running on 5.0 Ah of power, which works with the interchangeable 20V MAX lineup. You can swap batteries between any of these tools without issue.

With a ¾” cutting capacity and laser-cut construction, you get excellent accuracy with every movement you make. That includes tidying up a bush or cutting through small tree branches. Take full control with the comfort handle to position this trimmer at any angle.

There’s an option to buy this without the battery (which significantly lowers the price), so if you already have 20V MAX battery packs, you can save a big chunk of change. With a powerful high output motor, hooked-tooth blades and an ergonomic grip that’s easy to control, it’s easy to make your yard look professionally landscaped.

Greenworks has come a long way from its initial corded series. You can now match the same length and even more voltage than DEWALT for a fraction of the price — including a battery pack.

A quick note: Greenworks and DEWALT went for the same design, but it’s important to know that Greenworks outputs 1.5 Ah of power. It’s definitely limited compared to DEWALT’s MAX trimmer that outputs 5.0 Ah.

That being said, Greenworks still offers quality power and an ergonomic design. With a sturdy hand guard and ergonomic handle, you can control your trimmer to get every edge and angle. Thanks to the dual-action steel blade, you can cut into shrubs without needing to take a second pass.

Greenworks is great for smaller projects and less intensive yard work. We wouldn’t recommend it for branches or heavy shrub removal.

Cordless electric trimmers can be expensive. Lithium-ion isn’t exactly cheap. If your yard size allows for it and you have a long enough extension cable, this corded trimmer by BLACK+DECKER will save you a small fortune compared to others.

With an 18” dual-action steel blade, light grazes against bushes are all you need to shape them to your liking. Control your trimmer with a full wrap-around handle and full-length trigger so your index finger doesn’t get exhausted during use. If you go slow, you can take down up to 3/4″ tree branches.

BLACK+DECKER knows corded models aren’t the most convenient, which is why they’ve built a cord retention loop right into the handle. Pop the cable in there and it won’t tug or unplug while you’re using it. It’s an inexpensive option without the limitations of a battery pack.

Sun Joe is back in action. This takes a minimalistic approach to hedge trimmers and ditches the wrap-around handle in favor of a telescopic pole. If you enjoy the look of tall shrubbery or have some smaller trees to trim, this corded hedge trimmer helps you extend to tall or hard-to-reach places.

It has a 0.7” cutting capacity to help you handle small branches and dangling foliage. The dual-action steel blade helps to glide through shrubs and underbrush easily.

This trimmer is far more predictable than most lithium-ion battery packs with its powerful 4-amp motor and consistent power from being corded. Sun Joe hits the trifecta of power, utility and price exceptionally well.

Before you go, let’s talk about what electric trimmers can and can’t do — and where they stand against traditional gas-powered trimmers.

Electric hedge trimmers don’t hold the exact same power as gas-powered hedge trimmers unless they’re corded, but still have more than enough for personal home use. They offer enough utility to trim unruly bushes, remove small plants and take care of underbrush.

Yes, electric hedge trimmers can cut branches. Depending on the voltage, you can get away with up to ¾” diameter branches, making them ideal for overgrown shrubs and hedges. Remember that these are trimmers to prune and maintain your shrubbery; they’re not designed to completely remove shrubs at a root level.

No, thanks. I want to stay in the dark.

No. If you work for a landscaper or are thinking about starting your own landscaping company, electric trimmers won’t be powerful enough or last long enough to handle all-day use. While it’s not environmentally-friendly, gas-powered hedge trimmers are preferred for commercial work due to their power and the ability to refuel as needed. While you could use a corded trimmer, that’s a drain on the homeowner’s electricity and unlikely to go over well.

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