This is a very reasonably priced trimmers and it does the job of cutting bushes and hedges with no problems cutting through even 1 inch sticks. Performance This trimmers performs excellent but you must be ever so careful because my husband when using for the first time got his finger in the blade and it just butchered his finger and ended up at the hospital for stitches. Ease of Use I think that this product could be designed a little better so that there are no accidents. An electric hedge trimmers is tricky and the cord seems to get in the way when cutting so more than likely there will be a need for a new cord after the trimmers gets it. Handling The Black and Decker trimmers handles well, lightweight, but a dangerous tool for the inexperienced or clumsy person. Durability This is a very durable product that I can see lasting for a long time before needing a new blade. I used this for the first time and did a 6 hour job and was very pleased except for the hospital trip and the 2 cords I cut through. Worth the purchase but be very careful to prevent and devastating accidents.

koley1981

Centuria, WI

I have always been told that electric outdoor tools don't work as well as their gas counterpart. However, after hurting my back on more than one occasion trying to hold a heavy gas-powered hedge trimmer, I decided to try out Black & Decker's Electric Hedge Trimmer. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked and how much lighter it was to carry. Performance I actually preferred the performance of these electric hedge trimmers to the gas-powered ones I've used before. Black & Decker's Electric Hedge Trimmer wasn't as loud, it was MUCH easier to manuever, and was just as effective as the gas trimmers I've used in the past. The only thing I had trouble with was the extremely thick branches. With those I had to spend a little more time cutting through them, but the pros definitely outweighed that one con. Ease of Use So simple to use. I removed them from the box, removed the protective cardboard pieces and attached an electrical cord. That was all their was to it. I didn't have to mess with the gas and oil, priming, or struggling to start the thing up. I just pushed the button and went. There's even a safety lever that you have to push in before actually triggering the 'on' button, which I liked because it eliminates accidental turn ons. Handling Very easy to use, extremely lightweight, and a real life-saver for a person with a bad back, like me. I did find working with a long extension cord a bit of a challenge, but after awhile I did learn how to work with it. Although, I did cut right through one of my best extension cords in the process. Durability Very good quality. We have extremely large bushes just in front on the house (about 8 in all) and I had no problem trimming and shaping them with the Black & Decker Electric Hedge Trimmer.

jasyjen

Jacksonville, NC

It's great that the trimmer is lightweight and easy to handle, however it does get stuck on larger limbs and can not handle the big stuff. It does get stuck on even holly bushes so if you need this trimmer for anything other than the light stuff don't buy it.

cliffcathy

New Bern, NC

This is a wonderful trimmer, it just keeps going, right through an electrical cord and did not miss a beat. Seriously, it cut an outdoor heavy duty electrical cord and went right on to the job it was supposed to do - the bushes! We have a lot of bushes, and while they grow fast, with this trimmer I enjoy the chore, well it's not a chore. I have yet to entice my teenagers on how much fun it is to operate, but then I would miss out on using it! It does not tire out my arms, it light weight and it's powerful so the job gets done FAST! I just looked down and some of the cons just aren't accurate. I have cut bushes easily over 1/2 thick with no problem, it does cut older growth with a breeze. (and electrical cords) My neighbor asked me the name of my trimmer as he's seen me just plow through trimming in such a short time. This is a great investment, go for it.

Momof4Teenagers

Skowhegan, ME

I've got this hedge trimmer for the bigger jobs in the back (see my review for the hand held ones sears makes) I'm an electric tool type of guy, so a gas trimmer won't cut it. I do have (2) 100 ft extension cables running this to the back yard where the heaver brush and hedges lie. This sucker is light, allowing me to not feel strain on my back when using it, the no bumping for string really helps to get the job done faster. I will agree with the others that the cord retainer could really use a new design. That aside, i'm glad i bought this when I did and it definately comes in handy when i don't want to knock out the old manual blades. If you don't want a strain on your back but need to get the job done, this is highly recommended.

play3rtwo

Mobile, AL

I bought this hedge trimmer last summer to tackle some overgrown hedges at the front of the house. Assembly went just fine until it came to the handle that fits over the blades. User error or not, I couldn't get the screw on, and now I have to be mindful of whether or not the handle is moving on me. Cord retainer also doesn't work as well as I'd like. It was a pain to maneuver the cord while I worked at shoulder level while keeping the handle under control. Other than that, not hard to assemble. Given that this is electric and not gas, I did not necessarily expect the power of a gas trimmer. However, it did seem to hang up easily on some of the branches of my shrubs. It does the job. As long as you don't need a ton of power or just have small jobs you don't let get away from you, it's a decent trimmer. Otherwise, I would recommend upgrading to something with a little more power and functionality.

dancingbike

Norman, OK

I didn't want to pluck down a lot of money for an electric hedge trimmer as I don't have a lot of use for one.  I do, though, have a few hedges in the front of the house that always seem to need trimming, so was always looking for something to make that task easier.  The Black & Decker was on sale at my local hardware store and I could not resist giving it a whirl. The Black & Decker works fine.  It is lightweight and easy to handle, though I find that if I'm out there longer than 20 minutes or so, my arms really start to feel it.  It gets the job done quickly, which I appreciate since it is not one of my favorite outside chores.  It easily slices through the top of the hedges where the new growth is.  However, if I need to trim further down the hedge, it seems to get caught in the woody parts very easily.  This is frustrating as I then have to switch between this wonderful, lightweight electric trimmer and my old hand clippers.  Even given this one drawback, I am happy with my purchase.  I do not know how well it would stand up to hours of work, as I luckily don't have that much trimming to do.  For the money, I definitely recommend the Black & Decker Hedge Trimmer.

DragonTongue

Denton, TX

The **Black & Decker Hedge Trimmer **is a great investment. It works well and charges well. It uses the same battery charges as my hand vacuum which makes it an even better investment. I bought mine used and it has held up just fabulous through the summer. I am impressed with it's work, the way it holds a battery charge and it's color. It is easy to hold, even for a girl, and you do not have to worry about a cord but in the process you do not have to sacrifice quality or power for the ease of not having a cord. The **Black & Decker Hedge Trimmer **cuts true and will shape up your bushes in no time! I really like the **Black & Decker Hedge Trimmer**. it has served me well last summer and I look forward to another summer of using it! Anything that makes yard work easier is nice for me! It gets the job done very fast and is lightweight and easy to handle. **Black & Decker Hedge Trimmer** has no flaws that I can find.

mitziray

Tulsa, OK

When we brought our first Home, I was using the old fashion trimmer that was like using large scissors to do all the cutting of all the hedges and bushes around the front of the house. It took a very long time to do this, because we have many bushes, and I also added four more. So now it was time to buy a new trimmer, so this is the one we purchased. I must say that my job has gotten so much easyer, and I really enjoy going outside and doing all the trimming that needs to be done. I like the fact that it is light weight and easy to handle, since I'm not that strong to begin with. This is a very good one for woman to use, if they are the ones who cut the bushes and hedges, which I find that many woman do. The price is very good on these trimmers, so you won't be breaking the bank at all. If you do buy this trimmer, your job will get done so much faster than using the large scissors that I started out with.

hungrygirl

Kenosha, WI

I purchased the Black and Decker Cordless Electric weed trimmer a few weeks ago because the gasoline trimmer we had used was no longer functioning. Since my husband is disabled we wanted something relatively easy to start and handle. The B&D trimmer is both. It is somewhat heavy to hold, but without needing an extension cord eacy to maneuver. It is lighter weight than a gas operated trimmer, recharges easily overnight and does an excellent job trimming and edging.

dillonsword

Tulsa, OK