Dewalt Trimmer Hedge Bare 20V DCHT820B

Why it's worth it

The DCHT820B runs on the same 20V MAX packs as DeWalt's drills and drivers, and its 22-inch dual-action blade handles branches up to three-quarters of an inch. If there's already a row of yellow batteries on your shelf, this is the easiest way into a capable trimmer.

DeWalt's spec sheet puts the blade at 22 inches with a three-quarter-inch cutting capacity, which covers the hedges most people actually own. The shorter bar is a fair trade, not a compromise. It's easier to steer around a shrub's shoulders, and far less unwieldy when you're working close to a wall, a window box or a gate post.

The battery platform is the whole point of this one. It's the same pack that runs DeWalt drills, impact drivers and circular saws — probably the most common cordless system in American garages. Buying the bare tool means you skip the charger and the battery entirely, and that's a genuine saving for anyone already invested. Nobody needs a fourth charger on the pegboard.

From our review of 6 cordless hedge trimmers

What we like

• +DeWalt's spec sheet puts the blade at 22 inches with a three-quarter-inch cutting capacity, which covers the hedges most people…
• +The battery platform is the whole point of this one
• +The blades are dual-action here too, so vibration stays lower than on the single-action tools this competes with

What to know

• –Twenty volts is the lowest in this group, and on a small-capacity pack you'll be swapping batteries partway through a long hedge…
• –It's also sold bare — no battery, no charger, no case