Side by Side Comparison of: Black & Decker

I should have purchased this a long time ago. It cuts like a champ (provided you don't try and cut something it's not recommended for) and I don't find it cumbersome to use at all. I no longer have to finish up with my manual shears as these give a nice, even cut. I would absolutely purchase this again.

Bought for my husband. Super sharp (he actually cut himself on the blades -- so be careful). A lot better than our old Black & Decker that's for sure. Trimmed down the bushes in minutes! He's pleased and so am I since our front yard looks awesome now.

Exceeded my expectations

Works as expected. There are a couple branches I could have benefited from a bigger, more powerful trimmer but this does the job for just about everything in the landscaping.

Just used my new trimmer this past weekend for about half a day's worth of trimming. Used it on various shrubs, boxwoods, huge holly trees. It worked great. I had another Black and Decker electric trimmer I had used for years (17 inch that was only 2+ amps), so this was quite an upgrade from that one. It is about twice the amps, and longer blade. Definitely made the job easier. I thought about going cordless this time around, but even though dealing with the cord is kind of a pain, I'm glad I got this one because I don't have to worry about losing power as the battery goes down and don't have to worry about getting the job done before the battery is dead. I'd rather know I can get it all done at one time.

 Awesome product for the price.Purchased on Amazon for ~$40 after $10 off Father's day coupon (spend $50 or more on B&D products). Can't speak for longevity as I just received it today, but I am super excited to finish using this bad boy on all my hedges/bushes!In terms of the functions it performs for the price you pay, I would argue there are few better values, even when looking at shorter B&D corded electrics. For me, the 22inch is needed due to holly bushes that are pretty wide! Any shorter and I would have to cut from the back side too! OUCH!I used to think electric yard tools were jokes not worth owning, boy am I wrong!See video for more impressions and comparison to gas trimmer!

I've used this to trim a couple hedges and a substantial bush. I was blown away at how easy this made the job. I cut some of the bushes a little shorter on a second pass just so I could play with my toy. It is a serious tool. It would take a finger off in no time. Great for basic yard work. If I had a large yard I might go with a longer blade.

I am just starting out with my quest for a nice, do-it-yourself yard. I have a large, overgrown rosemary bush which needed tending and I thought this would be a good idea. It was! This little trimmer is lightweight and powerful to trim a bush. Not that it matters, but I am a smaller woman so I don't have the muscle most landscapers have. Handheld trimmer blades are not my idea of a good use of time or elbow grease. You need to have a long outdoor cord to attach to this, but other than that, its great for the price. You will need to affix the safety panel yourself, but with a screwdriver, that's easy. I think 1/2 inch twigs etc would be max with this. I store it face down in the box it came in, in my garage as the blade will need to be covered to avoid accidental injury. The safety panel won't allow it to store upright as it arrived, but it works.

I got really, really tired of snipping one branch at a time off my shrubs. I've never used anything like this before....but zip, zap, zoop....I trimmed all my bushes in one day.....and they look pretty good, if I must say so myself! I'm creeping closer to 68 every day and I could wield this baby with one hand....and I didn't hurt after!

I got this and went to work.I ended up working this unit like a full on work horse and it held up to every task I put it to.By the end of the day, this unit was still going strong and me, I was the one that dropped out.Very lightweight to work with, very easy to use and my hands did not bother me at all with my carpel tunnel, after an entire day of running this thing.As for the yard and shrubs, it now looks like I had a crew come in and to do the work. It's really great!!

It works well and has a good warranty. I have an older B&D model which worked for 16 years. Hope this one is as good.

Bought this to replace an older, broke-down B&D electric trimmer. This one is awesome! Longer cut and sharper blades. I do miss the "lock on" feature the only had so it can be tricky to hold and reach.

Didn't now how I would like this ,it is bigger than what I have used before. Works great,holds cord securely,light weight and the extra bar length makes trimming the hedges a snap!

I have never used a hedge trimmer before but I still would say this was incredibly easy to use, light weight and quite accurate in how it cut. It cut the box wood leaves and branches up to about 1/2" thick before it showed any challenge. With some practice, that may prove to be more user flaw than the trimmer. I like how I could go back and still cut little areas where I missed a branch after I did a sweep across the hedge. I also trimmed squiggley branches off a tree with a great deal of accuracy with this trimmer. It is the 22" size and was just right for small bushes and small tree branches.

This was easy to start using. A few simple screws for the handle and guard and off and trimming. It trimmed really nicely and was easy to use. I have only used it once but trimmed about 10 shrubs some of which easily had 3/4" diameter branches. It had no problem cutting through these. This trimmer made the job that I had been doing by hand for so long a breeze. I am a smallish woman and found it very easy to use. My 15 year old son also used it and had no problem.

I have used this trimmer twice and works great.I was looking for a battery powered trimmer but couldn't find one that one of my existing supply of rechargeable batteries would work with.This trimmer is inexpensive and works great for branches less than a half inch in dia., however, it takes several cuts to slice thru something from a half an inch to 3/4 inch in dia. If you don't mind a ragged looking cut, no big deal, but if you want a clean cut, you may have to go back with a hand shear to make it look pretty!WARNING!...watch where your power cord is at all times...it only takes a fraction of a second to cut the cord off and blow a circuit breaker...I know...I did it today in my haste to get out of the heat! Haste Makes Waste! It took me an extra 15 minutes to repair the cord. From now on, I will be doing my trimming during cooler weather.

This is our second 16" B & D trimmer. We also have another length B & D trimmer! All work or worked well as we've certainly tried to wear them out! Definitely will continue to purchase them!

I tried a B & D hedge trimmer that was cordless. The darned thing constantly ran out of battery power before my hedge was finished. So, I bought this corded version. It made quick work of my hedge. Very easy to use. My only complaints are I wish the guard did not have to be screwed onto the product - I had it down at the hedge with the cord, I took it out of the box, and then I had to go back upstairs to get a screwdriver. Since the screwdriver is stored on our 4th floor, that's a pain. Also, I wish they had a corded version that had a shorter blade area. Our yew hedge is planted too close to a wrought iron fence and it's a challenge to trim around the fence. A shorter trimmer would have been easier but this was the shortest corded version I could find. It does make getting the top of the hedge down quick and easy to get level.

I am quite pleased with the performance of this 16" trimmer especially for the price. While you will have the issue of dragging around an extension cord, the cord attaches firmly and has a cord-catch to prevent it from pulling out of the socket. Since it's electric, there is no concern about charging batteries or losing power in the middle of the job. Also with no battery, the trimmer is extremely light weight and balanced. Except for the hand guard, its fully assembled right out of the box and all you have to do is remove two screws, snap the guard in place and reinsert the screws - it takes about a minute. It cuts through any branch under half an inch with ease and is so light weight its practically effortless to use. To activate the blades, you need to slide the safety/lock button up before you can pull the trigger but once its running, it requires no effort and doesn't tire your hands. Of course, this has moving blades so one needs to exercise caution to avoid a serious injury - in other words don't be an idiot when running power tools or let kids use this thing. Since it's so lightweight it is easy to shape shrubs and the cuts are clean, not mangled though I would imagine this may change as the blades dull. The only complaint would probably be that the guard is made of a flexible plastic , which seems a bit flimsy and it could be a little larger. Still, this sure is a huge improvement over trimming each branch one at a time with hand clippers. Definitely worth the purchase.

This is a handy, lightweight trimmer... totally suitable for a small older woman to use. I did a really nice job trimming my bushes on the first attempt. My only complaint was that I had a little trouble a few times getting it started. There must be a trick I don't know, since once it started (in less than a minute) it worked perfectly.My husband and my bushes thank you!

My sister is widowed and approaching her 90's. I inadvertently took her saw when I finished doing a bunch of yard work for her. It was more economical to replace her saw with a new one to replace the one which had seen its better days. It is small enough that she can use it for the limited hedge trimming that she needs to do. She was thrilled to receive it.

I used this on all my front shrubs this fall. I am so glad to find a product I can handle. I am a 64 yr. old woman and am so tired of fighting heavy garden tools. This is just right for me to handle and it gets the job done quickly. And I don't have to fool with charging those darn batteries all the time. Just get out my long ext. cord.

The tool itself is fine for trimming. My issue is with the plug. I've tried 3 different extension cords and cannot find one that fits properly! They cut the whole around the plug too small, so most extension cords are too big at the base. Thus, there's not a tight fit and the tool keeps coming unplugged/turning off! Very annoying!

It's okay, The switch has failed after only a few uses and the blades start to rust immediately after the first use. I need to spray wd- type oil on the blades after each use.

Great trimmer, however, wish it had a lock position when the trimmer is in operation. My previous one did, and now I really miss it not having it on this model. With this one you have to have your finger on the push start button at all times, whereas previous one I had you put in lock position and it continues to run without having your finger depressing the button.

Item stopped working within 10-15 minutes after use. Requested a replacement.

Only cuts through branches not more than about a half inch in diameter, but helps speed up the job depending on what you're dealing with.

First thought when taking this out of the box: the bit about it handling up to 3/4" input stock was not an understatement. The gaps in the bar indicate that this thing is to be respected (and should under no circumstances be operated by someone with reduced capacity).A quick second to that was the build quality. It's light-weight plastic. I haven't yet disassembled it to discover how the bar is anchored within the body of the trimmer. Given the length of the bar and the ability to feed it such it such large inputs, I don't see good things there in terms of longevity.I bought this as part of a goldbox promotion (~$35). My present thinking is that even that price may have been too much.

NIce and lightweight but they don't seem real sharp when I am using them for trimming the hedges.

I did not like that it doesn't have a trigger lock so that you could keep it operating without having to constantly squeezing the trigger.

Was expecting a little more bite given the amperage but it clears branches really nicely as long as they're not a third of the blade in size--then it gets wedged there and you have to turn it off and pry it out. Love the safety feature though!

It is light and very easy to use; however, you need to be very careful and should practice before you do any job to get used to it. I accidentally cut my two fingers and had to go to emergency room.

This thing is useful for only the smallest of jobs, and even then it is completely annoying. The problem lies in the trigger mechanism, which makes it almost impossible to keep the thing running, and only then, with quite a bit of finger and wrist pain. This poor design also tends to cause the user to lose grip on the device. And i'm no wimp either - I'm a strong guy who does yard and trim work all the time. I actually had to tape the trigger/lock into the "on" position in order to complete what I was doing - a dangerous gerry-rig that I don't recommend anyone try or use. It does seem to cut fairly well - some branch textures more than others, though after only two hours of use, it already seems to be dulling a bit.This device was inexpensive, so I hadn't much to lose (except my fingers, I suppose), but I wouldn't buy it again - not even for small jobs. This seems to be another situation where manufacturers using the cheapest means to meet safety requirements has resulted in a device more dangerous and much less functional than it should be.I'd look elsewhere - maybe not at B&D at all.

Probably worth the money. This is a very small unit and should be bought by people who have a very small project. It works for me because I only have 10 feet of low hedge.

The B & D trimmer I owed before purchasing this one worked for a couple years. Then recently, it would just stop in the middle of using it. I put up with it for a couple of uses until it finally would not go on at all. So I thought I'd try this B & D trimmer because the price was right and it looked like an improvement. I read reviews that complained about the switch problems, but I thought I'd try it anyway figuring what were the chances I'd get a faulty switch trimmer because there were a lot of good reviews.Well the first thing I didn't like was the installation of the guard and handle. The instructions say to unscrew the 6 screws that are "partially run into the housing" (as stated in the instructions). Well, I have strong hands and it took all my might to loosen those. Hate to think of what a person with weaker hands would do!Anyway, got everything together and tried to trim my hedges. Worked great, for about 2 minutes! Checked the cord. OK. Tried again. It started and ran for about a minute and quit. Tried to hold down on the on/off switch in addition to the bar in the handle that needs to be held to keep it running. That helped for a few minutes. It seemed like if I tilted it in certain directions it would die. I struggled with it for about 15 minutes in order to finish a couple of small hedges as I didn't want to leave them partly done. Did get them finished, but knew I had a lemon and it needed to be returned. Very sorry it didn't work as I think it would have been a nice trimmer to have as it cut very well. =-(

This came without a power cord and you have to attach the guard and handle yourself which takes awhile. Had to buy an extension cord that has the prong openings on the end. Not everyone has an outlet outdoors so a power cord included would be nice for this price since that would add extra length. Should have paid the extra $20 for the lithium battery version. Cut my boxwoods fine but kept coming unplugged. I had bought a thick heavy duty cord without realizing it would not fit around the cord retainer.

Difficult to keep power on because of the switch. Light duty.

Purchased this item in August of 2014. Did not have occasion to use product until May of 2015. It worked great on 9 hedges. While trimming the 10th hedge, it quit working and would not even come back on. Came back to my Amazon account to find out what to do only to find that it was too late to return it. I don't plan to purchase another Black & Decker.

I previously owned the older 22 inch model. I am disappointed with this new model. The unit is just as loud (you should wear hearing protection), it is just as heavy, and it vibrates a lot. Your arm and hand will quickly ache due to the heaviness, vibration and the fact that you must constantly squeeze (hard) the trigger to turn it on. Come on B&D, you can do better!!!

don't come with cord horrible

The hole that you have to plug an extension cord into is NOT wide enough for any modern extension cord. So beware about that. I'm sure this unit would run great but I cant get anything plugged into it without breaking the plug in area or sanding down my extension cord. So I am going with something else.

Be aware that a regular orange three-pronged extension cord will not fit in the slot for power. I brought the one recommended by Amazon and it did not fit in the hole. I shaved off a little of the rubber to get it into the hole, and yay! BUT, then I used this thing for all of two minutes before it got stuck on something and now the blades do not move. I am sure I tried to saw something too big or some such, but come on!

It got here quickly, and looks great, but (based on that) gave it only 2 stars for now because I am unable to get it into use at this point. I was so excited to use it this weekend after reading all the great reviews. However, my extension cord (which would seem-otherwise to be compatible, just an ordinary bright-orange type household extension cord I use for my small leaf-blower and many ordinary items, etc.)'s end is not going into the unit, and is too lage too fit. Is there a special cord of some sort I need to get? I don't know the terminology, but it 'looks' as if it should certainly fit. Can anybody tell me what kind of extension cord, perhaps that I could ask for by name at Lowe's? I think mine is probably 50feet but it absolutely refuses to connect, the "hole/end/unit" on the trimmer itself is just too small. I'm not stupid, just ignorant I guess. And no cord came with it (which I did not expect) so am at a loss at this point. Doubtless it works once I get it started, and I will honestly change my review after I get it working.

FAIR ONLY

We bought this and a 50 feet chord from Amazon using our Prime membership, we thought this will be the quickest way we can get our hedges trimmed. But to our surprise when the item arrived we saw that they're not ready for use, the 50 feet chord wont directly connect to this device. The outlet ports holes in this thing is in a hole and you need a special kind of chord for it....which you wont know until you see it in person!!

Wow. This worked for about 15 minutes until it stopped and will not turn on. I have had it for less than 30 days and cannot return??? Wow. Don't buy this.

I loved these hedge trimmers. Purchased because they were a few inches longer than my rechargeable B and D trimmers and they provided more power for my larger shrubs in the front. I used them when they arrived in April and they worked great. In July, I pulled them out again to touch up the shrubs and halfway through trimming the first one they just quit. No smoke but definitely an odor. I am assuming the motor burned up but this leaves me with one shrub half trimmed and the other untouched. Looks horrible! And returning them for a replacement isn't an option anymore since it has been over 30 days. Very disappointing and need to find some more now.

I want to refund this item amount

It did not work😂

Hedge trimmer arrived fine and looks great. As far as working idk yet because the extension cord Amazon suggested for this thing doesn't fit the hedge trimmer. :| I feel like a baby failing at the shape game. In the picture I attached you can see the tear falling from the cord's eye because he can't do one job. So, you can pay an extra $50 for an extension cord that works. Or just return this and pay $67 for the lithium ion battery one.

These are garbage bought to do a small bush ended doing it by hand extension cord keeps falling out using the 30 day return policy don't waste your time or your money

This is the second black and decker product I've bought and while they worked great at first both failed within one year of occasional use. I'm not sure if I'm unlucky or this is a problem with black and decker products.

This trimmer is the worst B & D product I have ever purchased. After the first brief use, I put it away until this spring. I used it for about an hour to trim some bushes and it just quit cold. I will never buy another B & D product like this again, it was worthless.

My old, really old, hedge trimmer finally died, so I bought this one. It works great, cuts through branches I couldn't cut with my manual clipper, and the best thing about it is that it's lightweight, which makes it easier to work with. I just love it.***I wrote the above after my first use. Have now used it a second time and it's died, completely dead, so I'm not recommending this trimmer.

TOO BIG..RETURNED IT..NEED A TOOL FOR TOPIARY PRUNING..

The machine came from America , there was no power cable included in the pack , and even if there had been it would not have been compatible with uk power points . Needless to say I was very disappointed but fair play to Amazon they did refund most of my costs .Keith Riley Shrewsbury