Customer Reviews

Black & Decker Hedge Hog XR 24-Inch Extended Reach Hedge Trimmer HH2410

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a nice trimmer but it loses two stars from me because it can't be locked on, you must grip the switch at all times or it shuts off. This makes it tiring for any extended use as the switches are not very ergonomic and awkward to turn on again after it turns off because you had to change your hand position slightly. Of course you can defeat this with a sliding hose clamp or loop of string (just like you have to do on lawnmowers nowadays), but IMO not allowing a lock "on" is a stupid design "feature". Thank you, lawyers for crapping everything up.

This tool works satisfactorily, provided that you don't use it for pruning that must look "professional." The tool makes nasty, messy cuts on limbs that are flexible like forsythia. I would never use it on bushes that I cherish. But on woody, firm stems like privet and euonymous it works fine. They claim that it will cut up to a 3/4" limb. No way. It's more like max 3/8". And, as others have commented, the on/off switch is clumsy and takes getting used to to avoid hand cramps. I don't regret buying it, but wish I had shopped further.

Used once to trim 6 round hedges. Gears broke through side of plastic housing. It's all jammed up now, and no doubt has a shredded gearbox. I tried cutting about three 3/4" branches with it. It's not really up to that task. In fact, it's no longer up to any task. As others allude, the switch is very cumbersome to use -- a poor design. The pivot worked easily, and was handy while the unit was working. Life = 2 hours. A major disappointment. Hope you didn't already buy one.

Twice now this machine has jammed on me while trying to trim a simple little 12" inch high box hedge. Don't even think about trying to use it on a normal sized hedge. You also expend so much energy holding the power trigger on, which effort is responsible for you breaking out in a heavy sweat. Another design triumph of form over function.

Look for someone else's product - there are a number out there whose design aims are simply that the product must be capable of doing a job of WORK.

You get the picture - this is the most pathetic piece of yard equipment I have the misfortune to own.

I ordered this from the picture of it. I thought it would be heavier duty. Having said that I have used it on a couple of different shrubs and I have been very happy with how it works. The tilt handle is a "very, very" nice feature. I have some 6'-6" tall bushes and trimming with this is much easier.

Allow me to get to the point- this product is poorly designed and it's performance matches the design. They seem to have geared this trimmer towards trying to protect people who would hurt themselves with a product that would actually do the job right. There are so many safety features that you could probably give this to pre-schoolers and let them go to town without any worries. Unfortunately, if you're actually looking to trim your hedges you will definitely be disappointed. Be prepared to make many passes to get a neat cut and have soar fingers from having to constantly hold down the lame safety feature to keep the blades going. Then be ready for certain features to quit working and make your job even more difficult. My advice- buy a Stihl- their products rock and are made to get the job done (unfortunately not available at Lowes or Home Depot). The hedge hog serves no useful purpose.

I trim 10 bushes twice a year. It worked great, but on year 5 the gears stripped out. It was not abused.

I purchased one of these B&D Hedge Hog XR 24" Hedge Trimmers, HH2410 from a retail location several years ago. For a number of reasons I have only used it several times since then. The switches to operate this item are difficult to use, at best. It generally takes two hands to get it turned on and operating. One hand to activate the safety switch and the other to hold the hand switch in so it operates. Shortly after purchase one of the two hand switches quit working and therefore I could only operate it from one of the two switches. When it worked it worked just fine but the one switch that did work was very sensitive to the touch and stopped at the slightest attempt to change your hand grip. Today, after probably no more than 20 hours of use since I purchased it, it quit working. I believe the cheap plastic gears came apart inside the motor because I can hear pieces of something in there rattling when I shake it.

I am not hard on the equipment I purchase and most non-B&D equipment I've purchased is over a decade old and still functions well and as designed. This is the last piece of Black & Decker ANYTHING that I will ever purchase. Nothing I have purchased of B&D in the past decade has worked as advertised for more than approximately 30 hours of intermittent use over several years. I've had it with their attractive yet shoddy merchandise as this trimmer was their final opportunity to keep me as a customer. At one time B&D produced quality products but IMO they no longer do so.

So, I'm now pouring through the great selections of hedge trimmers at Amazon hoping to find a product to replace this POS B&D trimmer that just quit working today. Unfortunately it appears the majority of hedge trimmers out there are made by Black & Decker. Hopefully I'll be able to write a great review soon on my new non-B&D hedge trimmer purchase from Amazon. Stay tuned..

I needed a trimmer with good reach and durability for monthly trimming of a large pyracantha hedge (100' x 12' x 4'). I found this trimmer on closeout at a local store for a song so I gave it a try. After one season, the trimmer has had no problems. I've had no problems with lack of locking 'on' feature. Make sure you release the safety switch after the unit is started. Keeping a death grip on that switch may tire your hand. Folding feature is nice for those awkward, hard to reach areas. The blade can be a little sharper but it's not bad. I really like the reach it gives with the large loop handle (use two hands for max reach). Dual action blade damps the vibration for more comfortable cutting. Compared to my previous trimmer (Ryobi 20" dual action), I can finish the chore in about third less time with less effort.

This trimmer is quiet and a very efficient cutter. The 24" blade length makes trimming large hedges and bushes easy. The folding feature is useful only for short hedges. I tried it on one bush that was about 7" feet tall and missed some in the center since I couldn't see where I was cutting.

The on-off switch is designed to require two switches to be operated at the same time to keep the trimmer operating. There are switches on the left and right sides of the hand grip so it can be operated by either hand. To operate the machine, one switch must be pushed toward the blade and then the other switch depressed with the remaining part of the hand. Both switches are sporing loaded and must remain activated to operate the trimmer. I found the switches very tiring to hold on for very long, say 10 minutes. The spring in the first switch one has to depress is very strong. The second right hand switch had to be depressed very tightly against the handle to operate. The slightest release of pressure resulted in the trimmer stopping. The left hand switch did not have to be depressed nearly as far to operate the trimmer. It is very difficult to hold the switches on continuously for very long. I found the trimmer stopped as the pressure from my hand relaxed after cutting for a few minutes.

The mechanical portion of the trimmer seems well made, but the operation of the switch to turn on the trimmer is too tiring to use this trimmmer for anything but a short trim.