Customer Reviews

Black & Decker HT020 3.8 amp 20-Inch Electric Dual Action Hedge Trimmer

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this trimmer first time I used it. It took care of my old hibiscus trees down to my new arborviaties with ease. What used to take me hours, I completed in minutes with this powerful tool. Not too heavy either for 1 handed operation over my head. Balance is perfect. I would highly recommend.

I bought this hedge trimmer for my Mother... she is in her 60s. The same day she got it,she was turning 4' hedges into 2' ones, according to her "it has a nice weight" not too heavy not too light. If we had more Hedges she would still be out there. In all it came down to three things, 1) Weight 2)Motor Amperage 3) Cost.
For a tool that is not to be used very often, it was a decent purchase.

This trimmer lived up to all the descriptions on the site. However, as an older woman, I found that I couldn't use it for a long period of time on tall hedges. My shoulders ached after a while if I didn't take a break. The trimmer cut quickly and evenly, as long as I held it straight. The longer blade made it easier to cut wide bushes without having to get on a ladder to reach towards the back.

BACKGROUND
I bought the HT020 to replace an 18" 2.6 amp B&D "Hedgehog", which was a great disappointment--it did not have the power to trim the often 1/4" thick branches of my Ixoria hedge. It even had difficulty cutting 3/16" branches.

After the 2.6amp B&D Hedgehog, I purchased a used ($300+ when new) gasoline "Little Wonder" trimmer, which cut the hedge, including ˝ branches like warm butter. However, although possibly the lightest gasoline trimmer you can buy, it was heavy and therefore tiring to use, and needless to say very noisy. Moreover, I don't get along with small gasoline engines, and always found it very hard to start.

So, with trepidation, I purchased the HT020, the most powerful electric hedge trimmer that I could find with good reviews and a reasonable cost.

CAVEAT #1
According to the Amazon description, taken from B&D literature, "this tool features a lock-on switch to ensure uninterrupted run-time" -----NOT TRUE---- There is a "lock off" switch which has no purpose than to prevent accidental operation. The "on" switch is a "momentary" switch (that you CANNOT lock on), which you have to hold on for the trimmer to operate, which means often straining your wrist at uncomfortable angles for long periods of time.

CAVEAT #2
Also according to the Amazon description, the trimmer features, "a three-sided handle with soft grips for a secure, comfortable hold". -----NOT TRUE-----. First, the grip is not soft, it is hard plastic. Secondly the three-sided handle is small and very near the trigger grip, which means that both of your hands are close together, resulting in little leverage and little control, meaning that you have to strain your muscles to operate the unit. The result is that the HT020 is tiring to use, and accidents are more likely.

COMPARISON My 18" 2.6amp BD Hedgehog (although wimpy) has a much larger "3-sided handle", and a wider distance between the trigger grip and the "3-sided handle" and therefore a much safer, more controllable, less tiring grip. The handles on my "Little Wonder" gasoline trimmer are actually nearly 2' apart (and even adjustable) giving superb balance and control.

CAVEAT #3
Also according to the Amazon description, the trimmer, "cuts though wood". -----NOT TRUE----- It doesn't cut, period. It doesn't even cut leaves. It crushes, shreds, and mangles. It can quickly "shred its way" through ˝" branches.

COMPARISON: My "Little Wonder" actually cuts leaves and branches, leaving a much neater appearance which is probably healther for the hedge.

CAVEAT #4
As to the claimed longevity of the blades, I have doubts, after trimming 50' of hedge the cutting edges look significantly dulled.

THE VERDICT
Given the significant caveats above, the HT020 does the job, quickly nibbling-through 3/8" branches; 1/2" branches a little slower.

I bought this yesterday from our local hardware store. I asked one of the managers whether this would work for tall, woody weeds and he said he thought so, he had the exact same model and liked it. I took it home, put it together easily this morning and put in a couple of hours work cutting a clearing around the cottage to reduce fire hazard. Aside from the cord repeatedly dropping out and my hands numbing, it worked great. I took a break to let my hands stop "ringing" and donned a pair of padded gloves, and went back to it. After about 20 minutes it just stopped working. I checked the cords, the power strip it was attached to. Still on. Moved the plug to a different spot and verified that plug was still working. Circuit breaker not tripped. Double- and triple-checked all connections. Still no juice. Could the motor really burn out that quickly? It did seem like it was slowing down a bit those last 20 minutes. I'm only halfway through the job and the hedger has quit on me. I'm returning it to the store, and if they won't take it, to Black & Decker. Big disappointment.

I bought this to replace an original Hedgehog, an HT1000, that died after many years of use (and probably over use). Unfortunately, I had to buy it locally rather than from Amazon, which cost me an extra $25. That's the price you pay for equipment failure in mid-job. :-)

It weighs perhaps 2/3 of the old trimmer and vibrates perhaps 1/2 as much. Still tiring to use for long periods, especially stretched out trying to reach the middle of a big bush, but far less tiring than the original.

The extra reach over the 16" trimmers is amazingly helpful. For the first time at this house, I didn't need a ladder to trim. The cord minder seems to work better than the original Hedgehog as well. The cord never came out once.

After about 3 hours use, I'm very satisfied with the trimmer. Worth what I paid for it locally; more than worth the Amazon price.

I'd like to address a couple of things I saw in other reviews. First is a question about the handle being "too small to get leverage". How much leverage do you need to put on a hedge trimmer? Unless you're trying to force it through something you shouldn't, the handle is just fine.

The complaints that it won't cut through the 1/2" as advertised. Yes, that's a legitimate beef, but you shouldn't be doing that anyway with an electric trimmer. I'm pretty sure that's what killed my first trimmer. Use loppers and pruning saws for stuff that big. (You probably also ought to trim more often as well.)

Remember, this is not one of the big gas trimmers. You want arms like a gorilla, feel free to buy one. They do a tremendous job, but they get heavy for us occasional users. Unless you own an estate, this unit should do the job nicely.

this is lightweight but does the job. Better than my last black and decker that did not seem to be very poweful. Good trimmer for the money. cuts thicker stems with no problem.

I purchased this to replace my old B&D Hedgehog trimmer, which finally gave up the ghost after about ten years of hard use.
This trimmer has a more powerful motor, and wider cutting blades, so it can handle larger branches.
Impressions from the first use:
1. Cut like a hot knife through butter on small branches. I'm sticking to those and using a saw or pruner for larger ones, as I think the larger ones are what kill these things.
2. It does have BOTH a lock on and lock off feature. A previous reviewer said there is no lock on. Sorry, he's wrong. I used the lock on myself, and, both the box and B&Ds website state it has a lock on, if you don't want to take my word for it. The lock on is a little "touchy" to get engaged, but once it's locked on, it works.
3. It's very light.
4. The cord clip is a great improvement over the previous version, which constantly came unplugged.
All in all, a good value for the money. For occasional/homeowner use.

I have a B&D electric hedge trimmer that I've been using for over a decade now. It still runs fine, but I was noticing that it was getting dull. Since I am very pleased with Black and Decker and their products, I bought a new trimmer from them again. I love this trimmer! I immediately noticed a big difference in the cutting ability (not only because it is sharper but because the teeth are also larger). It was cutting branches I wouldn't have thought about cutting with my old hedge trimmer. I wish I bought this years ago. I don't know how I was able to stay with my old trimmer for so long!

The 20" cutter is nice. Not only is it 2" longer than my old trimmer, but the teeth are significantly larger and sharper. The locking feature is nice, so I can lock it on and trim away. I like the handle too, so I have somewhere to grab when I trim the sides of my bushes. Overall, I am very pleased with this model and I'll probably have this one for a decade now.

I have used the hedgetrimmer a couple times now & its worked awesome. Thus my review title, the hedgetrimmerator. The black & decker battey powered hedtrimmer is close to worthless, but the corded one here gives lots of power to keep our hedges looking good.