Ryobi One+ 18V Lithium-Ion Hedge Trimmer Review
Ryobi Outdoor Tools Make it Easy to Give Your Yard Curb Appeal:
Ryobi makes no bones about the fact that they are not a Pro Brand (big brother Ridgid handles that area), but instead are designed for the average DIYer, easily found as the house brand for The Home Depot. For most homeowners, you can't go wrong with the Ryobi One+, 18V line of tools, especially the outdoor tools. And here’s why:
At one time, I was a huge fan of the Worx line of tools, in fact, I gave a good review to the Worx Lithium Ion Hedge Trimmer, but after one season the batteries are useless because they no longer hold a charge. You ought to get more than one season out of a tool that is designed to be used in your yard. They know you’re not going to use it over the winter. They know the battery is going to sit there a few months… so why don’t they offer a battery that lasts at least two seasons (I think it should last at lot longer than that, but come on, a minimum of two seasons is exceptionally reasonable to ask).
Ryobi 18V Cordless Hedge Trimmer is part of the One+ Line:
Enter Ryobi and the One+ line of tools for indoor and outdoor use. They have over 50 tools in the line, and the cool thing is you can interchange the batteries on any of the tools… So buy a handful of batteries and the 6 port charger, and you’re set! You can use any of the 18V batteries with any tool (18V NiCd, 18V Full Capacity Lithium-Ion, or the 18V Compact Lithium-Ion). Most people would tell you to use the 18V Full Capacity Lithium-Ion battery to get the most power and run time out of the hedge trimmer. And while, I’m sure it would give you a longer run time, I chose to use the 18V Compact Lithium-Ion because of the fatigue factor. It performed with plenty of power, and all I needed was a little over half an hour to clean up the hedges along the front of my house, and it handled the job with ease. I have a ranch house on a little over an acre. If I need to cut a lot more than I used this hedge trimmer for, I would most likely call a landscaper. Let them carry the heavy machinery around, right?
Features:
The blade is 18 inches, which is a bit shorter than many of the 20 inch competitors, but at a bit over 6 pounds, it beats most competitors (including Worx by a couple of pounds). This is a no frills hedge trimmer, the blade doesn’t extend, or turn sideways, or any of that fancy schmancy stuff. There are heavier, more powerful hedge trimmers that do all of those things, but they are far more expensive, and with the double sided blade, the Ryobi One+ has no trouble making easy and thorough cuts.
Here are some of the other features:
- See through guard
- Comfortable wrap around handle which lets you hold this thing up, down, or sideways with ease
- Dual action blade for reduced vibration
- And there’s no assembly! I love that.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I’m pleased with the tool, and since I’ve had some of the Ryobi One+ Lithium-Ion batteries for a couple of years now, I feel confident that this hedge trimmer will remain functional for far longer than the Worx. And if the battery does die, with the 3 year warranty, it’s still world ahead of the 1 year battery warranty that Worx has.
You can buy the Hedge Trimmer at The Home Depot (with a battery for less than $100, without for less than $60): CLICK HERE
You can find the 6 port charger at Amazon.com: CLICK HERE
You can find the compact lithium-ion battery and charger at Amazon.com: CLICK HERE