Best long reach hedge trimmer?

[Charles Hey Arborist]

Need to get myself a new long reach hedge trimmer ASAP.

 

Ideally get one that you can also use as a pole pruner, although 99% of the time it will be used as a hedge trimmer.

 

I don't fancy stihl 4mix, so the only option there looks like the 'hobby' KM56.

 

Echo, husky, tanaka, hitachi? I've not had experience of any of them.

 

Thanks

Charlie.

[Eddy_t]

Need to get myself a new long reach hedge trimmer ASAP.

 

Ideally get one that you can also use as a pole pruner, although 99% of the time it will be used as a hedge trimmer.

 

I don't fancy stihl 4mix, so the only option there looks like the 'hobby' KM56.

 

Echo, husky, tanaka, hitachi? I've not had experience of any of them.

 

Thanks

Charlie.

 

Don't knock them there km56's, they've more power than you think, you want a pole cutter with an adjustable head, don't get a fixed one, and my experiences of stihl and husky are they are much of the same, so if you want speed, husky, if you have some thicker bits to cut, stihl

 

 

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[eagleye]

all the hedge cutters we use are 4 mix HL 95s 135 degree

never had a problem with them but have always used stihl HP super

2 stroke oil

all over 3 years old and well used

the kombis we have seem heavier on the front end compared to a dedicated hedge cutter which you notice after a full days use

[Warren1]

Got two km85 kombis these aren't made anymore but you see them on eBay , also got a 130r 4mix which I don't rate as much . If I was you I'd go down the middle and get a km 90 r with a km Hl 135 long reach hedge trimmer head , then add a km ht pole pruner head ,also do a extension shaft but it does get heavy !

[the hedge man]

The long reach stihl are quite bad to use in my opinion, they are noisy, vibrate alot and twist when you pull the trigger, it seems they have too much power for the job in hand. that's the km130r's though, so im sure there would be a better stihl long reach to use somewhere along the range.

Edited May 2, 2013 by the hedge man

[ratcatcher]

although probably frowned upon, why not one of these combinations, bought myself one for our woods mainly for the strimmer/brush cutter, but the hedge cutter works well too

 

52cc Petrol 5in1 Hedge Trimmer, Chainsaw, Strimmer, Brush Cutter, Extension Pole | eBay

[hazzygawa]

HL95k the dogs bollocks.

[Bombadil]

We use HL100k. Same weight as HL90k but quite a bit better for the vibration figures. Always use the green Stihl HP oil with the 4-mix engines too.

[Sussex Groundie]

Just to be different I use a KM56 engine with Expandit Pole Saw, Hedge Trimmer, Strimmer. Only because my Ryobi engine ceased to function (you can stop laughing now) so using the old bits up as I replace them with Stihl ones.

 

I have owned 5 KM55 Kombi Systems in the past.

[Charles Hey Arborist]

Thanks for. All the replies, nothing mentioned except Stihl!

 

Don't knock them there km56's, they've more power than you think, you want a pole cutter with an adjustable head, don't get a fixed one, and my experiences of stihl and husky are they are much of the same, so if you want speed, husky, if you have some thicker bits to cut, stihl

 

I've borrowed a KM55 whenever I needed one, but it doesn't feel that well made and died the other day, but has always had plenty of power for the trimming I do. But really don't fancy a 4-mix think ill have to go KM56 for now as its the only stihl that isn't 4-mix.

 

Thanks