Little Wonder 2420

While reviewers say the budget Craftsman 79957 (*Est. $60) is adequate for most homeowners, the Little Wonder 2420 corded hedge trimmer is a better choice for big jobs or if you need to trim thicker branches or old growth. The Little Wonder 2420 provides commercial-grade power and a host of safety features; the blade shuts off within half a second after the handle is released, and the Little Wonder vibrates less than cheaper models. It receives top ranking among electric hedge trimmers, and has enough quiet power to handle half-inch branches. The double-reciprocating blades, made to last longer than a single blade, require less sharpening and minimize vibration. The Little Wonder hedge trimmer comes in three blade lengths. The least expensive is the Little Wonder 1920 (*Est. $260).

Little Wonder electric hedge trimmers perform well in most tests, and the most credible test we found is performed by Popular Mechanics. Discussions in the GardenWeb.com forums provide a good overall backdrop from the consumer's perspective, particularly when it comes to the lifetime and durability of Little Wonder trimmers. Reviews on Little Wonder trimmers from ConsumerGuide.com don't contain comparisons with other models, but they still manage to provide useful details about performance, safety and power.