It'll be more powerful, probably last longer before running down. I have a mains powered one, specifically this one:

http://www.lawnmowersworld.co.uk/p/Flymo_EasiCut_6...

Gets blooming heavy after a couple of hours, and with the Flymo, you need to hold two buttons down after pressing a third button, so it sometimes just cuts off as your hands/arms get too tired!

On the other hand, with the blade length, I can cut the the whole width of the top in one go, rather than doing half on one side and then moving to the other side to do the other half.

I have a Flymo mains electric hedge cutter. It is good for general use and has quite a large blade so reaches across all our hedges. The three drawbacks are

• it is quite heavy and gets tiresome to use after a while
• the number of buttons to push or hold with both hands to get it going: good for safety though
• need to watch out and avoid cutting through the cable...I've done this twice over the years.

Two weeks ago I bought a Ryobi long pole hedge trimmer, mains electrric. Great tool! Excellent to get to the parts that the Flymo dosen't easily reach. Very easy to change the cutting angle and extend the pole. However, it is quite heavy and although it's OK to uses at a 90 degree angle for lengthy periods it is tiring to the arms if used at a different angle, say 45 degrees, and therefore some way from your body. Ideally it needs a shoulder harness, so I tend to lean it against my body when using. Really is quick and saves having to mess with ladders. The other drawback is that it has a shorter blade so it may not cut across all of the top of a hedge.

R.

OK... a delve through the specs scattered on the net concludes:

Of the Ni-Cad: 14.4V/1.5Ah NiCd battery, two batteries, total of 110 minutes’ running time (55 minutes each battery). 2.6kg

Of the Li: Lithium-ion - Battery voltage : 18 V - Charge time : 3 h - Battery running time : 50 min - Blade length : 520 mm - Blade spacing : 15 mm - No-load stroke rate : 2.200 spm 2.3kg

Charge time for each is 3 hours.

My garden is quite small and I can probably trim everything that needs trimming in 5-10 minutes, so one issue is how long the battery stays charged for. I don't much like gardening so if I have to wait three hours before acting on impulse, I probably won't act at all!

Cost isn't a massive factor so if the Li version stays charged for momths and the NiCad goes flat in a week, the Li probably wins.

300g. Doubt you'll notice the difference when it's still over 2kg

OP, if you can do the lot in 10 minutes would something like this do the job? Only 900g

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Cordless-Li-Ion-Hedg...

Thanks - I was about to go for the Li one but see it has a different handle. I'll see if I can get to B&Q etc tomorrow and get my paws on both.

B&Q solved it. The Ni-Cd version handled beautifully, light and well-balanced with perfectly placed handles/buttons. By contrast the Li one felt nose-heavy, the handles less well placed and you had to operate three of them to make it work.

It was reduced to £59.98 in B&Q but I couldn't remember how much Amazon were selling it for, so left it and went home to check. Amazon were also £59.98 but now out of stock. Doh!

I have one of these , ideal if you have an allotment like myself ,