Single Or Double-Sided Hedge Trimmer: How To Choose The Best Tool For Your Needs

Installing a fence is one option for giving your home some security and seclusion, but when you want a more natural-looking option, it's smart to consider the best hedges you can plant for privacy in your yard. Hedges create a barrier that has the vibrancy of living plants to hide your property from people walking past or nosy neighbors. They also give you a windbreak that provides a place for wildlife to thrive. Much like fences that require regular painting, staining, and repairs, a row of hedges demands ongoing maintenance. You may need to use pruning and trimming tools to keep them from growing out of control while maintaining a look you'll be proud to show off. Even if you plant low-maintenance hedges in your yard, you'll need to occasionally do some trimming work on them, which means you'll eventually have to choose between a single- or doubled-sided trimmer.

When searching for a quality hedge trimmer, you can choose among corded electric-, battery-, and gas-powered models and select between single- and double-sided blades. A single-sided trimmer, which has blades only on one edge of the support rod, uses a sweep cut and sweeper edge (or catch plate) to ease cleanup. The double-sided blade design (with blades on both the left and right edges) allows you to work faster and is often a little less expensive. Generally, single-sided options are great for when you want to make square or rectangular shapes in your hedges, while a double-sided trimmer makes it easier and quicker to shape them.

For most homeowners deciding whether a hedge trimmer is the best tool for their needs, the double-sided model is typically the best fit. The design features cutting teeth on both sides. It is the best choice for the majority of homeowners looking to do some DIY work around the house because it can manage several different sizes of hedges and offers versatility in the types of cuts you could make. In fact, if you have hedges that you like to carve into different shapes that feature curves, the ability to use the double-sided blade while going back and forth makes the job more efficient.

Double-sided trimmers deliver fast results for those who want to spend less time doing yard work on the weekends and more time relaxing. Trimming is more efficient because you don't have to move your feet and reposition your body after making each cut like you do with the single-sided option. You can use the back-and-forth motion with the two-sided blade, making it easier to trim branches that may have been missed from one direction and give your hedges a clean shape.

Ultimately, one of the biggest benefits of the double-sided hedge trimmer is that it is easy to use. The double-sided trimmer blade has a balanced weight distribution, which means you should experience less fatigue while holding and using it. This design often features an adjustable rear handle for added control and comfort. Because of its popularity, you have many more models available with this design than with the single-sided blade, letting you find just the right tool size and fuel source.

The single-sided hedge trimming blade only has cutting teeth on one side of the head. The other side has a debris sweeper attached to it, one of the key benefits of single-sided models. You can use the sweeper while working to pull the cut pieces with the trimmer and clear them off the hedge (rather than leave them on top), which will significantly speed up the cleanup process afterward. Some double-sided trimmers also offer catch plates like these as an attachment to purchase separately, but they aren't available for all models or brands. 

One of the biggest advantages of a single-sided hedge trimming blade is the high level of control you receive. You'll always be moving the teeth in one direction to make cuts, which allows for precision and protection in tight spaces. If you have long sections of hedges that you want to cut in a straight line, this design works nicely.

For someone who has little experience using a hedge trimmer, the single-sided blade design can be a good starting point. Because double-sided designs cut the hedge's growth quickly, novices must force themselves to work with care and precision or risk making an error that could take a while to grow back and look normal again. Single-sided machines naturally require you to work more slowly. They are easier to control because they are typically lighter than the double-sided tool. The reduced weight means these designs are able to carry blades up to 32 inches in length (or more) without becoming too heavy, and users can extend the trimmer away from their body more comfortably.