Makita DUH551Z 36 V Cordless li-Ion Hedge Trimmer

Brilliant hedge trimmer.Nice and powerful, cuts through whatever you put in front of it!So far i have used it on an established grisselina hedge, a hornbeam hedge, brambles, ivy, fuschia and dog wood. The grisselina is approximately a 30m run and the fuschia is the same. The brambles are approx 25m but as thick as your index finger in some cases. A serious test and this passes with ease.It's a little on the heavy side for all day use but well balanced and the swivel head makes it a lot easier on the wrists than it would otherwise be.Maintenance is simple enough, just clean it down and oil the blades with a light machine oil.Safety wise there is a thumb switch that physically prevents the trigger being pulled. In addition the front hand grip also has to be engaged before the machine will start. If you do need to work on the mechanical parts of the machine I would suggest removing at least one battery as the machine will not start without both in place. In terms of working on the electronics, I would defer to a higher power and get an engineer to check it out.Using a pair of 5Ah batteries I tend to tire before the batteries run out. There are 6 speed settings, however I only ever leave it turned up to max. Not sure what the slower speeds would be for. My gardening work tends to err on the side of demolition rather than creation.What I love most about this tool is the volume levels, it's silent when not cutting of course, but when in full swing it's still relatively quiet. I use without ear protection but of course, that's a personal choice for everyone to make!All in all an excellent tool from the Makita stable, highly recommended.Quick edit Nov 18. Still as good as ever. Recently tackled some smaller whitethorn branches. Sailed through them. Being able to cut them at arm's length was great. They're a bit on the spiky side to get up close and personal with.

Have both two stroke and corded. Every year I have some 2k of hedges bushes and whatever her in doors demands. I use makita tools so batteries are not an issue I have 6 5AH bats on the go so never stop or run out. This thing has a well well build knife and cuts anything in its expected range, its not a chainsaw so be realistic, most people would say its heavy, i am a steel fabricator so i am used to it and can keep it swinging all day, yes it is heavy. The rotating handle is very handy and battery life is as expected, worked hard none stop probably 30mm on 10-15mm growth. I will never go back to cord or engin.

Just wow!A very powerful tool. Bought to clear out a very overgrown garden, lots of brambles, grass and thick weeds. This trimmer just ploughed through it like a hot knife through butter. Used two 5 amp batteries which last forever and can give hours of operation. Requires two triggers to be squeezed, one on each handle, to get the juice flowing. The rear handle can be rotated for a more comfortable grip though operating this for any length of time without a harness is taxing on the arms.For safety frequent breaks should be the order of the day to avoid fatigue.I use it with a protective visor which is so much better than safety goggles. Those with sensitive ears may want some ear defenders too.A quick inspection of the blade after use to remove any detritus and an oil is about all you need to do before slipping the blade guard on. You can attach the blade guard to a wall and use it to store the trimmer though I haven’t bothered.All in all a great tool though very expensive wether you have the batteries or not.I award five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Happy shopping.

Great product easy to use and the rotating handle feature is very useful when trimming the vertical face of a hedge. In comparison to my previous two stroke hedge trimmer the reduction in weight and the significant reduction in noise as well no fumes from the exhaust. I was using 2 5.0 amp hour makita batteries and found that to give very good operational time, more than enough for most use case scenarios.

Nice a powerful. Cuts through bigger branches than last one. It is heavier but not outrageous.3.0 batteries lasted for a hedge sides and tops with juice to spare. Hedge about meter tall by 7m long and 1.5m deep.

Does what it says on the tin, it cuts hedges like a hot knife through butter. Makes light work of chopping a variety of shrubs, bushes and other stuff.Weight wise, it feels heavy in one hand with the batteries fitted, but the ergonomics mean that it doesn't feel as bad when in use with 2 hands. Able to hold at shoulder height comfortably. The blade is a useful length, takes out a fair amount without being awkward to manoeuvre.The handle is adjustable through 5 positions and 180 degrees, but feels solidly locked in which ever position it is in.Battery life with this is great. 2 x 5AH batteries (aftermarket) were still going strong after more than an hours use, would probably have done another 30mins. This was on max (setting 6)...why you would reduce the power I have no idea but you can if you want.Had one or two jams, but that was on branches about 1" thick, so far in excess of the 18mm which it manages easily.

Read a lot of reviews with people complaining that the unit is too heavy. It's not overly heavy plus what do you expect from a high end 2 battery power tool. If you want to trim a little hedge every now and again get yourself a small one battery unit. If you're looking to get stuck into some serious work for a few hours without any complaining about the tool you are using them this is just the job. Easy choice really.