GARCARE 2 in 1 Electric Pole Hedge Trimmer, Power Hedge Trimmer with 18 inch Dual-Action Laser Cut & Adjustable Cutting Head, 4.8Amp, 600W, Corded

I have a 50' row of Arborvitae shrubs that are 15' tall and 8' to 10' wide, and the kicker is that you can't get to the back side of the shurbs, so all trimming must be done from one side. As you can guess, giving them a haircut is quite a job. In the past I have rented a long handled gas powered trimmer, but when I tried to rent it this year they said that it had broken and since there was hardly any demand for it, they weren't going to replace it. A couple of years ago I paid a lawn care guy to trim them for me but that cost me $500, so I wasn't wanting to do that again. So, after researching online I bought the GarCare pole hedge trimmer. Just got through trimming the shrubs so thought I'd post a review while it is still fresh in my memory. I obviously can't speak to longevity of the device, but I can definitely speak to the features. Ok, let's start with the CONS: For me, there's only one, actually. As others have stated, it is definitely heavy, especially if, as I did, you are standing on the 2nd from top step of a 14' ladder and using the trimmer in fully extended mode, trying to reach the far side of a 10' wide row of shrubs. It's doable, but it's definitely not easy. It would be really terrific if they made a model with the electric motor at the end of the handle (like the long pole gas trimmers) rather than at the cutting blade, although I know that raises the complexity of the device. In any case, I almost don't want to list this as a "CON" because the device definitely works as designed and intended. It might be better to call it an "observation" rather than a "con", but it's definitely something to be aware of if you are looking at purchasing this trimmer. Ok, now for the PROS: The "laser" cutting blade is SHARP!!!! This thing cut through my 1/2 to 3/4" thick shrub stems with ease. This is extremely important since, as noted above, when you are holding this at full extension you want it to cut fast so that you don't have to hold it fully extended any longer than necessary. This thing just blazed through my shrubs. Amazing! The build quality seems to be excellent. I was a bit worried that something that extends as long as this does might be flimsy when extended, but it isn't. The slider connections are solid and well designed and the tube slider slides effortlessly. I was constantly adjusting the length from as short as possible to full extension while standing on the aforementioned 14' ladder and never had a problem getting the adjustment that I needed. So, in summary, this trimmer was a terrific purchase! Hopefully it will stand the test of time, since I plan on using it for years to come. Unless, of course, they come with a model with the motor built into the handle end... ;)

Instructions were horrendously unclear and the print is tiny. This model and the one without the telescopic tube are both presented together and they don't make clear which one a given step applies to. Many of the features in the description didn't seem to match what's on the product as a result. The telescopic tube was hard to pull out and snapped back inside the tube when I let it go. I googled "Garcare GPHT07 assembly" and found a video that was helpful enough to figure out the assembly, and there really isn't much to it, thankfully, although in the demonstration the tube doesn't snap back inside when it's extended - still don't understand why mine does. But once I put it together, I have to say it worked great. I've only used it once so far but was able to trim four large hedges, one of them about 12 feet tall or more, in under an hour (they were very overgrown). The product is heavy, but I expected that due to the design.

Just got this and tested it out. Awesome 2 in 1 tool. I have an old B&D battery operated trimmer which did an adequate job, but this Garcare is a killer. The trimmer blade is sharp and the gap between teeth is twice on my old B&D and cuts like hot knife through butter, actually cutting some lot thicker brush that I used to have to cut with a large 2-handed manual hedge trimmer. The 20" blade is great. This thing can be hooked up to a telescoping pole to reach about twice your height. It has an adjustable handle and harness you can slide up and down for your personal grip. A nice added touch is the hex wrench to adjust handle/harness has its own built on holder, so its always available. The blade end actually rotates 90 degrees each way as well as up and down (mostly down). This made it easy to do vertical hedges w/o twisting your hands and arms around. The one downside is when it is fully extended it can get top-heavy and awkward after a bit, especially if you are fat and out of shape. lol. But adjusting the handle and strap (around your shoulder) and then sorta propped on your hip makes it pretty easy. Keep in mind the motor is then way up in the air which is to be expected for a 2 for 1 tool. And you can telescope it for various lengths as needed. Its easy to assemble or disassemble if you need a short hand held or higher trimmer. Im very pleased, and actually enjoyed trimming for about an hour yesterday. This was my least favorite yard core, but now its 'fun', if yard work is your idea of fun. ;-)

So far, so good. Very powerful corded pole trimmer. Much cleaner cuts than my older Ryobi (which, to be fair, is lighter and intended for small shrubbery.) I had no trouble assembling or understanding the instructions. It is heavy, though.

Have been climbing ladders with a small hedge trimmer for too long. The shrubs were getting taller and I wasn't. Finally decided to purchase a long pole hedge trimmer. Do yourself a favor if considering the same, and view some YouTube videos first. This product was well rated and rightfully so. It's blades are sharp and cut my work time in half, without needing a ladder. The cons: as others have said, it IS top-heavy. But I only have a small number of shrubs to tackle, so I can put up with that. The instructions (photo) are poorly written, but with patience they can be understood. The should strap (photo) was not properly sewed, which doesn't reflect well on Quality Control. The shoulder strap was so confusing, I needed to consult a YouTube video (even the people in the video seemed confused); the instructions contained no info as to how to fit, or wear the strap. The holder (photo) is poorly designed, in that the shoulder strap overlaps the actual holder; and since it is hard plastic, the pole trimmer usually slides out suddenly, risking a jab to the stomach or possibly lower. In all, it cuts well and does the trick, if you trim a small amount once or twice a year.

For the money and features, this unit seemed the best overall value and it did a very good job on my first use, a 4-hour trimming of every bush and hedge on our property. The unit is well made and cuts cleanly. It doesn't feel cheap. The extension pole and pivot mechanism are solid. Assembly is 5 screws and I didn't need to look at any instructions to understand what to do. I successfully trimmed my 12 foot hedges mostly without a ladder which was the goal. A battery operated trimmer would never have done this job. A few notes that I feel should be mentioned: This motor is powerful and draws a lot of electricity through the cord so a very heavy duty extension power cord is required. I found blackened and slightly melted connection in my old extension cord where the trimmer plugs into the extension cord (after a couple hours of use). I switched to a higher gauge cord and it's fine. Also, as everyone else has mentioned, your shoulders will bark at you for days (and they should) when you hold 15+ pounds for hours over your head. My recommendation has two parts: 1) Take frequent breaks and do large jobs over a few days. Your shoulders will thank you. 2) Find a way to rest the pole bottom (and the unit weight) at your hips - like resting it on your belt buckle while you move about trimming. This takes the weight off the shoulders. Also, for very tall hedges, I taped (using painter tape) another extension pole to this unit and by holding both poles I could keep a much better grip and control as I went back and forth trimming 12 ft high. Overall, I am highly satisfied with this purchase and I personally save $350 each time I trim our hedges.

To begin with, I am a 65 year-old woman so, for all of you who might think that this tool is too heavy for you, you CAN do it. I have had the trimmer for about four months and have used it about four times. My problem with it is not its considerable weight, its the very poorly designed on/off switch. It is so awkward that i got tendonitis in my right thumb, and i do not use it for prolonged periods of time. There is some assembly involved, unfortunately. The most challenging for me was futzing around with placement of the handle for your non-dominant hand, trying to get it in a comfortable location using the stupid little hex-wrench that is included. The blades seem very sharp and work well when you can get them in the right position - not always an easy task when you are working over your head in areas that you cannot see well. In short, its a pain in the butt but, if it keeps me from killing myself falling off a ladder, its a worthwhile investment. Added comment 4/2025 - this trimmer just died so, if youre interested in knowing how durable it is, mine lasted just under 7 years (2018 - 2025) & i would say that i used it frequently. It kept me off a ladder, so thats a plus. RIP, garcare pole trimmer!

Great Product, but this battery version seems to limit the cutting blade speed thereby slowing the user down when cutting hedges. Balance is good but may be nose heavy when extending the tube for longer reach, especially when cutting overhead and higher flat surfaces. I may try the AC corded version to get more blade speed , but anticipate more weight.