Skil Brushless 40V 24 in. Hedge Trimmer Kit

First impressions and setup

I put the Skil 40V hedge trimmer to work over two full weekends of shrub maintenance—boxwood shaping, privet reduction, and cleaning up a few overgrown hollies. Out of the box, the kit is complete: trimmer, a 2.5Ah PWRCORE 40 battery, and Skil’s 150W “Auto PWRJUMP” fast charger. No cords, no gas, no fuss. Snap in the battery, slide off the blade sheath, and you’re trimming within minutes.

The build feels solid without being fussy. The 24-inch dual-action blade (hardened steel) is straight and well-finished, and the weather-resistant housings and seams look ready for real yard work, not just occasional touch-ups. The front wrap handle offers plenty of hand positions, and the rear handle ergonomics are straightforward. At about 6 lb bare tool, it’s not ultralight once the battery is installed, but it’s well-balanced enough for deliberate trimming.

Power and cutting performance

What matters most in a hedge trimmer is how cleanly and confidently it cuts. Here, the Skil 40V impressed me. The brushless motor spins the blade at a claimed 3,000 strokes per minute, and in practice that translates to quick, crisp cuts that don’t chew up leaf edges. On typical shrubs—boxwood, holly, ligustrum, and photinia—the trimmer sliced cleanly with minimal vibration. The dual-action blade design helps; you don’t get that wrist-buzz you often feel with single-action trimmers.

The 24-inch reach is a nice sweet spot. It made quick work of long, straight edges and gave me enough length to span deeper hedges without overreaching. If you’re accustomed to shorter blades, the extra reach shortens the job—fewer passes, more uniform lines.

Cutting capacity is rated at 19 mm (roughly 3/4 inch). That’s realistic. Green material and softer woody stems just under that threshold get clipped decisively. Hit something tougher or older and you’ll feel the blade hesitate or stop. I kept a pair of bypass loppers nearby for the occasional larger branch and moved on—exactly how this tool is intended to be used.

Control, safety, and ergonomics

Controls are simple and predictable. There’s a thumb safety and a main trigger; press the safety to arm, then squeeze and hold the trigger to run. There’s no lock-on—common on cordless trimmers for safety reasons—so you’ll be keeping the trigger depressed the entire time. On longer jobs, I felt it in my forearm, but the trigger pull itself is light and the handle angles are comfortable. The front wrap handle lets you switch to a vertical-grip stance for trimming hedge sides without contorting your wrist.

Weight-wise, the trimmer is manageable for prolonged use at chest height. Overhead work and long reaches will tire you faster; that’s true for most 40V-class tools. The balance point sits a bit forward with the long blade, which is helpful for guiding straight lines but asks you to engage your shoulders when working out away from your body. If you plan a lot of ladder-free overhead work, take breaks and use tighter, controlled passes.

Runtime and charging

The 2.5Ah PWRCORE 40 battery surprised me with its endurance. On a typical suburban yard—front and back hedges, a few shrubs around the perimeter—I could finish the whole list on a single charge with power to spare. A brushless motor helps efficiency, but Skil also treats the battery cells with a cooling wrap that the company claims can extend runtime and battery life. I can’t quantify the lifespan benefit in a short test, but the pack stayed cool to the touch and maintained steady output.

The included 150W charger with Auto PWRJUMP is genuinely useful. It’s designed to bring a 2.5Ah pack from 0 to about 30% in roughly 15 minutes. In the real world, that means you can take a water break and get enough juice back to finish your task without burning an entire afternoon waiting on a full recharge. For most yard work, one battery is fine; if you already own other PWRCORE 40 tools, battery sharing makes the system more compelling.

Cut quality and finishing work

A good hedge trimmer should leave you with less cleanup and rework. The Skil 40V produces clean cuts that don’t shred foliage. That matters with dense evergreens where ragged cuts can brown and look uneven. I found my finishing passes were minimal; a slow sweep across the face of a hedge left a uniform, crisp surface. The 24-inch blade also keeps lines straighter—fewer opportunities for waviness you sometimes see with shorter trimmers.

Debris clearing is effective; the blade spines shed clippings readily, so you don’t spend time stopping to pick out wedged bits. For the best results, I still like to do a quick cross-pass from the opposite direction to catch any missed stragglers.

Noise and vibration

Compared to gas trimmers, this is neighbor-friendly. Noise is present—you’re moving a lot of steel quickly—but it’s far less harsh than a two-stroke at full tilt. Dual-action blades reduce perceived vibration significantly; after an hour, my hands weren’t tingling, and I didn’t feel the need for gel gloves. Ear protection is always smart, but this runs comfortably below the “annoy the entire block” threshold.

Build quality and durability

The hardened steel blades are the highlight here. They arrived sharp, tracked true, and stayed that way after two heavy sessions and a few lighter trims. The chassis is tight, with no rattles, and the weather-resistant construction gave me confidence when dew or light mist was in the air. I still avoid working in a full rain—any tool benefits from that restraint—but I didn’t coddle it, and it took everyday abuse in stride.

Maintenance is basic: keep the blade clean, add a light oil after use, and check for sap buildup. After cleaning and a bit of lube, the blade action felt as smooth as new.

What could be better

• No lock-on trigger: I understand the safety rationale, but for long, straight runs a lock-on or “soft-hold” mode would reduce hand fatigue.
• Overhead fatigue: The long blade is fantastic for reach, but overhead trimming or far-out reaches will tire smaller users. That’s the tradeoff for a 24-inch bar.
• Limited on older, hard branches: At its rated 19 mm cutting capacity, it’s not meant for thick, woody stems. Keep loppers handy for anything approaching an inch.

None of these are deal-breakers; they’re the realities of a 40V residential trimmer and worth noting so you choose the right tool for the job.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners maintaining hedges, shrubs, and small-to-medium foundation plantings who want clean cuts without gas hassles.
• Anyone already invested in Skil’s PWRCORE 40 platform. The included battery and fast charger make this a strong gateway into the system as well.
• Users prioritizing a balance of reach (24-inch blade) and manageable weight, with enough power to handle dense evergreen hedges and fast shaping passes.

If you regularly tackle thick, woody brush or need all-day commercial runtime, you’ll want a higher-capacity battery, an articulating pole trimmer, or a pro-grade setup. For residential hedging, this kit hits the mark.

The bottom line

The Skil 40V hedge trimmer brings together the right features for efficient, clean trimming: a long 24-inch dual-action blade, a smooth and efficient brushless motor, weather-resistant build, and a battery/charger pairing that keeps you working instead of waiting. Cut quality is excellent, vibration is well controlled, and runtime is more than enough for typical yard duties. The lack of a lock-on trigger and the natural fatigue that comes with overhead trimming are the only notable caveats, and they’re common across this category.

Recommendation: I recommend this trimmer for homeowners who want a capable, well-balanced cordless setup with quick top-up charging and clean cutting performance. It’s a practical, no-drama tool that gets the job done efficiently and leaves hedges looking sharp, all without the noise, fumes, and maintenance of gas.