Black & Decker 40V MAX Lithium 24-inch Hedge Trimmer

On a warm Saturday with a mix of boxwood, privet, and a few stubborn holly shoots on the docket, I put the 40V trimmer through its paces. It’s a bare tool, so I paired it with a 40V MAX pack and headed out to see whether the long blade and “up to 3/4 inch” claim actually translate to clean, efficient cuts in real hedges.

Setup and first impressions

Out of the box, the trimmer is straightforward: attach the battery, remove the blade sheath, and you’re ready. At 6.6 pounds, it’s light for a 24-inch cordless unit. The wrap-around front handle and full-length trigger make it easy to grab at different angles, which matters a lot when you’re switching between horizontal tops and vertical faces.

The soft-grip handle is genuinely comfortable, and the balance is decent—slightly forward-biased, as you’d expect from a long-bar trimmer, but not so much that your wrists complain. The extended reach feels like a real advantage; you cover more hedge per sweep, and I found myself making fewer passes compared to shorter trimmers.

One note on power: this is a 40V MAX system (36V nominal). If you’re already on that battery platform, great. If not, factor in the cost of a battery and a charger, and the time—this platform’s standard charger is not quick. Expect around 180 minutes to bring a depleted pack back to full.

Cutting performance

The dual-action blades are the star. Vibration is noticeably lower than single-reciprocating designs I’ve used, and the cut quality is crisp on everything up to pencil-thick branches. On the softer hedges (boxwood, privet, yew), I could move at a good clip without tearing foliage. The long blade lets you flatten tops with fewer “stitch” lines—those little scallops that show up if your bar is too short.

As for power, the transmission does a credible job. On fresh growth up to 3/4-inch, the trimmer can do it, but you need a steady hand and patience. I had the best luck letting the blade do the work and easing into thicker stems—a quick, aggressive chop will stall where a slower pass will slice. On truly woody growth, I still prefer a lopper; the trimmer can manage, but it’s not the best tool for repeated heavy cuts.

Noise levels are comfortable for a cordless trimmer, and the overall feel is confident. I didn’t have the blade chatter that cheaper units sometimes exhibit when they meet tough, cross-grained stems.

Battery life and charging

With a 1.5Ah pack, I trimmed a mixed set of front hedges and a medium run of boxwoods on one charge—roughly 30–40 minutes of real cutting with brief pauses. If you’re maintaining a typical suburban yard, that’s enough for a weekly or biweekly tidy-up. If you plan to tackle a larger property or thicker hedging, bring a spare battery or plan around the charge cycle.

There’s a state-of-charge indicator, which I appreciate. It takes the guesswork out of whether you can finish a stretch or need to swap packs. Rated coverage says up to 6,000 square feet per charge; my experience aligns with that in light to moderate work, but heavy cutting reduces that quickly. The platform’s standard charger is slow, so a second battery is the practical solution for all-day tasks.

Ergonomics and control

The wrap-around front handle is excellent. I trimmed vertical faces, tops, and a few awkward angles on a slope without having to contort my wrists. The full-length trigger is equally handy because you can reposition your rear hand while maintaining fine control. For long sessions, the lower vibration and lighter weight make a difference—less tingling in the hands and shoulders.

One minor quibble: the guard at the end of the bar is basic. It’s fine for preventing accidental ground contact, but it’s not designed as a heavy-duty tip protector. If you often work near stone walls or metal fencing, be mindful.

Maintenance and serviceability

Blades arrive sharp and held up well over multiple outings. Cleaning sap and debris was easy with a rag and a bit of cleaner. Lubing the blades before and after longer sessions kept them running smoothly.

Where things get less friendly is blade replacement or deeper service. Swapping blades is possible, but it’s not a quick, user-centric design. You’re dealing with multiple fasteners and careful alignment, and if you’ve never opened a hedge trimmer gearbox, set aside time and take photos as you go. I’d call this a shop-bench job rather than a five-minute refresh.

During extended testing, I also encountered a scenario where the motor spun but the blades stopped moving under load—a sign of internal coupling or gear issues. It was intermittent and appeared after the tool had been pushed hard on woody growth. That suggests the drive system is tuned for typical hedge maintenance, not repeated heavy pruning.

Reliability and safety notes

Across several sessions, one sample unit developed an electrical smell, followed by a hard stop. Another exhibited inconsistent behavior with the safety interlock—the rear handle would sometimes engage without a clean, deliberate press of the secondary switch. Neither is acceptable, and both warrant immediate service or replacement. On the flip side, the primary test unit has run reliably through a season of moderate use without incident.

Takeaways:
- Treat this as a light-to-moderate duty trimmer. It excels at shaping and maintaining hedges but isn’t a rough-cut brush tool.
- If you encounter any odd smells, stalling, or safety switch inconsistencies, stop using it and contact support. Don’t try to “work through it.”

What I liked

• Long, 24-inch dual-action blades deliver clean cuts and noticeably lower vibration.
• Lightweight and well-balanced for the length; easy to control on vertical and horizontal passes.
• Wrap-around handle and full-length trigger make awkward angles manageable.
• Battery indicator is simple but very useful.
• Cordless convenience without a meaningful trade-off in cut quality for typical hedging tasks.

What could be better

• Reliability variation: I experienced one early failure and one safety interlock inconsistency across multiple units.
• Serviceability: blade replacement and deeper mechanical access are more involved than they should be.
• Charger speed: around three hours to recharge a depleted pack is slow by current standards.
• Drive train tolerance for repeated heavy cuts could be stronger; it’s happiest on maintenance cuts.

Who it’s for

If you maintain a mix of ornamental hedges and shrubs and want a long-reach, low-vibration cordless trimmer, this is a comfortable, capable option. Homeowners already invested in the 40V platform will get the most value. Occasional users will appreciate the easy handling and clean cut quality.

If you’re regularly tackling dense, woody growth or need a trimmer for commercial-level hours, I’d look at heavier-duty models with more robust drivetrains and quicker charging options.

Recommendation

I recommend the 40V trimmer with clear caveats. It’s a pleasure to use for routine hedge maintenance: light, long, and clean-cutting with excellent ergonomics and low vibration. For typical homeowners, it will make fast, tidy work of most trimming. However, reliability inconsistencies and the slow charging setup mean you should buy from a retailer with strong support, test the safety interlock thoroughly out of the box, and avoid treating it like a brush cutter. If you stay within its intended use and keep a spare battery on hand, it’s a capable, comfortable tool that earns its spot in a yard-care kit. If you need heavy-duty durability or all-day runtime, consider stepping up to a more robust platform.