I have 30" clippers and would never go any smaller. I also like the single sided clippers, not the double sided

 

I've got some 30" that I replaced my 24" with both Stihl. To be honest I like them both and they both have their own place. If I'm trimming small round shrubs then go with a 18" or 24" if larger flatter hedges then go with a 30" or longer. The 24" seems to be a compromise to most guys that only keep one set on the truck.

 

I bought a 30" double side Maruyama about a year ago. I also have a short pole hedge and Echo HC151 20".

My opinion is 40" is too long. I feel my 30" double side is on the long side. If I were to do it again, I would get the 24". Unless you are 6'6" or so, you'll find you have to raise your hands in funny position to use the 40". But if you have one with 20" blade, then maybe that would be a good pair. I do quite a bit of boxwood trimming in very straight rectangular shape, I don't find the 30" that much more convenient, you really can't get a very straight cut in one pass, I think super long blade for better straight cut is a little over rated in my experience. If you are not tall... like me, a 30" single side might be a good fit with the 20".

I think every length has it's good and bad points, that's the reason I have from pole all the way down to a 4" Crapsman battery.

 

I bought a 30" double side Maruyama about a year ago. I also have a short pole hedge and Echo HC151 20".

My opinion is 40" is too long. I feel my 30" double side is on the long side. If I were to do it again, I would get the 24". Unless you are 6'6" or so, you'll find you have to raise your hands in funny position to use the 40". But if you have one with 20" blade, then maybe that would be a good pair. I do quite a bit of boxwood trimming in very straight rectangular shape, I don't find the 30" that much more convenient, you really can't get a very straight cut in one pass, I think super long blade for better straight cut is a little over rated in my experience. If you are not tall... like me, a 30" single side might be a good fit with the 20".

I think every length has it's good and bad points, that's the reason I have from pole all the way down to a 4" Crapsman battery.

Hey thanks! That's some good info. My 20" is shot and is going in the garbage tomorrow once I buy a new hedge trimmer. It would be my only handheld hedge trimmer so based on what you said I think 24" would suffice. What you said about the longer blades really helps explain why they are so uncommon and not even in stock at my nearest stihl dealer.

 

30" single side is my favored and you should also look into the long reach pole.

 

30" single side is my favored and you should also look into the long reach pole.

why do u prefer single sided? single sided seems dumb when there's double sided. i'd think having to keep turning a single sided hedge trimmer would be annoying.

i do have a stihl extended reach hedge trimmer with articulating head. never said i didn't. just looking for a new handheld hedge trimmer. thanks though

 

The single side have better handle and can see better when you cut. If you do precision cut like a straight surface, the single side might have advantage. What I don't like is it only cut in one direction. Shrubs grow in both direction and a double side should cut better as you can move in both directions. The good thing about the single side is the 30" trimmer is about the length of a 24" double side, so you get more blade length for the same size machine.

I always want to buy a 30" single sided one, but just never can justify it. For one, you only have one side to do the job, it is going to get dull sooner. The double side is going to last twice as long!!!!

If I were to keep one, 24" is the way to go. If you want a little longer, Tanaka is the only one with 26" and light. 30" is a little too long in my book. As I said, if you trim shrubs with branches, it is going to be very bumpy and it is almost impossible to cut in one straight pass. The blades bounce off the branches and you have to go back and sweep again. This make long blade almost useless as you have to repeat the stroke. That's was the reason I bought the 30" thinking I can do it slowly and get a better straight cut, and then find out that it really don't work out that way.

 

I missed the 5 minute window to edit the last post.

May I make a suggestion, spend like $40 more and get a cheapy small battery hedge trimmer. I have a little 4" Crapsman 6.2V hedge trimmer and I found it is just as important for hedge trimming. When you cut with the big one, no matter how careful you are, you are going to miss a littlt here and there, it is so much easier to grab the small one and walk around and do touch up. And if you do pom pom tree trimming, the little trimmer will be the most important piece.