To say that I’m a fan of the EGO Power+ Tool range is an understatement. To say that I’m a professional gardener is an overstatement. Yet when EGO offered us the newly released EGO POWER+ Commercial Telescopic Hedge Trimmer Kit with the Pole Saw attachment for review, we jumped at the chance to try our hand at the best of the best in these outdoor trade tools.
We have had many hours of testing various other EGO offerings, all pretty impressive stuff, equalling or besting many petrol tools.
So how are these commercial tools stacking up versus the ones for domestic use? What’s the difference in features and price? And even if you’re not a tradie, is there a case for getting the commercial versions?
Hang in there with us and watch the video at the end. Yep, it’s cool stuff…
Part 1 – EGO POWER+ Commercial Telescopic Hedge Trimmer Kit
In this section we’ll look at what you get in the Kit. It’s basically everything you need for trimming hedges and includes the battery and charger. Plus, of course, the high-efficiency brushless motor and the all-important telescopic shaft.
You might recall that our earlier review of the EGO Multitool also had extra rods to extend the reach, particularly needed for the Pole Saw. They were easy to insert and made for a solid shaft but a telescopic one is far preferred. They are quick to deploy, no separate rods lying around and you always have the right length – up to 3.7m maximum reach.
Tradies are not kind to their tools: they chuck them in the back of their utes, use them for hours every day in all sorts of weather. Durable aluminium and weather-resistant construction (IPX5) are some of the reasons you get a generous 2-Year Tool Warranty for commercial use.
You can’t help admire the very well designed and great built quality of the assembled kit. You have fully adjustable 6 position articulation. Make that 7 with an additional twist rotation. This means that you can get some crazy angles to trim hedges and bushes, all from a comfortable and safe stance.
The 51cm double-sided cutting blade has a large 26mm cutting capacity. For fast cutting the EGO hedge trimmer can deliver up to 3000 strokes per minute. All the good cordless tools have high-efficiency brushless motors these days. Benefits? Longer run time, low vibrations and extended tool life.
Another feature I had not encountered before: the ergonomic D-handle has dual-trigger positions for increased flexibility to get an optimal grip from any angle.
There’s also a rugged impact guard to protect the battery from hitting the ground. I would like that on the MultiTool as well.
Testing the Commercial Hedge Trimmer
My 11-acre rural property is the perfect testing ground for all the outdoor power tools we’ve reviewed over the years. But one thing it has not: a nicely manicured hedge. Not even a wild one…
So how to test a hedge clipper?
Well, there are plenty of bushes and shrubs that can do with a clean-up. They are out of reach for all the other tools I have – except for this EGO Hedge Trimmer.
Have a look at the video below (and if you still wanna watch hedges being clipped – there are plenty of YouTube vids around).
Something I noticed when testing: I love the soft grip loooong handle. It has great “gripability” wherever you place your hand! But- the soft rubber can easily be damaged…
The back handle gives you extra reach and protects the battery but it’s a lot of weight that you need to balance carefully in that position …
And finally, those two triggers get you the safest handling for a great range of angles.
Part 2 – EGO POWER+ Commercial Telescopic Pole Saw Attachment
We might not have a proper hedge to test out the Hedge Trimmer but, boy, do we have some low hanging branches for the Pole Saw attachment!
This tool is mighty handy for getting rid of branches that overhang our firebreaks. Gotta clear that so fire trucks can have unobstructed access. Also, to create a “parkland” around the main dwelling we regularly need to prune branches that hang down near the ground.
The MultiTool Pole Saw attachment did a fine job on that as reviewed earlier.
So how did the commercial version go?
It’s a great tool, well balanced but with a lot of heft. In other words, you’ll feel the muscles after wielding this “power pole”! Unless, of course, you are a professional and are doing this day in, day out.
The 5Ah battery is good for well over 200 cuts before recharging. And cutting is fast with its chain speed up to 22m/sec. That’s a whopping 80 k/hr!
With its longer reach (almost a metre more) the professionals can easily tackle the higher branches. Even with its enormous reach, there are always branches that are too high we found… And some branches are prone to come down in an unpredictable and dangerous way.
So, general advice is to always kit up (helmet, goggles) and carefully assess the situation. You can see from the video that we don’t always follow that advice ourselves…
Have a look at 2 minute video of some of our testing of the latest EGO offering here in Australia.
Why Choose a Commercial Version if you’re not a Tradie?
Price for a Commercial Hedge Trimmer Kit is $899. Pole saw attachment is $349 for a total of $1248.
The MultiTool consumer version of the Hedge Trimmer Kit is $749. MultiTool Pole Saw attachment is $269 for a total of $1018.
A difference of just $230.
But consider that for a small amount extra you’ll get a bigger battery, 5Ah vs 2.5Ah. That alone makes up most of the difference: $349 vs $199.
You also get a bigger and better charger.
And then there are significant other advantages to choose the Commercial version: the telescopic shaft with longer reach, better ergonomics and improved weather resistant construction.
On the other hand, the MultiTool version is lighter to handle, can have more useful attachments and has a longer warranty life: 5 Year Tool & 3 Year Battery instead of 2 year commercial use warranty and 1 year for the battery.
So, tough choices but if you have tough work the choice is easy!
DRN thanks EGO for providing these tools for our review.
TECH SPECS OF THE EGO POWER+ HEDGE TRIMMER
51cm Double Sided cutting blade
Large 26mm cutting capacity
3000 spm cutting speed
Up to 115 minutes run time with 5.0Ah battery
Complete unit can adjust easily to extend from 2.7m to 3.7m
Double trigger controls for increased ergonomics
In-line battery on-board position for optimum balance
Rear foot assists with battery protection and handling when extending reach
Weather-Resistant Construction (IPX5)
High-Efficiency Brushless Motor
Fully adjustable 6 position articulation
Axial rotating adjustment of blade
Lock-Off button for added safety
Includes: Telescopic Power Pole, Hedge Trimmer Attachment, 5.0Ah 56V ARC Lithium™ Battery, Rapid Charger, Combi-Wrench, Shoulder Strap, Sheath
Compatible with Pole Saw attachment (PSX2500)
2-Year Tool Commercial Warranty, 1-Year Battery Commercial Warranty
TECH SPECS OF THE EGO POWER+ POLE SAW
• Exclusively compatible with EGO POWER+ Commercial Telescopic Power Pole (PPX1000)
• 25cm Bar & Chain with max speed chain speed of 22 m/s
• Weather-Resistant Construction (IPX5)
• High-Efficiency Brushless Motor
• Automatic Oiling System prolongs chain life
• Metal Bucking Spikes minimise kickback for safety
• Lock-Off button for added safety
• Quick Tool-less Coupler 142cm Solid Steel Drive Shaft