Garden & Lawn

GTech HT 50 Hedge Trimmer Review – Detailed Review and Comparison

Last updated on February 12th, 2022

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The cordless Gtech HT50 is a lightweight cordless hedge trimmer (2.5 kg) that is based on the previous model, the HT2.0 but has some improvements. The improvements add to the HT3.0’s durability, run time and usability. The cutting blade is thicker than on any of the previous Gtech trimmers; the battery run time is now 60 minutes rather than the 40 minutes of power from the HT2.0 model, and the battery is interchangeable with that of the HT50 grass trimmer.

With these improvements and its other features, the Gtech HT50 is highly recommended as a cordless hedge trimmer.

Read our detailed review further down to learn more about this fantastic and well-designed hedge trimmer.

Below we have listed a few of the places that you can buy one, from including direct from Gtech themselves.


Quick Summary

The Gtech HT50 cordless long reach hedge trimmer is an updated version of the HT3.0 trimmer. The HT50 trimmer was popular and garnered good reviews. The new HT50 version updates the previous model’s durability, run time and usability. The blade is thicker, the battery now lasts 60 minutes (a much-needed improvement) and you can interchange this battery with that of the Gtech 3.0 grass trimmer so there is some potential to save money if you need a strimmer. If you liked the now-discontinued HT3.0, the newer model might be a good choice for you to upgrade to, and if you have never owned one before, well this is a hedge trimmer well worth considering, which we will talk about in this review. 

The Gtech HT 50 fixed blade reaches up to a very impressive 3.3m and cuts on both sides, all the while still being stable, making it excellent for those with taller hedges. The adjustable head moves within a 135° degree range, great for cutting the top of hedges. These features let you efficiently cut the top of a hedge horizontally from the ground with minimal effort. The safety lock on this trimmer, which prevents the trimmer from accidentally starting, is worth noting if you have children around.

Pros 

  • Cordless model lets you roam all over your garden without worrying if the power cord will reach or if you’ll run out of petrol.
  • Requires one 18V lithium battery and this is included in your purchase along with the battery charger.
  • Battery is chargeable either on or off the unit and the LED indicator tells you how much battery power you have left.
  • Battery lasts 60 minutes, 33% more time than the previous HT2.0 model and more than most other branded models available.
  • Thicker blade than with any previous model.
  • Can reach up to 3.3m and has an ergonomic design so you can reach up and down with minimal strain.
  • Adjustable cutting head pivots 135° so you can cut at a wide range of angles.
  • Cuts branches up to 15mm which is usually enough for a regular garden.
  • Safety switch, used along with the power trigger, avoids accidental starting of the hedge trimmer.
  • Lightweight at 2.5kg so most people can use it comfortably.
  • Both sides of the blade cut so you can use an up and down motion for efficiency.

Cons

  • May be heavy to use for some people and not easy to balance at times.

Gtech hedge trimmer HT50 detailed review

Power

Powered by an 18V battery that powers the high-torque motor

The Gtech HT50 hedge trimmer is cordless so you can move freely around your garden without worrying if the power cord is long enough or if you’ll have enough petrol and it is much lower maintenance. This model works off an 18V high-torque motor that provides enough power for the average garden.

The battery is interchangeable with the grass trimmer

You need one 18V battery and that’s included with your purchase. Alternatively, the battery from the HT50 grass trimmer from Gtech works in the HT50 hedge trimmer. If you have the battery from the HT50 grass trimmer, you can charge that up and do double the work by replacing the empty battery with it. You only have to stop your trimming tasks briefly. Or another person can trim the grass while you trim the hedges.

Long 60 minute run time for tackling longer and taller hedges

The battery lasts for 60 minutes. This is 33% more time than with the previous, well-loved HT3.0 model and much longer than some other models from different brands. The power trigger is operated with just one hand. Squeeze it to power the trimmer.

The battery charger is sometimes included so check the specifications when you purchase this hedge trimmer. The battery takes four hours to charge which is a little disappointing and it would have been nice to see a fast charger included.


Cutting

Reaches up to 3.3 meters with an adjustable rotating head for cutting the tops of hedges up to 10ft tall

The cutting blade with the Gtech HT50 is thicker than on the previous model which only adds to its durability. There’s also less of a problem with bending the blade when you unexpectedly hit a tough branch. This fixed-length trimmer can reach up to 3.3m so the tops of your highest hedges or bushes are within your reach. Along with the adjustable head that pivots through 135°, you can cut the tops of your hedges horizontally for a tidy and uniform look. To give you an idea you can trim hedges up to around 10ft tall.

The 3.3m reach of the HT50 model isn’t the length of the blade itself; it’s the length that the blade reaches out to when held by an average-height person so this is something to bear in mind if you are slightly smaller, you will have slightly less reach and taller people will have a little extra reach. 

Other hedge triggers have extendable poles to increase or decrease the reach of the hedge trimmer blade. The blade itself is quite short and this means you may need more than one pass of your cutting motion.

Features cutting edges on both sides of the blade from fast cutting

However, this hedge trimmer is designed so that both sides of the blade can cut. This lets you use an up and down motion when cutting so you have two swipes with each movement rather than just one which is a nice feature that not all models have.

Easily cuts branches up to 15mm thick

The HT3.0 blade can cut through branches up to 15mm which is fairly standard and in line with other half-decent models from the likes of Bosch, Ryobi and Vonhaus. If you have undergrowth or your hedges haven’t been cut for quite a while, measure the diameter of the branches to ensure that this model can do the trick.

Consider the additional branch cutting attachment

If you have thicker branches, up to 60mm, consider buying the optional branch cutter attachment. The HT50 trimmer plus the branch cutter attachment should cover all your vegetation trimming needs.

No lock to hold trimmer on while cutting

Unlike some other hedge trimmers that have a lock-on feature, the Gtech HT50 needs you to squeeze the power trigger all the time. Holding this one-handed power trigger for a time may cramp up your hand.


Safety

First of all, we strongly encourage you to use safety clothing when using any form of power tool with an exposed blade. A safety hat and thick gloves are the bare necessity; include goggles or safety glasses for more protection. And we don’t recommend using any powered hedge trimmer when you’re standing on a ladder or a box. For this consider using a tower scaffold.

A safety option is built into the Gtech HT50 hedge trimmer. The safety switch prevents the trimmer from starting accidentally or when you’re distracted. To start the trimmer, press one side of the safety switch and squeeze the power trigger at the same time. The controls are at the end of the trimmer and you operate the power trigger with one hand.


Comparison

Gtech HT50 Hedge trimmer vs Bosch Cordless Telescopic Hedge Trimmer

The Gtech 50 is a worthy competitor to our Best Pick for a long-reach cordless hedge trimmer, the Bosch Cordless Telescopic Hedge Trimmer.

OUR BEST PICK FROM THE BEST LONG REACH HEDGE TRIMMER

Both are suitable for the regular cutting of light branches in a domestic garden. The Bosch trimmer is heavier at 3.6kg compared to Gtech’s 2.5kg, and reviewers of each trimmer found them heavy to hold when fully extended, unfortunately, this is just the nature of them. 

In addition, the HT50 has a reach of 3.3m compared to Bosch’s reach of up to 2.6m. But the Bosch trimmer has an extendable pole to reach the 2.6m length while the HT50 has a fixed-length unit. The Gtech battery takes 4 hours to charge and the Bosch battery only takes 1 hour.

Both come with a trimmer and a battery. Bosch also includes the battery charger and Gtech includes a support strap.

The Gtech hedge trimmer and the Bosch hedge trimmer both have the same power of lithium-ion battery, 18V, that’s included in the purchase of the trimmer. Bosch’s battery is interchangeable with all other power tools in their Home and Garden range while Gtech’s battery can only be used in their Gtech HT3.0 grass trimmer at the moment. Finally, they both have a pivoting head that moves within the same degree arc.

The choice between the Gtech HT50 Hedge Trimmer and the Bosch Cordless Telescopic hedge trimmer may come down to whether you have other power tools from these manufacturers or which brand you prefer. Both are very good models and as highlighted both have their advantages so we feel it’s really a personal choice.


Final Conclusion

We recommend the Gtech HT3.0 cordless hedge trimmer for small to medium-sized hedges. Its 18V motor provides enough power to move the durable two-sided blade in an up and down motion so you can cut your hedges efficiently and it does a great job. The battery now lasts for 60 minutes, however, it does take 4 hours to charge which is a little disappointing but not a huge issue as most will be able to cut their hedges from one charge, maybe even twice over. The adjustable cutting head and 3.3m reach to let you trim the tops of your hedges enviably flat and with even 10ft hedges reachable you can’t really complain.

Some people may feel that the HT50 hedge trimmer, although this trimmer weighs only 2.5 kg and is one of the lightest models we have seen, may feel somewhat heavy and may be somewhat difficult to balance in certain positions. This, however, is something we have experienced with nearly all long-reach hedge trimmers when they are fully extended.

Given its improvements and all its features, we highly recommend the HT50 hedge trimmer, the latest hedge trimmer in Gtech’s renowned line-up of garden tools and it’s well worth investing in.


Below we have listed a few of the places that you can buy one from, including direct from Gtech themselves.

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Welcome to my site, my name is John and I have been lucky enough to work in horticultural nurseries for over 15 years in the UK. As the founder and editor as well as researcher, I have a City & Guilds Horticultural Qualifications which I proudly display on our About us page. I now work full time on this website where I review the very best gardening products and tools and write reliable gardening guides. Behind this site is an actual real person who has worked and has experience with the types of products we review as well as years of knowledge on the topics we cover from actual experience. You can reach out to me at john@pyracantha.co.uk

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