The one power tool mistake that convinced me to go cordless for good

I like to try and do my own yard work as much as possible. There was a good amount of landscaping, shrubs, bushes, trees, and more put in by the previous owners of our house. We haven't done much in terms of planting new ones since we moved in, but we've tried to keep up the lawn and house's landscaping to the best of our abilities.

There are bushes near the end of our driveway that can quickly become overgrown. I've cut them back, pulled the weeds around them, and tried to eradicate the poison ivy that has grown into them each year. But when the bushes get too big, it becomes harder to look down the street to see if cars are coming when someone is leaving our driveway. Unfortunately, my solution to this is to deal with my least favorite tool I own.

My corded hedge trimmer just isn't cutting it

It does cut, but too infrequently

I own a Scotts Corded Hedge Trimmer, having looked for a cheap hedge trimmer when we first moved. This was on sale and came in under $30 at the time, making it a simple purchase to handle some trimming my bushes and plants. I knew it wasn't going to be something I used every time I was out doing yard work, so I didn't really care how much I spent on it.

In hindsight, I wish I'd thought it out more carefully. The machine itself isn't a bad machine in reality. Plenty of people would not have an issue with it, as it does do what it's supposed to do. It has a 3.2-amp motor, giving it power to tackle some tough shrubbery and difficult branches. I've never had a problem with it, cutting back hedges and removing leaves to make a bush look more shapely.

It delivers quick and precise cuts with its 20" blades. They are dual-action, so they rotate back and forth, allowing different parts of the trimmer to cut through branches. This eliminates one section from getting more worn down compared to the others. Because of this, it can deliver 3,400 strokes per minute, helping you reduce growth in no time.

My issues aren't with the cutting aspects or the mechanism of it all. My biggest issue is the fact that I wasn't smart enough to choose a cordless tool.

The cord's plug ruins what could be an easily maneuverable machine

I wish it had a cord that came out of it

There isn't a cord on this electric trimmer, despite the fact that the descriptions for it read "corded." There is a two-prong extension on the lower portion of the body where you can plug an extension cord into. In order to use the trimmer where I need it, I have to run multiple extension cords all the way down to the end of my driveway.

This isn't a huge issue, as I have plenty of lengths of extension cord that cover the distance. However, the design of the machine doesn't keep the plug locked into place very well. It remains a bit loose, so it is easy to pull the extension cord out when you don't mean to.

I'll take the heavier machine with a battery pack in it if it means I can use it with more ease.

There is a knob on the handle portion of the trimmer that is meant for you to wrap your extension cord around it. But this actually makes it easy to pull the plug out, as it provides more tension on the cord near where the plug is.

Because you need two hands to operate this machine, I can't place one on the extension cord while I'm using it. As I'm slicing upward or downward to curve a bush or cut a branch, any bit of tension that is a bit too much pulls the extension cord out, rendering the machine useless in an instant.

On average, a job that could take me 15 minutes takes at least 20 because I spend 5 minutes plugging in the extension cord. I also know it isn't just the extension cord I use, as I've used multiple and they all fall out.

Cordless power tools are the way to go

I prefer certain brands for indoor versus outdoor

Some of my other outdoor power tools are cordless ones from Greenworks. I enjoy using the string trimmer and the leaf blower that I own because they can share the same 80V battery pack.

I can charge the battery packs that come with the tools and have one in reserve for when the other one dies out. I don't have to sit and wait for one to charge because I can use the same battery in both machines.

Cordless power tools just provide a greater sense of flexibility and versatility. You can take them anywhere and you don't have to be tethered to an extension cord. Plus, you don't have to be anywhere near an outlet to make them run.

I have just one outlet in my front yard, compared to a few in the back of my house. I usually run an extension cord from my garage when I'm trimming at the end of the driveway.

Having a cordless tool ensures that I don't have to run massive amounts of extension cords. I'll take the heavier machine with a battery pack in it if it means I can use it with more ease.

A corded hedge trimmer is an annoyance to me

I have many bushes and hedges to trim and having a corded hedge trimmer has been a pain for me. The design has been a pain to deal with since I bought it. I will be changing to a cordless option for my yard and sanity.