Best Hedge Trimmer for Arborvitae: What to Look For

These three stand out in the product table above for different budgets and needs.

Best overall: the Husqvarna Hedge Master 320iHD60 Battery Hedge Trimmer, around $256, is our first choice from the table.

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Best value: the BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX* 24 in. cordless hedge trimmer, around $84, is the lowest priced of these three.

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Best premium pick: the EGO Power+ Hedge Trimmer Cordless, around $279, costs more but steps up in features.

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Arborvitae hedges are frequently grown as tall privacy screens, sometimes six feet or taller, and a longer blade covers more of that height and width per pass. A blade around 24 inches or longer is generally recommended for efficient coverage on mature arborvitae hedges, while shorter blades in the 16 to 18 inch range are better suited to smaller shrubs or detail shaping rather than a full privacy screen. If your hedge is genuinely tall, also consider whether you'll need a pole-mounted trimmer to reach the upper sections safely from the ground.

Arborvitae doesn't tolerate heavy pruning the way some deciduous hedges do. As a general rule, you shouldn't remove more than about a third of the plant's existing foliage in a single session, and cutting back into old, bare wood often leaves a permanent brown patch that never fills back in. That constraint changes what actually makes a trimmer "best" for this plant: precise, controllable cutting matters more than sheer power, since you're shaping the outer growth carefully rather than hacking through mass volume. A trimmer with responsive blade control and a manageable cutting speed helps you stop at the right depth instead of accidentally going too far.

On an overgrown or long-neglected arborvitae hedge, some branches get thick enough that a standard hedge trimmer will struggle or stall rather than cut cleanly. At that point, a pruning saw or loppers are the better tool for those specific thicker stems, going back to the hedge trimmer for the finer foliage once the thick wood is out of the way. Forcing a hedge trimmer through branches it isn't built for usually just dulls the blades faster and leaves a ragged cut.

Trimming a tall arborvitae hedge often means holding the trimmer at shoulder height or above for extended stretches, so weight and balance matter more here than for low, ground-level shrubs. A well-balanced, moderately lightweight trimmer reduces fatigue over a long hedge run. Battery-powered models are popular for this job since they're quiet, need no fuel mixing, and offer good mobility for walking the length of a privacy screen, though a corded electric trimmer can work well too if you're staying within reach of an outlet.

What blade length is best for trimming arborvitae?

For a tall, mature privacy hedge, a blade of 24 inches or longer generally covers the height and width more efficiently, while shorter blades work fine for smaller or younger plants.

Can you over-trim an arborvitae hedge?

Yes. Removing more than about a third of the existing foliage at once, or cutting into old bare wood, can leave permanent brown patches since arborvitae doesn't reliably regrow from old wood.

What tool do you use for branches too thick for a hedge trimmer?

A pruning saw or a pair of loppers handles thick, woody branches better than forcing a hedge trimmer through them, which usually just dulls the blades and leaves a rough cut.

Is a battery or gas hedge trimmer better for arborvitae?

Battery trimmers are quieter and easier to maneuver around a privacy hedge for most homeowners, while gas trimmers offer more sustained power for very long or thick commercial-scale hedges.

How often should you trim an arborvitae hedge?

Most established hedges only need trimming once or twice a year, typically after new growth appears, rather than frequent heavy cutting.

Will arborvitae grow back if cut too short?

Not reliably. Arborvitae generally won't fill back in from bare, old wood, which is why staying within the plant's outer green growth matters more than with many other hedge species.

Choosing the best hedge trimmer for arborvitae is less about raw cutting power and more about matching blade length to your hedge's height while keeping enough control to respect the one-third pruning rule. Get those two things right, lean on a saw or loppers for anything too thick, and your privacy hedge will stay full and healthy season after season.