Cordless hedge trimmer HSA94T
After years of working with gasoline hedge trimmer, I finally switched to a Stihl hedge trimmer with battery and EC motor, namely the HSA 94T. I was tired of being gassed by the exhaust fumes every time, but hesitated for a long time to buy a (quite expensive) battery hedge trimmer. An additional advantage of a hedge trimmer with a battery is that it is much quieter. It was time to replace the petrol machine with the Stihl HSA 94T.
Professional quality from Stihl
The Stihl HSA94T is not the cheapest professional hedge trimmer, but after reading some reviews I still bought the HSA 94 T version in combination with the AP300 battery. A fast charger AL300 and matching lap belt to seat the battery are sold separately. The battery is connected to the hedge trimmer by means of a sturdy cable.
You can choose from three different saw blade lengths (50/60/75). I myself chose a saw blade of 60 cm. I personally find that ideal, not too short and not too long. To protect the saw blade, the device comes with a sword protector that you have to assemble yourself. Not visible in the photo or in the video because I had not mounted the protector yet. I have chosen this Stihl hedge trimmer because of Stihl's known reliable and professional quality. Since 2005 I have had a chainsaw from Stihl (MS 210C) and it has not failed me yet.
Purchase garden tools
Because the Corona virus quickly conquered Belgium and the rest of the world in March 2020, we didn't made our journey to France and canceled. The only advantage of this was that I had an extra budget to spend on garden tools. Like most, I had extra free time and could give the hedge trimmer a good test. Corona certainly accelerated the decision to purchase these Stihl machines, but I haven't regretted it yet.
HSA94T Tested and approved
The HSA 94T version is recommended for trimming and for the finer work. From the outset, I was impressed by the sharpness of the double-sharpened blades, but also by the power of the EC motor. There are two versions of the hedge trimmer on the market. The T and the R version. The HSA 94 R version recommended for heavier work. But even with a high load (thick branches) the EC motor and the blades of the HSA 94 T version no effort at all to keep the number of strokes at the same speed. The R version I have not yet been able to test, but for every type of hedge I pruned, the HSA 94T no effort!
Battery AP300 + fast charger
With the AP300 battery you have enough energy to get up to speed two (hornbeam) or three (Leylandii) to last for about two hours. According to the Stihl tables, you can prune up to 300 minutes with the AP135, but I suspect that this is one will be (e.g. Buxus). If you choose a larger battery such as the AR 1000 that is carried on the back in a backpack, then you can even cut up to 380 minutes, according to Stihl. An AP300 battery was fully charged with the AL300 fast charger in about 50 minutes.
I also use the lap belt and battery AP300 (1.8 kg) with other battery machines from Stihl. The powerful BGA 100 battery leaf blower and the HLA 85 telescopic extendable hedge trimmer are compatible with this type of battery.
Positive points HSA 94T
One of the advantages of the HSA 94T is the rotatable handle. The number of strokes can be set via the handle. There are three different “number of strokes” you can set (4400/4700/5000).
In the YouTube video of the HSA94T at the bottom you can clearly see the different positions by the LED lights.
The biggest additional plus is that I am rid of the exhaust fumes and the loud engine! The neighbors will also thank you.
With a battery fast charger AL300 or AL500, you can get back to work fairly quickly with a full battery. If you want to work longer than two hours, you can consider an extra battery or a heavier battery with a backpack. Sometimes Stihl has promotions and you can buy the 2nd battery for half the price.
Lower weight of this Stihl hedge trimmer: Battery is carried in a belt bag or in a waterproof backpack (AR1000), making the weight of the hedge trimmer lighter.
Negative points HSA 94T
A (small) disadvantage may be that the cable from the battery can sometimes get in the way when pruning in very narrow passageways. The cable can then get stuck to a branch.
Constantly pressing the bracket switch in the handle (see photo) can become difficult after a long time. I suspect it will be less tiring if you use the hedge trimmer daily (professionally) and your muscles get used to pushing the bracket.
If the battery is empty, you have to wait 50 minutes with the fast charger until it is recharged.
Conclusion of the Stihl hedge trimmer HSA 94T
The HSA94T is definitely in the segment “best professional cordless hedge trimmers" that can be found on the market. In total I have more than 200 meters of hedge in and around my garden and it is literally a relief to work with these hedge trimmer.
The razor-sharp blades and power of the EC motor are fantastic. In the meantime, I have tested the hedge trimmer on different types of hedges and can only recommend the HSA 94T!
Tip for maintenance: Use the Stihl resin remover after every pruning (Taxus, boxwood or Leilandii). This is done because the blades would not stick together after storage.
