Stihl HLA 56 cordless hedge trimmer uses cutting-edge tech to effortlessly trim every hedge

The HLA 56 hedge trimmer from Stihl sits proudly atop our Best hedge trimmers Top 10 as the best premium hedge trimmer you can buy. It’s premium quality but the price, £199, is not overly expensive. It’s not cheap, but then this is a quality, pro-grade product. 

If your topiary is unruly and you’re looking for a hedge trimmer that will effortlessly trim and shape, the HLA 56 is the perfect option.

If you are serious about your gardening tools, you’re probably familiar with Stihl. Take a look at our numerous gardening top 10s and you’ll find Stihl products prominently featured. Stihl invests a lot of time and money into the R&D of its garden tools and makes them to a high standard, so you know they’ll get the job done safely and effectively.

And speaking of safety and effectiveness, here is an expert on hedge trimming, to tell you more…

Stihl HLA 56: features and spec

• The HLA 56 is 2.10m long, so you can cut up to a height of over four meters from the ground, depending on how tall and long-armed you are. 

• The cutter bar gives a maximum cut depth of 45cm and can be adjusted in seven steps from -45 degrees to +90 degrees. That means you can easily transition to cutting overhead or vertically.

• Despite its power and versatility the HLA 56 is incredibly lightweight at just 3.8kg without the battery. More importantly, it’s precisely balanced, to give maximum comfort. The removable grab handle gives even greater control – particularly handy when doing battle with higher branches. 

The power of cordless

As with most garden tools, the real leap forward in hedge-trimming tech has come in recent years with the availability of high-power, cordless, battery-powered hedge trimmers. That’s what the Stihl HLA 56 is, marrying convenience with the power to trim like a boss. 

The HLA 56 comes with an AK10 rechargeable battery that gives 40 minutes of run time per charge. Stihl recommends that you upgrade to an AK20 to get 80 minutes. There’s also the option of the AK30 which gives you 120 minutes – enough for anything short of Hampton Court maze.

All the AK batteries can be used in other products in the Stihl Compact Cordless range, so once you’re done hedge trimming, you can get on with chainsawing, leaf blowing, grass trimming, lawn mowing and more.

• Learn more about the Stihl HLA 56 and purchase for £199 

Trim safely!

Take these simple precautions to ensure safe usage of the Stihl HLA 56.

1. As with any power tool you should always wear the right Personal Protective Equipment. In the case of the HLA 56, that means wearing goggles, gloves and – when you are cutting above head height – a visor. Clothing should be snug-fitting, and footwear sturdy.
2. Always read the manual. Sure, with a mobile phone or TV you might be able to get away with getting stuck in without reading the manual. But a hedge trimmer is a rather more serious proposition, so always read the manual before use. 
3. During bird nesting season – that’s generally February to August – always check hedges for nesting birds before starting to use your hedge trimmer.