Corded power tools are sometimes disregarded automatically by people who are looking to purchase a new tool - mainly either because of a lack of power or because they don't want to put up with a trailing power cord. Granted, the Toro 51490 doesn't address the latter (otherwise it wouldn't be a corded model), but it does do something about the first point. With a power to size ratio that's up there with the best of them in the corded electric hedge trimmer range, this model should be a strong contender if you are scouring the market for an affordable corded option to maintain a small garden.
Lighter than any other trimmer in their range, the Toro 51490 only weighs 6.2 pounds, making it an ideal choice for almost anyone. In fact, a number of people have commented on how easy it is to use it above head height. Imagine trying to hoist a gas hedge trimmer above your head for 20 seconds, let alone 20 minutes. It is really easy to operate too and just feels like it's built from better quality materials than most. Toro do have a long history when it comes to quality landscaping products and this hedge trimmer is no exception to that rule.
Here are the Benefits of the Toro 51490 Hedge Trimmer:
- With a great amp to blade size ratio the Toro 51490 has a power advantage over a number of its competitors. Granted, it’s not designed for commercial use, nor is it going to cut horrendously overgrown hedges back into shape. But for regular maintenance this hedge trimmer is ideal. It’s got a 4 amp motor and you don’t need to worry about a decrease in performance while trimming. From the moment you switch it on to the moment you turn it off, the same level of power will be there. That’s something you can’t always guarantee if you choose to go with a cordless model.
- The 22 inch blade cuts nicely and when dealing twigs, leaves and thin branches it really is like cutting butter (an overused cliché we know – but totally appropriate in this instance). It makes easy work of things that are hard work when done manually. You have to put virtually zero effort in and just let the trimmer do the majority of the work for you. It saves you serious amounts of time too. It’s a dual action blade, which are well known for causing minimal vibration and making the cutting experience more comfortable for your hands.
- Balancing this trimmer with a single handle would be difficult, not to mention dangerous, so there’s a support handle that ensures you can grip and balance it securely when in use. There are 3 sides to the support handle meaning you can position your hands according to how you are using the trimmer. This significantly improves the experience when dealing with hard to reach areas as you won’t have to flex your wrists into unnatural positions.
Here are the Reported Disadvantages of the Toro 51490:
- The main problem some people have had with the Toro 51490 is with the cord lock feature. This is supposed to prevent the cord from becoming unplugged, which can be really annoying and slow your progress considerably. However, the plug and the connector don’t fit as tightly as they should and can become disconnected, something this feature is supposed to prevent. Obviously this is only going to happen if the cable is pulled tight though. So just make sure you have some extra cable spare and you are unlikely to have this problem.
- More of an inconvenience than a disadvantage, but there’s no way to lock it into the “on” position meaning you have to constantly apply pressure to the starter trigger for it to work. Other than attaching a cable tie or something to engage the trigger without you having to do anything, this is just something you will have to put up with. For smaller yards this isn’t much of an issue.
I cut the power cord while using my Toro hedge trimmer and now it won’t start. I tried two different power cords