With their bright turquoise and grey colors, Gardena tools are easy to recognize although they’re not one of the more common brands in North America. Gardena has a reputation for solid German engineering and a premium price. Is it worth it? We put that to the test with the Gardena Comfort Gear Hedge Clippers.

Features

• Light weight
• Non-stick coated, straight-ground blades with an integrated branch cutter
• Geared transmission
• Technogel® gel pads in the handle grips
• 25 year warranty

Weight

At just 1.85 pounds, the Gardena shears were among the lightest weight of those we tested. This is significant, as you are often reaching up above shoulder height when shearing shrubs, which can lead to muscle strain. The lighter the tool, the longer you will be able to use it.

The handles are not aluminum, but rather a colorful (and lightweight) plastic composite. And at a comparatively short 24 inches, the length of the tool also contributes to its light weight.

A good tool, but not a competitive price

Blades

The steel blades are straight ground, with a non-stick coating. They did not hold their sharpness as well as some other shears, notably the ARS professional hedge shears. However, this type of blade can be easily sharpened with a metal file or sharpening stone.

The blade action is easy and smooth, and cuts through branches up to ¼ inch with little effort. A branch-cutting notch at the base of the upper blade allows you to cut through slightly larger diameter branches.

Patented Geared Transmission

The patented gear is simple and effective, and appears to be similar to the gears on the Fiskars hedge shears. It reportedly ups the cutting power of the shears by 46 percent without putting undue strain on the blades and handles. While the geared action makes cutting easy, additional power is not as important with hedge shears as it is with heavy-duty loppers.

Gardena gears are similar to those on Fiskars shears. Bumpers—small but effective—are also similar to Fiskars.

Technogel® gel pads

Gel pads are nice for shock absorption

Gel pads are inserted into the handles, just at the point where your palm grips. This guarantees “optimal shock absorption.”

The bumpers between the upper handles are similar to other shears. Though smaller in appearance, they are equally effective at cushioning the shock of each cut.

Warranty

The 25-year warranty offered by Gardena, a company based in Germany, covers defects only. Warranty issues are serviced by Gardena Canada Ltd, according to a company representative

Recommendation

Gardena Comfort Gear Hedge Clippers 600 are more expensive than most brands, costing about $80, but do not offer benefits above and beyond other models. It is a good tool, fun and easy to use for light hedge trimming, but not worth the premium price tag it carries in the United States.

Where to Buy

There are not many Gardena products carried by US retailers, or even by horticultural supply companies. However, these shears are available online at Amazon.

9″ Straight Edge Blade – Hedge Trimmers

A good tool that’s fun and easy to use for light hedge trimming

See it on Amazon