I'm returning this item after one use. It just doesn't have enough power to cut properly. The cuts remind me of a chewed dog bone. Not what I had in mind for pruning.

I tried it to prune two holly bushes. That was mildly satisfactory except the cuts were poor. I also tried pruning some English Ivy. The vines would actually wedge between the blades and cause the cutting blade to "seize up" and I had to gently bang them to get them moving again. Now after about 1 hour of use, the blades don't move freely enough to even work. I assume a good cleaning will make them work again. This is way too much maintenance. If you're going cordless, pick a model with a bigger battery.

Personally, I think I'll stick with hand pruning. I don't think it was much slower than trying to make this thing work. The 18 volt battery units are so heavy I don't see how you could do much with them. The electric has the cord mess. I don't have enough pruning that trying to make current units work is worth it. Too bad, I'm all in favor of using a power tool whenever possible 8-)

I only have 2 four ft wide shurbs so I didnt really need anything large. This cordless does the trick. Only thing I could add is if you buy this keep in mind you will only have about 20 minutes worth of power so work fast and even. It is light and easy to work with. UPDATE:: THE DANG THING DIDNT MAKE IT THRU THE SUMMER. Im not happy about it either. I only used it 6 times and now the blades keep hanging up and freezing. (yes I oiled it everytime I used it) Anyways if I could change the stars I would to zero. lol

Item works pretty well. I used it to cut through some small weeds in the back yard and it does "OK", but get stuck easy on some branches. Item also makes a lot of squeeking noises. If you need a cheap item to do a simple job it will work, but done exspect a lot for an item with this small of a price tag.

I ALWAYS USE CORDLESS PRODUCTS WHEN AVAILABLE. THIS 'SHRUBBER' (I PREFER CALLING IT A TRIMMER) IS HANDY BUT SLIGHTLY AWKWARD TO USE. THE BALANCE IS NOT GREAT WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND AT TIMES I NEED TO SWITCH FROM RIGHT-HAND TO LEFT-HAND USE TO DO SO. I RATHER WISH THE PRODUCT HAD JUST ONE INCH GREATER LENGTH - THINK THE EIGHT WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR ME AND SEVEN MIGHT BE IDEAL. I REALIZE THIS SOUNDS PETTY BUT FOR ME IT REALLY ISN'T.

We have a series of small boxwoods and this trimmer is perfect: lightweight, and power to spare after the 20 minutes or so it takes me to do the job.

I was initially enthused by the compact size of this trimmer, as I have a couple of small bushes that are hard to trim with a standard sized unit. This smaller trimmer, however, neither has the initial power nor the staying power to do the job...at least for me.

Fortunately, Amazon.com has a good return policy.

I have used a Shrubber for years on small shrubs. I can keep them in shape much easier than using an electric hedger. I am a senior citizen and the Shrubber is much easier to use since I have Arthritis in my hands and it is much lighter. I keep three charged at all times in the summer. I don't know what I would do without them!

I love this product. As a woman, I was definitely intimidated by the hedge trimmers at the store until I found the 6" model. I have already used it and it sure beats using the manual shears anyday. I would recommend...it would be nice if it had a longer battery life but you give up some stuff for cordlessness and lightweight.

This shrubber is perfect for a small woman who has light trimming. The shrubber holds a good charge and did a good job on the shurbs.

This shrubber is just right or trimming in small places or for cleanup around young trees and shrubs. As with most cordless tools, the trick is to FULLY CHARGE the battery before your first use -- as in 24 hours of charging time -- then the battery lasts longer and charges quicker for the rest of the season. I find this tool to be very good at getting the small suckers at the base of my lilac bush and roses as well as smoothing the trimline between thick grass and the flower beds. The battery life is about right for a single evening's touch-ups. If it lasted longer, I would get into trouble by looking for more stuff to trim until I finally cut something that wasn't supposed to be cut! The working mechanism is a bit loud and rattles but the tool performs well for the type of work it was designed for. Any woody growth or bigger jobs and it jams up -- it also tends to jam more when the battery runs down. If you need to trim large bladed grasses, brush and thick overgrowth, get the cordless Hedge Hog instead. If you just need a little something over a hand pruner or if you have a small yard and even less in the way of storage for garden tools, then this is definately the right tool for you. I usually spray a little WD40 on the blades after I finish using it and then let it run down completely before charging it up again. My only complaint is that the blades could be sharper. I've thought of trying to cut foil with it to sharpen them a bit, or maybe sanding them with an emery board to get a sharper edge, but haven't done either yet. Overall, I am pleased with this tool and would recommend it for small trimming needs.

I purchased a Black & Decker 6" cordless shrubber and I have been very pleased with the purchase. The shrubber is easy to use and truly comes in handy for keeping the shrubs looking nice - great for detail work.

It is just not good on grass even though photos on the box show use in
that situation -- doesn't slice but rather chomps through the area and
just will not cut through grass. So, the long handled attachment
accessory with wheels (for trimming and edging) is not useful. The
long handled attachment also is not balanced so even though you have
more reach for taller bushes or areas closer to the ground, you have
to torque both wrists to swing the trimmer around.

However on shrubbery, it shaves well. Think of how you use a hair
trimmer - that is how it trims bushes and shrubs.

It's lightweight and not intimidating as a gas powered model -- my
wife can use it without feeling scared.

If you have bought one of these items and don't like it, that's probably why. You have to buy tools based on the type of job and outcome expectations. Your job requires a larger size trimmer.

I'm a big fan of Black & Decker. They've been making affordable and quality products for decades. The 6" cordless shrubber I just bought is no exception. However, you need to buy tools that fit the job. No tool does everything. That said, this shrubber is good for small plants, ground covers, and shrubs with thin stems and branches. I've used it on Azaleas, miniature Gardenias, English Ivy, and other assorted small stem shrubs. On a few of my shrubs, the stalk is a bit big for the tool I bought, so it gets stuck and you have to pull out the stem or branch. But applied correctly, it works well and holds a charge for longer than I expected.

After having used my parents' 2 foot shrubber, and not knowing much about shrubbers, I purchased this one thinking a rechargeable one would beat their plug-in variety. While the cordlessness is a great feature and the thing has an impressive life, I was surprised by the size of this thing. I guess I should've paid more attention to the 6-inch blade description rather than the rechargeable feature. It works great for small shrubs here and there, but for a 7 foot tall bush in the back yard, it is simply adequate. So just be sure you buy the right sized blade. Otherwise, I highly recommend this.

I admit that I don't generally like things with large whirring, sharp blades, but this little guy is light weight, handles well to cut only those plants that need cutting, unlike my very indescriminate weed whacker.

I didn't find the switch too stiff. You do have to put an effort into keeping it down, but that is a safety feature - if you slip, or your hand slips, you won't end up with 'shubbered' fingers. If it is too stiff when you get it, just open up the button and either shorten or compress the spring, but don't tape it down!

For two blissful nights I went out and cut down spent poppies, delphiniums and penstemon(with big tough stems), it cut like a hot knife through butter, to the extent that even my sister (who doesn't venture into the garden normally), wanted a go. The battery lasted considerably longer than half an hour.

Unfortunately, my puppy ate the recharger (the puppy is fine, he discovered the delicacy on the floor where I'd dropped it on the way to the tool cupboard)...I am trying to get a replacement but the customer service at Black and Decker is leaving a bit to be desired (the online parts ordering decided my credit card does not exist and keeps asking me to re enter it), so that's where it loses a star!

The trimmer cuts fine but it has the following negatives: Interlock switch too hard to operate and the trigger switch is too stiff and very tiring on the fingers. The balance also could be improved. I guess I'll have to tie the switcg down while in use or rework the switch spring to make it softer, or maybe I'll get a replacement switch that is softer.

I was in a hurry to receive my shrudder. The UPS man arrived just before dark. The shrudder instantly charged and outside I went. I went outside this morning and gave the final cut. This cutter is great, light, wonderful and easy to handle. Black and Decker makes a woman's job easy when you are the desginated yard boy.

I received the shrubber from ..., plugged it in for the required 16 hour initial charge....nothing - DOA. I called Black and Decker...they're only open until 5:00PM, just in time for people to get off work. Called back, they sent a charger via USPS...7 days later it arrived and I finally could use the charger.

Other than the dead charger, I have no complaints; the shrubber is a powerful little handtool. I was able to slice through thick growth with little effort.

This little baby really does the job. Ease in handling is premier, but long-lasting power and the ability to handle heavy-duty stuff makes it a keeper!

OK...so I thought this was another hyped-up product until I "fired her up" and started trimming one bush, then the second, third, all the way around to the side of my house when the battery started winding down. Not once did my hand, wrist, or arm grow tired and what a fantastic job it did! Shrubber is excellent for keeping up with those annoying little stalks that aren't enough to warrant a major clipping job, but don't let it fool you. This little guy will do more work than its size and shaping bushes to your liking is a breeze because Shrubber is so lightweight. The only minus factor to this product is the fact that it's minus an electrical cord, which, ends up being a plus.

Works great! The 6 inch length is perfect for trimming shrubs, especially the ones that are near the house. For years I was using a regular size hedge trimmer & I would always hit the house when I tried to trim behind the shrubs. I was always on the lookout so as not to get the cord caught in the blades. This one is a pleasure to use, and the size gives you more control. My only complaint is that the charge only lasts for approximately 30 minutes.

We purchased this item recently for our large yard. We have a wide array of shrubs and ground covers. The shrubber did an excellent job shaping overgrown shrubs and trimming woody rosemary ground cover. It worked equally well removing spent flowerheads from perenials. The shrubber is lightweight yet powerfull and was easy to manuver and control even on hilly locations and hard to reach corners. The lock off switch that assures that the power is off is an important safety feature. We are purchasing a second "Black & Decker Shrubber" so my husband and I don't have to fight over the one we already have. Speeds up pruning and avoids sore hands and wrists from too much manual trimming. Great gardening tool--highly recommended!