Ryobi RHT1851R20 Hedge Trimmer Review UK – Tested and Rated

The Ryobi RHT1851R20 is ranked fourth in our cordless hedge trimmer comparison but leads the entire test field on one metric that matters enormously to a significant proportion of buyers: total cost with a battery and charger included and ready to use. It is less than half the price of the Bosch AdvancedHedgeCut 36 and delivers cutting performance that handles a typical domestic UK hedge competently. For a first-time cordless hedge trimmer buyer who does not yet own any 18V tools, it represents the most practical and economical entry point to the category – not a compromise reluctantly made, but a sensible choice for a specific and common buying situation.

The RHT1851R20 is part of Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V platform – one of the most extensive DIY battery systems available anywhere, compatible with over 100 tools from drills, circular saws and jigsaws to garden tools, cleaning tools and lighting. The 2Ah battery included with this trimmer works immediately in any ONE+ tool, which means the money spent on this kit is not just purchasing a hedge trimmer but also entry to a platform that can deliver significant long-term value as other tools are added to it. This platform consideration is a genuine part of the value proposition and not marketing language – it makes a real practical difference to the economics of the purchase over a three-to-five year horizon.

Overview and first impressions

The RHT1851R20 arrives in a neat presentation box with the trimmer, 2Ah battery, charger and blade guard all included. First impressions are of a well-considered budget product rather than a cheap one – the Ryobi lime green and charcoal colour scheme is distinctive, the build quality is noticeably better than the Greenworks alternative we tested at a similar price, and the anti-vibration front handle is a genuine addition rather than a nominal one. The dual-action 51cm blade comes pre-fitted with a full-length blade guard that protects both the blade in storage and nearby fingers during handling.

At 2.6kg with battery the RHT1851R20 is mid-field in our test on weight – lighter than the Bosch and EGO, heavier than the Makita. The balance is reasonable rather than exceptional. The weight distribution sits slightly forward of centre, meaning the leading hand provides a modest amount of active support to hold the blade level during cutting strokes. This is not fatiguing over short sessions but becomes perceptible over 20-25 minutes of sustained trimming – a point relevant to understanding the tool in context, given that 24 minutes is approximately its battery runtime in any case.

The safety lock-off mechanism on the trigger is well-designed and clear in operation. A two-step action is required to start the blade: press the safety button on the top of the handle with the thumb, then squeeze the trigger. The sequence becomes natural quickly and does not impede normal use once familiar. The front handle wrap provides a secure three-point grip during cutting, and the blade tooth guard – the orange bumper at the front of the blade – gives adequate protection when cutting close to hard surfaces, though it is less refined than the dedicated tip protection on the Bosch or EGO.

The 51cm blade length is the shortest in our test. On a wide formal hedge this means more passes to cover the same area compared to longer-bladed alternatives, and on a hedge over about 1.5 metres wide the difference in passes required per run is noticeable at the end of a session. For a typical urban or suburban garden hedge up to a metre wide, 51cm is entirely adequate and the shorter blade is actually easier to control in the confined conditions these hedges often involve – close to walls, near other plants, in restricted working space. The blade length is a limitation only for buyers with genuinely wide hedging in open conditions.

Specifications and scores

How it performed in our tests

Testing was conducted on the same 15-metre run of mixed privet, hawthorn and box used for all five trimmers in our comparison. On the standard privet and young hawthorn sections, the Ryobi performed competently and consistently. Cutting speed averaged 3.4 metres per minute – behind the Bosch and EGO but ahead of the Greenworks, and perfectly adequate in practical terms for a domestic hedge session. The dual-action blade produced a clean, even cut on privet and new season growth with no notable variation across the blade length, and stems up to about 14-15mm were dispatched cleanly in a single pass without the motor showing any stress response.

The 16mm rated maximum stem diameter is where honest qualification is needed. In our test, stems approaching the rated maximum showed noticeably more resistance than the mid-range stems the Ryobi handles with ease. The motor audibly worked harder, cutting speed dropped, and in some cases a second pass was required. This is not a failure of the product – it is the honest performance ceiling of an 18V motor at the rated maximum – but it means buyers with any volume of mature or woody growth beyond 14mm should expect some two-pass work rather than the single-pass clearing the specification might imply. For a regularly maintained hedge where annual growth stays within 10-12mm of new wood, this ceiling is never approached and the Ryobi performs without constraint.

Finish quality on fine privet and box was good for the price point. The 19mm tooth spacing produces a slightly less precise cut line than the Bosch’s 16mm on close inspection, with marginally more bruised stem ends on very fine growth. At normal viewing distance and on any hedge that is not a formal decorative feature, this difference is invisible and irrelevant. The anti-vibration front handle earned its keep in the test – vibration during cutting was noticeably lower than the Greenworks and meaningfully more comfortable during the 20-25 minute sessions the supplied battery supports. The handle wrap material maintains grip even with gloves, which is practically useful in UK conditions where early morning dew and cooler temperatures make glove use more common than in warmer climates.

One handling characteristic worth noting: the absence of a rotating rear handle, which both the Bosch and EGO provide, is felt most on overhead trimming of the top surface of a tall hedge. The RHT1851R20 requires the wrist to rotate to hold the blade flat while cutting overhead, which is manageable for short sessions but becomes uncomfortable over 10-15 minutes of sustained overhead work. For a hedge under 1.5 metres where the top surface is accessible without significant arm extension, this is irrelevant. For taller hedges with substantial top surfaces to trim, the absence of a rotating handle is the one feature limitation that has genuine practical impact beyond the battery runtime.

Battery system and runtime

The Ryobi ONE+ 18V platform is one of the most established and widely stocked DIY battery systems in the UK market, with over 100 compatible tools available across every major hardware retailer. Drills, circular saws, jigsaws, detail sanders, reciprocating saws, garden tools, vacuum cleaners, lighting and more – all sharing the same ONE+ battery format. The 2Ah battery included with the RHT1851R20 is immediately useful in any tool in this range, which makes the battery investment here significantly more economical than a proprietary platform where the battery only works in one brand’s products. For buyers who already own ONE+ tools, the RHT1851R20 can be used with existing batteries from day one, making the cost comparison against higher-priced alternatives even more favourable.

The 24-minute runtime from the supplied 2Ah battery is the number that requires the most honest treatment in this review. It is a real-world figure from sustained cutting on varied domestic hedge growth, not a best-case estimate. For a small garden hedge trimmed regularly through the season, 24 minutes is adequate. For anything more demanding – a longer hedge, an irregular session, or a garden with multiple hedges to cover in the same day – the 2Ah battery is limiting in practice. The solution is straightforward: the 4Ah ONE+ battery delivers approximately 48 minutes of runtime, is inexpensive and available in every hardware store. Adding it to the initial purchase remains excellent value for a complete cordless trimmer kit with meaningful runtime. The 5Ah option extends further still for buyers who want the maximum available working time from a single charge.

Performance, limitations and final verdict

The RHT1851R20’s performance profile is exactly what a well-designed budget tool should be: genuinely adequate for the use case it is built for, with limitations that are clear, honest and manageable. On a regularly maintained domestic hedge up to about 15 metres in length with stems staying within the tool’s comfortable operating range, it performs the job it was designed for without significant compromise. The anti-vibration handle makes sustained use more comfortable than the cheaper Greenworks, the build quality feels durable rather than disposable, and the ONE+ platform turns the battery investment into something with genuine long-term value beyond this single purchase.

The limitations are real rather than theoretical. The 24-minute runtime from the supplied 2Ah battery is the most significant, and the appropriate response to it is not to view it as a product failure but to plan for it – either with a spare battery or an immediate 4Ah upgrade. The 16mm stem maximum, while described as the rated limit, is more accurately the comfortable operating limit, with anything approaching 16mm showing the motor working at full load. The absence of a rotating handle matters specifically for tall hedges with significant top surfaces. None of these limitations are surprising or unreasonable at the price; they are simply the honest profile of what this kit buys in this category.

The value verdict is straightforward: for a buyer who wants a complete, ready-to-use cordless hedge trimmer at the lowest reasonable cost, the RHT1851R20 is the correct choice. Battery and charger included, ONE+ platform investment, anti-vibration handle, adequate cutting performance for typical domestic use. For a budget that extends further, the Bosch AdvancedHedgeCut 36 delivers substantively better results across every metric – but the gap between these two tools in pound-for-pound value terms is much narrower than the headline price difference suggests, and the Ryobi represents exactly what an entry-level tool should: a genuine, usable product that earns its place in the comparison without apology.