BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer Review: The Budget Workhorse That Punches Above Its Weight

There’s a moment every homeowner faces. You look out the window one morning, coffee in hand, and realize the neat, orderly shrubs you planted have morphed into a wild, untamed jungle. What were once gentle green borders are now encroaching on walkways, blocking sunlight, and generally making your property look like it’s been reclaimed by nature. My own personal “beast,” as one fellow user aptly named their hedge, was a row of aggressive privet that seemed to grow an inch every time I blinked. For years, I waged a losing war with manual shears, ending each session with aching arms, blistered hands, and a hedge that looked, at best, like it had a bad haircut. The alternative—a professional landscaping service—was a recurring expense I just couldn’t justify. I needed a tool that offered power, reach, and ease of use without draining my bank account. This search for an affordable, effective solution is what led me to the corded electric hedge trimmer category, and specifically, to this in-depth BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer Review.

What to Consider Before Buying an Electric Hedge Trimmer

A hedge trimmer is more than just a garden tool; it’s a key solution for maintaining your property’s curb appeal, health, and boundaries. The right trimmer transforms a grueling, day-long chore into a quick and satisfying task. It allows you to sculpt your greenery with precision, promote healthy new growth by removing dead or overgrown branches, and keep your yard looking pristine. The primary benefits are immense savings in time and physical effort compared to manual methods, and a much cleaner, more uniform cut that’s better for the plants themselves. It’s the difference between a yard you work for and a yard that works for you.

The ideal customer for a corded electric model like the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer is the typical suburban homeowner with a small-to-medium-sized yard. If you have hedges, shrubs, or bushes within 100 feet of a power outlet and prioritize lightweight handling and unlimited runtime over the go-anywhere freedom of cordless, this is your sweet spot. However, it might not be suitable for those with very large properties where a cord becomes a logistical nightmare, or for professionals who need the raw power and durability of a gas-powered model for all-day, heavy-duty use. For those users, a high-powered cordless or gas alternative might be a better investment.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Blade Length & Reach: The blade length, in this case 22 inches, directly correlates to how much you can trim in a single pass. Longer blades are more efficient for large, flat-sided hedges. However, they can also be more unwieldy. Consider the size and height of your hedges; a 22-inch blade offers a great balance of efficiency and maneuverability for most residential tasks.
• Capacity & Performance: This refers to the maximum branch thickness the trimmer can handle. The BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer boasts a 3/4-inch cutting capacity, which is impressive for its class. Look for a dual-action blade design. This means both blades reciprocate, resulting in significantly less vibration and a cleaner cut compared to single-action models where only one blade moves.
• Power Source & Motor: Corded electric trimmers, like this one with its 4.0 Amp motor, offer consistent power and never run out of battery. The trade-off is managing an extension cord. Cordless models offer ultimate freedom but are limited by battery life and can be heavier. Gas models are the most powerful but also the heaviest, loudest, and require the most maintenance.
• Ergonomics & Weight: Hedge trimming often involves holding the tool at awkward angles for extended periods. A lightweight design, like this model’s 2.8 kg (approx. 6.2 lbs), is crucial for reducing muscle fatigue. A full wraparound front handle provides a secure, comfortable grip and allows for better control when cutting vertically or horizontally.

Understanding these factors will ensure you choose a tool that not only gets the job done but makes the process as painless as possible. The BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer hits a compelling sweet spot in these categories, especially for its price point.

While the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer is an excellent choice for many, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, particularly those that cut the cord, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

First Impressions: Unboxing the BEHT350FF

The arrival of the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer was a no-frills affair. Confirming reports from several users, our unit arrived in a simple cardboard box with minimal internal packing. While this is likely a cost-saving measure, it does leave the tool susceptible to shipping damage, a point some buyers have frustratingly noted. Inside, the tool itself feels surprisingly robust for its weight. The bright orange and black housing is signature BLACK+DECKER, and the 22-inch hardened steel blade looks ready for business. Assembly is minimal and incredibly straightforward; it consists of attaching the wraparound front handle with four included screws. One user mentioned a missing screw, a clear quality control lapse, but our set was complete. Once assembled, the tool’s balance is immediately apparent. As one user noted, it “seemed a bit heavy until I installed the handle,” after which it became “remarkably easy to use, and surprisingly light.” The built-in cord retainer is a small but thoughtful touch, a feature you don’t appreciate until you’ve accidentally unplugged a tool mid-cut for the tenth time. My initial impression is that this is a tool designed for pure function, forgoing fancy features for affordability and accessible performance, which you can confirm by checking its full feature set.

A Deep Dive into the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF’s Real-World Performance

A tool’s specifications only tell half the story. The real test is how it performs out in the yard, under load, against stubborn foliage. We put the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer through a series of demanding tests on various types of shrubs and hedges to see if this budget-friendly powerhouse could truly handle the job. The results were, for the most part, deeply impressive.

Sheer Cutting Power: A Lightweight that Fights Like a Heavyweight

The heart of any hedge trimmer is its motor and blade combination. The 4.0 Amp motor on the BEHT350FF might not sound like much on paper, but paired with the 22-inch dual-action hardened steel blades, it’s a formidable duo. On standard boxwoods and privets, the trimmer glided through with zero hesitation. As one user exclaimed, “They cut like butter!” This was precisely our experience; the tool made quick, clean work of the routine trimming that makes up 90% of yard work. But we wanted to push it. We moved on to a mature, woody holly bush, notorious for its tough branches. Here, the trimmer’s 3/4-inch cutting capacity was put to the test. On branches at or slightly below this threshold, it chewed through them with a satisfying crunch. It never stalled or bogged down on appropriate-sized limbs. We found ourselves agreeing with the user who called it a “tough little workhorse” after putting it through a “huge workout for a good couple hours nonstop.” It’s this surprising level of power that makes the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer such a standout value. It consistently performs tasks you’d expect from a more expensive, heavier machine.

Ergonomics and User Experience: Designed for Comfort

Power is useless if you can’t comfortably wield the tool. This is where the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer truly shines. At just over six pounds, it’s a tool you can use for extended periods without feeling like your arms are going to fall off. This was a critical factor for many users, including a self-described “63 year old female with quite the Arthritic Body” who found it “not heavy and easy to maneuver.” The full wraparound front handle is a game-changer for control and comfort. It provides multiple grip points, allowing for a secure hold whether you’re sweeping horizontally across the top of a hedge or cutting vertically up the sides. This control, combined with the low vibration from the dual-action blades, means you can focus on making precise cuts rather than just fighting to control the tool. We tested its reach on a set of hedges that were about 8 feet tall, and while a ladder was still needed for the very top, the tool’s light weight made it manageable to use overhead for short periods, a sentiment echoed by the user who tackled their 12-foot-tall hedges. The corded design, while a limitation for some, means the tool remains consistently lightweight from start to finish, with no heavy battery pack throwing off its balance. If you value low fatigue and high maneuverability, this lightweight design is a major selling point.

Build Quality and Durability: The Achilles’ Heel?

For all its impressive performance and user-friendly design, we must address the elephant in the room: long-term durability. This is where the budget-friendly nature of the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer reveals its potential compromises. While the alloy steel blades are tough, the internal housing and gear mounts are plastic. One particularly insightful user provided a detailed account of how, in warm climates, the plastic housing supporting a main drive gear can soften and fail under load. This causes the gears to lose contact, rendering the unit inoperable. Another user reported a complete motor failure after only three uses, with the heat melting the plastic housing and causing a similar gear separation. These are not isolated incidents; motor burnout and gear failure are recurring themes among the negative feedback. It suggests that while the motor is powerful enough to cut thick branches, the internal components may not be robust enough to handle that stress over the long term, especially if pushed hard. It seems the unit was designed with a motor that can occasionally outperform its own structural integrity. This is the critical trade-off: you get incredible performance for the price, but you may not get the multi-decade lifespan of a premium, metal-bodied tool. For seasonal or moderate use, this may not be an issue, but for those who run their tools hard and often, it is a significant risk to consider before you decide to purchase this model.

What Other Users Are Saying

Scouring user feedback reveals a very clear and consistent picture of the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer. The overwhelming majority of positive reviews center on its incredible value. Users are consistently surprised and delighted by how a tool at this price point can perform so effectively. Phrases like “cuts perfectly and save a lot of money!” and “This product is excellent! I give it a wow” are common. Many, like the user who only ever used a drill before, praise its simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent entry-point for novice power tool users.

On the negative side, two major issues dominate the conversation. The first is shipping and quality control. A significant number of users report receiving products that are clearly used, damaged, or incomplete, often in non-original packaging. One user stated, “Product came to me USED! You can see the blades are filthy.” The second, more critical issue is the aforementioned long-term durability. The reports of motors burning out and plastic internal components failing after a few months or even a few uses are too frequent to ignore. As one user bluntly put it after their motor melted the housing, “Absolute garbage. Don’t waste your money.” This feedback paints a picture of a product that is brilliant when it works, but carries a tangible risk of premature failure.

Comparing the BEHT350FF to Top Alternatives

While the corded BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer excels in its niche, your specific needs might be better met by a different type of tool. Here’s how it stacks up against three popular cordless alternatives.

1. Greenworks 24V Cordless Shear Shrubber

The Greenworks 24V Cordless Shear Shrubber occupies a completely different space. This is not a tool for trimming large hedges; it’s a lightweight, precision instrument for detailed shaping, trimming ornamental grasses, or manicuring small shrubs. Its primary advantage is its compact size and the freedom of its cordless design, making it perfect for intricate work around flower beds. If your primary need is fine-tuning and sculpting rather than bulk removal, and the power of the BEHT350FF is overkill, the Greenworks Shear Shrubber is a far more suitable choice.

2. CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Pole Hedge Trimmer 18-Inch Extended Reach

The CRAFTSMAN V20 Pole Hedge Trimmer directly addresses the biggest limitation of a standard trimmer: reach. If you have tall hedges, shrubs, or hard-to-reach areas, this tool is your solution. Its articulating head and extended pole allow you to trim the tops of high hedges safely from the ground, eliminating the precarious balancing act on a ladder. While its 18-inch blade is shorter and it can’t match the raw power-to-weight ratio of the corded BLACK+DECKER for ground-level work, it is the clear winner for anyone whose primary challenge is height.

3. BLACK+DECKER LHT2436B 40V MAX Cordless Hedge Trimmer

This is the big brother to the trimmer under review. The LHT2436B offers a longer 24-inch blade and the robust power of a 40V MAX battery system, all while cutting the cord. This tool is for the homeowner who loves the BLACK+DECKER performance but has a larger property or hedges far from an outlet. It provides the freedom to roam without sacrificing the power needed for thick branches. The trade-off is a higher initial cost (especially when buying the battery and charger) and increased weight. If the cord is your main frustration with the BEHT350FF, this is the most logical upgrade.

Final Verdict: An Unbeatable Value with a Caveat

After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer is clear: it represents one of the best values in the lawn and garden category today. For a remarkably low price, you get a tool with the power and reach to tackle the vast majority of residential trimming jobs with surprising ease. Its lightweight design and comfortable handling make a dreaded chore significantly less fatiguing, and its cutting performance on branches up to 3/4-inch is simply outstanding for its class.

However, this recommendation comes with an important caveat regarding its longevity. The evidence suggests that the internal plastic components may be a weak point, posing a risk of premature failure, particularly under heavy, sustained use. We recommend this tool enthusiastically to the average homeowner who performs seasonal or monthly trimming on a small-to-medium property. For that user, it is a “little work horse” that will likely provide several seasons of excellent service. If you’re looking for a lightweight, powerful, and incredibly affordable tool to finally conquer your overgrown shrubs, the BLACK+DECKER BEHT350FF 22″ Electric Hedge Trimmer is an exceptional choice. You can check the latest price and grab one for yourself right here.