Craftsman 19.2 volt C3 Cordless Hedge Trimmer – A Commercial Trimmer at a Homeowner’s Price?

I really like this trimmer! For around $90 you get a decent hedge trimmer, a 19.2 v battery that works in your other C3 tools, and one-hour charger.

Buy here:  Purchase online, pick it up at your nearest Sears or have it shipped right to your home.  Craftsman C3 19.2 Volt Cordless Hedge Trimmer

C3 Cordless Trimmer

The model Sears sent me to review came without the NiCad battery and charger.  I have C3 19.2 volt Lithium-ion batteries here so there was no need for them to send me a battery and charger for this test.  To simulate the exact weight and feel you would have using this trimmer I used a high capacity lithium-ion battery for my tests.  (Using compact lithiums gives you the same battery life as the NiCad included with about a pound less weight)

I put together 4 quick videos using this trimmer (at the end of this article)  I really don’t have a lot of bushes to trim so it only took Julie and I about 15 minutes to trim all of them.  I was having a lot of fun using it, it is a lot stronger than I expected, so I decided to tackle my apple tree.

This apple tree is right in the center of my backyard and I keep it trimmed back severely so it looks somewhat like a Japanese Maple.  The tree had this years new growth on it and I figured if I could break this trimmer the apple tree was the place it would break.   It normally takes me about 2 hours to trim the tree by hand.

Apple Tree Before

Well I got the step ladder and 20 minutes later I was done.  The trimmer handled all of the new growth easily.  And then I decided to take a little more off on one side.  These branches were 2 to 3 years old and about 1/2 inch in diameter.  Apple branches are fairly tough and I expected the trimmer to stall out.  Guess what?  It didn’t.  In fact, I couldn’t get this trimmer to stall.  It has plenty of power to trim any branches that will fit into the 5/8 inch guard.

Apple Tree After

Here are two more before and after shots of the bushes I trimmed.  All of this trimming took us less than 20 minutes to do.

Before Trimming

After Trimming

Product Description (from Sears.com)

C3 19.2 v Cordless Hedge Trimmer

Featuring cordless convenience, the C3 19.2 Volt Cordless Hedge Trimmer offers comfort and control. It features an overmolded handle that allows you to work longer, and this cordless trimmer works with both Ni-Cd and Lithium-Ion batteries for added versatility.
22″ hardened steel blades for durability
9/16″ cutting capacity
Cordless convenience
Wrap-around handle provides comfort at all angles
Dual-action blades for less vibration
Safety lock
Works on C3 platform with over 30 additional tools
Includes 1-hour charger
Works with Ni-Cd and Lithium-ion batteries
Includes Ni-Cd battery 19.2V
Weight: 6.3 lbs.
2-year limited warranty

Commercial Duty?

No, It’s not. But if I was a small landscaper I would buy a couple.  Why?  Most of the smaller landscapers don’t get enough use out of a commercial gas trimmer.  Most of you don’t have the proper racks to hold them and they just get banged around and beat up.  The high priced trimmer never pays for itself because it’s not taken care of.  This trimmer is so cheap, yet the quality of the cut is great.  It would be a wise investment to buy these, use them and keep the batteries for your other 19.2 volt C3 tools.

If you only trim a 100 or so properties a year I highly recommend trying these out!

You can even buy a 12 volt in-vehicle charger Model 11572 to charge your batteries in the truck.

Buy here:  Purchase online, pick it up at your nearest Sears or have it shipped right to your home. Craftsman C3 19.2 Volt Cordless Hedge Trimmer