Black and Decker vs Greenworks Hedge Trimmer: LHT2436 vs 24-Inch 40V

In the Black and Decker vs Greenworks hedge trimmer matchup, I recommend the Greenworks 40V 24-inch kit to most buyers, because its rear handle rotates, its pack is larger and its weight is printed without the battery. Choose the BLACK+DECKER LHT2436 when a quick charger and a charge-level button on the pack matter more. I trim a hedgerow along my orchard perimeter and the shrubs around the family house, so I judge a trimmer by the weight in my arms at the end of a row and by how it handles a stem near its stated size.

Black and Decker vs Greenworks Hedge Trimmer Short Answer

The Greenworks kit wins for most buyers on the points that change a day at the hedge: a 2.0 Ah pack against 1.5 Ah, a rear handle with five positions and a weight that the manual prints without the battery. The BLACK+DECKER LHT2436 wins on charging, with a manual charge time of about 2 hours and four LEDs on the pack that show the charge level. Both are handheld 24 in battery trimmers supplied with a battery and charger for hedges reachable from the ground, and I compare more cordless options in my roundup of battery hedge trimmers.

Two rows decide it: the handle and the pack in the box.

What Is Actually Different Between the Two Kits

The model numbers hide a trap, because each maker sells the same trimmer as a kit and as a bare tool. The Black and Decker LHT2436 is the BLACK+DECKER kit with one LBXR36 battery and a charger, and the LHT2436B is the tool alone. Greenworks does the same: the HT40B212 is the kit with a 2.0 Ah battery and a charger, and the HT40B02 is the tool alone.

I compare the two kits, so every battery figure in this article belongs to the pack in the box. BLACK+DECKER also explains its voltage: the maximum initial voltage, measured without a workload, is 40 volts, and the nominal voltage is 36. That is why the same pack shows up as 40V MAX in the name and as a 36V lithium trimmer in the maker’s manual. My page on 20V and 40V hedge trimmers from Black and Decker sets the LHT2436 against the LHT2220.

What the BLACK+DECKER LHT2436 Kit Gives You

The LHT2436 is the faster-charging kit of the two. This Black and Decker cordless hedge trimmer comes with a 24 in blade and one 1.5 Ah LBXR36 pack. To start it you slide the lock button back and squeeze the trigger, and the manual says never to lock the switch in the ON position.

I noticed the weight first. According to BLACK+DECKER the LHT2436 weighs 9.5 lb, and the maker does not say whether that includes the battery, and by the end of a pass along the perimeter hedgerow it felt heavier in my arms than it did at the start.

Before a stretch I press the button on the pack and read the four LEDs, as the manual describes, and if no LED lights I charge the pack first. My 40V hedge trimmer review looks at the LHT2436 on its own.

For a level top I stretch a string along the hedge and sweep the blade along it with a slight downward tilt, the wide sweeping motion the manual describes, and I begin at the bottom and sweep up the sides.

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What the Greenworks 40V 24-Inch Kit Gives You

The Greenworks kit gives you the larger pack and the more adjustable handle. This Greenworks 40V 24 inch cordless hedge trimmer kit comes with one 2.0 Ah battery and a charger, and the rear handle turns to five positions with a rotating button. The start takes two steps on purpose: you push and hold the micro switch on the front handle with one hand, push the trigger and the safety lock button with the other, then release the lock button. My Greenworks 24 inch trimmer review looks at this kit on its own.

For side passes I release the switch, switch the motor off, wait until the blade has stopped completely and take the battery pack out, then turn the rear handle to a new position on a flat, smooth surface as the manual asks, check that it locks, and my wrist stays straighter than it does with the handle fixed.

When the blade began to gum up I released the switch, switched the motor off, waited until the blade had stopped completely, took the battery pack out and put on gloves, then cleaned it with a soft cloth and a brush and spread the light layer of oil along the top edge that the manual calls for after each work session.

The clippings fell over a drip line, and I raked them off before the next pass.

The manual calls this Greenworks cordless hedge trimmer a machine for cutting and trimming hedges and bushes in domestic use, and says it is not intended for cutting above shoulder level.

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Cutting Capacity and What It Means for Your Hedge

The two makers do not print the same kind of number. BLACK+DECKER’s manual says not to cut stems greater than 3/4 inch (19 mm), and its product page calls it branches up to 3/4 inch. The Greenworks manual says cutting capacity 1.1 in (27 mm) without saying whether that is a stem, a branch or a gap, while Greenworks’ product page gives 1 in, and neither defines the kind of capacity.

I do not rank a stem figure against a number with no stated kind. What both manuals share is the limit: a trimmer cuts leafy and young wood up to its stated size, and anything thicker is not a job for the blade. Wood thicker than the figure goes to loppers or a saw, and forcing the blade through it is how a blade stalls or bends. More capacity figures sit in my hedge trimmers for thick branches roundup.

When a hedge has a few thick stems I cut them with loppers first and then use the trimmer on the green growth. Trim only what you can see: look through the hedge for wire, posts, stakes, hoses, irrigation and drip lines, loose stones, nests, and people and pets before the blade runs, and leave a hedge where birds are nesting.

Shape matters as much as capacity. Extension guidance from Iowa State and Clemson says to keep a hedge slightly narrower at the top than at the base, because a wide top shades the base and the lower leaves drop. A string line helps with that on either trimmer.

A hedge too tall to reach from the ground, stems thicker than the stated capacity, a large overgrown hedge to cut back hard and any work above shoulder height that the manual forbids are jobs for a professional. Anything near a power line goes to the utility and its qualified line-clearance crews.

Winner: neither kit, because a stem figure and a number with no stated kind cannot be ranked.

Weight, Handles and Comfort

The two weights come from different bases, so they do not compare. BLACK+DECKER prints 9.5 lb on its spec list without saying whether the battery is included, and Greenworks prints 6.0 lb (2.7 kg) in the manual without the battery and no figure with it. A heavier number on an unstated basis is not proof of a heavier trimmer, and I will not subtract one from the other. Weights for more models sit in my lightweight hedge trimmer picks.

The weight that matters is the one at arm’s length. Weight builds up over a long hedge, so take breaks and stop when you are tired or your grip weakens. In a study of 120 garden workers pruning hedges, the trunk was inclined 40 to 50 degrees when cutting short hedges horizontally and muscle load rose when the arms worked above shoulder height, and the authors link awkward postures to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (1). A study of landscape workers in Malaysia also found awkward posture the main risk factor for their shoulder and back symptoms (2).

If your fingers go numb or your grip weakens, stop, put the trimmer down and rest. Changing your grip does not fix it.

The handles differ in a way you feel on side passes. The BLACK+DECKER has a wrap-around front handle and a full-length trigger with a soft grip, and the maker does not say the handle rotates. The Greenworks rear handle turns to five positions, and its front handle carries the micro switch that you hold to start the blade. My comparison of EGO and Greenworks 40V trimmers sets the same Greenworks kit beside the 26 in EGO.

Winner: Greenworks for the rotating handle, and neither kit for weight, because the bases differ.

Battery, Charging and Blade Care

Charging is where the BLACK+DECKER pulls ahead. Its manual says the standard charger refills a fully depleted pack in about 2 hours and gives 80% in 1 hour, and its troubleshooting table allows up to 8 hours for a pack that is totally drained. Greenworks says the 2.0 Ah pack takes 240 minutes. The two figures come from different packs and different sources, so I take the BLACK+DECKER charger as the faster one and the Greenworks pack as the bigger one.

Both makers print a run-time claim, BLACK+DECKER by the area of hedge trimmed and Greenworks in minutes, and the claims use different units, so I do not compare them. Neither claim tells you how long a hedge of your size takes.

Use only the maker’s battery and charger for your trimmer, charge and store them within the temperatures your manual gives and never in rain or wet places, never use or charge a damaged, swollen or leaking pack, and keep loose batteries away from metal objects such as keys, coins and nails that could short the terminals.

For the Black and Decker 40V hedge trimmer, the manual says to charge only in BLACK & DECKER chargers, in air between 40 and 105 F, and not to keep the tool or the pack where it may reach 105 F, such as an outdoor shed or metal building in summer. The Greenworks manual lists its own battery and charger series and says to store the trimmer cool and dry with the battery out. A pack from one brand does not belong in the other brand’s trimmer.

With that order done, blade care differs a little. BLACK+DECKER says to clean the blades with mild soap and a damp cloth never to immerse the tool, then apply a film of light machine oil to prevent rust, and its troubleshooting table lists dry or corroded blades as the cause of slow, noisy or hot blades. Greenworks asks for a clean blade and a light layer of oil along the top edge after each work session, with a non-pollutant oil.

Winner: BLACK+DECKER for charging speed and the charge indicator, and Greenworks for the larger pack in the box.

Safety With Either Trimmer

A hedge trimmer is two sharp reciprocating blades in a handheld tool. A hand that touches the blade is cut in a fraction of a second, and the blade keeps moving for a moment after the switch is released. Only an adult who has read the manual and understands the controls should run either trimmer, never a child, and never anyone tired or impaired by alcohol, drugs or medication.

Before each use, check the trimmer as your manual describes: the blades sharp, undamaged and lubricated, the operating guards fitted, the blade cover removed before you start (it is for carrying and storage only), the switches and the lock-off working, every handle and coupling tight, and the battery undamaged. If anything fails the check, do not use the trimmer until it is fixed.

Two Hands and the Blade

In routine handling, hold the trimmer by the insulated gripping surfaces only, because the blade can contact hidden wiring (the grips do not make the trimmer insulated or wire contact safe). Hold it with both hands on the handles whenever the blade is moving; one hand can cost you control of the tool. The Greenworks start needs both hands, one on the micro switch and one on the trigger, and the BLACK+DECKER needs both hands on its switch handle and bail handle. Keep your body parts clear of the blade and never remove cut material or hold the stem you are cutting while the blade moves.

Never hold a branch with your free hand or reach toward the blade, through the hedge or into any opening while the blade moves. Do not overreach: keep your footing and balance, and trim only what you can see.

A Blade That Jams on a Wire

Before you cut, look through the hedge for fence wire, cable and cords. If the blade jams on a wire or a cord, do not touch the blade, the wire or the cord and do not try to free the trimmer: stopping the blade does not remove the electrical danger, so the electrical supply to the damaged line or cord must be disconnected first. Treat anything touching a wire as live, and if it is a utility line, never go back to the trimmer to switch it off or remove its battery: follow the line contact steps below.

The Greenworks manual says the blade can be live and dangerous, to hold the insulated rear handle or put the machine down away from you, and to disconnect the electrical service to the damaged line or cord before freeing the blade. The handle does not make contact safe.

If the trimmer touches a wire, the trimmer, the branch, the wire and the ground around them can become live. Do not go to the trimmer or pick it up, touch nothing that is in contact with the line, keep everyone away, and call the utility at once, and 911 if anyone is hurt, a fire starts or a line comes down. Only the utility frees the trimmer.

For an ordinary jam in plain hedge growth, follow the maintenance order above in full: release the switch, switch the motor off, wait until the blade has stopped completely, take the battery pack out, put on gloves and only then clear the jam.

Ladders, Height and Gear

Do not use a hedge trimmer on a ladder, a roof, a tree or any unstable support; the manuals of EGO, Ryobi, Milwaukee and Echo ban it, and Husqvarna bans work from any raised position that is not fully secured. For a tall hedge, stay on the ground and use a pole or long-reach hedge trimmer, or hire a professional. The Greenworks manual adds that this trimmer is not intended for cutting above shoulder level.

If you choose a pole hedge trimmer for a tall hedge, these steps apply to it, not to the two kits here. Before you start, look for every overhead wire, including wires hidden in leaves. Keep yourself, the trimmer, the pole and any branch you cut or that could fall or swing at least 50 feet (15 m) from every overhead line, the distance Ryobi and Echo print in their pole hedge trimmer manuals, or farther if your own manual asks for more. A pole hedge trimmer is not insulated, and electricity can jump through the air and travel through branches, especially wet ones. Treat every wire, including service drops and communication lines, and anything touching one, as live.

If you cannot keep that distance the whole time, stop, and leave a hedge that has grown into or near a wire to the utility and its qualified line-clearance crews. Wear head protection when you operate a pole trimmer overhead, as the Ryobi RY40603, Husqvarna 520iHE3 and Echo manuals require.

Wear safety glasses with side shields marked ANSI Z87.1, hearing protection, sturdy work gloves, long pants and long sleeves with no loose clothing or jewelry, and closed, non-slip shoes or boots. A battery trimmer is quieter than a gas one: a field comparison of hedge-trimming crews found the battery crew had significantly lower noise exposure than the gas crew (3). Quieter is not quiet, and noise measured around a hedge trimmer was mapped out to a 22 m radius so the authors could set a work regime and decide on hearing protection (4). NIOSH recommends keeping the average exposure over an eight-hour workday at or below 85 dBA for workers (5), so I put hearing protection on from the first minute.

Never trim in rain, dense fog, strong wind, a storm or when lightning is possible, wait until the hedge is dry, and trim only when the light lets you see the stems, any wire in the hedge and your footing clearly. Look over the work area for people and pets before you start. Keep people, pets and helpers away from it, at the distance your manual gives (Greenworks asks for at least 15 m), stop trimming if anyone comes closer, and look behind you before you swing the tool.

Carrying and Storing

To carry or store the trimmer, release the switch, switch the motor off and wait until the blade has stopped completely. Then take the battery pack out, fit the blade cover, carry the trimmer by the handle with the blade pointing behind you, and store it indoors in a dry place out of children’s reach. The cover is for carrying and storage only, never left on while trimming.

Winner: neither kit, because the hazards and the shutdown order are the same.

Warranty and Value

Both makers stand behind the kit for home use. BLACK+DECKER’s manual states a full three-year home use warranty and does not allow commercial use, and for the Greenworks 40V hedge trimmer the maker states three years against defects in materials, parts or workmanship for personal use, not hired or rented. Both kits sit in the mid-range tier.

Value then comes down to the handle and the charger. A mid-range kit with a rotating handle suits a buyer whose wrists tire on side passes, and a kit with a faster charger and a charge indicator suits a buyer who trims in short sessions. The packs are rated 2.0 Ah and 1.5 Ah, and neither maker gives a comparable hedge length per charge.

Winner: neither kit on warranty, and Greenworks for the rotating handle.

Choose the BLACK+DECKER LHT2436 If

The LHT2436 fits a short list of buyers, all of them trimming reachable hedges in short sessions.

• You want a quick charger and a charge-level button on the pack.
• You trim young growth well within 3/4 in stems and want the battery and charger in the box.
• You accept a 9.5 lb weight on an unstated basis and trim in short sessions.

I reach for the LHT2436 on the shrubs by the house, where short sessions suit the 2-hour charger and the four-LED check. For shrubs like those, my hedge trimmers for small bushes roundup lists light models.

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Choose the Greenworks 40V 24-Inch Kit If

The Greenworks kit suits the buyer whose wrists tire on side passes, because the rear handle turns to five positions.

• You want the larger 2.0 Ah pack and the rotating handle with five positions.
• You want a weight that the manual prints without the battery.
• You accept a 240-minute charge and a trigger that needs two steps to start.

I pick the Greenworks kit for the long run along the orchard perimeter, where the rotating handle fits the side passes. My hedge trimmers for large hedges roundup lists the longer-blade models for runs like that.

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Which Kit Fits Your Hedge

Start with the hedge you have. Choose the Greenworks when your wrists tire on side passes, since its rear handle turns to five positions, and choose the BLACK+DECKER when short sessions and a fast charger suit you. Check the capacity in your manual, charge the pack the night before, and read the safety steps before the first cut.

Whichever you buy, release the switch, switch the motor off, wait until the blade has stopped completely and take the battery out before you touch the blade. For most hedges the Black and Decker vs Greenworks hedge trimmer decision comes down to the handle and the charger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Greenworks better than Black and Decker for hedge trimmers?

The Greenworks 40V 24-inch kit is the better pick for most hedges, because it has a larger 2.0 Ah pack and a rotating rear handle with five positions. The BLACK+DECKER LHT2436 is better for quick charging, with a manual charge time of about 2 hours and four LEDs on the pack.

Can you use a Greenworks battery in a Black and Decker hedge trimmer?

A Greenworks battery does not belong in a BLACK+DECKER hedge trimmer, because each maker tells you to use only the battery and charger it names. BLACK+DECKER says to charge only in BLACK & DECKER chargers, and Greenworks lists its own battery and charger series, so keep each pack with its own tool.

Which has the longer blade, the Black and Decker or the Greenworks 24-inch hedge trimmer?

The BLACK+DECKER LHT2436 and the Greenworks 24-inch kit have the same blade length, because both makers print a 24 in blade. The Greenworks manual also gives the blade as 610 mm, and the blade length does not raise either trimmer’s stated cutting capacity, which is a separate figure for each kit.

What is the cutting capacity of the Black and Decker 24-inch hedge trimmer?

The BLACK+DECKER LHT2436 has a cutting capacity of 3/4 inch (19 mm), and the manual says not to cut stems greater than that. Wood thicker than 3/4 inch goes to loppers or a saw, because forcing the blade through it can stall the motor or bend the blade and damage its teeth.

How heavy is the Greenworks 40V 24-inch hedge trimmer?

The Greenworks 40V 24-inch hedge trimmer weighs 6.0 lb (2.7 kg) without the battery, according to its manual, and the weight with the 2.0 Ah battery is not published. BLACK+DECKER prints 9.5 lb on its spec list with no basis, so the two numbers do not compare directly, and a higher number does not prove a heavier trimmer.

References

1. Yang W, Li S, Li B, Liu W, Ning F, Gao S. Analysis of the effects of working position on muscle fatigue during hedge pruning: a cross-sectional study based on Chinese garden workers. J Mech Med Biol. 2023;23(2):2350027.
2. Lim MC, Awang Lukman K, Giloi N, et al. Landscaping Work: Work-related Musculoskeletal Problems and Ergonomic Risk Factors. RMHP. 2021;Volume 14:3411-3421.
3. Beamer B, DiFrancesco J. Field Comparison of Gas-Powered vs. Battery-Powered Equipment for Grounds Maintenance – Hedge Trimming Operations. Inter-Noise 2019, 48th International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (Madrid); Spanish Acoustical Society. 2019.
4. Silva MO, Yanagi Junior T, Schiassi L, Rossoni DF, Barbosa JA, Yanagi SNM. Spatial variability of the noise level of a hedge trimmer and backpack blower. Rev Bras Cienc Agrar. 2014;9(3):454-458.
5. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. Noise and Hearing Loss. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2024.

Safety Note: Only an adult who has read the manual and understands the controls should use a hedge trimmer, never a child or anyone tired or impaired. The blades are sharp, a hand that touches them is cut in a fraction of a second, and they keep moving for a moment after you release the switch. Hold the trimmer with both hands on the handles, by the insulated gripping surfaces only because the blades can contact hidden wiring (the grips do not make the trimmer insulated or wire contact safe), whenever the blades move; on a trimmer with two switches, both hands must be on the switches to start. Never hold a branch or reach toward the blades, through the hedge or into any opening while they move, and never reach into any opening of a gas trimmer while the engine is running, because a blade that stops in a jam does not stop the engine. Never overreach, and trim only what you can see. Before you start, look through the hedge for wire, fence wire, cords, posts, stakes, irrigation lines, nests, people and pets, and keep the cord or hose out of the blade’s path. If a blade jams on a wire or a cord, do not touch the blade, the wire or the cord: stopping the blade does not remove the electrical danger, so the electrical supply to the damaged line or cord must be disconnected first. Cut only stems up to the capacity your manual states, in the maker’s own wording, and leave thicker wood to loppers or a saw. Do not use a hedge trimmer from a ladder, a roof, a tree or any unstable support, so for a tall hedge stay on the ground and use a pole or long-reach hedge trimmer, or hire a professional. Power lines can kill. With a pole or long-reach hedge trimmer, look for every overhead wire, including wires hidden in leaves, and keep yourself, the trimmer, the pole and any branch that could fall or swing at least 50 feet (15 m) from every line, the distance Ryobi and Echo print in their pole hedge trimmer manuals, or farther if your manual asks for more. A pole hedge trimmer is not insulated, and electricity can jump through the air and travel through branches, especially wet ones. Treat every wire as live, and leave a hedge that has grown into or near a wire to the utility and its qualified line-clearance crews. If the trimmer, the pole or a branch touches a wire, treat the trimmer, the branch, the wire and anything touching them as live: do not go back to the trimmer to switch it off or unplug it, do not touch anything in contact with the line, keep everyone away and call the utility, which alone frees the trimmer, and 911 if anyone is hurt, a fire starts or a line comes down. Wear safety glasses with side shields marked Z87.1, a face shield over the glasses where your manual asks for one, hearing protection, sturdy gloves, long pants, long sleeves with no loose clothing or jewelry, and closed, non-slip shoes. Wear head protection when you work a pole or long-reach model overhead, as the Ryobi, Husqvarna and Echo pole manuals require, and a respirator when dust is present, as the DeWalt manual states; where a manual forbids cutting overhead, do not. Keep people and pets away at the distance your manual gives, and stop trimming if anyone comes closer. Never trim in rain, fog, strong wind, a storm or when lightning is possible, trim only in good light, and let the hedge dry first. Before each use, remove the blade cover (it is for carrying and storage only), and check the blades, the operating guards, the switches and every handle and pole coupling as your manual describes, and do not use a trimmer that fails a check. Before you clear a jam, remove cut material, clean, lubricate or touch the blades: release the switch, switch the motor or engine off and wait until the blades have stopped completely, then take the battery pack out, unplug a corded trimmer from the outlet by the plug, or on a gas trimmer let the engine and muffler cool and pull the spark plug wire off; put on gloves and check every lock and coupling before power goes back on. To carry or store the trimmer, release the switch, switch the motor or engine off and wait until the blades have stopped completely, then take the battery out, unplug a corded trimmer by the plug, or on a gas trimmer let the engine and muffler cool and pull the spark plug wire off; fit the blade cover, carry the trimmer by the handle with the blades pointing behind you, and keep it indoors, dry and out of children’s reach. Use only the maker’s battery and charger, charge and store them within the temperatures your manual gives and never in the wet, never use or charge a damaged, swollen or leaking pack, and keep loose batteries away from metal objects that could short the terminals. Use a corded trimmer only with an outdoor-rated extension cord of the gauge your manual gives, plugged into GFCI-protected power, with the cord behind you and away from the blades, and never in rain or wet conditions: GFCI protection does not make that safe; if the cord is cut or damaged, disconnect it at once by pulling the plug from the outlet by the plug, before you touch the cord or the blades. Refuel a gas trimmer outdoors with the engine off and cool, with no smoking, flames or sparks nearby, wipe up spills, move at least 10 feet from where you fuelled before you start it, wear hearing protection, and never run it indoors or in a garage or shed, because the exhaust contains carbon monoxide. Look for nests before you cut and leave a hedge where birds are nesting. Take breaks and stop when you are tired.