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The quietest hedge trimmers

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· 4 min read

Quietest hedge trimmer on a trimmed hedge by a path

At the operator's ear, battery hedge trimmers declare from 76 dB(A) for a full size STIHL to 86.47 for an EGO, and gas reaches 97. Twelve trimmers with declared figures, and why the smaller ones turn out louder.

On this page
  1. How we chose
  2. Our picks
  3. How to choose
  4. Comparison
  5. FAQs
  6. Bottom line
  7. Review history

A quick look at the quietest hedge trimmers

STIHL's compact HSA 30 and HSA 40 declare 82 dB(A) at the operator's ear. Its full size HSA 60 declares 77, and the professional HSA 100 76. Anyone who picks the small trimmer hoping for a quieter afternoon gets the louder tool by five or six decibels.

That ear figure carries a lot of weight with this tool. A hedge trimmer holds its motor and blade at chest height, closer to your ears than any other outdoor tool, and the category is unusually well documented: STIHL declares every battery trimmer it sells under EN 62841-4-2, with an uncertainty value and a guaranteed sound power ceiling under EU directive 2000/14/EC.

Maker declarations cover twelve battery models. At the ear they run from 76 dB(A) for a full size trimmer to 86.47, and guaranteed sound power runs from 86 to 96 dB(A). A STIHL shrub shear goes lower still. Our page on keeping the yard quiet shows how the hedge trimmer sits among the other garden tools your neighbors hear.

Where these figures come from

Three makers publish hedge trimmer decibels, each in a different place. STIHL declares fully in its manuals. Its US manual server refused our requests, so every STIHL figure here comes from the international English editions on STIHL's document server, with the document number cited. STIHL sells only through its dealer network, which is why the HSA 100 and HSA 60 are bought at a dealer, not online. Our page of STIHL's published noise figures lists every current US STIHL hedge trimmer with a figure, long-reach and gas models included.

Husqvarna prints both quantities on its US product pages but names no standard or K value. Its 115iHD55 and 522iHD60 are listed on Amazon, as is EGO's HT2410 family.

EGO publishes nothing in the US and declares only in its European manuals. Each EU model is matched to a US one by blade, capacity and weight, and each match is flagged. For anyone already on EGO batteries the results are worth a look: the 24 inch HT2410 maps to 86.47 dB(A) at the ear, the loudest battery trimmer in this survey, while EGO's quietest US model maps to 83.45.

Nothing on this page was measured by us; every figure is copied unchanged from STIHL's, Husqvarna's or EGO's manuals and product pages, with its standard, its K value and its source document whenever the maker supplied them.

QuietSpecs' picks of the quietest hedge trimmers

Prices as of Nov 12. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.

Lowest ear figure, full size

STIHL HSA 100 Battery Hedge Trimmer (AP System)

  • Noise at ear: "Lp measured according to EN 62841-4-2: 76 dB(A)", K 2 dB(A) (maker manual)
  • Price: $399.99 maker's list price, checked Sep 26
  • Best for: Large hedges where the operator spends hours beside the blade
  • Skip it if: Your hedges are small, where the HSA 60 declares nearly the same

The professional model, declared as "Sound pressure level Lp measured according to EN 62841-4-2: 76 dB(A)" with a K of 2 and a guaranteed sound power of 86 dB(A). No other full size battery hedge trimmer in this survey has a lower pair.

It runs a 600 mm blade with 34 mm tooth spacing on the AP battery system, at $399.99 tool only from STIHL dealers.

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Best for homeowners

STIHL HSA 60 Battery Hedge Trimmer (AK System)

  • Noise at ear: "Lp measured according to EN 62841-4-2: 77 dB(A)", K 2 dB(A) (maker manual)
  • Price: $329.99 maker's list price, checked Sep 26
  • Best for: The quiet full size trimmer for a normal yard
  • Skip it if: Buying online is the only option; the Husqvarna is the pick there

77 dB(A) at your ear and 87 dB(A) of guaranteed sound power: a decibel behind the professional HSA 100 on both, on the cheaper AK battery system.

Same 600 mm blade, same 34 mm tooth spacing. $329.99 tool only, or $409.99 with an AK 10 battery and charger.

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Best bought online

Husqvarna 115iHD55 Battery Hedge Trimmer

Husqvarna 115iHD55 Battery Hedge Trimmer
  • Noise at ear: "Sound pressure level at operators ear" 78 dB(A) (maker US page)
  • Price: $249.99 at Amazon, checked Nov 12
  • Best for: A quiet declared trimmer ordered online in one box
  • Skip it if: A STIHL dealer is nearby and the lower numbers matter

The US page prints "Sound pressure level at operators ear" 78 dB(A) and "Sound power level, guaranteed (LWA)" 90 dB(A).

There is no standard or K value beside either, yet both sit on a US page for a trimmer sold on Amazon, with a 22 inch blade and the battery and charger in the box for $249.99.

Check price at Amazon

Shrub shear with the lowest figures

STIHL HSA 26 Battery Shrub Shear (AS System)

  • Noise at ear: "LpA measured as specified in EN 62841-4-2: 72 dB(A)", K 2 dB(A) (maker manual)
  • Price: $119.99 maker's list price, checked Sep 26
  • Best for: Topiary, boxwoods and edging where quiet matters most
  • Skip it if: You have an actual hedge

A shrub shear holds the lowest numbers in the category: 72 dB(A) by the operator's ear and 82 dB(A) of guaranteed power.

The 200 mm blade is for topiary and edging rather than hedges, so it appears for readers whose "hedge" is a row of boxwoods. $119.99 tool only.

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For owners already on EGO batteries

EGO POWER+ HT2500 25 inch Hedge Trimmer

EGO POWER+ HT2500 25 inch Hedge Trimmer
  • Noise at ear: "Sound pressure level at operator's position LPA" 83.45 dB(A) (maker EU manual for HT6500E)
  • Price: $179.99 at Amazon, checked Nov 12
  • Best for: Owners already on EGO's 56 V batteries
  • Skip it if: Quiet is the priority, where STIHL leads by several decibels

Nothing is published for US models, so the figures come from EGO's EU manual for the HT6500E: 83.45 dB(A) at the ear and 93 dB(A) guaranteed. Its 650 mm blade, 33 mm cutting capacity, 3.8 kg weight and two speeds match the US HT2500.

We flag that mapping rather than assume it, and either way the figures sit well above STIHL's.

Check price at Amazon

How to choose

If one you own is already making a noise, start with Yard work noise.

Smaller trimmers are the louder ones

In STIHL's own range the compact homeowner models sit at 82 dB(A) at the ear, five above the HSA 60 and six above the HSA 100. Sound power runs the same way. The HSA 60's guaranteed 87 dB(A) is five below the small models' 92.

Blade length does not predict noise. A declared figure does.

Two numbers, one at your ear and one for the street

Every trimmer here carries two quantities, and they are never merged. LpA is the sound pressure at the operator's ear, the figure that counts most with a motor and blade at chest height. LWA is sound power, the trimmer's whole output into the neighborhood, held under a guaranteed ceiling the maker must not exceed. Picks are ordered by the ear figure, guaranteed power beside it, just as in our string trimmer guide.

Take the HSA 60's pair, 77 dB(A) heard at the ear and 87 guaranteed as sound power. Those measure two different things, and sound power vs sound pressure sets out why a hedge trimmer's guaranteed figure sits above its ear figure.

How loud is a gas hedge trimmer?

Far louder. Under ISO 22868, STIHL's HS 45 reaches 97 dB(A) at the ear, with a guaranteed sound power of 105 dB(A).

Set against the HSA 100's 76 and 86, that is about 20 dB(A) at the ear from one maker's paperwork, a much wider gap than any between battery brands. A difference that size separates hearing protection as a habit from hearing protection as a requirement.

Which hedge trimmers have no published noise level?

For any US hedge trimmer we checked, Black+Decker, Worx, Greenworks, Makita US, DeWalt, Milwaukee and Ryobi publish no noise figure. Husqvarna's consumer 320iHD60 page leaves its figures out too.

However quiet those tools might be, they cannot be ranked.

Edging along a lawn or path often happens the same afternoon as the hedge. Our lawn edger guide ranks edgers and edger attachments the same way, ear figures with ear figures and sound power with sound power.

How the quietest hedge trimmers compare

ProductNoise at earGuaranteed sound powerBladeBattery systemWeightPrice
STIHL HSA 100"Lp measured according to EN 62841-4-2: 76 dB(A)", K 2 dB(A) (maker manual)"86 dB(A)" per 2000/14/EC600 mm, 34 mm tooth spacingSTIHL AP, 36 V rated3.7 kg without battery$399.99 maker's list price
STIHL HSA 60"Lp measured according to EN 62841-4-2: 77 dB(A)", K 2 dB(A) (maker manual)"87 dB(A)" per 2000/14/EC600 mm, 34 mm tooth spacingSTIHL AK, 36 V rated3.5 kg without battery$329.99 maker's list price
Husqvarna 115iHD55"Sound pressure level at operators ear" 78 dB(A) (maker US page)"Sound power level, guaranteed (LWA)" 90 dB(A)22 inchHusqvarna BLi-X 36 V, 4.0 Ah included7.3 lbs without battery$249.99
STIHL HSA 26"LpA measured as specified in EN 62841-4-2: 72 dB(A)", K 2 dB(A) (maker manual)"82 dB(A)" per 2000/14/EC200 mm shrub shear, 19 mm tooth spacingSTIHL AS, 10.8 V rated0.8 kg without battery$119.99 maker's list price
EGO HT2500"Sound pressure level at operator's position LPA" 83.45 dB(A) (maker EU manual for HT6500E)"93 dB(A)" per 2000/14/EC650 mm, 33 mm cutting capacityEGO 56 V ARC3.80 kg without battery$179.99

Prices as of Nov 12. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.

Frequently asked questions

What is the quietest hedge trimmer?

Of the full size battery hedge trimmers, STIHL's HSA 100 declares the lowest figures: 76 dB(A) at the user's ear and 86 dB(A) guaranteed sound power. The homeowner HSA 60 trails it by one decibel on each. STIHL's HSA 26 goes lower still, 72 and 82, but it is a 200 mm handheld shrub shear.

Are smaller hedge trimmers quieter?

STIHL's declarations say no. Its small HSA 30 and HSA 40 sit at 82 dB(A) at the ear, above the larger HSA 60 and HSA 100 at 77 and 76. Motor, gearing and tooth design drive the noise more than blade length, so a declared figure beats a guess from the spec sheet.

How much quieter is battery than gas?

About 20 dB(A) at the ear, on one maker's paperwork. STIHL's gas HS 45 declares 97 dB(A) at the ear and 105 dB(A) of guaranteed sound power, under ISO 22868 and 2000/14/EC, while its battery HSA 100 declares 76 and 86. No two battery brands are anywhere near that far apart.

Why are the EGO figures from European manuals?

EU law requires noise declarations and US practice does not, so EGO's figures, with K values, appear only in its European manuals. We match each EU model to a US one by blade, cutting capacity and weight and flag the match. The HT2410 matches by name, though its EU and US weights differ, which is noted too.

Do Ryobi, Greenworks or Black+Decker publish hedge trimmer noise?

Not for US models. On the US pages and manuals we checked, Black+Decker, Worx, Greenworks, Makita US, DeWalt, Milwaukee and Ryobi print no noise figure. Some declare for European siblings under different model numbers, and those are not mapped across.

The bottom line

Hedge trimmers hold the ear figure closer to your head than any other tool on this site. STIHL declares every one properly, ear and sound power under EN 62841-4-2, each with a K value, plus a 2000/14/EC guaranteed ceiling. That makes this the cleanest ranking in outdoor power.

It also breaks an assumption. The little HSA 30 and HSA 40 declare 82 dB(A) at the ear. The full size HSA 60 and HSA 100 declare 77 and 76. Buy the small one for a quiet life and you get the louder tool.

Husqvarna prints both numbers on its US pages without a standard. EGO hides its figures in European manuals, and they sit at the loud end. Gas is another world entirely: STIHL's HS 45 declares 97.

Stanley Alu, founder and editor

What we also considered

These are worth knowing about, and why they didn't make the list.

  • STIHL HSA 140 R Battery Hedge Trimmer (AP System)

    The top pro model declares 77 dB(A) at the ear with a 600 mm blade and 79 with 750 mm; STIHL US does not say which blade the R ships with.

    Search Amazon for this model

  • STIHL HSA 50 Battery Hedge Trimmer (AK System)

    Entry level on the AK system: 78 dB(A) at the ear, but a guaranteed 91, four above the HSA 60.

    Search Amazon for this model

  • STIHL HSA 140 T Battery Hedge Trimmer (AP System)

    The T version declares 82 dB(A) at the ear with a 600 mm blade, five louder than the R.

    Search Amazon for this model

  • STIHL HSA 30 Battery Hedge Trimmer (AS System)

    The small integrated battery model declares 82 dB(A) at the ear, louder than the full size HSA 60.

    Search Amazon for this model

  • STIHL HSA 40 Battery Hedge Trimmer (AS System)

    Same 82 dB(A) at the ear as the HSA 30 despite a longer blade.

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  • Husqvarna 522iHD60 Battery Hedge Trimmer

    A Husqvarna pro model at 81 dB(A) for the operator and 95 guaranteed, per its US page.

    See it at Amazon

  • EGO POWER+ HT2410 24 inch Brushless Hedge Trimmer

    The popular 24 inch EGO maps to an EU manual whose figures, 86.47 dB(A) at the ear with 96 guaranteed, make it the loudest battery unit here.

    Search Amazon for this model

  • STIHL HS 45 Gas Hedge Trimmer

    For contrast, STIHL's manual for this gas trimmer lists 97 dB(A) at the ear to ISO 22868, and 105 dB(A) of sound power guaranteed.

    Search Amazon for this model

How we reviewed this article

Every statement here comes from the 5 maker documents, standards and agency pages listed under Sources, quoted where the wording matters. We did not measure, inspect or repair anything ourselves. Each substantive revision is dated below. How we work

  1. Current version

    First published, written by Stanley Alu.

Sources

Manufacturer pages and manuals for every product

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