Short answer
Hire is usually cheaper for a one-off job on a big hedge or for a heavy petrol trimmer. Buying usually wins if you will trim every year, or more than a couple of times a year. Work it out with the break-even formula below using current hire quotes and prices.
Hire prices and trimmer prices change, so this guide does not quote them. Get current day-rates from local hire shops and national hire chains, and compare them with current prices for the trimmer you would buy.
The break-even formula
Break-even number of hires = purchase price ÷ (hire cost per job – cost of using your own machine per job).
Example with illustrative numbers only: if a trimmer costs £150 and each hire costs £40 (including collection or delivery), buying pays back after about four hires. If you trim once every two years, hiring is cheaper. Use your own figures.
When hiring makes sense
- A one-off cut-back of a large, overgrown hedge.
- You need a professional-grade petrol trimmer or a long reach model once.
- You have no storage space or do not want to maintain a tool.
- You want to try a type of trimmer before buying.
When buying makes sense
- You trim at least once or twice a year.
- You have a medium or long hedge to maintain.
- You value convenience: no collection, return deadlines or day-rate pressure.
Check hire terms
- Hire period and what counts as a day.
- Deposit, damage waiver and fuel policy.
- Whether PPE is included or extra.
- Delivery or collection charges.
- Whether a safety briefing or demonstration is offered.
Ready to buy? Start with our hedge trimmer buying guides. Compare against paying a gardener: hedge cutting cost in the UK.