Craftsman V20 Cordless Grass Shear and Mini Hedge Trimmer Review

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If you are considering the Craftsman V20 cordless trimmer, the first questions are whether one 2-in-1 head covers your shrubs and edges, and whether the battery and charger in the box give you enough work. This review covers only what the listing states about voltage, battery and charger, blade sizes, cutting depth, blade change, materials, dimensions and warranty. It does not report any test of the trimmer on grass or hedges, and it does not give a run time, because the listing does not state one. Use the listing to decide whether the blades and kit fit your yard, and follow the manual for any blade change.

Quick answer

The Craftsman V20 is a red, battery-powered 2-in-1 tool. It comes with an 8-inch hedge trimmer blade and a 4-inch grass shear blade, a V20 1.5 amp-hour lithium-ion battery and a V20 charger. The listing gives a 20-volt system, a cutting width of 8 inches and a cutting depth of up to 5/16 inch with the hedge blade. The bullets say the tool converts between shrub trimming and grass shearing by changing the blade. The listing gives a 3-year limited warranty, and the item dimensions are 7.27 by 3.13 by 12.13 inches.

What to check in a 2-in-1 cordless trimmer

Four details decide whether this trimmer fits. Each one can rule it in or out.

1. Blade sizes and reach. The listing gives an 8-inch hedge blade and a 4-inch grass shear blade. The bullets describe the 8-inch blade for trimming shrubs and the 4-inch blade for fescue and garden bed cleanup. The blade size limits the width of each pass, so plan larger hedges in more passes. The listing gives a cutting width of 8 inches for the hedge blade.

2. Cutting depth. The bullets say the hedge blade cuts up to 5/16 inch deep. That is the listing’s figure for the hedge blade, and it does not describe the shear blade’s capacity. Branches thicker than 5/16 inch are outside the figure the listing gives, so use a larger tool for them.

3. Battery and charger. The included components are a V20 CMCB2015 1.5 amp-hour lithium-ion battery and a V20 charger. The listing gives no run time, so check the battery against the amount of trimming you plan. A spare battery of the same V20 type is the simplest way to extend a session, and the listing does not describe any other battery as compatible.

4. Blade change and warranty. The bullets say you can change between the hedge blade and the grass shear blade quickly, and the listing includes both blades. The bullets list a 3-year limited warranty. The listing does not state the warranty terms beyond that line.

Use these rules to choose:

• Choose this trimmer if you want one V20 tool that handles shrubs and edges, with the battery and charger included.
• Choose a different tool if you need to cut branches thicker than 5/16 inch, because the listing gives that as the hedge blade’s depth.
• Choose a different tool if you need a stated run time, because the listing gives none.

For a broader look at this type of tool, the best cordless grass shear and hedge trimmer guide covers the category, and the best Stihl HSA 45 cordless hedge trimmer guide covers a different platform.

The Craftsman V20 trimmer

The tool is a red, battery-powered trimmer with a plastic and stainless steel body and stainless steel blades. The specs name the item type as hedge trimmer, the voltage as 20 volts and the model number as CMCSS800C1. The listing gives the item dimensions as 7.27 by 3.13 by 12.13 inches. The bullets describe it as a grass cutter and a shrub trimmer, and as a 2-in-1 design with two blades.

The trimmer fits a reader with a small yard, a few shrubs and a set of edges to keep neat, and who wants one battery system for both. The bullets describe the trimmer as lightweight, which is the maker’s description, since the listing gives no weight in its data.

The listing has several things to check. The title calls the tool a grass trimmer and a hedge trimmer, while the specs name the item type as hedge trimmer. The bullets describe the tool as an electric garden shear, which is a general description and not a second product. The listing gives no run time and no weight, so check the product page before you rely on either figure.

Who should skip it: a reader who needs to cut branches thicker than 5/16 inch, a reader who needs a stated run time, and a reader who needs a weight figure before buying.

Blades, guards and care

The bullets say the blades change quickly, which the listing describes but does not show with a procedure. Turn the tool off and remove the battery before you change a blade or clear a jam, as the battery safety guidance says for blade work. Keep hands and feet clear of the blade while the tool runs, and keep the blades clean and dry after each use.

Worked example: how a 4-inch edge sits inside the 8-inch hedge blade width

Compare that edge width with the hedge blade’s 8-inch cutting width, so you can see how the two blades differ.

• Hedge blade cutting width: 8 inches, from the specs.
• Edge width in this example: 4 inches.
• Difference between the two: 8 minus 4 = 4 inches.

Check the arithmetic again. 8 minus 4 is 4. The example shows that a 4-inch edge is half the hedge blade’s cutting width. The bullets give the 4-inch blade’s use as fescue and garden bed cleanup, so use the shear blade for the narrower work and the hedge blade for shrubs.

Where a hedge trimmer sits among power types

The Wikipedia overview of hedge trimmers says the power source of a stand-alone trimmer can be human, gasoline or electricity. It says electric trimmers tend to be lighter and less powerful than gasoline versions, and less polluting and noisy, but still need a cord unless they run on rechargeable batteries. The Craftsman is a battery trimmer, so the battery is what decides how long it runs, and the listing gives no run time.

The same overview says powered trimmers are generally designed with safety devices so they work only when both of the operator’s hands are on the handles. Use the handles that the design requires, and keep both hands on them while the tool runs.

The 20-volt battery pack

The Wikipedia overview of lithium-ion batteries says Li-ion cells typically have a nominal voltage of 3.6 or 3.7 volts, and that battery sizes and shapes are not standardized. A 20-volt pack is therefore built from several cells, and the listed 20-volt figure is the pack’s nominal rating. The listing gives a 1.5 amp-hour battery, so a second battery of the same type is the simplest way to extend a session. Charge the battery with the charger in the box.

Grass shears in the family of shears

The Wikipedia entry for shears lists grass shears among the cutting devices used for lawn trimming, alongside pruning shears for branches. That is the job this tool does with its 4-inch shear blade. The hedge blade is for shrubs, so the two blades cover different cuts rather than one job in two sizes.

Five common mistakes

1. Cutting thick branches. The listing gives 5/16 inch as the hedge blade’s depth.
2. Changing blades with the battery in. Remove the battery first.
3. Assuming a run time. The listing states none.
4. Mixing up the blades. The bullets give the 4-inch blade for fescue and garden bed cleanup, and the 8-inch blade for shrubs.
5. Assuming the weight. The listing gives no weight in its data.

FAQ

What comes in the box?

The listing includes the trimmer, a V20 1.5 amp-hour battery, a V20 charger, an 8-inch hedge trimmer blade and a grass shear blade.

How wide is the cut?

The listing gives an 8-inch cutting width for the hedge blade.

How deep can it cut?

The bullets say up to 5/16 inch with the hedge blade.

What voltage is it?

The specs give 20 volts.

How long is the warranty?

The bullets give a 3-year limited warranty.

How long does a charge last?

The listing gives no run time.

Bottom line

The Craftsman V20 suits a reader who wants one 20-volt cordless tool for shrubs and edges, with the battery and charger included and an 8-inch hedge blade and 4-inch shear blade. The listing gives a cutting depth of 5/16 inch for the hedge blade, a 3-year limited warranty, and no run time or weight. Keep thick branches for a larger tool, remove the battery before any blade change, and check the product page for run time and weight.

Sources

• Hedge trimmer, Wikipedia: electric trimmers are lighter and less powerful than gasoline versions; powered trimmers have safety devices that require both hands on the handles.
• Lithium-ion battery, Wikipedia: Li-ion cells have a nominal voltage of 3.6 or 3.7 volts; sizes are not standardized.
• Shears, Wikipedia: grass shears for lawn trimming and pruning shears for branches.