Though much of Ryobi’s most well-known tools, such as its drills, sanders, and saws, are suited for construction work, that’s far from the brand’s only area of expertise. As any longtime Ryobi customer could tell you, it’s also committed to landscaping and general lawn and garden care, too. Whether you’re looking into a battery-powered lawn mower to trim your grass or a cordless blower to keep debris off your driveway and walkways, Ryobi has the tools that fit your needs. The brand even has a selection of hedge trimmers.

At the time of this writing, there were several Ryobi hedge trimmer models to consider. They vary in power level, trimmer length, tooth size, and more, with customization options to boot. Ryobi even has a hedge trimmer accessory to collect debris as you work. With that said, like any tool, over time, a Ryobi hedge trimmer will require maintenance, like sharpening. Fortunately, these models are entirely capable of having their tooth blades spruced up. Ryobi specifically recommends reaching out to a professional at a lawn equipment care or knife-sharpening business to have this done.

If your trimmer needs sharpening, you don’t necessarily have to get it fixed up elsewhere. DIYers have figured out ways to get this done yourself, should you feel so inclined.

If you want to sharpen your Ryobi hedge trimmer blades yourself, just know that the process is a bit slow-going. Due to the multi-toothed nature of a trimmer blade, you need to take your time with each one to ensure it will cut properly going forward. To make this happen, you’ll need an angle grinder equipped with a flap disc along with ample eye, hand, and face protection. A synthetic oil or lubricating spray is important, too, as this will keep the blades moving freely and the metal components from rusting and corroding once sharpened. You’ll also want to find a way to secure your hedge trimmer so it doesn’t move around as you sharpen.

1. Secure the trimmer in place.
2. Make note of the angle at which the teeth edges were sharpened previously. This is the angle you want to replicate.
3. Using the angle grinder, gently grind along the angle of the tooth until it’s sharpened.
4. Repeat this process until all of the teeth have been sharpened.
5. Apply your chosen lubricating spray or oil on the blades and run the trimmer to evenly distribute.

This may seem like a simple process, but to reiterate, it will take time and patience to get every tooth done right. After all, Ryobi’s models might not rank among the best hedge trimmers money can buy in 2025, but they should still be taken care of properly, and keeping their teeth in top shape is a major element of said care. Of course, knowing when a sharpening is needed is essential, too.

Fortunately, it’s not too challenging to determine when a Ryobi hedge trimmer’s blades should be sharpened, since several signs will present themselves. The most obvious is the condition of the teeth. Dull, jagged, and corroded blades are in dire need of sprucing up. A trimmer’s performance will decline as a result of these busted-up blades. If you find that seemingly easy-to-cut branches suddenly require increased effort and pressure to trim, a good sharpening is indeed necessary. This way, you don’t have to overwork your trimmer trying to force dull blades to get the job done.

Similarly, the cuts your trimmer makes can prove that a sharpening is overdue. For example, it may become difficult for dull blades to cut through branches, as mentioned earlier. This will result in branches, leaves, and the like getting lodged into the trimmer, as well as branches that aren’t cut cleanly. While this may not seem like a huge deal, if you’re concerned about the life of your plants, it certainly is.

Uneven, torn, and otherwise sloppy cuts can leave plants vulnerable to disease and fungal growth, while also limiting overall healthy branch growth, compromising far more than that single branch you attempted to trim. The brand’s hedge trimmers are some of the Ryobi tools every home landscaper would want. Still, they’ll only prove themselves as such if maintained, so knowing when to have their blades sharpened and how it’s done is undoubtedly important.