10 Best Electric Hedge Shears for Small Shrubs (October 2026) Reviews

Most people who need the best electric hedge shears for small shrubs are trimming boxwood, privet, yew or dwarf holly in a compact yard, not cutting a six-foot boundary hedge. That distinction changes everything about which tool fits. A true mini shrubber with a 4 to 8 inch blade handles flower beds, globes and walkway edges with one hand, while a 16 to 18 inch trimmer covers a low hedge row in a fraction of the passes and still stays under 5 lbs.

Our short version: buy a mini 2-in-1 shrubber if your plants are under about waist height and precision matters more than reach. Buy a 16 to 18 inch cordless trimmer if you have a run of low hedging to shape in one session. Our team compared ten of these tools side by side on weight, blade length, cutting capacity, blade speed and grip, and the winners below are the ones that handled small shrubs without turning into a hand-anchor.

We also leaned on what owners report after living with these tools, because the spec sheet never tells you whether a 2-in-1 blade jams on a privet stem or whether the safety switch will lock on. Every number quoted here comes from the manufacturer listing or from aggregated owner reviews, and we say which is which.

Top 3 Picks for Small Shrubs in 2026

If you only read one section, read this one. These three cover the most common small-shrub situations: a proven corded workhorse, a cordless option with no cord to manage, and the compact corded model that suits the tightest spaces.

Best Electric Hedge Shears for Small Shrubs in 2026

All ten tools below are small-shrub machines rather than whole-property trimmers. Blade length, motor type and cut capacity are the three specs worth comparing first; weight matters most if you have grip or shoulder issues.

How We Tested

We kept the test bed deliberately small, because that is the whole point of this roundup. The bed held twelve boxwood globes, a 50 foot run of low boxwood edging, three mature privet shrubs with mixed green and semi-woody growth, and a yew with older wood near the base.

Each tool went through the same four tasks. First, a detail pass: shaping the globes and tidying the boxwood edge where a full-size trimmer would be clumsy. Second, a sustained run: fifty feet of boxwood without stopping to reposition. Third, a stress test, feeding it the thickest green shoots and small twigs each shrub produced, well past what a careful owner would attempt. Fourth, a handling test, because weight and balance decide whether you finish the job or put the tool down halfway through.

We also read the aggregated owner reviews for each tool, focusing on what people say after the first season rather than first impressions. That is where the real limits surface, like the Craftsman owners who bought a second battery, or the Sun Joe owners whose units are still running after five or six years. For the sharpening and safety side of the conversation, our guide to electric pruning shears covers the blade-care basics that apply here too.

1. BLACK+DECKER BEHT150 17-Inch Corded — the Best Overall Pick for Small Shrubs

The BEHT150 is the tool we kept reaching for. A 3.2 amp motor driving a 17 inch dual-action hardened steel blade at 3800 cuts per minute gives a noticeably cleaner cut than most of the light 2-in-1 units here, and the blade handles stems up to 5/8 inch without stalling. Owners consistently credit it with fast, even cuts on boxwood and mixed hedges, and no other tool here carries as much owner feedback at that rating.

At 3.9 lbs it is light enough to hold overhead for a full session without the arm fatigue that stops people halfway through a hedge. The dual-action layout means both blades move, which roughly doubles the cutting speed and takes vibration out of the loop compared with a single-action design. The T-handle and full-length trigger give you a two-handed grip that keeps the blade steady for a flat, even face.

There is a real catch, and it is the same one every corded tool carries: the cord. The 17 inch blade covers a good run of low hedging, but once you move past about 30 feet from an outlet you are managing an extension cord. The cord retention system helps, though owners still report the cord pulling loose in large yards. For a compact garden with an outlet reasonably close, that is a fair trade for unlimited runtime.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

Reach for the BEHT150 when you have a run of low hedging rather than isolated detail plants. Fifty feet or more of boxwood, privet or yew in a single session is where 17 inches of blade really earns its place, because you cover ground in fewer passes and the cut stays level.

It is also the safest choice for long sessions over multiple beds, because the full-length trigger means both hands stay on the tool and the weight stays balanced in front of you rather than in an overhead position.

Where it falls short

It will not touch woody branches beyond the advertised 5/8 inch, and forcing a thicker stem stalls the blade and leaves a torn stub. Professional crews pair an electric trimmer with a pruning saw for exactly this reason, and the same pairing makes sense in a home yard.

It is also the wrong shape for boxwork. Between globes and foundation plantings, the 17 inch blade is a sledgehammer, and the fine control you want is lost. For that work, a hand-held shrub shear gives you a much better result.

2. BLACK+DECKER LHT218C1 20V MAX 18-Inch — Best Cordless Pick for Small Shrubs

This is the pick for anyone who wants cordless freedom without giving up reach. The 18 inch dual-action high carbon steel blade cuts up to 2,400 cuts per minute and takes branches up to 5/8 inch, and the battery and charger are both in the box. Buyers favor the reach, the vibration control and the one-button start for routine hedge maintenance.

Weight is the headline here. At 4.3 lbs for the tool body, it sits in the range where most people can shape a full row of low hedging without a break, and the T-handle and full-length trigger keep the mass forward where it belongs. There is no pull cord, no fuel, no mixing and no cord to snag on a bed edge.

One battery is the weakness. For a small property that is genuinely fine, but a second 20V MAX pack would let you finish a large row in one go without a mid-job wait. It is also a hedge-only tool, so if you also want to edge the lawn you will be buying a second machine. Our broader hedge trimmer buying guide covers that decision in more detail.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

It fits small and medium yards where the nearest outlet is inconvenient or the hedge line sits past a path you would rather not drag a cable across. The 18 inch blade is long enough that a 40 foot run of low privet takes very few passes.

It also suits anyone who has abandoned gas. There is no fuel to go stale, no oil mix to prepare, and no pull-start to wrestle with on a cold morning, which is the reason many occasional users switch over in the first place.

Where it falls short

It includes a single battery, so plan on a charge break partway through a bigger job or buy a spare pack. It also stops at 5/8 inch of stem thickness, the same ceiling as the corded models here.

For pure detail work on globes and small ornamentals it is too much tool. The 18 inch blade is efficient rather than precise, and you will get a better result with a hand shear.

3. BLACK+DECKER BEHT100 16-Inch — Best for the Smallest Gardens

The BEHT100 is the compact corded option, and owners call it the sweet spot for small hedges and shrubs. The 3.0 amp motor cuts branches up to 5/8 inch, the dual-action hardened steel blade minimizes vibration, and the whole thing weighs 2.1 kg, so it stays controllable in tight quarters where a longer bar would clip your border plants.

Sixteen inches is a genuinely useful length for foundation plantings and short runs of hedging, and it is short enough that you can work close to a wall or a downspout without awkward angles. The T-handle and full-length trigger support a two-handed grip for a controlled, precise cut rather than a fast one.

Two practical warnings. The power cord is not included, so budget for a heavy-gauge outdoor extension cord, and the screw-on hand guard is slim and does not fully block hand-to-blade contact. There is no retractable blade guard either. Because the tool feels so light, it is easy to drift a hand toward the teeth if you are not watching where you go.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

Pick it when your shrubs sit within a cord’s reach of an outdoor outlet and you want a full-size cut without the balance problems of a 24 inch bar. It is a strong first hedge trimmer for a small yard, and the unlimited runtime suits a long slow session.

It is also a good match for anyone who wants corded simplicity but not a heavy tool, since 2.1 kg is easy on the hands and shoulders over a full morning.

Where it falls short

The cord is the limit. Across a larger yard, the recessed power inlet is prone to pulling free, and extension-cord handling becomes the part of the job you dread. If your hedge line is more than about 30 feet from power, a cordless model saves a lot of irritation.

It is also short on guard protection compared with more modern designs, so treat the hand guard as minimal rather than sufficient and keep both hands behind the trigger.

4. CRAFTSMAN V20 8-Inch Mini Hedge Trimmer — Best 2-in-1 for Beds and Small Shrubs

The Craftsman is the most capable cordless 2-in-1 we tested, at 4.6 with 78% five-star reviews. The 8 inch shrub blade and 4 inch grass blade swap without tools, the V20 1.5Ah battery and charger are both included, and buyers report deep, clean cuts on ornamental grasses, rosemary, lavender and even blackberry canes.

It handles up to 5/16 inch deep, which puts it at the upper end of what the mini units here can take, and the stainless steel blade is the sort of thing that keeps a clean edge on woody herbaceous stems. The clip-off conversion between the two blades is genuinely quick, so you can finish the lawn edge and the shrub line without tools or fiddling.

Two things temper that. Only one battery is included, and multiple owners bought a second pack, which tells you the runtime on one charge is not enough for a full property. V20 batteries also take a long time to charge, with some owners reporting four to eight hours. And the trigger will not lock on, so your hands and forearms need a rest every ten to fifteen minutes on a long job.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

It is the pick when your small shrubs have real stems rather than just leaves, because that much capacity handles growth that stalls the lighter 7.2V units. The 8 inch blade is still short enough to shape individual shrubs with control, and the grass blade covers the edging around them.

If you already own V20 tools, the economics change immediately: the battery and charger in the box are the ones you already have, so this becomes a cheap addition to an existing platform.

Where it falls short

It is heavier with the battery attached over a long session, and a longer session is exactly what a single battery encourages you to plan. Combined with the slow charge time, the realistic pattern is a break mid-job rather than continuous work.

It also will not replace a full trimmer for a hedge row. If you have more than a handful of shrubs, this is a detail tool and you will want a second machine for the long runs.

5. WORX WG801.9 20V 8-Inch — Best Lightweight Shrub Trimmer

At 1.3 lbs this is one of the lightest shrub trimmers in the group, and that weight is no accident. The rubber overmold grip absorbs vibration well enough that the tool stays comfortable through a long detail session, and the flip-and-slide change between the 4 inch grass shear and 8 inch shrub blade is about as quick as blade swaps get.

Where it separates from the other mini units is the platform. The 20V PowerShare battery is shared across more than 75 WORX garden tools, so if you are building a small electric setup around one battery, this is the piece that makes the most sense. Buyers use it as a precision touch-up tool for perennials, creeping evergreens and thin shrub stems, where a 4.5 lb trimmer is simply too much machine.

Two caveats worth knowing before you order. Tool-only variants come without a battery and charger, so check the listing carefully. And the US-pattern battery plate does not fit PowerShare packs sold in the UK or Australia, which matters if you are outside North America. Owners also note it is not heavy-duty and does not stand in for a full trimmer on large hedges.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

It suits low-growing, fine-textured plantings: creeping evergreens, perennials, small privet and the woody herbaceous stems of herbs. The 8 inch blade gives you a usable cutting width without the balance problems of a longer bar, and the vibration-absorbing grip makes it a good choice for anyone with grip sensitivity.

It is also the right answer if you already own PowerShare tools, since the battery question disappears entirely.

Where it falls short

It simply does not have the power for old or woody growth, and the 1100 rpm motor slows visibly in dense bushes. If your shrubs have hardened stems, step up to the Craftsman or a full trimmer.

It is a detail tool by design. On a hedge row it means many more passes than a 17 or 18 inch blade, and that is the trade you are making for the weight.

6. Sun Joe HJ604C 7.2V 2-in-1 — Best Value Detail Trimmer for Flower Beds

The Sun Joe is one of the most widely owned tools in this roundup, with over 13,000 ratings, and the pattern in those reviews is remarkably consistent: it is a featherweight detail trimmer for flower beds, walkways and small shrubs, and plenty of owners report multiple units still working after five or six years. The 1250 rpm motor with hardened steel blades makes clean, snag-free cuts through grass, light weeds and soft woody stems.

At 2.5 lbs it is one of the lightest options here and it is genuinely comfortable for seniors or anyone with arthritis and limited grip strength. The one-touch swap between the 4 inch grass shear and 6 inch hedge trimmer blades means one tool covers two jobs, and the built-in safety switch plus ETL certification give some reassurance on a tool this small.

Capacity is the hard limit. Owners are clear that it is built for soft growth and light twigs, and the hedge blade jams on stems beyond about 5/8 inch. The trigger also has no lock-on position, so your finger stays compressed for the whole job, and there is no storage bag despite two blades and a separate charger. A few users also point out that the charger has no automatic shut-off once the battery is full.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

It is the right call for flower bed edges, walkways, small shrubs and ornamental grasses where the growth is green and soft. The 6 inch hedge blade is quick enough for annual touch-ups, and the tool is easy to hold overhead for those higher passes on a small shrub.

It also makes a strong first electric tool, because there is nothing to plug in, nothing to mix and nothing to learn beyond the single safety switch.

Where it falls short

It is not a hedge trimmer, despite the name. Anything that has hardened into woody stems will stop it dead, and the separate charger is an extra cable to store in a small shed.

The no-lock-on trigger is a genuine fatigue issue on a long session, and anyone with grip problems should test it before committing.

7. Seesii 20V 12-Inch 2-in-1 — Best for Boxwood and Topiary Shaping

The Seesii is the one to look at if you want more reach than a hand shear gives you but less bulk than a full hedge trimmer. The 12 inch dual-action SK5 high carbon steel blade is the longest hedge blade among the 2-in-1 units in this group, and the 20V motor rated at 600W peak with 3200 SPM gives strong, consistent cuts on boxwood.

Two 2.0Ah batteries are included for up to 120 minutes of continuous trimming, which is more runtime than most of the hand units here, and the dual-action layout keeps vibration down on a longer blade. The rotating handle that locks at 15, 30 and 45 degrees is the detail that matters most for boxwork: it lets you get the blade flat against a curved face without twisting your wrist into an awkward angle.

The tradeoffs are honest ones. It is a heavy unit in this roundup at 3.6 lbs for the grass shear and 4.1 lbs for the trimmer with battery, and owners are advised to use two hands on the 12 inch blade. It is not intended for thick woody branches, and the extension pole is not included if you want extra reach. The grass shear is for lawn edges and detail, not a mower or string trimmer replacement.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

It fits boxwood, yew and privet that are taller than a hand shear can comfortably handle but shorter than a full hedge row. The rotating handle positions are what make it good for shaping rather than just cutting down, and the 12 inch width means fewer passes on a long globe or a low box run.

Two included batteries also mean you can work a whole planting in one session without a mid-job charge break, which is where several other picks in this roundup fall down.

Where it falls short

Weight is the deciding factor here. At over 4 lbs with the battery, users with shoulder or grip problems will feel it on vertical cuts and overhead work.

It also stops at soft growth. Anything approaching 3/4 inch of woody stem is beyond it, and there is no pole to extend your reach if a shrub is taller than you want to stand on a ladder for.

8. WORKPRO 7.2V 2-in-1 — Most Versatile for Older Gardeners

The WORKPRO is the one to look at if weight is the deciding factor. Reviewers single out the 0.82 lb tool weight and the ability to operate it one-handed, which makes it a strong option for elderly users or anyone with limited grip strength. The top-mounted safety button is a thoughtful detail, since it is easier to reach with small hands than a side-trigger design.

Charging is the other thing people like. The 2000mAh battery takes a Type-C cable, so you can charge it from a phone charger, laptop, car or power bank, and a full charge takes two to three hours. That removes the dedicated charger from the equation entirely, which is a real convenience in a small garden shed.

The blade is the limit. Reviewers note the hedge trim blades suit branches under about 7.95 mm, which is thin even for a mini shrubber, and one recurring complaint is blue lubricant seeping from the blade gear that owners mistake for a defect. The dual lock safety system is a genuine plus, but the cutting capacity is the deciding factor here.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

It suits soft green growth in flower beds, walkways and small shrubs where the stems are still tender. At under a pound for the tool, it is comfortable for long, slow detail passes and for anyone who finds a heavier grip tiring after a few minutes.

The USB-C charging makes it the easiest tool here to keep charged, particularly if you already travel with power banks for other devices.

Where it falls short

Anything woody stops it, and 7.95 mm is a low ceiling even compared with the other 7.2V units. If your shrubs have hardened stems, this is not the tool.

It is also the tool that most needs a dedicated place to live, since there is no case and the blades and body are small enough to get misplaced in a shed.

9. SnapFresh 7.2V 5.5-Inch 2-in-1 — Best for Delicate Ornamental Grasses

The SnapFresh handles the fiddliest jobs in the garden. At about 1.05 lbs it is easy to hold and maneuver, and reviewers like the tool-free blade swapping, which several owners found faster than the WORKPRO it replaced. The dual safety lock is a better arrangement than a single button, and the 1100 rpm motor with 65Mn steel blades cuts up to 0.31 inch cleanly.

Its strength is specific: ornamental grasses, hosta and iris stems, and the fine growth around small bushes. The 1500mAh battery includes a level indicator, which is unusual at this size and genuinely useful when you are working away from the shed, and owners note it runs quietly compared with larger equipment.

The weaker reviews cluster around durability and the inherent branch limit. One owner reported the plastic gear shed teeth within about four months of use, cutting speed slows noticeably in dense bushes, and some buyers found the scissor-style grass blade less efficient than an oscillating-style one. None of that matters for bed work, but all of it matters if you push the tool.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

It is built for the smallest jobs in the roundup: shaping ornamental grasses, tidying hosta and iris, and light touch-ups on young shrubs. The battery indicator and low weight make it easy to carry to the far end of a bed without a charger in tow.

Anyone with grip strength concerns will find this manageable, and the dual safety lock gives a good reason to feel comfortable handing it to a family member.

Where it falls short

It has the least capacity of the mid-size units here at 0.31 inch, and the speed drop in dense bushes means it is the wrong tool for an overgrown shrub no matter how steady your hand is.

The plastic gearing is the durability concern. If you expect hard use every season, a tool with a metal gear housing is a better long-term bet.

10. Nicklaua LV-03 8.9-Inch Cordless — Best 2-in-1 with Two Batteries Included

The Nicklaua is the feature-heavy listing in this group. It includes two 1500mAh batteries for roughly 120 minutes of total runtime, and the batteries are compatible with Makita packs, which is unusual flexibility for a tool that is not part of that platform. The 8.9 inch hedge blade pairs with a 5.1 inch grass shear in a tool-free conversion.

The adjustable cutting head is the feature that actually earns its place. Locking at 15 to 45 degrees lets you reach awkward angles without twisting your wrist, which matters a lot on a shaped shrub where a fixed blade forces you into an uncomfortable position. The dual safety lock requires pressing lock and trigger together, and the included grass collection box keeps clippings off the bed.

Buyer sentiment is positive on the included accessories, but the rating spread is wider than for the established brands, with 11% one-star reviews, which points to occasional unit failures. The copper-core motor delivers 2000 rpm no-load, below the 2200 rpm of the copper-core competitors, so expect a little less speed on dense growth.

When this is the right tool for your shrubs

It makes sense if you already own Makita batteries or plan to, because the compatibility turns two included batteries into part of a wider system rather than a dead end. The adjustable head is a real advantage on sculpted shrubs where blade angle changes constantly.

Two batteries and a grass box together make it a complete package for a small yard that wants tidy edges as well as trimmed shrubs.

Where it falls short

The 11% one-star share is the reason to look elsewhere if you want a tool you will still own in five years. This is a value listing, not a durability bet.

It also sits in the awkward middle: longer and heavier than a true detail shear, but shorter and less capable than a real hedge trimmer, so for either extreme another tool does the job better.

How to Choose Electric Hedge Shears for Small Shrubs

Start with the stems, not the brand. Cutting capacity means the widest branch the tool can take without jamming the teeth, and it is the single spec that determines whether a job goes smoothly or stalls. Everything else is preference.

Match the tool to your branch thickness

Green shoots and soft herbaceous growth, anything up to about 1/4 inch, is the range of a 4 to 6 inch hand shear such as the Sun Joe or SnapFresh. Semi-woody stems to 5/16 inch are the Craftsman’s territory, and it is the strongest of the mini units here. Growth up to 5/8 inch, which covers most mature ornamental shrubs, needs a full trimmer like the BLACK+DECKER corded models or the 20V MAX. Past 3/4 inch of woody stem, stop using a trimmer and reach for loppers or a pruning saw.

That last line matters more than people expect. Professionals pair an electric trimmer with a cordless reciprocating saw carrying a pruning blade rather than overloading one tool, and the same logic keeps you from tearing a stub into a shrub that then dies back.

Blade length tiers for small shrubs

Four to eight inch blades are for detail: boxwood globes, topiary, foundation plantings and bed edging. Thirteen to sixteen inch blades handle low hedges and short runs where you still want control near walls. Seventeen to twenty-two inch blades are for a genuine hedge row, and beyond that you are into whole-property territory where weight becomes the limiting factor.

For a small garden, the 8 to 18 inch range covers essentially everything, which is why every tool in this roundup sits there.

Weight and grip for older or lower-strength users

Tool weight is the number buyers check obsessively, and bare-tool weight is not the same as the weight in your hand. Add the battery before you decide. The WORKPRO at 0.82 lbs and the SnapFresh at about 1.05 lbs are the lightest true shrub tools here, and the BEHT150 at 3.9 lbs is the lightest of the full trimmers here.

Look for a full-length trigger or a two-handed grip so the mass stays in front of you, and prefer vibration damping or a rubber overmold handle if you are working overhead or on vertical cuts. Anyone with arthritis or reduced grip strength should test a hand shear before buying, because the no-lock-on trigger on several of these models is a genuine fatigue issue.

Corded vs cordless for small yards

For a small yard with an outlet near the hedge line, corded is the simpler answer: no battery to charge, no runtime ceiling and no platform decision. The corded BLACK+DECKER models here run at 3.0 to 3.2 amps and cut up to 5/8 inch, which covers most ornamental shrubs. Their weakness is reach, so measure from your outlet to the far end of the planting before you buy.

Cordless is the better answer when the hedge is more than about 30 feet from power, when the route crosses a path or flower bed you would rather not drag a cable across, or when you want to avoid gas entirely. The cost is a battery and a charger, plus the platform decision below.

For extension cord maths, stay inside the manufacturer’s amp draw and use a heavy-gauge outdoor-rated cord. A cord that is too light causes voltage drop, which makes the motor run hot and run short of its rated cutting capacity. A 50 foot run of 12 gauge is the practical limit for a small garden; beyond that, cordless is the cleaner answer.

Battery platform and running costs

A battery platform is the shared battery system across a brand’s tools, and it determines what spare packs you will need later. Three show up in this roundup: the 20V Craftsman V20, the 20V WORX PowerShare shared across more than 75 tools, and Makita-compatible packs on the Nicklaua.

Before buying any cordless tool, check what you already own. The Craftsman and the BLACK+DECKER LHT218C1 each come with one battery and charger, and if that is the only battery you have, a second pack is effectively part of the purchase. Several Craftsman owners did exactly that. The same logic makes the WORX a strong pick inside its own ecosystem and a weaker one outside it.

Storing lithium-ion packs for months at a full charge shortens their life, so if your shrubs are trimmed once a year, top the packs up every couple of months.

Safety features worth paying attention to

Two-hand safety switches are the baseline: both hands must be on the tool before the blade moves. A blade brake or electric brake stops the teeth within a fraction of a second rather than coasting to a stop, which matters most if you are working near a wall or a downspout. A blade sheath protects the edge in storage and keeps the teeth covered in the shed, and a lock-on trigger lets you hold the tool steady for a flat, even cut without constant finger pressure.

A two-hand trigger is also a genuine safety plus for older or weaker users, because it removes the chance of a one-handed grip near a running blade. The screw-on hand guard on the smaller corded models is thinner than we would like, so treat it as minimal rather than sufficient.

Our guide to the best electric chainsaws covers the same two-trigger and blade-brake logic in more depth, if you also cut back thicker growth.

Maintenance and how often to sharpen

Sharpen hedge trimmer blades roughly every three to four heavy trimming sessions, or sooner if leaves start tearing and browning at the cut edge instead of falling clean. Torn foliage is the clearest signal that the teeth have rounded off. Clean resin off the blades after each use with a rag and a little blade lubricant, and never run the tool through wet or muddy growth.

Serviceable blades are worth checking before you buy, because a non-serviceable blade means the tool’s cutting life is capped at whatever the factory edge gives you. Store every tool with the blade sheath on, hung clear of the ground, and keep lithium batteries off concrete in a shed that gets cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Best Pick for Small Shrubs

The BLACK+DECKER BEHT150 is our best electric hedge shears for small shrubs pick: 3800 cuts per minute, a 17 inch dual-action blade, 5/8 inch capacity, 3.9 lbs, and more owner feedback behind it than anything else we tested. Add the LHT218C1 if you want to skip the cord entirely, and the CRAFTSMAN V20 if your shrubs have stems too thick for a hand shear.

Match the tool to the stems in front of you, buy the weight you can comfortably hold, and check the platform before you commit to a battery.