What battery voltage do I actually need for a cordless hedge trimmer?

For light boxwoods and seasonal shaping, 18V/20V tools are widely reported as sufficient by verified-purchase reviewers. For thick, woody, or storm-damaged hedges, specialist subreddit threads repeatedly recommend stepping up to 40V, 56V, or 80V platforms — reviewers consistently flag 20V trimmers as 'a toy' when pushed into 3/4"+ branches.