Best Pruning Shears 2020 – Buyer’s Guide

As gardeners, we all need the best pair of shears available. Whether you are a hobbyist trimming the flowers in your backyard or a landscape designer beautifully sculpting the hedges and boxwoods located in a vast estate, this cannot be achieved if you do not have the right tool.

Professionals and amateurs alike need something comfortable to work with and at the same time also sharp, durable, and efficient enough to get the job done with ease.

This can only be made possible by purchasing the best pruning shears. But with so many products available, making a decision becomes difficult.

BEST CHOICE

Gardening Power Drive Ratchet Anvil Hand
Best Pruning Shears in Our Rating

• Convenient blade size for fast bush cutting
• The reliable clamp protecting from opening of a blade
• Comfortable handle shape suitable for women
• Manufacturer’s Warranty

Read Verified Customer Reviews

Selecting the Best Pruning Shears in November, 2021

IMAGE	PRODUCT
Editor’s Choice	Power Drive Ratchet Dimensions: 9.9 x 3.4 x 0.7 inches Weight: 8 ounces Brand: Gardenite	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
	Corona BP 3180D Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 8.5 inches Weight: 13.6 ounces Brand: Corona	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
Editor’s Choice	Fiskars 91095935J Dimensions: 4 x 1 x 10.8 inches Weight: 10.4 ounces Brand: Fiskars	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
	Garden Elite Razor Sharp Dimensions: 11.1 x 4 x 1.5 inches Weight: 6.4 ounces Brand: gonicc	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
	Bahco 21 Inch Dimensions: 8.5 x 2.4 x 0.8 inches Weight: 9 ounces Brand: Garden Elite	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
	Fiskars 399211-1001 6 Dimensions: 0.8 x 3.9 x 10.8 inches Weight: 2.4 ounces Brand: Fiskars	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
	Felco F-2 Classic Dimensions: 9.2 x 4 x 1 inches Weight: 8.8 ounces Brand: FELCO	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
	Okatsune 103 Bypass Dimensions: 10.2 x 2.9 x 0.8 inches Weight: 8 ounces Brand: Okatsune	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
	FELCO F-6 Classic Pruner Dimensions: 11 x 1.5 x 3.8 inches Weight: 1.6 ounces Brand: FELCO	View On Amazon →Read Our Review
	ARS HP-VS8Z Signature Dimensions: 8 x 2 x 1 inches Weight: 8 ounces Brand: ARS	View On Amazon →Read Our Review

1. Gardening Power Drive Ratchet Anvil Hand Pruning Shears: Most Compact Pruning Shears

Imagine having shears whose ratcheting mechanism is designed to expand the power of your hands by five times the average amount. This means that you don’t have to make any efforts at all, the pruning shears do it all for you. Also, it slices through thicker branches than the regular pruners effortlessly.

It is easy on the hands, yet suitable for heavy-duty jobs, a feature made possible by the extra power of the ratchet action. Ideally, anvil pruner features only one sharp blade, which is the top blade and then an anvil blade found at the bottom. This way, as you slice through a branch, the ratcheting action snaps and moves on to the next branch, thereby providing an increase in pressure as you cut through.

To ensure the quality of the product, it was heat treated and then made hard with carbon steel, which is known to be extra strong. This also ensures it is durable and requires minimal sharpening. Furthermore, they are coated with non-stick Teflon, which resists sticky materials such as sap.

2. Corona BP 3180D Forged Classic Bypass Pruner: Most Efficient Pruning Shears

From one of the leading manufacturers of garden tools comes the Corona BP 3180D Forged Classic Bypass Pruner. With this pruner, you can easily cut up to 1-inch diameter in an effortless manner.

To ensure its sturdiness, not only is it heat treated but is also made with forged steel alloy blade and is suitable for professional gardeners.

While cutting you need not stop work to clean sap from the blade as it has a sap groove that keeps the blade from sticking and clogging the system.

3. Fiskars 91095935J Steel Bypass Pruning Shears: Pruning Shears With The Sharpest Blade

This is a high model gardening tool that is really affordable and also comes in Anvil style to give you effortless cut. The blade which is constructed with hardened precision ground steel is rich in quality and performs excellently well. The blade also maintains its sharpness for a long time, an attribute that makes it ideal for cutting off light branches as well as stems.

It is resistant to corrosion, and the low friction coating also prevents the blade from sticking to sap while cutting. Besides, it has an easy-open blade that ensures the safety of the pruner mainly while the tool is transported or stored.

4. Gonicc 8” Professional Premium Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears: Most Ergonomic Pruning Shears

This pruning shears, which is available in Anvil style, is made for precision cutting of stems and woods. It cuts up to 3/4” diameter size of branches although this depends on the species of tree being cut. It is made of top quality titanium steel blade and will not rust or corrode.

It should be noted that the blade will need to be maintained. This, however, should not deter you from purchasing as it has an ultra-fine polishing technology which boosts the durability of the shears.

It features sap grooves which prevent the blade from becoming sticky, thereby enabling it to stay always clean.

5. Garden Elite Razor Sharp Bypass Pruning Shears: Best Design

These pruning shears are designed on Japanese steel blades. The blades are layered with Teflon to give it smooth, precision cuts of up to 1diameter stems and branches. The quality is not in doubt as they are made of high-quality materials and come with a great design.

The blades are forged with carbon steel to ensure its sturdiness and durability and also have a handle designed with aluminum; a trait that makes it ergonomic. The non-slip rubber gives it a firm grip and prevents it from slipping off while you are cutting.

The non-stick Teflon does not just promote clean cuts; it also keeps the shears from gumming up and makes it easier to wipe after use. To prevent rust and corrosion for a very long time, the blades are coated with polytetrafluoroethylene.

It has a sleek all-metal design with the only set back being that it may be a bit difficult to locate among other garden tools as there are no bright colors to recognize them by quickly. In light of its many superb features, this is hardly a complaint worthy of note.

6. Fiskars 399211-1001 6” Micro-Tip Pruner: Best Value Product

With this, trimming, deadheading and shaping of plants are so much easier. It has a spring action found in between both handles that makes it easy to open and close the blade with ease, thereby reducing hand fatigue.

With its non-stick coating, jamming of the blade, as well as accumulation of sticky resins and saps are prevented.

It is fully hardened and has a precision-ground stainless steel blade which remains sharp even when used for heavy-duty.

7. Felco F-2 Classic Manual Hand Pruner: Most Lightweight Pruning Shears

This is an Anvil pruning shear which has a sap groove to prevent the blades from sticking by preventing saps and other sticky materials from attaching to the blade. This blade, which is made of top quality hardened steel, has scissors-like shape and is useful in trimming of stems and branches.

This model is an upgrade of the previous models and is constructed with quality materials to ensure the pruner functions effectively. Also, if maintained properly, the blade will not corrode or rust. This hand pruner has a blade with a wire-cutting notch that ensures optimum performance.

And then there’s the handle, too. It is lightweight and is layered with rubber; it also has a shock absorber. These characteristics make it comfortable to handle and ease hand fatigue while working.

8. Okatsune 103 Bypass Pruners: Most Flexible Pruning Shears

With a length of 200mm, the model is 20mm bigger than the 101 model and 10mm smaller than the 104 models. Its blades are razor sharp and are forged from Japanese steel, (the same steel that is used in producing the Katana sword known with the Samurai). Therefore, you are assured of a blade that cuts through fruit trees, creepers, roses, and shrubs effortlessly (up to 25mm).

The blade is ultra-sharp and always gives clean, precise cuts. Its simple design is another appealing feature of this product as this gives it an ease of use. It is sturdy but lightweight at the same time.

Since it’s forged from the most beautiful Japanese steel, the hardness of the blade in conjunction with a special kind of flexibility gives the cutting blade alignment with the counter blade even after being used multiple times.

Don’t worry; the blade has been grounded in two angles. Hence it will smoothly cut through shrubs and woods without doing the plant any damage. As a result of the unique shape of the hollow ground blade, the sap flows away from the blade, leaving the blade intact.

9. FELCO F-6 Classic Pruner: Child Friendly Pruning Shears

This is a well-designed bypass pruner that is ideal for light gardening such as the pruning of grapevines, shrubs, flowers, and young trees. It is made to suit those with small hands as it’s lightweight, comfortable yet sturdy and is every bit as efficient and powerful as other Felco pruners.

It has an anvil blade that is screw mounted to enable easy replacement, the cutting and anvil blades of this pruner are not riveted (i.e., they are not bonded or prevented from moving); with a length of about 7-1/4”, it can penetrate tight corners for more detailed work while the short blade enables it to cut the stems of branches.

The handles are made of aluminum while the blades are constructed with high quality hardened steel and feature a cutting capacity up to 0.8 inches.

10. ARS HP-VS8Z Signature Heavy Duty Pruner: Best Pick for Professional Use

This model offers a variety of features ideal for professional use by gardeners and horticulturists. It has a locking latch that only requires a simple squeeze of the handle to release it; this enables a single-handed operation to be carried out.

The pruner itself is made of thick and high-quality cast aluminum, the handle is made non-slippery and is coated with smooth plastic to enable users to have a comfortable grip and also ensure the pruner lasts long. They weigh next to nothing and are balanced enough to be used daily with minimal hand fatigue and strain.

Best Pruning Shears – Buying Guide

It’s not enough to purchase just any pruning shears that catches your fancy. There’s more than meets the eyes when it comes to getting the best. Here, we have summarized the factors to be considered when buying a pruning shear. They include:

Comfort

The shears to be purchased should be the ones that are comfortable when held; they should not be too big or small and should be able to manage the strength of your hands. Also, consider the opening width of the shears to reduce hand fatigue and make sure they have handles that will not cut into your skin when you come across tough branches.

Blade

This is an essential part of pruning shears. All pruning shears come with very sharp blades when purchased, the question, however, is, do they remain sharp?

The higher the quality of shears, the more robust and sharp the blade is, and this could be the deciding factor if you are yet to decide between value and quality.

A high-quality blade is resistant to corrosion and rust. Also, it’s best to go for blades with non-stick coating as they prevent saps and other sticky fluids from sticking to the blades and clogging the system.

With a non-stick blade, the juice will instead glide off leaving your blade clean. It’s best to purchase shears with high tempered carbon or carbon steel as they are the strongest and the most durable.

Safety lock

Shears if not correctly handled and stored can cause home accidents. Hence, it is essential to take precautions, especially if you have children around. Therefore, look out for shears with finger-saving lock as this ensures there’s minimal or no damage to you and the shears.

Adjustment

It’s essential to look out for this feature while buying a pruning shear as it allows you to have unlimited control over the shrubs and enable precision cuts.

There are some pruners with dual adjustable mechanisms to switch the initial position and the blade tension as well. This is even more important if you are going to be dealing with both big and small branches, it saves you the money that would have been used to purchase another pruning shears as adjustable pruners effortlessly tackle shrubs of varying thickness.

Cutting Mechanism

Most pruning shears have evolved from the laborious models of years before. The high-quality ones now make pruning more comfortable and fun all day long.

Pruning shears give you an ease of movement through your garden with speed never seen before, and this is made possible because it uses gears not just to obtain but maintain greater leverage over your shrubs and branches.

While pruning, you may or may not need the leverage, but this depends on how you intend to use the shears and how often you plan to prune your plants since the new nubs will be softer and easier to shear.

Size/Weight

This is similar to comfort but still worthy of mention. While purchasing pruning shears, you should go for the ones that are lightweight so you can lift them as high up as you need to go without feeling as though you are carrying a brick.

Using heavy shears can affect your concentration, and this poses a safety concern. It can also prevent productivity as you may not get the work done on time and mostly, it can make you hate pruning all together, and we don’t want that to happen.

Hence, it’s best to purchase cutting shears, which suit your strength. Pruners made with aluminum or fiberglass are lightweight unlike those made of wood, which are heavy.

Ease of use

No one wants to go through a hard, difficult time while pruning, we want things to be as easy as can be. To make this a reality, purchase pruners with shock absorbers. While purchasing online, it may be challenging to determine the one with the shock-absorbing mechanism, but by going through the reviews you can make the right choice.

Conclusion

Having well-manicured and trimmed shrubs and garden is no magic at all, it only takes the best pruning shears to make it happen. With all the products reviewed in this article, making a choice shouldn’t be all that difficult anymore.

So, go ahead and make a choice, and keep your garden looking like a million bucks. It’s sure to attract the admiration of neighbors and visitors.