The best pruners make it easy to cleanly, accurately prune the plants and trees in your yard – which can improve their health, as well as their appearance.
For this guide, I tested nine of the most popular pruning shears you can buy, to find out which model is best. I compared the pruners’ cutting performance across pruning tasks ranging from deadheading and stem snipping to cutting back fruit trees, and I assessed each pruner on its design, versatility and value.
You can scroll down to read about each pruner in detail – but I’ll start by saying that my highest rated pruner is the Felco 6 Bypass Pruning Shears. This classic bypass pruner has comfy, ergonomic handles and excellent pruning capabilities. It outperformed every other pruner on all-round performance and design.
With that said, there’s a pruner for every task and every gardener. You might need something heftier than a bypass pruner, such as an anvil pruner, or even one of the best chainsaws. On the other hand, you might be looking for an affordable pruner that’s ideal for beginners. Whatever your pruning needs are, this guide will give you in-depth analysis on a pruner that suits you.
Quick list: Top 3 picks
Here’s your at-a-glance intro to our best pruners round-up for 2024. Scroll further down to read my findings from testing each product hands-on. You can also use the links on the left to jump to the pruners that interest you the most.
The best pruner overall
The ultimate in Swiss engineering for your yard, these classy, comfortable, and precise bypass shears are the best you can buy.
The best pruner for larger hands
These 8¼-inch shears give you the stellar quality and performance you’d expect from a Felco pruner, with an extra-large ergonomic design.
The best affordable pruner
With solid pruning performance and a generous guarantee, this adjustable pruner is ideal for budget-conscious gardeners.
Quick list: Best by use case
The best mini chainsaw pruner
Built for cutting tough or fairly thick branches and stems, this mini chainsaw makes light work of heavy-duty pruning tasks.
The best adjustable pruner
This French-made pruner makes cutting easier, with a choice of cutting widths. The mixed-materials design is super-stylish.
The best trigger-activated pruner
Keep those high-up tree branches under control! Ryobi’s lopper combines electric pruning jaws with a pole, strap, and cordless power supply.
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The best pruning snips
Short, sharp, and soft-handled, the SP13 makes it incredibly easy to deadhead plants and cut tender stems. It is not for cutting wood.
The best beginner-friendly pruner
These bypass pruning shears are not only affordable but also effective, low-maintenance, and user-friendly.
The best anvil pruner
Wolf-Garten’s excellent anvil pruner is specially designed to comfortably cut tough, woody stems and branches.
Pete has reviewed hundreds of gardening products for titles including TopTenReviews, Ideal Home, and the London Evening Standard – as well as writing articles on diverse topics for other publications such as The Guardian and BBC Good Food. A long-term contributor to the blog of leading scissors-maker Ernest Wright, Pete has an in-depth understanding of the qualities and design features that go into a really good pair of shears. All nine pruners featured in this guide have been tested by Pete in his backyard for a minimum of two weeks, so we can share his first-hand experience with you.
The best pruners we recommend in 2024
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The best pruner overall
✅ Gardening is your passion: The Felco 6 is a luxurious, truly top-quality pruning shears model. You will appreciate this exquisite tool if you love working in the yard.
✅ You think long-term: The user can replace all key components of the Felco 6 at home, including the blades, springs, and fixings.
✅ There are many plants to prune in your yard: These shears cut tender stems effortlessly, and the handles are very comfortable to hold.
❌ You don’t like taking tools apart: To keep the Felco 6 performing at its best, you’ll need to use their adjustment key to disassemble the shears now and then for cleaning, sharpening, or replacement of parts.
❌ You’re left-handed: Felco makes many excellent left-handed pruners, but the Felco 6 ain’t one of them due to its righty-focused ergonomics.
❌ There are many thick branches to prune in your yard: These shears are designed to cut up to a branch diameter of 0.79 inches – and no wider.
🔎 The Felco 6 is the finest pair of pruning shears we’ve ever had the pleasure of reviewing. Not only is this pruner an effective, convenient tool for pruning your plants, but with proper maintenance, it can be kept in perfect working condition for decades. Just don’t use it on thick tree branches. ★★★★★★★★★★
Founded in 1945, Felco is one of the world’s best-regarded makers of pruning shears. The Swiss company came out with its iconic Felco 2 secateurs in 1948 – and the Felco 6 pruning shears share much of that iconic tool’s design DNA. Intended for all-round pruning, the Felco 6 can cut through all sorts of stems and branches up to a thickness of 0.79 inches. This pruner is compact, comfortable, and built to last.
Design: This pruner is nothing short of a design masterpiece. The handles are ergonomically molded to suit various hand shapes and sizes—although the tool is recommended especially for users with medium-sized hands. The cutting blades are slightly angled, which helps you prune efficiently. For long-term use, you can use the adjustment key to disassemble the shears for routine maintenance.
Performance: I found the Felco 6 incredibly easy to use around the yard. Perfectly tensioned, the hardened steel bypass blades are able to cut even the toughest plant matter. Closing the shears by hand is remarkably easy, enabling convenient cutting over long-term use.
Versatility: There’s not much that these shears can’t cut. Even tough, woody branches soon gave way to the Felco 6’s sharp, precise blades during testing, and there won’t be many plants in your yard that these shears can’t prune. However, if you intend to cut branches thicker than 0.79 inches, use a pruner with a greater cutting width or perhaps a mini chainsaw or lopper.
Price: Priced at well over $60 by most retailers, the Felco 6 is one expensive pair of pruning shears. Is this pruner worth it? That comes down to how much you enjoy gardening and the joy you take in your yard tools. On the plus side, the Felco 6 is lower in price than most electric alternatives. And, if you take care of them, you could use these pruning shears for a lifetime.
Read more: Felco 6 Bypass Pruner review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Unbeatable cutting performance and user experience. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Design | A timeless design with great ergonomics. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Suits most pruning tasks, except branch-cutting. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Price | A big investment with long-term rewards. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
The best pruner for larger hands
✅ You have lots of pruning to do: The Felco 8 is suitable for long-duration pruning sessions. It offers exceptional cutting performance and comfortable handles.
✅ Sustainability matters to you: Not only are these shears great quality, but you can also replace all the key parts over time. The Felco 8 could be your trusty pruning companion for decades.
✅ Your hands are large: This pruner's ergonomic design is intended especially for larger hands. If you have smaller hands, try the Felco 6 instead.
❌ There are more important things to spend your money on: You can find highly effective pruning shears for a much lower price – although they might not be as special as the Felco 8.
❌ You’ll be pruning branches over one inch thick: If so, you’ll probably need a lopper or a mini chainsaw instead. Using shears on an excessively thick branch is bad for the blades.
❌ You don’t have large hands: We, the manually mediocre, are better off using a smaller pruner, such as the Felco 6, with an ergonomic design that suits us.
🔎 The Felco 8 is a superb bypass pruner for users with larger hands. Ergonomic shears are supposed to act like an extension of the user’s body – and for larger users, that’s exactly what the Felco 8 can do. With a one-inch cutting capacity, these shears can be used to cut suitably sized tree branches and for pruning plants. ★★★★★★★★
I’ll show you just one more Felco pruner before I move on to some other brands. There’s good reason to highlight this particular manufacturer: its pruning shears are incredible. The Felco 8 is an ergonomic redesign of the classic Felco 2. It works beautifully, has high-quality construction, and has an adjustment key to facilitate convenient maintenance. This model is a little longer than the Felco 6 and, therefore, better suited to users with larger hands. It also has a slightly greater cutting width.
Design: You’ll notice the difference between this Felco pruner and smaller models like the Felco 6 when you squeeze the handles. Closing the blades takes more effort but produces more leverage and a wider cut. Whether or not that’s a good thing depends on the size of your hands. If I were being critical, I’d say the Felco style loses some of its elegance in this larger iteration – but the pruner is still more beautiful than almost any other you’re likely to encounter.
Performance: This pruner cut cleanly through every size-appropriate (under one inch) branch or stem I tested it on. You’ll only encounter difficulties with the Felco 8 if you try to use it for pruning large branches over an inch in thickness. For all intended pruning applications, these shears work perfectly. Remember that the handles are ergonomically designed for a large hand. The size of your hands will affect performance.
Versatility: The Felco 8 gives you greater versatility than smaller Felco models, such as the Felco 6, owing to its greater cutting capacity: approximately one inch. This expands the range of tree branches that can comfortably be pruned using the pruner’s blades. The excellent sharpness and tensioning of the blades mean that the Felco 8 can very cleanly cut fleshy plant stems without any messy ‘chewing.’
Price: Usually costing more than $60, the Felco 8 is expensive compared to the average manual pruner. However, given the quality of the Felco 8's construction and the availability of replacement parts, the price you pay could be a wise long-term investment. Users who only prune occasionally might prefer to buy a more affordable option, such as the Gardena 8857-81.
Read more: Felco 8 Bypass Pruner review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Supreme cutting performance across stems and narrow branches. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Design | Timeless Felco design, adapted for large hands. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Excllent versatility relative to smaller bypass pruners. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Price | A big investment, for long-term use. | ★★★★★★★★ |
The best affordable pruner
✅ Clever features catch your eye: I was impressed with this pruner's multi-faceted design, which subtly incorporates wirecutting and width adjustment features.
✅ You're looking for an unbeatable deal: Priced around $20, the 8857-81 represents incredible value for money. Plus, it comes with a 20-year manufacturer's guarantee.
✅ There are trees to prune in your yard: Most bypass pruners are not great at pruning trees, but this model effectively cuts hard, thin tree branches with its carbon steel blade.
❌ Really neat cuts are required: One thing this pruner doesn't do so well is cut neatly, especially when you're pruning small, juicy plants. This type of pruning requires a finer cut.
❌ You want a classic-looking pair of shears: The ergonomic form and turquoise color of this Gardena pruner have their charm, but for a more traditional aesthetic, look elsewhere.
❌ There are thick tree limbs to prune: This pruner is very good at cutting hard tree branches, but its maximum cutting width of 0.87″ will rule out pruning thick tree limbs.
🔎 The Gardena 8857-81 Adjustable Bypass Pruner is an unbeatable affordable option for pruning most of the plants and tree branches in your yard, with robust bypass blades and a lightweight, user-friendly design. It's great at pruning shrubs and thin branches; but not ideal for very delicate tasks. ★★★★★★★★
Gardena is a globally prominent manufacturer of reasonably priced yard tools, based in Germany. The 8857-81 Adjustable Bypass Pruner is a superb example of the brand’s user-friendly pruning range, with an accessible, versatile design and robust build quality. This affordable bypass pruner can cover many of your pruning needs, from pruning shrubs and fruit bushes to cutting fairly thick tree branches.
Design: This pruner has great construction and features that will suit a wide range of users, including those who usually find pruning hard work. It’s very lightweight thanks to the use of carbon fiber in the shanks, and the adjustable cutting width feature allows you to choose between two cutting widths, with the narrower setting providing easier use. I appreciated the 8857-81’s wire cutting notch, which will let you cut wire, twine and other materials, without blunting the pruner’s blades.
Performance: I was pleasantly surprised at how well this bypass pruner cuts through hard tree branches – which is normally a job for an anvil pruner. This is surely thanks to Gardena’s use of hard carbon steel in one of the blades. The cuts produced across tender plant stems and branches are a little more ragged than what you'd get with a more premium pruner, which is not ideal for plant health. However, the 8857-81 does a good enough job in most cases, except when pruning very fine stems.
Versatility: The 8857-81 gives you a pretty wide range of functionality, with better branch cutting than your average low-cost bypass pruner. During testing, I found that this tool’s capabilities ranged from reasonably light pruning work such as cutting back shrub stems, right up to pruning hard tree branches (maxing out at 0.87″). However, gardeners who want to do really precise pruning on smaller plants should choose a more sensitive pruner.
Price: Factoring in its 20-year manufacturer’s guarantee, this pruner should cost you only around $1 per year. That’s unbeatable value for money on a pair of shears that will comfortably handle most of the pruning tasks in your yard. Despite the low price of the 8857-81, its build quality is impressive: the tool feels robust, even though it is made with lightweight materials.
Read more: Gardena 8857-81 Adjustable Bypass Pruner review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Good at pruning tree branches and shrubs; not ideal for juicy stems. | ★★★★★★ |
| Design | Packs lots of useful features into a lightweight, accessible design. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Covers most day-to-day pruning tasks. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Price | Superbly priced and backed by a generous guarantee. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
The best mini chainsaw pruner
✅ A regular pruner won’t cut your tree branches: This mini chainsaw can comfortably cut tree branches up to 4″ thick – or even wider, with proper technique.
✅ You’d like a gentle introduction to chainsaws: While all chainsaws require careful use, this model is relatively user-friendly. It has toolless tensioning and maintenance of the bar and chain. It’s also pleasantly small and lightweight.
✅ You’re interested in buying other 24V Greenworks tools: The Greenworks range includes many great yard tools. This Pruning Saw’s battery and charger can be used with other compatible products from the 24V collection.
❌ You need a tool to deadhead plants: A chainsaw is comically inappropriate for light pruning tasks such as deadheading and cutting fleshy stems. This Greenworks Pruning Saw is made especially for cutting wood.
❌ Safety concerns are an issue: While this chainsaw is relatively small and user-friendly, it can still be dangerous when misused. Only buy this tool if you’re confident it can be used safely in your yard.
❌ Charging batteries frustrates you: You’ll need to keep the Greenworks Pruning Saw’s battery up to use the tool. On a positive note, the battery offers good runtime.
🔎 The Greenworks 24V 6" Brushless Pruning Saw is an unbeatable solution for cutting moderately thick tree limbs and branches. More accessible than most mini chainsaws, this cordless tool offers a friendly introduction to a powerful category of saws. You should use the Greenworks 24V 6" Brushless Pruning Saw carefully. ★★★★★★★★★
An award-winning product from one of the best makers of electric yard tools for the home, the Greenworks 24V 6" Brushless Pruning Saw gives you unmatched pruning power in an accessible package. This mini chainsaw is made especially for cutting small-to-medium tree limbs and branches. It comes with a 24V lithium-ion battery and charger, meaning you won’t need to worry about fuel or a trailing power cable during use.
Design: This pruning saw is perfectly designed for its specialized branch-cutting role. During testing, the modest length and weight of the tool enabled me to maneuver it between foliage to cut whichever tree branches needed pruning. Meanwhile, the saw’s cordless electric operation and toolless tensioning make for relatively easy chainsaw maintenance.
Performance: My experience cutting tree limbs with the Greenworks Pruning Saw was incredibly smooth and effortless. The tool made its way through hard, thick branches with minimal effort (but with quite a lot of noise and flying sawdust). Like any other chainsaw, this tool requires routine maintenance to ensure effective operation. Apply bar oil to the chain regularly, and re-tension the chain if you notice any slackness.
Versatility: There are several pruning tasks I would not dream of undertaking using the Greenworks 24V 6" Brushless Pruning Saw. For gentle work such as deadheading flowering plants or cutting small shrub branches, you should use a better-suited tool such as a manual bypass pruner. However, when purchased in addition to a more delicate pruner, Greenworks’ mini chainsaw contributes to great overall versatility, as you can use it to prune wider branches than you could ever cut with a manual pruner alone.
Price: Bought as a set with its lithium-ion battery and charger, the Greenworks 24V 6" Brushless Pruning Saw will cost you around $160. Considering the tool's power and quality, this represents good value for money. As with many cordless power tool systems, you’ll tap into even better value if you buy some additional 24V Greenworks tools that can be used with the same lithium-ion battery and charger. With all that said, this tool represents a significant investment relative to a manual bypass pruner or anvil pruner.
Read more: Greenworks 24V 6" Brushless Pruning Saw review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Makes cutting relatively thick tree branches easy. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Design | A brilliant, user-friendly introduction to chainsawing. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Only suitable for pruning tree limbs and branches. | ★★★★★★ |
| Price | Outstanding value, with battery and charger included. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
The best adjustable pruner
✅ You have an eye for classic tool design: Few pruners are as beautiful as the Opinel Hand Pruning Shears, with its mixed materials design, colorful accents and pleasingly curved blades.
✅ Adjustable cutting width will make pruning easier: This is a particularly good choice of pruner for users who find pruning hard work, as the lower cutting width requires a smaller effort with each cut.
✅ Most of your plants have moderately thick stems: While very thin stems and thick tree branches are a little outside of this pruner's comfort zone, it cuts fairly thick stems and thin branches very effectively.
❌ Pruning trees is your priority: Some tree branches can be pruned effectively with this Opinel pruner, but branches thicker than 0.78″ will require a tool with greater cutting capacity.
❌ Your budget is limited: This is one of the most expensive manual pruner models included in this guide. Its premium design merits a premium price, but you could get a functional pruner at a lower cost.
❌ You have small hands: Using this pruner's two-step cutting width adjustment will give you some control over the required grip, but you'd need relatively large hands to comfortably use the wider option.
🔎 The Opinel Hand Pruning Shears would make an elegant, accessible addition to your yard tool collection. We admire this pruner for its useful cutting width selection and stylish design, incorporating a beechwood handle. Its specialty is pruning moderately thick plant stems. ★★★★★★★★★
Made by the historic French toolmaker Opinel – a brand that’s world-famous for its wooden-handled cutting tools – these Hand Pruning Shears are a superb choice for effective cutting and elegant aesthetics. This tool’s bypass cutting action and sharp, stainless steel blades equip it for a variety of pruning tasks, including cutting back plants and shrubs, and pruning thin tree branches. It is made with a high-quality combination of materials, including stainless steel, beechwood and molded plastic.
Design: I loved this pruner for its eye-catching, functional design, with one handle made of beechwood and the other of molded plastic. A special feature that’s worth noting is the pruner’s adjustable cutting width – you can choose between two settings using the unmissable, bright orange selector near the blades. The only design downside to these shears is that the wider cutting setting makes for higher-effort use.
Performance: The Opinel Hand Pruning Shears performed very well in my testing, easily producing clean cuts when used to prune plants like roses and foxgloves. Very delicate pruning was made easier by the curved bottom blade of the shears, which helped me to isolate narrow stems among dense growth. Regular cleaning is required to maintain a smooth cutting action, as these shears are strongly affected by buildup of sap.
Versatility: If you’re only going to buy one pair of pruning shears, this model would be an excellent choice. It can cover a wider range of pruning tasks than most other shears I’ve tested, from deadheading flowering plants and pruning shrubs to cutting tree limbs (up to 0.78″). Basically, it’s good for everything except heavier tree pruning, which is usually a task for loppers or a chainsaw.
Price: One reason why you might not choose the Opinel Hand Pruning Shears is their price, which tends to exceed $60. That puts it in the same price bracket as the Felco 6, so it has some high quality competition. I believe the pricing of Opinel’s pruner is justified by its unique, beautiful design and excellent performance – but you might want to wait around for a seasonal sale.
Read more: Opinel Hand Pruning Shears review
| Performance | Clean cuts and excellent accuracy for lower-width pruning tasks. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Design | Beautiful materials and excellent usability. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Good for pretty much everything, except heavy tree pruning. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Price | Expensive, but a worthy investment for keen gardeners and design aficionados. | ★★★★★★★★ |
The best trigger-activated pruner
✅ You need to prune high-up branches on small-to-medium trees, such as apple or pear trees: This type of work is the sole purpose of the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Pole Lopper.
✅ Cordless tools suit you: Buying cordless is a trade-off. On the one hand, you get superb ease of use; on the other, you’ll need to keep a battery charged to ensure the tool can be used when needed.
✅ The Ryobi ONE+ 18V system appeals to you: Hundreds of useful tools in this range can all be used with the same lithium-ion batteries and chargers.
❌ Budget is an issue: This pruner is much more expensive than most alternative models we’ve tested. However, its specialized purpose may justify the price.
❌ You don’t have many high-up tree branches to prune: Lower branches can usually be dealt with using an alternative tool, such as anvil pruners or a mini chainsaw.
❌ Heavy yard work gets you down: The considerable length of this pole lopper can make usage laborious – although the tool’s weight is distributed somewhat by the safety strap.
🔎 The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Pole Lopper is our favorite tool for pruning high-up tree branches. With up to 9' of reach via the tool’s telescoping pole, you can prune most branches on relatively small trees in your yard. Remember that this tool is not intended for delicate, ground-level pruning tasks like deadheading. ★★★★★★★★
If you have some small- or medium-sized trees that need regular pruning, this handy cordless pole lopper could be the ideal solution. The lopper features a 9' telescoping pole and trigger-activated bypass pruner blades, allowing you to prune high-up branches while keeping your feet safely on the ground. Sold as a ‘bare’ tool, the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Pole Lopper requires an additional Ryobi ONE+ 18V lithium-ion battery and charger (sold separately).
Design: This tool is one of the best-adapted products I've tested, specifically for pruning lofty branches. It has some great features to help make pruning easier, especially the branch hook on the underside of the pruning blades and the five-position pruning head. I also appreciated the safety strap, which makes it much easier to bear the tool's weight while you work.
Performance: For pruning high-up branches on small-to-medium trees, you could hardly hope for a more effective tool than the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Pole Lopper. Lining up the pruning blades with the branches takes a little practice – but the cutting action itself requires only a simple, effortless pull of the trigger. A compatible Ryobi ONE+ 18V battery will provide adequate runtime for most domestic users.
Versatility: This tool doesn’t have the versatility to do a very wide range of pruning tasks. For example, you wouldn’t use it for pruning small plants at ground level. However, Ryobi’s pole lopper does give you excellent versatility within its specialized use case of cutting high branches. The pruning head can be positioned in five different directions, allowing you to prune precisely, no matter what direction a tree’s branches have grown.
Price: To make this purchase worthwhile, you’d need a real and ongoing need to prune branches high up on your trees. The lopper costs around $250 – and when you factor in the additional purchases of a Ryobi ONE+ 18V lithium-ion battery and charger, you’ve got an expensive tool on your hands. That said, if you already own these extra components, the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Pole Lopper looks smarter.
Read more: Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Pole Lopper review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Does a great cutting high-up branches. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Design | Ideally adapted to cutting at height. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Unsuitable for most ground-level pruning. | ★★★★★★ |
| Price | Expensive, requiring an additional charger and battery. | ★★★★★★ |
The best pruning snips
✅ You need a precise tool for pruning dense plants: The SP13 may be small, but those long, keen blades are great at finding their target in overgrown areas. For careful pruning, look no further.
✅ A lightweight tool suits you: Weighing about one-and-a-half oz, you’ll barely feel these snips while you work. This could make a big difference during a long pruning session.
✅ You’re into flower arranging: These snips are perfect for cutting flowers for indoor display. Remember to cut stems diagonally to maximize a cut plant’s water uptake for long-lasting freshness.
❌ Powerful pruning is required: These delicate snips are not intended for cutting thick stems or woody branches. If that’s the work you’ll be doing, consider buying a bypass or anvil pruner instead.
❌ You’re uncomfortable having sharp tools in the yard: As the SP13 snips are sharp and pointy, they definitely shouldn’t be left where they might endanger children or pets.
❌ You need to extend your reach: The SP13 snips are in their element at close quarters. If you aim to prune, high-up or hard-to-reach stems, you’d be better off using a longer-reach tool such as a pole lopper.
🔎 The Fiskars Solid Snip Pruning Micro-Tip SP13 is a light, nimble, snips-style pruner capable of precision pruning even among dense growth. These snips are ideal for pruning small potted plants – including most houseplants and indoor vegetables. You can use them for floristry, too. ★★★★★★★★
The most delicate pruning tasks should be approached with care and precision. The Fiskars Solid Snip Pruning Micro-Tip SP13 brilliantly meets these needs with its streamlined, lightweight design and sharp, elongated blades. Bundled in with the snips is a protective sheath, which should be put on the blades whenever the pruner is not being used.
Design: The SP13 is a well designed pruner with slightly rough-around-the-edges construction. Using the snips is generally simple and low-effort – although we sometimes had difficulty closing the locking mechanism during our testing. The snips’ blades are sharp along their full length, all the way to the tip. As an old-school scissors-maker might say, they cut “right from pinch to point.”
Performance: The Fiskars snips are sharp, efficient, and effective at cutting tender stems. They’re designed especially for pruning tender stems and deadheading, so it is no surprise that the snips are incapable of cutting tree branches – even very thin ones. When I used the snips as intended, they cut delicate stems and flower heads with great precision. The handles spring back open quite forcefully after each cut.
Versatility: These snips can perform a fairly wide range of tasks – but only at the more delicate end of the pruning spectrum. They will do the job well if you need to precisely prune narrow stems, remove dead flowerheads, or cut stems for indoor display. However, a more powerful tool, such as a bypass pruner, will provide a better range of cutting capability for general outdoor pruning. If you have any tree pruning to do, this pruner will not help you do it.
Price: You can’t argue with the pricing of the Fiskars Solid Snip Pruning Micro-Tip SP13. These snips offer great value for money at roughly $30 (depending on the retailer). With that said, you should factor in this tool’s specialized cutting capabilities before you buy. You may need to purchase an additional tool, such as the Fiskars Solid Bypass Pruner P121, for pruning thicker, woodier stems. Of course, the build quality of the snips is also reflected in their price.
Read more: Fiskars Solid Snip Pruning Micro-Tip SP13 review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Great at precisely pruning tender stems. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Design | Brilliant design, but construction is economical. | ★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Limited to the most delicate pruning tasks. | ★★★★★★ |
| Price | A remarkably affordable price point. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
The best pruner for beginners
✅ All-round pruning functionality is your focus: These shears are strong enough to cut fairly thick woody branches and sharp and precise enough for delicate tasks such as deadheading.
✅ You’re new to pruning: This Fiskars pruner has a simple, beginner-friendly design and versatile cutting capabilities.
✅ You value long-term, low-maintenance performance. Thanks to their rust-resistant, hardened steel blades, these shears can sustain high-performance cutting over long-term use.
❌ Very delicate pruning is required: A different Fiskars pruner, the Solid Snip Pruning Micro-Tip SP13, is better suited to this type of work. That said, the P541 is sharp enough to do an okay job cutting thin, fleshy stems.
❌ You like a traditional aesthetic: The P541 bypass pruners' no-frills, utilitarian design will appeal to many users, but for those who appreciate a more traditional look, a Felco pruner would be a better choice.
❌ There are thick branches to prune on your trees: An anvil pruner or lopper may perform better in this specific use case. (Which specific model is best will depend on the thickness of the branches.)
🔎 The Fiskars Solid Bypass Pruner P541 gives you good all-round cutting performance at a refreshingly affordable price. Simple, hard-wearing, and highly functional, this tool is a great choice for beginners who want to start out with a straightforward, versatile pruner. ★★★★★★★★
What you need to know: Finnish toolmaker Fiskars has a history dating back to the 1600s. Relatively recently – in 1967 – the brand produced the world’s first plastic-handled scissors. Today, effective, affordable cutting tools remain a Fiskars specialty, and the P541 Bypass Pruner (known as the Solid Bypass Pruner P121 in the UK) is one great example. These shears suit various pruning tasks, from deadheading to cutting small branches.
Design: A study in simplicity, the P541 shears are robust, minimalistic and functional. It may not be luxurious, but this tool is perfectly suited for convenient pruning, with curved, ergonomic handles that will be especially comfortable for users with small or medium-sized hands. If maintenance is required, the screw between the blades can be removed using a hex key.
Performance: The Fiskars Solid Bypass Pruner P541 is great at pruning slender tree branches up to their maximum cutting width. It takes a bit of effort to cut through the thickest branches within that range – but the P541’s sharp blades will manage it, and can also handle relatively delicate stems. This pruner is an affordable option, so it should come as no surprise that some components – especially the spring and locking mechanism – are slightly flimsy.
Versatility: The P541 bypass pruner offers a fairly good range of cutting capabilities. While these shears will struggle with cutting thicker tree branches, they can tackle most branches and stems up to just under ¾". If you keep the blades sufficiently sharp, the shears should prove capable of cutting thin, fleshy stems without too much chewing. For delicate pruning tasks, you might prefer to use a smaller pruner, such as the Fiskars Solid Snip Pruning Micro-Tip SP13, or a sharper-bladed model, such as the Felco 6.
Price: You’d struggle to find a good-quality, fully-functioning bypass pruner that’s cheaper than the P541. These shears don’t embody the same craftsmanship as a premium pair, but they’ll do most of the pruning work you need them to do extremely well. Why blow your whole yard budget on a pruner, when you could buy the P541 and put the rest of your funds into other items?
Read more: Fiskars Plus Smartfit Bypass Pruner P541 review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Good pruning performance across most routine tasks. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Design | Minimal, modern design, suitable for most hands. | ★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Capable of pruning a good range of woody and tender plants. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Price | Exceptional value-for-money. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
The best anvil pruner
✅ You need a manual pruner to cut tough stems: This anvil pruner combines a sharp top blade with a wide bottom blade to tackle tough tree branches or sinuous stems up to ¾-inch thick.
✅ Long-term use matters to you: German toolmaker Wolf-Garten offers a 10-year guarantee on these well-built pruning shears (subject to warranty conditions).
✅ You already have a bypass pruner for pruning delicate plants: While the RSEN can cut soft stems, it’s not the ideal tool for gentle work. This anvil pruner is a heavy-duty alternative; not an all-round solution.
❌ You have lots of delicate plants to prune: Like other anvil pruners, the RSEN could do a lot of damage to the softest and most tender plants. Of course, the RSEN's aggressive action is better suited to branch-cutting.
❌ Pruning tires out your hands: If there are many plants in your yard, pruning can be a big, time-consuming task. With this in mind, it’s worth noting that using the RSEN for pruning plants (but not cutting branches) requires a little more elbow grease than cutting with some of the other manual pruners we’ve tested.
❌ You’re in a big hurry: It may take a couple of weeks for your Wolf-Garten pruner to arrive, as the shears are often sent to the US from overseas.
🔎 The Wolf-Garten Anvil Pruner RSEN is a specialized option for pruning the toughest plants. This is all thanks to RSEN’s ‘anvil pruner’ design, suitable for cutting sinewy vines and woody branches. The RSEN can also prune juicy stems reasonably well – but gnarly work is this pruner’s true calling. ★★★★★★★★
Some plants with thick stems or lots of tough branches can’t be cut using a bypass pruner. This is where an anvil pruner like the RSEN can help. Anvil pruners a sharp top blade a wide, flat bottom blade – a design that provides enhanced cutting power for heavy-duty pruning. Wolf-Garten’s Anvil Pruner RSEN is an excellent example, with robust construction and a 10-year guarantee. Unlike some anvil pruners, which are made solely for cutting tree branches, the RSEN is sold as a general-purpose anvil pruner, meaning it can be used for cutting soft plants, too.
Design: Wolf-Garten has a knack for making smart, timeless-looking garden tools – and the RSEN anvil pruner is no exception. The design is effective and attractive, with some nicely implemented features, including a metal locking button. The blades have a non-stick coating, which will help to keep the pruner clean – especially if you’re going to use it to cut sappy branches. Of course, the star of the show is the RSEN's anvil-style pruning blades, perfect for pruning tough branches. Weighing in at just 8 oz, this pruner is impressively lightweight relative to the cutting force generated. The shears have an ambidextrous design, allowing optimal usage, whether you're right- or left-handed.
Performance: During my hands-on testing, the RSEN chomped through tough tree branches better than any other manual pruner could, requiring limited extra effort to sever the wood. Its flat bottom blade holds the branch steady while you cut. The RSEN anvil pruner was capable of cutting tree branches with a wide range of thicknesses, right up towards the higher end of its cutting capacity. The cuts produced were clean and regular, which is good for tree health. I was also pleasantly surprised with the RSEN’s performance when cutting tender stems, which was neater than the average anvil pruner.
Versatility: Anvil pruners are unsuitable for delicate work, such as deadheading flowering plants. Although the Wolf-Garten Anvil Pruner RSEN is more precise than many competing anvil pruners, it’s better at cutting thicker, tougher stems. The RSEN does its main job – heavy-duty work – very well. It also has the versatility to do some lighter tasks to an acceptable level. All things considered, we rate the RSEN as a good general-purpose pruner with excellent capabilities for cutting slender tree branches.
Price: You can pick up an RSEN anvil pruner from stockists such as Amazon for a very reasonable price. We wouldn’t necessarily recommend buying the RSEN as your only pruner. However, if you have the budget for two pruners – this one and a bypass pruner – then you could keep both pairs working optimally for longer by using the RSEN only for heavy-duty pruning while reserving the bypass pruner for delicate tasks. Considering its low price, we thought this pruner offered exceptionally good build quality and performance.
Read more: Wolf-Garten Anvil Pruner RSEN review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Great at cutting tough stems and branches. | ★★★★★★★★★★ |
| Design | Good functionality and a smart aesthetic. | ★★★★★★★★ |
| Versatility | Best at tough jobs, although capable of finer work. | ★★★★★★ |
| Price | Brilliantly priced and built to last. | ★★★★★★★★ |
How to choose the best pruner for you
When considering how to choose pruning shears, there are a few things that will need to be factored in to your thought process.
All-round pruning capability: A bypass pruner will likely be your best choice if you're buying just one pruner to cover most pruning tasks around your yard and home. Named for their blade action, with one blade passing by the other, these traditional pruners are usually suitable for a range of pruning tasks, including deadheading, cutting tender stems, and sometimes pruning narrow tree branches.
Specialized pruning: Other pruners are available to suit particular pruning types that may not be catered for with a bypass pruner. Mini chainsaws can prune larger branches, while pole loppers are used to cut well above head height. Snips enable delicate cutting of the smallest stems and flowers at the smaller end of the scale. Meanwhile, anvil pruners are great at cutting tough sinews or woody branches.
Quality: Just how good do you need your pruners to be? A wide range of price points is available, and the same is true of the level of quality in pruner design and construction. For a luxurious, long-term solution, premium brands such as Felco can provide the required standards. Or, if affordability is the focus, a reasonably priced make such as Fiskars could be your best bet.
What type of pruner is best for you?
As reflected in the wide range of tools featured in this guide, there are various pruners. Each variety has been created for specific purposes, so it's worth considering which option will best suit your yard's needs.
Bypass pruners are a classic style of manual pruning shears with sharp blades that cut materials when they pass against each other. They have great all-round pruning capabilities, from light pruning tasks such as deadheading and removing dead flower heads to slightly heavier work, including cutting thin, woody branches.
Anvil pruners are similar to bypass pruners, but they have a flat bottom blade that crushes plant matter while the top blade slices through it. This type of pruner is especially well-suited to cutting fairly thick tree branches or slicing through sinuous stems.
Pruning snips are a smaller style of manual pruning shears with sharp, accurate blades ideal for making neat cuts. They are not suitable for cutting tree branches or tough stems.
Mini chainsaws are a high-powered option for pruning tree branches. Like a full-size chainsaw, this tool cuts plant matter using a rapidly revolving metal chain. You would not want a mini chainsaw to prune soft or juicy plants.
Pole loppers help the user prune high-up tree branches. Their clever design incorporates trigger-activated, electric pruning jaws and a long pole to increase reach.
How we tested these pruners
How we test the best pruning shears
I received a sample unit of each pruner featured in this guide, and used each tool to carry out an appropriate range of tasks in my yard.
The tests included cutting tree branches of varying widths (up to the advertised cutting capacity), deadheading flowers and cutting through juicy plant stems.
In addition to assessing their cutting performance, I compared the pruners based on other criteria including how much effort was required to use them, how comfortable they were to hold, and the effectiveness of extra features such as opening width selectors and lock buttons.
Some of the pruners have specialized functions, such as cutting high-up tree branches (in the case of pole loppers) or very delicate pruning (in the case of snips). In these cases, my testing was focused mainly on these tools' special intended use cases.
I then consolidate all of my tests and score each pruning shear out of 10 (10 being the highest). This new scoring system ensures more accuracy and consistency across our testing criteria. It's then over to you to decide which is the best pruner for you based on my first-hand experience.
Read more about how we test.
Pruners FAQs
What is a pruner used for?
A pruner is a versatile tool to use around the yard. Their primary purpose is to remove damaged, diseased, or dead stems and branches from plants. Smaller pruners, such as "pruning snips," are perfect for snipping more delicate flowers, whereas "anvil" pruners are more suited to cutting back woody stems and branches.
By removing this matter, you'll avoid unwanted insects and diseases, so it's important to keep checking the foliage throughout the seasons to maintain healthy growth.
Are pruners the same as secateurs?
In short, yes. Depending on where you are, "hand pruners" is a term used in America, whereas "secateurs" is a British word. You can use both scissors with one hand to cut back plants and gently tame shrubs and trees.
What is the difference between garden shears and pruning shears?
The main difference between the two is their physical size. Garden shears are smaller and easier to hold, so they are ideal for cutting foliage at a low level, such as grass. While some pruning shears, on the other hand, can be held comfortably in one hand, others can be longer in length to make them suitable for trimming back trees with low and/or new branches.
This difference in size means that you'll need to consider where you plan on storing the shears since the longer-length pruning shears may not be able to fold down.
When is a good time to buy a pruner?
As with many yard tools, pruners often become more heavily discounted around the time of big sales events such as Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. While these sales events are generally classed as being out of season, it'll mean that you won't be able to try your new set of shears until Spring next year - but you'll be ready for it.
You can expect to see bypass and anvil pruners as well as mini chainsaws discounted by up to 40% during the holidays. You will need to be quick to add to cart though since it's a popular time of the year to shop.a
