Using the right pruning tool makes every task easier and helps prevent unnecessary damage to your plants. Different tools are designed for different jobs, from cutting thin flower stems and shaping topiary to trimming hedges and removing large tree branches. Using the correct tool for the job also protects your plants – and your tools – from damage.
When choosing a pruning tool, consider the thickness of the branch or stem and whether you need additional reach. Comfortable ergonomic grips, cushioned handles and replaceable blades are also worth looking for.
Below, we look at six common pruning jobs and the best tools for each.
Cutting small stems and flowers
Cutting thicker stems and branches
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Cutting large numbers of stems or branches
Best Pruning Tools for Small Stems and Flowers
A strong, dependable pair of pruning shears is likely to become a go-to pruning tool, as they are suited to a wide range of tasks. From deadheading summer flowers to cutting back shrubs and trimming perennial plants, pruning shears are very versatile indeed.
Pruning shears, or secateurs, are suitable for all manner of routine garden pruning, for any tasks where you are cutting stems up to half an inch wide – though some can cut stems up to ¾ inch.
Pruning shears do come in two types: anvil and bypass. For most general pruning, choose bypass when you buy pruners. They make clean cuts on live wood, while anvil pruners are suited to cutting dead wood and can damage live stems.
For the most delicate pruning jobs, like cutting flowers, deadheading, harvesting herbs, and picking crops, you can get micro-tip pruning shears with long, straight blades. They can get into tight spaces, but only have a maximum cutting width of less than 10mm.
Felco F2 pruning shears are a professional-grade tool with a forged aluminum handle and hardened steel blade. They can cut stems up to 25mm.
These bypass pruning shears have a precision-ground steel blade that can be used to cut stems and light branches up to 5/8" in diameter.
These lightweight, precise pruning shears have straight blades made from SK5 Japanese carbon steel. They are ideal for trimming flowers and harvesting vegetables.
Best Pruning Tools for Thicker Stems and Branches
For thicker, older stems of shrubs, climbers, and trees that are too large for pruning shears, the best pruning tool for the job is a pair of loppers.
Loppers are essential gardening tools that cut similarly to pruning shears, but they have long handles and you grip them with both hands – which ramps up their cutting power. They are ideal for stems between ¾ and 2.5 inches.
The long handles of loppers allow you to reach difficult places, such as into the center of a thick shrub to remove older stems. Gardeners can also get extendable, or telescopic, loppers that are perfect for pruning taller shrubs and trees without needing to work off a ladder.
Like with pruning shears, you get both anvil and bypass loppers. Bypass loppers are the best pruning tools for trimming roses, hydrangeas, or other shrubs with green growth, while anvil loppers are suited for dead wood.
You also get ratchet loppers, which tend to have anvil-style cutting blades and have a built-in gear to increase your cutting power for stems over two inches thick. Again, these are best for thick dead stems and branches rather than live wood.
Scotts 21 in. Bypass Lopper
This pair of 21-inch bypass loppers has a carbon steel blade and ergonomic non-slip grips. It has a 1.5-inch cutting capacity.
A pair of 32-inch bypass loppers with a steel blade and PowerGear2 technology that multiplies leverage. It can cut stems up to two inches thick.
A pair of adjustable loppers that extend from 28-in to 35-in to cut stems or branches up to 1-1/2-in diameter. It has soft ergonomic grips and shock guard bumpers.
Best Pruning Tools for Large Tree Branches
For branches that are too thick for loppers, the best pruning tool is a pruning saw. There are different types of pruning saws to choose from
A manual pruning saw is a lightweight, single-bladed tool with either straight or curved blades that can cut branches between two and four inches thick.
Shorter-bladed examples tend to fold, with the blade stored in the handle, while longer pruning saws come with a protective sheath. A general guideline is that the longer the blade, the thicker the wood it can cut.
However, a pruning saw with a shorter blade is ideal for pruning in tighter areas, and the folding blade offers better safety when climbing up and down a ladder to prune trees.
Powered pruning saws are more powerful than manual ones and can cut branches up to six inches thick. These tools definitely require protective items like goggles and gloves for safety.
These can be vital winter pruning tools for bigger jobs like old, established shrubs and trees, but they do mean an added investment compared to manual pruning saws.
A folding pruning saw with an 11-inch SK-5 steel blade for pruning thick stems and branches. It is lightweight and compact for any tool bag.
A curbed pruning saw with a 14-inch blade made of Japanese SK5 steel with high carbon content. It has six teeth per inch for fast, efficient cutting.
A 20V cordless pruning saw that can cut thick limbs up to 5 inches. It weighs only 3.49 lbs. with the battery, which is included with a charger.
Best Pruning Tools for High Branches
When faced with a need to prune high branches, safety is paramount. The best pruning tools for this task are pole pruners that allow you to tackle the job from the ground. These tools remove the need to climb ladders or stretch awkwardly (and dangerously) when pruning tree branches.
With a lightweight telescopic pole pruner, you can stay on the floor and comfortably reach branches in tall shrubs or trees.
There are different types of pole pruners. Some have a pruning blade mounted on the end of an adjustable pole, while others have a bypass-style cutting blade that you engage with a sliding mechanism or a rope. You can also get pole pruners that have both types of cutting heads.
Alternatively, you can get electric pole pruners that are cordless or corded. These can be heavier to handle and are more expensive, but can make cutting jobs quicker and easier.
When buying a pole pruner, compare different lengths and cutting options to see which you feel most comfortable with and what works best for your yard.
A pole pruner that extends from 7.9 to 12 feet and has the option of a pruning saw attachment or steel blade cutting head.
6.5ft Pole Saw
An extendable pruning saw that can be adjusted from 2 to 6.5 feet and has a three-sided sharpened blade - which can be removed and used as a pruning saw.
24-volt Steel Pole Pruner
A set of powered pruners with a removable extension pole with a cutting capacity of 1 ¼ inches. It can make over 1,000 cuts on a full charge. Battery sold separately.
Best Pruning Tools for Hedges
The best pruning tools for hedges fall into two categories, namely manual hedge shears or mechanical hedge trimmers. What works best depends on the type and size of the hedge, and both come in different blade lengths suited for different styles.
Hedge shears are manual pruning tools you use two-handed like scissors to slice through the greenery of hedges, shrubs, or perennials.
Shorter-bladed hedge shears are good for small hedges, or low hedging in formal gardens, while longer blades are better for cutting larger hedges quickly. You can find hedge shears with straight or wavy blades and ones with extendable handles.
Hedge trimmers are the quickest option for pruning hedges. They can be corded or cordless (you can get petrol-powered ones, but it is better to stick to electric power) and have blades ranging from 12 to 20 inches.
Longer blades cut larger hedges quicker, and they make light work of denser hedging plants, but they are heavier and require more confidence to use. Shorter blades are perfect for small gardens and inexperienced gardeners, thanks to their closer control. Consider what works best for you and your garden when buying a hedge trimmer.
These steel hedge shears are sharp, lightweight, and comfortable. They have soft grips and squishy bumpers reduce the impact. Plus every part is replaceable.
A pair of hedge shears with precision-ground steel blades and Power-Lever technology. They extend from 25 inches to 33 inches for trimming larger hedges.
A 40V hedge trimmer with 24" blades and a 1" cut capacity. It can trim for over 45 minutes on a full charge and comes with a battery and charger.
Hedge shears are built for cutting large swathes of foliage quickly, whereas topiary shears are designed for more detailed and precise work.
If you have any topiary that is clipped into neat balls, cones, spirals, or other intricate shapes, you want shears that offer control. Topiary shears are lightweight tools that have long, narrow blades for precise cutting and shorter handles for greater control.
There are one-handed and two-handed topiary shears. The latter are similar to hedge shears, but more compact. One-handed topiary shears are spring-mounted and smoothly bounce back open after each squeeze. They are good for intricate topiary plants, but do take a bit of getting used to if you’ve never used such one-handed pruning tools before.
Spear & Jackson Topiary Shears
These spring-operated topiary shears have sharp, 6.5 inch high carbon steel blades and soft-grip, ergonomically designed handles.
A pair of clippers with 6-inch strong steel blades and comfortable coated plastic handles. They have an overall length of 13.5 inches.
These Japanese garden clippers are perfect for precise trimming. They have high-quality Japanese steel blades and comfortable oak handles.
Best Pruning Tools for Lots of Repetitive Cutting
If you regularly do a lot of pruning, powered pruners or electric pruning shears offer a way to trim for long periods with less physical effort. These pruning tools offer a fast way to cut large numbers of stems or small branches by just pulling a trigger and letting the powered mechanism do the work.
It requires less effort than manual pruning shears. You can happily prune for many hours without experiencing the hand or wrist fatigue you may usually get from repetitively squeezing the handles of manual tools together.
If you have a large garden and do lots of pruning of shrubs and trees, a powered pruner can help you work quickly and efficiently. Powered pruners are also ideal for gardeners who struggle with grip strength or suffer from arthritis.
Battery-powered pruners are the best option as they can be used across the garden without any need for trailing wires. The downside to powered pruners is that they are more expensive, heavier than manual pruning shears, and need to be used carefully due to their powerful cutting mechanism.
This cordless pruning shear weighs just 2 lbs and can cut stems and branches up to 1.4". It comes with two rechargeable batteries that deliver 2000+ cuts per charge.
This cordless pruner has a one-inch cut capacity. It can make one cut per second and up to 900 cuts per charge. It comes with an 1.5Ah battery and charger.
These powered pruners cut up to 1-1/4 in. branches. You can lock the blades into half that capacity to speed up pruning by 40%. It makes up to 1,000 cuts per charge.
All the best pruning tools work better and last the longest thanks to maintenance. Our guide to cleaning and sharpening pruning shears contains all the information you need to look after your tools. Giving your tools some regular TLC will make pruning easier, and your plants will benefit as they’ll make clean cuts rather than crush or tear stems.
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