You’ll need the right tools to do specific jobs when working out in your garden or flower bed. When it comes to pruning, you really want to ensure you have the tools you need to make precise cuts.
We’ve compiled a list of the ten best pruning shears to clip and trim your way to a perfectly manicured garden space.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Felco Ergonomic Hand Pruner
Budget Pruning Sheers:
Fiskars Softgrip Bypass Pruner
Best Electric:
Sun Joe Cordless Rechargeable Power Pruner
Best Overall
Felco Ergonomic Hand Pruner
These lightweight and ergonomically designed pruners had to be the best overall in this category for many reasons. They are lightweight and shaped to extend your forearm, making them simple to grip and cut.
The blades are carbon-coated steel and can withstand whatever you throw at them. It has a one-inch cutting capacity with adjustable blades.
Perfect for everyday pruning or even larger projects. This is the one-stop shop for garden pruning shears that will last you years to come.
Pros
- Ergonomic Design
- Carbon Steel Blades
- Cushioned Handles
Cons
- Anvil Design can Sometimes Crush Smaller Pruning Plants
Budget Pruning Shears
Fiskars Softgrip Bypass Pruner
You need the Fiskars Bypass Pruner if you’re looking for the best pruning shears without breaking the bank. These are one powerful pruner for the price, perfect for everyday garden and landscape pruning of shrubs and bushes. The sharpness of the blade makes for a clean cut without damaging the plants.
An angled cutting head decreases fatigue while cutting, making them a very comfortable pruning shear.
Pros
- Economic Design Creates Less Fatigue
- Non-Slip Handles
- Budget-Friendly
Cons
- Don’t Last Very Long
- Blade Dulls Quickly
Best Electric
Sun Joe Cordless Rechargeable Power Pruner
If you are not afraid to spend some of your hard-earned cash on one of the best pruning shears you can buy, you must look into an electric power pruner. Another reason you may want this is if you have a ton of pruning to do. Pruning by hand can take hours, and you’ll get tired from all that trimming.
This powerful pruner can trim branches, green stems, and stems in seconds flat while maintaining battery charge for up to seven hundred cuts. But don’t worry if you lose battery life while cutting; you can fully charge this battery in about an hour.
Pros
- Strong Steel Blades
- Long Battery Life
- No Cutting Fatigue
- Best for Large Projects
- Durable
Cons
- Battery can run out During Large Projects
- Can Overheat
Best Ergonomic
Fiskars PowerGear2 Ultrablade Pruner
When looking for the most comfortable pruning shears, these Fiskars shears have you covered. With the new power gear technology, you can power through all your garden pruning in a flash and as comfortably as ever.
Cuts easily through branches up to three-quarters of an inch thick with specialty-coated steel blades that dull five times slower than the average pruning shears.
Pros
- Comfortable hold
- Easy to use
- High quality
Cons
- Grip can get uncomfortable
- Small cutting capacity
Best Compound Pruning Shears
Corona BP 4314D DualLINK ComfortGEL Bypass Hand Pruner
These compound pruning shears are perfect for making a lot of quick and repetitive cuts. Full steel construction makes these pruners last forever and keep their strength over time.
With an improved lock design and a comfortable non-slip grip, these are safe to use and comfortable, so you can prune until you can’t prune anymore.
Pros
- All Steel Construction
- Sharp Blade
- Improved Locking Mechanism
- Non-Slip Grip
Cons
- Not Great for Those With Large Hands
Ratcheting Pruners
Florian Ratchet-Cut Anvil Hand Pruners
The Florian is the best you can get if you’re looking to purchase a ratchet-style pruning shear. With stunning reviews, people are getting years of use from these pruners.
The steel blades will cut through half-inch branches like butter making your job much easier. These shears are also incredibly lightweight, making cutting a breeze.
Pros
- Lightweight Steel Design
- Sharp Blades
Cons
- Hard to Hold
- No Grip on Handles
Best Adjustable
Grüntek Pruning Shears
If you want more options when pruning in the garden or yard, looking for an adjustable pruning shear is best. The Grüntek brand has the best available.
With forged titanium-covered steel, these pruners are bound to last season after season of wear and tear. They are also made to fit comfortably in your hand, so you can use them without feeling any fatigue because of the built-in buffers and shock absorbers.
You can adjust the blade width to up to three-quarters of an inch to work on larger projects or smaller to work on more delicate plants and flowers, making this a one-stop purchase.
Pros
- Adjustable
- Comfortable
- Strong/ Built to Last
Cons
- Weak Locking Mechanism
- Handles Fall Apart After Time
Best Left-Handed
Felco 10 Bypass Pruner
Left-handed people rejoice! There is a fantastic pruning shear made just for you. The Felco 10 is ergonomically designed for lefties, making pruning around the yard much more accessible.
Felco is known for using the best materials for all its tools, so you know you will have them for years when you purchase one of these pruning shears. A few of the perks of owning one of the best pruning shears are steel blades, cushioned handles, and shock-absorbing mechanisms.
Pros
- Cushioned Handles
- Shock Absorbing
Cons
- Pricy
- May Rust Over Time
Best for Flowers
Fiskars non-Stick Softgrip Micro-Tip Pruning Snippers
If you’re looking for the best pruning shears for your flower garden, these Fiskars Snippers are the only tool you need.
Unlike some of the other pruning shears listed here, these snippets are delicate enough not to crunch the fine stems of flowers. The plant itself can be harmed when the branches are put under too much pressure, ripped, or torn.
These pruners won’t harm your flowers or your hands. With an ergonomic design and steel blades, it’s a breeze to prune all of your flowers in one afternoon.
Pros
- Won’t Harm Delicate Flowers
- Inexpensive
- Durable
- Comfortable to Hold
Cons
- Won’t Cut Large Stems or Branches
Best Straight Blade
Tabor Tools K77A Straight Pruning Shears
Straight-blade pruning shears are great to have around the garden. Like small snippers, a straight-blade pruning shear is perfect for flower pruning, herb cutting, and harvesting vegetables.
With a stainless steel design, non-slip handles, and a shock-absorbing spring, you will be on your way to pruning in no time. These are incredibly comfortable in hand and are perfect when wanting to reach into larger bundles and bushels for trimming.
Pros
- Stainless Steel Design
- Durable
- Long Reach
- Non-Slip Handles
Cons
- Won’t Cut Through Large Stems
What are Pruning Shears?
The basic definition of pruning shears is a specific type of scissor used for plants of all types. They are strong enough to cut through thicker branches and stems easily but are also sharp enough to allow you to trim the delicate leaves of rose bushes and other delicate ornamentals.
When traveling to your nearest garden center or even perusing online marketplaces, you’ll notice the sheer amount of different styles, types, and handles of pruners which we’ll discuss further.
Different Types of Pruning Shears
There are three main types of pruning shears you are bound to see. Listed below are the types to look for when wanting to complete specific tasks outside the home.
Bypass
Bypass pruning shears are the most popular shears on the market today. They are typically made of two stainless steel blades to pass next to, not on top of. One blade holds the stem while the other does the slicing.
Anvil
Anvil pruning shears consist of only one blade, which slices through the stem or branch while being stopped by the anvil (the bottom plate of the pruner). Anvil pruners are not as popular because they can damage and crush some of the plant fibers of less dense and robust foliage, unlike bypass pruners.
Ratchet
Ratchet pruners are similar to anvil pruners, where only one blade cuts but in stages. An interior device allows you to keep making smaller cuts without opening the blade to easily cut through larger branches and materials by squeezing the handles.
Ratchet pruners are useful with small trees and bushes since they can easily slice through these branches, but they wouldn’t be the best when cleaning up your rose bushes, for example.
How to Choose the Best Pruning Shears
The best way to choose the best pruning shears is to know precisely what you’ll use them for. As mentioned, depending on the type of pruning that needs to be accomplished, you may need a different kind of pruning shear than the most popular one.
Size
Pruning shears come in various sizes, and this is really due to how you would be using them. The smaller bypass pruning shears are great for cleaning up rose plants or clipping tomato vines, whereas a ratchet pruner is better for larger branches and bushes.
Ease of use
One of the best perks about picking out garden shears is that they are all straightforward. Unlike some other gardening tools, there is no learning curve to these, making them a number one tool needed for any gardening.
Ergonomic Design
With so many pruners on the market, finding a design that will fit you like a glove is easy. No matter what type of pruning shear you are looking into, there is bound to be an ergonomic design to work comfortably for you.
Safety Features
Many of the pruning shears available today will have a locking mechanism that has to be released before the blades themselves can come apart. This is great in case they are dropped or grabbed by smaller hands that may be wandering around your garden.
Blade Material
Two types of materials make up the typical pruning shears: stainless steel and carbon steel. Both are solid metals used for a lot of standard household tools.
You really cannot go wrong with either one of these metals. Some may have a mixture of both, but either type is a great pick when shopping around.
Spring Mechanism
Going back to ease of use, the spring mechanism of pruning shears makes them so incredibly easy to use. Even cutting through larger branches feels so simple because of the springs guiding the blade through.
Of course, different companies handle their spring mechanisms differently. They may look slightly different, but they are all there for the same purpose.
Handles
When purchasing pruning shears, you must ensure the handles work with your hands. Most handles have an ergonomic design allowing for maximum comfort, but some have different padding and shapes.
Wrapping up the 10 Best Pruning Shears
There is much vital information to consider when looking for the best pruning shears.
Make sure to know what type of pruning shears are best for your needs: bypass, anvil, or ratchet. It’s also essential to consider the size, materials, ergonomic design, safety features, and more.
With our list of the 10 best pruning shears, you’re well on the way to making an informed decision about purchasing your new ones.
But there’s lots more to know about pruning the plants in your garden. Visit our Pruning page to learn about the tools used for your yard’s pruning jobs this season.
- About the Author
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Lauren has three main passions: her family, writing, and gardening! Lauren has spent countless hours in her garden tending to different plants, whether those be beautiful flowers, vegetables, or different perennials.
Rest assured that if it concerns plants and gardens, Lauren has got you covered. So, when needing advice or looking for the best new gardening gadget, you have come to the right place and the right author.