The Best Pruning Tools

Pruning is a requirement in most gardens, and the right pruning tool makes the job much easier. We divide pruning tools into 5 types and we list our favorite for each type below. The five different types of pruners we use are:

  1. Flower pruner - for trimming flowers, harvesting fruit, light pruning
  2. Hand pruner - for medium duty pruning
  3. Average Duty Loppers - for material up to 1.5" thick
  4. Heavy Duty Loppers - for material up to 2" thick
  5. Pole Pruner - for pruning trees
  6. Powered Hedge Trimmers - we require one for ornamental grasses. Learn more below.

We have tried countless pruning tools through the years, and this is our review of the best pruning tools.

Best Flower and Fruit Pruner

Flower and Fruit Pruners

Best Bypass Hand Pruner

Bypass Hand Pruner

Best Average Duty Lopper

Our-Favorite-Lopper

Best Heavy Duty Lopper

Our-Favorite-Heavy-Duty-Pruning-Lopper

Best Pole Saw

Our-Favorite-Pole-Saw

The Best Flower and Fruit Pruner

Our-Favorite-Needle-Nose-Flower-and-Fruit-Clippers

ARS Needle Nose Flower and Fruit Pruners (Model HP-300L)

In our garden flower and fruit pruners are the light duty pruning shears we use to deadhead flowers, harvest fruit or flowers, lightly prune woody plants, cut back soft stemmed plants and more! We don't use them as much overall as our bypass pruners, but we use them frequently and consider them an important garden tool. ARS - a Japanese-based company has been make high a full line quality pruning sheers that are well respected in the gardening and growing communities. The Needle Nose Flower and Fruit Pruner is our favorite light duty pruning tool.

 

Why We Like These Flower & Fruit Pruners So Much

  1. Easily and quickly cuts off dead flowers
  2. Cuts soft stem plants cleanly and quickly
  3. Cuts woody stems, we use for light duty, typically new wood pruning although it will handle more.
  4. Cuts fruit and vegetables from the plant easily and cleanly.
  5. Easy to use over a long period of time - comfortable in the hand with a smooth, repeatable cutting action.
  6. Well made - will last a very long time.
  7. Our blade has stayed sharp for years, but again we restrict this tool to light duty pruning.
Best-Vegetable-Harvesting-Tools

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Specifications For This Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Pruner

  • Needle-nose design for easier fruit and vegetable harvesting. Easily fits into tight spaces.
  • Extremely durable all metal construction.
  • Top quality spring makes repeated snipping a breeze.
  • Strap securely holds the pruner closed.
  • Bright red ergonomic handles fit's average hand size women and men very well. 
  • 8 x 2 x 1 inches.
  • 2.88 ounces

The Best Bypass Hand Pruner

Best-Hand-Pruner

ARS Heavy-Duty Hand Pruner (Model # HP-VS7XZ)

Also known as a bypass pruner

In our garden bypass hand pruners are the most used pruning tool. We gown a lot of woody ornamental plants and yearly pruning is often required to keep plants in check. These ARS bypass pruners are the perfect tool. They are sharp (and the blade is replaceable). They slice through woody stems up to 3/4" thick with ease. You just squeeze the handles and the pruner opens from it's locked position.

 

Why We Like These Bypass Pruners So Much

  1. Great for woody ornamental pruning - which we do a lot of. Woody ornamentals are plants that produce woody(not soft) stems (Maples, Viburnum, Hibiscus, deciduous trees, Spruce, Pine and many other plants).
  2. Sharp blades. We have cut branches over 1" thick in a pinch (too lazy to go to the barn and get the loppers we like). Ideal for branches 3/4" thick or less. Anything bigger we use these loppers.
  3. We like the locking mechanism. Squeeze the handles and the blades pop open, close the blades and slide the latch to securely close. Simple and effective.
  4. Solidly built with replacement blades available.
  5. An excellent heavy duty hand pruner.

Specifications For This ARS Bypass Pruner

  • 7" pruner for smaller hands
  • Squeeze to open handles
  • Top quality blades for the longest lasting sharpness
  • Superior durability for continued professional use
  • Special locking plate to keep the center bolt at the optimal torque
  • This is an aftermarket of generic part

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The Best Average Duty Bypass Lopper

The-Best-Pruning-Lopper

Corona SL 3264 Lopper, 30"

Also known as a bypass lopper

We rank this as our best pruning lopper. It is excellent for average duty pruning (cuts up to 1.5" thick stems). In our landscape there are a fair number of low hanging trees (maples) that need pruning and numerous woody shrubs that need pruning (viburnum, privet, elderberry, red-twig-dogwood) that need pruning. The Corona 30" Lopper is a workhorse for average duty pruning (for stems up to 2" thick we use the Corona Compound Action Anvil Pruner detailed below). The 30" handle gives you excellent reach into shrubs. The blade is razor sharp, the handles are comfortable. It is a straight-forward, excellent pruning lopper.

Why We Like These Loppers So Much

  1. Great for woody ornamental pruning and modest size trees branch pruning. Also cleanly cuts larger or thicker perennial stems after the season.
  2. 30" handle gives you plenty of reach up for low hanging tree branches, and into thick shrubs.
  3. Razor sharp blade - be careful.
  4. Comfortable hand grips.
  5. An excellent average duty hand pruning lopper.

Specifications For The Corona SL 3264 30" Lopper

  • The specially coated non-stick blades helps assure maximum sharpness.
  • The Comfort GEL soft grips, are designed for maximum comfort, fit and control.
  • There are Integrated Shock-Guard bumpers near the blade that reduce strain and fatigue.
  • Enhanced cutting performance with Dual Arc blade design. 1-1/2-inch cutting capacity
  • 25-inch extra strength, trapezoidal steel handles
  • 3.3 pounds

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The Best Heavy Duty Bypass Lopper

The-Best-Heavy-Duty-Pruning-Lopper

Tabor Tools GG12 Compound Action Anvil Lopper 

Also known as a bypass lopper

  • Cuts through 2" branches with ease. This is a professional grade lopper that makes cutting much easier by using extra leverage and compound action.
  • Hardened Steel Blade will stay sharp for a long time and can be sharpened. Low-friction non-stick coated gliding blade allows you to cleanly and easily prune up to 2" woody stems and branches.
  • Comfortable, rubberized grips
  • 30” model includes 22" inch handles - allowing you to reach up or into shrubs and trees. Great reach and real power when you get there.

Why We Like These Heavy-Duty Loppers So Much

  1. We have low hanging Maples and specimen Privet - both of which I use this heavy duty lopper for. I rate it best in class for it's ability to cut up to 2" thick material. The leverage you get with 22" handles and 30" overall length is great. Privet can be really hard to cut - especially 2". This Tabor Tools Heavy Duty garden lopper does a great job on my Privet and in my garden.
  2. Very well constructed and replacement blades available if needed. I will have this heavy duty lopper for a very long time.

Specifications For The Tabor Tools GG12 Heavy Duty Lopper

  • Hardened steel blade
  • 22" handles fiberglass, 30" overall length
  • Compound action, anvil style cutting head - makes clean cuts with less effort.
  • Soft grip handles
  • Replacement blade available
  • 3.68 pounds

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The Best Pole Saw

The-Best-Pole-Pruner

Notch 40207 Pole Saw

When we have to reach further up in our trees (a yearly task) to prune we use a pole saw. We prefer a dedicated saw only pole saw, not a combination saw and blade pruner with rope handle. The rope on a combination pole saw becomes a pain in the neck in densely packed trees like Mulberry, Privet, palmatum Japanese Maple). We have settled in on the Notch 40207 as our favorite manual pole saw. We like that the handle is not telescoping - that it comes in 3 - 6' sections so we can easily adjust to what we are reaching for. The sectional fiberglass handles have a stronger feel than the typical telescoping handle. This is a great tool that does what it was made for and does it very well.

Why We Like This Pole Saw So Much

  1. Heavy, super sharp blade easily cuts through the toughest branches.
  2. We like that we can easily adjust height by simply adding another of the 6' poles. Most of our work is done with just one pole and the handle and blade are less wobbly and flexible than other handles - which is good. Feels solid when you are cutting.
  3. No rope cutting blade - nothing to get tangled or stuck in branches.
  4. Strongly recommended by arborists from a number of different sources and we agree - this is an excellent pole saw.

Specifications For The Notch 4027 Pole Saw

  • 15 inch, heavy duty, double thick, chrome plated blade.
  • Comes with 3 - 6 foot long handles - making total reach approximately 18 feet. Handles are fiberglass and 1.5" in diameter.
  • Gets strong recommendations from arborists.
  • The hook on saw head helps pull down loose limbs.