Gardening is a fun and relaxing way to enjoy flowers and plants around your home. However, they take some work to maintain. Using tools like pruning shears will help to keep your plants in their best form. The best pruning shears make it easy to trim and shape your greenery. When choosing pruning shears, think about where you want to use them. Consider how thick the branch is you’ll be cutting. It’s also important that your pruning shears are comfortable in your hands, with a solid grip.
By the way, did you know gardening can help reduce the risk of cancer, boost mental health and bring communities together? According to a recent study, the positive elements of gardening can ease stress and anxiety, increase fiber intake, and lower the risk of various illnesses.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder studied a group of 291 non-gardening adults with an average age of 41 from the Denver area. Half of the participants were assigned to a community gardening group, and the other half were put in a control group that was asked to wait one year to start gardening. The community gardening group ended up eating an average of 1.4 grams more fiber per day than the control group. That’s a 7% increase. The gardening group was also more physically active, by about 42 minutes per week. Plus, their stress and anxiety levels decreased too.
So, if you’re looking to trim your greenery, but aren’t sure which pruning shears are right for the job, StudyFinds can help! We’ve put together a list of the top five best pruning shears to help you in the garden, from ten expert websites. As always, we’d like to see your own recommendations in the comments below!
The List: Best Pruning Shears, According to Experts
1. Felco F2 Pruning Shears
These classic pruning shears by Felco are a solid pick for gardening projects. “The high-quality hardened anvil steel blades allow for easy and precise cuts, but they’re also great for lighter applications and can be used to cut delicate, thinner plants,” according to Garden Betty.
The Spruce praises “the ergonomic design, as well as the red, rubbery covers that provide a secure grip while adding a cushioning feel—no hand pain here even after a lengthy session in the garden.”
USA Today crowns these ‘Best Overall’, adding “you can cut down the last year’s growth on your yew hedge, trim your roses, give them a quick clean, and then snip a few basil leaves to pretty up your plate of spaghetti. All of your cuts will be clean and straight, with no crushed or mangled stems or half-cut branches.”
One drawback is the price. They are expensive. However, they’re built to last.
2. Okatsune 103 Bypass Pruners
“If you’re looking for a Felco alternative at a lower price, these Japanese-made Okatsune Bypass Pruners could be an option. This pair features hardened steel blades that are able to make clean cuts on most branches and twigs, and a lean profile that won’t feel bulky in your back pocket,” according to Better Homes & Gardens.
How durable are the blades? Tom’s Guide notes, “after over 100 cuts of wood up to an inch thick, it was able to cut paper like it was a new pair of scissors.”
“There’s less cushioning in the handles, so the experience of pruning feels precise, clean and direct. The practical, flickable open-close latch mechanism is so simple to use that even a gloved Neanderthal wouldn’t struggle with it,” suggests The Telegraph.
3. Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears
This well-known brand’s affordable pruning shears score high marks from reviewers. Bob Vila notes, they “feature a precision-ground steel cutting blade that stays super sharp, even with frequent use, and it comes with a low-friction coating to cut through stems easily and resist gumming up the blade with sap and debris.”
Garden Gate Magazine points out, “the ergonomic structure allows you to hold the handles comfortably and use the shear for longer hours without getting fatigued. Plus, the stainless steel blades are sharp and hardened for accurate cutting, trimming, and snipping.”
USA Today spotlights Fiskars Softgrip Bypass Pruner adding, “the thick, rubberized top handle and thumb grip makes it easy to keep hold of these pruners in slippery circumstances.” Keep in mind, these might not be as durable long-term. But for the price, you really can’t go wrong.
4. Felco F6 Pruning Shears
Felco earns a second entry on our list, with its F6 Pruning Shears. Your Best Digs calls these ‘Best for Small Hands’, suggesting the “smaller-sized handles make maneuvering the pruners through tough stems and branches easier. The difference in holding these smaller handles was night and day, regarding how much leverage you can have when cutting thicker branches or stems.”
Tom’s Guide gives these ‘Best All-Around Bypass Pruner’ honors, noting “the ergonomics designed in this tool made it very comfortable to use and noticeably reduced hand fatigue. Although it is designed for right-handed individuals, it was comfortable and worked well in the left hand as well.”
“Solid steel construction, easy to sharpen and to clean, and with a limited lifetime warranty, these are seriously the best pruning shears you could invest in. They cost more than you will spend for other styles, but you get a high quality bypass pruning tool for your money,” according to Epic Gardening.
5. VIVOSUN Pruning Shears
Rounding out our list, are these inexpensive pruning shears from VIVOSUN. “You can carry these lightweight, compact snips in your pocket—they are only 6.5 inches long—and you’ll always be ready to deadhead that faded rose or spent sunflower,” suggests The Spruce.
Garden Gate Magazine notes, “the sharp stainless steel blades ensure that you can trim and shape flowers, bonsai, and vegetable fields.”
“Not only are they ergonomically designed with stainless steel blades and rubber handles, but they offer all the comfort you need while you work in the garden. If you have arthritis or other hand mobility issues, these are an excellent choice,” adds Better Homes & Gardens.
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Sources:
- Garden Betty
- The Spruce
- USA Today
- Better Homes & Gardens
- Tom’s Guide
- The Telegraph
- Bob Vila
- Garden Gate Magazine
- Your Best Digs
- Epic Gardening
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.
