Pruning is at the top of many gardeners' summer gardening checklists, but you might be dreading it: using the wrong pruning shears can leave your hands sore and chafed, quickly turning what should be one of the most relaxing jobs in the garden into a chore.
As a product tester, I've tried dozens of pruners in my career. I've had some great times with the best ones and some horrible times with inferior ones.
This is everything I learned about how to buy good pruning shears so you can find a pair that is comfortable, lasts a long time, and does a great job.
1. Know the types of pruning shears
(Image credit: Getty Images/marc chesneau)
The most important thing to know when buying pruning shears is the type of pruning shears they come in. There are three types of pruning shears, each with different functions.
The most common type of pruning shears are bypass pruners. These have two blades that work like scissors and give the cleanest cut of all types of pruning shears. They are great for delicate stems but struggle with thicker branches.
Anvil pruners have a single blade that closes into a rigid cutting block, which is ideal for pruning dead wood.
Ratcheting pruners use a ratcheting mechanism that cuts in several stages, which allows them to cut through thicker materials than usual as it takes several attempts to make one cut, and can also be helpful if you have mobility issues such as arthritis.
For most people, a pair of bypass pruners will suffice, but if you have a lot of hardwood to prune, anvil pruners or bypass pruners are a much better option.
Bypass pruner
Felco F2 pruning shears are widely regarded as some of the best pruning shears on the market: durable, sharp, comfortable to use, and with all replaceable parts.
Anvil Pruning Shears
Felco also makes the world’s best anvil pruner, the Felco 32. This product has all the benefits of the Felco F2 but comes with a brass anvil, which helps you cut through tough, dead wood.
Ratchet pruning shears
Corona RP 3230 Ratchet Pruning Shears
I've tried this a few times and it has a simple ratcheting mechanism that gets through thick branches with ease.
2. Always buy colorful handles
(Image credit: Getty Images/Galina Zhigalova)
My biggest tip when buying pruning shears is simple, but has saved me a lot of headaches over the years: always buy pruning shears with colorful handles, preferably red, white, or neon pink handles. This isn't a matter of looks, it's a matter of practicality.
These colors contrast with the green, making them easier to find if you drop them – that's why all of the pruning shears I recommend above have red handles – I can't tell you how many times I've left my black or green pruning shears on the grass while I was doing other things and completely lost track of them.
This is especially helpful if you drop your pruning shears on a hedge or tree – it's a small change and although it doesn't always look good, it makes your job much easier.
The Felco F2 pruning shears are great, but my favorite is the Okatsune 103 pruning shears. They're comfortable to use and the safety mechanism is sturdy yet easy to open. The red and white handles not only look great, but also make them easy to find if you accidentally drop them on a shrub or in the grass. They're also great for people with smaller hands. My only complaint is that they offer a weaker grip than the Felco model.
fiskars pink pruning shears
These aren't the best pruning shears in the world, but you can always find them, and the soft rubber grips are incredibly comfortable.
I haven't tried them yet so I can't vouch for their quality, but I love the pattern on these pruning shears, and best of all, they come with a garden shovel and fork, so you can save money.
3. Buy pruning shears with replacement parts
(Image courtesy of Future/Ruth Hayes)
Whether you're buying an air fryer or a cell phone, you know the market is flooded with cheap knock-offs that are impossible to repair or restore. The same is true in gardening, and it can be especially frustrating when it comes to pruning shears.
Being able to open and repair your pruning shears is essential. Before you can get into more serious repairs, you need to be able to open and sharpen your pruning shears. Dull pruning shears will crush plants instead of cutting them, which can lead to disease. To ensure your pruning shears cut quickly and cleanly, their blades need to be kept sharp and well oiled. Not being able to clean and sharpen your pruning shears for this maintenance can cause harm to your plants.
You should also be able to replace safety catches, rivets and screws so that your pruners will last a lifetime. The Felco tool mentioned above is particularly good at this. Gardeners have been coveting the Felco 2 for years for this very reason. Replacement parts for this tool are always available. This tool is sometimes called “the last pruner you'll ever buy”.
4. Never buy a wooden handle
(Image source: Getty Images/Lex20)
Another tip when buying pruning shears is to avoid wooden handles. As shown in these wooden pruning shears on Amazon, wooden handles look great and have a much more rustic, cottage feel than bright rubber handles.
However, after many hours of testing the pruners, we found that the wooden handles inevitably chafed even when wearing gardening gloves, and the lack of cushioning in the material made them very hard on the hands.
Every time you cut, the bones in your hand take a beating, so a rubber handle is usually the best choice – it's less chafing and a little easier on your hands.
5. Consider your hand size
(Image credit: Deborah Vernon/Alamy Stock Photos)
Many people find pruning shears difficult to use because they don't fit their hands well. Someone with small hands may have trouble closing a large pair of pruning shears, while someone with large hands may find a small pair of pruning shears difficult to handle.
The easiest way to avoid this is to read reviews before you buy. There's no standard size for “large” or “small” pruning shears, so you can't just rely on what the company says. Instead, read some reviews. These reviews should give you an idea of whether some people find pruning shears to be large or small.
6. Watch out for pesky rivets and protrusions
It's a small thing, but it can drive you crazy if you're not careful: Some pruners have rivets or screws on the handles that can quickly chafe your fingers and hands and become uncomfortable very quickly.
You can purchase covers for your pruning shears handles, but you're better off buying a different type of pruning shears and avoiding the problem altogether.
Frequently asked questions about pruning shears
Should I buy electric pruners?
Only buy electric pruners if you have particularly tricky branches or a hand disorder. Otherwise, you'll end up paying a higher price for a tool that does the same job as a cheaper analog model. Plus, you'll have to remember to charge it, and it could run out of charge mid-pruning.
For more detailed pruning advice, see our advice on what to prune in July, or our warning on plants not to prune in summer.
