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Pruning your trees is a labor of love and we’re here today to help you add a useful ally to your team…
Choosing a manual tree pruner is a great way to avoid the need for a noisy chainsaw while keeping things natural.
We’ll get straight into our tree pruner reviews so you can get an overview of what’s up for grabs.
5 Best Tree Pruner Reviews
Then we’ll walk you through how to get the best tree pruners fuss-free so you can spend less time researching and more time cutting back those stubborn tree branches.
First up in our tree pruner reviews is a set of 20-inch loppers ideal for cutting through branches up to 1-inch thick without breaking your stride.
15-inch handles give you plenty of reach while the rubberized grips mean these loppers won’t slip out your hands or blister them up if you’re pruning for lengthy spells.
Blades are carbon steel so they’ll stay sharper for longer while giving you all the oomph you need to cut back even stubborn branches.
Garden tools are bulky and eat up practically all of your storage space. These tree pruners come with holes allowing you to hang your loppers up freeing up room in the garage.
These Tabor Tools tree pruners are not ideal for smaller cutting projects but for general purpose pruning, they’re hard to beat and come in at an extremely attractive price point.
Pros.
- Slice through 1-inch branches quickly and easily
- Ergonomic grip so you can work for longer without straining yourself
- Simple storage using holes provided to hang up your tree pruner safely
- Carbon steel blades stay sharper for longer
- Outstanding value for money and exceptional brand heritage
Cons.
- Length doesn’t work well for intricate pruning
Fiskars is a brand you can trust when it comes to garden tools. Sure, you can get cheaper tree pruners but everything comes together in these compact but powerful loppers to simplify a tedious task.
The 32-inch cutters can comfortably deal with thick branches up to 2 inches in diameter giving you plenty of scope for even ambitious pruning projects.
The construction promotes a smooth cutting action which is further enhanced by a steel blade that’s coated to make things run even better.
Comfort is not neglected, either. The handles are comfy enough to hold for hours without feeling the pinch and they won’t come flying out your hands either even if you’re grappling with stubborn foliage.
Pros.
- Chop branches as thick as 2 inches with these heavy-duty tree pruners
- Super-comfy handle grips let you work harder for longer without straining yourself
- Gears and cam combine to help you power through even thicker branches with no need for a chainsaw
- Steel blade designed to cut smoothly while lasting the distance and staying sharp
- Rust-resistant coating also eliminates friction and delivers a smoother cutting motion
Cons.
- Not the cheapest tree pruners on the market
If you’re looking to ramp things up a notch in your fight against overgrown foliage and overhanging branches, invest in this Milliard extendable tree pruner and you’ll never look back.
The saw blade made from SK5 high carbon steel will allow you to hack through bigger branches as much as 2 inches thick. Add the fiberglass extension pole and you’ll be able to reach even those more elusive branches and chop them straight down to size.
With a 1 ¼-inch cutting aperture, you’ll struggle to find a beefier set of tree pruners on the market and this extendable model is available for far less than you might imagine.
If you need a long-lasting and far-reaching tree pruner that will give you years of demanding service, the Milliard is unbeatable.
Pros.
- 14-inch high carbon steel saw blade honed on 3 sides to deliver the best cut every time
- Extends out to a full 16 feet given you enormous reach for all those pruning jobs
- Pioneering pulley system gives added reinforcements against stubborn branches
- Fiberglass pole ensures that added reach doesn’t come at the expense of a weighty tool
- Outstanding value for money considering the scope of work you’ll be able to undertake
Cons.
- Not the most agile tool for those small pruning jobs
If you’re prepared to go off-brand and road test a lesser known but highly effective set of loppers, next up in our tree pruner reviews is the razor-edge model from Kseibi.
Accented with bright green so you’ll never lose your pruners among the branches, you’ll get a hardened steel blade finished with non-stick Teflon so you can slice through even thick saplings without too much resistance.
The lever drive system and nifty extendable handle means these tree pruners are a breeze to use even if you have problems gripping or suffer from arthritis.
Pros.
- Power through even thicker 2-inch branches and saplings
- Telescopic handle gives you plenty of reach when it counts
- Design works well if you struggle with arthritis
- Teflon-coated hardened steel blade for durability and efficiency
- 100% satisfaction guarantee so buy in complete confidence
Cons.
- Might lack brand recongnition but compensates by delivering outstanding cutting power
Last but absolutely not least in our tree pruner reviews, we’ve got a much more ambitious kit from Jameson if you’ve got bigger projects in mind. We always try to cover as broad a spread of products as possible so there’s something for everyone.
If you’re looking for a smaller pruner, this is not for you but if you need something heavy-duty, you’re in for a treat…
Whether you’re a professional arborist or a homeowner with a large garden and plenty of overhanging branches and rogue foliage, this heavy-hitting package gives you all you need to integrate with a Jameson system and make light work of the thickest of branches fuss-free.
Rope is provided along with an extension so you can take charge of challenging pruning projects and get the job done in no time.
Pros.
- 1 ¾-inch aperture makes this kit ideal even if you’re a pro
- Works well with all Jameson poles and accessories
- Head, adapter and 20 foot of rope thrown in so great overall value
- Smooth spring release on head promotes the cleanest of cuts
- Forged steel componentry for precision and durability combined
Cons.
- Not suitable for beginners or small pruning projects
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Now you’ve scoped out those tree pruner reviews, perhaps one is firmly in your sights so you can take the sting out of cutting back those stray branches and overhanging saplings.
We’ll round out with a few pointers on getting the best tree pruners the easy way.
What Are Tree Pruners?
Tree pruners, also called loppers, are just long manual cutters.
With lengthy handles and extension poles, you’ll be able to cut down even thick branches without resorting to a chainsaw.
Benefits of Using a Tree Pruner
- Ideal for pruning small and medium branches where a chainsaw would be too much
- You’ll get far more reach than using a powered saw
- There’s no need for trailing cables so no trip hazards and no requirement for electricity outlet either
- You’ll be able to assess the shape of your trees better if you prune slowly and manually using the best tree pruner
- Old, knotted trees don’t respond well to chainsaws so if your garden has some of these, tree pruners are the obvious solution
What To Look For In The Best Tree Pruners
Luckily, tree pruners are very simple pieces of kit so there are only a few things to watch out for and you’ll end up with the best loppers stress-free.
Blades: Type
Tree pruners fall into 2 broad categories according to the type of blade:
- Anvil Loppers: This type of tree pruner has a single blade that cuts onto the flattened edge of an anvil. You’ll be able to confidently cut thicker branches but anvil loppers are prone to crushing as they cut so they’re better for a first sweep than a clean, final cut
- Bypass Loppers: These 2-bladed loppers operate much like oversized scissors and they’re the default option for gardeners the world over. You’ll get a clean cut but these tree pruners are prone to jamming
Blades: Material
Hardened steel or carbon steel blades make the best choice. Most of the best tree pruners come with blades that stay sharp, last the distance and make light work of branches.
Look for a close pass when you open and close the blades and make sure you never work with damaged blades.
Mechanism
Assorted mechanisms come out to play on tree pruners. The way they work will make your job easier and magnify force with varying degrees of success.
- Compound-Action Loppers: Packing multiple pivot points, you’ll need to open these loppers out wide to cut through branches
- Geared Loppers: The addition of a gear mechanism gives you some precious extra leverage
- Ratcheting Loppers: The ratchet allows for easy cutting even if you struggle with your grip
Handle Length
Shorter tree pruners start out with handles around 15 inches long.
You can find bulkier models with handles as long as 32 inches and you can also get extensions with most of the best tree pruners.
Think carefully about your intended usage and buy in line with that. There’s no right or wrong answer just what makes the best fit for you.
Cutting Capacity and Power/Weight Ratio
Don’t obsess about loppers that will cut 2-inch branches if you find heavy gardening work hard going and you deal mainly with smaller branches.
Equally, don’t sell yourself short with a smaller tree pruner if you have more robust projects in mind.
Think about power relative to weight and buy accordingly.
A Final Word
Hopefully, you’ve now got the best tree pruners in your sights and that tedious element of gardening is about to get a lot quicker and easier.
Don’t hesitate to drop us a line if you have any questions or feedback at all. We love to hear from our readers and if you need help in any area of your home and garden, that’s why we’re here.
Come back soon!