Pruning is an important part of garden maintenance. Trees, bushes, shrubs, and all kinds of plants require regular pruning to ensure they remain healthy and grow properly, with overgrown, dead, and diseased branches all needing to be pruned when necessary.
While secateurs, loppers, and pruning saws are all suitable tools for pruning, there are instances where they lack the reach to safely prune trees and taller hedges. While a ladder helps to improve your reach when pruning, sometimes its not the safest, especially when you need to reach outwards to prune longer branches. While good long reach pruners are a great tool, in some situations you should also consider standing on a hedge cutting platform for additional safety.
A long reach pruner is the perfect solution to these problems, giving gardeners the necessary reach to remove branches and growth from much further distances. Featuring telescopic handles with a pruner attachment at the end, long reach pruners allow you to safely remove branches that are too high and wide to reach with normal tools.
Thanks to the extendable reach, a long reach pruner offers one of the safest ways to prune larger trees and bushes in the garden. It’s especially useful for anyone that has lots of different trees, as the pruner can easily reach branches several metres high and those growing outwards from the centre of the tree.
Plus, long reach pruners can use various attachments to accommodate different pruning requirements. For example, some have secateurs attached to the end of the pole to remove greener growth while others are fitted with pruning saws that are suitable for thicker branches that secateurs may struggle with.
Some long reach pruners even have multiple or interchangeable attachments, which are perfect for removing branches of varying thicknesses around the garden.
With a quality long reach pruner in hand, all pruning maintenance becomes that bit easier, not to mention much safer. Don’t risk injuring yourself overreaching for branches that are too high or wide from a tree or bush – get a quality pair of long reach pruners!
Fiskars is a Finnish company known for producing premium quality hand tools for reasonable prices. Their telescopic universal cutter is no exception, offering lots of reach and a robust cutting head that is suitable for pruning various types of growth around the garden, including trees, bushes, shrubs, and hedges.
The main shaft offers plenty of reach, extending from 2.25m to an impressive 3.4m, so it certainly has enough length to reach even the height branches. It works well for pruning branches that are high and wide, with the adjustable cutting head being very useful for reaching those awkwardly branches.
An anvil cutting head produces some serious cutting power, being suitable for both thin and thicker wooden branches. Its 3.2cm cutting diameter provides a cutting capacity of up to 8cm in diameter, so it can handle quite thick branches that bypass style pruners struggle with.
On the flip side, it may not produce the cleanest cut on greener branches, although it certainly has the power to remove the growth, it just crushes the stems rather than slicing them, so bear this in mind.
The long reach pruner is made from premium quality materials, with the steel blade being very sharp. This is due to it being made from chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium, resulting in a razor sharp yet durable blade that will last a long time. It also has a non-stick coating to avoid minimal clogging from sap.
The handle is made from aluminium, making it very durable but also incredibly lightweight – it weighs under 2kg so should be easy to use for longer periods.
Pros
- Shaft adjustable from 2.25m to 3.4m
- Anvil head pruner attachment
- Adjustable cutting angle
- Durable and lightweight
Cons
- Cord that activates the pruner can get tangled if not handled properly but a after few tries handling should be easier
- Fiskars telescopic universal cutter
- Extends up to 4 mts
- Anvil head
Draper Expert 32mm Long Reach Tree Pruner
This long reach pruner from Danish manufacturer Draper Tools is a versatile tool suitable for pruning both thin and thick branches throughout the garden. Lightweight yet powerful, the pruning saw has a variety of height settings and two cutting attachments that make short work both green and wooden growth.
There are two attachments to use, including a nylon cord operated cutting that is suitable for thinner branches and greener growth, along with a removable 32cm pruning saw. The saw is ideal for cutting through thicker wooden branches and is razor sharp, leaving a clean and precise cut after the branch is removed.
The nylon cord operated cutting blade is ideal for smaller growth but will struggle with thicker branches and anything too woody, in which case you can use the pruning saw to remove anything it struggles to remove.
Using the nylon to operate the cutting blade can take a few tries to get used to, as you need to hold the handle with one hand and pull the cord with another. It doesn’t take long to get the hang of but is probably best practiced on lower lying branches before trying anything too high!
With an extendable handle that locks into four positions, the pruner has plenty of reach for even the tallest trees and bushes. It extends from 1.5m to 2.5m, so when including your height and reach it should be suitable for trees and bushes that are several metres tall.
As the telescopic pole is made from lightweight aluminium, the pruner weighs just 1.6kg so is incredibly lightweight and easy to operate.
Pros
- Nylon operated cutting blade suitable for smaller branches
- 35cm pruning saw attachment suitable for thicker branches
- Four extendable positions ranging from 1.5m to 2.5m
- Weighs just 1.6kg
Cons
- Nylon cord operation requires some practice to master
- Expert Quality
- Pole extending from 1.5M to 2.5M
- Detachable curved pruning saw blade
EasyKut Telescopic Ratchet Pole Pruner
This telescopic long reach pruner from EasyKut combines a cutting saw with ratchet style secateurs for a versatile cutting tool.
Weighing under 1.7kg and made from durable materials, the telescopic long reach pruner extends up to 2.5m in length, which when combined with your own height provides a lot of length for those hard to reach branches on trees and bushes around the garden.
There are two cutting devices on the pruner to suit different types of growth. This includes standard secateurs and 30cm saw blade, allowing you cut both thin and thick branches alike, including woodier and greener growth.
The saw blade is ideal for tougher growth, letting you hack away branches that the secateurs struggle with. As the secateurs have a 2.6cm cutting capacity, anything thicker will likely need the pruning saw, which is very sharp and easily cuts through thicker materials.
Also, the secateurs use a ratchet system to remove growth. This makes them less strenuous to use and more efficient on tougher growth. You simply pull down on the nylon cord, wait for a click, release the cord and then pull it again to continue cutting down.
It’s a very durable long reach pruner too, with the carbon steel hardened blades being strong and resistant to rust, while also having a non-gumming coating that avoids sap build ups clogging the cutting mechanisms.
You are better oiling the parts every month or so depending on the frequency of use, as this ensures all the parts operate smoother for longer, so it’s well worth doing to ensure the long reach pruner lasts many years.
Pros
- Ratchet pruner attachment with 2.6cm cutting capacity
- 30cm saw blade for tougher growth
- Extends up to 2.5m
Cons
- Requires frequent oiling to keep in optimal condition but well worth it for increased longevity
- Ratchet action for easier cutting of larger branches
- 20% more efficient than non-ratchet pruners which provides excellent cutting...
- 30cm saw for stubbborn branches
Ryobi Pole Pruner with Extension Pole
While most long reach pruners are manually operated tools, the Ryobi Pole Pruner offers something different with their electric powered pole pruner. Capable of cutting all kinds of branches, the saw is incredibly powerful and highly versatile, making it a worthwhile investment for anyone with a lot of pruning around their outdoor space.
Powered by a 750W motor, the 20cm saw blade makes short work of almost any type of branch, whether its thick, thin, wooden, green, or anything in-between. The high torque performance produces a 10m/s chain speed, so there are very few branches and stems this pruner can’t remove.
While the electric motor does at a few kilograms of weight, the pruner cuts through branches with such speed and efficiency that you probably won’t be using it anywhere near as long as a manual long reach pruner.
The cutting head is also angled to 15°, which means you don’t need to hold it at too awkward an angle to get the necessary position for pruning higher and wider branches. It’s got a decent reach too, extending up to 2.7m, so when you include your own height there is up to 4m of reach for taller trees.
Remember, because it is electric powered it does require a mains outlet to operate. That said, the 3m cable offers lots of reach and is suitable for most average UK gardens, although you may require an extension cable for larger areas with taller trees and bushes.
Pros
- Electric powered pruner with 20cm cutting blade
- Powerful 750W motor offers plenty of cutting power
- Suitable for all types of branches
- Pole extends up to 2.7m
Cons
- Movement can be somewhat restricted by power cord although it is 3m long and an extension cord can increase the reach as needed
- Powerful 750 W motor
- 20 cm blade
- Safety guard and hand guard
Last update on 2024-09-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
