If there are trees, shrubs, or hedges in your garden then it is a good idea to invest in a set of good tree loppers. These tools are designed to prune thicker branch growth common in trees and hedges, providing the necessary cutting power to remove woody branches, while others are suited for routine trimming of thinner, green growth.
This makes them incredibly versatile and the perfect investment for pruning around the garden, whether you have trees, bushes, shrubs, hedges, or a combination of any of these. However, it helps to know a few things before you buy the tool, as there are a lot of products to choose from, some more suited for specific types of pruning.
Check out some recommended for the best tree loppers and our buying guide for all the important info you need to find the right product for your needs.
- Anvil lopper
- Ratchet cutting mechanism
- Extendable soft grip handles (68cm-1m)
- Heat treated carbon steel blades
- 45mm cutting capacity
With extendable arms and a powerful cutting mechanism, this pruning tool is suitable for those thicker branches including woody and dead growth. These are often much harder to remove due to their thickness, with anvil loppers with ratchet mechanisms such as this the best suited for thicker branches up to 45mm in diameter.
The anvil design means there is a single blade dropping onto a thick anvil block. Made from heat treated carbon steel and treated with a non-stick coating, the cutting blade is razor sharp while the anvil is incredibly durable, ensuring a long-lasting product that will only require occasional sharpening.
As the handles are made from aluminium the tool remains lightweight at just 1.2kg, so it should be easy to operate for longer periods without feeling fatigued. Padded grips help to avoid any aches and pains after prolonged use.
The handles are also telescopic, allowing them to be extended from 68cm to 1m. This is not as much length as some long-reach handles but still offers a good reach without sacrificing manoeuvrability.
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- [ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐏 ] – The heat-treated and hardened SK5…
Spear and Jackson Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Loppers
- Anvil lopper
- Ratchet cutting mechanism
- PTEF coated carbon steel blades
- Telescopic tubular aluminium handle (40cm-80cm length)
- 50mm cutting capacity
Spear and Jackson are a renowned garden tool manufacturer, so it is not surprising that they have a great offering for pruning your trees. This tool is one of the most powerful available, with the anvil lopper design capable of cutting branches up to 50mm in diameter.
When combined with the ratchet cutting mechanism, it removes all the effort needed to prune even the thickest of tree or hedge branches. Simply put, you do not need much strength to use these – just cut in several short actions to remove thick branches.
The blade material is premium quality, made from carbon steel with a PTEF coating to avoid any sap sticking to the blade. The anvil is made from a slightly softer material, making it durable without not adding too much weight to the tool.
To further reduce weight, the handles are made from aluminium, making it lightweight but also durable. They use a telescope design too, so you just twist the handles to extend the length from 40cm up to 80cm, with a soft non-slip grip for added comfort.
- Ratchet action gives easy cutting in short steps – ideal for thicker, harder…
- PTFE coated blade for rust resistance and smooth cutting
- Our simple to operate ‘twist & lock’ telescopic handles extend from 400mm to…
Tooltime Heavy Duty Long Extending Garden Ratchet Tree Lopper & Branch Cutter
- Ratchet lopper
- Pull cord operated
- 35cm pruning blade
- Telescopic handle adjusts pole length from 1.3m to 2.4m
- 30mm cutting capacity
This versatile tool is ideal for all kinds of pruning, combining an anvil lopper and pruning saw for easy removal of all kinds of branches. The cutting head is designed for green branches up to 30mm in diameter, while you can use the 35cm pruning saw to remove anything thicker or more awkwardly positioned in the tree.
The telescopic pole as an adjustable length from 1.3 to 2.4m, providing upwards of 6m in reach when accounting for the user’s height. This makes it a good choice for pruning higher branches or hedges without needing to use a ladder.
Operating it is slightly different in that there is just a single handle, with the cutting action provided by two pully cords. As it uses a ratchet system, you do not exert much effort, with this being a great option for people that the lack strength needed for pruning with basic tools.
It uses high quality materials for both the blade and handle too. The handle is made from tubular aluminium to keep the weight down, while the blade and saw are made from hardened steel with non-stick PTFE coating for added convenience.
- 355mm 6TPI saw edge, 360cm pp pull cord, plastic control handle & 2 pulleys
- Pruner : 4.4mm SK5 hardened Steel with non-stick PTFE coating
- Cutting capacity: 30mm (dia.) green and soft branch
AIRAJ Bypass Heavy Duty Telescopic Tree Lopper
- Bypass lopper
- Compound action
- Heat treated carbons steel blades
- Adjustable length from 71cm to 103cm
- Includes glove and one spare blade
- 6cm maximum cutting capacity
As the name suggests, this product is designed with heavy duty pruning in Capable of cutting through branches up to 6cm in diameter, this is one of the most powerful pruners on the market and a must-have for anyone looking for a reliable and durable tool.
Made from premium quality heat treated carbon steel, the blades are razor sharp and make short work of both green and wood growth. This is impressive as not many tools are suitable both green and woody growth, highlighting how versatile the product it is.
This cutting strength is attributed to the compound action mechanism, which helps to increase the power of the tool beyond most others in the market, offering around a 50% higher cutting capacity than similar sized pruning shears.
You can also adjust the handle length to accommodate different heights. These extend from 70 to 103cm, so offer decent reach without making them hard to manoeuvre. The handles are made a thickened aluminium alloy, making them light but strong, while there are thick rubber grips from improved handling.
- 【Give a Set of Blades】SK5 carbon steel blades are heat-treated and hardened,…
- 【Retractable Handle】The Telescopic Anvil Loppers is designed with a non-slip…
- 【Rugged Structure】AIRAJ Loppers Using thick aluminum alloy material, strong…
Kurtzy Heavy Duty Razor Sharp Anvil Tree Lopper
- Bypass lopper
- Compound cutting action
- SK steel blade
- Telescopic aluminium handle adjusts from 67cm to 105cm
- Rubber grip for improved handling
- 5cm maximum cutting capacity
Another strong and versatile tool suitable for both green and dry growth, this lopper comes with an impressive cutting capacity that can handle branches up to 5cm in diameter, although it easily handles thinner branches too.
The blades are made from durable SK steel alloy and cut using a compound action mechanism. This pivot action offers improved strength for cutting thicker branches, with one of the blades being serrated to prevent loose cuttings from falling while cutting.
Despite being on the heavier side, the tool is suitable for people that don’t have much strength, as the compound cutting action requires little effort on the part of the user.
You can increase the reach of the pruner, with telescopic aluminium handles extending from 67cm to 105cm. It’s not so long that you struggle to control it when fully extending, offering simple operation to handle higher branches with ease.
The handles also come with a thick, anti-slip rubber coating for comfortable use, while a safety lock mechanism ensures safe and easy handling no matter what length the handles are.
- TELESCOPIC LOPPERS: All of our loppers are made from heavy-duty aluminium. The…
- EXTENDABLE HANDLES: The cutter rod arms are lightweight and extendable to allow…
- SHARP CUTTING BLADE: These loppers feature a premium hardened steel blade. Every…
GARDENA Telescopic StarCut 410 plus Telescopic Tree Lopper
- Bypass lopper
- Telescopic handle extends from 2.4-4m
- Total reach of 6.5m
- Geared cutting mechanism
- Includes hook for branch removal
- 32mm cutting capacity
Telescopic gardening tools are a great option for reaching those taller trees and plants, with this tool featuring handles that adjust from 2.4 to 4m. This offers some impressive reach, with a total reach of about 6.5m including the user height, so it’s a great choice for pruning those higher branches without using a ladder.
Of course, as they are telescopic you can keep the reach much shorter for pruning in tighter spaces or if you feel using a ladder is the better option. Regardless, the cutting head is adjustable to various angles, so you should find it easy to get the right position for all your pruning needs.
the bypass lopper uses a geared cutting mechanism with a 32mm (1.2inch) maximum cutting capacity, so it can certainly handle thicker growth but may not be the best for the thickest, woodiest branches.
A cool feature is the inclusion of a hook just below the cutting head. This is designed for removing cut-off branches, letting you get a firm grip to remove branches that may be tougher to remove. It is especially useful for removing branches from the tree crown.
Tree Lopper Buying Guide
Unsure what you need in a set of tree loppers for the garden? Then be sure to check out buying guide below for all the info you need to know including lopper types, cutting mechanisms, blade quality and more!
Lopper Types
There are two main types of lopper available to buy, each one offering their advantages, so be sure to consider what type is best suited for your needs.
Bypass
This type functions similarly to scissors, with two cutting blades that bypass each other to provide a clean and precise cut. They are limited in their cutting capacity however, being best suited for cutting thinner and greener growth from living branches, as they struggle to get a clean cut with woodier branches.
Anvil
This type features a single cutting blade that drops down onto a small anvil cutting block, producing a motion like a knife slamming down on a cutting board. They are best suited for pruning thicker and woodier branches, while they struggle to produce a clean cut on greener growth.
Any heavy-duty pruning is best done with this type of lopper.
Cutting Mechanism
Another important consideration to make when buying is the type of cutting mechanism the tool makes. There are several options available, each one suitable for different types of pruning and catering to different user requirements.
Geared
A geared mechanism offers additional leverage when cutting, with the gear system engaging each time you open and close the handles. You do need to open and close them several times to get the necessary pressure for larger branches, so they are not the most suitable for working in confined spaces as they need to be opened wide a few times over.
Ratcheting
This type of mechanism featured a ratchet system that engages any time the cutting blades are closed over the branch. Each time you close it the ratchet clicks to provide some additional cutting power, removing the branches in several stages rather than a single cut. While it does take longer to prune, the additional leverage is ideal for people lacking arm strength.
Compound Action
Compound action mechanisms use several components, including a lever and pivot point, providing extra cutting power like with ratcheting loppers. They do require more maintenance, however as the components need to be readjusted after each use to ensure they are tight enough.
Blade Material
Most cutting blades are made from steel, with forged carbon steel typically the best quality material for pruning. This material is strong and durable while also keeping a sharp edge, meaning cleaner cuts and less time sharpening the blade.
Regardless of the type of metal, try selecting a product that has a PTFE coating. This is a special coating applied to the cutting blade to prevent tree sap from sticking, making them far more convenient as you don’t need to waste time constantly removing sap from the blade.
Handles
The handles of the lopper are just as important as the blade and cutting mechanism. They provide a firm grip and the necessary length to reach the branches, so there are a few things to consider when looking at the handles.
Handle Length
Handle length is important as you need to ensure they are long enough to reach branches, especially if pruning taller trees and hedges. There are telescopic and long-reach handles designed for reaching higher heights, although they often lack precision as they are harder to control from a distance.
Instead, look for a handle length between 65cm to 1m. This offers more control over the pruners, letting you get a firmer grip and the necessary leverage to prune, with most pruning not needing much more reach than this.
For those with taller trees that require more length, consider telescopic or extending handles reaching upwards of 2m. However, you may find these tougher to control, in which case you are better using a ladder with shorter handled loppers.
Grip
Handle grips are important as they allow you to get the necessary purchased needed to cut through thick branches. Try choosing a product with thick, rubber grips and an ergonomic design, as these feel much more comfortable and provide a firmer grip for safer use.
Silicone handles are a great choice, offering the most comfort and grip while being water-repellent, which further improves safety when using in wet conditions. Also, it may help to choose bright coloured handles as they are easier to find when you set them down somewhere in the garden.
Last update on 2024-09-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API