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Before investing in a pair of garden pruners, decide on which key in suits your needs.

An assortment of pruners on a wooden table

The Spruce

jot down: Bypass |Maximum Cut Capacity: 1 in.

thick |Locking Mechanism: Yes |Weight: 0.53 lbs.

|Length: 8.5 in.

Felco 2 One-Hand Pruning Shear outdoors on the handle of a chair

PHOTO: The Spruce / Sarah Vanbuskirk

We didn’t even need toclean the toolafter a gardening session.

I think this is a good all-purpose tool that is budget-friendly and good for left or right-handers.

It’s very sharp and it seems like it would hold up well.

Hand holding up the Felco 2 One-Hand Pruning Shear in an outdoor setting

The Felco 2 One-Hand Pruning Shear earned our top spot for sturdiness, versatility, and quality.PHOTO: The Spruce

throw in: Bypass |Maximum Cut Capacity: .75 in.

thick |Locking Mechanism: Yes |Weight: 0.4 lbs.

|Length: 8 in.

Felco 2 One-Hand Pruning Shear on a wooden table

Mia Ingui

We found that the handles provided better leverage than others we tested, thanks to the design.

With a maximum cutting capacity of 1.5 inches, it’s great forpruning dead branchesand woody materials.

pop in: Anvil |Maximum Cut Capacity: 1.5 in.

Hand holding up the Felco 2 One-Hand Pruning Shear and cutting a branch

thick |Locking Mechanism: Yes |Weight: 0.4 lbs.

|Length: 8.26 in.

The handles are uniquely designed to roll slightly with your fingers' movement to help reduce hand strain.

Hand holding up the Felco 2 One-Hand Pruning Shear in an outdoor setting

We also loved how easy it is to close and lock the blades for storage.

punch in: Bypass |Maximum Cut Capacity: .75 in.

thick |Locking Mechanism: Yes |Weight: 0.55 lbs.

Felco 2 One-Hand Pruning Shear on a wooden table

|Length: 11.5 in.

We love the impressive sharpness of the steel blades.

From the moment I unpacked these pruners, I was impressed with the feel and quality of them.

Hand holding up the Felco 2 One-Hand Pruning Shear and cutting a branch

At 8 inches in length, this pruner is good for gardeners with average-size hands.

key in: Bypass |Maximum Cut Capacity: .75 in.

thick |Locking Mechanism: Yes |Weight: 0.47 lbs.

Hands holding up the Gonicc 8-Inch Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

|Length: 8 in.

This pruner also comes with a small cleaning sponge to help keep the blades in great shape.

pop in: Anvil |Maximum Cut Capacity: 1 in.

A person cutting a branch using the Gonicc 8-Inch Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears

The Gonicc Pruning Shears mirror shears that are twice the price with easy cutting and high-quality blades.PHOTO: The Spruce

thick |Locking Mechanism: Yes |Weight: 0.5 lbs.

|Length: 8 in.

What also stood out while testing was the very comfortable grip.

Hands holding up the Gonicc 8-Inch Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears near a branch

The ergonomic handles were very easy and comfortable to squeeze, even for our somewhat painful hands.

One little hiccup we noted while testing was the FlexDIAL’s stickiness.

We found that it tended to stick when being adjusted.

A person cutting a branch using the Gonicc 8-Inch Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears

throw in: Bypass |Maximum Cut Capacity: .75 in.

thick |Locking Mechanism: Yes |Weight: 0.6 lbs.

|Length: 8 in.

Hands holding up the Gonicc 8-Inch Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears near a branch

bang out: Bypass |Maximum Cut Capacity: 0.8 in.

thick |Locking Mechanism: Yes |Weight: 0.46 lbs.|Length: 7.68 in.

We found it comfortable to use and great at tackling any pruning task.

Hand holding the EZ-Cut Ratchet Pruner

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Our best overall pick, theFelco F-2 shears, has hardened steel blades that are guaranteed to last years.

A bit of rubbery padding adds further comfort and helps keep the tool from slipping and sliding.

This makes the pruners easier for those with hand weakness.

Hand trimming a plant using the EZ-Cut Ratchet Pruner

The EZ-Cut Ratchet Pruner makes trimming and pruning easy on the hands.PHOTO: The Spruce

Left-Handed Use

Many pruners can be comfortably used in either hand.

But often, pruners are specifically designed for use in the right hand only.

Dull pruner blades create ragged cuts, which can lead to damage or disease in the plants tissues.

Hand cutting a branch using the EZ-Cut Ratchet Pruner

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was written byMia Ingui, an editor at The Spruce and a gardener of over 10 years.

Hand trimming a plant using the EZ-Cut Ratchet Pruner

Hand cutting a branch using the EZ-Cut Ratchet Pruner

Hand holding up the Fiskars PowerGear 2 Pruner

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Hands cutting a branch using the Fiskars PowerGear 2 Pruner

While testing the Fiskars PowerGear 2 Pruner, we thought it was easy to use on a variety of hand sizes.PHOTO: The Spruce

Close up of a hand holding the Fiskars PowerGear 2 Pruner and cutting a branch

Hands cutting a branch using the Fiskars PowerGear 2 Pruner

Close up of a hand holding the Fiskars PowerGear 2 Pruner and cutting a branch

Hands holding up the ARS HP-VS8Z Signature Heavy Duty Pruner

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Hands cutting a branch using the ARS HP-VS8Z Signature Heavy Duty Pruner

The ARS Signature Heavy Duty Pruner is tough as nails and can easily prune thorny rose bushes or other woody stems.PHOTO: The Spruce

Hands cutting a branch using the ARS HP-VS8Z Signature Heavy Duty Pruner

Hands cutting a branch using the ARS HP-VS8Z Signature Heavy Duty Pruner

Hands cutting a branch using the ARS HP-VS8Z Signature Heavy Duty Pruner

Hand holding up The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Pruning Shears Gardening Tool

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Hand cutting a small branch using The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Pruning Shears Gardening Tool

The Gardener’s Friend Pruning Shears makes tedious pruning take only a few minutes.PHOTO: The Spruce

Hand cutting a branch using The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Pruning Shears Gardening Tool

Hand cutting a small branch using The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Pruning Shears Gardening Tool

Hand cutting a branch using The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Pruning Shears Gardening Tool

Corona FlexDIAL ComfortGEL Bypass Pruner

PHOTO: The Spruce / Danielle Directo-Meston

Corona FlexDIAL ComfortGEL Bypass Pruner

The Corona FlexDIAL Bypass Pruner has unique adjustable blades that custom-fit different stem sizes.PHOTO: The Spruce

Corona FlexDIAL ComfortGEL Bypass Pruner

Corona FlexDIAL ComfortGEL Bypass Pruner

Corona FlexDIAL ComfortGEL Bypass Pruner

Hands holding the Felco F-6 Classic Pruning Shears

PHOTO: The Spruce / Eric Brockob

Hand cutting a branch from one part of a plant using the Felco F-6 Classic Pruning Shears

The Felco F-6 Pruning Shears fit smaller hands perfectly and worked on everything from shrubs to branches.PHOTO: The Spruce

Hands cutting a branch on a plant using the Felco F-6 Classic Pruning Shears

Hand cutting a branch from one part of a plant using the Felco F-6 Classic Pruning Shears

Hands cutting a branch on a plant using the Felco F-6 Classic Pruning Shears

Hand cutting a branch using The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Pruning Shears Gardening Tool

Some pruners work best on green stems while others are better suited for dead branches.The Spruce