Every gardener needs a pair of trusty shears — no matter your skill level. And with spring fast approaching, it’s time to upgrade with a new pair of gardening shears. Whether you’re expanding your gardening arsenal or buying your first pair, we’re here to help make the right purchase.
Gardening shears come in a few varieties, and it’s essential to figure out which kind of shears you need before clipping away at your hedges, flowers and plants. The most basic kind of shears (that every gardener has on hand) are bypass pruning shears. These have two curved blades that offer a clean cut, keeping live plants healthy and growing. Next, you have anvil shears, which look similar to bypass shears but have a sort of cutting board in place of a second blade. Anvil shears partially crush the plant while they snip, making them best for thick branches, faster pruning and snipping flowers. There’s also loppers, which are large shears for bigger jobs, hedge shears, extra-long tree pruners and handy garden scissors for little jobs.
Below are our favorite garden shears of every kind. Snag some now so you’re ready for spring, or pick up a pair of the best gardening shears as a gift for any plant parents in your life.
1. Fiskars Steel Bypass Pruning Shears
BEST OVERALL
Any gardener would be well-equipped with these Fiskars bypass shears in their pocket. They’re super minimal and easy-to-use, coming fitted with a hardened, precision-ground steel blade. The blade also has a special coating to reduce friction, which provides a smooth cut and prevents debris build-up. Users are happy across the board, as the shears boast 4.4/5 stars and more than 3,500 reviews on Amazon. And the kicker? These shears cost less than $13, so you can replace them often without breaking the bank.
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2. Mockins Bypass Pruning Shears
BEST BUDGET
Gardening shears aren’t too pricey, but if you’re really landscaping on a budget, go for these $10 bypass shears from Mockins. They also come highly-rated on Amazon (4.7/5 stars) and work great for just about any job in your garden. Users especially like the thumb-controlled safety lock and the ergonomic, comfortable fit of the rubber grip.
3. gonicc Anvil Pruning Shears
BEST ANVIL PRUNER
As mentioned, anvil pruning shears are best for cutting thicker branches and speed pruning. We like these anvil pruners from gonicc because they have a pulley mechanism that gives you an extra hand in cutting thick branches by increasing the pressure as you push. The blade is made of high carbon steel, offering a slight upgrade over regular steel garden shears. With an ergonomic design and sturdy construction, these are some of the best garden shears on Amazon right now.
4. gonicc Bypass Pruning Shears
BEST BYPASS PRUNER
Another great pair of bypass pruning shears to consider are these, also from gonicc. They upgrade the regular pruners with a premium titanium steel blade and a convenient sap groove that channels sap away from the blade, preventing stickiness when trimming hedges and tree branches. The shears come highly-rated by customers with 4.4/5 stars and over 1,700 reviews. Users report that the shears are much more friendly on the hands than other pairs they’ve used in the past. And if you’re gardening for hours on end, comfort is a big deal.
5. Fiskars Bypass Lopper
BEST LOPPERS
For large branches, you’ll want a pair of lopper shears. They offer more reach, a larger opening and more leverage. Loppers can get a little pricey, but Fiskars offers these snippers for just $18. Like Fiskars’ smaller bypass shears, these loppers have an anti-stick coating that slides through branches and a high-quality precision-ground blade.
6. Greenthumbpro Pruning Scissors
BEST GARDEN SCISSORS
Basic gardening scissors are always good to have on hand for trimming or detail work on flowers, bonsai and other small plants. This 2-pack of scissors from Greenthumbpro is made specifically for gardening purposes with soft, ergonomic handles and extra sharp blades. The pack includes a larger 60mm pair as well as a 40mm pair for even more precise details.
7. Tabor Tools Hedge Shears
BEST HEDGE SHEARS
Regular shears won’t cut it for hedge pruning. You’ll need the real deal, hedge shears. We recommend this pair from Tabor Tools because they’re well-made with carbon steel blades, comfortable thanks to shock-absorbing bumpers and convenient with extendable handles. The blades also feature a unique wavy design that actually makes cuts smoother. And at $28, the shears are also very well-priced too.
8. Corona Long Reach Cut ‘n’ Hold Pruner
BEST TREE PRUNER
If you’re pruning tall trees, you’ll want a good extended pruner. These are typically a single arm with a trigger handle and a pulley inside, allowing you to reach high up and cut with an easy squeeze. We like this option from Corona because it has a “cut ‘n’ hold” feature that catches the branch right after you cut it, and then releases the branch when you release the handle. This prevents any stray branches from falling on you or making a mess all over the yard.