Last updated on November 29th, 2022
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The time has come to utilise your garden loppers to keep your trees in good condition. If you do not own a garden lopper then cutting off those thick or high-up branches from your trees might be a challenge. Garden loppers are specifically created to help prune off thick branches without much effort, those that secateurs are not suitable for. Finding the best lopper on the market is easy if you know what to look for. Features such as blade sharpness and cutting width will vary from brand to brand so it is important to understand what your garden needs.
Presented below are garden loppers that may catch your interest. They all have varied characteristics to offer depending on what you are looking for. Some of the loppers that stood out include Wolf-Garten RR900T Lopper which is our best pick and the Fiskars PowerGear Lopper. Take a sneak peek at our reviews to find out more about these and many other outstanding garden loppers on the market today.
BEST PICK
Runner-up
What to take into consideration when choosing a good pair of loppers
- Garden loppers can range in length so if you are trying to reach difficult places then you may prefer ones with longer handles, whilst someone with close quarters pruning may be okay with loppers that have shorter handles.
- Weight – Some loppers are heavy and may become difficult to use for a long period of time whilst others are lighter that makes using them more pleasurable for longer periods of time.
- Cutting size – Most loppers will cut to around the same size diameter of branch but some will cut through slightly bigger branches.
- Are the handles easy to grip and comfy?
- Does it have a ratchet mechanical system? This can slow pruning down but can help cut branches that may have otherwise been more difficult to cut.
- Blade sharpness – You ideally want a blade that will last and not go blunt after the first few branches. Some blades can be re-sharpened and have been built to last or the blades can be replaced if needed.
Best Long Reach Pick
Best Tree Lopper Reviews
1. Wolf-Garten 50mm Power Cut Bypass Lopper
BEST PICK
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These loppers are ideal for cutting branches up to 50mm which is fairly large, and the bypass design means they are good for cutting young and fresh branches because they provide a cleaner cut. What we have here are loppers that have been designed to cut thicker branches where you would usually be drawn to using anvil loppers.
They use new cutting head technology that has two pivot points, making cutting branches easier and giving you more leverage. They also have telescopic handles that adjust from 650 to 900mm.
Our recommendation
Really good loppers that do cut thick branches with ease. The extending mechanism on the telescopic arms work well and they reach probably further than any other loppers we have seen which is handy if you are cutting high into trees or bushes. They are not overly heavy but not the lightest available either. However, with the large branch diameter that they are able to cut, this is probably a sacrifice worth making. An excellent all-rounder that is perfect for all types of pruning.
2. GARDENA Telescopic StarCut 410 plus: Telescopic tree lopper
Best long reach model
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The GARDENA Telescopic StarCut 410 plus lopper is a fantastic product made in Germany. The telescopic lopper makes reaching those high up branches easier rather than using a ladder or platform. The loppers are fitted with sharp steel blades with a cutting diameter of 32mm. To provide the user with maximum reach, the lopper handle extends from 230-410cm. If the height of the user is included, the loppers offer a maximum reach of about 6.5m.
The lopper also has a cutting angle of 200° and it weighs only 1.5kgs. This makes manoeuvring with the lopper easier, even when dealing with hidden branches. The hook provided helps bring cut branches down as the pulling strap helps you get out of tight corners. Backed by a 25-year warranty you can be guaranteed that this lopper is of dependable quality and Gardena are well known for their super high-quality garden products.
Our recommendation
This lopper would be perfect for young branches that are not too thick. Up to 32mm, so not quite as thick as some of the other loppers but none can reach anywhere near as high making them unique. If you need loppers that can reach branches on tall trees then these will be perfect. These loppers offer a total reach of 6.5m which is adequate to get to high branches. Furthermore, the lopper is lightweight and easy to use thanks to the non-stick surface. This model may cost you more but you have a 25-year warranty that assures you that the quality can be trusted.
3. Fiskars Large PowerGear Bypass Loppers
Runner-up
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These loppers have a cutting capacity of 45mm making them able to cut the biggest of branches and they are over 70cm long. They have what Fiskars call “Power-Gear™” and this mechanism helps to aid with cutting through thick branches, putting less strain on your arms. It also has a feature called ‘PowerStep™’, which lets you cut branches in one or two steps, making cutting branches easier again. The handles are made from fibreglass reinforced polyamide that makes them lightweight. The blades are very strong and sharp and are coated with PTFE and this will help to reduce friction when cutting through branches.
Our recommendation
These are extremely well made, lightweight at 540g and are the business when it comes to garden loppers, that said two disadvantages are that you need to open the loppers very wide to perform cuts, which can be difficult in small, tight spaces and the handles are not telescopic which would give extra reach.
4. Spear & Jackson 8100RS Razorsharp Telescopic Anvil Lopper
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These loppers, like a lot of other loppers, use a ratchet system to help cut through thick branches and this is great for people who may not be quite as strong as they used to be. They have telescopic handles that take them from 460mm (18″) long to 720mm, this is around 28 inches. This makes them ideal for reaching out to the harder to awkward places and reduces the need for the stepladders, which is essentially a safer option. The handles use a simple twist and lock action making them easy to use and extend.
The blade is made from carbon steel that has been hardened and tempered, making them very strong. They have also been coated in PTFE which will make them less likely to stick and protect them from rust.
Our recommendation
The blades really are razor sharp and they will easily cut through stems just over 1 inch thick, maybe up to 2 inches. The anvil design makes them better for cutting thick, woody branches where normal bypass loppers may start to separate. These are actually the best selling loppers on Amazon in the underhand loppers category and it isn’t hard to see why. They also come with a 10-year guarantee. In my opinion, they are not too heavy but some people have commented on them being heavier than expected.
5. Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Advanced Heavy Duty Loppers
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These loppers are more designed for thicker branches and will cut through stems up to 50mm in diameter with ease. They have an anvil design that makes them perfect for cutting the thicker branches they have been designed for. They have a mechanical spring-loaded cutting blade that is made from SK5 carbon steel that is PTFE coated.
The anvil blade is made from softer steel which Spear & Jackson say will avoid the top blade getting damaged when in use. The handles are telescopic, have a simple twist and turn to lock function and are extendable from 400mm to 800mm giving extra reach which can be handy.
Our recommendation
These loppers, as with a lot of loppers with a mechanical ratchet type system, need to open quite wide to operate them correctly and this can be difficult in tighter spaces. Good for thick branches that other loppers may not be able to cut due to the heavy-duty cutting blade. These are ideal where normal loppers might not be big enough but using a pruning saw may be time-consuming. The telescopic handles are useful for long reach pruning and the aluminium materials mean they are lightweight for their size. They do come with a 10-year guarantee which is an added advantage as well.
6. Black + Decker GK1000 Alligator Powered Lopper
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The Black + Decker GK1000 Alligator Powered Lopper is best suited to work on thicker branches. The lopper combines the power of a chainsaw and the functionality of a manual lopper. The 3kg motorised lopper features a 550W motor that powers a cutting diameter of 100mm, this is wide compared to some of the other loppers featured here. Additionally, the lopper is lightweight and therefore, moving around with it should not be a problem although it is a little restricted by the power cord. The enclosed bar and chain are automatically oiled to promote smooth function making it an easy lopper to use on any occasion.
Our recommendation
For a lopper that takes care of large branches, it is lightweight making it easier to work with. The lopper is backed by a powerful motor and therefore, the job will get done quicker. I would recommend this lopper for those who need to prune thick woody branches. Supple branches may give the lopper a hard time so other manual loppers or secateurs may be better for these. It may lack a viewing window for the oil reservoir but all in all it does a wonderful job.
Final conclusion
Which should you buy?
There are many loppers available and most will do a good job. Cheaper, lower-end loppers probably won’t last more than a couple of seasons so I would recommend not wasting your money on them. We have tried to choose six quality pairs of loppers to compare but it really does depend on what type of branches you cut and how often you use them.
If you want some good all-round loppers then the Wolf Garten Power Cut Bypass Loppers are in my opinion, the best. They have the advantage of being telescopic for extra reach and are very well made, lightweight and come with 10 years warranty. They are also well priced.
Why complicate your life when you can live more simply? Instead of using ladders or blunt sheers, you can always get a reliable lopper. The information you have received in this guide is enough evidence that reliable loppers do exist. Cut yourself and your garden some slack and select the best garden loppers you can find today.
Last update on 2024-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
