Best garden loppers in 2024, tested and reviewed by experts

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If you&#;re pruning dense dead wood, then a pair of loppers with an anvil blade is the tool for you. Cuts are made as the top blade slices through the wood onto the flat anvil base. They can crush stems as they cut, and although bypass blades make cleaner, more precise cuts, anvil blades have greater force. They're ideal for clearing dead branches and making the first cut on thick branches before removing them cleanly with bypass loppers or a saw.

Bypass loppers carry on where your secateurs leave off, giving a lovely clean cut on living stems that are just that bit too thick for secateurs. They have two blades, which pass over one another to give a precise cut in a scissor action and that makes them perfect for the finer pruning of shrubs and trees. Both types of loppers are available with telescopic handles that extend for greater reach and many have an additional cutting mechanism to help you cut thicker wood with less effort, helpful for those with less strength and for very tough wood.

If you're pruning larger branches, take a look at our review of the best pruning saws or for smaller cuts our round up of the best secateurs and electric pruners. For help clearing up see our test of the best shredders, best splitting axes and the best wheelbarrows. We also have guides detailing how to prune fruit trees in winter and pruning mistakes to avoid, as well as information on other tools such as the best Japanese gardening tools and how to use them.

Best garden loppers to buy at a glance

Our expertise

We tested the different types of bypass and anvil loppers, using them in the garden on a range of different woody shrubs and trees to help you find the right one for your garden. Each pair has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to handling, cutting, maintenance and value for money. Every pair in our round up below has scored a minimum of three out of five stars, so you can buy with confidence.

Jump to:

In every review we award the outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best anvil loppers below:

Best bypass loppers in

Alpen Lopper Weisshorn 280

RRP: £64.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from ALPEN Swiss tools

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine lopper review ALPEN Wiesshorn 280 loppers

Pros

• Lightweight aluminium handles
• Effective shock absorbers
• Cam assisted mechanism for easier cutting
• Replaceable blade

Cons

• Long handles make these more difficult to use close to your body

These simple, unfussy loppers are light, with Japanese SK5 carbon steel blades and a cam assisted mechanism that makes them a great choice for gardeners who lack strength. The gearing gives greater cutting power for tougher woods, and they really do make light work of even tough older wood, with shock absorbers also helping to take the strain. We awarded them a BBC Gardeners&#; World Magazine Best Buy award for ease of use.
A 40mm cutting width makes these perfect for pruning larger stems and branches and the long handles are useful for reaching up into shrubs although they&#;re light and easy to manoeuvre, they do make it trickier to work in tight spaces. They&#;re excellent value for money, the blade is replaceable and they come with a two year warranty.

Available from ALPEN Swiss tools

Kent & Stowe SureCut All Purpose Extra Power bypass loppers

RRP: £39.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from Marshalls, B & Q and Amazon

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine lopper review Kent & Stowe SureCut All Purpose Extra Power Bypass Loppers

Pros

• Handles are comfortable with good grip
• Easy to adjust telescopic handles
• Excellent shock absorption
• Hanging loop
• Good value

Cons

• Colouring makes them hard to see in undergrowth
• Design may not appeal to all

This comfortable, versatile pair of loppers cuts cleanly and smoothly and is ideal for cutting live, green wood. Made from high quality carbon steel, the blades are coated for high rust resistance and chunky rubber bumpers help ensure easy cutting with little effort and no reverberation travelling through your wrists and arms. They have a maximum cutting width of 35mm, which is adequate for most garden tasks, and the shaped handles are gripped for extra comfort. They&#;re also telescopic, giving you extra stretch to reach higher branches, but when reduced in length, they&#;re still easy to manoeuvre through dense stems. Unfortunately, no spare blades are available but otherwise these loppers are very competitively priced, come with a five year warranty and we&#;ve awarded them a BBC Gardeners&#; World Magazine Best Buy for value.

Felco 221 70cm straight head loppers

RRP: £119.99

Our rating: 4.3/5

Available from Amazon and Felco

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine lopper review Felco 221 70cm straight head loppers

Pros

• Simple, no fuss styling
• Comfortable and easy to use
• Effective shock absorbers
• Strong and robust
• Repair service and lifetime warranty

Cons

• Expensive

Robust, well made and thoroughly practical, these loppers from Felco are user friendly and simple in design. The lightweight, aluminium handles are comfortable and well balanced with grip handles in &#;Felco red&#; and the hardened steel blades have a generous 45mm cutting width. A hooked lower counter blade helps to keep a firm hold of the branch you&#;re cutting. The loppers are also easy to maintain and come with the same tool you get with Felco secateurs to take them apart for cleaning and sharpening. They also come with a lifetime warranty and although they&#;re the most expensive loppers on test they&#;re a lifetime purchase for a serious gardener. We awarded them a BBC Gardeners&#; World Magazine Best Buy for general use.

Best anvil loppers in

Wolf Garten Telescopic Anvil Lopper

RRP: £114.99

Our rating: 4.8/5

BBC Gardeners' World magazine Wolf Garten Telescopic lopper

Pros:

• Comfortable with non-slip grip handle
• Easy telescopic handles lock securely in place
• Cut effortlessly
• Flat screws prevent damage to wood

Cons:

• Expensive

The Wolf Garten loppers were our highest scoring model overall and were awarded a BBC Gardeners&#; World Magazine Best Buy for the best telescopic loppers. They have a non-stick steel blade with a metal anvil and the extending aluminium handles have matching locking holes on each handle to keep them even and a comfortable, non-slip grip. With flat screws, there was no damage to wood and the cut was effortless. Replacement blades are available and the warranty lasts for 10 years.

Fiskars Power Gear X Anvil Lopper LX9

RRP: £79.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Fiskars Power Gear X Anvil Lopper LX9

Pros:

• Light and comfortable
• Good reach
• Clean, powerful cutting action
• Curved anvil hooks branches into place
• Long warranty

Cons:

• Expensive

A BBC Gardeners&#; World Magazine Best Buy winner for general use these garden loppers feature a coated, non-stick steel blade with a curved metal anvil that helps you catch and grip branches as you cut. There&#;s a geared mechanism as well as light and narrow, aluminium handles, which have a rubber grip. The loppers cut cleanly with a wide cutting width and there are also useful hanging holes in the handles. They come with a generous warranty of 25 years.

Darlac Compact Compound Anvil Lopper

RRP: £39.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Darlac Compact Compound Anvil Lopper

Pros:

• Very light
• Simple design and easy to use
• Excellent cutting strength for size
• Great value

Cons:

• Small cutting width
• Limited reach

Awarded a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy award for the best for ease of use, these small, light loppers have a steel blade with a rust-resistant coating and a metal anvil. The oval handles are made from aluminium with a rubber grip for added comfort and there&#;s also a compound-action cutting mechanism, which we found provided excellent strength when working. These lightweight loppers have a small cutting width, however a lifetime warranty is included and replacement parts are available.

Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Advantage Telescopic Ratchet Anvil Lopper

RRP: £57.49

Our rating: 4.5/5

Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Advantage Telescopic Ratchet Anvil Lopper

Pros:

• Light and comfortable
• Cuts smoothly
• Handles adjust easily with one hand

Cons:

• Narrow cutting width
• Handles slide into place by eye only

Our testers were impressed with these Spear and Jackson loppers and awarded them a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy award for the best ratchet loppers. The carbon-steel blade and anvil are non-stick and rust-resistant, plus there&#;s a five-stage ratchet mechanism. The twist-and-slide aluminium handles have a rubber grip and extend 72-104cm. The included warranty is valid for 10 years.

The best of the rest

Although some models didn't quite achieve a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy award, they still have various features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest on test.

Niwaki Loppers

RRP: £99.00

Our rating: 3/5

Available from Crocus and Sarah Raven

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine lopper review Niwaki loppers

Pros

• Simply but beautifully made with quality materials
• Minimal parts to malfunction

Cons

• Overall design too basic and simple
• Hard work to use
• No shock absorbers so uncomfortable in use

These stylish but simply designed loppers from Niwaki have strong, forged carbon steel blades and sturdy oak handles. Packaged in a simple cloth bag, which is also useful for storage, they&#;re suitable for branches up to 25mm thick. But, despite the beautiful crafting of the blades they&#;re not easy to open and close and we found them uncomfortable, and with no bumpers they&#;re hard work to use, even on softer woods like green sycamore. Their simplicity makes them easy to clean and use and although no spare parts are available, they come with a two year warranty.

Spear & Jackson Kew Woodland Collection bypass loppers

RRP: £49.99

Our rating: 3/5

Available from Dortech, BrandAlley and B & Q

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Spear & Jackson Kew Woodland Collection Bypass Loppers review

Pros

• Traditional design
• Sustainably sourced wood handle
• Comfortable
• 10 year warranty

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Garden Loppers Manufacturer.

Cons

• Very basic
• Not as user friendly as others in our test

Traditional in design, with the Kew name attached, these loppers will appeal to gardeners who prefer a classic style of lopper. The blades are hardened carbon steel, with the upper coated for rust resistance, and the handles are sustainably sourced and weather proofed, and are both sturdy and pleasant to hold. They&#;re comfortable but simple and basic with no added grip or cushioning bumpers and are a little less easy to open and close than our other loppers on test. They have a 30mm cutting width diameter and come with a generous 10 year warranty.

Darlac Heavy Duty Double Compound Action Anvil Lopper

RRP: £36.99

Our rating: 4.3/5

Darlac Heavy Duty Double Compound Action Anvil Lopper

Pros:

• Light and easy to use
• Good reach
• Spare parts available

Cons:

• Long blade only cuts tough wood at base
• Struggles with denser wood
• Strain on wrist when cutting tough wood

A long steel blade with a rust-resistant coating and light, narrow aluminium handles with a rubber grip make these loppers light and easy to use. Guaranteed for life, the tool features a compound-action cutting mechanism and offers great reach. While spare parts are available, the loppers did struggle on tougher wood putting strain on the wrists while working.

Wilkinson Sword Ratchet Lopper

RRP: £38.99

Our rating: 4.3/5

• Buy now from Charlies (£24.99)

Wilkinson Sword Ratchet Lopper

Pros:

• Very light and easy to use
• Cuts most wood cleanly and smoothly
• Good value

Cons:

• Narrow cutting width
• Ratchet catches occasionally

Good for less able gardeners, these loppers feature a long, non-stick blade made from carbon-steel with a metal anvil. There are long, narrow aluminium handles with a rubber grip, plus a three-gear rachet mechanism, although our testers found this did sometimes catch. The warranty on this model is 10 years.

Burgon & Ball RHS-endorsed Telescopic Ratchet Lopper

RRP: £48.99

Our rating: 4/5

Burgon & Ball RHS-endorsed Telescopic Ratchet Lopper

Pros:

• Cuts tough wood well
• Handles easily adjusted with one hand

Cons:

• Handles slide into place by eye only
• Handles bow under pressure
• Narrow cutting width
• Heavy

There&#;s a five stage spring-ratchet mechanism on these Burgon and Ball loppers which feature a carbon-steel, non-stick blade with a chrome-plated anvil. While heavy, the tool cuts well through tough wood and the telescopic handles extend 72-104cm. The loppers are guaranteed for 10 years.

Stanley FatMax Anvil Lopper

RRP: £34.99

Our rating: 4/5

• Buy now from Trade Counter Direct (£35.99)

Stanley FatMax Anvil Lopper

Pros:

• Bumpers absorb shock well
• Tapered handles cut narrower stems with ease
• Sturdy and strong

Cons:

• Big and heavy
• Struggled with thicker, tough wood
• Hard to hold above head for long periods

These garden loppers feature curved, tubular steel handles with bumpers, plus a plastic and gel grip to ease the impact on your hands. They feature a coated-steel blade with a metal anvil. There is a geared mechanism, but the tool doesn&#;t open as wide as some other models and some effort is required to cut thicker stems. The included warranty lasts a lifetime.

How to choose the best garden loppers

Loppers are ideal for tougher pruning jobs later on in the year and there are a wide range of choices available. In this guide, we go through some of the different models of loppers and the various features they offer, so you can understand which type might work for you.

What are loppers used for?

Loppers are essentially a pair of large, long handled secateurs, capable of taking on stems which would be too thick for even your very best secateurs. Ideal for the autumn and winter pruning period, loppers are designed to cut branches up to around 50mm thick. The tool features long, even telescopic handles, which are operated with both hands to tackle stubborn growth.

What are bypass loppers?

Bypass loppers have two blades that operate in a scissor action to slice cleanly through stems and wood. They are best for all general pruning of green stems and thicker live branches. They often have a slightly narrower cutting width, of up to 45cm, than anvil loppers.

What are anvil loppers?

Anvil loppers feature a single blade closing onto a flat base, operating in a similar way to a knife cutting on a chopping board. There may also be a mechanism in the head of the loppers, which could be a ratchet, compound-action or geared mechanism which will help them cut more powerfully and with less effort from you. A ratchet cuts in multiple steps, while geared and compound action provide more leverage to a single cut. Anvil loppers are the toughest type of garden loppers and will particularly suit any jobs which involve clearing a lot of dense, dead wood. Lopper blades are usually made from steel or carbon-steel and can have a protective or non stick coating to increase durability.

What are extendable loppers used for?

There are many long handled loppers which can help you reach further or higher up branches, but some are extendable, with telescopic handles. Being able to adjust and extend loppers means you can increase your leverage and cover more areas of your garden. The adjustable nature of telescopic tree loppers means you can alter the length for your needs, rather than being left with excessively long handles while you complete jobs within easier reach. Many of these long reach loppers with telescopic handles have an additional cutting mechanism which should help make slicing through tough wood a less strenuous job. There will often be other handy features on loppers, extendable or otherwise. These include grips over the handles for added comfort or &#;bumpers&#;, which soften the impact of each cut by preventing the two handles from banging together.

How we tested loppers

We tested a range of bypass and anvil loppers with different features including telescopic handles and ratchet mechanisms. Our experts put the loppers through their paces on various woody branches and stems to test their overall performance. Each pair was assessed according to the following criteria with equal marks attributed to each:

• Handling: Looked at comfort, weight, balance, manoeuvrability and ease of use.
• Cutting: Focussed on the blade material, strength, cutting widths and cutting efficiency.
• Maintenance: Assessed ease of cleaning and sharpening and whether replacement blades are available.
• Value: Considered the price versus quality, design, performance and warranty.

For more information on our testing process, take a look at how we review.

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Keeping up a home, homestead, or hunting property requires plenty of work, and having the right tool for the job can make that work easier and faster. You need chainsaws and axes for trees and firewood, hand saws and hatchets for big limbs and smaller trees, and loppers for saplings, overhead branches, overgrown bushes, and more. 

Loppers are the right tool for a lot of jobs outside. Saplings growing up through a chain link fence? Loppers. Overhead branches that move when you try a saw? Loppers. Overgrown bush taking over your porch? Loppers. Need something quick, clean, and quiet for clearing lanes in front of your stand or blind? Loppers. Clearing small saplings for a micro food plot? You guessed it, loppers. So, to help you find the right loppers for what you&#;re doing, I put a pile of them to the test to see which ones worked best for a variety of jobs. 

How I Tested the Best Loppers

All of these loppers were tested on a variety of wood types and thicknesses from ¼ inch to 2 ¼ inches. Anything larger would be best tackled with one of the best mini chainsaws. I did most of the cutting on green wood, but there was some dead wood mixed in. Here&#;s a list of tasks these loppers helped me complete:

• I helped out my new neighbor and cut out about 15 maple saplings that were growing in his chain link fence. 
• I trimmed back my Catalpa tree so we could have my daughters party under its shade. 
• I pruned low branches on apple trees, so I could mow around them easily. 
• I trimmed the maple over my shed and front steps. 
• I pruned an overgrown purple rhododendron that had begun to overtake my porch Jumanji style.
• I cleared shooting lanes and made room for new stand locations on everything from pine to oak. 

Best Loppers: Reviews and Recommendations

Photo by Drew Conover

Key Features

• Max Cut Diameter: 2.25 inches
• Overall Length: 32.5 inches
• Jaw Type: Bypass
• Bumpers: Yes, Hard Rubber
• Price: $70

Pros

• Lifetime Warranty
• Comfortable Grips that extend halfway up the arms for different hand positions
• Forged Aluminum arms bolted to High Carbon Steel Blades
• Replaceable Blades

Cons

• Heavier than the others

The Corona XSeries Pro impressed in every way. These have a lifetime warranty that I&#;m sure I will never use because they are built like a tank. The cutting performance was just as impressive as the build quality, and that makes them my top pick. 

Corona makes some great hand saws and folding saws, and that same quality transfers over to their Loppers in the XSeries Pro. The XSeries has full-length, forged-aluminum arms that are heavier than the hollow arm loppers, but they feel great in hand. I never had to worry if I was pushing or squeezing these loppers too hard. They felt like they could take anything. Even when cutting at the maximum diameter that I could fit in the blades, I never felt like the tool was stressed. 

The rubber grips extend halfway up the arms for a variety of grips for lighter and heavier work. I did put a small nick in the blade when I accidentally hit a chain link fence, but it didn&#;t noticeably affect the cutting performance. The rubber bumpers dissipate some of the shock if you snap shut with force on a harder cut, but other bumpers were better. 

Best for Big Branches: Fiskars PowerGear 2 L

Photo by Drew Conover

Key Features

• Max Cut Diameter: 2 inches
• Overall Length: 32 inches
• Jaw Type: Bypass
• Bumpers: No
• Price: $40

Pros

• PowerGear Technology adds a mechanical advantage to your strength for easier cuts
• Lifetime Warranty
• Lightweight
• Smooth Cuts

Cons

• Arms and Grips feel a little cheap
• Power gear opens arms far and can make tight spaces hard to work in

The Fiskars PowerGear 2 32-inch loppers were amazing on large branches. They claim the PowerGear system gives three times the cutting power, and I believe it. When you get near the limit on most loppers, the force required to cut is astronomically high. On the Fiskars though, there is no need to worry. If the branch or sapling fits in the jaws, you can easily cut it. 

The steel gears are made from thick stock and feel very sturdy. The only drawback for the PowerGear 2 is that the arms open nearly 180 degrees, which makes it hard to get into tight spaces if you&#;re cutting a branch close to the max diameter. 

You&#;ll mostly forget about the wide arc needed to use these once you cut a few branches that other loppers can&#;t handle. Chomping through thick stuff with these loppers actually brought a smile to my face. As I was using these, it also occurred to me that someone with an injury could benefit from the mechanical advantage the Fiskars PowerGear 2 Loppers offer. 

Photo by Drew Conover

Key Features

• Max Cut Diameter: 1.25 inches 
• Overall Length: 23.75 inches
• Jaw Type: Bypass
• Bumpers: Yes, Soft Rubber 
• Price: $76

Pros

• High-quality construction
• All parts are replaceable and serviceable
• Jaw pivot bolt will not loosen thanks to a nut-locking system
• Aluminum arms

Cons

• While the shorter length makes them easy to use and maneuver, it cuts down leverage
• High quality, but high price

For most jobs, the 23.75-inch Felco loppers are everything you need and nothing you don&#;t. They won&#;t handle the biggest branches, but they are well built and cut very smoothly on all branches under their max cutting diameter.

The Felco Loppers ooze quality, and they have nice touches that the others don&#;t. The pivot nut has a ring with gears cut into it that mesh up with a lock gear so it can&#;t loosen once the tension is set. Remove the lock gear if you need to service the pivot or remove the blade. The blades bolt directly into the aluminum arms and are easily removed, unlike many others, which cannot be changed or serviced. 

These loppers are designed to last a lifetime like things used to be. It&#;s like an old car, simple to work on yourself with basic hand tools and designed to be fixed, not replaced. They cut very smoothly and came very sharp. If you appreciate quality, don&#;t need the full-size loppers, but need a little more reach than the compact ones offer, the Swiss Made Felco 211-60&#;s might be just right for you. 

Small But Mighty: Fiskars PowerGear 15-inch Super Pruner

Photo by Drew Conover

Key Features

• Max Cut Diameter: 1.25 inches
• Overall Length: 15 inches
• Jaw Type: Anvil
• Bumpers: No
• Price: $25

Pros

• PowerGear Technology adds a mechanical advantage to your strength for easier cuts
• Lifetime Warranty
• Ultra Lightweight
• Smooth Cuts

Cons

• Arms, gears, grips, and anvil are all plastic. 
• Easy to open too far and pop gears out of mesh

The 15-inch Fiskars feature the same PowerGear Technology as the 32-inch ones, and they easily chomp through bigger branches because of it. They are super lightweight and compact, but pack a big punch.

The Fiskars PowerGear 15-inch Super Pruners work as advertised. They get through branches easier than loppers twice the size, thanks to the PowerGear advantage. They are unbelievably lightweight and compact, and they come with a lifetime warranty for only 25 bucks. 

I had no issues when I pushed them past what they were intended for. But, when I really looked at them, I couldn&#;t help but think that they couldn&#;t take it for very long. The handles and gears are all molded from the same fiber-reinforced plastic, and only the cutting blade and pivots are made of steel. There is some wiggle in the pivots and you can open the handles too far and pop the gears out of sync without much effort. They go back in just as easily, but it&#;s not confidence inspiring. 

Now, a lifetime warranty comes with these loppers, so maybe that&#;s not a concern for you. I like these Fiskars Loppers a lot in hand and in use, but the materials fall short of others on the list. However, if you want super lightweight loppers that require the least effort and strength to operate, the Fiskars 15-inch PowerGear Super Pruners are the top dog. 

Best Bang For Your Buck: Corona 30 inch ComfortGEL SL

Photo by Drew Conover

Key Features

• Max Cut Diameter: 1.5 inches
• Overall Length: 30 inches
• Jaw Type: Bypass
• Bumpers: Yes, Silicone/Gel- Softest in the group
• Price: $28

Pros

• Quality look and feel
• Lifetime Warranty
• ComfortGel Grips are both soft and grippy
• Full Aluminum arms

Cons

• Won&#;t handle the biggest branches

The Corona 30-inch ComfortGEL Loppers look, feel, and perform like premium loppers, but they come in at less than half the price of many others. 

The one drawback is that they can only cut branches 1.5 inches or smaller. Others in this size range can cut 2-inch branches. Cutting was nice and smooth, and they went through basically anything that fit in the jaws. 

The way things are lately, it&#;s actually hard to believe that Corona is putting out a tool of this quality for this price. These had the best bumpers in the test and delivered the least amount of hand shock when you finish the cut, and they snap shut. The rubber grips with the gel overmold were very comfortable and very grippy even with sweaty hands. The blades aren&#;t replaceable, which keeps production cost down, but they are easily sharpened. These loppers come in at a budget price with a much more premium feel. Corona has a lifetime warranty on them which makes the price even more attractive. If you have a champagne taste and a beer budget, grab a Corona 30-inch ComfortGEL Bypass Lopper. 

Photo by Drew Conover

Key Features

• Max Cut Diameter: 1.75 inches
• Overall Length: 30 inches
• Jaw Type: Bypass
• Bumpers: No
• Price: $50

Pros

• Compound linkage give you more power with less effort
• Steel Arms
• Good grip 

Cons

• Linkage is stiff
• No bumpers means more hand shock after a hard cut

The Tabor Tools GG11A loppers performed well for cutting, and were somewhere between regular single pivot designs and the PowerGear system for ease of cutting larger branches. They have a mechanical advantage, just not as much as the PowerGear. The linkage was a bit too tight and gave extra resistance when open and closing, though it did help on cuts overall. With a bit more refinement, these loppers would have done better overall, and perhaps with some more break-in, they would be higher up on the list. Although these cut well and had more power on big branches, I feel that there were tools that were better to use for less money. But if you&#;re looking for extra power and solid construction, the Tabor Tools GG11A loppers are certainly a viable option. 

Photo by Drew Conover

Key Features

• Max Cut Diameter: 1.5 inches
• Overall Length: 28 inches
• Jaw Type: Bypass
• Bumpers: Yes, hard rubber and plastic
• Price: $29

Pros

• Good performance that won&#;t break the bank
• Lifetime Warranty
• Rubber grips
• Simple Design

Cons

• Bumpers are hard and don&#;t really absorb any shock
• Jaw shape can push larger branches out as the cut begins and may cause you to have to re-adjust

The Fiskars 28-inch Bypass Loppers are about as basic as loppers can get, which means there is very little that can go wrong with them. That also means that they don&#;t have some of the features of other loppers. The bumpers are functional in that they keep your hands from colliding after the cut, but they are made of such hard material that it does almost nothing to soften the shock. With no extra linkage and a basic blade shape, they cut fairly smoothly. Yet they lack some cutting power and require extra pressure so that the branch isn&#;t squeezed out of the front of the blade and jaw. Overall, these loppers are solid and functional, and they are less expensive than others, but some outshined them for nearly the same price. 

Photo by Drew Conover

Key Features

• Max Cut Diameter: 1.5 inch 
• Overall Length: 18 inches
• Jaw Type: Anvil
• Bumpers: No
• Price: $26

Pros

• SK5 Steel Blade
• Extra power from compound action
• Sturdy Construction
• Replaceable Anvil

Cons

• Stiff yet loose linkage
• Metal Anvil will dull blade quicker

The YRTSH (Yer-Tish?) 18-inch Anvil Loppers cut well, and had the same capacity and cutting power of much longer loppers. The compound action linkage adds power to the cut, and makes smooth cuts with less effort than traditional designs.

These are great for tighter areas where longer loppers won&#;t fit, but you need the power of longer loppers. These cut well, and I was happy with the extra power that is afforded, but they were held back from the top spot by some fit and finish problems. The linkage was stiff to operate, but at the same time a couple of the pivot points had play and slop in them. If something brand new has play in it, it will only acquire more play with use. However, I do prefer the all-metal construction of these over the plastic/polymer of the Fiskars 15 inch. These were a close second to the Fiskars, and narrowly missed first place because they don&#;t have a lifetime warranty and don&#;t have quite the mechanical advantage that the Fiskars had. Overall, the YRTSH 18-inch Loppers are solid and performed well for their size.

How to Choose the Right Loppers

Size

This applies to both the size of the branches you will cut and the size (length) of the loppers. Generally speaking, larger loppers will handle larger branches. And longer handles give you more power and reach. If you&#;re trimming overhead, longer loppers can extend your reach. But, if your jobs are smaller, a more compact set should be all you need. For gardening and pruning bushes, a smaller set should do just fine. However, if you&#;re clearing shot lanes or clearing land to reclaim a yard or build a food plot, a larger set of loppers will be more versatile and handle the bigger limbs and saplings. 

Frequency of Use

A professional who uses a tool every day will generally spend more on a tool than someone who might only use it a few times a year. So, if you&#;re planning on using loppers a whole lot, it makes sense to spring for a more expensive pair that will hold up better and be more serviceable. If your loppers only get pulled out a few times a year, you can probably save some money and buy a more budget-friendly set. The $70 Corona XSeries Pro would make a lot of sense for a landscaper or a homesteader who wants them to last forever, whereas the Fiskars 28-inch Bypass loppers will be plenty for the average homeowner at only $29. 

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between Bypass and Anvil Loppers?

A: Bypass loppers have a sharpened blade and an unsharpened jaw that will pass by each other while cutting very similar to how a pair of scissors work. Anvil loppers have a sharpened blade that stops on an &#;anvil&#; of a softer material, similar to using a knife and a cutting board. Generally, larger loppers are bypass style, and smaller ones tend to be anvil style. Bypass loppers need bumpers or another means of stopping the handles from coming together, and anvil-style loppers stop when the blade contacts the &#;anvil&#;. 

Q: How can I sharpen my loppers?

A: It depends on the type. Bypass loppers will only be sharpened on one side, like a pair of scissors. The blades are chisel ground- flat on the side that passes the jaw, and sharpened on the opposite side. They can be sharpened with a flat file or a belt-style sharpener like a WorkSharp Ken Onion. Anvil Style blades are more like a traditional knife blade, and will be sharpened on both sides of the blade. You can use a flat file or diamond stone or a belt-style sharpener like with bypass blades. 

Final Thoughts on the Best Loppers

Loppers are great cutting tools that are faster than a saw, and more precise and safer than an axe or hatchet. A good pair will save you time and energy and help you keep your property in top shape. 

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