Table of Contents
- View The Best Loppers Below
- 1. Spear & Jackson 8290RS Razorsharp Telescopic Loppers
- 2. Felco Straight Cutting Head Expert Loppers
- 3. Fiskars Bypass Lopper
- 4. TABOR TOOLS GB19A Anvil Lopper
- 5. Corona Compound Action Anvil Lopper
- 6. Gonicc Professional SK-5 Steel Blade Anvil Lopper
- 7. BLACK+DECKER Alligator Lopper Cordless Chainsaw
- 8. MLTOOLS Ratcheting Lopper
- 9. GARTOL Garden Loppers Heavy Duty
- 10. KSEIBI 252606 Anvil Lopper
- Loppers Buyer’s Guide
While maintaining your garden, be it for aesthetics or health, sometimes it is necessary to cut a few tree limbs. Loppers are useful and heavy duty tools to cut away dead or diseased limbs or to prune unruly or unneeded branches to increase a plants’ productivity.
The market for gardening tools today is vast. This applies to loppers as well as many other tools with innovations in blades, mechanisms to increase leverage, and differing handle types to give you a series of options for tailoring your choice to fit your cutting needs.
From a simple bypass lopper to an anvil, ratcheting, and compound lopper types available today, how can you decide which is the best lopper for your cutting and pruning needs?
View The Best Loppers Below
1. Spear & Jackson 8290RS Razorsharp Telescopic Loppers
If you have older trees in need of a trim, you need to consider this set of ratcheting loppers. They have a sharp, serrated, carbon steel blade with a non-stick coating to improve the ease of each cut, protect against corrosion, and increase durability. The ratchet mechanism increases the amount of leverage available so that you can cut more with less effort.
The aluminum handles are telescopic to increase the reach possible with them, and they “lock” in place with a simple twist for ease of use. Cushioning grips give you a firm hold and help absorb the force of use for comfort, even on large projects.
Pros:
+ Carbon steel blade for durability
+ Ratchet mechanism increases leverage for easier cuts
+ Telescopic handles increase your reach
+ 10-year guarantee
Why We Like It – With improved range and leverage, these are the best loppers for those who have several trees with thick and hard to reach branches in need of trimming.
2. Felco Straight Cutting Head Expert Loppers
This is a bypass style lopper designed to last you through years of cutting branches. The aluminum handles come in a variety of sizes to suit your needs, and they provide durability without the weight of wooden handles. Choose from 16″ inch, 20″ inch, or 24″ inch handles. No matter the size, the handles are covered with a non-slip coating to give you a firm and comfortable hold throughout work.
When parts begin to wear, Felco’s replacement parts system means you can simply order a new part instead of replacing the loppers.
Pros:
+ Lightweight but sturdy
+ Choose from three handle lengths
+ Replacement parts system make repair easy
Why We Like It – If you want a set of garden cutters, you can be sure will last you for years without needing a full replacement, these are the best loppers for your garden. Felco’s replacement parts system makes it possible to simply replace a worn part instead of the entire set of loppers.
3. Fiskars Bypass Lopper
If your garden is home to a few young or well-maintained trees and bushes and you want a simple but effective pair of loppers to tend them, the Fiskars 28 inch bypass looper may be the best lopper for you. The steel blades are hardened and sharpened to a honed edge. Plus, they are covered in a non-stick coating to keep them clear of dust, sap, and rust.
The 28″ inch handles give you excellent reach and leverage. The handles have comfortable padded and non-slip grips as well as rubber bumpers on the inside of the handles. This provides you with a firm grip and absorbs shock and vibration to keep the experience comfortable.
Pros:
+ Razor-sharp steel blades
+ 28″ inch handles
+ Shock absorption built-in
Why We Like It – These are the best gardening loppers for those who want a comfortable and straightforward means of trimming and pruning midsized branches from their garden.
4. TABOR TOOLS GB19A Anvil Lopper
Sometime lopper models can be too large for effective use in small or tightly overgrown areas. Going with a shorter handled or overall smaller lopper model means you sacrifice the leverage needed for a high cutting capacity. However, this compound anvil looper from TABOR TOOLS gives you a mechanical advantage to compensate for the shorter, 19″ inch aluminum handles.
The blade is constructed of coated carbonized steel for high durability and smooth cutting. The handles are lightweight and have thick, shock-absorbing grips for easy handling. Plus, the loppers are back with a one-year limited warranty.
Pros:
+ Carbon steel blade
+ Aluminum handles
+ Backed by a one-year limited warranty
Why We Like It – This TABOR TOOLS model is one of the best anvil loppers for getting into thick overgrowth or to clear dead wood from trees. The shorter handles make them easier to handle than some larger models, and the compound action means you do not sacrifice cutting capacity.
5. Corona Compound Action Anvil Lopper
If you have a large treed property, several of them, or work as a professional gardener, these loppers are worth close consideration. The handles are two feet long and constructed of fiberglass to be lightweight, and they have foam grips for added comfort through frequent use.
The compound mechanism gives you three times the cutting capacity to handle up to 1 1/2″ inch thick branches. The blade, made of high-carbon steel, and anvil are both resharpenable and replaceable for unparalleled durability, so you know it will last for years of continual use.
Pros:
+ Resharpenable high-carbon steel blade
+ Blade and anvil are replaceable to last for years
+ Backed by a limited warranty
Why We Like It – This is one of the best loppers for those with multiple or large treed properties or professional use. Not only are they effective and durable, but both the blade and anvil can be replaced for continued use over the years.
6. Gonicc Professional SK-5 Steel Blade Anvil Lopper
You may be beginning to despair in your search if you need to cut branches thicker than an inch and a half since this seems to be the maximum capacity of most loppers. With the ability to slice through branches up to 2″ inches thick, this anvil style lopper from Gonicc may be the best loppers for your needs.
They are equipped with a blade constructed of high-carbon steel honed to a fine edge, and its lever design cuts the force needed to cut branches in half. The ergonomic handles are built to be sturdy and comfortable to use. Additionally, the loppers come with a lifetime warranty, so there is no risk to you.
Pros:
+ Blade made from high-carbon steel
+ 2″ inch cutting capacity
+ Ergonomic handles
+ Lifetime warranty
Why We Like It – These loppers are one of your best bets if you have thicker than average branches in need of cutting and would prefer to avoid using a saw.
7. BLACK+DECKER Alligator Lopper Cordless Chainsaw
Even the very best anvil or bypass lopper models cannot cut limbs with a diameter over 2″ inches to 3″ inches. For larger jobs like these, you would usually need a chainsaw or other heavy duty tool that can be difficult to use safely, especially for branches you need a ladder to reach. Black + Decker offers the 20V MAX Alligator as a solution.
The clamping jaw gives you the same kind of precision control you would have by using a bypass lopper. It can slice through branches with a diameter of up to 4″ inches, and it is battery powered. So there are no cords or gas to worry with during use.
Pros:
+ Clamping jaws give you control
+ 4″ inch cutting capacity
+ Cordless operation
+ 2-year limited warranty
Why We Like It – Sometimes, the best lopper for the job is not a lopper at all. This tool from Black + Decker combines the functionality of loppers, and a small chain saw without the weight.
8. MLTOOLS Ratcheting Lopper
These ratcheting loppers are a versatile option for those with young, live branches that need to be cut. The blades are made from high-carbon steel for excellent durability, and the ratcheting mechanism shifts the leverage while you work to increase your mechanical advantage while you work.
The handles are made from aluminum to be both durable and lightweight for ease of use, and they can extend to 38″ inches to improve your reach. Non-slip grips on the handles give you a firm grasp and help absorb some of the shock and force included in the job. They are also backed by a satisfaction guarantee, so there is little risk in giving them a try.
Pros:
+ Blade of high-carbon steel for durability
+ Ratcheting mechanism gives increased mechanical strength
+ Extendable handles
+ Backed by a satisfaction guarantee
Why We Like It – Durable blades, a ratcheting mechanism for greater mechanical strength, and extendable handles make this bypass lopper a versatile option.
9. GARTOL Garden Loppers Heavy Duty
This heavy-duty lopper from GARTOL is ideal for those with a lot of cutting to do. It is also useful for those who have experienced hand pain or discomfort with tool vibration in the past. The lopper is constructed to reduce the shocks that can result from limbs being cut as well as durability.
The blades are made from ground steel to have and keep a razor-sharp edge, and they are covered in a protective coating to keep them sharp, clean, and free of rust over the long haul. Plus, GARTOL offers post-sale service and a one year warranty to back their loppers.
Pros:
+ Ground steel blades are extremely sharp
+ Protective coating boosts blade durability
+ Rubberized grips for comfortable use
+ Bumpers absorb shock
Why We Like It – These bypass loppers are ideal for those who have pain and difficulty with tools known to cause vibration. The rubberized grips and shock-absorbing rubber bumpers included increase comfort of use.
10. KSEIBI 252606 Anvil Lopper
If you need a lopper capable of cutting limbs or young trees with a diameter of 2″ inches, this may be the lopper to consider. The blade is fully heat-treated up to three times and coated in a protective, non-stick coating to be as durable as possible. It has a leveraging system to increase your leverage and reduce the amount of force needed to slice through branches of up to 2″ inches.
The telescoping handles are made from aluminum to be both lightweight and durable, and they have rubberized grips to give you a sturdy and comfortable grip. They can collapse down to 27″ inches or extend to a full 40″ inches.
Pros:
+ Fully heat-treated blade
+ Non-stick and protective coating for blade
+ Extendable handles
+ 100% satisfaction guarantee
Why We Like It – This is a heavy-duty lopper designed to help you cut thicker branches with a reach of up to 40″ inches!
Loppers Buyer’s Guide
What to look for when researching loppers?
To start, let’s define what exactly is meant by loppers. It is another term for a tree trimmer or tree pruner playing on the fact they are used to “lop off” dead, diseased, or unruly limbs from trees and bushes. The majority of lopper models resemble huge pruning sheers, and they are meant to trim away branches that are too large and tough for pruning sheers yet small enough where a chain saw would be overkill.
To be a bit more specific, a lopper is a pruning tool requiring both hands to use. If it can be used with one hand, it is referred to as a pruner.
When used regularly and well, good loppers will help you keep any bushes and trees on your property healthy, maintained, and their growth controlled. Through removing dead or diseased limbs, you can prevent an infection from spreading into the rest of the plant and prevent damage or injury from falling limbs. Plus, managing these issues as early as possible keeps them from becoming a larger issue years later, which can quickly become dangerous or costly if the tree is particularly large.
As you may imagine, the best loppers must be sharp, strong, and durable. Wood is a tough material, and cutting branches can quickly dull, damage, or break blades or the loppers as a whole if they are poor quality or designed to handle thinner, softer branches than they are used to cut. Therefore, you will be best served by choosing a set of loppers designed to handle the tasks you have planned for it.
There are a couple of different types of loppers available today. Bypass loppers are the most common variety, and these are the ones that most closely resemble enlarged pruning sheers with their overlapping blades. They are best known for making clean cuts along thin to medium-sized branches. Anvil loppers are more heavy-duty.
Instead of having two overlapping blades, an anvil lopper has a thick heavy blade and a flat side, or the anvil. A cut made by one of these lopper models is not as clean as one made by a bypass set; however, they work better on thicker branches or in places where the brush has grown thick over time.
Which is better anvil or bypass loppers?
Anvil loppers and bypass loppers are tools designed for related but different tasks. Therefore, neither one is better than the other overall. In reality, it is a question of which tool is better suited to the task at hand.
Anvil loppers have a sturdy, thick blade that closes onto a broad, flat “anvil” manufactured from a softer metal. This makes them powerful and strong; however, it also means they are prone to crush a branch as much as cutting through them. Anvil style loppers are ideal for handling the heavy work of cutting thick branches or brush, dead branches, or other places where finesse is not needed.
By comparison, a bypass lopper is the precision tool of pruning. These loppers have highly sharpened, overlapping blades capable of making a clean cut. This is the best lopper style for shaping and pruning trees and large bushes due to these cleaner cuts made without inflicting additional damage to the limbs. Plus, the results simply look better than cuts made with an anvil style lopper. This is why a bypass model is preferred for a cut made with aesthetic or health and productivity factors in mind.
What is the best bypass lopper?
There are a lot of bypass lopper options available today, all designed with different factors in mind, so finding the best loppers for you depends upon the plants you are looking to maintain.
Let us first take a look at the different kinds of bypass style loppers. There are the regular loppers with a bypass blade. These are the simplest to use and maintain, but they also have the most confined range of what they can accomplish. They are recommended for branches of 1″ inch to 1.5″ inches in diameter. A step up are the geared models or compound action loppers.
These lopper models have mechanisms built into the design to give you added leverage. This allows you to cut through slightly thicker branches than you would be able to manage with a standard set. Then finally, there are ratchet loppers. These lopper models employ a ratchet system to give you additional leverage to handle even larger branches by increasing the force you can apply with the blades.
Speaking of leverage, the lopper type is not the only factor feeding into the amount of leverage any particular lopper can provide. The handle length also makes a big difference. The longer the handles, the more leverage you can generate. Plus, longer handles also allow you to reach branches higher or farther away than you would be able to manage without climbing a ladder. This can help reduce risk. However, it should be noted these lengthened handles also come with greater weight, so you need to find a balance between utility and usability.
Next, consider the quality of the lopper blades themselves. Any cutting tool is only as good as its blades, so you need to look for a strong, durable material that will hold its edge and resist rust. Carbon steel, titanium, and stainless steel are all excellent choices for blade metals.
Both titanium and stainless are rust and corrosion resistant while carbon steel is not, though it is often more durable than stainless. However, many loppers have non-stick coatings to improve the ease with which the blades slice through branches. This coating also helps to prevent them from being gummed up by sap and dust.
This coating can help protect your lopper and keep it from becoming stiff and sticky; however, every blade must eventually be sharpened. Sharpening will remove part of this coating, so you can expect the benefits will wane with use. This is especially important to remember if your blades are made from a material which can corrode as additional steps will be needed to prevent this from occurring.
What are bypass loppers?
Bypass loppers are a pruning tool meant to trim live wood branches of a thickness of 1″ inch to 2″ inches. They have 18″ inch to 32″ inch handles for leverage and thick, sharp, and curved blades that overlap or bypass one another as the lopper is closed. They are known for making a clean cut ideal for trimming for improved health, appearance, or increased productivity of fruiting trees and shrubs.
Cut to the Point.
There are a few different factors to consider when researching the best lopper to fill your gardening needs. Look at type, blade construction, and handle length to tailor your choice to your needs.
An anvil type tends to have a higher cutting capacity than bypass models, but they have much less finesse. Therefore, anvil types are best for rough cuts to remove excess material before making a final cut or clearing away dead limbs. Bypass models make cleaner cuts and are better for aesthetic cuts or trimming live wood with minimal damage. While they have lower power overall, many models have mechanical improvements or longer handles to increase available leverage and cutting capacity.
Blades constructed of durable metals will hold their edge longer. Models with an additional protective and non-stick coating will hold up even longer.
