The best loppers
For the branches that are too thick for secateurs. Here's which loppers make light work of the autumn prune.
Loppers are long-handled pruners for branches too thick for secateurs, usually from finger-thick up to about 4cm. The long handles give leverage, and ratchets or gears multiply it further.
There are two blade types. Bypass blades slice like scissors and are best for living wood; anvil blades press onto a flat edge and are better for dead, woody branches. We've included both.
What matters
- Bypass for live wood, anvil for dead wood.
- Ratchet or gear action for thick branches with less effort.
- Telescopic handles for reach.
- Weight, if they'll be used for long sessions.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Telescopic Ratchet Anvil Lopper (8100RS)
£20–£30 Price range
The ratchet cuts in stages, so a thick branch goes in three easy squeezes instead of one arm-straining one, and the handles telescope from 46 to 72cm to reach into the back of a border.
What owners say: Owners find they cut thick branches with ease and stay sharp for months, and like the reach of the extending handles.
A closer look: Anvil loppers crush slightly as they cut, which makes them best for dead and woody branches. Wipe sap off the blade after use and give the pivot a drop of oil at the end of the season.
- Cuts branches up to 42mm
- Ratchet action
- Telescopic handles, 46–72cm
- PTFE-coated carbon steel blade
- Lightweight aluminium handles
Best for: Thick, woody branches
- Blade
- Anvil, ratchet
- Cuts up to
- 42mm
- Length
- 46–72cm
- Telescopic
- Yes
#2 of 5
Best compact
Fiskars PowerGear Super Pruner/Lopper (38cm)
£30–£50 Price range
A short, light lopper with a gear that multiplies your grip, so it cuts like something much bigger. Fiskars has been making tools since 1649, when it started as an ironworks in Finland.
What owners say: Owners rate them among the best they've used: sharp, light and easy to use, with a comfortable grip.
A closer look: Its short handles make it good for roses, shrubs and fruit bushes where long loppers get tangled. It's light enough to use one-handed for a moment while you hold a branch with the other.
- Cuts branches up to about 38mm
- PowerGear mechanism
- 38cm long, about 400g
- Low-friction blade coating
- Lifetime warranty
Best for: Shrubs and tight spots
- Blade
- Anvil, geared
- Cuts up to
- About 38mm
- Length
- 38cm
- Telescopic
- No
#3 of 5
Best premium
Kimura Pro Heavy-Duty Ratchet Anvil Loppers
£30–£50 Price range
The longest reach here, extending from 65cm to 95cm, with a ratchet that multiplies the cutting force for branches up to 40mm. Japanese SK5 steel blades and a lifetime warranty.
What owners say: Owners find them very easy to use, extremely sharp and able to cut thick branches with little effort.
A closer look: Extend the handles for high branches and keep them short for close work: shorter handles give more control. Cut just outside the collar where a branch meets the trunk, not flush with it.
- Cuts branches up to 40mm
- Ratchet action
- Extends 65–95cm
- Japanese SK5 steel blade, PTFE-coated
- Lifetime warranty
Best for: High branches
- Blade
- Anvil, ratchet
- Cuts up to
- 40mm
- Length
- 65–95cm
- Telescopic
- Yes
#4 of 5
Grüntek Grizzly Anvil Loppers (47cm)
£20–£30 Price range
Small and light at 687g, with a gear drive that the maker says gives up to 2.2 times the cutting power. Halfway between big secateurs and full loppers.
What owners say: Owners find they cut through branches like butter, feel built to last, and are light and easy to use.
A closer look: Light loppers like these suit older gardeners and smaller hands. Keep them for branches under a thumb's width or so, and use a pruning saw for anything thicker.
- Cuts green wood up to 33mm, dry up to 29mm
- Gear-drive action
- 47cm long, 687g
- Teflon-coated carbon steel blade
Best for: Light, everyday pruning
- Blade
- Anvil, geared
- Cuts up to
- 33mm (green), 29mm (dry)
- Length
- 47cm
- Telescopic
- No
#5 of 5
Best budget
AIRAJ Telescopic Bypass Loppers (42–61cm)
£10–£20 Price range
Bypass blades that slice like scissors, which is kinder to living branches, plus handles that extend for reach. A lot of lopper for the money.
What owners say: Owners find them sharp and light, good on thick brambles, and good value.
Heads up: They're best for jobs up to about 3cm: forcing thicker branches can bend the handles, so switch to a saw for those.
A closer look: Bypass loppers leave a cleaner cut on green, living wood, which heals faster, so use these on shrubs and fruit trees and keep an anvil lopper for dead wood.
- Cuts branches up to 35mm
- Bypass blades (clean cut on live wood)
- Extends 42–61cm
- SK5 steel, Teflon coated
- Non-slip grips
Best for: Live branches on a budget
- Blade
- Bypass
- Cuts up to
- 35mm
- Length
- 42–61cm
- Telescopic
- Yes
How they compare
| Feature | #1Spear & Jackson 8100RS | #2Fiskars PowerGear | #3Kimura Pro ratchet | #4Grüntek Grizzly | #5AIRAJ bypass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best compact | Best premium | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.8 |
| Price | £20–£30 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £10–£20 Price range |
| Blade | Anvil, ratchet | Anvil, geared | Anvil, ratchet | Anvil, geared | Bypass |
| Cuts up to | 42mm | About 38mm | 40mm | 33mm (green), 29mm (dry) | 35mm |
| Length | 46–72cm | 38cm | 65–95cm | 47cm | 42–61cm |
| Telescopic | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Best for | Thick, woody branches | Shrubs and tight spots | High branches | Light, everyday pruning | Live branches on a budget |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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