The best secateurs
Sharp, comfortable secateurs that cut cleanly and don’t leave your hand aching halfway down the border.
Good secateurs are the one tool every gardener uses almost daily, from deadheading roses to cutting back shrubs. A sharp bypass pair makes clean cuts that help plants heal, and it’s far kinder on the hands.
What matters
- Bypass secateurs (scissor action) are best for living stems; anvil types for dead wood.
- Look for hard SK5 steel that holds its edge.
- Check the maximum cut: 20–25mm handles most jobs.
- A lock you can work one-handed is a big plus.
Photos are illustrative. We may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
Best overall
#1 of 5
9.4/10
Kimura 8-inch Pro Bypass Secateurs
££ £15–£40
Japanese SK5 steel blades that slice cleanly through stems up to 25mm. A clean cut heals faster than a crushed one, so plants stay healthier.
- Japanese SK5 steel
- Cuts up to 25mm
- Lightweight aluminium handles
- Squeeze-to-release lock
What owners say: Seriously sharp, comfortable in the hand and they make light work of thick stems.
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A closer look: Left-handed gardeners can use them as easily as right-handers, which isn’t true of every pair. A quick wipe of the blades after pruning helps the non-stick coating keep sap from building up, and at around 230g they’re light enough to carry in a pocket through a whole afternoon of deadheading.
Best for: Keen gardeners who prune every week
- Thickest cut
- 25mm
- Blade
- Japanese SK5 steel, 60 HRC
- Weight
- 230g
- Suits left-handers
- Yes
Runner-up
#2 of 5
9.3/10
DECERK Professional Bypass Secateurs
£29.99 RRP
Clever leverage means thicker branches take less squeezing, which is a real help for anyone with stiff hands.
- Japanese SK5 steel, hardened to 60 HRC
- Cuts branches up to 20mm
- Leverage reduces hand effort
What owners say: Extremely sharp and durable, comfortable to use, and good value for money.
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A closer look: Bypass blades like these make clean cuts on live, green stems, so leave dead, hard wood and anything thicker than 20mm to loppers or a pruning saw. The grip works in either hand, which left-handed gardeners will appreciate, and a quick wipe of the coated blade after each session stops sap from building up.
Best for: Weaker grips and arthritic hands
- Thickest cut
- 20mm
- Blade
- Japanese SK5 steel, 60 HRC
- Weight
- 250g
- Suits left-handers
- Yes
Best budget
#3 of 5
9.1/10
Kynup Garden Secateurs
£ Under £15
Nearly 10,000 gardeners rate these, and at under a tenner they’re the pair to keep in the shed for everyday snipping.
- SK-5 steel blades
- Cuts up to 25mm
- Rust-resistant
- Spare spring included
What owners say: Sharp, comfortable and easy on the wrist, cutting thick twigs like butter.
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A closer look: Tape the spare spring inside the shed door or keep it in a labelled tin, so it’s there when the original eventually tires. The soft grips hold even with wet hands on a drizzly morning, and clicking the slide lock shut before dropping them into a trug saves a nasty surprise when you reach in.
Best for: Thick stems on a budget, with a spare spring
- Thickest cut
- 25mm
- Blade
- SK-5 steel
- Weight
- 300g
- Suits left-handers
- Yes
The classic
#4 of 5
9.0/10
Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Advantage Bypass Secateurs
£ Under £15
From Spear & Jackson, the Sheffield toolmaker founded in 1760. Simple, sharp bypass secateurs with a coated blade that resists rust.
- SK5 carbon steel upper blade
- Non-stick, rust-resistant coating
- Soft-grip handles
- Ambidextrous lock
What owners say: Super sharp and great value for everyday pruning, and comfortable to hold.
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A closer look: Weighing around 200g and measuring 20.5cm, they’re compact enough for smaller hands and light enough to carry round the garden in an apron pocket. Keep them for green growth such as roses, shrubs and deadheading, and after each session wipe off any sap and add a drop of oil to the pivot now and then to keep the action smooth.
Best for: A trusted name for the shed, light in the hand
- Thickest cut
- –
- Blade
- SK5 carbon steel upper blade
- Weight
- 200g
- Suits left-handers
- Yes
#5 of 5
8.9/10
WORKPRO 200mm Heavy-Duty Secateurs
£7.99 RRP
A spring that pops the blades open after every cut, so a long pruning session is gentler on the hands.
- SK5 steel blades
- Cuts up to 19mm
- Spring-open action
What owners say: Excellent value, sturdy, and handles thicker branches, including apple trees, with ease.
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A closer look: A narrow, pointed tip gets into tight spots, so they’re as useful for snipping herbs, tidying houseplants or picking tomatoes as for woodier stems. Flick the safety lock on before putting them away, especially if small hands might find them in the shed.
Best for: Deadheading, pots and a spare pair
- Thickest cut
- 19mm
- Blade
- SK5 steel
- Weight
- 220g
- Suits left-handers
- –
How they compare
| Feature | #1Kimura 101 ProBest overall | #2DECERKRunner-up | #3KynupBest budget | #4Spear & Jackson RazorsharpThe classic | #5WORKPRO 200mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| Price | ££ £15–£40 | £29.99 RRP | £ Under £15 | £ Under £15 | £7.99 RRP |
| Thickest cut | 25mm | 20mm | 25mm | – | 19mm |
| Blade | Japanese SK5 steel, 60 HRC | Japanese SK5 steel, 60 HRC | SK-5 steel | SK5 carbon steel upper blade | SK5 steel |
| Weight | 230g | 250g | 300g | 200g | 220g |
| Suits left-handers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | – |
| Best for | Keen gardeners who prune every week | Weaker grips and arthritic hands | Thick stems on a budget, with a spare spring | A trusted name for the shed, light in the hand | Deadheading, pots and a spare pair |
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