Top 5 compared
The best pruning saws
Thick branches and overhanging limbs sawn off cleanly, without tearing the bark or starting up a chainsaw.
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The top 5 at a glance
A pruning saw has a narrow blade with coarse teeth made for branches, cutting a limb cleanly rather than tearing it. A folding saw tucks its teeth into the handle and locks open while it cuts, so it travels in a bag or a pouch; a fixed, curved blade is longer and stiffer for heavy limbs, and a pole saw reaches the branches you can’t from the ground.
Blade length sets how thick a branch a saw handles comfortably, and a longer blade leaves room for full strokes. Teeth this sharp need somewhere safe between jobs: not every folding saw locks shut, and a fixed blade needs a sheath or a hook out of reach.
What matters
- Coarse teeth for fast cuts; finer teeth for hardwood and pipe.
- A replaceable blade, so the saw outlasts its first set of teeth.
- A handle that grips well when hands are damp.
#1Corona RazorTOOTH Pruning Saw (13-inch, RS 7120)
$30–$50
A 13-inch curved blade of Japanese SK5 steel with three-sided teeth, made for one-handed use on branches up to 7 inches across, with a cushioned pistol grip and a finger hook. Corona started out in the 1920s making clippers for California’s orange growers.
What owners say: Owners say it zips through branches, holds its edge through season after season and is light enough not to tire the arm, though a few had the blade come away from the handle.
Heads up: It’s a fixed blade with no sheath in the box; Corona’s AC 7400 scabbard, sold separately, fits it, or hang it by the hole in the handle out of reach.
A closer look: Start each cut with a few light pull strokes, then lengthen them once the teeth have bitten, and let the curve do the work. On a heavy limb, make a shallow cut underneath first so the bark doesn’t tear as it falls. Corona sells a replacement blade for when the teeth finally dull.
- Japanese steel blade
- Three-sided hardened teeth
- Finger hook on the grip
- Replacement blade available
- Lifetime warranty
Best for: Big branches, one-handed
- Blade length
- 13 in
- Cuts branches up to
- 7 in
- Folding or fixed
- Fixed, curved
- Lock or cover
- No sheath (sold separately)
- Handle
- Cushioned pistol grip
#2Mossy Oak 3-in-1 Folding Saw (3 blades)
$10–$20
Three 7.5-inch blades swap into one handle with a turn of a knob: a black-coated 5 TPI blade for branches up to about 2.75 inches, an 11 TPI blade for hardwood and plastic pipe, and an 18 TPI blade for thin copper or aluminum pipe. A nylon pouch holds the saw and both spares.
What owners say: Owners like how compact it is for camping and how easy the blades are to change, and say the pruning blade slices through fallen branches for firewood, though it isn’t built for heavy-duty cutting.
A closer look: After swapping a blade, set it at the angle you want and tighten the black knob on the back before cutting, as the instructions stress, so the blade can’t shift. It suits light pruning, campsite firewood and odd jobs on pipe; for limbs thicker than a wrist, a longer saw is quicker.
- Cuts copper and plastic pipe
- Blade swaps with a knob
- Push-button fold
Best for: Light pruning and cutting pipe
- Blade length
- 7.5 in (3 blades)
- Cuts branches up to
- 2.75 in
- Folding or fixed
- Folding, 3 blades
- Lock or cover
- Locks open, pouch
- Handle
- Rubber-coated grip
#3REXBETI 11-Inch Folding Saw (SK5 steel)
$10–$20
An 11-inch SK5 blade with aggressive 7 TPI staggered teeth, long enough for full strokes on a thick branch yet folding down small enough for a backpack, with a rubber-coated handle that grips in wet or cold weather. It’s as handy cutting firewood at camp as pruning in the backyard.
What owners say: Owners say the teeth cut like butter and leave clean cuts through branches, and that it’s light to work with; some had a blade snap early, and a few found it doesn’t stay shut when folded.
Heads up: The lock holds the blade open for cutting but doesn’t lock it shut, so carry it in a bag or pouch rather than loose in a pocket.
A closer look: Long, even strokes let the staggered teeth clear their sawdust, so there’s no need to force it. Brush the teeth clean and let the blade dry before folding it away, and wipe a little oil along it before it’s put away for the winter to keep rust off.
- Aggressive staggered teeth
- Grips in wet or cold
- Folds small for a backpack
- Oil the blade for winter
Best for: Backyard and campsite
- Blade length
- 11 in
- Cuts branches up to
- 6–7 in
- Folding or fixed
- Folding
- Lock or cover
- Locks open
- Handle
- Rubber-coated
#4WEIMELTOY 10-Inch Folding Pruning Saw
Under $10
Triple-ground SK5 teeth on this 10-inch folding saw cut on the push and the pull, and the blade folds into a soft rubber handle. A button locks the blade both open and closed, so it’s safe to toss in a bag.
What owners say: Owners find the blade very sharp, taking 2 to 3-inch branches without effort (one uses it on mesquite and cactus), and like that it folds away small, though some find it flimsy and a few lost the lock pin.
A closer look: Kept in the car trunk or a garden bag, it’s there for the branch that comes down in a storm or starts to overhang the path. Lock it closed before it goes back in the bag, and wipe the sap off so the teeth stay sharp for next time.
- Cuts on push and pull
- Handle covers the folded blade
- Wipe sap off after use
- 1-year warranty
Best for: A spare in the trunk or shed
- Blade length
- 10 in
- Cuts branches up to
- 6 in
- Folding or fixed
- Folding
- Lock or cover
- Locks open and closed
- Handle
- Soft rubber
#5BlumeTrec Manual Pole Saw (8.5 to 14.5 ft)
$30–$50
A saw blade on push-together steel pole sections that build to 8.5, 11 or 14.5 feet, so the branches over the roof or the fence come down from the ground, without a ladder. Three-sided teeth with a barbed edge grip the wood as you pull, and an extra screw holds the head tight on the pole.
What owners say: Owners say the blade is seriously sharp, taking 2 to 3-inch limbs without a fight, and that it goes together quickly and reaches close to 15 feet; opinions split on sturdiness, with some finding the pole flexes too easily.
A closer look: Build it only as long as the job needs: fewer sections make a stiffer pole that’s easier to steer into the cut. Stand to one side of the branch rather than under it, and let the barbed teeth do the gripping with steady pulls instead of forcing each stroke.
- Barbed three-sided teeth
- Manganese steel blade
- Push-together steel pole sections
- Fewer sections, stiffer pole
- Wrench in the box
Best for: Tall trees and overhanging limbs
- Blade length
- 16.7 in
- Cuts branches up to
- –
- Folding or fixed
- Pole, 8.5 to 14.5 ft
- Lock or cover
- No cover, screw-fixed head
- Handle
- Anti-slip grip
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Corona 13-inch | #2Mossy Oak 3-in-1 | #3REXBETI 11-inch | #4WEIMELTOY 10-inch | #5BlumeTrec pole saw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best multi-blade | Best budget | Best for high branches | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.5 | 9.3 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.8 |
| Price | $30–$50 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | Under $10 | $30–$50 |
| Blade length | 13 in | 7.5 in (3 blades) | 11 in | 10 in | 16.7 in |
| Cuts branches up to | 7 in | 2.75 in | 6–7 in | 6 in | – |
| Folding or fixed | Fixed, curved | Folding, 3 blades | Folding | Folding | Pole, 8.5 to 14.5 ft |
| Lock or cover | No sheath (sold separately) | Locks open, pouch | Locks open | Locks open and closed | No cover, screw-fixed head |
| Handle | Cushioned pistol grip | Rubber-coated grip | Rubber-coated | Soft rubber | Anti-slip grip |
| Best for | Big branches, one-handed | Light pruning and cutting pipe | Backyard and campsite | A spare in the trunk or shed | Tall trees and overhanging limbs |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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