Best garden loppers [UK]: Long and extendable telescopic garden loppers reviewed

Specification: Handle span normal Closed/Open: 24/86 cm, Handle span extended Closed/Open: 34/132 cm, Maximum cut: 5cm diameter, Weight: 1.88Kg

I’ve updated this post to include the Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Advance Heavy Duty range of garden lopper because I feel that is missing. If there’s a job too tough for hedge trimmers or difficult to reach for a pruning saw then these loppers are the ideal mix. This is now the second update and these are still the best for price and quality combined 🙂 Before we get into the detail, this is a pretty sensible demo video from these guys which I’ve fast forwarded to save 12 seconds of your life 😀

They have plenty of length but but with the power to cut thick shrubbery. The makers Spear & Jackson , who by the way also make the best edging shears in my opinion, claim these will cut 50mm branches. That’s a whopping two inches. I can confirm this to be absolutely true. Sure, you need a little elbow grease power but even an inch branch would be doable for someone on the weaker side. That is still very considerable.

The best bit is the still yet to come, the handles will extend out about 30cm more and of course, this give you further leverage to cut larger branches. The handles are nice and comfortable, but with tubular aluminium, and a soft foam like rubber grip which helps give plenty of assistance when you need to hold tight for the bigger cuts.

If I were to pick fault with these garden loppers, it would simply be that they are too good at larger branches and therefore suffer on the smaller stuff. This is absolutely fine for me. If you want to cut the thinner branches in general, I would say don’t go for these. They are overkill, go for a lighter weight set. If you’re strong and you have heavy work to do, these are the best garden loppers in my mind and even after a real working over they look great and there’s no question these are the professionals choice:

Make sure you give them a spray of oil every so often to keep the mechanism from rusting and if you have the time, a wipe down after use and I am certain from personal experience that you will have absolutely no problem using these garden loppers.

Specification: Maximum cut: 4.2cm diameter, Handle length: 68cm, Weight: 1000g

These bypass loppers from GARDENA are a super addition to this review and even more so since Spear & Jackson just keep making more and more top pairs, I am really pleased to be bringing a decent bit of balance to this article. And whilst they don’t have massive raw cut power, anything up to an inch and a half is a clean and easy cut. They manage expectations really well with this sizing and to be fair, the strongest of us can cut more with these for sure! The EasyCut 680 B Pruning Lopper is basically designed to cut live branches. This is because they are the Bypass style which leaves a clean and crisp cut versus the Anvil style which is more of a crush than a cut.

And as bypass loppers they work great – you’ll appreciate the handles, that’s what you’ll notice first. They are great in the hand and it gives you a nice base for an inch and a half cut without applying too much pressure.

The one thing I think a bit presumptuous though impressive is the 25 year guarantee. They might as well offer lifetime ownership warranty, certainly in my case 🙂 To be fair though, I don’t know anyone grumbling about the warranty so they are keeping up their end of the bargain on that for sure!

At just over a kilo these are a heavier model – and to be fair you can’t put a massive warranty on a flimsy set of cutters so as long as you know these are a bit weighty then thats fine.

There’s not much to quibble on these – in fact they are probably the only 4.8 star garden loppers in the UK over tens of thousands of sales and that speaks volumes to me. The biggest grip you may have is the cut size, there are bigger and stronger available, but in the mid range cut these are super and well deserving of best bypass garden loppers.

Specification: Maximum cut: 3.8cm diameter, Handle length: 54.5cm, Weight: 550g

The first thing we noticed about the Fiskars Power Gear 2 bypass loppers was the extremely comfortable ergonomic handles they have particular ‘soft points’ to grip for extra comfort and control when cutting. We didn’t feel a noticeable difference in weight when holding the garden lopper, but it was pretty average for the 32-inch size we tested. However, the 32-inch handles did feel quite long. Fiskars also do an 18-inch and 25-inch models too.

Fiskars use patented gear technology to increase leverage and in turn give a more powerful cut. The new gear technology optimises the cutting power through the middle of the branch which is the toughest part of the cut. The garden lopper has a maximum cutting diameter of 2-inches. The Fiskars bypass lopper does a decent job of thick branches with ease and comfort. The blade itself has a low friction coating that helps the blade cut and avoid rust over time. These garden loppers are currently selling on Amazon for £41.18 and come with a lifetime warranty making them well worth a look – even after a real working over they are still going strong:

Pros

• Comfortable handles and grip
• New gear technology that optimises cutting
• Low friction coating to help the blade avoid rust
• Lifetime warranty

Cons

• Handles are longer than most

Specification: Blade size: 9.5cm, Overall length: 67-100cm , Maximum cut: 4.2cm diameter

Spear and Jackson’s Kew Gardens range is something dedicated gardeners seem to love and so do we. These garden loppers are built with telescopic handles which give the user the extra length and reach without the need of ladders. They are comfortable to hold even when fully extended. The durable handles are made from aluminium and are surprisingly lightweight.

The upper blade has a special PTFE coating which helps provide a smoother cut. Both blades are made of carbon, but they were not quite as sharp as we expected. Although, it wasn’t noticeable as the Spear and Jackson bypass loppers utilise a duel compound system for cutting with added force but with much less effort. This helped a great deal when trying to tackle thicker branches or indeed branches in higher, harder to reach places.

We find most Spear & Jackson products to work extremely well and these specialist Kew Gardens series to be the same. They have been designed and developed by the experts at Kew Gardens for the experts. The Spear and Jackson Kew Gardens range garden loppers can be picked up on Amazon for only .

Pros

• Telescopic handles
• Lightweight and comfortable
• The upper blade has a special PTFE coating that provides a smooth cut
• Even cuts thicker branches well
• Designed and developed by the experts at Kew Gardens London.

Cons

• The carbon blades were not as sharp as to be expected from Spear and Jackson

Specification: Total Length: 76cm, Maximum cut: 4.5cm diameter

The Tabor Tools bypass garden lopper has a decent 4.5 cm cutting diameter. Dubbed ‘the king of loppers’ This outstanding Tabor Tools bypass lopper does extremely well with regards to pruning and cutting tree branches. Utilising the professional compound action system, the loppers multiple pivot points increases the amount of force applied to the blades. The carbon steel blade has been hardened, sharpened and with a low friction, non-stick coat to make cutting a pleasure and not a chore. This smooth clean-cut will leave your plants and trees healthy and looking professionally trimmed. The blades stay relatively sharp after heavy -duty work but if you do find yourself in need of replacements the cutting blades are also available on Amazon as well.

The 76 cm length handles were the ideal length and provide the right amount leverage for most cuts in reach. The handles are soft grip and provide comfort when working. Overall Tabor Tools have crafted a very well-rounded product, it may not have the widest cutting diameter, but it certainly does the job. This garden lopper is currently selling on Amazon for .

Pros

• Compound action system makes cutting easy
• Replaceable carbon steel blades
• Optimum length handles with soft grips

Cons

• Not the largest cutting diameter
• Blades don’t stay sharp as long as expected

Specification: Total Length : 29 inch ,Maximum cut: 1-1/2inch diameter, Weight: 1.1 kg

These Gartol anvil loppers are built to last, these durable lopper’s handles are made from a thickened triangular iron tubing. Solid and robust they can withstand powerful forces and the rigours of heavy-duty gardening work. They have an anti-rust and anti-bacterial teflon coating ensuring years of use. The hand grips are soft and comfortable. The design is well balanced but could feel a little heavy if some users were looking to use them all day long. As they are only 29 inches in length, we feel that is a bit unusual but nothing to be too worried about.

These anvil loppers have a 5 cm cutting diameter and also employ extra leverage though compound action power. With the multiple parts and the multiple leaver system cutting is made with ease and the forces are not exerted on the body making pruning bushes, hedges and small branches a pleasure without the blades bending or breaking. The Blade material it made from a high-quality SK5 carbon steel from Japan which stays sharp even from prolonged use.

The 29-inch anvil loppers from Gartol may only be short in size but they make up for it in quality of cutting and are being sold on Amazon right now for just .

Pros

• Durable handles built to last
• Anti-rust and anti-bacterial Ilaflon coating
• High quality SK5 carbon steel blade from Japan

Cons

• Some users may find them heavy for shorter loppers

Specification: Total Length: 63-150 cm, Dimensions: 63 x 24.5 x 2.3 cm, Weight :1.24 kg

The first observable thing about the Davaon pro ratchet telescopic anvil loppers is that this product comes with a 100% customer satisfaction money back guarantee, also stating that Davaon are available 24/7 to help ensure you are completely satisfied with your purchase. Davaon pro ratchet telescopic anvil garden loppers are being sold with that very guarantee on Amazon right now for only £29.50. That will certainly give some potential buyers some peace of mind and something to think about too. The guys at Davaon definitely believe in their product but, is it exactly what you are looking for? Let’s find out.

The effective advanced ratchet design ensures up to 5 times more cutting power and delivers this by allowing cuts in multiple places making cutting easier, while the user conserves energy. The garden loppers make light work of pruning and cutting thick branches. We would have preferred if the jaws opened slightly wider just to make it easier to get to each branch, but it wasn’t a big problem. The Davaon loppers uses a strong metal anvil which grips the branches and meets with a large premium hardened and sharpened SK5 carbon blade that provide precision cutting.

The telescopic handles are made of aluminium and feel strong and can be extended from 680 mm to 1000 mm. However, they do feel a little flimsy when fully extended. The soft grips furnish the handles and supply safety against blisters, we found the handles to be particularly soft which was very comfortable. At the very end of the handles there is a secure but quick twist lock system where the handles can be extended from.

Pros

• 100% customer satisfaction or your money back guarantee
• Strong mental anvil and ratchet system
• Premium SK5 carbon steel cutting system
• Extra comfortable hand grips

Cons

• Jaws don’t open as wide as you would think
• When fully extended the handles feel a little loose

Specification: Total Length: 68.5 – 101.5 cm, Blade length: 7.8 cm, Maximum cut: 4.8-5.1 cm diameter, Weight 1.37 kg

Gruntek are a well-known gardening brand for professionals and keen gardeners alike. They have designed and crafted some excellent telescopic anvil loppers at a reasonable cost too. The Gruntek XT anvil loppers can be found online on Amazon right now for £34.98. They are so confident with their gardening products that they offer a money back guarantee of 30 days if you’re not happy with your purchase.

The Gruntek garden loppers are extendable and have 7 pre-set lengths of which they can be extended to. The leaver arms are made from strong rounded aluminium and are coupled with non-sliding handle grips to ensure safety and comfort during extended use when cutting. That being said some users may feel that they are a little heavy when fully extended, if the shrub is slender I often revert to garden shears.

These anvil loppers harness a smart-cut drive system which makes it easier for the user to cut fresh or dry wood. The blade itself is made from a premium quality hardened steel with a Teflon non-stick coating which gives the user precision, effortless cutting capabilities and makes life easier for sharpening too. The blade is sharp, even after long term usage.

Pros

• 30-day money back guarantee
• Smart cut drive system increasing cutting performance
• Teflon non-stick coated blade

Cons

• Only extends to pre-set lengths
• A little heavy when fully extended

Specification: Total Length: 46-72 cm, Maximum cut: 42 cm diameter

This is the Spear and Jackson’s anvil lopper entry. Firstly, this anvil garden lopper has won gold in the ‘Grown Your Own’ Great British Growing Awards 2018. The Spear & Jackson Lopper features quality precision cutting from the powerful ratchet action and is better suited to the heavy-duty works. This garden lopper will cut through thick steams of dead wood material with very little effort at all. We found that even with 2-inch-thick branches the lopper had no trouble at all. The Steel blades utilised by the Spear & Jackson are crafted from a C50 carbon steel which has been hardened and tempered to ensure long lasting robustness. For extra protection against rust and to add a flush cut the blades have a PTFE coating.

The garden lopper leaver handles are made with a lightweight aluminium and can be extended from 18 inches a maximum of 28 inches allowing the users to get to the higher, harder to reach branches. The handles use a twist and lock system to allow the user to even adjust in mid use. Adjusting mid cut is not really that common and we did try it, but it just felt awkward, but we suppose some users might find it useful. The Non-slip grip handles work well and are comfortable to hold and we didn’t feel like the lopper was going to slip at anytime either. All in all, the Spear and Jackson anvil lopper is a well-balanced, well rounded garden hand tool. The Spear and Jackson is currently on sale now for only £44.00 on Amazon.

Pros

• ‘Grown Your Own’ Great British Growing Awards 2018 winner
• Powerful ratchet action mechanism
• C50 carbon steel blades with a PTFE coating
• Non-slip handles

Cons

• Twist and lock telescopic system for mid use adjustment was slightly awkward