Introduction

Choosing between loppers and pruning shears is a decision that many homeowners face. So what’s the difference between them? And which one do you choose when you’re looking at loppers or pruners in the store?

Choosing between loppers and pruning shears – what is the difference?

When shopping for pruning shears, you may come across two types: loppers and bypass pruners. While they both have the same purpose (to cut branches), they differ in their construction and what makes them ideal for specific tasks.

• Loppers are larger than bypass pruners, meaning that they’re better suited to breaking through thick branches, whereas bypass pruners have a smaller blade which cuts more efficiently but is less effective at severing thick wood. They also have different blade shapes: anvil blades are shaped like a claw, so they cut against the grain of whatever material is being cut; bypass blades are shaped like scissors with sharp edges that pass over each other as they’re closed together, making them ideal for cutting against the grain of materials such as twigs or small branches — although this can be difficult on thicker pieces of wood due to their small size!

What are pruning shears?

Pruning shears are a type of hand pruner that are used to cut branches from the trunk. They can also be used to cut small branches. The blades of pruning shears move in an up-and-down motion, which is different from loppers, which have long handles and move in a swinging motion.

The blades on pruning shears each have handles at either end so they sandwich the branch between them while you make the cut. This makes it easier to control your cutting angle and get a clean edge on your cuts.

What are loppers?

Loppers are a type of hand tool that is used for cutting branches. They are most often used to cut branches that are too thick or otherwise difficult to cut with pruning shears, hand saws and even chainsaws.

Loppers can be long-handled or short-handled, depending on their intended use. The longer models (typically measuring around 18 inches) have handles that extend out from the body of the tool by several feet and allow you to reach high up into trees without having to climb up into them yourself. These types will often have a more powerful jaw mechanism than shorter models as well; however, if your preferred use for loppers is not pruning trees but rather cutting down small shrubs or bushes instead, then it’s probably better if you get something more compact so it won’t take up too much space in your shed or garage when not being used!

Handles on pruners, what’s best?

The handles on pruners, what’s best?

Handles are a very important part of the tool. They need to be comfortable and easy to use. The main features you should look for in the handle includes ergonomic handles, comfortable grips, long handles and short handles. Padded or rubberized grip are also popular choices for people who need it. For an extra safety precaution some people like using a non-slip handle which is just a grip that helps prevent slipping from happening while using the pruning shears. A more popular choice is rubberized grips because they can protect your hands from slippage even better than other types of grips do!

Size matters, but it’s complicated!

The general rule is that the bigger the pruner, the better. However, a larger lopper can be difficult to handle if it is too heavy or too awkward for you to manage.

It’s also important to consider how large your pruning jobs are going to be and whether or not a smaller tool would work just as well for your needs. For example, if you have small hands but do only light pruning work around your home or garden then perhaps an 8 inch lopper might be more suitable than something larger like a felling saw which has an average length of 12 inches (305 mm).

The style of blade

• Anvil pruners have one blade that cuts the stem, and a second blade that rolls over the stem to cut it again. The second blade is called the anvil.
• By contrast, bypass pruners have two blades: one that cuts from above and another that cuts from below at the same time.

Which type of blade is best?

If you want to cut thick branches, get anvil pruning shears. If you want to cut thin branches, get bypass pruning shears.

To put it simply: if your blade has a flat edge that comes together at the bottom (anvil style), then it’s going to be better at cutting through thicker things like small tree branches. Bypass blades are curved in order to create an opening between them when they’re closed—this makes them better at cutting through thinner things like vines or smaller shrubs and brambles.

What about anvil vs. bypass pruners – which should I choose?

An anvil pruner is designed to cut wood with a flat surface, like the top of a branch. It has a sharp blade that chops off the branch and cuts it back against the grain. This makes them ideal for smaller branches and twigs, but not so much for larger branches or dead wood. A bypass pruner has two blades that pass each other as you cut through your target—the one in front slices off small amounts of bark or leaves while the one behind cuts down into your target creating an angled opening. This means they’re great at taking down large chunks of dead wood (or live tree trunks), but you may have trouble using them on anything smaller than an inch in diameter due to their design which doesn’t allow for much leverage on the handle.”

Choosing the right tool for the job can make a huge difference in your experience.

Choosing the right tool for the job can make a huge difference in your experience. If you are inexperienced or just not that handy, loppers will be easier to use and more forgiving of mistakes. If you have more experience using tools, and wish to get more done with less effort, pruning shears may be a better choice.

If you want to spend as little money as possible on tools, there are many options available at very reasonable prices. However if you want something that is going to last longer than most people’s lives or until they break it accidentally then investing in high quality products like Felco brand pruners will pay off over time by not having them break unexpectedly when working in tough conditions such as wet ground where manual labor is required every day before heading into work (or school).

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you decide which lopper or pruning shears are best for your situation. There are so many great options to choose from and it can be difficult to make sense out of all the different features and styles available. Hopefully one of these tools will work well for your needs!