6 Best Electric Pruning Shears, Tested and Reviewed
Updated: Jun. 27, 2024
We tested six electric pruning shears to help buyers like you decide what is worth your investment (and what isn't).
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.
Electric pruning shears are simply shears that use electrical power instead of your power to trim bushes and lop off branches. One of the biggest benefits is that they can double as both pruning shears and a lopper. Where they really excel is pruning larger diameter branches without the grunt work of trying to close your loppers around a limb. While they are not quite as large as most loppers, many electric pruning shears can still easily handle a branch with a diameter of 1.5 inches.
Like all our tested roundups, we personally tested each tool and selected tools with the intention of finding a tool for everyone’s needs. Check out the best electric pruning shears, tested by Family Handyman editors and writers.
Best Overall Electric Pruning Shears
Craftsman 20V Max
Pros:
- Toolless blade changing
- Comfortable grip
- Works with Craftsman’s 20v System
- Battery level meter
Cons:
- Bulky
The Craftsman pruner is powerful and economical, making it our overall favorite pick. It uses Craftsman 20v batteries, so if you already have tools that use this setup, you know what to do! The 1.5 amp hour battery with a power meter gives ample cutting time.
It’s the lightest of the larger electric pruning shears tested, making it easier to work with for extended periods. The standard safety mechanism is fairly easy to use, and the blade opens and closes quickly. The handle has a soft and comfortable grip.
The high-speed steel blades held their edge through dozens of cuts of wet and dead wood. The cutters ate through small branches and could nibble their way through branches over 1.5 inches in diameter. The battery did not seem to lose any power and I felt no fatigue.
Best Budget Electric Pruning Shears
Ligo 7.2V Cordless Pruning Shears
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Great for tight spaces
- Lightweight and comfortable grip
- Easy to operate
Cons:
- Small cutting blade
The LIGO pruning shears are an affordable choice for those on a tight budget. The 7.2v battery with 2amp hours is enough power to work through most pruning. While this tool will not act as much of a lopper, I was able to work through branches of one-inch diameter, sometimes with two attempts. That is despite the manufacturer stating that the tool could only cut branches up to ½-inch diameter.
All of the tools tested required holding the trigger down while the blade closed and then releasing the trigger in order to return the blade to the open position. The way this tool is designed made that operation a little more challenging. Once I had the hang of it, I was moving my way through, cutting a bunch of suckers off my willow trees. This tool excels in the realm of pruning as opposed to lopping.
Best Splurge Electric Pruning Shears
Dewalt 20V Pruning Shears
Pros:
- Works with DeWalt 20v batteries
- Super fast blade opening and closing
- Can cut large diameter branches
- Lighted
Cons:
- Fairly heavy
Dewalt electric pruning shears are one of many tools that can be used with the brand’s 20v battery packs. This makes selecting the Dewalt a no-brainer for those with a collection of Dewalt’s 20v tools (which includes everything from drills to mini chainsaws).
Once the battery was charged, the tool was ready to get to work. These shears have a large cutting width of 1.5 inches with high-speed, round point bypass style blades. It can be operated with one hand but has an additional handle for stability.
When put to the test of shearing and lopping, this tool was a beast. The blade opens and closes quickly and makes waste of fairly large branches. I was able to cut branches larger than 1.5 inches in diameter using a nibbling technique and was very impressed with this tool’s capabilities.
Best Multi-Battery Electric Pruning Shears
Dragro Electric Pruning Shears
Pros:
- Extra battery
- One-handed operation
- Large blade
- Storage container
Cons:
- Finicky safety mechanism
The Dragro ships with two 2amp hour 21v batteries, which makes it ideal for those who don’t want to run out of power midway through a job. It also has a nice plastic storage box to safely stow your tool when you’re not using it.
The tool utilizes a high-carbon steel blade and a straight shaft for easy one-handed operation. It uses a strange safety mechanism that involves moving a switch to the “on” position and quickly pulling the trigger two times. It wasn’t ideal, but it did work. After that, the tool requires just a trigger pull, so be sure to watch your fingers. Thankfully, it “times out” after about a minute of disuse.
The blade is fairly large for a straight-shaft handheld, and while it didn’t move as quickly as the larger tools, it did move quickly enough to easily go through branches of about one inch in diameter. The trigger on this tool is some distance for from the grip and is best for those with larger hands. The molded finger holds on the handle were in just the right position for me.
Best Straight Shaft Electric Pruning Shears
Worx Nitro 20v Pruning Shear/Lopper
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Titanium blades
- Fast
- Balanced and comfortable grip
Cons:
- Small cutting diameter
The Worx Nitro pruning shears and loppers arrived assembled and ready to use. The tool weighs in at under three pounds due to its use of titanium blades, and is small. The grip is easy to hold regardless of your hand size and the trigger is very reachable. The Worx battery has a gauge on it so you can see how much juice you have left.
This tool was so easy to use that I could have pruned for hours. It almost felt no different than holding a pair of hand shears in my palm. It sliced through one-inch branches like its bigger counterparts, has a fast blade, and was really easy to maneuver in “twiggy” locations.
Best Large Electric Pruning Shears
Black+Decker 20V Max Pruning Shears
Pros:
- Toolless blade changing
- Large cutting blade
- Economical
- Works with B+D 20v Batteries
Cons:
- No Battery level meter
The Black+Decker 20v Max pruner kit is a large shear with high-speed steel cutting blades and tool-less blade changing. The blade quickly opens and shuts, taking less than a second to snip.
This pruning shear utilizes the standard three-part safety mechanism: You fold down a lever with the lower part of your hand, press the lower button, and pull the trigger. Though this is a fairly heavy tool, the handle is comfortable and easy to hold, so making the sequence of button presses was seamless. As will all the shears tested, the trigger is pulled to close the shears and released to open the shears.
The Black+Decker easily cut through twigs and one inch diameter branches. I made about 20 cuts on a large, live branch and it quickly cut through the limb without losing any power or dulling the blade. The battery and tool remained cool.
What to Look for When Buying Electric Pruning Shears
You can narrow down your electric pruning shear selection by ensuring that you get the right tool for the right job. Also factor in your abilities and you’re good to go. Consider the following:
Length of Time
The length of time you plan on using the shears plays two important roles. First, it will help you determine how much battery power you need. The longer the run time needed, the larger the amp-hour battery you will need or you may need more than one battery.
Second, it helps you decide on the weight of the tool you select. Suppose you plan on using the tool for more than 30 minutes at a time. You may want to consider your ability to handle the tool for an extended period. Though most electric pruners come in at or under three pounds, that weight can feel like a block of lead after a while.
Branch and Twig Sizes
Most electric pruning shears can cut branches up to one or one and a half inches in diameter. If you plan on using your shears more for twigs and less for lopping, then you might want to consider one of the smaller shears. The smaller shears don’t weigh or cost as much. Plus, they are easier to maneuver around tangles of twigs and small branches.
Space
Sometimes, you just want to get twigs deep into your shrubs. Maneuvering a large pair of shears can be trying. If that’s your main goal, then a smaller tool might be just what you need.
Some other things to consider are the blade type and the ability to change the blades. Most blades are high-speed steel, a great choice for this type of tool. One of the shears tested was titanium and others appeared to just be steel. They all work well. Titanium is known to be more corrosion-resistant than steel but is not as strong and some believe not as capable of keeping an edge.
Most shears allow blade replacement and some even offer tool-less changing. However, you can sharpen the blades and with typical usage of the blades only on wood, most will hold up for quite some time.
Why You Should Trust Us
As a product reviewer for Family Handyman, I dedicate my time to diligently putting equipment such as chainsaws, power washers, and electric pruning shears through standardized tests. They are rated against the same facets using tests we’ve designed to ensure buyers get factual information about the tools we test. As a former landscaper and the owner of more yards than I can hardly manage, I thoroughly test each tool. I evaluated each tool against base criteria so that I could deliver a fair review of the products.
How We Found the Best Electric Pruning Shears
We select tools to test based on brand recognition and reputation, user needs, popularity, and price. A group of electric pruning shears was gathered to test tools of varying strength and sizes. Each user’s needs are unique, and we aim to review tools that are efficient, well-constructed, budget-conscious, and capable of being used by a variety of handlers.
For this roundup, we considered multiple potential electric pruning shears and tested each tool according to its capabilities.
How We Sheared Our Way to Perfectly Trimmed Plants
We looked at each set of electric pruning shears out of the box. Did it come fully assembled? Was the packaging sturdy?
From there, we charged each tool’s battery, noting the battery’s size and charging time. Once we were up and charged, we started shearing.
It is worth noting that electric pruning shears are capable of causing grave damage to human fingers. Therefore, manufacturers employ several safety mechanisms to prevent users from accidentally pruning something not intended for pruning. What this meant for us as testers is that we looked at each tool to determine if the manufacturer had found the happy medium between being safe but not so challenging to operate. All the tools will require at least two things to be done at once to shear. Some even require a partial third safety. This can be challenging at first, but with some practice, pressing the right “buttons” becomes more accessible.
We sheared small twigs in tight spots to test how easy or difficult it was to get into tight spaces (and press the magical sequence of levers simultaneously). We sheared medium-sized branches to ensure each tool could adequately cut the “average” sized limb. Then we moved on to the large branches and even branches bigger than the tool was designed for. After that, we made about 30 cuts on medium-sized branches to ensure that the battery could withstand the usage and that the blades did not dull unexpectedly early.
FAQ
What is the difference between pruning shears and a lopper?
Most of the time, pruning shears refer to a tool that you can hold and squeeze to make the cut. A lopper typically has the same style blade as pruning shears but adds long handles so that you have more leverage, and thus can make a stronger cut against larger material. Some loppers even add a “ratchet” mechanism so less leverage is needed.
What type of pruners are best?
All of the pruners in our test would be considered bypass pruners. For handheld pruners, you also have the option of an anvil pruner, which offers more leverage. In the case of electric pruning shears, the extra leverage is unnecessary since they are power-operated.
Originally Published: June 27, 2024
