Loppers vs Pruning Shears: Which One Should You Buy?
A direct comparison of loppers and pruning shears, with four one-hand shears featured and ranked by their stated figures.
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Top picks at a glance
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- 1
Fiskars 32 Inch PowerGear2 Bypass Lopper9.8/10View on Amazon - 2
JUSWISE 2.0 Inch Cordless Pruning Shears with 2 Batteries9.7/10View on Amazon - 3
Altdorff 3-Piece Pruning Set with 28 Inch Lopper9.6/10View on Amazon - 4
2-Pack Stainless Steel Gardening ScissorsView on Amazon - 5
Okatsune Pruning Shears Unique 8.3 inchesView on Amazon - 6
TONMA 8.2" Garden ShearsView on Amazon - 7
2Pcs Garden Shears SetView on Amazon - 8
Loppers for Tree Trimming Heavy DutyView on Amazon - 9
AIRAJ 27-37''Anvil Loppers for Tree Trimmer Heavy Duty withView on Amazon
A rose bush reaching over the path, a fruit tree with crossing stems and a shrub crowding the fence all need a clean cut, and the tool choice comes before the branch falls. For the tools featured here, the loppers vs pruning shears answer is shears: every featured tool is a pruning shear, and no lopper is featured in this guide. The rest of this guide compares those shears by their stated figures and lists what to check on a lopper listing before choosing the long-handled tool.
Other machines to compare
2-Pack Stainless Steel Gardening ScissorsCheck price on Amazon
Okatsune Pruning Shears Unique 8.3 inchesCheck price on Amazon
TONMA 8.2" Garden ShearsCheck price on Amazon
2Pcs Garden Shears SetCheck price on Amazon
Loppers for Tree Trimming Heavy DutyCheck price on Amazon
AIRAJ 27-37''Anvil Loppers for Tree Trimmer Heavy Duty withCheck price on Amazon
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Loppers vs pruning shears: the direct answer
Loppers and pruning shears differ first in handling: a lopper is a long-handled tool worked with both hands, while a pruning shear is a hand tool worked with one hand. That handling difference shapes which branches each tool suits: shears handle stems and branches at close range, while loppers, worked with both hands and longer handles, suit work where reach matters. All four tools featured below are pruning shears, so this guide states shear figures only. No lopper cut capacity, length or weight figure is stated here, because no lopper listing is included. A buyer weighing loppers against these shears should compare the lopper candidate’s own listing line by line: handle length, cut capacity, blade type, blade material, handle material, weight and warranty terms.
See the best pruning loppers for thick branches roundup for the lopper side of the same choice.
The four shears, ranked
| Shear | Cut capacity | Blade | Handle | Weight | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiskars Forged | 1 inch | Precision-ground steel, serrated | Stainless Steel, Steel | 8.64 ounces | Lifetime Warranty |
| DEWALT DCPR320B | 1.5 inches | High Speed Steel, bypass | Plastic, Metal | 16 ounces | 1 yr warranty |
| TONMA TP-2 | 1 inch | Stainless Steel, straight | Aluminum | 244 g | Lifetime service stated |
| Okatsune No. 104 | 25 millimeters | Izumo Yasugi Steel, serrated | Carbon Steel | 238 g | Not stated |
The Fiskars Forged shear tops the ranking on stated completeness: a forged steel build, a fully hardened precision-ground steel blade that can be replaced or sharpened, a low-friction rust-resistant coating, a SoftGrip handle and a Lifetime Warranty. Its bullets state bypass cutting of live stems and branches up to 1 inch in diameter, and its spec table states a weight of 8.64 ounces with a black and orange colour. One contradiction appears: the spec table size states 8.76 by 2.69 inches while the dimensions state 11.5 by 4.75 inches. Both figures are stated here as listed.
The DEWALT DCPR320B comes next with the widest stated cutting width here: 1.5 inches from non-stick coated bypass blades in High Speed Steel, on a 20V MAX cordless pruner with an on-board LED work light and quick blade changes using the included change tool. Its handle material is stated as plastic and metal, its weight as 16 ounces and its warranty as 1 yr on material and workmanship. It is listed as bare tool only. One contradiction appears: the dimensions state 10.12 by 1 inches while the size states 10.12 by 1.5 inches. Both figures are stated here as listed.
The TONMA TP-2 follows: an 8.2 inch garden shear in Japanese stainless steel, SK5 steel, with a 1 inch cut capacity, a 2.2 inch blade length, a safety lock with a tight clip, a non-slip grip and aluminum handles. Its bullets state a smooth cutting surface for stems, light branches of bonsai, fruit trees, rose bushes and shrubs, and a lifetime service included with purchase. Its title uses the word Loppers, but the tool itself is a one-hand bypass shear, not a long-handled lopper, so it is ranked here as a shear.
The Okatsune No. 104 closes the ranking: a bypass shear with a high-grade knife steel blade in Izumo Yasugi Steel, carbon steel handles, a red and white colour and a weight of 238 g. Its title states 8.3 inches (210 mm) while its dimensions state 10.59 by 3.19 inches, and both figures are stated here as listed. Its cutting width is stated as 25 millimeters, and no warranty term is stated for it, which leaves it behind the other three on stated backup.
What to check on a lopper listing
A lopper listing should be read the same way as the shear listings above. Check the handle length first, then the cut capacity, then the blade type and material, then the handle material, weight and warranty terms. If any of those facts is missing from the lopper listing, that gap counts against it in the same way the missing warranty term counts against the Okatsune listing. A lopper that is too long for tight shrubs or too heavy for extended use may sit unused, so match the handle length and weight to the growth being cut and the space being worked in.
Blades, handles and cut capacity
All four featured shears use a bypass blade type: the Fiskars and Okatsune blades are serrated, the TONMA blade is straight, and the DEWALT blade edge is stated as straight or convex. The Fiskars listing states its bypass design cuts live stems and branches up to 1 inch in diameter. Blade materials differ: precision-ground steel on the Fiskars, High Speed Steel on the DEWALT, stainless steel on the TONMA and Izumo Yasugi Steel on the Okatsune. Handles differ as well: stainless steel and steel on the Fiskars, plastic and metal on the DEWALT, aluminum on the TONMA and carbon steel on the Okatsune. Cut capacity is stated as 1 inch on the Fiskars and TONMA, 1.5 inches on the DEWALT and 25 millimeters on the Okatsune, each as listed without conversion. The DEWALT is the only cordless tool here, at 20V MAX, while the other three are manual hand tools.
Safety
Wear eye protection and keep fingers clear of the blade path when cutting. Keep blades closed when the tool is not in use. The TONMA states a safety lock with a tight clip; no lock is stated for the other three shears. Cut only growth within the stated cut capacity, since forcing a branch thicker than the stated capacity can strain the blade and the handles. Clear the work area of tripping hazards, keep bystanders away from falling branches, and store shears closed, dry and out of reach when the job is done.
FAQ: mowing large lots
Is there a lopper among the featured tools?
No. All four featured tools are pruning shears, and no lopper is featured in this guide. The lopper side of the comparison is covered by what to check on a lopper listing, not by a featured lopper.
Which featured shear has the widest stated cutting width?
The DEWALT states a cutting width of 1.5 inches. The Fiskars and TONMA state 1 inch, and the Okatsune states 25 millimeters, each as listed.
Which featured shear is cordless?
The DEWALT DCPR320B is a 20V MAX cordless pruner with an LED work light and quick blade changes, listed as bare tool only.
Which featured shears state a lifetime warranty or service?
The Fiskars states a Lifetime Warranty, and the TONMA states a lifetime service included with purchase. The DEWALT states a 1 yr warranty, and no warranty term is stated for the Okatsune.
What blade type do all four featured shears share?
All four use a bypass blade type. The Fiskars and Okatsune blades are serrated, the TONMA blade is straight, and the DEWALT blade edge is stated as straight or convex.
