Loading…

Just realized this cheap hand pruner I bought actually works better than my expensive one | Arborists - Librear

Just realized this cheap hand pruner I bought actually works better than my expensive one

I was really skeptical when I picked up a $15 pair of Fiskars pruners at the hardware store in Pittsburgh last spring. My Felco 2s had been my go-to for years and I figured anything that cheap had to be junk. But I grabbed them as a backup after I snapped my blade on a thick oak branch during a storm cleanup. Well two months in and I reach for the Fiskars every single day now. They're lighter on my wrist and the bypass cut stays sharp way longer than I expected. I even used them on a massive mulberry tree last week and they went through 2 inch limbs without a hitch. Has anyone else found a budget tool that surprised them?

2 comments

2 Comments

beth_patel45mo ago

Yeah, I gotta jump in here. You said "cheap steel is cheap steel no matter how sharp it comes out of the box" and I felt that. But honestly, I've had the exact opposite luck. I picked up a no-name pair at a local hardware store for like $12 and they've been going strong for a year now. They're not as heavy duty as my old ARS ones but they cut through everything I throw at them without rolling the blade. I think some of these budget brands are actually using decent steel now because they want to compete with the big names. The handles on mine are still tight and not wobbly at all. It's not like my Felcos are junk either, but I grab the cheap ones way more often just because they're lighter and easier to handle.

benbrown5mo ago

Let me play the other side on this. A $15 pair of pruners lasting more than a few weeks is the exception, not the rule. That Fiskars set might feel good now but wait until you hit a really wet, green branch and the blade starts to roll over. Cheap steel is cheap steel no matter how sharp it comes out of the box. The handles on budget tools always warp or get loose just when you need them most. Your Felco 2s will still be cutting clean ten years from now while that backup pair is in the trash. Spending money once on quality beats buying three replacements over the same period.