The 11 Best Tree Loppers of 2024

Best Overall

Fiskars PowerGear2 Lopper

View On Amazon $45 At Home Depot $40 At Walmart

The Fiskar PowerGear2 bypass loppers make quick work of branches up to 2 inches in diameter, allowing you to handle just about any backyard pruning project. It's also a good choice for cutting down bamboo, which can quickly grow into a thick grove without occasional maintenance.

We love the PowerGear2 technology, which increases the cutting power by three times (according to the manufacturer), so you don't have to work as hard to squeeze. Plus, the titanium-coated steel blades deliver very smooth cuts while resisting the buildup of tree sap or other gritty materials.

The full length of these loppers is 32 inches. That lets you reach overhead into trees and tall shrubs for pruning without the need for a ladder, but remember that to open the blades to their maximum capacity, you also need to open out the handles to capacity, which can be quite a stretch if your arms aren't long. Still, you aren't likely to need full capacity often, so that may not be an issue for you.

We like the ergonomic, lightly padded handles, which are comfortable even during long gardening sessions. Note that these loppers do not have shock-guard bumpers. However, to reduce the force transmitted to your hands when the blades clamp shut. At 4 pounds, these are a bit heavy, but their sturdy construction should last you through many years of happy gardening.

_{Type: Bypass︱Blade Material: Alloy Steel︱Overall Length: 32 inches︱Weight: 4 pounds︱Cut Capacity: 2 inches}

Best Value

Fiskars Bypass Lopper

$28 At Amazon $20 At Home Depot $39 At Walmart

Some garden tools are rather expensive, but that's not the case with these sturdy loppers from Fiskars. Despite their reasonable price, these bypass loppers are no slouch in the garden, easily creating clean, angular cuts without tearing or damaging the branch, twig, or stem.

The 28-inch-long tool has a low-friction, precision-ground blade that can smoothly cut branches up to 1.5 inches in diameter; while that's not the largest cut capacity on our list, it's sufficient for most typical backyard trees and shrubs. We also like that the low-friction coating helps reduce sticky sap residue on the blade and wards off rust.

Thanks to padded grips on the handles, this tool is comfortable to hold for an extended period. And at a little under 3 pounds, it's fairly lightweight (the second lightest bypass option on this list), so it’s not too cumbersome when cutting overhead. This lopper also features shock-absorbing bumpers to improve overall comfort. Admittedly, while it works great for more basic gardening and pruning tasks, it’s not the best choice for heavy-duty jobs. But it offers a high-quality design and maximum performance.

_{Type: Bypass︱Blade Material: Alloy Steel︱Overall Length: 28 inches︱Weight: 2.9 pounds︱Cut Capacity: 1.5 inches}

Best Splurge

Felco F 22 Pruning Shear

$232 At Amazon $273 At Home Depot View On Felco.com

It's admittedly an investment, but if you want the best, then it's hard to go wrong with these bypass loppers from Felco, a company that's been renowned for their professional-quality hand pruners and other garden tools since the 1940s. Since all of the parts on these loppers are replaceable, you can expect them to last through your entire gardening lifetime.

The high-quality hardened steel blade delivers a clean, precise cut. Thanks to the curved shape of the cutting head, it's easy to isolate the branch you want to cut and then clamp down with considerable force. You can use these loppers to easily prune through branches, stems, or limbs up to 1.77 inches in diameter.

These loppers have forged aluminum handles with non-slip grips, which makes them comfortable to hold and maneuver, and built-in shock absorbers to protect the wrists and arms. The 33-inch total length is ideal for trimming higher branches and taller shrubs, but at 4.4 pounds, (the heaviest pick on this list, aside from our best battery-powered option), you might find it fatiguing to work overhead. Still, if you are looking for a pair of serious loppers that are the highest quality available, slice cleanly through just about anything you throw their way, and are well-balanced and a pleasure to hold, then it's hard to go wrong with this offering from Felco.

_{Type: Bypass︱Blade Material: Steel︱Overall Length: 33.1 inches︱Weight: 4.4 pounds︱Cut capacity: 1.77 inches}

Best Pole Pruner

Fiskars Tree Pruning Stik

$110 At Amazon View On Fiskars.com

To prune branches way up high, you usually have to stand on a ladder, which can be precarious. That won't be a problem with this ingenious bypass lopper from Fiskars, however. It's attached to an aluminum, weather-resistant extension pole that can be adjusted to whatever length you'd like between 7.9 feet and 12 feet, the longest length on our list.

The steel head of the lopper is geared for greatly increased force without increased effort, plus, you can angle the head of the lopper however you need it, and then lock it in place for improved precision. You control the opening and closing of the blades with a sliding grip near the base of the pole.

The maximum cutting capacity of the Tree Pruning Stik is 1.25 inches, but if you need to tackle a larger branch, then you can easily extend the included 15-inch tree saw, which cleanly slices through branches up to 6 inches in diameter. That means you'll be able to handle just about any tree in your yard with this one tool. As with any long tool that's used overhead, it can take some time to get the knack of maneuvering to the specific branch you want to cut. With just a little practice, however, you'll be pruning like a pro with this sturdy, efficient tool from Fiskars.

_{Type: Bypass︱Blade Material: Steel︱Overall Length: 7.9 to 12 feet︱Weight: 4.3 pounds︱Cut capacity: 1.25 inches (up to 6 inches with included tree saw)}

Best Ratcheting

Spear & Jackson Heavy Duty Telescopic Ratchet Anvil Lopper

$70 At Amazon

These heavy-duty anvil loppers from Spear & Jackson are a great tool for cutting hard and thick branches and are especially useful for tackling dead wood, broken branches, or fallen debris after a storm or high winds. The rugged blades are made from carbon steel and have a ratcheting mechanism that increases the force as you cut through branches up to 2 inches in diameter but reduces the amount of strain on your hands. The blades give a very smooth cut and are coated with Teflon to reduce the buildup of sap and sawdust, as well as ward off rust and corrosion.

The lopper has telescoping handles that can be adjusted from 15.75 inches to 31.5 inches and locked into place with a simple twist. The grips are very comfortable, with a thick padding that reduces impact to your hands while improving your grip, even if your hands get sweaty. At just over 4 pounds, however, these loppers are fairly heavy, and you may experience arm fatigue if you don’t give yourself a break. Thanks to a safety lock, these loppers can be stored safely in a closed position.

_{Type: Anvil︱Blade Material: Carbon steel︱Overall Length: 15.75 to 31.5 inches (adjustable)︱Weight: 4.2 pounds︱Cut capacity: 2 inches}

Best Grip

Corona ComfortGEL Bypass Loppers

$25 At Amazon $34 At Home Depot $42 At Walmart

As the name suggests, the ComfortGEL grips make these Corona loppers a pleasure to use. Thanks to a comfortably ergonomic, padded grip and a shock-guard bumper system, this tool can help reduce hand fatigue and friction, even if you have a lot of branches to cut. These bypass loppers exert enough force to cut through thick branches up to 1.5 inches in diameter. The steel blades are coated to resist rust, corrosion, tree sap, and sawdust buildup. The lopper head is slightly angled to make it easier to accurately pinpoint the branch that needs cutting.

At 3.2 pounds and a total length of 30 inches, these are fairly lightweight, so you'll be able to reach overhead without getting too tired. While these aren't for the heaviest pruning (thicker or dead branches), they are a great option for any gardener who wants to keep their yard looking tidy without sacrificing comfort.

_{Type: Bypass︱Blade Material: Alloy steel︱Overall Length: 30 inches︱Weight: 3.2 pounds︱Cut capacity: 1.5 inches}

Best Anvil

Tabor Tools GG12A Anvil Lopper with Compound Action

$57 At Amazon $54 At Walmart $53 At tabortools.com

This powerful professional-quality anvil lopper from Tabor Tools cuts through dead or dry branches without much effort, thanks to its compound mechanism (additional pivoting arm right below the blade) that amplifies its cutting force. The manufacturer claims it increases the force by 3 times, which means you don't have to do nearly as much work to cut through limbs up to 2 inches in diameter.

The carbon steel blades are very durable and maintain their sharpness even after heavy use. The blades’ non-stick coating prevents residue buildup and resists rust and corrosion. Shock-absorbing, ergonomic rubber handles make this tool comfortable to hold and easier to use.

With a 30-inch length, these loppers can reach higher branches and taller shrubs. The longer handles also help create more leverage. At 3.75 pounds, the Tabor loppers can be used overhead with little wrist and arm fatigue for most users. But we do wish the loppers had a shock-absorbing bumper, which would eliminate additional arm stress. Still, this is a great addition to your gardening tools, especially if you often have to deal with fallen branches or your property is wooded.

_{Type: Anvil︱Blade Material: Carbon steel︱Overall Length: 30 inches︱Weight: ‎3.75 pounds︱Cut capacity: 2 inches}

Best Compact

Fiskars 15-Inch Anvil Lopper

View On Amazon $20 At Home Depot $39 At Walmart

Not every pruning task calls for heavy loppers with long handles. Sometimes, you simply want to prune branches that are closer to the ground, or you need to be able to maneuver easily between and around branches to isolate the limb you want to remove. For those scenarios, this compact anvil lopper from Fiskars is just the ticket. With a total length of 15 inches and a weight of a mere 13 ounces, these are the lightest, and most compact loppers on this list.

You'll love the way these loppers effectively and cleanly cut through branches up to 1.25 inches in diameter without wearing out your hands or arms. Plus, a geared mechanism further increases the cutting power without requiring more effort from you. The blades of these loppers are titanium-coated steel to resist the buildup of tree sap and ward off rust and corrosion.

Like all anvil loppers, these are best suited to cutting dry or dead materials; while you can certainly use them to clip through stems, green twigs, and living branches, there's a greater risk of leaving jagged edges or torn greenery. We wish the grips were a little more padded and that there was a shock-reducing bumper, but the shorter length of these loppers helps to naturally reduce the amount of shock when the blades clamp shut, so that may not be an issue for you.

_{Type: Anvil︱Blade Material: Steel︱Overall Length: 15 inches︱Weight: ‎13 ounces︱Cut capacity: 1.25 inches}

Best Battery-Powered

Ryobi Ryobi ONE+ Battery Lopper

$159 At Amazon $169 At Home Depot

If you suffer from painful hands or reduced mobility, then you might find pruning with manual loppers to be difficult. But there's no need to give up gardening just yet; with this cordless battery-powered bypass lopper from Ryobi, you can still do the gardening you love, but without the strain.

You'll get up to 101 cuts per charge with the included 18-volt, 2-amp-hour battery, and the loppers can handle branches up to 1.25 inches in diameter. Just position the lopper blades around the branch you want to prune, squeeze the tool's trigger, and let it do the rest; you'll love the clean, complete cuts.

The loppers are 30 inches long, so you can reach most branches easily. On the downside, as with most battery-powered tools, this is a fairly heavy product, weighing just under 8 pounds with the battery in place (the heaviest on our list). But as it does most of the heavy work for you, chances are you'll be done pruning before the weight becomes an issue. The included 18-volt ONE+ battery and charger are compatible with any other Ryobi 18V ONE+ product.

_{Type: Bypass︱Blade Material: Steel︱Overall Length: 30 inches︱Weight: ‎7.8 pounds︱Cut capacity: 1.25 inches}

Best Telescoping

THANOS Extendable Anvil Loppers

$39 At Amazon

If you need to cut branches up high in a tree or tall shrub, then this anvil lopper from Thanos lets you take care of your gardening tasks without having to get out a ladder. The tool has a handle with a 6-position extension button that lets you set the length from a low of 27 inches to a maximum length of 41 inches; that's 3.5 feet!

While it might take you some practice before you get the hang of wielding the loppers at full extension, you'll soon appreciate their ability to target branches way up high. You'll also like their comfortably padded handles, although we do wish they had shock-reducing bumpers.

The Teflon-coated steel blades can handle branches up to 2 inches in diameter, and thanks to the compound action of the blades, you'll be able to cut even through hard or dry wood with much less effort. These are also useful for clipping away excess fruit in your peach trees or other fruit trees to encourage larger sizes. The blades are very sharp and make clean cuts without leaving ragged edges. At 3.3 pounds, they are quite lightweight, but they are not intended for the most heavy-duty pruning tasks.

_{Type: Anvil︱Blade Material: Steel︱Overall Length: 27 to 41 inches︱Weight: ‎3.3 pounds︱Cut capacity: 2 inches}

Best for Thick Branches

Corona 32-Inch Orchard Lopper

$78 At Amazon $88 At Tractor Supply Co. View On Coronatoolsusa.com

Most loppers have cutting capacities between 1 inch and 2 inches, but these bypass loppers from Corona stretch out a little further to a maximum of 2.25 inches of cutting capacity, allowing you to cleanly and completely cut away even fairly thick branches from your tall shrubs, fruit trees, or ornamental trees. They have the largest cutting capacity of any option on this list (aside from our best pole pruner option).

The heat-treated, forged-steel blades have a dual-curve design that greatly reduces the amount of force you need to exert to cut through wood. A sap groove helps prevent the buildup of sticky tree sap and other grunge, and while the blades remain sharp for a long time, once they do begin to dull, you can resharpen them easily.

The loppers measure 32 inches in total length, which is long enough to reach up high, but also means that you'll need to stretch your arms out wide to open the blades fully, so keep that in mind if you have short arms or difficulty with wide arm movements. There are bumper guards to help absorb shock when the loppers snap closed, and the handles have comfortably padded grips. Even with a larger cutting capacity, these are surprisingly light loppers (the lightest bypass option on this list), weighing less than 3 pounds.

_{Type: Bypass︱Blade Material: Steel︱Overall Length: 32 inches︱Weight: ‎2.6 pounds︱Cut capacity: 2.25 inches}