Secateurs

Top price doesn't always mean top quality.
 
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  • Updated:3 Jun 2006
 

02.Results

What to buy

Brand price

  • SPEAR & JACKSON PREMIUM SJ-6160BS - $50
  • CYCLONE RATCHET BYPASS PRUNER 657726 - $36
  • WOLF GARTEN RS22 - $55

The SPEAR & JACKSON and CYCLONE have the best cutting performance.

While the CYCLONE is the cheapest of the three, the other two are easier to use

 

 

Results tables

 

  Performance
Brand / model (in rank order) Overall score1 (%) Cutting performance score2 (%) Ease of use score3 (%) Max. cutting diameter (claimed / measured, mm) Price ($)*
SPEAR & JACKSON Premium SJ-6160BS 80 85 73 15 / 27 50
CYCLONE Ratchet Bypass Pruner 657726 74 82 62 25 / 25 36
WOLF GARTEN RS22 74 75 72 ns / 20 55
GARDENA 608 68 63 75 20 / 22 43
SPEAR & JACKSON SJ-6059BS 67 60 77 ns / 22 20
CYCLONE Heavy Duty Anvil Pruner 657337 66 62 72 19 / 25 37
FELCO 2 64 67 59 25 / 30 99
GARDENA Basic 600 64 55 77 18 / 20 33
FISKARS 9652 63 58 70 ns / 20 40
FREUND 2990 62 65 57 ns / 22 54
GARDENERS CHOICE Ladies Pruner KM1055 62 60 64 ns / 25 15
BAHCO P126-19 59 55 66 15 / 22 36
PATIO BY JAMIE DURIE Deluxe Bypass Pruner 39234902 58 57 60 20 / 30 20
WILTSHIRE RatchetGard 2800 58 58 59 19 / 22 31
WOLF GARTEN RR22 57 52 64 20 / 25 63
FELCO 5 55 55 56 25 / 27 52
WILTSHIRE General Purpose Gard 2200 51 45 60 25 / 30 25
 

  Features Specifications
Brand / model (in rank order) Ambidextrous lock Replaceable blade Type Weight Warranty (years) Origin Manufacturer / distributor
SPEAR & JACKSON Premium SJ-6160BS Bypass 180 ns Taiwan Spear & Jackson
CYCLONE Ratchet Bypass Pruner 657726 • Bypass 247 5 Taiwan Cyclone Industries
WOLF GARTEN RS22 • • Anvil 274 10 Germany CIC Suppliers
GARDENA 608 • • (A) Bypass 199 25 Germany Nylex Consumer Products
SPEAR & JACKSON SJ-6059BS • Bypass 198 10 Taiwan Spear & Jackson
CYCLONE Heavy Duty Anvil Pruner 657337 • Anvil 247 5 Taiwan Cyclone Industries
FELCO 2 • Bypass 244 1 (B) Switzerland Felco
GARDENA Basic 600 • Bypass 167 25 Germany Nylex Consumer Products
FISKARS 9652 • Bypass 193 5 Finland Fiskars Brands
FREUND 2990 • Bypass 196 3 Germany Products of Excellence
GARDENERS CHOICE Ladies Pruner KM1055 • Bypass 181 2 China McPhersons Housewares
BAHCO P126-19 • Bypass 218 ns France Bahco Tools
PATIO BY JAMIE DURIE Deluxe Bypass Pruner 39234902 • Bypass 219 5 Taiwan Kmart
WILTSHIRE RatchetGard 2800 • Anvil 178 5 Korea McPhersons Housewares
WOLF GARTEN RR22 • • Bypass 257 10 Germany CIC Suppliers
FELCO 5 • Bypass 317 1 Switzerland Felco
WILTSHIRE General Purpose Gard 2200 • Bypass 227 2 Japan McPhersons Housewares
 

Table notes

* Prices are recommended retail, as provided by manufacturers in April 2006, or what we paid in February 2006.
ns Not stated.
(A) Top blade only.
(B) ‘Lifetime’ on handles.

1 Overall score
The overall score is a combination of the following:

  • Cutting performance score: 60%
  • Ease of use score: 40%

2 Cutting performance score
This consists of the following equally weighted assessments (see Our test for details):

  • The cleanness of the cut.
  • How much force was needed to cut the test branches/dowel.

3 Ease of use score
A panel of four experienced amateur gardeners assessed the following equally weighted aspects, which made up 80% of the ease of use score:

  • the secateur’s balance and fit in the hand
  • its weight
  • how wide its handle opens
  • the design of the handle and feel of the material
  • the usefulness and clarity of instructions
  • how easy it is to use for light work, such as cutting flowers, and heavy work, like cutting hedge stems
  • how easy it is to use the safety catch
  • how easy it is to use in difficult-to-reach places.
  • The remaining 20% of the score rated ease of maintenance: instructions; dismantling and reassembly; and adjusting the pivot tension.
 

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