Garden trees need regular care — they need to be sprayed, fed, watered regularly. However, this will not be enough to get a decent harvest, prolong the life of the plants, they will still need to be cut correctly. If earlier an ordinary pruner, a hacksaw and a stepladder or an attached ladder were used for these purposes, today most amateur gardeners work with a lopper.
This tool is designed specifically to help gardeners. It is designed for maximum convenience of seasonal pruning, there are a large number of varieties on sale. They are produced on the basis of modern materials and technologies. This contributes to increased productivity of the equipment, and the work takes significantly less effort. Novice gardeners are unlikely to understand well what exactly should be paid attention to when choosing such products, so we decided to meet them halfway and developed a rating of the best loppers of the year. In it, we analyzed the key performance characteristics of the most popular models, and also provided some useful tips that will most likely come in handy when buying.
How to choose the right pruner?
This tool is designed for seasonal or emergency pruning, and it is made in such a way that a person can reach even a very high crown directly from the ground without resorting to using a ladder. The simplest designs function on the principle of ordinary garden shears or secateurs. But their handles are elongated or telescopic. The function of the cutting part here is performed by a blade with a cutting edge made in the form of a sickle. A concave blade will move towards him. It is used for two purposes: firstly, it cuts through the fibers of the wood when cutting, and also supports the branch. In many models, instead of such an element, an emphasis is installed, made like a hook — such a part only supports the branch, ensuring the effective removal of a dried or diseased knot.
These tools are capable of cutting twigs up to a maximum of 5.5 cm thick, so they must be very strong. Manufacturers are constantly working to make such products as easy as possible. They usually do not save on blades — they are made from high-quality, durable and corrosion-resistant steel. The cutting surfaces are insensitive to the aggressive effects of the external environment; they are made of chromium-molybdenum-vanadium or stainless steel. Handles can be made of plastic or special lightweight polymer-type materials. Aluminum handles are not very common. It is very convenient if the handles have an anti-slip coating.
When we chose products to be included in the rating of the best delimbers, we relied, first of all, on all the points listed above. In addition, we have tried not to compile a review of the most expensive devices, so that most of our readers can afford to purchase such an instrument without compromising their own finances.
Mechanical devices
5.RACO
This tool does not need maintenance — it is enough to lubricate the main cutting parts with machine or vegetable oil before the start of the season. German-made products are quite expensive for a mechanical apparatus. With its help, you can remove knots and branches from fruit trees that are very high above the ground without using a ladder. Included with this device is an extension rod with a telescopic mechanism, the length of which can vary from one and a half to two and a half meters. There is also a three-meter nylon cord, at one end of which there is an adjustable handle, which makes the trimming process as convenient as possible.
The blades are made from specially hardened steel. They are located relative to each other at such an angle that they can bite through branches that are up to 3 cm thick without any problems and effort. If the knots are thicker, then there is a curved saw blade with very sharp teeth especially for them. The tool retains its performance characteristics for a long time — about several decades.
Advantages:
- Made from high quality materials;
- Long period of operation;
- Can easily cut even fairly thick branches.
Disadvantages:
- They are quite expensive.
Lopper RACO
4. FIT
On the Internet you can find a lot of positive reviews about this garden tool, which is also equipped with a telescopic handle. With its help, you can thin out the branches of even very tall trees — their crown height can reach 3.5 meters. The function of the cutting blade in this delimber is performed by a blade with a length of 330 mm. It is made of reliable and sharply sharpened steel. However, many owners say that the tool came out quite heavy, which could not but affect the cutting efficiency.
This is one of the most durable tools, largely due to the highest quality. The body of the pruner is also made of steel, coated with a layer of powder paint to protect it from corrosion. The cutting elements are resistant to rust due to the Teflon coating.
Advantages:
- Made from the highest quality materials;
- Long service life;
- Effectively cut branches even from crowns whose height is more than 3 meters;
- Relatively reasonable cost.
Disadvantages:
- The tool is somewhat heavy, as it seems to some buyers.
Lopper FIT
3. Center tool
Although this pruner was created by domestic engineers with the involvement of experienced gardeners, it is made in Chinese factories, which has a pretty good effect on the cost of the tool. The device has improved cutting capabilities, so with its help not only remove unnecessary, dried or diseased branches, but also give the crown a certain shape. The device is suitable for knots, the thickness of which can reach 4.5 cm.
The device is characterized by excellent performance, and when working with it, you have to apply a minimum amount of effort. A similar effect was achieved largely due to the presence in the design of the original ratchet mechanism. With its help, the force applied to the tool is evenly distributed, and physical stress is reduced. The blades here can be fixed in one of six positions. Thanks to this device, even the most inaccessible areas can be thinned out. The handles are telescopic, their stroke is 32 cm. The handles themselves are covered with special anti-slip polymeric materials.
Advantages:
- Differs in the high speed and quality of a cut;
- There are telescopic handles with anti-slip handles;
- A ratchet mechanism is provided.
Disadvantages:
- Some users find the cost high;
- Nuts sometimes loosen — you have to tighten them periodically.
Lopper Centrotool
2. GARDENA
This garden tool can greatly facilitate the care of the gardener not only for fruit trees, but also for shrubs. German developers have well thought out the external design and functional side of the instrument. There are telescopic handles, the length of which varies from 550 to 800 mm. Such a solution makes it easy to cope with pruning branches, branches at a very high height, without making additional efforts.
The blades are made of high quality stainless steel and the lever mechanism is one of the best among manual delimbers. All these factors provide an almost instantaneous and very accurate cut of branches, the thickness of which can reach 4.5 cm. The handles are made of a special lightweight material, they also have unique plastic grips that prevent the tool from slipping out of your hands. So that the hands do not get tired during work, there are shock absorbers that allow the cutting part to move as smoothly as possible.
Advantages:
- Insignificant weight of the tool;
- Provides a perfectly even cut of branches;
- Sufficiently long handles;
- The hands do not get tired for a long time when working with this device;
- The blades have anti-stick protection.
Disadvantages:
- The kit does not include a case;
- The cutting edge is short — it is easy to miss the desired branch.
Lopper GARDENA
1. PALISAD
Despite the fact that this tool was developed by German specialists, it is cheaper than all other models on the domestic market. It is easy and convenient to work with this lopper, besides it differs in very long period of operation. All key parts are made from high-strength special steel, which is coated with special anti-corrosion compounds. The blades are sharpened very sharply, which allows cutting knots and twigs up to 3 cm thick even with a straight cut.
In order to significantly reduce the load on the key components of the tool, it was decided to install a rubber shock absorber in this model. The weight of the equipment is 750 grams, so it is very easy to work with it even with outstretched arms.
Advantages:
- Acceptable cost;
- Insignificant mass;
- The design includes a shock absorber;
- Qualitatively and evenly cuts branches up to 3 cm thick;
- Can be used to care for shrubs and trees.
Disadvantages:
- Not detected.
Lopper PALISAD
Loppers with drive
5. Ryobi RPP755E
The tool is powered by electricity, it is equipped with a motor with a power of 750 watts. With its help, it is possible to ensure the optimal speed of the chain — about 10 m per second and good performance. The tool comes with a telescopic rod that can be fixed in one of three positions. This solution allows you to work with trees of different heights — up to 4 meters. In order to make it safe and comfortable to work with the device, the handles are equipped with anti-slip coatings, there are also fasteners for fixing the device on a belt.
The universal belt allows for the most even distribution of the load, which has a positive effect on labor costs and working time with the product. It is better to cut the branches at a slight angle — up to 15 degrees, their thickness can reach 25 cm. The tool does not need special maintenance, it is enough just to periodically add oil to the tank.
Advantages:
- Easily cuts both dried and fresh branches;
- Quickly gives the crown shape;
- High work efficiency.
Disadvantages:
- Not very convenient to store assembled;
- It is problematic to fill in oil — the neck is too narrow.
Lopper Ryobi RPP755E
4. Worx WG307E JAWSAW
The cutting part is made in the form of jaws that can easily grasp even fairly large branches, their thickness can reach 10.5 cm. The high performance of this tool is ensured by a 600W electric motor. It is brushless, so it can last for a long time without repair.
Saw blades are manufactured by Oregon and are designed to provide the best machine performance over the life of the equipment. It is quite natural that the device is equipped with a telescopic handle. The oil container is transparent, so you can always see how much oil is left there.
Advantages:
- It has good gain under load;
- Easily cuts even fresh branches;
- Transparent tank for oil;
- Vibration is practically not felt.
Disadvantages:
- Relatively heavy weight of the device;
- Short supply cable.
Lopper Worx WG307E JAWSAW
3. Black&Decker GK1000-QS
The most productive product in our review of the best delimbers, it is equipped with an instant brake, designed and manufactured in German enterprises. With the help of this device, it is possible to make the work of pruning trees much faster and easier. The pruner is equipped with a convenient protective cover that can securely close the saw blade and prevent sawdust from spreading over a large area. The lower cutting surface is designed to fix the branch in one position, respectively, much less effort has to be applied.
The rotation speed of the chain is not very high — this figure is only 2.3 m per second, in terms of performance, this electrical device is several times higher than models for manual operation. The equipment is equipped with an instantaneous chain brake, the lopper operates almost silently, no harmful emissions into the environment have been noticed either.
Advantages:
- There is no need to resort to the use of stops or clamps;
- A very productive tool;
- Qualitatively cuts trees even at a considerable height.
Disadvantages:
- Low speed of rotation of the chain;
- Short power cord.
Lopper Black&Decker GK1000-QS
2. Greenworks GPS 7220
It is very easy to work with this device from the ground even if the branches to be cut are at a considerable height. The device is equipped with a three-position telescopic bar. The product is intended for the care of cultivated shrubs and fruit trees, if necessary, it will even be possible to adjust their height and crown shape. The pruner is characterized by one of the highest power ratings — 900 W for such a product is really a lot, the idle chain moves at a speed of 12.4 meters per second.
The saw blade functions with an 8″ chain and a 20 cm long steel bar. Branches up to 15 cm in diameter can be easily cut with this tool. Chain adjustment can be adjusted by hand without the use of tools. Oil is supplied automatically. The handle is rubberized, equipped with a shoulder rest, the security system is represented by reliable protection against accidental starting of the engine.
Advantages:
- High power;
- Good workmanship;
- Long service life;
- System of protection against accidental start-up.
Disadvantages:
- The chain weakens over time.
Lopper Greenworks GPS 7220
1.Stihl GTA 26
Compact cordless model equipped with a blade guard. An LED battery indicator is provided. Its resource is quite enough to work offline for several hours.
There are no restrictions in terms of the thickness of the cut branches. Often such a device is used, among other things, for various construction works — it is convenient for them to cut off a piece of board, and after that get a clean and even cut.
Advantages:
- Convenient and very compact tool;
- Sophisticated handle ergonomics;
- Provides the cleanest cut;
- The battery lasts for a long time.
Disadvantages:
- Automatic chain lubrication is not provided — periodically the oil will need to be applied by hand.
Lopper Stihl GTA 26
In conclusion, a useful video
Our review of the best loppers has come to an end. If you have any questions about the capabilities of the model you like, then you can always ask us in the comments to this article.