The 11 best secateurs in 2026, as tested by our experts – bypass, anvil and ratchet types

Secateurs are an indispensable tool, essential for tidying up around the garden. While tools like hedge trimmers and other cordless garden tools are ideal for taking on heavy-duty tasks, secateurs are a simple, hand-held tool used for keeping on top of pruning, dead-heading, cutting back perennials and harvesting fruit, veg and flowers.

Available as bypass, anvil and ratchet, each type is designed for a particular job:

Bypass secateurs have two blades that cut like a pair of scissors, with a sharpened blade crossing over a thicker metal platform. They're pointed to help them get in amongst stems and branches and are ideal for cutting stems between 10 and 15mm thick. They're suitable for greener growth and should cut cleanly, so it’s important to keep them sharp. Read our guide on how to sharpen secateurs.

Anvil secateurs have one blade that cuts like a knife, with the blade pushing through a stem or branch onto a lower block, in a similar manner to a knife on a chopping board. They're useful for cutting through thicker, woodier stems and dead wood.

Ratchet secateurs have either anvil or bypass blades and feature ratchet springs and mechanisms to ease effort and cut through a stem in a series of stages. This type of tool can make tougher cuts gradually as you repeatedly squeeze and release the handles to get through the growth, and they are particularly useful for gardeners who lack strength.

Best secateurs to buy at a glance

Bypass secateurs

• Best all-round secateurs (bypass): Okatsune 103 Bypass Secateurs
• Best secateurs for ease of use (bypass): Kent and Stowe Eversharp All Purpose Lite Secateurs
• Best secateurs for comfort (bypass): Kent and Stowe Eversharp Bypass Secateurs
• Best premium secateurs (bypass): Niwaki GR Pro
• Best secateurs for maintenance (bypass): Felco 8 Bypass Secateurs
• Best secateurs for large stems (bypass): Darlac Expert Bypass DP1030A
• Best left-handed secateurs (bypass): Burgon and Ball Left Handed Bypass
• Best secateurs for smaller hands (bypass): Darlac Compound Action Pruner

Anvil secateurs

• Best all-round secateurs (anvil): Felco Model 32 Pruning Shears
• Best secateurs for strength (anvil): Stihl PG25 Anvil Secateurs
• Best compact and lightweight secateurs (ratchet): Ames Ratchet Anvil Pruner

Jump to

• The best bypass secateurs
• The best anvil secateurs
• The best of the rest
• Why do you need to clean your secateurs?
• How we tested secateurs

In every review category, we award the outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best bypass, anvil and ratchet secateurs below:

Best Bypass Secateurs

Okatsune 103 Bypass Secateurs

RRP: £49.84

Our rating: 4.8/5

Available from B&Q

Pros

• Comfortable and well-balanced
• Cut cleanly and well
• Strong and robust

Cons

• Stiff central bolt
• The safety catch needs getting used to

Awarded a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for the best all-round bypass, these simple secateurs have few parts or gimmicks, yet their strong, Japanese steel blades cut cleanly and effortlessly. They're ideal for all pruning tasks, including heavy-duty jobs, cutting consistently well and are well-made, sharp, easy to use, and feel long-lasting. Their red and white handles make them hard to lose in the garden, both day and night. Although the safety catch, which is at the end of the handle, takes some getting used to, it's a breeze once mastered. They come with a two-year warranty.

Read the full Okatsune 103 review

Buy the Okatsune 103 Secateurs from Amazon and B&Q

Kent and Stowe Eversharp All Purpose Lite Secateurs

RRP: £34.99

Our rating: 4.8/5

Available from B&Q

Pros

• Good features, including an integrated wire cutter and an adjustable hand-sizer
• Excellent cutting strength
• Light with comfortable grip handles
• Replaceable parts
• 10-year warranty

Cons

• Hard to see if dropped in the garden
• Blade will rust if not cared for
• Packaging is excessive

Awarded a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for ease of use, these aluminium-framed secateurs are packed with valuable features. They're suitable for both right- and left-handed gardeners, and those with smaller hands, thanks to the easy switch on the top that adjusts from 1-2.4cm. They have a 2.4cm cutting capacity, although this feels like more, and despite their slightly chunky appearance, they're light and comfortable with marked rubber handles for extra grip. The safety catch, which is placed by your thumb, is easy to open and close with one hand. The hardened carbon steel blade has a plasma coating, and it feels strong and sharp, easily cutting through green and older wood on shrubs and roses.

Unfortunately, these secateurs' grey and black appearance makes them hard to spot if dropped in the garden or amongst prunings. They have a handy hole for hanging them up after use, and although the blade will rust slightly if not cared for, if these secateurs are looked after well, they should last you years. They come with a 10-year warranty.

Buy the Kent and Stowe Eversharp All Purpose Lite Secateurs from Amazon, B&Q and Marshalls Garden

Kent and Stowe Eversharp Bypass Secateurs

RRP: £34.99

Our rating:4.5/5

Available from Crocus

Pros

• Cut easily through live and dead wood
• Hard, sharp blade
• Comfortable FSC-certified wooden handles
• Lightweight
• Adjustable width
• 10-year warranty

Cons

• Hard to spot if dropped in the garden

Awarded a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award for best bypass for comfort, these secateurs have an aluminium frame with a sustainably sourced FSC-certified ash insert. This smooth wood is comfortable to hold and offers an excellent grip, even without gardening gloves. They're suitable for both right- and left-handed gardeners, and although the secateurs are lightweight at just 330g, they still feel robust and hard-wearing. When pruning, they cut through almost every material on test with little resistance. Live, green wood was easy to prune, and even hard, dried wood was easy to snip. This is thanks to a carbon steel blade covered in a plasma coating, which Kent and Stowe claim makes these harder than any other blade.

The cutting width can be adjusted with a simple catch, from 1cm to 2.5cm, so these secateurs can tackle thicker branches as well as more delicate stems, and the safety catch, which is placed by your thumb, is easy to open and close with one hand. They also have a handy hole for hanging them up in a shed or greenhouse after use and a notch on the blade for cutting twine and garden wire. With a fantastic 10-year warranty, these secateurs should last you a long time. However, we found that the grey blade and light brown handles are tricky to spot if you drop them in a border or lose them amongst prunings.

Read the full Kent and Stowe Eversharp Bypass Secateurs review

Buy the Kent and Stowe Eversharp Bypass Secateurs from Crocus

Niwaki GR Pro

RRP: £84 (right-handed)

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from Niwaki

Pros

• Comfortable and well-balanced
• Cut cleanly and well
• Strong and robust

Cons

• The safety catch needs getting used to
• No replaceable blade
• Expensive

These robust secateurs from Niwaki, awarded a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for the best premium bypass secateurs, feature hand-forged, carbon steel blades which cut stems cleanly and smoothly. The safety catch sits at the end of the handles and is chunky but easy to engage once you get used to it, and they feel well-balanced and comfortable to use. A replacement spring is included in your purchase, and they come in a choice of sizes, including small, regular and large and for both left- and right-handed gardeners. A holster is also available to buy, and these secateurs come with a two-year warranty.

Read the full Niwaki GR Pro review

Buy the Niwaki GR Pro from Crocus and Niwaki

Felco Model 8

RRP: £73.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from On Buy

Pros

• The non-slip handle shape works well
• The safety catch is easy to reach and use
• Servicing is provided for life

Cons

• Several different screw need to be tackled for adjustment
• The grip is wide when fully opened and not helpful for smaller hands
• An expensive, premium-priced model

A BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy winner, these classic secateurs from the world-renowned Swiss brand Felco feel sturdy and cut well in a variety of different jobs. They're also easy to maintain and come with the Felco lifetime guarantee. The secateurs feel chunky but light, and the ergonomic handle protects the wrist and hand, making longer pruning jobs less tiring. The blade also has a handy wire-cutting notch. The red non-slip handle makes them easy to see if lost in the garden.

Read the full Felco 8 Bypass Secateurs review

Buy the Felco Model 8 from Amazon and On Buy

Darlac DP1030A Expert

RRP: £34.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from ManoMano

Pros

• Nice to hold, with a comfortable grip
• Cut efficiently and smoothly, and make large cuts easily
• Comes with a generous lifetime guarantee

Cons

• A number of different screws need to be tackled for adjustment or maintenance
• Handles are wide when fully opened, which may be a problem for smaller hands

A BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy winner for best bypass for large stems, these robust secateurs have a comfortable grip and are nice to hold. The central safety catch is easy to engage with the thumb and can also be used to reduce the blade aperture (opening width) for light work, which is useful. There is a handy wire-cutting notch on the blade, and the red handles make them easy to find if lost in the garden. They come with a lifetime warranty.

Read the full Darlac Expert Bypass DP1030A review

But the Darlac DP1030A Expert from ManoMano and B&Q

Burgon and Ball Left-Handed Bypass

RRP: £23.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from On Buy

Pros

• Easy safety catch
• Replacement parts available
• Comfortable
• Long warranty

Cons

• Struggle with large cuts
• Best for bigger hands

Awarded a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for the best left-handed bypass secateurs, these have a strong, high-carbon steel blade that cuts well and can easily take on most pruning jobs. They are also simple to sharpen and have a large safety catch that engages easily. Replacement parts are available, and they come with a 10-year warranty.

Read the full Burgon and Ball Left Handed Bypass review

Buy the Burgon and Ball Left-Handed Bypass Secateurs from Amazon and On Buy

Darlac Compound Action Pruner

RRP: £20.99

Our rating: 4.3/5

Available from B&Q

Pros

• Small and light, half the weight of other models tested
• Easy to make most cuts thanks to the lever action
• Smooth closing mechanism

Cons

• Struggled with larger cuts
• Blade opening is limited, making it tricky to sharpen the blades

These bypass secateurs have a central lever action, which makes them very easy on the hands when cutting, just like a ratchet secateur. The handles have a soft grip for comfort, and they're surprisingly light – half the weight of some of the other secateurs tested. The safety catch is on the top of the handle and is easy to switch on or off with a flick of the thumb. A great tool for those with less strength, they were given a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for the best bypass secateurs for smaller hands.

Read the full Darlac Compound Action Pruner review

Buy the Darlac Compound Action Pruners from B&Q, ManoMano and On Buy

Best Anvil Secateurs

Felco Model 32

RRP: £69.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from Amazon

Pros

• Clean, easy, strong cuts
• Wide cutting width
• Servicing provided
• All parts replaceable

Cons

• Safety catch stiff
• Expensive

These anvil secateurs are strong and robust, with a hardened steel blade that cuts cleanly and effortlessly through thick, woody growth. With a wide cutting width, they feel sturdy in use, and although there's no comfort padding on the grip, these cut so smoothly that there was no strain on the hand or wrist. All parts are replaceable, and they come with a lifetime warranty. We awarded these a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy as the Best Anvil All Round.

Read the full Felco Model 32 Pruning Shears review

Buy the Felco Model 32 Anvil Secateurs from On Buy and Amazon

Stihl PG25 Anvil

RRP: £37

Our rating: 4.3/5

Available from Mowers Online

Pros

• Smooth, easy cutting action
• The central safety catch is simple to operate with one hand
• Blade can be handily sharpened on the go

Cons

• Handles are hard in the hand and feel uncomfortable after prolonged use
• Several screws need to be removed for adjustment or maintenance

A BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy winner for the best anvil secateur for strength, these sturdy, compact secateurs cut woodier stems with ease. The carbon steel blade has a non-stick coating and can be easily sharpened or replaced, and their orange handles make them easy to find amongst prunings in the garden. They come with a two-year warranty.

Read the full Stihl PG25 Anvil Secateurs review

Buy the Stihl PG25 Anvil from Amazon and Mowers Online

Ames ratchet anvil pruner

RRP: £21.99

Our rating: 4.25/5

Available from B&Q

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Best compact and lightweight secateurs (ratchet): Ames ratchet anvil pruner

Pros

• Rust-resistant polymer blade coating
• Compact and lightweight nylon fibre handles and anvil
• Japanese carbon steel blade
• Soft-feel grip
• Pocket-sized
• 15-year warranty
• Hole in the handle for attaching a lanyard

Cons

• Best for smaller stems, as it’s challenging to get leverage on larger stems
• Cuts up to 1.8cm only
• Catch is a little fiddly to take on and off

These little secateurs are lightweight, pocket-sized and yet capable of cutting above their weight. The blade is SK5 carbon steel, which is resistant to wear and highly durable. Comfortable in the hand, despite their small size, with the four-stage ratchet, these secateurs cut through 1.8cm dead wood relatively easily, leaving a clean cut. Although the catch is a little awkward to use, the compact form-factor was much valued by our testing team, earning these secateurs a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award for compact and lightweight ratchet secateurs. The warranty is 15 years.

But the Ames ratchet anvil pruner from B&Q and Amazon

Best of the rest

Although some models didn't quite achieve a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy, they still have various features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest.

Spear & Jackson Kew Gardens Collection Razorsharp Ratchet Anvil Secateurs

RRP: £32.49

Our rating: 3.9/5

Available from B&Q

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Pros

• Polymer-coated blade for rust-resistance and smoother cutting
• Comfortable non-slip grip
• Four-stage ratchet action
• 10-year warranty
• Cuts up to 2cm
• Cast aluminium body
• The catch comes off easily as you squeeze the secateurs

Cons

• Opens a bit too wide for comfortable usage, depending on the size of hands

Well-made and robust with a cast aluminium body, these secateurs offer a cutting width of 2cm, with a ratchet action in four stages. On hard, dead wood, the secateurs cut cleanly and well, although they opened too widely to offer leverage for smaller hands. The blade is coated with PTFE, a non-stick coating that gives a cleaner, smoother cut while also protecting the blade from rust. A finger guard offers protection, while the catch can be closed with one hand and is easily opened by a gentle squeeze action. With a 10-year guarantee, this is a good buy for any keen gardener who deals with a lot of woody winter pruning.

Buy the Spear & Jackson Kew Gardens Collection Razorsharp Ratchet Anvil Secateurs from Amazon, B&Q and Tooled Up

Burgon & Ball Ratchet Pruner

RRP: £24.99

Our rating: 3.5/5

Available from Burgon & Ball

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Pros

• Three-stage gear mechanism
• Cuts up to 2.5cm
• High-carbon steel blade
• 10-year warranty
• RHS endorsed

Cons

• The handle feels very large
• Opens wider than smaller hands can deal with

With a wide cutting width of 2.5cm, these secateurs feature a three-stage ratchet and a high-carbon steel blade, offering 2.5 times more cutting power. The handle is nicely moulded with finger protection, although it feels like it is made for larger hands, with the opening width wider than some hands can deal with, reducing the leverage and grip necessary to cut larger branches. The catch is easy to open one-handed, but more difficult to close in this fashion. With a 10-year warranty, these are a good buy for a gardener with larger hands.

Buy the Burgon & Ball Ratchet Pruner from Burgon & Ball

Bulldog Ratchet Pruning Secateurs

RRP: £21.99

Our rating: 4.1/5

Available from B&Q

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Pros

• Coated steel blade
• Oil pad for the blade is set into the handle
• Robust and sturdy
• Ridged, soft-grip handle
• Cuts up to 2cm
• Hole in the handle for attaching a lanyard

Cons

• Slightly heavier than other models
• Relatively short five-year warranty

These secateurs feel strongly made and robust, and are generally heavy and solid in the hand. The four-ratchet mechanism cuts through 2cm of dead wood easily and cleanly, and the coating on the steel blade protects against corrosion. The soft-grip handle is nicely ridged, offering an excellent grip, and the little oiler pad set into the handle is a nice touch and proved handy when testing. Despite a shorter warranty than some other secateurs on test, these feel like a sturdy and strongly made pair of secateurs.

Buy the Bulldog Ratchet Pruning Secateurs from Amazon, B&Q and Tooled Up

Wolf Garten Anvil Comfort Plus

RRP: £25.99

Our rating: 4.3/5

Available from B&Q

Pros

• Wide cutting width
• Simple design
• Cut cleanly and sharply
• Suitable for right- and left-handed use

Cons

• Feel flimsy
• Bottom handle rubs with use

The secateurs are small and compact and feature a non-stick blade which cuts cleanly. There is an integrated spring closing between plastic handles, which do have a rubber grip, but only on the upper side. We found the safety catch was easy to reach; however, it was quite stiff to operate. Overall, the tool performed well, but it felt quite flimsy compared to more sturdy models.

Buy the Wolf Garten Anvil Comfort Plus from Amazon and B&Q

Jardin de France Ratchet Secateur

RRP: £40.00

Our rating: 4.3/5

Available from Jardin de France

Pros

• Strong, clean cut
• Light and comfortable
• Replaceable blade
• Right and left use

Cons

• Ratchet slips occasionally
• Fiddly safety catch

These ratchet secateurs feature a coated carbon-steel blade that cuts well through growth. The handles are aluminium and topped with a rubber grip for added comfort. The tool is suitable for left- and right-hand use, and both the blade and spring are replaceable. We found the safety catch could be fiddly, and the three-gear ratchet did occasionally slip. There is a one-year warranty included, and we thought the secateurs were great value for money overall.

Buy the Jardin de France Ratchet Secateur from Jardin de France

Darlac Super Classic Ratchet

RRP: £21.99

Our rating: 4.3/5

Available from Mr Fothergills

Pros

• Wide cutting width
• Cut well
• Good value
• Replaceable parts

Cons

• Large and wide
• Slow to cut
• Lack grip

These Darlac ratchet secateurs come with an impressive 25-year warranty. The coated SK5 steel blade cuts smoothly, although the action took longer than other models tested. The tool has a wide cutting width, which is useful on larger stems. However, the handles were also quite large, which made them trickier to handle. Replaceable parts are available.

Buy the Darlac Super Classic Ratchet Secateurs from Amazon, D.T. Brown and Mr Fothergills

Spear & Jackson Razorsharp PRO Heavy Duty

RRP: £25.99

Our rating: 4/5

Available from B&Q

Pros

• Feel sturdy and robust with a strong blade
• Replacement parts are available
• 10-year guarantee

Cons

• The central safety catch keeps catching halfway through a cut
• Grip needs adjusting for different cuts

These classic secateurs feel sturdy, capable and long-lasting. They have rubber shock absorbers on the handles to make cutting larger stems comfortable, but the central safety catch often caught halfway through a cut, which was frustrating. Cutting width also needed to be adjusted for different-sized stems. The plastic-coated handles are bright red, so they are easy to spot if mislaid. Replacement blades and springs are available, and they have a 10-year guarantee.

Read the full Spear & Jackson Razorsharp PRO Heavy Duty Bypass Secateur review

Buy the Spear & Jackson Razorsharp PRO Heavy Duty Bypass from Amazon, B&Q and On Buy

Wolf Garten RS5000 Professional Anvil

RRP: £59.99

Our rating: 4/5

Available from B&Q

Pros

• Feel well-balanced in the hand
• Central safety catch is easy to reach and engage
• Blade opens wide, so sharpening is easy
• Cone with a 10-year guarantee

Cons

• Large and heavy, and may be too much for gardeners with smaller hands and those lacking strength
• The cord wrist strap gets in the way

With an integral spring, these large anvil secateurs are comfortable to use. The blade feels sharp and is angled, making accessing difficult cuts much easier. Plastic grips on the aluminium handles make holding them softer and less cold. However, the wrist cord just gets in the way, and larger cuts were a struggle.

Read the full Wolf Garten RS5000 Professional Anvil Secateurs review

Buy the Wolf Garten RS5000 Professional Anvil from Amazon, B&Q and Tooled Up

Our expert testers trial hundreds of garden tools to work out which will do the job well and offer the best value, comfort and quality. If you're pruning larger branches, take a look at our reviews of the best electric secateurs, best loppers, best pruning saws and the best mini chainsaws and best wood-splitting axes. For help clearing up, see our test of the best wheelbarrows or the best garden shredders.

Choosing the right type of secateurs

Watch Alan Titchmarsh's guide to choosing the right type of secateurs. He helps you identify the difference between bypass, anvil and ratchet secateurs and explains which gardening tasks each type of secateurs is best suited to.

Why do you need to clean secateurs?

Once you’ve bought your secateurs, it’s important to look after them so they last as long as possible.

• You should aim to oil and sharpen your secateurs every few weeks so they’re always easy to use and safe for you and your plants
• It’s essential to keep them sharp, not just for ease of use but also for your plants' health. Heavy use can clog the tool with plant sap and blunt the blades, tearing plant tissue and letting disease in
• Sharp blades cut cleanly and leave a small wound on the plant, which should fully heal, reducing the risk of disease. Clean tools also prevent disease from spreading between your plants

See our video, where Alan Titchmarsh shows you how to clean your secateurs for help

How we tested secateurs

The secateurs were tested around the garden on perennials, trees and shrubs and at different times of the year. They were assessed according to the following criteria, with equal marks attributed to each:

• Handling: Assessed the secateurs' comfort, weight, balance, the safety catch and general ease of use
• Cutting: Looked at the qualities of the blades, including their material, strength and opening widths, as well as their manoeuvrability and cutting efficiency
• Maintenance: Consider how easy they are to clean and sharpen, whether replacement blades are available, and whether a maintenance service is offered
• Value for money: Focussed on the quality of the secateurs, any special features, warranty and RRP

For more information on our testing process, take a look at How we review

Meet our testing panel

Oliver Parsons, Strategic Projects Editor
Oliver is a gardener and magazine journalist of 20 years’ experience. He trained as a professional horticulturalist at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Chelmsford and has also worked for Gardening Which?, as a freelance gardener and with the gardening team at Down House in Kent. He is now Strategic Projects Editor at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and GardenersWorld.com, heading up our reviews desk, Apple News output and weekly newsletter.

Kay Maguire, Magazines Editor
Kay trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has been writing and making films about gardening ever since. She has written for websites and magazines, including The Garden and Amateur Gardening, was Horticultural Editor on BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine for five years, and has also written several books on a range of gardening topics from growing house plants to making the most of a small space. After several years as Reviews Editor, building up our reviews section into a leading resource for UK gardeners, she has now become Magazines Editor for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine , responsible for all print output.

Harry Duncton, freelance powered tools tester
Harry has a wealth of experience, from being a language teacher to a tree surgeon, and has built this into a career writing about all things DIY and gardening. A passionate believer in self-reliance, his aim is to inspire others to give it a go themselves and not worry about making a few mistakes along the way. A regular contributor to popular DIY blogs and a recent addition to the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine team, he loves tracking down the best new tools and writing about them.

Sue Fisher, freelance garden writer
Sue’s extensive horticultural career spans over 40 years, starting with a decade in the garden centre and nursery industry before developing into an accomplished gardening writer, designer and speaker. Sue writes regularly for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, GardenersWorld.com, and Garden Answers magazine. She has written 10 books on subjects including container gardening, plants for small gardens and designing with colour, and she has co-authored other books with some of the biggest names in gardening.

Emma Crawforth, Horticulture Editor
Emma holds the Kew Diploma in Horticulture and has been working in horticulture for 18 years, including roles in public gardens, a plant nursery supplying plants for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a training college for young horticulturists. She looks after an ornamental, fruit and veg garden at home and regularly undertakes trips to see plants growing in their natural habitats. She is the author of the Kew Publications book, Things to Do with Plants.

This review was last updated in January 2026. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.