Spear & Jackson 4930FZ/09 Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner

Product Information

The internal rope pully system is what assists with closing the blades and causes them to cut. Instead of a squeeze handle, which is what many other tree pruners have, this method is easier on the hands. It’s quite a revolutionary way of cutting, and sets the Fiskars pruners apart from others on the market. If you’re after a set of pruners with a simple mechanism, the Sunorchid Telescopic Tree Pruners are worth considering. These pruners have a dual use pruning saw that can be used either for pruning tall trees or as a handheld tool for neatening bushes at eye level. Manufacturers often overstate how high you can safely prune branches and while I’m 6ft2 and with a long reach, I was unable to reach any of the stated heights, even when I was standing on my toes! I suggest you look at the extended length of the pole rather than the “up to” cutting height, which is an estimate. 2) Only choose a cheap product for occasional use, they aren’t built to the same quality To make it easier to cut stems that are in awkward positions, the top section of the pruner can be adjusted through different angles. It’s therefore simpler to reach specific branches and stems. The cutting head also rotates, to help create precise, well-positioned cuts.

They are also fairly comfortable to hold, although noticeably less strong when fully extended. There’s a comfortable non-slip foam grip at the end and in the middle of the handle, so it can be operated with two hands. It’s easy enough to find effective pruners that weigh less than 1 kg. Lightweight telescopic pruners are easier to manage and don’t feel too unwieldy. Given that telescopic pruners are often quite long, they can feel sometimes feel unbalanced – for this reason, it helps if they’re light. Heavier pruners can still be manageable, but you should consider whether you have sufficient upper body strength. Heavier pruners should be used with a shoulder strap for support. It’s lightweight at only 2.1kg (4.6lbs), which is important as I recently spent the best part of two whole days pruning dozens of trees and bushes. I’ve seen competing products that weigh double and even triple this and I can only imagine how much arm ache the user would experience! This pruning tool also comes with a good quality blade cover so you can protect the blade from damage when not in use.

My Top Recommended Telescopic Tree Pruners

The rope is external, and I believe it will likely fray after prolonged use. I found that the rope sometimes caught on the branches; I never had this problem with the Gardena Starcut 410 as that had an internal mechanism.

Most telescopic tree pruners for residential use will extend up to approximately 2 m. This tends to give enough reach for the majority of small trees and bushes without needing to use a step or telescopic ladder. Of course, if you have some trees that are slightly larger, you will be able to use the pruner in conjunction with a ladder as well. However, for the most part you won’t need to. It only extends to 2.34m (7.64ft), and the average user will only be able to reach around 4m (13ft), which might not suit every garden. They come with a 330 mm saw which gives the user extra cutting power on larger branches, although it’s worth noting that this saw is a little weak and not particularly effective. The saw also occasionally gets caught on branches and needs to be removed.If you also want to use the pruner for some close-range jobs, make sure that its non-extended length is manageable. Extendable pruners tend to be over 1 m long even on their shortest setting, so there may still be jobs that will still require a pair of smaller hand pruners. There are also pruners on the market which extend further, up to 4m, and are ideal for taller trees. The Fiskars Pruner was selected as an alternative as it’s very similar with only subtle differences.

I’ve used the Gardena Starcut 410 Plus lopper to cut many hundreds of branches on trees and tall shrubs in 2022, and overall, I’m delighted with the tool’s performance. It doesn’t have a gearing or ratchet system, so you must use brute force to cut through branches. I’m quite strong, but after prolonged use, even my arms got tired. Telescopic tree pruners are either motorised or manual. Which to choose will depend on what you’ll be cutting. The tool has two handles which activate the cutting blades, and I found myself using the one at the end of the pole for higher branches and the sliding handle on the shaft of the pole for the lower branches. One other issue is that the cord isn’t quite long enough when the handle is at full extension, so you may need to lengthen it if you’re regularly pruning at full extension.

Razorsharp Telescopic Super Long Reach Cutter

I liked the fact that the pullies and mechanisms were all internal. I’ve used loppers before where the rope has got tangled or frayed and the mechanism dusty and dirty; this won’t happen with this tool. The presence of a motor increases its weight, so it’s not the lightest pruner at 3.8 kg, but there is a shoulder included to help make it more manageable. Whilst the strap does help to some extent, using the RPP750S still requires a fair amount of upper body strength. The blade is made from alloy steel and has sharp, solid serrations. There’s 4 cutting angles to choose from depending on what you are cutting and at what height. There’s no bypass mechanism. Instead, the branch is held in place while the two-way blade produces a smooth and clean cut. They’re chrome-plated and made from carbon steel, resulting in a high-quality tool that can comfortably cut branches up to 6 mm. In some instances, the blades can cut up to 10 mm. The pole is extendable from 130 cm to 200 cm, and is suitable for both mid-range pruning, and cutting higher up. Nevertheless, it’s a powerful tool and can be invaluable whilst pruning bigger branches – it’s just a case of making sure you can control it properly.