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! The Fiskars Pruner was selected as an alternative as it’s very similar with only subtle differences.

Some telescopic/extendable pruners are manually powered. They have a ‘squeeze’ handle that causes the blades at the top to close and cut. As long as the blades are sharp enough, this shouldn’t be too hard on the hands. These manual pruners are usually best suited to cutting fresh, live stems/branches as opposed to woodier ones. They’ll work best on bushes, hedges and small, young trees.

My Top Recommended Telescopic Tree Pruners

Whether you need to prune roses, or cut high-reaching bamboo canes, the Garten Primus Rose Cavalier Pruner makes it easy to do all the jobs around the garden without requiring multiple tools. 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 Nevertheless, weighing just under 1 kg, it’s one of the best telescopic tree pruners in terms of manageability; not only because it’s easy to hold, but also because it’s well balanced and allows good control whilst pruning.

While the initial testing period was four days. The Gardena Starcut 410 has been used several times since and as of February 27th 2023, there are no issues to report. Extending and collapsing the pole couldn’t be easier; I just opened the lever, slid the inner pole to the desired length and then closed the lever. 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. 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.For shorter trees and bushes, look for telescopic tree pruners with a maximum extension length of around 2m, and a shorter setting closer to 1m . These heights will provide sufficient versatility without requiring the use of a ladder. 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. 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. 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. 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.

With a blade that cuts and holds whatever gets pruned, the ARS 160ZP Long Reach Pruner is great for dead-heading, manicuring and harvesting. Instead of instantly dropping the pruned material on the spot, where it will never be found again, the blades allow you to have more control over where it will be placed. 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. 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. Remember that the further the pruner is extended, the harder it’ll be to control and use safely. Therefore, it’s best to only extend the pruner as far as necessary, depending on the job. 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.Telescopic tree pruners make neatening up your garden easy. They’re convenient, safe and easy to use; however, there are a lot of different styles to choose between. Manual tree pruners are best if you’ll be cutting lots of fresh, live stems and branches . We’re talking bushes, hedges and young trees. In most instances, I recommend looking for pruners that have a cutting diameter of around 2.5cm – this will be suitable for most domestic pruning jobs. 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. Instead of allowing free adjustability between its lengths, you can only one of three positions: no extension, half extended or fully extended. Therefore, there are some limitations.