In case you are wondering what, a hedge shear is, a hedge shear is that “scissor-like” gardening tool usually used for some types of pruning.
Yes, many gardening tools look like a pair of scissors, but hedge shears are the most “scissors-like” shears of all shears. Some of the other shears like anvil pruners and basic pruners look more like pliers than scissors.
For some other shares like the thinning shears, they look like Although hedge shears have largely been replaced by power trimmers, they are still a very valuable part of gardening – especially if you are dealing with smaller delicate shrubs.
Those more powerful hedge trimmers may be less precise if you are dealing with delicate shrubs and you may end up doing more harm than good.
However, if you want to trim bigger plants, hedge trimmers may work. Also, if you want to work curved shapes, you may want to consider an electric hedge trimmer.
- MARTHA STEWART & SUN JOE: Two great brands, one powerful mission: to make the very best tools for your home, yard and garden.
But, in some situations, a hedge shear may be more appropriate. Here are some situations where you may want to use a hedge shear instead of an electric hedge trimmer:
Topiary arts and formal hedge: This is what hedge shears are “born” to do; they are made for this particular purpose. Hedge shears give you the flexibility to make more precise cuts. This makes it easier for you to give your plants almost any shape you want. If you have a delicate gardening work to do, then the best option for you is a pair of hedge shears. However, if you are satisfied with just giving your shrubs a natural look, and your shrubs are very tough to handle, you could just make do with an electric trimmer.
There are also some soft perennials and ornamental grasses like lilyturf and catmint which need to be pruned from time to time. Hedge shears are great for this situation. This is because some of these plants are more delicate and you may need some control over your pruning. However, the harder and more woody shrubs may require the use of other tougher tools.
How to Get The Best Hedge Shears
Hedge shears are a great gardening tool for handling delicate gardening situations such as if you are working with delicate plants or your gardening style requires more flexibility such as hedging and topiary arts.
But if you are more interested in snipping away, then you may get other less-precise but easy-to-use tools like electric shears. If you get the right shears, they are very handy tools; but poor-quality shears or poorly-maintained shears can be tools from hell. Here are some tips you should take note of if you want to get the best hedge shears:
Get the hedge shear with just the right weight. Heavy shear can cause fatigue. Since you want to do more of gardening and less of working out, you want shears with just the right weight for you.
Aluminum and fiberglass tend to be lighter than steel and wood. However, this is not really the most important criterion to look out for when looking for the best hedge shear. Other factors like sharpness and cutting mechanism come into play. In addition to this, never substitute quality for weight. There are light hedge shears which are still very strong.
Another thing to look out for is the type of blade of the hedge shear. If your gardening requires a high level of detail or is very delicate, you may need shorter shears as that gives you a bit more control.
However, it would be a nightmare if you get a hedge shear with a short blade and you have miles of grass to trim. Most blades are straight which makes maintenance much easier.
However, some hedge shears may come with a serrated or wavy blade which gives them a firmer grip on twigs. The downside to this is that these kinds of blades require professional maintenance.
The sharpness of the blades is also very important. Blunt blades make gardening very difficult. What’s worse is that if your shears are too blunt, you may not have a clean cut. This may make your pruning rough. You should make sure your blades are easy to sharpen.
You may also want to consider the cutting mechanism of your hedge shears. It was said earlier that hedge shears are used for soft shrubs. Some hedge shears have geared mechanisms which make them able to cut stronger woods and branches. This is perfect for tougher plants with wooden branches.
Another important but often neglected factor is how available the spare parts of the shears are. No matter how good any equipment is, they are subject to wear and tear at some point.
This can be postponed but not totally avoided by getting good quality materials with good maintenance. When your shears wear out, it would be much easier and cheaper to replace parts like the pivot-bolt assembly and other parts that may wear out easily.
Imagine how frustrating it will be if you cannot get any replacement parts when your shear wears out. That may mean you getting a new shear altogether which would be unnecessarily expensive.
Another thing to consider is if your shears are actually user-friendly. Shears with shock absorbers and cushioned handles are more-gentle on your hands.
It is not a pleasant experience if you always have blisters in the course of gardening. Besides, easy-to-use equipment means easier and more efficient gardening.
The last thing is the cost. Hedge shears may cost anywhere from $15 to over $120 depending on a lot of factors. The problem with most cheap shears may be the fact that they may have cut corners on quality to reduce the cost.
In some other instances, some cheap shears may be of good quality but may have limited features. The big idea is, when looking at the price, try to make sure you are getting good quality for your price.
Good bargains are out there, they may be hard, but that is why we are here to help.
Maintenance Tip for Hedge Shears
If you want your hedge shears to last longer, there are two main things you can do. One is to make sure you get only the best hedge shears, and the other is to make sure you maintain them properly. Some things you can do to maintain them are:
Always keep your hedge shears clean: Hedge shears are made mostly of iron or steel. If not well maintained, they may rust and wear out more easily.
It is always a good idea to wash your shears immediately after use to get rid of dirt and dry them up immediately after washing. Make sure your shears are dry as often as possible. Moisture contributes greatly to rusting
Change all worn-out parts: Worn-out parts make your shears more difficult to use. Changing them will add to the shelf-life of your hedge shear
Sharpening the blades of hedge shears will make them work more efficiently. But there is a caveat, sharpening the blades of shears too often will wear out the blades much quicker due to friction.
Hedge shears also need to be lubricated well. Lubricating the pivot-bolt assembly and gears of your hedge shear is a great way to reduce friction which can lead to wear and tear. This should prolong the life of your shear.
10 Best Hedge Shears
#1. The ARS HS-KR1000 Professional Hedge Shears
This hedge shear is manufactured by Growtech. It is about 28 inches long and weighs about 1.7lbs. It is designed for topiary and manual garden hedging. Comes with replaceable blades made of steel and an adjustable pivot bolt. The handles come with a shock absorber.
#2. Okatsune Precision Hedge Shears
This shear is manufactured by Okatsune. It is 21.1 inches long with blades that are 6.1 inches long. It weighs about 1.5lbs. the handles are made of slick Japanese white oak.
#3. Bahco P51H-SL Long Pro Hedge Shears
Manufactured by Horizon distribution, this shear weighs about 2.39lbs. it has a total length of 27.5 inches and its blades are 9.5 inches long. The blades are partially serrated and its handles have sturdy rubber bumpers designed to act as shock absorbers.
#4. Gonicc Professional Hedge Shears
This shear has an adjustable handle made of aluminum alloy. It is 33 inches in the closed position and 46 inches in the extended position. It comes with SK-5 high carbon steel hollow blades designed to reduce resistance. The pressure of the blades is adjustable by a screw at the bottom of the shear. It is manufactured by Gonicc and weighs 3.4lbs.
#5. THANOS Hedge Shears
This shear is manufactured by Thanos. It weighs about 2.9lbs and is about 27 inches long. The blades are made of SK-5 high carbon steel and are wavy. It features a pivot bolt which helps adjust the tension of the blades. The handles are telescopically designed hence the length of the handle can be adjusted between 15.7 to 23.6 inches.
#6. WORKPRO 7.2V Grass Shear
This is technically a hedge trimmer (which is an electrical version of an edge shear) and not a hedge shear but they do almost the same work. It comes as a compact device which you can hold with one hand. It could be used both as a mower and a hedge trimmer. It comes with two blades for this purpose – a 4.72’’ long shrub shear for trimming and a 3.54’’ wide grass shear for mowing. It has a safety lock and is incredibly lightweight at just 1.04lbs. It comes with rechargeable lithium batteries. The charger works with 110 volts.
#7. Corona HS 3950 Extendable Hedge Shear
This hedge shear is made of steel handles. It has a shock-stop bumper, precision-made pivot bolt. The adjustable steel handles can extend from 15 inches to 26 inches. It is manufactured by Corona Clippers. It weighs about 3.5lbs.
#8. FLORA GUARD Professional Extensible Hedge Shears
This hedge shear is manufactured by Flora Guard. It weighs about 2.7lbs. It is about 26.4 inches long. However, it handles have a telescopic design which makes it adjustable to 34.6 inches. The blades are wavy.
#9. Oara Garden Hedge Shears
This hedge shear is made of 65MN carbon steel blades with Teflon coating. The handles have an ergonomic design with soft vinyl cushion grips. It also has shock absorbers. It weighs just about 1.9lbs. Ideal for boxwood, hedges, topiary plants and shrubs. It is about 22 inches long.
#10. Fiskars 391911-1002 Hedge Shears
This hedge shear is manufactured by Fiskers. It comes with a power-lever leverage cutting mechanism. They have durable steel handles. It has an 8-inch steel gator-blade serrated blade. It weighs about 2lbs.
FAQs
How well do they trim shrubs?
Some of the professional hedge shears like the Okatsune and ARS hedge shears are really sharp and do a decent job at trimming most soft shrubs. For harder shrubs, however, adjustable shears such as the Thanos and Gonicc hedge shears on this list may help with that.
Are they convenient to use?
One of the key factors we took into consideration is convenience. All the shears on this list are relatively lightweight and convenient to use.
How do I know which one is best for me?
That depends on what you really want. All these are of good quality. Do you want long or short shears? Do you want a multipurpose, adjustable shear? Are you on a budget but still want good quality? These are some of the questions you may want to ask yourself when making a decision.
Are these hedge shears durable?
The durability of your shears depends on the quality of your shears in the first place and how you maintain them. Some shears are rust-resistant like the Oara gardening hedge shears on this list which makes maintenance easier. Others, which have wavy or serrated blades need more expertise during sharpening so you do not wear them out.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, all these shears listed on this review do a good job with gardening. However, what shear would work best for you depends on what exactly you want out of your gardening experience.
That is why we have provided a review of the top 10 hedge shears. Take a look at the pros and cons and we will let you be the judge of what works for you and what doesn’t.
Last update on 2023-05-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
