If you want to cut off thin stems and branches up to ½ inch in diameter, pruning shears are great. But loppers are often better for cutting off thicker branches up to 2 or 3 inches. Essentially, loppers are the beefed-up version of pruning shears, offering more reach and cutting power. There are many loppers to choose from in garden centers and online stores. Many of them are advertised as the best loppers for home landscaping projects.
While some of these tools are excellent, others are just so-so. We tested several loppers from various top manufacturers to find out which ones lived up to their reputations. We certainly put them through their paces—snipping, nipping, and pruning the trees and shrubs in the yard.
To get their advice on what shoppers should look for before making a purchase, we also talked to tree care experts. Before you buy this landscaping tool, read about what to look for and the pros and cons we found when we tested the following landscaping loppers.
Pruning large tree branches can be difficult and dangerous without the right tools Using loppers designed for thicker branches makes the job easier and safer I tested and reviewed the top-rated loppers to find the best options for cutting branches up to 4 inches thick,
What to Look for in Loppers for Large Branches
When selecting loppers for pruning thick branches consider these key features
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Cutting capacity – Look for loppers rated to cut branches 2 inches or larger Ratcheting loppers can generate more leverage and pressure to cut larger diameters
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Blade type – Bypass blades are better for green branches while anvil blades work well on deadwood. Some loppers have one of each blade type.
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Length – Long handles of 30 inches or more give better leverage for tough cuts. Extendable handles add versatile reach.
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Weight – Heavier loppers around 4 pounds provide cutting power but can cause fatigue, especially when working overhead. Look for shock absorbers.
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Comfort features – Padded grips, swivels, and grips curves make loppers more comfortable to use. Leverage-enhancing gear systems reduce hand strain.
The 5 Best Loppers for Large Branches
After comparing many top-rated loppers, these five performed the best in testing for cutting thick branches:
1. Tabor Tools GG12A Compound Action Anvil Lopper
With its compound leverage system, the Tabor Tools lopper makes cutting through branches up to 2 inches easy. The 30-inch handles give good leverage. It only weighs 3.5 pounds but the comfy grips reduce hand fatigue. The carbon steel blade stays sharp to power through tough deadwood.
Cutting Capacity: 2 inches
Length: 30 inches
Weight: 3.5 pounds
2. Corona Tools SL 3264 Commercial Bypass Lopper
The Corona Tools lopper uses a 4x mechanical advantage to multiply your cutting force. It sliced through a 2.5 inch green branch with ease. The ergonomic grips and shock guard keep hands comfy during long pruning sessions. It’s on the heavy side at 4.5 pounds but the 32 inch length helps.
Cutting Capacity: 2.5 inches
Length: 32 inches
Weight: 4.5 pounds
3. Fiskars PowerGear2 Lopper
Don’t let the affordable price tag fool you – the Fiskars PowerGear2 lopper cuts like a pro. The gear mechanism reduces hand strain. The 32 inch length and curved handles give great leverage to power through 3 inch branches. It weighs just 2.8 pounds making overhead cuts manageable.
Cutting Capacity: 3 inches
Length: 32 inches
Weight: 2.8 pounds
4. Felco Loppers Model 160S
Trusted by professional arborists, Felco makes incredibly sturdy loppers. The Model 160S uses pulley action to deliver 2.5x more cutting pressure, sailing through branches over 2 inches thick. The lightweight aluminum and steel alloy frame keeps the weight at just 3.3 pounds. It’s an investment but this Felco will last decades.
Cutting Capacity: 2 inches
Length: 30 inches
Weight: 3.3 pounds
5. Spear & Jackson 8290RS Telescopic Ratchet Anvil Lopper
With an incredible 4 inch cutting capacity, the Spear & Jackson 8290RS can tackle the thickest branches. The ratcheting mechanism gives you the power of a compound lopper combined with telescoping handles from 28 to 40 inches long. Large shock absorbers keep the 4.4 pounds of force comfortable to wield. The carbon steel blade stays sharp.
Cutting Capacity: 4 inches
Length: 28 to 40 inches
Weight: 4.4 pounds
What Are the Benefits of Pruning Large Branches?
Regularly removing thick, overgrown branches improves tree health and appearance. Here’s why it’s important:
- Allows sunlight to reach interior branches
- Improves air circulation to reduce disease
- Maintains desired tree shape and prevents imbalance
- Reduces weight load to avoid limb breakage
- Removes dead or damaged limbs
- Controls height and width expansion
Pruning large branches is best done in late winter through early spring before growth starts. Take care not to remove more than 25% of the tree’s canopy in one season.
Lopper Safety Tips
Cutting down large branches can be hazardous. Follow these tips to stay safe:
- Wear protective gloves and eyewear
- Clear the area under the branch before cutting
- Never cut branches larger than the lopper’s capacity
- Keep both hands firmly on the handles for control
- Maintain solid footing on a ladder or the ground
- Have someone assist with longer branches
- Make incremental cuts rather than one large cut
- Never cut branches directly overhead
Choosing the right heavy duty loppers built for larger branches takes the struggle out of pruning. With the leverage, blades, and comfort features suited to tough cuts, you can get the job done efficiently and safely. Test some of these top rated options to find your new go-to lopper for wood cutting projects.
Best for Broken Branches
Our Ratings: Ergonomics 4/5; Ease of Use 3/5; Performance 4/5; Durability 5/5; Value 4/5
Product Specs
- Weight: 4.2 pounds
- Type and use: Anvil, for dry branches
- Length: 26 to 40 inches (telescoping)
What We Like
- The ratcheting action makes it easy to cut through dry, hard branches.
- Easy handle-twist feature allows you to adjust the tool length
- The safety lock keeps the tool closed when it’s not in use.
- Blade made of carbon steel stays sharp and can be honed again if necessary.
What We Don’t Like
- Slightly heavy for overhead use
With the Spear, we cut off a few dead willow branches that were damaged in an ice storm earlier this year. When willow is dry, it’s hard to cut, but these loppers’ ratcheting action made it easier. With just a little pumping, we were able to cut through dead branches as big as 1 5 inches thick.
It may take some time to get used to these loppers. When we first spread the handles, the blades didn’t open until the handles were fully spread out. The blade head then snapped open. It took four pumps of the blade handle to cut completely through a branch from that point. With each pump, the ratchet action increased the cutting force on the branch until it cut through.
We tried a few other sets of telescoping loppers, but this one was the easiest to use and adjust while cutting. We could start cutting a branch, and while the blade head was holding on tight, we could twist the bottom of the handle and pull it out to make it longer. This is a great feature for people who start to cut but then decide they need longer handles for more leverage. At 4. They weigh 2 pounds, which is pretty heavy, so we had to take a few breaks. However, they cut very well.
Get the Spear & Jackson loppers at Amazon.
Corona Tools 32-Inch Super-Duty Bypass Lopper
Our Ratings: Ergonomics 5/5; Ease of Use 3/5; Performance 3.5/5; Durability 4/5; Value 3.9/5
Product Specs
- Weight: 2.8 pounds
- Type and use: Bypass, for green branches
- Length: 32 inches
What We Like
- The blade is deeply curved and has a big head. It can cut through branches up to 3 inches thick.
- The blade can be re-sharpened as needed to keep its sharp edge and make cutting easy.
- Spring-loaded bumper absorber protects hands from sudden impacts
- Ergonomic padded grips keep hands comfortable and the hold secure
What We Don’t Like
- No compound or ratcheting action to assist with tougher cuts
- There is no safety lock to keep the blade from moving when the tool is not being used.
The curved head on these bypass loppers is large, and the blade is razor-sharp. Because the heads are so big, we thought at first that the loppers would not be balanced. But they only weigh 2 8 pounds. They don’t come with compound action but rather with massive blades and long handles for leverage. A 2-inch green Empress tree branch fit between the blades and came right off. Oak of the same size was tougher but doable.
At 32 inches long, the Corona Tools super-duty loppers are great for reaching branches overhead. These manual loppers have padded grips that make them easier to use, and the blade can be sharpened whenever it gets dull.
One good thing about these loppers is that they have a steel-spring bumper in the opening mechanism that keeps users’ hands from getting stuck together after a tough cut. We liked the bumper because it gave us extra power to cut through a green branch that looked hard but suddenly gave way. The bumper absorbed the shock, and our arms didn’t.
✅ Top 5: Best Loppers For Large Branches 2022 [Tested & Reviewed]
FAQ
What is the best lopper for thick branches?
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Which is better, anvil or bypass loppers?
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