Are you looking to buy the best pruners for arthritic hands? Don’t worry; we are here to help you with our research. The inflamed and painful joints harden the once easy gardening activities like pruning and shearing. However, suitable tools can not only help to mitigate your pain but also enhance your experience during gardening hours.
Coming towards the problem; is the vast product ranges in markets. Just like other gardening tools, buying and choosing a suitable pruner for arthritic hands is not that easy.
To save your money and energy from all the ‘not so nice options’, we are sharing a list of tested products. Keep reading to have a roundup of the best pruners for arthritic hands.
How to choose the Best Pruner for Arthritic Hands
While you research for a suitable pruner, consider the under mentioned aspects and choose accordingly:
- The extent of pain and the ability of the hands.
- Type of gardening chores you are planning to cover with the pruners.
- And last but not the least, your budget.
Types of Pruners
Before opting for buying a pruner, a basic guide about the types and functions of different available designs is not a bad idea. Is it?
This is a brief list to help you understand what you need.
Anvil Pruners
These pruners can easily crush rougher plants, making them ideal for deadwood and drier stems. The basic mechanism is that the upper curved blade is pushed and comes to rest on the lower anvil. This results in fatigue and less cutting, helpful for arthritic hands.
Ratchet Pruners
Ratchet Pruners work with multiple staged strokes, being a nice choice for arthritic hands. You need to squeeze them multiple times to complete a cut.
After every squeeze, the pruners lock in their place. This helps the user to let go of the handle and squeeze again until the cut is completed. This mechanism reduces fatigue and makes the work easier for weak hands.
Bypass Pruners
These pruners work like a simple pair of scissors where two blades work simultaneously. Although they give cleaner cuts in comparison to the anvil pruners, the user must have a good grip and strength. This makes them a less-preferable choice for arthritic hands.
Electric Pruners
An electric motor drives the tool which can be an anvil or Bypass in design. This minimizes the effort, making the electric pruners a perfect choice for arthritic patients.
The other features to look for include:
Ergonomic Design
This is a marketing buzzword for scientifically designed tools, to maximize the comfort and grip of the user.
Comfortable Handles
The handles of the tool must be properly covered with soft yet slip-proof grips and coverings. This is the main feature of almost all tools, especially for arthritic hands.
Safety Locks
This is another useful feature of cutting tools. It helps you to avoid getting stroked by the blades when the tool is in between usage (like the Ratchet Pruners) or at rest.
Durability
And last but not the least, the durability of the tool is very important. Hardened steel is a popular preferable material to be looked for in the pruners. This not only enhances the life of the tool but also makes it strong and safe for usage.
Without any further ado, let us have a look at some of the good arthritic pruners available on market.
10 Best pruners for arthritic hands
The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Pruning Shears
The inbuilt ratchets help to give a clean cut with the hardened carbon steel. Moreover, they also maintain the users’ grip as they slide on each other during the multiple strokes.
The design enhances the usage with a lightweight aluminum body, soft rubber grip, and enclosed lower handle. Furthermore, the locks on both sides of the handle make them a nice option for the southpaws.
Pros:
- Strong Ratcheting system, suitable for thickness up to an inch.
- Equally suitable for left-handed peeps.
Cons:
- The lower handle is enclosed which makes them hard for using with gloves.
- The leaning curve of the ratcheting system may not be a preferable choice for many.
Power Drive Ratchet Anvil Hand Pruning Shears
The manufacturer claims to increase the cutting power up to 5 times of the applied strength. This helps to cut thick and resistant branches and shrubs with a diameter of up to 1 inch.
Another prominent feature is its hardened steel blades coated with non-stick Teflon. This smart build avoids rusting while saving the tool from liquids and saps for a long time.
Pros:
- Smart design to reduce fatigue and enhance the cutting power.
- Durable steel blades with Teflon coating.
- Useful for weak and small hands.
Cons:
- The lock mechanism is somewhat hard and sticky.
Scotts Outdoor Power Tools Cordless Rechargeable Power Pruner
The hard steel blades can cut the branches with a diameter of about ¾ inch. This makes it a nice choice for pruning the thick shrubs and trees. The tool weighs over a pound and is built in a cordless design. Also, the rechargeable battery lasts up to two hours to enhance the ease.
Thinking about pruning the branches of those tall trees? These pruners can help you with their optional availability of an extending pole. Just get that additional pole to have an easy reach on the far reach branches which can not be pruned by the ordinary hand pruners.
Pros:
- Electric motor to do the pruning job.
- Rechargeable battery and cordless design.
- Optional extendable pole for high pruning.
Cons:
- 2-hour battery time could be lesser for some people, especially slow workers.
- Heavier than the hand pruners might get uncomfortable for weak users.
Gonic Professional SK-5 Anvil Pruning Shears
The shears function by pulling the handles on and squeezing the handles together. This enhances the pressure helping you to cut effortlessly up to ¾ inches thick stems.
High-quality carbon steel is used to manufacture these shears. Other features include a durable body and sharp blades. Moreover, the brand is giving a lifetime warranty which further enhances the product value.
Pros
- Made up of high carbon steel.
- Pulley mechanism for effortless cutting.
- Closer handles and effective design.
Cons:
- Some of the users reported that the pruners crushed the stems instead of making clean cuts.
Mockins Professional Pruning Shears
The shears work by crushing the plant body with a sound more or less like a mini-explosion. Also, the shock-absorbing rubber helps to cut without causing any fatigue or soreness to the arthritic hands.
These are an excellent choice for anyone including beginners and those with small hands. The stainless steel blades ensuring clean cuts, locks, and anti-slip handles are some of the other plus points.
Pros:
- Powerful tool.
- Stainless blades.
- Ergonomic rubber handles.
- Shock-absorbing system for effortless cutting.
- Safety locks.
- Suitable for a variety of people including beginners and small-sized hands.
Cons:
- The bottom blades do not work as a bypass cutter, decreasing the efficiency of the tool.
Corona Bypass Hand Pruner for Arthritic Hands
The exclusive hook, dual arc, and dual cut blade help to cut in two zones with enhanced precision. These are easy-to-sharp blades to help you enjoy easier gardening. Moreover, the design holds the plant body closer to the blades to allow an easier cutting experience.
Pros:
- Comfortable grip and user-friendly design.
- Lock system for safe usage.
- Easy-to-sharp compact steel blades.
Cons:
- All steel blades are prone to rust. This decreases the life of the tool unless cleaned and stored properly.
VIVOSUN 6.5 Inch Gardening Hand Pruner
These are made up of lighter plastic, making them easy to carry and handle. The inner steel spring makes a smart design, opening the shears automatically after every cut. Also, the ergonomically designed padded handles enhance the cutting comfort and grip.
The safety lock is operational from both sides enhancing the comfort of the user. Besides the plastic body, the sharp blades can help you with some mild herbaceous cuttings and trimmings as well.
Pros:
- Light-weight plastic body for easy carriage and usage.
- Small blades for fine cuts.
- Both-sided safety lock.
- Brightly colored body; making it look pleasant and easy to find.
Cons:
- Plastic body with comparatively lesser durability.
- Alignment issue with blade tips.
- Unsuitable for thicker plants and heavy cuttings.
Felco F6 Pruning Shears
The handles are forged with high-quality heat-treated aluminum. The blades are made up of graded steel with a sap groove to avoid rusting and degradation.
The comparatively smaller size and reduced wingspan make it stand out from many competitors. Moreover, the smartly designed product comes with benefits like a shock-absorber and non-slip grip to enhance the pruning experience.
Pros:
- The easy availability of spare parts enhances the life of the product.
- Solid construction with smart design.
- Bright color to look pleasant and become easy to find.
Cons:
- Lack of augmented grip in comparison to the ratchet or pulley-driven pruner.
- Heavier than competing products.
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Kynup Gardening Shears
The ergonomic design comes with an arc that reduces fatigue on the weak joints. Moreover, the soft silicone-coated handles further enhance comfort while you do your cutting chores.
The smart design comes with easy-to-open locks. In short, this is a nice choice for people looking for a durable and light pruner for soft to mild pruning.
Pros:
- Durable and corrosion-resistant steel built.
- Lightweight and user-friendly design.
- Easy-to-lock mechanism.
Cons:
- Unsuitable for cutting/pruning thicker plants.
Classic Pro Titanium Pruning Shears
The handles are adjustable from 6.7 inches to 4.7. This reduces the possible painful wrist strain due to long gardening hours. Furthermore, the anti-slip coating and shock-absorbing system further enhance the comfort of the user.
The aluminum-coated blades with grooves and wire-cutting notch are other plus points of this tool. The cutting edges are made up of Hardened Japanese stainless steel enhancing the grip and making it easy to sharpen.
Pros:
- Rust-resistant titanium coating to enhance durability.
- Anti-slip coated adjustable handles.
- Shock-absorbing system.
Cons:
- Some of the reviews complained about the loose locking system. This reduces the effectiveness of the purchase.
Summary
We understand the special challenges faced by arthritic hands during gardening and pruning. To help you get the Best Pruners for arthritic hands, a list is compiled to save your valuable time and money.
At the top of the list is the Gardener’s friend ratchet pruning shears. These are followed by the Power Drive Ratchet Anvil Hand Pruners coming as the runners-up.
Hope to help you get a nice Arthritis Pruner. Happy Pruning!