Which Are The Best Garden Scissors On The UK Market

A good pair of garden scissors should be sharp, comfortable to hold and built to last for years.

Garden scissors are the best tool for pruning and cutting small and delicate plants such as flowers and herbs. Don’t try to cut woody plants or thick and tough branches, as that could damage the scissors. For pruning woody plants, get a pair of secateurs.

A pair of garden scissors with sharp blades allows you to make a clean cut on stems and branches without crushing or seriously injuring the plant. Large handles with big enough holes for your fingers give you a good grip on the scissors and reduces strain on your hand.

In this buying guide, I recommend the best garden scissors you can buy online in the UK and give you a few tips on how to choose the best pair.

Features to Consider When Choosing Garden Scissors

A. Lightweight

A light pair of scissors will feel more comfortable in your hand, making it easier to snap off flowers and cuttings.

Lightweight garden scissors are especially important if you have arthritis or reduced mobility.

Heavier garden scissors weigh around 150 grams, while the lightest ones weigh around 100 grams or less.

B. Blades

As with any other garden tool, steel blades are the best. Aluminium blades would be lighter but they wouldn’t offer the durability and sharpness of steel.

Look for scissors with blades made from stainless steel or carbon steel. Stainless steel has excellent rust protection while carbon steel is stronger and more durable.

Also, make sure the blade are sharp. You may want to buy a garden tool sharpener to keep the blades sharp.

Sharp blades make cleaner cuts that heal quickly. Sharp blades also reduce strain on your hand and fingers (especially for gardeners with arthritis), since you don’t have to apply a lot of force to cut.

Some scissors have one of the blades serrated. The serrated edge provides a better grip on the stem or branch, making it easier to cut it. It keeps the scissors from slipping and crushing the plant, instead of cutting it.

Something else to check is the length of the blades. Garden scissors are meant for precise cutting at close range, so shorter blades are the best. They give you more flexibility when cutting herbs or pruning your flower garden. You can cut from any side and easily reach in between plants to snip off a hidden stem.

Generally, an overall length (handle and blades included) between 16cm and 26cm is ideal. Keep in mind that a smaller pair will be lighter.

C. Comfortable Handle

A light pair of scissors is not all that matters for comfort; the design of the handles is important too.

Check that the holes in the handles are big enough to fit your fingers. One of the holes should be wide enough to fit four fingers while the thumb goes into the smaller hole. This design gives you better leverage when snipping off stems.

If you have arthritis or reduced hand strength, look for garden scissors with two large holes in both handles. They’ll be more comfortable to use.

D. Bright Colour

This may not seem important, but you’d be surprised at the number of gardeners who buy new tools simply because they lost their old ones somewhere in the garden.

A small pair of garden scissors is especially easy to misplace. Brightly coloured scissors stand out easily in a garden, making them easier to spot.

Best Garden Scissors: Top 5 Reviews

1. Spear & Jackson 4252KEW Soft-Feel Garden Scissors

Spear & Jackson is a go-to brand for high quality and easy to use garden tools. Their garden scissors are just as good.

They cost slightly more than other brands, but for good reasons.

One of the things I love about the Spear & Jackson 4252KEW scissors is the handle design. It comes with oversize handles that mould to your hand. Both handles have large holes so you can easily hold the scissors in your hand.

Gardeners with arthritis say the handles are comfortable and don’t cause pain.

Another feature that makes the Spear & Jackson scissors great for seniors and those with arthritis is the spring mechanism. A spring gentle opens the scissors after you make a cut, which reduces strain and fatigue.

The Spear & Jackson scissors also include shock absorbers that further reduce strain and pain on your hand.

The carbon steel blades effortlessly cut through stems and branches. The only thing you need to watch out for is rusting. Wipe the scissors dry after every use and store them inside in a cool dry place.

Because the Spear & Jackson scissors rest in an open position, there’s a locking catch on the handles to keep them safely closed when not in use.

What I like about them:

  • Easy to use.
  • Senior and arthritis friendly.
  • Bright green or red colours.
  • Sharp and durable carbon steel blades.

2. Burgon & Ball Garden and Flower Scissors

Burgon & Ball Garden and Flower Scissors

The Burgon & Ball garden and flower scissors feature two types of blades: one normal straight blade and the other a serrated and wavy blade.

The serrated and wavy edge of the second blade holds the stem in place, allowing you to make a quick and clean cut. This reduces the risk of crushing the stem or making a rough cut that may introduce an infection.

The blades are stainless steel, so they are durable and highly rust-resistant.

The handles are big enough to hold comfortably in your hand. One handle has a smaller slot for your thumb while the other one has a bigger one that you can put the other four fingers through to get a good strong grip.

The brilliant green colour of the handles makes it easy to spot the scissors in case you drop them in the garden.

What I like about them:

  • Serrated and wavy blade for quick and clean cuts.
  • Comfortable handle.
  • Rust-resistant steel blades.

3. Draper 18299 Twin Pack of Garden Scissors

This two-set of Draper garden scissors is one of the best deals we’ve come across. For a great price, you get two pairs of scissors.

One is an ordinary pair of scissors with straight blades. It’s suitable for cutting flowers, herbs and other delicate plants. The other pair has short curved blades. It’s like a mini pair of secateurs. It’s ideal for sniping branches from woody plants or cutting thicker flower stems.

Both pairs are smaller than most garden scissors, but this doesn’t affect their performance or ease of use. If anything, the smaller blades give you greater precision to ensure you don’t cut the wrong part. In addition, the smaller size makes the scissors lighter and easier to hold.

Both pairs come with large handles with a soft covering. You can prune for hours without getting blisters on your palm.

The only issue with the Draper scissors is the blades. They are sharp and cut through stems with ease. The problem is what they are made of – carbon steel. It’s durable but it rusts easily. You have to be extra-careful to wipe the scissors completely dry after every use and store them in a cool dry place.

What I like about them:

  • Good value for money.
  • Lightweight.
  • Durable carbon steel blades.
  • Comfortable oversized handles.

4. Spear & Jackson 4152GS Razorsharp Garden Scissors

The Spear & Jackson 4152GS garden scissors are another great choice for gardeners with arthritis or reduced arm strength.

The scissors are spring loaded, which makes cutting much easier on your hand. Like other spring loaded scissors, this pair rests with the blades open. So it includes a latch to lock the blades when you are not using the scissors.

The handles are easy to hold. The way they are designed, you can comfortably hold the scissors in either hand. A soft covering on the handles protects your hand from fatigue and blistering.

As for the blades, they are super sharp. They easily slice through flowers, herbs, grass and other plants. And with the spring mechanism, you’ll be surprised how quickly you finish pruning the garden or trimming a border.

The blades are stainless steel, making them durable and resistant to rust.

What I like about them:

  • Spring mechanism makes them easier to use.
  • Suitable for arthritic users as well as seniors.
  • Locking latch for safe storage.
  • Can be used right or left handed.

5. Fiskars Floral Scissors S28

This pair of Fiskars flower scissors is another good choice if you love the sharpness and ease of cutting of serrated scissors.

The serrated lower blade on the Fiskars scissors allows you to make sharp and clean cuts that leave flowers and herbs healthy.

The serrated edge also makes the Fiskars scissors suitable for cutting thin sheet metal, plastics, paper and other materials.

The blades are stainless steel, so you don’t need to worry about rusting.

What I like about them:

  • Ergonomic handle.
  • Sharp and rust-resistant steel blades.
  • Serrated blade provides precision cutting.
  • Versatile cutting applications – ideal for general use in and out of the house.

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