Not All Hedge Shears Are the Same – Here’s How to Choose the Right Pair for Your Yard

The ARS KR-1000 stands out among the best hedge shears as it is super-sharp, lightweight, and comfortable. Made of chrome steel, it weighs just 1.72 lbs and the razor-sharp seven-inch blade cuts cleanly and precisely.

Whether for general pruning, hedge cutting, or topiary, it is well-balanced and, thanks to being lightweight, can be used for extended periods without fatigue or pain. The rubber handles are comfortable to grip, and the squishy bumpers reduce the impact on your hands and wrists.

But the best feature of these shears is that every part is replaceable. There are a lot of shears out there that can't be fixed. Once you crack a handle or chip a blade so badly it can't be sharpened, that's it - your shears are broken. If any part of the AS KR-1000 breaks, you can fix it. With a little TLC, these are the last pruners you'll ever buy.

However, these shears aren't perfect. The most obvious drawback is that they're much more expensive than other shears. That said, well-oiled, these can last for life, so while it's a higher upfront cost, over the course of your gardening life it's a lower net spend.

Extendable hedge shears are great for awkward pruning of tall shrubs or reaching the top of a hedge to trim. If you have sizeable hedges, shrubs, or trees that need attention, you can prune them safely from the ground rather than using ladders.

Extendable or telescopic handles are very practical solutions for hard-to-reach areas, and these from Corona are a classic example, with easy-twist lightweight steel handles that extend the length of the tool from 15 to 26 inches. The longer handles also offer more cutting force, allowing you to cut through thicker stems. Plus, they reduce the need to stretch, bend, or twist to cut.

The Corona extendable hedge shears have high-carbon steel blades to easily cut any hedge, and the soft bumpers reduce the impact felt on your arms and shoulders – which is important when the handles are extended.

Some extendable hedge shears are known to be unreliable, and gardeners can be left with stuck mechanisms. Corona offers a lifetime warranty that covers defects. If you hold onto the proof of purchase, you can get a replacement free of charge.

Shears with adjustable blades offer real versatility. These Fiskars hedge shears have a knob that alters the blade tension. It changes how tightly the blades meet during use and can improve the shears' performance when utilized properly.

Gardeners should adjust the shears to fit the type of shrub or hedge they are cutting. A looser setting can be useful on soft, fresh growth, while a tighter setting is suitable for tougher, woody stems. Using the right setting for the right type of growth reduces the friction and wear on the blade. Not only is cutting made easier, but the shears will stay sharper for longer.

In addition to an adjustable tension control knob, the Fiskars shears offer many features that make pruning simple and comfortable, including wavy, precision-ground steel blades, a coating that helps them cut smoothly, soft rubber grips, and shock-absorbing bumpers. It all adds up to many seasons of smooth trimming.

An alternative option is these Tabor hedge shears on Amazon. This tool not only features adjustable blade tension and wavy blades but also telescopic, expandable handles that adjust from 25 to 33 inches.

You may think that wavy blades are a bit of a gimmick, but they can bring real benefits to gardeners. The ridges on the blades grip the plants and stop them from sliding along the blade. This means cleaner cuts, especially on thicker branches.

If you have woody hedges, such as when trimming a privet hedge, or are cutting plants with flexible stems, a hedge shear with wavy blades can give a better finish than straight blades.

The Miracle-Gro wavy blade shears have a seven-inch contoured carbon steel blade that keeps stems securely in place while cutting. This is a solid, budget-friendly hedge shear for trimming shrubs and hedges around the yard.

One drawback of wave blade hedge shears is that they tend to be heavier than other types of shears. However, these hedge shears are lightweight at about 1.54 pounds and feature ergonomic, non-slip grips for comfortable, controlled pruning. The other main drawback of wavy blades is that they are harder to sharpen.

The third type of hedge shear blade is a serrated blade. This type has teeth along the cutting edge that grip and hold stems as you cut. The stems are held tightly so you make more accurate cuts.

Serrated blades are particularly beneficial when working on thick growth, where the extra grip helps slice through tougher stems. If you are trimming a dense or overgrown hedge, a serrated hedge shear offers better grip and control than smooth-edged blades.

These Fiskars Power-Lever hedge shears have a serrated blade to grip while cutting. The blades are made of fully hardened, precision-ground steel and feature a self-sharpening design.

The tool also has power-lever technology that multiplies your cutting power, so you can cut thicker stems with less effort. With soft-grip handles and shock-absorbing bumpers that reduce vibrations, these are potentially the best hedge shears for tackling thicker vegetation or tougher hedges.

Japanese gardening tools are renowned for heritage and craftsmanship. Okatsune makes some of the best pruners you can buy, and their shears are worth considering too.

These short-handled hedge shears have blades made from high-carbon alloy steel and handles crafted from Japanese white oak. Not only does this tool look visually impressive, but its red and white handles are easy to spot if you accidentally drop it into shrubbery.

The Okatsune 217 hedge shears are perfect for cutting topiary or trimming boxwood bushes – where precision is vital. They have shorter handles than some of the other best hedge shears, at 12 inches. This is beneficial for precision trimming and shaping, especially in tighter spaces.

One drawback is that the wooden handles might not be to everyone’s taste and may feel a little uncomfortable over time compared to hedge shears with ergonomic, rubber-coated handles.

Another Japanese hedge shear that I like is these SUIZAN hedge shears, available on Amazon. With Japanese steel blades and oak handles, they have longer handles of around 15 inches.