What's The Difference Between A Pruner And A Lopper Branch-Cutting Tool?

The weather may be bitterly cold as of this writing, but the spring months will be here before you know it. And with those warmer months will also come the inevitable cycle of lawn maintenance that begins each spring. That includes dealing with bushes or tree limbs as they start growing at a clip in the warm weather. 

To that end, you may find yourself confronting two very specific yard tools: a pruner and a lopper. They both look remarkably similar, consisting of a scissor-like mechanism attaching a curved cutting head to a pair of grips. However, there is a significant, obvious difference: loppers are massive and designed to be used with two hands. They use long handles to provide the leverage needed to handle branches up to two inches in diameter. Pruners, however, are much smaller and are made to be used with one hand.

So why would you want one over the other? As you may have guessed, the difference comes down to the task you're trying to accomplish. You'll want to choose the appropriately sized cutting instrument based on what you're working on.

Pruners are better suited for delicate, small-scale work. You wouldn't try to trim your hedges with them, but they're great for tidying up your garden or trimming some errant flowers. If you're looking for a task that requires a lot of precision to get it right, pruners are the way to go. These are smaller, handheld cutting tools with a spring in the handle to apply just the right amount of pressure during a cut.

By contrast, the much larger loppers are better suited for tasks like trimming bushes or cutting down tree branches. You won't be able to cut down a tree with them (that's a chainsaw's job, after all), but they can make short work of any branches that are hanging down too low, or if you've got a ton of brush that needs to be cleared out. The larger size and design of the handles give you more leverage. 

As with any tool, it really just comes down to what you're doing. Just make sure you're using the right tool for any job, and you'll get it done efficiently and safely.