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Best Hand-Held Shears to Perfect Your Projects
Published 6:21 pmShow contentsWhat Are the Best-Selling Hand-Held Shears of 2024?- Sun Joe Cordless Grass Shear - Best Overall
- Scotts Outdoor Cordless Grass Shear - Runner Up
- Worx Wg801 Shrubber Trimmer Shear - Honorable Mention
- Black Decker Shrub Trimmer Shear - Contender
- Lanneret 7.2v Lithium-Ion Cordless Grass Shear - Also Consider
- Greenworks SH072B00 Cordless Garden Shear - Also Consider
- Makita XMUO4Z 18V Grass Shear - Also Consider
Finding a Top-Rated Hand-Held Shear: A Buying GuideA hand-held shear is a hand-operated tool used to make quick cuts on plants or soft wooden materials. This tool has two blades that are connected at a pivot point. In some cases, hand-held shears may have a snap button, which you can press to detach or attach the blades. Fortunately, there are loads of hand-held shears in the market, thus getting one is not a problem at all. In this article, we’ve put together a couple of them – we tried to bring together the top-rated hand-held shears in 2024 as well as a detailed buying guide to help you make a quick, informed decision.
Typically, these tools have a higher level of precision. Consequently, homeowners commonly use them when trimming a lawn grass or a flower garden to have a good-looking compound. Also, farmers may use hand-held shears to prune plants or clear out unwanted bushes and maintain their gardens. You should know that these tools are relatively lightweight and have no power cord and that allows you to shear without the hassle of a power cord.
What Are the Best-Selling Hand-Held Shears of 2024?
1Sun Joe Cordless Grass Shear
– Best OverallTo begin, we have this cordless grass shear that has the most sturdy blades to guarantee its durability. Yet, it is a multipurpose tool with two functionalities, namely, a shear and hedger. The hedger functionality significantly increases its accuracy and precision, making it suitable for lawns.
Nevertheless, its lightweight design makes it less energy-consuming while working for long hours. Besides, its battery discharges at a low rate. Thus, you can cut the grass for extended periods continuously.
Pros- Its adjustable blade size allows you to shift between shear and hedger functionalities
- The handles are lengthy to reach to the far points of your garden
- Its cordless design significantly increases its flexibility
- The blades are made of durable material to promise longevity
Cons- Its batteries take a longer time to charge fully
2Scotts Outdoor Cordless Grass Shear
– Runner UpA shear’s blade determines the type of materials you can cut. The Scott grass shear comes with two blades. Thus, you can attach different blades depending on the nature of your grass. That is to say, you can use it for both hard and soft grasses.
Moreover, it has a snap-on and off feature, making it easy to detach and attach the blade. Its cutting head pivot is also adjustable to increase your level of precision.
Pros- Its battery charges relatively fast and has an extended run time
- Its powerful blades can cut grass over 0.5 inches thick
- A fast-charging battery with an ample run time
- The adjustable pivot helps increase its precision
Cons- Its battery is built-in hence not replaceable
3Worx Wg801 Shrubber Trimmer Shear
– Honorable MentionIf you are looking for a shrub shear, you must ensure that it has a good blade and fast maneuverability. The Worx shear, which is highly recommended for shrubs, promises that and much more.
This item has shrubbery blades of length 4″ to 8″. Their different sizes allow you to get to any part of the bush. Additionally, with their high strength, you can easily cut even the stiff grasses.
Pros- The dual-action design gives a smooth, accurate cut
- Its sheath guard increases its lifetime
- The over-mold handle design absorbs vibrations to reduce fatigue
- Its flip-push button makes it easy to change the blade
Cons- It takes over 5 hours to charge fully
4Black Decker Shrub Trimmer Shear
– ContenderShears have vibrations which highly increase fatigue to the user. To solve that, the black decker shear has a fantastic handle design that absorbs most if not all the vibrations. Coupling that with its lightweight design, this item is less tedious to use.
Besides, it comes with two blades. The 4-inch blade has a higher precision which makes it suitable for trimming purposes. Its other blade has a length of 6 inches and is very handy when pruning bushes and shrubs.
Pros- Its Led indicator notifies when the battery is full
- The soft-grip handle design makes it quite comfortable to use
- It has a lithium battery which has a longer run time and extended lifetime of over 18 months
Cons- Its battery is not replaceable
5Lanneret 7.2v Lithium-Ion Cordless Grass Shear
– Also ConsiderA tool that maintains high performance even after long hours of use helps keep your expertise at a top-level always. The lanneret grass shear comes with a 7.2volt battery that has a higher torque. Torque in power machines gives them the strength to perform powerfully and consistently even after being used for long hours.
Nevertheless, this tool has a compact design. This type of design makes it lightweight and gives the users more control, increasing their accuracy and preventing injuries.
Pros- A 1.5A lithium-ion battery gives it a longer runtime
- It has matchless maneuverability because of its compact design
- Double lock design which prevents accidents
Cons- You cannot use it while charging
6Greenworks SH072B00 Cordless Garden Shear
– Also ConsiderWhen it comes to this product from the GreenWorks brand, it’s an exemplary item in guaranteeing simplicity and safety when using it. Its lightweight design gives the users more control over the tool and is quite handy in reducing fatigue.
Moreover, its handles have the best cushioning, making it quite comfortable to use. Its blade is made of steel metal while the handles have a hard plastic making it quite long-lasting.
Pros- It is feather-light hence easy to use
- The handles give users more control which prevents accidents
- It has a lithium-ion battery which promises longevity
Cons- The safety lock does not respond fast
7Makita XMUO4Z 18V Grass Shear
– Also ConsiderThe Makita grass shear has an extended run time of 200 minutes. Purchasing such a machine with lengthy runtime will reduce the time you spend waiting for it to recharge
Nevertheless, its blade is pretty reliable. It incorporates a dual-action blade design to help you meet your cutting deadlines due to its fast shearing speed. Besides, you can easily adjust its height so that you can shear the hard-to-reach parts of your flower garden.
Pros- It can run for over 200 minutes
- Due to its compact design, it is quite easy to use
- Incorporates an adjustable cutting height
Cons- You will have to purchase the battery, which results in extra cost
Finding a Top-Rated Hand-Held Shear: A Buying Guide
While using shears, the user holds the handles, places the grass in between the blades, and applies force to cut down the grass. Consequently, if the handle has poor construction, it is likely to cause pain on their hands.
Also, if the item is heavyweight, the user will get tired even before getting to the middle of the task. Given these hurdles, it is crucial to ensure that you have the most rated hand-held shears with you. Going through this buying guide will help you have the best item.
What Features Should You Look for in the Top Quality Hand-Held Shear?
Blade
The first thing to look for in a blade is its material. Basically, this part needs a high-strength material, for instance, steel, to give it the strength to cut tough grasses.
Secondly, blades have varying lengths, and in some cases, the shear may come with two or more blades. Long blades are the best to help you get to the farthest points of your lawn quickly.
Further, if the blade is switchable, you should ensure that it is easy to change lest you waste time while charging blades.
Handles
Handles are the parts that you hold while using the shears. They should have a padded material to prevent friction between your palms and their surface and allow you to perform your tasks comfortably.
Blade sheath
Some shears come with a blade sheath to store the blades when not in use. It is vital to ensure that your grass shear has a sheath – to prevent you from any accidental handling of the bade. Also, the sheath helps the edges retain their sharpness for a more extended period.
Material of construction
The material used in constructing the shear significantly affects its durability. You need an item that survives the test of time and to promise that, the blade should be made of a high-strength material that will last longer despite the regular sharpening. On the handles, we recommend a reinforced plastic material that is resistant to scratches.
Run time and lifetime
Runtime denotes the amount of time a tool can work until a fully charged battery depletes its charge. For example, hand-held shears have different runtimes that range from 45 minutes to over 200 minutes. Simply, a device with a longer runtime helps save the time needed to recharge the tool.
Next, we have the lifetime of the hand-held shear, which significantly depends on the battery and the construction material. That is why it is essential to ensure that your battery and the other construction materials are of high quality.
Weight
As the name suggests, these tools are handheld. Thus, to slightly reduce strains on your hands, you should check their weight. The lightweight products are more recommended because they mitigate hand strains and give the user more control over the tool. As a result, lighter devices significantly prevent accidents and increase cutting accuracy.
Cordless vs. corded
Hand-held shears can be corded or cordless. Corded tools usually draw their power from electricity directly. Their advantage over the cordless is that you don’t need any recharging time, because you can use them while connected to their power source.
However, while purchasing corded products, you should pay attention to the power cable length. At least, it should be long enough to give you the needed flexibility.
On the other hand, we have cordless tools. These types of devices have batteries which are their primary source of power. Due to their cordless nature, they are the best for areas where you can’t easily access electricity.
Built-in vs. removable battery
Batteries can be built-in or removable. By built-in, we mean that it is impossible to charge the battery separately from the device. You can consider a built-in battery if there are possibilities of misplacing the battery after it is detached from its tool. Also, the built-in battery design gives the equipment a tighter structure with lesser gaps. Thus, they leave no room for dust or dirt to settle in.
The removable battery design is usually common in most tools. It allows you to remove the battery and charge it separately. Consequently, this design minimizes the required charging time because you can charge one while working with the other if you have two batteries.
Price
The hand-held shears range between $30 to above $200. To get your hands on a high-quality item within your budget, first, go through the list of the best hand-held shears that meet your expectations. Then, compare their features as well as prices and go with one that is within the range of your budget. Nonetheless, with approximately $60 to $100, you can quickly get a durable and high-quality hand-held shear.
What Are the Different Types of Hand-Held Shears?
The grass shear can be categorized according to their blade design and if they have a power cable or not.
Straight blade
As the name suggests, these types of shears have straight blades. They are the best for cutting grass or shrubs at the base level.
Serrated blade
These shears have uneven blades with serrations. Consequently, they give uneven cuts. They are commonly used in cutting hardwoods, bushes, and edges.
Corded
Corded shears have a power cable that connects them to a power source. Their advantage is that you can use them continuously without pausing your job to wait for them to recharge. However, you are limited to a specific cutting radius.
Cordless
Lastly, we have cordless shears that do not have a power cable. Therefore, you are not limited to a specific cutting radius. However, you will periodically have to pause your work to recharge the batteries.
For a more in-depth look at cordless shears, check out this video by Fraser Valley Rose Farm.
Final Thoughts
Since we have finally come to the conclusion of this comprehensive guide on the best hand-held shears, we guess that you will have a more straightforward purchasing process.
A simple gaze at a product cannot tell if it is of good quality. However, thoroughly scrutinizing features such as blades, batteries, and other things discussed above will ensure that you settle for an item that meets your expectations.
People Also Asked
Q: Can I use shears to cut tough shrubs?A: Yes. You can use shears to cut shrubs. However, you should ensure that its blade is strong enough to deal with the shrubs.
Q: Are shears suitable for trimming edges?A: Most people use hedge trimmers to trim the edges. But, if you are an expert, you can use a grass shear to trim the edges without compromising accuracy.
Q: Do I need a hand-held shear for a home lawn?A: Absolutely, you need a grass shear for a lawn. They will help you to trim the grass on the lawn.
The Garden Gate Review Team’s product reviews and in-depth guides are here to help you choose the best products for a beautiful and bountiful garden and backyard. The content is created by The Garden Gate Review Team. Garden Gate’s editorial staff is not involved. Garden Gate is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The Garden Gate Review Team is composed of authors, editors, and gardeners. Artificial Intelligence (large language models) may have been used in the research and creation of the content. Please reach out to aimperiapt@gmail.com with any questions regarding product testing or specific articles.