Best Bypass Lopper Reviews 2018

Bypass loppers vary in price. Materials, quality, size, brand and cutting capacity are some factors that might influence the price of a lopper. A cheap bypass lopper can break after a few uses, because of their poor materials. Since your garden or trees need pruning from time to time to improve growth or maintain trimmed shapes, you need a high-quality lopper.

Good bypass loppers withstand frequent or repetitive use season after season, without the need for constant maintenance such as re-sharpening. Invest in a quality bypass lopper to enjoy prolonged use and value for your money. You’ll find bypass loppers in a price range of $20 to $70. However, professional-grade loppers might cost more.

Bypass loppers are used to cut limbs, vines or tree branches that ordinary pruners can’t cut and that saws are too powerful for. They’re built with various features to support their functional use. A lopper that might work for one person might not work for another, due to various factors such as people’s different sizes and body strength. Here are the important features to look for in a bypass lopper:

• Fully hardened or high carbon steel blades for fast and easy cuts
• Cutting mechanism such as compound action, ratcheting or geared loppers
• Length of handles for cutting leverage
• Telescoping handles for extendable use
• Comfortable, non-slip, ergonomic, rubberized, cushioned, or contoured grips
• Shock-absorbing bumpers to minimize fatigue in arms and shoulders
• Readily available replacement parts and blades if there’s damage or wear and tear
• Cutting capacity
• Light weight for easy handling, portability and storage
• Size or dimension to suit your size for easy cuts
• Warranty for protection from manufacturing faults

The best bypass loppers are powerful, sharp, resistant to rust, leverage cuts, and deliver superior performance for your given area of application.

When shopping for bypass loppers, check the following features in your pruner:

Blades – Opt for bypass loppers with high-quality steel blades. Consider fully-hardened or high carbon blades for prolonged use. Sharp blades require less effort to make cuts and cause less damage to plants.

Non-stick coating on blades minimizes rust and gumming caused by sticky materials such as sap. Choose blades that slide as close as possible against each other. With quality bypass loppers, you can easily tighten a lopper’s cutting mechanism to ensure the blades slide tightly against each other.

Inspect the blades for flatness. Be sure they have no burrs, rough spots or bends on the surface of the blades or cutting edges. Good blades don’t bend easily when used on thicker limbs, meaning less damage on the cut parts of your trees.

Cutting Mechanism – Compound action loppers feature many moving parts and work by multiplying force to make effortless cuts through thick tree branches. The moving parts and pivot points improve the performance of these blades. There’s no need to widen the gap between blades to fit them around a branch at the cutting point.

Ratcheting loppers latch as you squeeze them, so that you can release and squeeze them again. They’re designed to cut in steps.

Geared loppers use gears at the fulcrum to leverage the pruning process or cuts.

Length of the Handles – Bypass loppers have handle lengths typically ranging from 15 inches to 32 inches or longer. Long handles offer cutting leverage for fast and easy cuts. The longer the handle of your bypass lopper, the more easily you can cut branches. On the other hand, longer length might mean more weight. Choose a length you can work with comfortably for clean cuts.

Telescopic Handles – Although loppers with telescopic handles are usually heavier than those with non-telescopic handles and similar sizes, they give you better control. You can easily extend the length of the lopper’s handles if you need to cut far-out or higher branches. Make sure the telescopic mechanism of your chosen bypass lopper stays locked in place when you extend the handles fully.

Grip – Whatever shape, length and material a lopper’s grip comes in, make sure it’s comfortable. Ergonomic designs offer perfect fits, while cushioned grips offer low impact. Soft foam grips offer comfort, but they’re prone to fast wear and tear. Although contoured grips might work for others, they might not work for you. Try grips out to find what suits your hands. Choose a size that offers sufficient hand placement for easy pruning.

Bumper – Bumpers are a type of cushioning mechanism usually built near the blades. They minimize vibrations and prevent handles from colliding each time you make a cut. Since they're designed to absorb shock, they don’t just prevent your hands from getting in contact while pruning; they protect your shoulders and arms from fatigue.

Replacement Parts and Blades – Cutting limbs too thick for your lopper's cutting capacity, using poor pruning techniques, or cutting dry or dead twigs can easily damage the blades of your bypass loppers. Although some loppers have parts that can’t be removed for sharpening or cleaning, others do. Find loppers with blades attached to each other using a removable bolt, as it means you can easily replace the cutting blades. High-end bypass loppers that usually cost more do have replaceable parts.

Weight – Fiberglass and aluminum handles are usually the lightest, followed by wooden handles. Steel handles are the heaviest. Heavy-duty bypass loppers are usually made of steel, as they have large cutting capacities. On the downside, they can be weighty, tiring and uncomfortable. Sturdy light-duty loppers are usually made from aluminum for daily use.

Cutting Capacity – Bypass loppers can cut branches with diameters up to two inches thick. However, it’s important to find one with weight and handle length suitable for your body size to make effective leverages and clean cuts.
Opt for light bypass loppers with smaller cutting capacities to minimize damage to both the lopper and the plant.

Regardless of the bypass lopper you pick to shape your hedges or cut tree branches, ensure it's right for your body size. The best bypass loppers are easy to use and care for. They have readily available parts and blades for replacement if they get damaged or wear out. The blades should be sharp, and coated with non-stick material to prevent rusting and gumming of the blades.

Opt for strong, sturdy and durable bypass loppers for superior cutting performance. The blades need to withstand repetitive use season after season. Loppers should come with comfortable non-slip handles for easy handling and prolonged use. Consider getting a lopper with a warranty to protect you from manufacturing faults.