Has anyone used electric pruning shears? Any brands to recommend? Do you use them exclusively or as a backup for tougher cuts?
Hi Frank,
I sometimes use Felco cordless pruners, for large garden pruning.It makes for quick work but the device is heavy. If you are prone to distractions, you may lose a finger. If you want to see what price Arlington Rose Foundation can get through our Country Store, just let me know. Go to pygar website for model number.
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Pam, thank you for the response. Yes, I am very concerned about the weight of any electric pruner. In the current ARS Annual, there is a mention of the Zenport EP 108. It is advertised as lightweight. But I checked, and it is not cheap, about $350 to $400. Ideally, I would like something that is both lightweight and inexpensive. To me, a heavy instrument can make my hand as weary as when making many cuts by hand.
Frank
Check Amazon. For their prices, I feel that if I get a few years battery life I’m happy. I know that contributes to a throw away electronics culture, but the price is right.
Try Ryobi. It’s not as heavy and it’s little slower than others so you don’t chop off a finger. It’s $150 at bHome Depot (tool and battery) or $79 for tool only.
Hi Frank, I wouldn’t want to go back to the days when I didn’t have my Cekegon battery operated pruners. I use them for all pruning. They replace large loopers and saws. When I am up in a bush I do not need to change tools. Of course, I still use my smaller Stihl hand pruners for dead heading and grooming. Several years ago, while pruning at the American Rose Center with a large group of rosarians, I had the opportunity to try several different models and brands of electric pruners. I chose the Cekegon because the handle and battery were not bulky. The pruners were light weight and felt balanced in my hand. The battery is amazing. I can do major pruning all day and not lose power. I purchased my Cekegon puners from Amazon for around a hundred dollars. It comes with 2 lithium batteries and a charger. It can cut up to 1.3 inches. (I wish I could figure out how to insert a photo of the pruners.)
thanks for that information, Billie.
Pam, Elena, Zorana,and Billie,
I thank you all for your generous help. Now I have to decide which pruners to get! Lots of good choices.
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I see that Felco has a new electric pruners for $249 which includes the batter charger. If you buy Felco products and use the ARS special benefit code (ARSMEMBER26) you will get a 15% discount. It weighs 1.9 lbs. I am looking at electric pruners too and the weight is one factor I am tracking.
I ended up buying the Felco pruners. It is very nice. I used it for several hours on some large shrubs and it was very easy to work with. Spent 2 hours playing with it with no soreness in my arm or fingers. When it is time for me to do serious pruning this spring I am confident it will do the job!
As a follow up - I purchased the 2e model which is for gardeners. AND - I received a 15% discount as an ARS member by using the member benefit code. ARS partnerships and related member benefits make a difference when purchasing rose bushes and related materials.
I have the Stihl battery pruners and absolutely love them for those thicker canes especially. I don’t use them for normal pruning though. Just too dangerous! I don’t want to lose a finger. They are absolutely marvelous for cutting prunings into smaller pieces to make room. I put the trimmings on or in a trug, keep one hand outside the trug and go at it with the battery pruner inside the trug. Makes short work of cutting the rose limbs into very small pieces.
I finally purchased an electric pruner, the WORX WG330, available from Amazon for about $80. I used it while pruning my rose garden of about one hundred bushes. It is not a replacement for my Felco 2 pruners. It is more likely an alternative to my Felco loppers. It is amazing how well it slices through thick canes of about one inch. It is lightweight for a power tool. The main drawback is, as others have mentioned, that it is dangerous. Because of this, the WORX has built-in safety features. It shuts off if not used within a minute and stays shut down for about another minute. I found this feature to be a nuisance in practice, while I certainly understand its necessity.
When I have visited rose gardens in my area, I notice that many have not tackled the nubs and stubs that have died because they are too much trouble to clean up. An electric pruner would solve that problem with little effort.
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