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Professional secateurs: a complete guide to choosing and maintaining yours
A complete guide to professional secateurs: bypass and anvil, how to choose the size, options for…
Garden tools: buying guides and comparisons
With garden tools it's easy to overspend or underspend. Overspend, buying a petrol chainsaw to prune four branches a year; underspend, fighting every season with cheap secateurs that crush instead of cut. The aim of this section is that you buy once and well: the right tool for the size of your garden, how often you'll use it and your real budget.
You'll find buying guides and comparisons of professional secateurs (bypass or anvil, replaceable blade, maintenance and sharpening), lawn mowers - corded electric, battery or petrol, with or without mulching - corded and battery chainsaws for pruning and light felling, hedge trimmers and the basic hand-tool set that actually gets used (trowel, weeder, hand fork, rake).
The approach is always the same: what your garden really needs, which materials and brands last, what maintenance each tool asks for and where it's worth investing and where it isn't. Many battery tools share a platform: if you already have one, check compatibility before buying another. And if you're setting up the garden from scratch, the beginner gardener guide tells you the minimum kit to start with.
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Frequently asked questions
Which garden tools do I need to start?
The minimum kit: a good pair of bypass secateurs, a transplanting trowel, a weeder or hand hoe, a hand fork, a rake, gloves and a watering can or hose. That covers 90% of the jobs in a small or medium garden. Everything else (hedge trimmer, chainsaw, scarifier) is bought when the need arises.
Battery, corded or petrol tools?
Battery for most home gardens: no fumes, low noise, minimal maintenance and plenty of power for normal use. Corded, if the garden is small and you always work near a socket (cheaper and no runtime limit). Petrol only for intensive, professional use or far from power.
Bypass or anvil secateurs?
Bypass (the two blades cross like scissors) for live, green wood: a clean cut that heals well. Anvil (one blade cuts against a flat base) for dry wood and hard branches: they crush a little, so they're not ideal for green pruning. For a normal garden, a quality pair of bypass secateurs covers almost everything.
How often should secateurs be sharpened?
If you prune often, a quick pass with a diamond stone every 1-2 pruning sessions and a full sharpening once or twice a year. Sign it's needed: the secateurs tear or crush instead of cutting cleanly, or you have to force them. Clean and oil them after every use.
Which mower should I choose for my lawn size?
Up to 200-300 m²: corded electric or battery with a single battery. From 300 to 800 m²: battery with two batteries or a robot mower. Over 800 m² or rough ground: petrol, ride-on mower or a high-end robot. The mulching function is recommended at every size.
Is a chainsaw worth it if I only prune occasionally?
For branches up to 5-8 cm, loppers or a manual pruning saw are enough and safer. A battery pruning chainsaw makes sense from several trees or tall hedges upwards, or if you cut firewood. If you buy one, also invest in protective gear.