southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Any experiences?
Electric hand pruner recommendations
- Thread starter southsoundtree
- Start date
lumberjackson
Participating member
- Location
- Portland, OR
Maybe not super helpful, but I'll say it anyway. When I worked for Bartlett, they had a set of electric felcos for the office's main ornamental and shrub guy. He loved them and I've never heard anything bad about them. I never used them myself, nor do I have any experience with any other electric hand pruners.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
I don't cut my fingers with manual pruners.
evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
I did once
SumoClimber
New member
- Location
- Fox Cities, WI
Haven't bit the bait on an electric pruner, but I did succumb to the temptation of a $90 pneumatic while browsing amazon a while back. Pairs great with the Milwaukee M18 compressor.
Not a daily use item, but one of the spots I found it amazing for was dealing with saplings deep in evergreen bushes, darn squirrels forgetting where they buried the horse chestnuts and black walnuts. Sapling twists and turns through the evergreen, bushes are thick, it's hard to use a hand pruner, there's no room for swinging a lopper handle, and you're doing your best not to saw anything other than the one sapling...
One of these days I'm going to re-landscape my yard, lol, one of these days.
Not a daily use item, but one of the spots I found it amazing for was dealing with saplings deep in evergreen bushes, darn squirrels forgetting where they buried the horse chestnuts and black walnuts. Sapling twists and turns through the evergreen, bushes are thick, it's hard to use a hand pruner, there's no room for swinging a lopper handle, and you're doing your best not to saw anything other than the one sapling...
One of these days I'm going to re-landscape my yard, lol, one of these days.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Which pruner?
SumoClimber
New member
- Location
- Fox Cities, WI
Good ol revolving 'zon listings. One I picked up is listed as currently unavailable, here's a listing for what appears to be the exact same one. I've seen it in Kobalt markings as well, though I've never actually seen it at a Lowes. Pneumatic Pruner
Waldo
Participating member
- Location
- Portland, OR
These are the ones I use: https://felco.com/en_us/produits/powertools/felco-822
They are the best investment we have ever made. Really speeds up ornamental pruning, you can make up to 1.5" diameter cuts with them no problem. It is insane to me that more people aren't using them. I have 5 sets in my office. We have been using different versions of the felcotronics for about 15 years.
They are the best investment we have ever made. Really speeds up ornamental pruning, you can make up to 1.5" diameter cuts with them no problem. It is insane to me that more people aren't using them. I have 5 sets in my office. We have been using different versions of the felcotronics for about 15 years.
Waldo
Participating member
- Location
- Portland, OR
They are safer to use than handsaws....
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Some employees leave employers feeling like they can't have nice things.
Something nice about sailing a small ship, I get to have only nice tools.
$2000 is a bit too swallow for the amount of use I will get.
Zenport EP3 (1.5", battery powered) are about $1000, on clearance for under $800.
Might go that route.
I don't think I'd be happy with the $100-150 ones, but wonder if there is a decent middle ground.
FJR
New member
- Location
- Northern IL
+1. We have had these for a year and they are very good. We like them so much we are going to order a second set.
evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
Curious if there’s a ratcheting hand pruner option for you? I think that a quality pair that isn’t a anvil style would be the middle ground you are looking for.
I personally use felco #13 for the vast majority of my work, it’s not the most comfortable for small snips but very easy to choke up on the handle, and the handle is big enough I can use a hand and a half for larger cuts when needed.
ATH
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Findlay, Ohio
Agreed @evo - Felco #13 get a LOT of use in our truck. Do electric pruners cut bigger branches? I cannot imagine they make up much time? When I have hand pruners I almost always nhave a Silky Tsurugi (straight blade, medium teeth/yellow handle). The gap between what #13s can do and electric pruners is a small range before you need a saw anyhow, right?
I'm just curious, how are electric so much better?
(I could see a role for carpel tunnel or arthritis...)
I'm just curious, how are electric so much better?
(I could see a role for carpel tunnel or arthritis...)
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evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
I’m loosing my hand strength and have some carpal tunnel like symptoms (but think it’s more in my neck or shoulder). Regardless this is why I bought my 13’s to give my hands a break, and not because I couldn’t use a ‘normal’ size anymore
ATH
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Findlay, Ohio
This discussion has been on Buzz before...a lot of us have hand weakness/fatigue/whatever (myself included). I'm only 45. I could see myself wanting electric pruners in 10 years if this progresses.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Waldo
Participating member
- Location
- Portland, OR
We do a lot of ornamental pruning and fruit tree pruning, so they paid for themselves fairly quickly. Rather than having to switch between my hand pruners and handsaw for 80% of my cuts i can just zip them off with the felcotronics.
Next time you are in Portland, look me up, i'd be happy to let you try out one of our pruners.
