The first is the type of blade. There are two main types of pruning shears: bypass and anvil. Bypass pruning shears work like scissors, with two blades that pass by each other to make a clean cut.

When shopping for pruning shears, you may notice some are referred to as bypass pruners and some as anvil pruners. Which should you choose? The answer depends on what you are likely to be cutting.

Ranging from tiny pruning snips and sharp-bladed bypass pruners to powerful anvil pruners and loppers, this family of tools caters for all sorts of people, and for pretty much every plant or tree ...