Types of Pruning Shears | Bypass, Anvil, Ratchet & More

Choosing the right pair of pruning shears comes down to matching the tool to the branch. The main types of pruning shears are bypass, anvil, and ratchet models, with snips and loppers covering smaller and larger jobs. Each style cuts differently and suits different plant material, so picking wrong can damage your plants or make the work harder than it needs to be.

This guide breaks down each shear type, what it does best, and when to reach for a different tool entirely. If you’re shopping for a compact pair for precision work, our roundup of the best small pruning scissors covers the top picks for delicate cuts.

Bypass Shears: The Everyday Choice For Live Wood

Bypass shears are the most common and versatile pruners for most gardeners. They feature two curved blades that slide past each other, much like scissors, creating a clean slicing action.

This design makes them the best option for live, green stems. Whether you’re deadheading flowers, shaping shrubs, or trimming new growth, bypass shears are the tool to grab.

Anvil Shears: Built For Dead Wood And Tough Stems

Anvil shears work differently than bypass models. Instead of two blades passing each other, a single sharpened blade closes onto a flat metal anvil. This action is more like a knife on a cutting board.

The design gives anvil shears extra leverage, making them effective on dead wood, dry branches, and other tough material. The trade-off is that the crushing action can damage soft, living tissue. According to LSU AgCenter’s guidance on selecting pruning shears, anvil pruners are generally not the preferred choice for live plants because of this crushing risk. Reserve anvil models for cleanup work on dead growth, or for gardeners who need the extra mechanical advantage on dense wood.

Ratchet Shears And Pruning Snips: Specialized Roles

Ratchet shears are often described as a subtype of anvil pruner. They use a mechanism that cuts in stages, letting you squeeze, release, and squeeze again to work through a thick branch. This staged cutting requires significantly less hand force per squeeze, making ratchet shears a smart choice for gardeners with arthritis, reduced grip strength, or anyone making hundreds of cuts in a session. The trade-off is a slower cutting rhythm.

Pruning snips, sometimes called micro-tip or scissors-style shears, are the precision tools of the group. They are smaller and designed for one-hand, close-in work on herbs, flowers, bonsai, and other delicate growth. They are not built for thick branches—attempting that can bend or break the blades.

Loppers: A Separate Class For Bigger Branches

When a branch is too thick for a hand pruner, it’s time to switch tools. Loppers are two-hand cutters with long handles, providing both extra reach and increased cutting leverage. They work on branches that are too large for bypass, anvil, or ratchet shears to handle cleanly.

Many resources treat loppers as a separate class of pruning tool rather than a type of hand shear, since their two-handed design and reach are fundamentally different. For the home garden, a solid rule of thumb is to use hand pruners for stems up to about ¾ inch thick and switch to loppers for anything larger.

The table below summarizes the key differences to help you match the tool to the task.

Adding a pair of snips for fine work and a set of loppers for bigger branches covers almost everything else. Anvil and ratchet models earn their place when you’re cleaning up dead wood or when hand strength is a limiting factor. NC State Extension’s guide on pruning tools confirms that matching the right tool to the cut keeps plants healthier and makes the job easier. Brands like FELCO offer professional-grade options across these categories if you’re looking for a long-term investment.