5 Best Ratchet Secateurs of 2024

Unlike other pruners on this page, the Davaon Pro Ratchet Secateurs make it possible to switch from ‘ratchet’ cutting, to ‘single-cut’ mode for more versatility in the garden.

This means you don’t have to waste time with the ratchet when cutting smaller, easier branches, but can easily switch it on when your hands need a rest, or you need to tackle something more challenging.

Even without the ratchet activated, on the ‘single cut’ mode, the secateurs can manage relatively wide branches, up to approximately 16 mm in diameter – but it feels harder work. The ratchet cutting makes it possible to cut branches up to 24 mm thick. This is the highest capacity recommended by any of the five pruners featured here.

Made with a sharp hardened-steel blade, and operating with an anvil cutting mechanism, these secateurs have an aluminium body to help keep the weight down. They weigh 260 g in total, making them the heaviest secateurs on this list, though in the grand scheme of things they are still lightweight. They can be used by either left- or right-handed gardeners.

Measuring 21 cm long, these standard-size secateurs are suitable for most hand sizes; however, they may open a little wider than comfortable for smaller hands. It’s also possible to change from ‘single cut’ to ‘ratchet’ in the middle of a job. The adjustable dial is accessible even whilst holding the secateurs.

They’re some of the best ratchet secateurs on the market if you want the versatility of a ratchet and non-ratchet mechanism in the same tool. This can help speed up jobs when the ratchet isn’t necessary, but save energy on tougher cuts.

A useful pair of ratchet secateurs for smaller branches, the Spear & Jackson Kew Gardens Secateurs are most effective on woody material up to approximately 10 mm in diameter.

If you’re tackling lightweight pruning jobs in the garden, these secateurs can make the whole process a lot more enjoyable – and they’re advantageous for gardeners with limited hand strength and mobility.

The four-step ratchet system, combined with the non-stick carbon blade, make it easier to prune and tidy, including jobs that may cause discomfort with standard secateurs. With the ratchet mechanism, much less strength is required.

Although they’re not as suitable for cutting through thicker branches as some of the other secateurs on this page, they’re not weak either; they can still be used to cut back challenging plants like bamboo.

Measuring 29.5 cm, these secateurs are quite large, and are generally a comfortable size for most gardeners. They’re relatively streamlined and have an ergonomic grip on one of the handles. They weigh approximately 230 g which is still lightweight albeit heavier than many of the models featured on this page.

One of the biggest drawbacks in terms of design is the safety-catch locking mechanism, which seems to be a running theme with some secateurs. On this particular pair, you have to squeeze the handles together whilst securing the lock in place, which isn’t always easy to do.

There is also a sharpener included, which can be used for sharpening a range of different tools that you may have in your shed – from loppers to shears to knives (and of course, also secateurs). Given the price, this set therefore offers a fairly impressive deal.

Overall, these are some of the best ratchet secateurs if you’re doing a lot of lightweight pruning jobs in the garden. The four-stage ratchet system is particularly useful for anyone with weaker hands, and the additional included sharpener is an extra asset to have in the shed.

For anyone finding that hand weakness is preventing them from pruning, these Ratchet Pruners from The Gardener’s Friend are some of the best ratchet secateurs on the market.

Perfect for anyone with arthritis, limited mobility, or any gardener who wants an easier time when it comes to pruning, these secateurs use a ratchet system to make it possible to cut branches up to 14 mm without causing strain on the hands.

Made from lightweight aluminium, with large handles and a comfortable rubber grip, they only weigh 219 g and are easy to support and use for extended periods.

If you’ve got brambles, trees or shrubs in your garden that require cutting back, the three-step ratchet mechanism makes it possible to cut them in stages, with the hardened carbon steel blade doing most of the work.

There is even a small detachable sponge that can be oiled to help with cleaning the blade after use. Plus, it’s possible to replace the blade if necessary, which isn’t possible with all secateurs.

The secateurs use an anvil cutting system which works well on hard wood. They also cut the majority of softer branches stems and branches as well, without just crushing and tearing them – although in a few instances the cut may still be more of a ‘crush’.

Due to the way they have been designed, these secateurs are ambidextrous, and can be used by either left- or right-handed gardeners.

Unfortunately, there is one downside to the secateurs’ overall design, and that’s the safety catch to keep the blades shut. In some cases, it can be very stiff and difficult to open.

As you might expect from Wilkinson Sword, their Ratchet Anvil Pruner has a sharp, high-quality blade that can cut through a lot of different branches and dramatically assist with pruning.

The SK5 non-stick blade cuts through hard branches up to 20 mm thick. It can also slice through greenwood of around 4 – 8 mm (although the anvil cutting system may start crushing, rather than cutting, on thicker greenwood than this).

One of the factors that makes this Anvil Pruner particularly useful is its portability. You can put it in your pocket and carry it round the garden easily, keeping it on hand for any pruning jobs. This is due to its light weight (coming in at just 160 g) and small size (it measures just 18 cm long in total). At first glance, it may seem like a rather small and flimsy tool, but it’s much hardier than it looks.

There is a reliable three-step ratchet mechanism which helps cut bigger branches without causing as much strain as regular secateurs, and the construction is robust. It’s useful as well when you start to tire near the end of longer jobs, because the ratchet takes a lot of the strain.

Given the way they’ve been constructed, and the power they possess, these are some of the best ratchet secateurs to buy if you’re after value for money. Despite being a robust and powerful tool, from a reputable brand, they are surprisingly inexpensive.

Although it can be useful that these are a pocket-size tool, their small size may be a disadvantage to those gardeners with larger hands.

Much like the ‘The Gardener’s Friend’ Ratchet Pruning Shears, these Wilkinson Sword pruners can be used by either left or right-handed gardeners. However, unlike TGF, it’s not possible to replace the blade if necessary in the future.

Finding good tools on a strict budget can be hard, but the EasyKut Ratchet Secateurs are both easy to use, and easy on the wallet. Despite their inexpensive price, they can cut branches up to 20 mm thick.

Although they may not come from such a well-known brand as the other secateurs featured on this page, they have still earned a place on this list due to their quality and performance.

Using a three-stage ratchet mechanism, these secateurs make it very easy to cut through relatively thick woody branches, reducing the amount of strain put on the hands.

The grips near the edge of the blade also help hold stems in place during the pruning process, helping to achieve a neat, clean cut.

Measuring approximately 20 cm long, they are a suitable size for gardeners with both small and large hands, and the D-grip handle is sufficiently wide enough to allow gloves to be worn whilst using the pruners.

Alongside their good performance, these secateurs also have a useful colour scheme; the bright orange colour is easy to spot amongst grass, plants and flowerbeds – great news for anyone who is prone to putting things down and forgetting where they are (guilty as charged over here!).

The overall construction is surprisingly hardwearing, especially for such a low-cost tool, making these some of the best ratchet secateurs to buy on a budget. Several customers have reported owning a pair of these secateurs for over five years, with them still working reliably.