Gifts for gardeners

What actually matters

Cut capacity is the first number to read on any pruner or pair of secateurs. It is the manufacturer's stated limit for the thickness of a stem the tool is meant to cut. The listings on this page run from 5/8 in (1.6 cm) to 1 in (2.5 cm). A larger figure means a tool rated for thicker stems, and a smaller figure means a lighter rating.

Corona lists its capacity in inches, and Burgon & Ball lists it in centimeters. You need a quick conversion before you can compare the two brands. At 1 in (2.5 cm), the Corona aluminum pruner and the Burgon & Ball professional bypass secateur list the same capacity. The Corona 3/4 in (1.9 cm) model and the two Burgon & Ball models at 0.8 in (2 cm) are close in rating.

Corona puts the capacity in its product names, as in 5/8 in, 1 in and 3/4 in. The Burgon & Ball names do not, so the specification row is where to look. Corona writes capacity as fractions such as 5/8 and 3/4, while Burgon & Ball writes decimals such as 2.5 and 2.

Blade material is the next line to check. The listings name high-carbon steel, MAXFORGED steel and stainless steel. High-carbon steel appears on three of the six tools, MAXFORGED steel on two and stainless steel on one.

These are the maker's own labels for what each blade is made of. The listings do not say how long an edge lasts, so the material name describes the make and nothing more.

Handle material is listed for four of the six tools. The entries are reinforced nylon, forged aluminum, aluminium alloy and stainless steel. The Corona ClassicCUT and the ratchet secateurs list no handle material, so that row is not documented for them. Handle material is also one factor in how heavy a tool is, so read it beside the weight row.

Weight and size are listed only for the three Burgon & Ball models. Their lengths run from 7.9 in (20 cm) to 8.3 in (21.2 cm). Width runs from 1.8 in (4.5 cm) to 2.6 in (6.7 cm).

Depth is listed for two of them, at 0.6 in (1.4 cm) and 1 in (2.5 cm). The listings do not say whether size is measured open or closed. Weights run from 5.8 oz (164 g) for the Sophie Conran model to 9.3 oz (263 g) for the professional bypass secateur.

The data shows that capacity and weight do not move together in a simple way. The professional bypass secateur lists 1 in (2.5 cm) at 9.3 oz (263 g).

The ratchet model lists 0.8 in (2 cm) at 9.2 oz (262 g). The Sophie Conran model lists the same 0.8 in (2 cm) at 5.8 oz (164 g). So read each row on its own instead of assuming one figure predicts another.

Every figure above is stated by the manufacturer on the page for that model. Read each one as the maker's own description of the tool.

Which one for whom

If you are shopping for someone with a small garden and thin stems to trim, the figure to look at is cut capacity. The Corona 5/8 in (1.6 cm) pruner lists the lowest rating on this page. A rating of 0.8 in (2 cm) on the Burgon & Ball ratchet or Sophie Conran models covers a little more.

If the person has shrubs or woody stems to cut back, look for the top of the range. The Corona aluminum pruner lists 1 in (2.5 cm), and so does the Burgon & Ball professional bypass secateur. The Corona ClassicCUT sits in the middle at 3/4 in (1.9 cm).

If the person has weaker hands or a smaller grip, the figure to look at is weight, which only the Burgon & Ball listings state. The Sophie Conran secateurs list 5.8 oz (164 g), against 9.2 oz (262 g) and 9.3 oz (263 g) for the other two. No weight is documented for the Corona models here, so the maker's page is the place to check.

If the person carries tools in a belt or small bag, look at length, width and depth. The Sophie Conran model is 7.9 in (20 cm) long and 1.8 in (4.5 cm) wide. The professional bypass secateur is 8.3 in (21.2 cm) long and 2.6 in (6.7 cm) wide. Depth is listed only for the professional bypass and ratchet models, at 0.6 in (1.4 cm) and 1 in (2.5 cm).

If you want blade and handle in the same metal, the Sophie Conran secateurs list stainless steel for both. If the person prefers a nylon handle, the Corona 5/8 in (1.6 cm) model lists reinforced nylon. If they prefer an aluminum handle, the Corona 1 in (2.5 cm) pruner lists forged aluminum. The Burgon & Ball professional bypass secateur lists aluminium alloy instead.

All of these figures are stated by the manufacturers, so check the maker's page for the exact model before you choose.

Setup and use

Start by reading the cut capacity on the product page and comparing it with the stems the person trims. Measure a typical stem across with a ruler, then look for a tool whose stated capacity is at or above that width. The figure is a limit the manufacturer states, so a stem close to that limit points toward a higher number.

Next, check the material rows. The blade rows read high-carbon steel, MAXFORGED steel or stainless steel. The handle rows read reinforced nylon, forged aluminum, aluminium alloy or stainless steel. A row that reads the same on two tools, such as high-carbon steel, does not make the tools match in any other row.

Last, compare weight and size where they are listed. Only the Burgon & Ball models carry those rows, so lay the numbers side by side before you choose. Each tool's figures come from its own page, so match the exact model name when you compare. Corona writes capacity in inches and Burgon & Ball in centimeters, so convert one to match the other before you decide.

Questions and answers

What does cut capacity mean on a pruner?

Cut capacity is the stem thickness the manufacturer states the tool is meant to cut. On this page it runs from 5/8 in (1.6 cm) to 1 in (2.5 cm). Compare it with the thickness of the stems the person usually trims.

Which blade materials are listed for these tools?

The manufacturers list high-carbon steel on three of the six tools, MAXFORGED steel on two and stainless steel on one. These are the makers' own labels for the blade. The listings do not state how each material compares in edge life or upkeep.

Do all six tools list a weight in their specifications?

Only the three Burgon & Ball models list a weight. Those weights are 5.8 oz (164 g), 9.2 oz (262 g) and 9.3 oz (263 g). The three Corona listings on this page give a cut capacity but no weight, so compare weight only among the Burgon & Ball tools.