The 5 dollar hand pruner that beat my expensive one

I've been trimming ornamentals for about 8 years now, always swore by my $120 bypass pruners. Last month I grabbed a cheap pair from the hardware store in Austin because I forgot mine at a job site, figured I'd use it for one day. That thing cut through a 2 inch branch like it was nothing, and the grip felt better on my hand after 6 hours of work. Turns out the blade geometry was just more aggressive, and I never realized my fancy ones were actually dulling faster because of the softer steel. Now I keep two of the cheap ones in my truck, one for dirty cuts and one for clean ones, and I honestly reach for them more. Don't get me wrong, the expensive set has its place for thick limbs, but I'm not buying another premium pair until I test the warranty on that cheaper brand first. Has anyone else found a budget tool that outperformed their main gear for certain tasks? I'm curious what else I'm missing out on.

1 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

1 Comment

paige_ross6727d ago

My favorite part is how you needed a forgotten pair of pruners to discover your $120 ones were basically just expensive hand jewelry. Eight years of loyalty and a five dollar tool from a hardware store in Austin had to teach you that lesson. I bet your fancy pruners are sitting in the truck right now feeling real betrayed. The blade thing makes total sense though, aggressive cut and harder steel beats a big price tag every time. Been there with other gear, the cheap stuff sometimes just works better for the job you actually do.

2