Bypass pole pruners on test

BEST TELESCOPIC PRUNER Fiskars PowerGear X Telescopic Tree Pruner, £122.99

With a telescopic cu ing length from 2.4-3.8m (94-152in), this tree pruner will deal with all but massive trees. It has an adjustable cu ing head angle, through 230 degrees, a cu ing support – which is orange for added visibility at extended heights – and easily cuts through dense wood up to 2.5cm (1in) in diameter and softer wood up to 3cm (1¼in). It has soft, non-slip grips and weighs 1.9kg (4lb 3oz).

Supplier: Fiskars, 01782 204141, www.fiskars.co.uk.

BEST MULTI-POWER PRUNER Wolf-Garten Bypass Tree Lopper RR200, £99.99

This model offers two modes of cu ing – a Power Cut for thicker wood, and a Speed Cut for thinner stems. The Power Cut mode ensures it easily cuts through dense wood up to 2.5cm (1in) in diameter as well as softer wood up to 3cm (1¼in). It has a cu ing length of 2m (78in) and features a non-stick, coated blade, an adjustable cu ing head through 225 degrees, and weighs 1.3kg (2lb 14oz).

Supplier: Wolf-Garten, 01869 363674, www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk.

BEST LIGHTWEIGHT PRUNER Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Branch & Shrub Cutter, £49.99

This is perfect if you need something lighter (weighing just 957g/2lb 2oz) and don’t need a long reach. It has a cu ing length of 1.5m (60in) and the recommended maximum cu ing width is 2.5cm (1in), although I found it only comfortably cut quite thick wood up to 2cm (¾in) in diameter. It has a fixed head, non-stick coated SK5 Japanese steel blade and was very comfortable to use thanks to its soft plastic and foam grips.

Supplier: Wilkinson Sword, 01869 363635, www.wilkinsonsword-tools.co.uk.