This week Value for Moneylooks at GARDEN PRUNERS
Secateurs Felco Classic, €69.99
Highs:This fire-engine red, Swiss-made secateurs was
locked in a display cabinet in our local garden centre. It is now,
without question, the sharpest garden tool in the Pricewatch box
and clearly a top-quality product. It is lightweight and delivers a
sharp, clean cut to thick and thin branches with ease. The blade is
so sharp we couldn't help worrying about what it would do to our
fingers if they were in the wrong place for a fraction of a second
too long. According to the manufacturer, the revolving handle
optimises the force behind the blades.
Lows:If, however, like Pricewatch, you're prone to
losing garden implements in the bushes, this might be wasted on
you. And if you're not prepared to take care of it, we fear it
would be a complete waste of money.
Verdict:Good but dear
Star Rating:
**
*
Gardena 343 Pruning Shears, €34.99
Highs:Another excellent shearing implement and sharp
enough to do pretty much all the pruning jobs it was given. We
could not really see a great deal separating it from the Felco
model except for the price. The handle has a good solid grip and
the blades are very sharp. There is a ring on the handle which is
handy for storage, although the wrist strap seemed just a little
pointless. It locks easily enough.
Lows:Unlocking it, on the other hand was just a
little troublesome and some of those who tried this found it almost
impossible to open with a single thumb.
Verdict:Good and not so dear
Star Rating:
**
**
Tesco Value Pruner, €2.99
Highs:For €2.99, you can't really go wrong and
if it lasts a full summer, it will have been good value. This is a
grand product that cuts and prunes without hassle. True, it does
not deliver as sharp a finish as some high-end models, but it is
over 20 times cheaper than the most expensive secateurs we tried
and is certainly not 20 times worse. The locking clasp is well
positioned and opens and closes without much fuss.
Lows:While it might not be 20 times worse than the
most expensive options, it is certainly a fair bit worse. The span
of the blades was a bit narrow and it did struggle when attempting
to cut fairly thick branches. The handle was coated in very smooth
plastic which might get just a bit slippy when clasped in hot
sweaty hands on a summer's afternoon.
Verdict:Virtually disposable
Star Rating:
**
*
Yeoman Garden Secateurs, €14.99
Highs:If you like your garden implements pink, then
this is the one for you. It is truly a shocking colour and one
which will be almost impossible to lose in the undergrowth. It is
pretty sharp and cuts neatly without ragged edges. It was also the
only product to come with a handy tool pouch and the rough rubber
handle ensures a good grip.
Lows:Given that tool belts are supposed to be
manly, you'd wonder what the makers were thinking when they decided
that a pink tool belt was a good idea. Who is it for? The only
people who likes things this pink are girls under six and you
wouldn't want them running about with an implement this sharp. The
sterling price of £9.99 (€12.60) was on the packaging
which made us wonder why we had to pay €2.40 more than that.
Verdict:A bit too pink, maybe?
Star Rating:
**
*
Professional Gardener Bypass Pruner, €6.99
Highs:The handle on this pruner is made with a
slightly rough textured rubber which gives it a better grip than
the other product we sourced in Tesco. The blade is coated with
Teflon, although what difference that makes was difficult to
establish. It is very competitively priced and will certainly do a
job for you.
Lows:But for how long? It seemed to lack the
sturdiness of some of the more upmarket pruners and the lock kept
catching. It was also the stumpiest of the pruners and compared to
some of the elegant models we tried it looked distinctly cheap and
clunky. It left the most ragged edges on most of the branches we
cut with it.
Verdict:Cheap but clunky
Star Rating:
**
*****Excellent
**** Great
*** Fine
** Below Par
* Awful
