For heavier loppers, you can expect them to tire out your arms if you’re not used to using them for a long period of time. Keep in mind that length can also affect the weight of a lopper since it’s adding more material to the lopper itself. Maintenance and Support

For a lighter lopper, you’re typically going to get slightly worse build quality but it’s going to be easier to handle. You won’t strain your arms using it and they won’t feel uncomfortable after a while. These lightweight loppers are often made from aluminium or fibreglass, but the blades are still made from a heavy-duty material such as steel. So what exactly should you be looking for when it comes to loppers? In this section, we’ll be looking at a couple of differentiating factors and how they can come to affect your purchasing decision and experience with a lopper. The Cutting BladesMost lopper blades are made from steel for the durability they provide. It’s also a lot easier to work with when sharpening the blade. The best-quality blades are typically made from hardened or carbon steel. This makes them last much longer than typical steel and are less likely to bend, scratch or generally become damaged with general use. These are the most common materials that blades are made from and anything less usually means that it won’t last a long time or might not offer a clean cut. It might also be harder to maintain and sharpening the blade could result in more damage than actually sharpening the blade. loppers come with basic plastic or silicon grips, while others offer an ergonomic shape that is designed to fit your hand. Some also offer impact-dampening qualities to reduce the strain on your hands when you cut a branch. If possible, try out the lopper you plan to buy to see if the grip is comfortable enough for you. It’s also very important to consider the weight of the lopper. We’ve alluded to this a few times in this article, but we’re going to dedicate an entire section to it. At just under 4 pounds, these loppers are on the heavier side, which means you may experience some fatigue when working overhead.

Alternatively, there are loppers that offer telescoping handles. These allow you to manually adjust the length of the handle, meaning that you can get more reach if desired. This offers a great level of customisation, but it does also affect the overall quality of the handle and the lopper as a whole. Grip Styles The telescoping handles can be adjusted between 26 and 40 inches in length, making this one of the most versatile loppers on the market. When fully extended, you should be able to reach high branches and tall shrubs without having to strain yourself. However, these loppers weigh in at over 4 pounds, so you likely can experience some arm fatigue over time. The manufacturer says hand fatigue is reduced by the product’s non-slip rubber grips.There are two different types of loppers; bypass loppers and anvil loppers. Bypass loppers are the most common type of loppers, featuring two blades that slide past each other much like a pair of scissors. They usually offer the cleanest cut due to the cutting mechanism, but they can occasionally get jammed when you’re trimming dead and dry branches. Unlike the FatMax loppers, these are telescopic; the handles extend from 46cm up to 72cm for reaching higher up branches. Loppers Buyers Guide