5 Garden Shears That Look Good and Stay Sharp

• Affordable and reliable

• Not as high-quality as other options on this list

When in doubt, get a set of Fiskars. These are the most reliable, no-frills, affordable bypass pruners out there. They’re no artisanal steel shears, but they’ll get the job done for about 90 percent of shoppers scrolling through this list and, like a good cast iron skillet, will probably last for years and years. At under $15, they’re great if you just need something to trim the hedges and bushes for weekend lawn maintenance.

• Medium-sized ergonomic handles

• Not the best quality

Let’s say you liked everything about the Fiskars pruners, but you want something a little more comfortable to grip. Maybe you’ve also got a little more budget to play with. If that’s the case, opt for these Bahco pruners. They’re a little more expensive, but the medium-sized ergonomic handles will feel more forgiving on older or weaker hands, which can prove especially luxurious after a few hours snipping at a row of flowers in late winter. They even feature an angled head design to reduce wrist and arm strain.

• High quality, "Made in Japan" stainless steel

• More high-maintenance

Maybe you fancy yourself a bit of a novice landscaper. You’re the one in the neighborhood vying for that “best lawn” award and you’ve got a pretty decent shot at it this year. In which case, step up your game with these Tonma stainless steel bypass pruners. These shears are a stellar deal. They’re a super high-quality steel crafted in Japan, and cost under $40. You’ll need to sharpen them fairly regularly—that's the trade-off—but the stainless steel will resist rust better than carbon steel, making these an investment you’ll absolutely get your money’s worth out of.

• Great shears from a heritage gardening brand

• On the more expensive side

Walk into any professional nursery or shadow farm workers and you’ll probably spot the familiar slim, red silhouette of Felco shears. Felco’s for the pros. This Swiss company’s been making shears since 1945 (they recently released some special edition shears for their 80th anniversary, if want something more limited) and know a thing or two about quality craftsmanship.

The brand’s set of F2 shears features an anvil blade paired with a lightweight design for deft wielding. Your overgrown hedges don’t stand a chance. Felco also built a helpful guide to find the best shears for your needs, which you can access on the company’s website.

• Professional-grade artisan shears
• Customizable for left-handed versus right-handed

• Expensive

This is the Esquire-y pick. For those with the budget and a love for artisanal craftsmanship, allow us to introduce you to your new love affair. Jake Hobson founded Niwaki, which means “garden tree” in Japanese, after visiting Japan and feeling inspired by the country’s approach to crafting gardening tools. Each product is hand-made by artisans in Japan, giving each tool a durability and quality you won’t find elsewhere—and the price tag certainly reflects that. Think of the crème de la crème Japance chef’s knife and translate that over into garden shears, and that’s basically what you’re getting here.

Hand-forged in Hyogo with S58C carbon steel, these bad boys are available for righties and lefties, and even righties with slightly smaller hands. We like Niwaki for its stateside availability, but we are aware of the other authentic brands that are "more authentic" and the prefectures they are from. Like any artisanal good from Japan, you can go down a rabbit hole and buy from Onoyoshi Hamono, Toyama Hamono, and Tsurumaki Hamono. Hamono is a term for cutting instruments in Japanese, and there are so many little places that make them.