The best anvil loppers, compared.
Top pick: Spear & Jackson 8100RS – Largest review sample in this set: 4.6 from 6,529 amazon.co.uk reviews, a 42 mm stated cut, and about £22.86. Best value: Grüntek Grizzly 470 – About £24.98 with 4.6 from 5,042 reviews, one stroke at 470 mm and 687 g, and dry wood stated to 29 mm. Updated 22.10.2026.
An anvil lopper is a two-handed pruner whose blade closes onto a flat block, not past a second blade. You use it for dead wood, dry stems, bramble, and rough clearance. It is the wrong head for a clean cut on living roses or fruit spurs. Burgon & and the Association both say an anvil can crush soft green tissue. Check the stated cut, the lock, and whether the blade meets the anvil. A title that says 5–7 cm is a seller line. The RHS tree page uses loppers under about 2.5 cm, then a saw. Mechanism, length, and stated cut are set out in the [anvil lopper buying guide](/hub/garden-tree-and-hedge-shears/anvil-loppers/sub/anvil-loppers-buying-guide). A bypass lopper passes two blades past each other. Use an anvil for dead, dry, or hard wood and for brush. Use a bypass when living green wood should heal.
An anvil lopper is a two-handed pruner whose blade closes onto a flat block, not past a second blade. You use it for dead wood, dry stems, bramble, and rough clearance.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where is the wood?
The Spear & Jackson 8100RS is about £22.86 with 4.6 from 6,529 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest sample in this set, and it ranks first in Hand Loppers. The bullet and the cutting-width field both say 42 mm, a modest stated cut next to the 5–7 cm titles. It is a telescopic anvil ratchet, and the maker page claims +110% mechanical advantage, which is their wording. One bullet puts maximum length at 800 mm and, in the same sentence, 72 cm and 28 inches, while the dimensions row is 68.5 cm. Listed weight is 1.58 kg, with an aluminium twist-and-lock and no spare blade in the box. The score is level with three other 4.6 listings, and this row has the most reviews, which is why it is the top pick for dead wood you can finish from the ground. Skip it for overhead work if the weight and the bent-handle reviews matter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the largest UK review count in this set, a 42 mm stated cut, and a ratchet at about £22.86.
Less suitable: Overhead cuts where 1.58 kg and bent handles matter, or a single length figure you can quote without a conflict.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The bullet and the cutting-width field both say 42 mm.
How long are the handles?
One bullet says a maximum of 800 mm, and in the same sentence 72 cm and 28 inches. The dimensions row is 68.5 cm long and the size row is 67 cm.
Is a spare blade in the box?
No. Included components name the lopper only. Reviews mention a ratchet spring and a bolt, not a spare blade in the box.
The Spear & Jackson 8290RS is about £27.90 with 4.6 from 5,307 reviews, a ratchet anvil whose cutting-width field says 2 inches. The bullets do not print a millimetre capacity. They say the ratchet is for thicker, harder branches, and UK texts say the jaws spring fully open, then take about four or five pumps to close. Buyers call that useful on thick laurel and buddleia and slow on thin offcuts. The bullet gives 400–800 mm with a twist and lock. The size row is 70.51 cm, the listed weight is 1.89 kg, heavier than the 8100RS, and there is no spare blade. A 2021 Grow Your Own award line and a one-year EU spare-part note sit on the listing. It is the ratchet to consider when you want that stated travel and you accept the pump.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a well-reviewed ratchet and you accept four or five pumps on thick laurel or buddleia.
Less suitable: A pile of thin offcuts, or a millimetre capacity printed in the bullets.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The cutting-width field says 2 inches. The bullets do not print a millimetre capacity. They say the ratchet is for thicker, harder branches.
How does the ratchet behave in reviews?
UK texts say the jaws spring fully open, then take about four or five pumps to close. They call that useful on thick wood and slow on thin offcuts.
Do the handles extend?
The bullet says 400 mm to 800 mm with a twist and lock. The size row is 25.5 cm by 70.51 cm.
The Grüntek Grizzly 470 is about £24.98 with 4.6 from 5,042 reviews, and it is not a telescopic lopper. Overall length is 470 mm and the listed weight is 687 g, the lightest tool in this set. The bullet says fresh green wood to 33 mm and dry wood to 29 mm, and the cutting-width field says 33 mm. The gear drive is sold as up to 2.2 times the force, which is listing wording. The handle-material field says wood, but the bullets do not describe wooden handles, so do not buy it as a wooden-handled tool. There is no spare blade and no extending tube. Among the rows that are not the top pick, this is the best value when you want one stroke on dead stems around 29 mm and you can reach the wood without sliding handles. It is the wrong buy for a high branch.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one stroke on dry wood around 29 mm, at 470 mm and 687 g, without paying for telescopic tubes.
Less suitable: High branches, or a wooden handle because a field says wood.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The bullet says fresh green to 33 mm and dry wood to 29 mm. The cutting-width field says 33 mm.
Do the handles extend?
No. Overall length in the bullet is 470 mm.
Are the handles wooden?
The handle-material field says wood. The bullets do not describe wooden handles. They describe a short, light anvil lopper.
The Wolf-Garten RS900T is the dearest row here at about £63.84, with 4.6 from 4,328 reviews. The title, the cutting-width field and the blade-length field say 50 mm. A bullet says 900 mm, while the dimensions row is 69 cm by 24 cm, and the listed weight is 1.58 kg. The bullets name 1-K plastic handles, a non-stick blade and a 10-year guarantee. They do not say ratchet, even though some UK reviews use that word. The left-or-right field says right, and reviews describe oval aluminium sections and a button lock, which the bullets do not name. This is not the Gardeners' World telescopic listed at £124.99 RRP, and it is not a bypass. Consider it only if you want the 50 mm claim and the 10-year line and you will pay about twice the Spear & Jackson shelf price.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 50 mm anvil claim and a 10-year line on the listing, and the £63.84 price is acceptable.
Less suitable: You wanted a printed ratchet, a left-hand listing, or the £124.99 Gardeners' World telescopic.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The title, the cutting-width field and the blade-length field say 50 mm.
Does the listing say ratchet?
No. The bullets list length, 1-K plastic handles, non-stick blades and a 10 year guarantee. Some UK reviews use the word ratchet. That word is not in the bullets.
Which hand is it listed for?
The left-or-right field says right.
The Kimura Pro 302 is about £44.99 with 4.6 from 179 reviews, a telescopic compound anvil at 1.26 kg, the lightest extending tool in this set. The bullet and the cutting-width field both say 35 mm, and the handles run 650–950 mm with easy-twist locks. The same bullet says compound action multiplies power by up to three times, which is the seller's line. It is not the ratchet Kimura: one review says they chose the compound version rather than the ratchet, and reviews say the extra length is for reach, not for extra leverage on a thick stem. Included components say lopper only, the bullets claim a lifetime warranty, and they do not say a spare blade is in the box. It suits a light compound reach tool with a 35 mm stated cut. It is a weak pick if you need thousands of reviews or a lower shelf price.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the lightest telescopic anvil here, at 1.26 kg and 35 mm, with a compound head rather than a ratchet.
Less suitable: You want the ratchet Kimura, a spare blade in the box, or a price closer to the Spear & Jackson rows.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The bullet and the cutting-width field both say 35 mm. The same bullet says compound action multiplies power by up to 3 times. That multiplier is the seller's line.
Is this the ratchet Kimura?
No. The product-style field says Pro 302 compound extendable. The bullets say compound action. One review says they chose the compound version rather than the ratchet version.
Is a spare blade in the box?
Included components say lopper. The bullets do not say a spare is included. They do say a lifetime warranty.
This AIRAJ 2717 is the 1.91 kg listing at about £33.99, with 4.5 from 644 reviews. The cutting-width field says 50 mm, the handles run 700–1,030 mm in six lengths, and the handedness field says ambidextrous. The bullets claim compound action about 50% higher than ordinary coarse loppers, which is seller wording, not a measured test. A spare set of blades is named in the bullets and in reviews, but the included-components line says anvil lopper only. Reviewers say the length lock clicks and stays. It shares model 2717 and the same £33.99 with the 2 kg right-handed ASIN, so the weight and the hand field are what separate them. Full extension still shows bent handles in the wider AIRAJ reviews, so a thick dry stem with the tubes out is the wrong job.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the ambidextrous AIRAJ 2717 at 1.91 kg with a 50 mm cutting-width field.
Less suitable: You wanted the right-handed 2 kg row, or you will force a thick stem with the handles fully out.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The cutting-width field says 50 mm. The bullets do not print a centimetre capacity. They say the compound action is 50% higher than ordinary coarse loppers.
Is this the same listing as the other AIRAJ 2717?
Model number 2717 and the £33.99 price match B085XT2DZY. This ASIN is 1.91 kg, ambidextrous, with a 50 mm cutting-width field.
Is a spare blade in the box?
The bullets say a set of blades is given. Included components say anvil lopper only. Reviews mention spare blades.
The heavier AIRAJ 2717 is about £33.99, 2 kg, and 4.4 from 2,075 reviews, the larger sample of the two model-2717 rows. The cutting-width field says 5 cm, and an item highlight says tough branches and hedges over 5 cm. Handles are listed at 70–103 cm with six settings, in aluminium and rubber, and the left-or-right field says right. In the first 50 review texts, handles bend or snap when fully extended, and the plastic length lock breaks or arrives unable to lock. The compound 50% higher line is the seller's claim. The bullets name a set of blades. It is the better-sampled 2717 if you are right-handed and you shorten the tubes before a thick stem. It is a poor match if you needed the ambidextrous 1.91 kg listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are right-handed and you want the 2717 with 2,075 reviews, kept shorter than 103 cm on a hard stem.
Less suitable: You need an ambidextrous tool, or a length lock you can trust at full extension.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The cutting-width field says 5 cm. The item highlight says tough branches and hedges over 5 cm. The bullets do not add a second measured figure.
Which hand is it listed for?
The left-or-right field says right.
What fails in the UK reviews?
In the first 50 texts, handles bend or snap when fully extended, and the plastic length lock breaks or arrives unable to lock.
The HAUTMEC listing at about £39.99 carries 4.4 from 248 reviews and is the compound anvil that prints two capacities. The bullet says fresh branches within 5 cm and dried branches within 3.5 cm, while the cutting-width field says 2 inches and the title says 5 cm. Reach is 70–95 cm in the bullet and 68–94 cm in the size field, at 1.53 kg, with a safety release lock button named on the page. The title ends HT0149-UK and the model-number field says HT0461. Included components say hand lopper, and the bullets do not name a spare. Reviews describe handles that bend when the tubes are fully out. The split between fresh and dry is the useful part. The 5 cm fresh line is still a seller figure, and about £39.99 sits above ratchet rows that have thousands more reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a compound anvil that states a lower dry-wood figure beside the fresh-wood line, with the lock named on the page.
Less suitable: You need a spare blade in the box, or you will treat the 5 cm title and the 2 inch field as the same measurement.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The bullet says fresh branches within 5 cm and dried branches within 3.5 cm. The cutting-width field says 2 inches. The title says 5 cm.
Which model number is printed?
The title ends HT0149-UK. The model-number field says HT0461 and the part number says ht0461.
Is a spare blade in the box?
Included components say hand lopper. The bullets do not name a spare.
Across 103 amazon.co.uk reviews the WOEDENU WOETL001 sits at 4.4 and about £32.99. It is a telescopic anvil with a compound lever, aluminium handles the bullet puts at 70–95 cm, and a listed weight of 2.05 kg, the heaviest in this set. The bullet claims branches up to 6 cm, but there is no cutting-width field, and the UK reviews in the file often stop around 2.5–3 cm and call 6 cm unrealistic. Reviewers describe a press button for the length, which the bullets do not name. Several say a spare blade, and some a spare anvil, was in the box, though the included line says telescopic lopper only. At full extension the tubes can bend on a thick stem, the same complaint that shows up on the other long anvils here. Treat 6 cm as a seller line and keep the handles shorter on hard wood.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a mid-price compound reach tool and you will plan around the 2.5–3 cm reviewers describe, not the 6 cm bullet.
Less suitable: You need a published cutting-width field, a light tool, or a review count in the thousands.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The bullet says branches up to 6 cm. There is no cutting-width field. UK reviews in the file often stop around 2.5–3 cm and call 6 cm unrealistic.
Do the handles extend?
The bullet says 70 cm to 95 cm. The size field says 95 cm. Reviews describe a press button. The bullets do not name the lock.
Is a spare blade in the box?
Included components say telescopic lopper only. Several UK reviews say a spare blade, and some a spare anvil, was in the box.
The AIRAJ astschere658 is about £31.99 with 4.1 from 35 amazon.co.uk reviews, a thin file next to the other AIRAJ rows. The title, the bullet and the cutting-width field all say 7 cm, and the bullet calls the head gear-assisted with a 180-degree action. Handles run 67–100 cm across six settings, at 1.76 kg. One review in the file states 6 cm, and others doubt 7 cm on hard wood, which is well above the point where a saw is the RHS next tool. Included components do list replaceable blades, unlike several neighbours. Handedness is not in the saved listing, and the lock appears only in reviews, which mention a button. It sits at rank 203 in Hand Loppers. Buy it only if a spare blade on the included line matters more than a large review count.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want replaceable blades listed in the box and a gear-assisted telescopic anvil under £32.
Less suitable: You need more than 35 reviews, or you plan to cut hard wood at the 7 cm title figure.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The title, the bullet and the cutting-width field all say 7 cm. One review in the file states 6 cm, and others doubt 7 cm on hard wood.
Is a spare blade in the box?
Yes. Included components list telescopic pruning shears and replaceable blades.
Is the handedness stated?
No left-or-right field is in the listing for this ASIN.
The AGRICUT E-L-Serise is the cheapest listing at about £19.99, and the thinnest sample: 4.1 from 17 reviews. The title, the bullet and the cutting-width field say 1.4 inches, the title and first bullet say a ratchet that cuts in stages, and the title and size field say 20.9 inches. They do not say the handles extend, though several of the 14 review texts describe telescopic handles, and one review says there is no ratchet while the others that mention a mechanism describe one. Weight disagrees with itself: the field says 840 g and the bullet says 1.3 lbs, and handle material is ABS in the field and aluminium with TPR in the bullet. A 59HRC line is seller wording. At this price it is only a trial if you can check that the tool matches the page, and it is not a substitute for the 8100RS.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the lowest shelf price and you will check, on arrival, that a ratchet is actually in the box.
Less suitable: You need a deep review sample, or a listing that agrees with itself on weight and handle material.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a branch does the listing claim?
The title, the bullet and the cutting-width field say 1.4 inches.
Does the listing say the handles extend?
No. The title and bullets give 20.9 inches and 1.3 lbs. Several of the 14 review texts describe telescopic handles. The listing itself does not.
Does the listing say ratchet?
Yes. The title and the first bullet say a ratchet that cuts in stages. One review says there is no ratchet. The other reviews that mention a mechanism describe a ratchet.
Scores compare the 11 amazon.co.uk anvil loppers kept in this set. Prices, stars, and review counts are the listing lines from 20 October 2026. There is no laboratory test. Each score starts from the amazon.co.uk star rating, mapped out of 100, then adds a capped amount for review volume so a tiny sample cannot lead on stars alone. The Spear & Jackson 8100RS is the top pick because 4.6 from 6,529 reviews is the largest sample, at about £22.86, with a 42 mm stated cut. The Grüntek Grizzly 470 is the best value among the other rows: 4.6 from 5,042 reviews, about £24.98, and a fixed 470 mm gear-drive anvil. The weights below sum to 100. They describe how to read this set.
Review evidence
30%The amazon.co.uk star line, then review volume. A 4.6 from thousands of reviews outranks a similar star line from a few dozen, and a 4.1 from 17 reviews stays at the bottom of the table.
Stated cut and wood
25%Anvil for dead or dry wood. A modest figure printed on the bullet and the cutting-width field, such as 42 mm or 29 mm dry, ranks above a 5–7 cm title. The RHS saw point sits near 2.5–3 cm.
Mechanism
20%A ratchet for a thick dry stem you cannot finish in one squeeze. A gear or compound head for one stroke. Seller lines such as 50% more or up to 3 times are not a measured test. A ratchet is not added where the bullets omit it.
Length and control
15%A fixed 470 mm tool if you can reach the wood. Telescopic handles if you need reach from the ground. Bent tubes at full extension on a thick stem count against a long anvil.
Listing agreement
10%A spare blade on the included line, a lock named on the page, and one width figure beat a hardness claim. When the listing disagrees with itself, both figures stay visible.
Choose the wood before the longest title cut. Anvil for dead or dry wood, bypass when the cut should heal, and a saw once you are past the RHS lopper range. Prices below are amazon.co.uk shelf prices on 20 October 2026. None of these rows was tested in a lab.
An anvil lopper closes one blade onto a flat block. A bypass lopper passes two blades past each other. Use an anvil for dead, dry, or hard wood and for brush. Use a bypass when living green wood should heal. Burgon & Ball and the Arboricultural Association both say an anvil can crush soft green tissue. Do not use this head for a clean cut on living roses or fruit spurs.
An anvil can crush soft green tissue. Burgon & Ball and the Arboricultural Association both say so. Living roses and fruit spurs want a bypass cut, not this head.
A 5–7 cm line is seller wording. The RHS tree page moves you to a saw past about 2.5 cm, and the climbers page says loppers up to about 3 cm. Keep the lower dry-wood figure when the listing prints two.
Bent aluminium shows up when the tubes are fully out on a hard branch. Shorten the handles first. If the tool creaks, use a saw. A sliding handle does not make crown work safe.
Start with the wood, then the stated width. An anvil lopper is for dead, dry, or hard wood, bramble, and rough clearance. A bypass head is for living green wood that should heal, including roses and fruit spurs. Burgon & Ball and the Arboricultural Association both say an anvil can crush soft green tissue. Read the stated width against two RHS pages, not against the largest number in the title. The tree pruning page uses loppers under about 2.5 cm, then a saw.
A compound or gear head is one stroke. A ratchet is several squeezes, and the jaws may spring open between them. Choose a ratchet when a thick dry stem will not finish in one pull, and expect the extra pumps on thin offcuts too. The 8100RS and the 8290RS are the deep-sample ratchets. The Grüntek and the Kimura Pro 302 are one-stroke tools, the first at a fixed 470 mm and 687 g, the second a telescopic compound at 1.26 kg with a 35 mm stated cut.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a modest stated cut and a large review count, not a 7 cm claim on a few dozen reviews. The Spear & Jackson 8100RS states 42 mm and has 4.6 from 6,529 amazon.co.uk reviews, at about £22.86. Keep the handles shorter than full extension on a hard stem.
You cannot finish a thicker dry stem in one squeeze, and you accept that the jaws spring open between pumps. The Spear & Jackson 8290RS is 4.6 from 5,307 reviews, with a 400–800 mm bullet. UK reviews describe about four or five pumps on thick laurel, and a slow job on thin offcuts.
The wood is within reach and you want one stroke, not sliding tubes. The Grüntek Grizzly 470 is 470 mm and 687 g, with dry wood stated to 29 mm, at about £24.98 and 4.6 from 5,042 reviews. It is the wrong tool for a high branch.
In this set the top pick is the Spear & Jackson 8100RS: about £22.86, 4.6 from 6,529 reviews, 42 mm on the bullet and the cutting-width field, and a ratchet you can keep short of full extension. The length bullet still prints 800 mm, 72 cm and 28 inches together, and there is no spare blade. The best value is the Grüntek Grizzly 470 at about £24.98, 4.6 from 5,042 reviews, a fixed 470 mm gear-drive anvil at 687 g with dry wood stated to 29 mm. Do not buy it as a wooden-handled tool, and do not treat a 5–7 cm title as an easy cut.
Spear & Jackson 8100RS
Largest review sample in this set: 4.6 from 6,529 amazon.co.uk reviews, a 42 mm stated cut, and about £22.86.
Grüntek Grizzly 470
About £24.98 with 4.6 from 5,042 reviews, one stroke at 470 mm and 687 g, and dry wood stated to 29 mm.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from amazon.co.uk on 20 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars, and review counts are the UK listing lines. We did not run a lab test.
