The best Felco secateurs, compared.
Top pick: FELCO 2 large right hand – Highest score in this set: 4.8 from 14,269 reviews, a stated 25 mm cut, and straight handles for a large right hand. Best value: FELCO 5 economy – About £36.50 with 4.7 from 2,431 reviews, the lowest price here, for a large right hand that accepts pressed steel handles. Updated 22.10.2026.
You tell them apart by hand length, by right or left use, and by a stated cut of 18 mm, 20 mm, or 25 mm. Small is up to 17.5 cm, medium is 17.5–20 cm, and large is above 20 cm, from the middle fingertip to the base of the palm. Handles are forged aluminium, except on the all-steel FELCO 5. The other four are a renewed FELCO 8, the FELCO 14, the left-handed FELCO 16, and the FELCO 12. Lifetime cover is forged aluminium only, not blades or springs. Measure first in the [Felco secateurs buying guide](/hub/garden-tree-and-hedge-shears/felco-secateurs/sub/felco-secateurs-buying-guide). Choose by hand length, handedness, and stated cut, not by which listing has the most reviews. A right-handed Felco is not a left-handed tool. Only the FELCO 16 is left-handed, and it is the medium size.
You tell them apart by hand length, by right or left use, and by a stated cut of 18 mm, 20 mm, or 25 mm.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What describes the hand?
Across 14,269 amazon.co.uk reviews the FELCO 2 sits at 4.8 stars and £59.89, and the title prints a 25 mm cut, a 215 mm length, and straight handles for a large right hand. The listing weight is 249 g and the origin field says Switzerland. In the 50 UK texts that were read, people often describe years of use, spare blades or springs, and a grip that suits a larger hand. One safety catch sets itself, and one pair stayed stiff on brambles until it was cleaned and oiled. The warranty field says two years from the manufacturer while the bullets say a lifetime cover with every part replaceable, so those two lines do not mean free blades for life. Amazon’s blade-type field says Anvil, while Felco’s own page calls this a bypass tool. It is the top pick in this set when your hand is large and right-handed and you want the straight model with the deepest review pile here.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A large right hand pruning live wood up to the stated 25 mm, when you want the straight-handled model with the largest review count in this set.
Less suitable: A small hand, a left hand, or anyone who reads the lifetime bullet as free blades for life.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say left-handed?
No. The handedness field says Right, and a bullet says a medium to large hand, right handed. The title also says large hands and straight handles.
What cut is printed?
The title says a 25 mm cutting diameter and a 215 mm length. The cutting-width field says 1 inch, and the blade-length field says 2 inches.
What do the UK reviews repeat?
Of the 50 texts read, many praise years of use, spare blades or springs, and a fit for larger hands. One safety catch sets itself. One pair was stiff on brambles until it was cleaned and oiled.
The FELCO 16 is the only left-handed secateur in this comparison, listed at £65.99 with 4.8 from 277 amazon.co.uk reviews. The title says left handed and medium, the weight is 210 g, and the dimensions are 19.5 cm by 6.3 cm. The cutting-width field says 0.8 inches, while Felco’s own page states a 20 mm cut and a weight of 218.4 g. Fourteen UK texts praise a left-hand fit, a sharp edge, and low weight, and one says the pair suited lighter pruning and thinner stems. No repeated breakage appears in those 14 texts, which is a smaller written sample than the 277-star count. The blade-type field says Anvil even though Felco classifies the tool as bypass, and the warranty field is empty. It fits a medium left hand, and a large left hand is outside this ASIN.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A medium left hand, about 17.5–20 cm, pruning within Felco’s 20 mm cut.
Less suitable: A large left hand, a right hand, or anyone who wanted the FELCO 16 to behave like a left-handed FELCO 2.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the left-handed model?
Yes. The title says left handed, and the handedness field says Left. It does not say ambidextrous.
What size and cut are printed?
The title says medium size. Item weight is 210 g. Dimensions are 19.5 cm by 6.3 cm. The cutting-width field says 0.8 inches. Blade length is not stated on the listing.
What do the UK reviews say?
Fourteen UK texts praise a left-hand fit, a sharp edge, and low weight. One says the pair suited lighter pruning and thinner stems. No repeated breakage appears in those 14 texts. The listing count is 277.
The FELCO 8 listing at £54.66 is titled Renewed, with 4.7 from 3,080 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the highlight describes an angled head, dampers, and a 52 mm blade. Item weight is 245 g and the blade-type field says Bypass, while a bullet still says an anvil blade with a sap groove. One of the 50 UK reviews says the packet had been opened and taped shut. Several texts call the catch small and fiddly in gloves, one says the lock screw works loose with daily use, and another pair sometimes stuck closed. The highlight says Swiss made and the country field is empty. A new FELCO 8 on Felco’s en-GB shop is listed at £65, so this lower Amazon price is a renewed unit, not a cheaper new model. Take it if you want the angled head and you accept a Renewed title.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A large right hand that wants the angled head and will accept a Renewed listing at £54.66.
Less suitable: You want a sealed new FELCO 8, a small hand, or a left-handed tool.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a new FELCO 8?
The title says Renewed. The listing price is £54.66. One of the 50 UK reviews says the packet had been opened and taped shut.
What does the listing say about the head?
The highlight says an angled head, dampers, and a 52 mm blade, and it says Swiss made. The blade-type field says Bypass. A bullet says anvil blade with sap groove.
What do reviews say about the lock?
In the 50 texts, the catch is called small and fiddly in gloves, and one review says the lock screw works loose with daily use. Another pair sometimes stuck closed.
The FELCO 5 is the lowest price in this set at £36.50, with 4.7 from 2,431 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the bullets describe pressed steel handles for right-handed use. Item weight is 317 g, which is the heavy all-steel economy model rather than the light aluminium tools. The cutting-width field says 1 inch, in the same band as the 25 mm large-hand models. Of the 50 UK texts, praise centres on a sharp edge and the lower Felco price, while smaller hands come up as a repeated complaint because the handles open wide. One pair shattered in under 12 months, and one box arrived open and oily. The handle-material field says Aluminium, which does not match the pressed-steel bullets. It is the best value here on price and stars for a large right hand, and a poor match if your hand is small.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A large right hand that wants the lowest Felco price in this set and can live with a heavier all-steel tool.
Less suitable: A small hand, or anyone who expected the light aluminium handles of the FELCO 2.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the light aluminium model?
The bullets say pressed steel handles. The item weight is 317 g. The handle-material field says Aluminium, so those two lines do not match.
Which hand is it for?
The handedness field says Right, and a bullet says the product is for right handed use. Reviews say the handles open wide and suit larger hands.
What do the UK reviews repeat?
Of the 50 texts, praise centres on a sharp edge and a lower Felco price. Smaller hands are a repeated complaint. One pair shattered in under 12 months, and one box arrived open and oily.
The FELCO 12 is listed at £81.26, the highest price in this set, with 4.7 from 977 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the title says a rotating handle for a medium right hand. Item weight is 273 g and the cutting-width field says 0.79 inches, in Felco’s 20 mm band. In the 50 UK reviews, some buyers wanted that roll for sore hands, and one returned the tool because the moving handle had not been clear from the listing. The roll takes getting used to, some small hands still cannot reach, one lock screw was damaged when loosened, and one swivel slipped so the jaw started to stick. The title says made in Switzerland and the country-of-origin field says China, so both lines stay on the page. Felco’s “up to 30%” cutting-force line is not a measured result in this file. It is the medium right-hand option when a rotating lower handle is the point, and a poor buy if you wanted a fixed handle and did not notice the swivel.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A medium right hand that wants the lower handle to roll, and that will oil the rotating shaft.
Less suitable: A small hand, a left hand, or a buyer who expected a fixed handle like the FELCO 2.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the handle rotate?
The title says rotating handle, for medium right hands. In the 50 UK reviews, some buyers wanted that roll for sore hands, and one returned the tool because the moving handle had not been clear.
Where does the listing say it was made?
The title says made in Switzerland. The country-of-origin field says China. Both lines are on the listing.
What went wrong in the reviews?
Of the 50 texts, the roll takes getting used to, and some small hands still cannot reach. One lock screw was damaged when loosened. One swivel slipped and the jaw started to stick.
The FELCO 14 listing is £57.00, with 4.7 from 610 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the title says small right hand. Cutting width is printed as 18 mm, item weight is 191 g, and the dimensions are 18 cm by 5.7 cm. A bullet says it is particularly suitable for smaller hands, and the handedness field says Right. Ten UK texts are in the file: several praise a compact fit, one small-handed buyer found the handles too small and the cut unclean, one pair would not close after a cut, and one arrived damaged. The blade-length field says 2 centimetres, which is not Felco’s own 40 mm blade figure, so do not treat that Amazon row as the blade length. It is the small right-hand tool in this set, at an 18 mm stated cut, and it is the wrong size if your hand measures above 20 cm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small right hand, measured at up to 17.5 cm from middle fingertip to the base of the palm, pruning within an 18 mm stated cut.
Less suitable: A large hand, a left hand, or stems you expect to take at 25 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
Who is this listing for?
The title says small right hand. A bullet says particularly suitable for smaller hands. The handedness field says Right.
What cut and weight are printed?
Cutting width is 18 mm. Item weight is 191 g. Dimensions are 18 cm by 5.7 cm. The blade-length field says 2 centimetres.
What do the UK reviews say?
Ten UK texts are in the file. Several praise a compact fit for a smaller hand. One small-handed buyer found the handles too small and the cut unclean. One pair would not close after a cut, and one arrived damaged.
Scores compare the six amazon.co.uk Felco secateurs kept in this set. Prices, stars, and review counts are the listing lines in the product file. There is no laboratory test. Each score starts from the amazon.co.uk star rating, then adds a review-volume term, and a small addition where the bullets say parts are replaceable. The renewed FELCO 8 loses points because the title says Renewed. Hand length, handedness, and the stated cut decide who each model is for. The weights below sum to 100. They describe this set only.
Hand length
25%Felco’s bands are the first filter: up to 17.5 cm is small, 17.5–20 cm is medium, and above 20 cm is large, measured from the middle fingertip to the base of the palm.
Handedness
15%A right-handed Felco is not a left-handed tool. In this set only the FELCO 16 is left-handed, and it is the medium size. The large left-hand FELCO 9 is not an ASIN here.
Stated cut and head
20%Felco prints 18 mm on the 14, 20 mm on the 12 and 16, and 25 mm on the 2, 5, and 8. The 2 is straight, the 8 is angled, and the 12 has a rotating lower handle.
Review evidence
25%The amazon.co.uk star line and the review count. A smaller written sample, such as 14 texts under a 277-star count, does not get treated as the same evidence as 14,269 reviews.
Condition and guarantee
15%A Renewed title is marked down. Lifetime cover on Felco’s warranty page is forged aluminium only. Blades, springs, and shock absorbers stay consumables.
Choose by hand length, handedness, and the stated cut. A large review count does not make the FELCO 2 fit a small hand or a left hand. Prices below are the amazon.co.uk lines saved for this page, set beside Felco’s en-GB shop prices.
Felco secateurs in this set are one-hand bypass pruning shears. Choose by hand length, handedness, and stated cut, not by which listing has the most reviews. Felco’s method measures from the middle fingertip to the base of the palm. Small is up to 17.5 cm, medium is 17.5–20 cm, and large is above 20 cm. A right-handed Felco is not a left-handed tool. In this set only the FELCO 16 is left-handed, and it is the medium size. The large left-hand model is the FELCO 9, which is not an ASIN here.
The deepest review pile is the large right-hand model. A hand up to 17.5 cm is the FELCO 14, at an 18 mm stated cut. A medium left hand is the FELCO 16, not a right-handed tool turned over.
Felco calls models 2, 5, 8, 12, 14, and 16 bypass shears for young branches. The anvil-action Felco on the en-GB collection is the FELCO 32, which is not in this set.
Lifetime cover on Felco’s warranty page is forged aluminium. Blades, counter-blades, springs, and shock absorbers are consumables. The FELCO 8 title says Renewed, which is a different product from a new shop unit at £65.
Measure from the middle fingertip to the base of the palm. Small is up to 17.5 cm (FELCO 14, 18 mm, right hand). Medium is 17.5–20 cm (FELCO 16 if you are left-handed, FELCO 12 if you want a rotating handle on the right). Large is above 20 cm (FELCO 2, 5, or 8, each 25 mm, right hand). A right-handed Felco is not a left-handed tool. The large left-hand FELCO 9 is not an ASIN here. Felco’s left-hand collection lists it at £65.
Stay inside 18 mm, 20 mm, or 25 mm. The FELCO 8 is the angled head for the same large right hand as the straight FELCO 2, and the Amazon listing in this set is titled Renewed. The FELCO 5 is pressed steel at 317 g and the lowest price. Lifetime cover is forged aluminium only. Oil a stiff new pair, and do not cut wire on the bevel. Care steps sit on the how-to-use page linked above.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
Your hand measures above 20 cm and you prune live wood up to a stated 25 mm. The FELCO 2 is about £59.89, at 4.8 from 14,269 reviews, with straight handles. Skip it if your hand is small or left-handed. The Amazon blade-type field says Anvil. Felco calls this model bypass.
Your hand measures up to 17.5 cm. The FELCO 14 is about £57.00, at 4.7 from 610 reviews, with an 18 mm cutting width and a listing weight of 191 g. One small-handed buyer still found the handles too small. It is the wrong size above 20 cm, or for a 25 mm stem.
You prune with your left hand and your hand is about 17.5–20 cm. The FELCO 16 is the only left-handed secateur in this set, at about £65.99, with 4.8 from 277 reviews. A large left hand is the FELCO 9, which is not an ASIN here. Felco’s left-hand collection lists that model at £65.
In this set the top pick is the FELCO 2: about £59.89, 4.8 from 14,269 amazon.co.uk reviews, with a 25 mm cut and straight handles for a large right hand. The Amazon blade-type field says Anvil, while Felco calls it bypass, and the lifetime bullet is not free blades for life. The best value is the FELCO 5 at about £36.50, 4.7 from 2,431 reviews, for a large right hand that can use a heavier all-steel tool. A small right hand should look at the FELCO 14. A medium left hand should look at the FELCO 16. The FELCO 8 listing is titled Renewed.
FELCO 2 large right hand
Highest score in this set: 4.8 from 14,269 reviews, a stated 25 mm cut, and straight handles for a large right hand.
FELCO 5 economy
About £36.50 with 4.7 from 2,431 reviews, the lowest price here, for a large right hand that accepts pressed steel handles.
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 sources used for hand bands, shop prices, warranty wording, and care. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved for this comparison.
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.
