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Fiskars bypass vs anvil loppers

Updated: 22 October 2026

You already want Fiskars, and two orange pairs look the same until one crushes a green stem. Fiskars bypass vs anvil loppers is that choice: a blade that slices past a hook, or a blade that closes onto a block. The [Fiskars loppers comparison](/hub/garden-tree-and-hedge-shears/fiskars-loppers) lists the amazon.co.uk snapshots, with prices checked on 20 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Peter F. used those listings, Fiskars’ UK PowerGear page, Burgon & Ball’s head guide, and BBC Gardeners' World’s lopper round-up. There is no lab test. Living wood wants a bypass or a hook. Dry or hard wood wants an anvil.

You already want Fiskars, and two orange pairs look the same until one crushes a green stem. Fiskars bypass vs anvil loppers is that choice: a blade that slices past a hook, or a blade that closes onto a block.

Our top picks

Fiskars Fiskars 28 inch bypass

Best overall

Fiskars Fiskars 28 inch bypass
9.6/10about £32.03
View offer
Fiskars Fiskars PowerGear X LX99 anvil

Alternative

Fiskars Fiskars PowerGear X LX99 anvil
9.2/10about £74.04
View offer
Fiskars Fiskars bypass L11

Best value

Fiskars Fiskars bypass L11
9.2/10about £16.32
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What the two heads do to the stem
  2. 2.Which listings are bypass or hook
  3. 3.Which listings are anvil
  4. 4.When to choose bypass, when to choose anvil

What the two heads do to the stem

A bypass works like scissors: one blade passes the other, and Fiskars pairs that hook with fresh wood. On dry hardwood the blades are more likely to twist. The L11 bullets exclude dry and hard twigs. An anvil drives a blade onto a block, which Fiskars pairs with dry or hard wood. Burgon & Ball says the block bruises living tissue. A rough cut finished later with a bypass is their narrow exception, not a way to prune a rose. Fiskars’ anvil bullets are stricter: not for fresh green growth. PowerGear adds leverage. It does not change the metal that meets the stem.

Which listings are bypass or hook

Bypass or hook heads for fresh wood are the L78, L70, L11, and L86. The hook is the curved counter blade, not a third product. The 28 inch bypass, the 18 inch and 32 inch PowerGear2 listings, and the 15 inch PowerGear sit with them. The 15 inch table says anvil and the bullets never name the wood, so treat that clash as unread. The L13 table also says anvil, while the bullets describe a hook and fresh wood up to Ø 45 mm. Trust the fresh-wood sentence. The buying guide puts the head first, then diameter, then reach.
Fiskars Fiskars 28 inch bypass

Testsieger

Fiskars Fiskars 28 inch bypass
9.6/10about £32.03
View offer

Which listings are anvil

Anvil heads for dry or hard wood are the PowerGear L77, the short PowerGear L31, and the PowerGear X LX99. Gear on those three still leaves you with an anvil. The LX99 bullets say dry and hard wood up to Ø 5.5 cm, and not suitable for green and fresh wood such as live beds and roses. The snapshot price is £74.04, with 4.6 from 951 reviews. That is the folder figure, not a magazine’s RRP. Open the L31, L77, or LX99 and read the dry-wood line before you treat any orange pair as an anvil.

When to choose bypass, when to choose anvil

Choose a bypass or hook for living shrubs, roses, and green hedge growth. The L11 is fresh wood inside Ø 38 mm. The L70 and L78 are the geared bypasses when the close is hard. The L86 is the telescopic bypass, and the contents line to trust is Ø 4 cm. Choose an anvil for dead, dry, or hard wood if you can accept a crushed end: the short L31, or the longer L77 and LX99. BBC Gardeners' World’s general-use line for the LX99 is their test and their price. The L11 at £16.32 and the L31 at £29.65 still cost less together than the LX99, and neither replaces a saw. The best Fiskars loppers page attaches a skip to each job.

Common questions

What is the difference between Fiskars bypass and anvil loppers?
A bypass or hook slices, with one blade passing the other, and Fiskars pairs it with fresh wood. An anvil closes onto a block, and Fiskars pairs it with dry or hard wood where a clean cut is not crucial. Burgon & Ball says the anvil can crush living green growth. The gear, the handle length, and the price do not swap those actions. You choose the head from the wood you are about to cut.
Will an anvil lopper damage a green stem?
It can. The block bruises softer living tissue, which is why Fiskars’ anvil bullets say the L31, L77, and LX99 are not for fresh green growth. A crushed rose cane is the result people are trying to avoid with a bypass. A rough shortening cut on a heavy limb, finished later with a bypass, is the narrow exception in Burgon & Ball’s guide. It is not everyday pruning of a shrub you want to keep.
Why does the L13 say anvil in one place and fresh wood in another?
The attribute table says anvil. The bullets describe a hook-shaped counter blade and fresh wood up to Ø 45 mm. Both are on the amazon.co.uk listing, and they do not agree. For a green stem, trust the fresh-wood sentence and the contents line. If you need a dry-wood anvil, do not use that conflicting cell as your evidence. Open an L31, L77, or LX99 listing instead.
Is the LX99 a good all-rounder because a magazine liked it?
Gardeners' World has given an LX99 a general-use best-buy line. That is their sample. The listing bullets say dry and hard wood, not green and fresh wood such as live beds and roses. Use their award as a comment on a geared anvil for dead wood, with their price labelled as theirs. It is a weak reason to buy one head for roses and dead wood alike. A bypass still does the living stems.
Can I keep one anvil and one bypass?
Yes, if you cut both kinds of wood. A bypass for the roses and an anvil for the dead wood matches Fiskars’ own split. It is a poor plan if you then use the anvil on the rose because it feels stronger, or the bypass on hardwood because it is already in your hand. If you only prune living shrubs, the second tool is spare weight. Two heads still do not replace a saw when the handles will not close.

Related pages

How to prune with Fiskars loppers

Fiskars loppers for thick branches

Fiskars loppers

Best Fiskars loppers for shrubs, reach and dry wood

Fiskars loppers buying guide: wood, size, then reach

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are amazon.co.uk snapshots checked on 20 October 2026.

  1. Fiskars UK — PowerGear (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  2. Burgon & Ball — anvil, bypass or scissor (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  3. BBC Gardeners' World — best loppers (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  4. RHS — tree pruning guide (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  5. HSE — PUWER overview (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  6. GOV.UK — wild birds: protection, surveys and licences (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  7. GOV.UK — hedgerow management rules (retrieved 20.10.2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 20.10.2026)