The best ratchet scissors, compared.
Top pick: Spear & Jackson 6358RS – Highest score in this set: anvil, 20 mm and four steps in the bullets, 4.4 from 2,840 reviews, and a 10-year guarantee, at about £9.65. Best value: Spear & Jackson 6358RS – Lowest-priced kept row with a bullet diameter, a named guarantee and more than 50 UK reviews: about £9.65, 4.4 from 2,840. Updated 22.10.2026.
Ratchet scissors are one-handed pruners that move the blade in stages. You squeeze, ease until the mechanism clicks, and squeeze again, so a woody stem does not need one hard close. In the UK you buy them when ordinary secateurs stall on dead or dry wood around a stated 20–25 mm, and you still want one hand on the tool. A useful pair states the cutting diameter in millimetres, names an anvil or bypass jaw, and has a catch you can move, including in gloves. Anvil jaws suit dead wood and crush more. Bypass jaws suit live green wood. The ratchet changes the effort, not the wound. If the title and the specification disagree, treat the action as unsettled. The RHS treats branches under about 25 mm as secateur or lopper work, and larger limbs as saw work. A stiff lock or a wide span can cancel the easier staged bite. What to check before you pay is in the [ratchet scissors buying guide](/hub/garden-tree-and-hedge-shears/ratchet-scissors/sub/ratchet-scissors-buying-guide).
Ratchet scissors are one-handed pruners that move the blade in stages. You squeeze, ease until the mechanism clicks, and squeeze again, so a woody stem does not need one hard close.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you cutting?
The Spear & Jackson 6358RS is an anvil ratchet listed at £9.65, and the bullets say it takes dead or thicker woody stems of 20 mm in four short steps. Across 2,840 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.4, the largest sample here that also names a diameter, an anvil action and a 10-year guarantee. The blade is carbon steel with a PTFE coating on the bullets, on an aluminium body the technicals list at 231 g. Stored UK reviews still describe thin stems that stick in the jaw and a metal catch that is awkward to latch, so the staged cut is not a free pass on soft growth. One stored review says a sheared ratchet pin could not be replaced, which means the printed guarantee is not the same thing as a spare pin on the shelf. For woody stems around the stated 20 mm, this is the strongest match of the five when you also want a named maker and a long UK review record. It is a poor fit if you are deadheading roses or if you cannot work the catch with the same hand that holds the tool.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a named anvil ratchet for dead or woody stems around the stated 20 mm, with a long UK review record at £9.65.
Less suitable: You are deadheading or cutting live green wood, or you cannot move the catch with the hand that holds the tool.
Specifications
Common questions
What stems does the 6358RS listing describe?
The bullets say it is best suited to dead or thicker woody stems and that it copes with material of 20 mm diameter. The blade type on the listing is anvil.
How many ratchet steps are listed?
The bullets say the ratchet action allows pruning in four short steps. Stored UK reviews also say thin stems can stick or still need the full staged squeeze.
What guarantee is printed?
The bullets state a 10 year guarantee. The listing also has an EU spare-part availability line of 10 years. One stored review says a sheared ratchet pin could not be replaced.
The Zrebcley 01 is listed at £9.99 with bullets that claim branches up to 20 mm, an SK-5 blade and a safety lock, plus a snap fastener in the box. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from five reviews, so the stars match the Spear & Jackson figure without the same volume of UK text behind them. The specification does not say whether the blade is anvil or bypass, and one of those five reviews uses the word anvil while warning about living stems. Two reviews say the lock is not easy to undo, and one says the grips suit large hands, which is a small sample but it is the whole sample. Weight is 223 g and no guarantee is printed. At a few pence more than the 6358RS you get a stated 20 mm cut and almost no public record of how the mechanism lasts. Buy it only if you have already checked the jaw and you accept that five texts cannot show a pattern.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have already checked this jaw in person and you want a stated 20 mm ratchet near £10, knowing the UK record is five reviews.
Less suitable: You need a known anvil or bypass, a long review history, or a lock that opens easily in a smaller hand.
Specifications
Common questions
What cutting size is stated for the Zrebcley?
The bullets say branches up to 20 mm. The cutting-width field is also 20 mm. The spec table does not say whether the blade is anvil or bypass.
Does the listing include a lock?
The bullets say a safety lock can keep the blades closed. Two of the five stored UK reviews say it is not easy to unlock, and one says the grips suit large hands.
How many UK reviews are stored?
The listing line is 4.4 out of 5 from 5 reviews, and all five texts are on the listing. No guarantee is stated.
The Gardener's Friend 3130-3 is a three-stage anvil listed at £29.99, and the bullets say tree branches up to 1 inch depending on the wood and your strength, while a highlight says up to 25 mm. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.3 from 5,342 reviews, and the technicals list 220 g with a cutting-width field of 2.5 cm. Many stored reviews praise the staged bite when one hard squeeze is the problem, and many of the same reviews say the locking slide is too stiff for the weak hands the listing addresses. The bullets do not name that lock. Blade metal is manganese steel in the bullets and carbon steel in the specification, so the page does not settle the steel. One stored review says the catch springs open under light pressure, which matters if you pocket an unlocked blade. It is the pair to try when you want a stated anvil near 25 mm and you can move the slide yourself before you rely on it. It is the wrong spend if the catch is the part you cannot shift.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a stated anvil near 25 mm, you can move the locking slide yourself, and the extra spend over £9.65 is acceptable.
Less suitable: You cannot shift a stiff catch, you need the blade steel settled on the page, or you wanted the lowest price with a named guarantee.
Specifications
Common questions
What cutting size does The Gardener's Friend listing give?
The bullets say tree branches up to 1 inch, depending on the wood and your strength. The highlight says up to 25 mm. The cutting-width field says 2.5 cm. Blade type is anvil.
Which blade material is printed?
The bullets and the highlight say a manganese steel blade and an aluminium body. The spec table says carbon steel, rubber and wood. Both wordings are on the listing.
Do the bullets name a lock?
They do not. Stored UK reviews describe a locking slide. Several say weak hands cannot move it, and one says it springs open under light pressure.
The GRÜNTEK Kakadu is listed at £14.80 with bullets that say branches up to 24 mm, a length of 205 mm and a weight of 216 g, and a ratchet you can switch off. Across 6,407 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.0, the largest count in the set and also the lowest star rating. The title says ergonomic bypass while the specification blade type is anvil, and one stored UK review says the tool is anvil, so you cannot tell the wound type from the title alone. In the 50 stored texts, springs break, locks seize or will not close, and the mode lever can move by itself. Several reviewers also say the handles need a large hand. The 24 mm claim is the widest bullet diameter here, which only helps if the jaw matches the wood you cut and the catch still moves after a season. Skip it when you need blade words that agree, or when a stiff lock is already why you are shopping.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a switchable ratchet with a 24 mm bullet and you can confirm the jaw yourself, accepting the title and the specification disagree.
Less suitable: You need a settled bypass or anvil claim, or a lock and spring record without repeated failures in the stored UK texts.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Kakadu bypass or anvil?
The title says ergonomic bypass. The specification blade type is anvil. One stored UK review says they are anvil, not bypass. The action is unresolved on the listing.
What size and switch does the listing give?
The bullets say branches up to 24 mm, length 205 mm, width 80 mm and weight 216 g. They also say you can toggle the ratchet on or off.
What failures repeat in the stored UK reviews?
Springs break, locks seize or will not close, and the mode lever can move by itself. Several texts also say the handles need a large hand.
The MIGIFTDY heavy duty secateurs001 is the cheapest row in this set at £8.99 and the lightest at 160 g, with bullets that name two switchable cutting modes, an SK5 blade and a Teflon coating. The listing has no customer-review line, so there is no star rating and no UK text describing a cut, a lock or a broken spring. The bullets also omit a diameter. A specification field says Cutting Width 5.2 cm, and that figure is not repeated in the bullets, so it is not a capacity you can plan a shrub around. Blade type is not stated, and included components are given as no. There is no star line and no bullet diameter, so the page is mostly unnamed features at a low price. Treat it as an unreviewed listing, not as a bargain anvil, until a bullet states the millimetres and a review record exists.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are comparing shelf price and weight only, and you accept a listing with no UK reviews and no bullet diameter.
Less suitable: You need a stated millimetre cut, a known anvil or bypass jaw, or any review record before you prune.
Specifications
Common questions
What diameter do the MIGIFTDY bullets give?
They do not give one. The spec field Cutting Width is 5.2 cm. There is no customer-review line on the listing.
What modes and materials are listed?
The bullets say two switchable cutting modes, an SK5 blade with a Teflon coating, and aluminium handles with a soft rubber grip. Weight is 160 g. Included components are given as no.
Scores compare the five amazon.co.uk ratchet scissors kept in this set. Prices, stars and review counts are the listing lines dated 20 October 2026. There is no laboratory test. A diameter, a blade type, a lock or a guarantee counts only when that listing prints it in the bullets, or, for blade agreement, in the bullets and the specification. A review can contradict a title. It does not fill a blank specification line. A manufacturer page is not used to fill a gap. Maker lines such as 110 per cent mechanical advantage are not a measured ratio. The weights below sum to 100. They group the point caps used on these scores.
Star rating
64%Stars contribute up to 55 points: the amazon.co.uk rating divided by 5, times 55, rounded. A missing star line scores 0. This is the largest part of the score.
Review volume
9%A review count adds 3 points for 1–9 reviews, 6 for 10–49, and 8 for 50 or more. Five reviews are not the same evidence as thousands.
Stated diameter
7%A cutting diameter printed in the bullets between 15 mm and 30 mm adds 6 points. A specification field the bullets do not repeat is not a capacity and is not scored.
Blade, lock and guarantee
15%Matching anvil or bypass words in the bullets and the specification add 4 points. A title that contradicts the specification subtracts 5. A switchable mode adds 2, a 10-year guarantee in the bullets adds 4, and a lock named in the bullets adds 3. Repeated lock failure for weak hands subtracts 4. Repeated spring or pin failure subtracts 6.
Price band
5%Price adds 4 points under £12, 2 points from £12 up to £25, and none at £25 or more.
Choose by the job, the millimetres printed in the bullets, and whether you can move the catch. A low shelf price does not replace a stated diameter or a review record.
Ratchet scissors are ratchet secateurs: one-handed pruners that advance the blade in stages. You squeeze, ease to a click, and squeeze again. Dead or dry wood favours an anvil ratchet. Live stems and deadheading favour bypass. The ratchet is the effort mechanism, not the wound type. Bypass blades pass like scissors and suit green growth. Anvil blades close on a flat plate and suit thicker dead wood, with more crushing. A ratchet can sit on either action.
Anvil jaws suit dead or woody stems and crush more. Live stems and deadheading favour bypass. The ratchet changes the effort, not the wound.
A cutting width of 5.2 cm that is not repeated in the bullets is not a capacity. Read the millimetres in the bullets, or treat the diameter as unknown.
A staged bite can be easier on the knuckles, and a stiff lock or a wide handle span can cancel that. Splints are an occupational therapist's advice. No model here is claimed safe for arthritis.
Dead or dry wood points to an anvil ratchet. Live stems point to bypass. Read a bullet diameter around 20–25 mm, and ignore a spec field the bullets do not repeat. UK reviews often fail the tool on the catch. Test it with the hand that holds the tool, including in gloves, before you rely on a staged squeeze.
Anvil, bypass, or unresolved: do not trust a title the specification contradicts. Five reviews are not the same evidence as thousands. A maker guarantee is extra. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you claim first against the seller. A 10-year line is not a spare ratchet pin on the shelf. Care of the pawl sits on the how-to-use page linked above.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already own bypass secateurs and want less effort on dead or woody stems around a stated 20 mm. The Spear & Jackson 6358RS is about £9.65, at 4.4 from 2,840 reviews, with an anvil, four steps and a 10-year line in the bullets. Skip it for deadheading live green wood, or if you cannot move the catch.
A staged bite can ease a hard squeeze, and you still have to move the catch. The Gardener's Friend 3130-3 is a three-stage anvil near 25 mm, about £29.99, at 4.3 from 5,342 reviews. Many stored reviews say the slide is too stiff for weak hands, and the bullets do not name it. Skip it if you cannot shift that catch.
You want a switchable ratchet and a 24 mm bullet, and you can check the jaw yourself. The GRÜNTEK Kakadu is about £14.80, at 4.0 from 6,407 reviews. The title says bypass and the specification says anvil. Stored texts repeat broken springs and locks that seize. Skip it if you need blade words that agree.
In this set the top pick and the best value are the same listing: the Spear & Jackson 6358RS at about £9.65, with 4.4 from 2,840 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullets say an anvil, four steps and 20 mm, plus a 10-year guarantee. Thin stems stick, the catch is awkward, and one stored review says a sheared pin was not replaced. The Zrebcley is about £9.99 with 4.4 from five reviews, and the blade type is not in the specification. The Gardener's Friend is a three-stage anvil near 25 mm at about £29.99, and many stored reviews say the lock is too stiff for weak hands. The GRÜNTEK Kakadu states 24 mm, but the title says bypass and the specification says anvil. The MIGIFTDY is about £8.99 with no review line and no bullet diameter.
Spear & Jackson 6358RS
Highest score in this set: anvil, 20 mm and four steps in the bullets, 4.4 from 2,840 reviews, and a 10-year guarantee, at about £9.65.
Spear & Jackson 6358RS
Lowest-priced kept row with a bullet diameter, a named guarantee and more than 50 UK reviews: about £9.65, 4.4 from 2,840.
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 for the 25 mm hand-tool limit, sharpening, grip, product safety and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved 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.
