The best grass shears, compared.
Top pick: Wilkinson Sword 1111220W grass shear – Score 90 from 4.5 and 1,125 reviews, at about £15.02. Stated 180° head. Highest score in the set. Best value: Gardena Classic Grass Shears 8730-30 – Score 88 from 4.4 and 1,086 reviews, at about £14.99. Lowest shelf price in the set. The head does not rotate. Updated 22 October 2026.
Grass shears are the short-bladed tool for grass a mower leaves behind: a lawn edge, a path corner, a grave, or a small patch. In the UK you use them for a few minutes of work, not a second pass over the whole lawn. A suitable pair is easy to spot without naming a model. The blades are short and meant for grass, the head either stays fixed or locks at a stated angle, and a lock lets you close them with one hand. The item-weight figure should agree with the bullet. Manual shears need no charger. A cordless shear should state its voltage, whether the grass blade and charger are in the box, and a cutting gap you do not exceed. A charger for a UK socket needs a BS 1363 plug. Listings under this name also include two-handed hedge shears, so the title has to say grass. A strimmer is a different category. If you are still choosing the class, start with the [grass shears buying guide](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/grass-shears/sub/grass-shears-buying-guide).
Grass shears are the short-bladed tool for grass a mower leaves behind: a lawn edge, a path corner, a grave, or a small patch. In the UK you use them for a few minutes of work, not a second pass over the whole lawn.
36 products checked · 61 hrs invested · +22,840 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you cutting?
Across 1,125 amazon.co.uk reviews, the Wilkinson Sword 1111220W is listed at about £15.02 with a 180° rotating blade, non-stick stainless steel, a one-hand safety lock, and a stated weight of 222 g. Reviewers describe twisting the blade until it clicks, which is the practical version of that 180° claim. Soft leafy growth is the cut they report as clean, and woody stems need several extra squeezes, so this remains a grass shear. A review says the lock can release if a child squeezes the handles. The listing calls it a single-handed safety lock and does not claim a child lock. The dimension cell says 10 x 10 mm, which is not a credible size for a shear of this weight, and the manufacturer cell says Wolf-Garten beside the Wilkinson Sword name. No storage sheath is listed. On listing evidence it is the top pick among the one-hand shears here because 4.5 sits on more than a thousand reviews, not because we ran a cut test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a light rotating one-hand shear for lawn edges and soft leafy growth.
Less suitable: A household that needs a lock a child cannot squeeze open, or anyone cutting woody stems.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the blade rotate?
The bullets say a 180° rotating blade. Reviews describe twisting the blade until it clicks. The stated weight is 222 g.
Will it cut shrubs?
The listing is for lawn edges. Reviews say soft leafy growth cuts cleanly and woody stems need several squeezes. There is no shrub blade.
Is the lock child-proof?
A review says the lock can release if a child squeezes the handles. The listing calls it a single-handed safety lock and does not claim a child lock.
The DCA 20 V shear is listed at about £59.99, the highest price in this set, with a 2.0 Ah pack, a charger, a 100 mm grass blade, a 200 mm shrub blade, and stated angles of 0°, 15° and 30°, on 4.5 from 28 amazon.co.uk reviews. One review wrote 20 Ah, while the listing says 2.0 Ah, and another review says no storage case was supplied. The bullets do not list a case. The listing does not state a millimetre gap, and reviews say thicker woody stems jam the blade and the tool cuts power, which those notes treat as light pruning rather than heavy duty. The item-weight cell says 1 kg and a bullet says 1.04 kg, while the dimension cell says 5 x 5 x 20 cm, a thin figure for a 20 V tool with a battery. A 2-year manufacturer warranty is stated. The 4.5 is real and the sample is small, so the sample reduction of 8 points keeps it off the top of this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 20 V kit with both blades and a charger for light pruning you can stop.
Less suitable: Thick woody stems, or anyone treating 28 reviews as the same evidence as 1,125.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the battery 2.0 Ah or 20 Ah?
The listing says a 20 V 2.0 Ah pack. One review wrote 20 Ah. Use 2.0 Ah. The sample is 28 reviews.
Does it include a case?
A review says no storage case was supplied. The bullets do not list a case. They do say to clean and dry the blades.
Will the 20 V pack cut thick branches?
The listing does not state a millimetre gap. Reviews say thicker woody stems jam the blade and the tool cuts power. It is described as light pruning, not heavy duty.
The Gardena Classic 8730-30 is listed at about £14.99, the lowest shelf price in this set, with a straight-ground blade, an 11.5 cm cutting-width cell, a one-hand lock, and a stated weight of 244 g. Across 1,086 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.4, and owners describe one-handed work on lawn edges. The size field says the head is not rotatable, so a horizontal cut along a path is a different article, not this one. Reviews also say it chews grass, is not the sharpest pair, and that one pair wore out under heavy use, so the 4.4 is not a claim that every edge comes out scissor-clean. The bullets state a 25-year warranty and the spare-part cell says 2 years, and both lines stay on the listing. The material cell says Grass beside a stainless-steel blade cell. It is the best value row if you do not need a swivel and you will accept a chewed cut in some reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the lowest price among the widely reviewed one-hand shears and you cut in one direction.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a horizontal cut from a swivel, or a pair that reviews call consistently sharp.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this shear swivel?
No. The size field says the head is not rotatable. Other articles from the same maker do rotate. This one does not.
How wide is the cut?
The cutting-width cell says 11.5 cm. The item weight is 244 g. There is no stem-diameter figure.
What do reviews say about the cut?
Owners use it one-handed on edges. Complaints say it chews grass, is not the sharpest, and one pair wore out under heavy use.
The Byhagern hand shear is listed at about £19.99, with a stated weight of 440 g, dimensions of 31 x 13 cm, and a line of 4.4 from 361 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullets limit it to weeds, leaves and lawns, and they say branches can deform the shear, so a shrub job is outside the listing. A review says it does not swivel 90° for a horizontal cut, and a 90° head is not in the bullets. Reviews mention a safety latch that the bullets do not name. The number-of-items cell and the unit-count cell both say 16, while the title describes one pair, so do not order it as a 16-pack. It is heavier than the Wilkinson at 222 g and the Gardena at 244 g. It suits a short grass edge if you do not need a rotating head and you ignore the pack-count cells.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a manual shear for weeds and a short lawn edge and you do not need a swivel.
Less suitable: Branches, a horizontal path edge, or anyone reading the 16-count cell as a multipack.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a 16-pack?
The number-of-items cell says 16. The title and the included-components line describe grass shears as one tool. Do not rely on 16.
Can it cut branches?
No. The bullets say it is for weeds, leaves and lawns, and that branches can deform it.
Does the head swivel?
A 90° swivel is not in the bullets. A review says it does not swivel 90° for a horizontal cut.
The WORKPRO 12 V shear is listed at about £42.61 with a detachable 2.0 Ah pack, a charger the bullets call about one hour, a 125 mm grass blade, a 160 mm hedge blade, and a stated 7.7 mm thickness, on 4.4 from 215 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviews say thicker branches needed hacking, so 7.7 mm is the printed ceiling, not a suggestion to try thicker wood. One review said charging took a couple of hours rather than the one hour in the bullet. The bullet says 750 g and the item-weight cell says 1.83 kg, and both figures stay because neither has been weighed here. Speed is stated as 1100 RPM. The top safety lock is used with the trigger. It is the cordless row with a stated millimetre gap and a review sample above 200, if you already want a shrub blade and you will not pick one of the two weights.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 12 V shear with a stated millimetre gap and a battery in the bullets.
Less suitable: Stems past 7.7 mm, or anyone who needs a single weight they can plan a stoop around.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a cut is stated?
The bullets say 7.7 mm maximum thickness on the hedge blade, 160 mm length, and 125 mm grass width. Reviews say thicker branches needed hacking.
What does it weigh?
The bullet says 750 g. The item-weight cell says 1.83 kg. Both figures are on the listing. Neither was weighed for this page.
Is the battery included?
The bullets describe a detachable 2.0 Ah pack and a charger they call about one hour. One review said charging took a couple of hours.
The SnapFresh 8 V 2-in-1 is listed at about £25.99 with a built-in 1500 mAh battery, a 3.25 inch grass blade, a 5.5 inch hedge blade, and a triple safety lock, on a line of 4.3 from 421 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullet states a 0.31 inch cutting thickness, while the cutting-width cell says 8 mm, so those figures are not the same measurement. Reviews say thicker hawthorn stalls the blade, which is the practical limit beside that conflict. One review says the smaller blade arrived rusty and damaged, and the bullet itself says to store blades dry to prevent rust. The item-weight cell says 1.14 kg, a bullet says 1.36 lb, and a unit-count cell says 1040 g. A separate charger is not named in the included list. It is a small cordless shear for grass and soft growth if you treat 0.31 inch as a claim, not a branch capacity.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want an 8 V shear with a built-in battery for grass and soft shrub growth.
Less suitable: Woody hawthorn, or anyone who needs one agreed thickness figure on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick a stem does the listing allow?
The bullet says 0.31 inch cutting thickness. The cutting-width cell says 8 mm. Those are not the same measurement. Reviews say thicker hawthorn stalls it.
Is the battery removable?
The bullets say a built-in 1500 mAh lithium battery with an indicator. A separate charger is not named in the included list.
Did reviews mention the blades on arrival?
One review says the smaller blade arrived rusty and damaged. The bullet says to store blades dry to prevent rust.
The Bluemars 8 V shear is listed at about £29.99 with a claimed 2000 mAh battery, USB-C charging, a claimed 60-minute runtime, a 7.5 cm grass blade, and a 12 cm shrub blade, on 4.3 from 164 amazon.co.uk reviews. The cutting-width cell says 12 cm, which matches the shrub bullet rather than the grass bullet. The item-weight cell says 962 g and the bullet says 0.7 kg. One review says the switch sits close to the blades and that it cut a finger, and a separate review mentions a safety lock on top that the bullets do not detail. Reviews also describe it as a hand tool, so you still bend to the grass. A twig past its capability is where a review says it stops, and no millimetre gap is printed. It is a mid-price 8 V shear if you check the switch in the photos before you buy.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want an 8 V hand shear around this price and you will look at the switch position in the photos.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a stated thickness, or a tool that lets you edge a lawn standing up.
Specifications
Common questions
Which blade width should I trust?
The bullets say 7.5 cm for grass and 12 cm for shrubs. The cutting-width cell says 12 cm. The item-weight cell says 962 g and the bullet says 0.7 kg.
Where is the switch?
One review says the switch sits close to the blades and that it cut a finger. A separate review mentions a safety lock on top. The bullets do not detail that lock.
Do I still have to bend?
Yes. Reviews describe it as a hand tool, so you bend to the grass, as with the other cordless shears in this set.
Across 5,307 amazon.co.uk reviews, the GRÜNTEK Swift is listed at about £16.98 as a one-hand shear with a 140 mm Teflon-coated blade, a 360° head in 16 lock positions, and a stated weight of 274 g. Reviewers use that rotating head on edges, and the same notes say unlocking it can be stiff. Sticky blades come up often enough that a dry wipe is part of keeping the cut. One review describes a blister, and another says a plastic piece at the spring broke while edging, so the hand guard is not a promise that the carrier lasts. The title also prints 380 mm, which does not match the 20.5 cm dimension cell or the 140 mm blade cell, so the longer figure is a listing conflict. It is the largest review sample in this set, at 4.2 rather than the higher star lines on much smaller samples. There is no shrub blade.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the biggest review sample on a rotating one-hand shear and you will live with a stiff lock.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a shrub blade, or who is choosing from the 380 mm figure in the title.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the head rotate?
The listing says a 360° head with 16 lock positions. Reviews say the turn is useful and that unlocking it can be stiff.
How long is the blade?
The blade-length cell says 140 mm and the weight cell says 274 g. The title also says 380 mm, which does not match those cells.
What failed in reviews?
Reviews include sticky blades, a stiff unlock, a blister, and a plastic piece at the spring that broke while edging.
The Flouritech 21 V shear is listed at about £53.28 with two claimed 4500 mAh packs, a charger, a 13.1 cm grass blade, a 22.7 cm hedge blade, a head the bullets say adjusts up to 90°, and a stated 6 mm cut, on 4.1 from 21 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviews say it does not cope with thicker branches, and one reviewer returned it because a blade-change button would not press. The cutting-width cell says 8.94 inches, which is the hedge length rather than the grass width. The item-weight cell says 898 g and a bullet says 1.98 lb with blade and battery. The bullet prints 72–82 dB and does not call that a guaranteed sound power level. A speed of 23000 RPM is on the listing and is not a measurement we made. The raw star map is 82, then 8 points come off because the sample is 21. It is a two-pack claim on a short review sample, not a reason to cut past 6 mm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a stated 6 mm limit and two packs in the bullets, and you will check the blade button on arrival.
Less suitable: Anything thicker than 6 mm, or anyone reading 21 reviews as a durability record.
Specifications
Common questions
How many batteries are in the box?
The bullets say two 4500 mAh 21 V packs and a charger, with a claimed 1–2 hours per pack. The review sample is 21.
What is the thickest cut stated?
The bullets say 6 mm. Reviews say it does not cope with thicker branches. One reviewer returned it because a blade-change button would not press.
Is 72–82 dB a sound-power mark?
The bullet prints 72–82 dB. It does not call that figure a guaranteed sound power level. Do not read it as one.
The LIGO 3.6 V shear is listed at about £19.99, the same shelf price as the Byhagern manual shear, with two blades, a charger, a manual and a double safety lock, on 3.9 from 52 amazon.co.uk reviews. The cutting-width cell says 70 mm and the blade-length cell says 100 mm. Amp-hours are not stated. Reviews include owners who could not cut small twigs and owners who used it on lavender and light shrubs, so the second blade is for soft growth. The blade-material cell says Plastic, which the bullets do not confirm, so treat that cell as unverified. The item-weight cell says 950 g, a bullet says 1.21 lb, and a unit-count cell says 930 g. The raw star map is 78, then 4 points come off because the sample is 52. It is the cheapest cordless row here and the weakest star line, useful only if you want a charger in the box and you will not treat 3.6 V as a branch cutter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 3.6 V shear with a charger in the box for grass and very soft growth.
Less suitable: Twigs, or anyone reading 3.6 V as a heavier hedge trimmer.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a charger included?
Yes. The bullets list a cordless trimmer, two blades, a charger and a manual. Amp-hours are not stated.
Will it cut twigs?
The listing does not state a thickness. Reviews include owners who could not cut small twigs and owners who used it on lavender and light shrubs.
Why does the blade material say plastic?
The blade-material cell says Plastic. The bullets do not confirm plastic blades. Treat that cell as unverified.
Scores on this page start from the amazon.co.uk star rating on that listing, multiplied by 20, using the ten listings kept for this comparison. A sample under 50 reviews loses 8 points. A sample from 50 to 99 reviews loses 4 points. That star line is the only published weight, so it is 100. Equipment, price and review comments are used in the written assessment and in the badge choice. The method file sets them at 0 as a second hidden sum, so they are not rescaled into extra percentages. This is not a lab test and not a Which? award. Which? has written about long-handled edging shears. Those scores are not these listings.
Amazon.co.uk star line
100%The published score is the amazon.co.uk star rating multiplied by 20, then a sample reduction: 8 points under 50 reviews, 4 points from 50 to 99. That is the only weight in the method file. A worked example, such as 4.5 becoming 90 before any sample cut, is the same rule, not a second weight. Equipment, price and sentiment stay in the written assessment. They are listed as 0 as a second hidden sum, not as percentages to add.
Grass shears tidy the grass a mower misses. The class comes before the model: a one-hand mechanical shear, a cordless shear with a separate grass blade, or a different tool. Long-handled edging shears are the standing tool for a whole lawn edge, and none of the listings kept here is that tool. Hedge shears were removed from this set. A strimmer is another category. The price bands below are the shelf prices on the saved amazon.co.uk listings.
Grass shears are the short-bladed tool for grass a mower leaves behind: a lawn edge, a path corner, a grave, or a small patch. Shop results under that name also list two-handed hedge shears, so the listing title has to say grass rather than a notched hedge tool. One-hand mechanical shears in this comparison sit at about £14.99 to £19.99 and weigh about 222 to 440 g. Cordless 2-in-1 shears add a shrub bar and a battery.
The grass shears node also lists two-handed hedge shears. The title has to say grass, not a notched hedge tool. A hedge shear is a different job and was kept out of this set.
One-hand shears are for a short tidy while you bend. A whole-lawn edge wants a standing tool from another category. Edging the full length while stooped is the mistake the buying notes flag.
Manual bullets in this set exclude branches, and some say branches can deform the shear. Cordless gaps are small, about 6–8 mm where stated. Reviews describe stalls and jams once the wood is thicker. Store the blades dry.
Start with the class. One-hand grass shears, long-handled edging shears, hedge shears and a cordless shear with a separate grass blade are not the same tool, and a strimmer is another category. This set keeps one-hand mechanical shears and cordless 2-in-1 shears. Long-handled edging shears, the standing tool, are not among the listings. Then match the cut you actually need. Grass and soft edges only, or soft shrubs as well. Manual bullets here exclude branches.
Head movement decides a horizontal cut along a path. A stated 180° or 360° head, or a smaller set of lock angles, is a feature only when the listing or the reviews describe it. A missing swivel is a reason to skip, not a hidden extra. Weight is what you hold while bent over. Read the item-weight cell and the bullet together. When they disagree, both figures stay. Do not pick the lighter one because it is kinder. Manual shears need no charger.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You can bend for a few minutes and you want a light one-hand shear for a lawn edge or a path corner. The Wilkinson Sword 1111220W is listed at about £15.02, with a stated 180° head, a stated weight of 222 g, and 4.5 from 1,125 amazon.co.uk reviews.
You cut in one direction and you want the lowest shelf price among the widely reviewed one-hand shears. The Gardena Classic 8730-30 is about £14.99, with 4.4 from 1,086 reviews. The head does not rotate, and some reviews describe a chewed cut.
You want a shrub blade as well as a grass blade, and you want a stated millimetre gap on a sample above 200 reviews. The WORKPRO 12 V shear is about £42.61, with 7.7 mm stated, a 2.0 Ah pack in the bullets, and 4.4 from 215 reviews. The listing prints both 750 g and 1.83 kg.
The top pick is the Wilkinson Sword 1111220W, a one-hand shear at about £15.02. The score is 90, from 4.5 and 1,125 amazon.co.uk reviews, with a stated 180° head. The best value is the Gardena Classic 8730-30 at about £14.99, score 88 from 4.4 and 1,086 reviews, the lowest shelf price in the set. Its head does not rotate, and reviews include a chewed cut. A 4.5 from 28 reviews would have tied the raw star map. The sample reduction removes that tie. Neither badge is a Which? score, and neither is a lab cut.
Wilkinson Sword 1111220W grass shear
Score 90 from 4.5 and 1,125 reviews, at about £15.02. Stated 180° head. Highest score in the set.
Gardena Classic Grass Shears 8730-30
Score 88 from 4.4 and 1,086 reviews, at about £14.99. Lowest shelf price in the set. The head does not rotate.
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 from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores come from amazon.co.uk listings and public UK sources. They are not a lab test, and they are not a promise of the cheapest price.
