The best pruning saws, compared.
Top pick: Jnomove folding saw Best value: HAUTMEC folding 230 mm – Score 79 from 4.7 and 54 reviews at about £16.99. Highest score under £18 with at least 40 reviews, excluding the top pick. Updated 23 October 2026.
A pruning saw is the hand saw you use when a branch is too thick or too awkward for secateurs and loppers. In the UK you usually choose a short folding saw for tight shrubs, or a longer fixed blade with a sheath for heavier limbs you can still reach from the ground. Judge a suitable saw by a lock that holds, teeth that clear green wood on the pull stroke, and a handle you can grip in gloves. A curved blade helps above your head or below your knee. A straight blade is the calmer cut between shoulder and waist. Guides often put everyday folders on limbs of about 10–12.5 cm. Treat that as a rule of thumb, not a test of one listing. Coarse teeth, around 6–7 per inch, clear sappy wood. If you cannot finish from the ground, use a pole pruner or call a tree surgeon. Stop when the limb is heavy, high, over a path, or on a tree that may be protected. The checks in order are in the [pruning saw buying guide](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/pruning-saw/sub/pruning-saw-buying-guide).
A pruning saw is the hand saw you use when a branch is too thick or too awkward for secateurs and loppers.
36 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you cutting?
Jnomove’s folder is the cheapest row at £7.49 and 280 g, and the star line is 5.0 from only four ratings, which is why the score stops at 69. The saved file has three short UK reviews, all positive, and two of them mention spare blades. The bullets also claim two extra blades, while the unit count is 1, and there is no blade length, so the parcel is not settled by the page. The dimensions are 24 x 6 x 3 cm, the same box size printed on the XCDMJ row. The power-source field says pneumatic, which is not a motor. A perfect star line on four ratings does not outrank 4.6 from 1,921. Buy it only as a cheap try on thin stems, not as the strongest saw in the category.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A low-stakes try on thin stems, if the spare blades are actually in the box you receive
Less suitable: Ranking saws by a 5.0 star line, or any cut that needs a known blade length
Specifications
Common questions
Why is the score 5.0?
The listing line is 5.0 from 4 ratings. The saved listing has three short UK reviews, all positive.
Are spare blades included?
The bullets say two extra blades, and two reviews mention them. Unit count is 1.
Is the power source pneumatic?
That field says pneumatic. The bullets describe a manual folding saw. Ignore pneumatic.
The AIRAJ folder is £10.99 and 160 g, the lightest saw in this set, with a four-position lock and SK5 steel in the bullets. The star line is 4.9 from 11 reviews, and the score is 78 because a sample under 20 does not get the bump that larger counts receive. There is no blade length on the spec table. One UK review describes about 21 cm overall and about 18 cm of tooth, which is a reviewer’s measurement, not a listing spec. The title says fine tooth and gives no TPI, so you cannot line it up with the 7 TPI rows on a number. Reviews mention using the four angles on awkward branches. Eleven ratings are not enough to place it above the 1,921-review GRÜNTEK, or to call it best value under the 40-review rule. It is a light folder with a useful lock idea and a thin evidence base.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Tight, awkward cuts when you want several lock angles and can live with a small sample
Less suitable: A ranking based on 4.9 stars, or a buyer who needs a stated blade length before paying
Specifications
Common questions
How many angles does the lock have?
The title and bullets say four. Reviews mention using those angles on awkward branches.
How long is the blade?
There is no blade-length spec. One UK review describes about 21 cm overall and about 18 cm of tooth.
Is 4.9 from 11 enough to rank it first?
No. The texts are positive and short. Eleven ratings are a thin sample next to counts in the hundreds.
The HAUTMEC folder is a 230 mm blade at £16.99 in this 22 October 2026 capture, with 4.7 from 54 reviews and a score of 79. That is the best-value row under the published rule: the highest score under £18 with at least 40 reviews, once the top pick is set aside. Bullets specify 7 TPI triple-cut teeth with deep gullets in 1.4 mm SK5 steel, and an open bolt lock. The spec weight is 370 g and a bullet says 350 g, so quote 370 g, and the inch figures for open and folded length are not the blade length. The closed position is not described as locked, and one UK reviewer was unsure whether the induction-hardened teeth can be sharpened at home. A later Pruning Saws best-seller page showed about £18.99, so the shelf can move. It suits a longer folder than the 180 mm cork saw if you accept a much smaller review sample.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A longer folding blade than 180 mm, still under £18 in this save, with at least 40 reviews
Less suitable: A buyer who wants the large sample on the cork GRÜNTEK, or a lock that is stated to hold when folded
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the blade?
230 mm. Bullets also say 20 inches open and 12 inches folded. Those inches are not the blade length.
Which weight is right?
The spec line says 370 g. A bullet says 350 g. Use 370 g and treat 350 g as a conflict.
Can you sharpen it?
The listing does not say. One UK reviewer was unsure. The bullets call the teeth induction-hardened.
Across 1,921 amazon.co.uk reviews the GRÜNTEK folding saw holds 4.6 at £15.98, the largest sample in this set and the reason the score is 83. The blade is 180 mm, the handle is cork, the listed weight is 254 g, and a bullet gives 410 mm as the open length. Bullets call the steel Teflon-coated and the teeth impulse-hardened, while the tooth field only says 6. Reviewers describe a clean cut on branches up to about 10 cm, which suits a short folder for shrubs you can stand beside. The components line is the saw alone, and a UK review wished it came with a pouch, so the teeth are bare in a pocket unless you add a cover. One camping review says the hinge screw loosened after about three hours of cutting. The listing still prints 4,500 RPM and 8 watts on a manual saw, and those cells are junk. This is the top pick on the score rule, not a magazine test, and the short blade plus that hinge are the reasons to skip it when you want a longer stroke.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Regular shrub pruning from the ground, where a large review sample matters more than a long blade
Less suitable: A job that needs a cover in the box, or a limb that wants more than about 180 mm of blade
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the blade?
180 mm on the spec line. A bullet gives 410 mm as the open length and 254 g as the weight.
Does it include a pouch?
The components line says folding saw only. A UK review wished it came with a pouch.
What failed in reviews?
One camping review says the hinge screw loosened after about three hours of cutting. Other reviews praise the cut up to about 10 cm.
The EZUVITA folder is listed at £10.99 with a pouch, a curved TPR grip, and 180 mm in the title, at 272 g. The star line is 4.6 from 280 reviews. The UK review bodies, the rank line, and that count match the three-piece ASIN B0FSKJP5L5, so this is not a second sample of 280. The score is 76 after that shared-review deduction. Bullets describe a triple-cut, induction-hardened tooth and an Oxford pouch. The components line says a pouch, not secateurs, even though the shared texts talk about a set. There is no blade-length spec and no dimension line, only the title. You can buy it as a short folder with a pouch at an entry price, provided you do not add its 280 reviews to the set and do not expect the secateurs those reviews mention.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A short folder with a pouch, once you treat the 280 reviews as shared with the set
Less suitable: Counting this as a separate most-reviewed saw, or expecting a three-piece kit in the box
Specifications
Common questions
Are secateurs included?
No. Components say a pouch. Secateurs appear in the shared review texts and on ASIN B0FSKJP5L5.
Can I add this 280 to the set’s 280?
No. The UK review bodies, the star line, and the best-seller rank match B0FSKJP5L5.
What is the blade length?
180 mm is in the title. There is no blade-length spec line and no dimension line.
This EZUVITA parcel is a saw plus other tools, not a second opinion on the pouch saw. At £13.99 the bullets list an 180 mm folding saw, a bypass pruner, and a straight shear, at 440 g, and the unit count is 3. The star line is again 4.6 from 280, with the same UK review bodies and the same best-seller rank as B0G39NPCYY, so the score stays at 76 after the shared-block deduction. The title says 7 TPI and the tooth field says 40, and the surface field says Metal on a wood-and-garden set, which is a bad spec line. The spec calls the cutting tools stainless steel, a different material line from the carbon-steel pouch saw. You buy this when you actually want secateurs and scissors in the same order. You do not buy it to double a review count, and the saw itself is still an 180 mm title rather than a measured spec.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One order that also needs secateurs and scissors for light garden work
Less suitable: A dedicated pruning saw with its own review sample, or a blade longer than the 180 mm title
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the box?
The bullets list an 180 mm folding saw, a bypass pruner, and a straight shear. The components field says Shears. Unit count is 3.
Is this the same reviews as the pouch-only saw?
Yes. The star line, the rank line, and the UK review bodies match B0G39NPCYY. Do not add the counts.
Is the surface metal?
The surface field says Metal. The title is a wood and garden set. Treat Metal as a bad spec line.
This fixed pull saw is the dearest row in the set at £32.39, with 4.6 from 131 reviews and a score of 80. The title gives a 240 mm blade, a fluorine coat, a wooden handle, and a pull stroke at 7.5 mm tooth pitch. The spec line puts the weight at 331 g and the origin at Japan. The title says Saboten, while the brand, manufacturer, and part fields say forest Originals, model 2341, so the page does not agree with itself. The title promises a wooden sheath. Reviews mention a sheath that rattles, and the components line says only a hand pruning saw. Reviewers also say the blade can bend if it snags, and that the teeth are very sharp. It is the strongest fixed-blade score here, and the brand conflict plus a loose sheath keep it off both badges.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A fixed pull saw when you will read the brand on the carton before you trust the title
Less suitable: A buyer who needs the name on the box to match the title, or a sheath that stays quiet in a tool bag
Specifications
Common questions
Is the brand Saboten?
The title says Saboten and made in Japan. The brand, manufacturer, and part fields say forest Originals, model 2341.
Does a sheath come with it?
The title says a wooden sheath is included. The components field says only a hand pruning saw. Reviews mention a wooden sheath that rattles.
Which way does it cut?
The bullets describe a pull stroke. Reviewers also say the blade can bend if it snags, and that the teeth are very sharp.
The XCDMJ folder is £7.69 and 280 g, with 4.5 from 48 reviews and a score of 73. Bullets include the saw and two spare blades, and the unit count is 3, which is the reason to look at this row if you expect to replace a cheap blade rather than file it. A black button lock is described for the open blade, the handle is rubber, and there is no blade-length spec. The package is 24 x 6 x 3 cm, so you should not assume a 230 mm stroke. Reviews praise the spare blades and cuts on small branches, though one review calls the blade a bit flimsy. The power-source field says pneumatic on a hand saw, which you should ignore. It is a low-cost folder with spares, not a saw for a thick, awkward limb.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Light shrub work when you want spare blades in the same parcel and the cuts stay small
Less suitable: A job that needs a stated blade length, or anyone who reads the pneumatic cell as a powered tool
Specifications
Common questions
How many blades are in the box?
The bullets say one saw and two replacement blades. Unit count is 3.
Is it pneumatic?
The power-source field says pneumatic. The description is a manual folding saw with a black button lock. Use the description.
What do reviews say about the blade?
Reviews praise spare blades and small-branch cuts. One review calls the blade a bit flimsy.
The EZARC folder is the long one among the folders: a 266.7 mm blade, 7 TPI, a carry case, and 350 g, at £23.97. The star line is 4.3 from 29 reviews, and the saved file holds only three UK texts against that count, so most of the ratings are not visible here. Bullets claim a double lock that holds the blade open and folded, plus an extended handle of 292 mm, and one of those three texts says the lock did not activate. A bullet claims cuts to 178 mm, while the only diameter in the three texts is about 50 mm of oak, so 178 mm stays a claim. The colour field says green and one review describes a red handle. The score is 69. At this price you are paying for length and a case, and you should test the lock before you trust the folded blade in a pocket.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A long folding blade with a case, after you have checked that the lock catches
Less suitable: Carrying it folded on the strength of the listing alone, or treating 178 mm as a tested capacity
Specifications
Common questions
Does the lock hold when it is folded?
The bullets say a double lock holds it open and folded. One of the three UK review texts says the lock did not activate.
Will it cut 178 mm branches?
That figure is a bullet. The only diameter in the three review texts is about 50 mm of oak. Do not treat 178 mm as a test.
Is the handle red or green?
The colour field says green. One review describes a red handle. The saved listing has three texts against a count of 29.
The GRÜNTEK ORCA is a fixed curved saw with a 330 mm blade, listed at 346 g and £16.98, with 4.2 from 84 amazon.co.uk reviews. That is the longest blade in this set, so it is the row for a limb a 180 mm folder cannot finish while you are still standing on the ground. Bullets call the tooth a 7 TPI triple-cut in high-carbon steel, on a two-component soft grip. A rugged case is in the box, and UK reviews say the saw is not held in that case, which leaves the teeth exposed on the walk back to the shed. The listing also prints 4,500 RPM on a manual saw. Treat that cell as catalogue noise. At a score of 68 it is the lowest row here: the length is real, the sample is only moderate, and a case that does not retain the saw is a carry problem.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A ground-level limb that needs more blade than an 180 mm folder, if you cover the teeth with a sheath that actually holds
Less suitable: Carrying the saw in the supplied case, or treating the RPM cell as a motor
Specifications
Common questions
Does this saw fold?
No. It is a fixed curved blade. The listing includes a rugged case, and UK reviews say the saw is not secured in that case.
How long is the blade?
The spec line says 330 mm. The saw weighs 346 g.
Why does the listing mention 4500 RPM?
The power source is manual. Treat 4500 RPM and the 45 degree cutting angle as catalogue noise, not a motor.
Scores on this page start from the amazon.co.uk star rating on that listing, multiplied by 16 and rounded. A sample of at least 1,000 reviews adds 12 points, at least 100 adds 8, at least 30 adds 4, at least 10 adds none, and a count under 10 loses 8. A junk power field (RPM, watts or pneumatic on a hand saw) loses 3. A UK review block shared with another listing loses 6. A brand field that disagrees with the title loses 2. Ten hand pruning saws stayed in. Two mini chainsaws were removed. This is not a lab score. Magazine scores for other models are not rows here.
Amazon.co.uk star line and listing checks
100%The published score is the amazon.co.uk star rating multiplied by 16, then rounded, then the sample adjustment: plus 12 at 1,000 reviews or more, plus 8 at 100 or more, plus 4 at 30 or more, none at 10 or more, and minus 8 under 10. A junk power field loses 3. Shared UK review bodies lose 6. A brand field that disagrees with the title loses 2. That formula is the only weight. Blade length, lock, sheath and price stay in the written assessment. They are not rescaled into extra percentages. This is not a lab test.
Choose by the limb you can still reach from the ground, then by a lock or a sheath that actually holds, then by the tooth and the size of the review sample. Prices and the ten listings sit in the table. The rules below stay the same if the models change.
A pruning saw is a hand saw for green wood that secateurs and loppers will not finish cleanly. In a UK garden the usual choice is a short folding saw for tight shrubs, or a longer fixed blade for heavier limbs you can still reach from the ground. Folders in this kind of set are often about 180–270 mm. Fixed curved saws are often about 240–330 mm. A fixed blade is only as safe to carry as a sheath that keeps the teeth covered.
A flush cut and a long stub both leave a poor wound. Undercut, take the weight off the limb, and finish at the collar so the bark does not tear. If you cannot hold the limb, stop.
RPM, watts and pneumatic on a manual saw are catalogue noise. Ignore them. A 5.0 from four ratings is not a test, and two listings that share one review block are one sample, not two.
An English Tree Preservation Order prohibits topping or lopping without written consent. Other UK nations use their own systems. An active nest is protected whether or not the date falls between 1 March and 31 August. Owning the garden does not make every lop lawful.
Diameter and reach come first. Loppers still win on thin stems. One gardening guide puts everyday folders around 10–12.5 cm. Treat that as a rule of thumb, not a rating of these listings. If you cannot finish from the ground, a pole pruner or a tree surgeon is the next step. Folding blades in this kind of set are often about 180–270 mm. Fixed curved saws are often about 240–330 mm. Coarse teeth around 6–7 per inch clear sappy wood. A curve bites overhead and low.
A folder is safer to carry when the blade locks open and, ideally, closed. Test the lock before you trust it. A fixed blade is only as safe as a sheath that retains it. A case named in the box is not enough if reviews say the saw falls out. A spare blade matters on a cheap folder. Hardened teeth are a poor home-filing job. Then the sample. A 5.0 from a handful of ratings does not beat a 4.6 from a very large count.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a short folding saw for a shrub you can stand beside, with a pouch so the teeth are covered on the way back to the shed. The EZUVITA folder is listed at about £10.99, with 180 mm in the title, a curved TPR grip and a pouch. The 4.6 from 280 reviews is the same block as the three-piece set, so do not count it twice, and do not expect secateurs in this box.
You prune woody shrubs from the ground often enough that a large review sample matters more than a long blade. The GRÜNTEK folding saw is listed at about £15.98, with an 180 mm blade, a cork handle and 4.6 from 1,921 amazon.co.uk reviews. There is no pouch on the components line, and one review says the hinge screw loosened.
You want more blade than 180 mm and you are still working from the ground. The HAUTMEC folder is listed at about £16.99, with a 230 mm blade, 7 TPI and gullets, and 4.7 from 54 reviews. The spec weight is 370 g. A lock when the blade is closed is not claimed. A later shelf showed about £18.99, so the price can move.
The top pick is the GRÜNTEK folding 180 mm cork saw at about £15.98. The score is 83, from 4.6 and 1,921 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest sample in this set. The blade is short, there is no pouch on the components line, and one review says the hinge screw loosened. The best value is the HAUTMEC folding 230 mm at about £16.99, score 79 from 4.7 and 54 reviews: the highest score under £18 with at least 40 reviews, once the top pick is set aside. Quote the spec weight of 370 g. A lock when the blade is closed is not claimed. Neither result is a magazine award, and this is not a lab test.
HAUTMEC folding 230 mm
Score 79 from 4.7 and 54 reviews at about £16.99. Highest score under £18 with at least 40 reviews, excluding the top pick.
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.
Buying notes from the sources below, checked for this page on 22 October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk captures of that date.
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. The scores follow the listing rules above. They are not a lab test, and they do not promise the cheapest price.
