Choosing the right Felco pruning shears

Right felco pruning — a short introduction to this piece.

Right felco pruning: Quick Notes

A red-handled pair of pruners is an instant signal of quality in the gardening world. Felco pruners are known for exceptional quality and longevity. And fortunately, there are different models tailored for hand size and gardening needs.

FELCO categorizes its pruners by hand size. Small fits hand lengths under 7 inches, medium is best for hands that are between 7 and 8 inches, and large is for hands that are about 8 inches long or longer. While the smaller models can generally be used in both the right and left hand, there are specialized left-handed models for larger-sized hands.

Here are the most popular choices for at-home:

All Felco pruners share some key benefits: superb build quality, clean cutting performance, and exceptional durability. They might cost a bit more upfront than hardware-store pruners, but they last for years (even decades) and have replaceable parts, making them a sustainable choice in the long run.

The Felco 2 Pruning Shear is Felco’s flagship model. It’s a full-size, right-handed bypass pruner designed for gardeners with larger hands (8″ long or more). The Felco 2 is often called the “classic” Felco pruner, trusted by professionals and home gardeners alike since 1948. If you have medium to large hands and want one do-it-all pruner, the Felco 2 is a good place to start. If you like the sound of the Felco 2 but are left-handed, go for the Felco 9 (for larger-sized left hands) instead.

The bypass blade design can cut branches up to ~1 inch (25 mm) in diameter. That covers most pruning needs in a home garden, from delicate flower stems to woody shrub branches. It features contoured finger grips and a cushioned shock absorber between the handles to reduce hand and wrist strain. The tool feels balanced and secure in the hand .

Felco 2 is ideal for home gardeners who want a reliable, full-size, everyday pruner. The Felco 2’s handle span and grip are optimized for larger hands, so if your hands are on the smaller side you might find it a bit bulky. Gardeners with small hands may prefer Felco 6 or 14 instead (read on below).

The Felco 6 Pruning Shear is essentially a scaled-down classic Felco 2 pruner, offering the same high-quality construction in a smaller, lighter package. It’s rated for medium hand sizes by Felco, but in practice, many gardeners with small to medium hands find the Felco 6 fits them perfectly. And if you are left-handed, there is a similar compact option just for you: the Felco 16 (for medium-sized left hands).

I use my F6 pruners daily. My hands are under 7″ long, but the Felco 6’s are just fine even though they are rated for medium-sized hands. I find the F6 just as sturdy as the larger Felco models, its just easier for a person with smaller hands to maneuver. If you’ve ever felt that standard pruners were slightly too large or tiring for extended use, the Felco 6 could be the answer.

The Felco 6 has a slightly smaller cutting blade than standard pruning shears, rated for up to 0.8 inch (20 mm) diameter cuts. In practical terms, this still covers most routine pruning of shrubs, flowers, and vegetable plants in a home garden. It will slice cleanly through rose stems, apple tree suckers, woody perennials, and even grape vines. Its also the choice of many florists for flower cutting.

One advantage of the Felco 6’s compact size is improved maneuverability in tight spaces. If you’re pruning densely branched shrubs, reaching into a rose bush, cutting off raspberry canes, or deadheading in a crowded flower bed, a smaller tool can often get in among stems more easily. The Felco 6’s shorter blades and slim profile provide outstanding reach and precision in such situations. It feels agile.

The Felco 6 is an excellent choice for home gardeners with small to medium hands, or anyone who finds larger pruners cumbersome. If you’ve tried a full-size pruner and experienced hand strain, or if you simply prefer a lighter tool for quick snipping tasks, the Felco 6 will likely become your go-to.

The Felco 14 Pruning Shear is the most compact and lightweight model in Felco’s lineup of pruners. It’s significantly smaller than the Felco 2 and a bit smaller than the Felco 6.

Don’t underestimate it, though. Felco 14 is engineered to pack a punch. It combines exceptional ergonomics and high-grade materials, delivering impressive cutting power for its size. Its handles are scaled for small hands, meaning a shorter reach across the open handles and a slimmer grip circumference. This allows gardeners with little hands or shorter fingers to fully wrap their hand around the grip and exert maximum force.

This model is all about maneuverability, ease of use, and enabling gardeners with smaller or weaker hands to prune effectively. If other pruners have felt unwieldy or heavy to you, the Felco 14 might be a refreshing change. Even gardeners with larger hands sometimes appreciate this model for quick snips, as it can be palmed easily. The compact size also means it fits in a pocket or holster without bulk, making it convenient to carry around the yard.

Felco 14 is rated to cut up to 0.7 inch (18 mm) diameter branches . This is a slightly lower capacity than the Felco 6, reflecting its smaller leverage and blade. Still, it slices effortlessly through many stems around the yard.

Overall, the Felco 14 is extremely easy to handle, even for gardeners who may have less hand strength or mobility (for example, older gardeners or those with arthritis). The light spring tension and smooth action mean you don’t need a vise-like grip to use them effectively. It also works well in either hand.

And while it’s smaller, it’s not a “cheap” or flimsy tool. It’s simply a scaled-down Swiss-quality pruner. Many gardeners will find that the Felco 14’s smaller design actually maximizes their cutting efficiency because they can grip it perfectly and utilize its full power on each cut.

The Felco 8 Pruning Shear is often considered the ergonomic evolution of the Felco 2. It’s a large-hand (L) pruner for right-handers like the Felco 2, with a similar 1-inch cutting capacity, but it incorporates a more angled, ergonomic handle design aimed at comfort during intensive use.

Felco 8 takes the solid build and performance Felco is known for and optimizes it for all-day pruning tasks and heavy use. It has an angled cutting head that naturally aligns with your forearm, reducing wrist bend and fatigue. Many landscaping professionals or serious gardeners choose Felco 8 for its blend of toughness and comfort. If you have a lot of pruning to do (say, a yard full of trees, vines, or hedges) and your hands are medium-to-large, the Felco 8 could be your best friend.

For ordinary pruning (quarter-inch to half-inch stems), it slices like butter. The tool’s slightly elongated design even gives a bit of extra reach into the plant canopy, which is useful for targeting stems precisely without needing to contort your hand. Whether you’re deadheading wilted blooms or cutting out a stubborn woody stem, the Felco 8 delivers clean, efficient cuts.

Everything about the Felco 8’s design is aimed at comfortable, efficient use. Beyond the angled head, it has the same cushioned shock absorbers as other Felcos to dampen the jolt when the cut completes. The handle shape is optimized to maximize the force you can apply while still feeling comfortable in the palm. Felco’s goal with the ergonomic line was to create pruners “for power users” that would be good for all-day use.

The Felco 8 model is often recommended to landscapers and avid gardeners who might make hundreds of cuts in a day. If your hands are small, the Felco 8’s larger handle span will be a disadvantage. In that case, a Felco 6 would be better for you. But for those who fit the hand size, you get the same cutting power as the classic Felco 2, with a design that helps stave off blisters and fatigue during prolonged use.

Right felco pruning appears here to highlight key ideas for readers.