Comparison GARDENA Comfort SmartCut 8798-20 vs Fiskars 115360

This tool in most cases is manual and mechanical, requiring physical impact. However, at the turn of 2021 and 2022, battery versions began to appear, simplifying work. Most of the tools below can be either mechanical or cordless. More details about them:

- Secateurs. A fairly simple and easy-to-use garden tool designed for cutting branches, small shoots on the crowns of trees, shrubs, harvesting grapes and solving other similar problems. Outwardly similar to scissors and can be used either with two hands or with one, depending on the design. Secateurs can have different lengths of handles and blades, as well as the configuration of the working part. The classic model consists of two blades - a support blade and a working blade. The first serves to securely fix the branch or shoot during work, as well as to prevent the branch from jumping to the side after cutting. To cut large branches with a size of 3-4 cm, the pruning shears are reinforced with long handles and a ratchet mechanism.

— Scissors. Garden shears already have two blades in the working area and are used for trimming thin branches, stems, grass, etc. They are characterized by straight blades and an extremely simple design. They may vary in the shape of the blades, the type of cutting edge, as well as the length and size of the handle. For example, scissors with a serrated or wavy edge are go...od because the branches and shoots being cut do not slide along the blade; these are often used for trimming climbing plants. And if you need to deal with particularly thick and durable shoots, then garden shears with a serrated blade are suitable for this task.

- Lopper. Garden tool for cutting branches and knots. As with pruning shears, the working area has a sharpened blade and a stop. But at the same time, the product is distinguished by long handles (usually from 30 cm to 90 cm) and allows you to work with vegetation located on the lower branches of the tree. The handles form a lever, so it is important to hold them with both hands. The tool is convenient for processing trees with a dense crown, cutting branches of thorny bushes, etc.

- Height cutter. A special type of garden tool, mainly intended for processing tree crowns or trimming fruit branches without the use of a ladder or stepladder. The product is distinguished by elongated telescopic handles - from 1 to 4 m, thanks to which the customer can work while standing on the ground. A special mechanism is built into the handle that allows you to control the decisive tool. Often, pole saws are equipped with saw blades.

— Vaccination. A tool for making special cuts necessary for scion and rootstock in the process of grafting trees. It is characterized by the presence of a figured knife, with which sLR cuts are made. Different types of grafting pruners can be equipped with blades of different configurations, and in universal models one working blade can easily be replaced by another. Different blade shapes are necessary to graft different types of trees. The advantages include the fact that with the help of this tool the process of grafting shoots is greatly simplified and accelerated. On the other hand, grafting pruners are only effective if the shoots are approximately the same size, otherwise you will have to use a knife.

— One-handed. Tools designed to be held in one hand while working. Thus, the second hand remains free, which is important in some situations — for example, when working at height, when you need to hold on to something just in case. Another advantage is portability: the tool is light and compact, many models can be easily carried in your pocket. The main drawback of the one-handed design is the relatively small force on the blades and, accordingly, the low efficiency when working with thick branches. Because of this, models with a maximum cutting diameter of more than 25 mm are extremely rare among such tools. The same applies to high cutters — for them, a two-handed layout is technically more convenient.

— Two-handed. Models designed to be held with two hands during operation. Usually, these are rather large instruments with long handles; the latter allows you to achieve high force on the blades and even cope with fairly thick branches without problems. The specific thickness limitation may, of course, vary; however, for example, all loppers are by definition two-handed. The disadvantages of this design are considered primarily bulky and rather significant weight, but they are offset by high efficiency. But a more critical point may be that during operation both hands of the user are busy: this, in particular, makes it difficult to work in an unstable position, especially at height.

The design of the drive used in the pole saw (see "Type").

The drive is a flexible or rigid rod that transfers force from the user's hands to the blades of the tool. At the same time, it is customary to separate such thrusts not by flexibility / rigidity, but by location, the options can be as follows:

— Internal. The drive located inside the handle (bar) of the pole saw. This design provides excellent protection for the mechanism of the tool: the likelihood of moving parts coming into contact with branches and other foreign objects is minimized. Pole saws with this type of drive are by definition equipped with rods (see below) and can be used out of the box, unlike outdoor models; however, the "native" bar cannot be removed and replaced with another, which can create inconvenience in some situations.

— Outdoor. Drive located outside the pole saw. To be more precise, most of these tools are bits with blades and a drive, which are not equipped with rods at all. This creates additional hassle in preparation for work. On the other hand, the user can choose the bar at his discretion and, if necessary, easily change it; and if necessary, even an ordinary wooden stick, like a mop handle, can play the role of a rod.

The largest diameter (thickness) of a branch that the tool can handle.

The larger the maximum cut diameter, the more powerful this model, the lower the likelihood that a certain branch will be too tough for the tool. At the same time, note that to ensure high power, long handles and strong blades are needed, which accordingly affects the dimensions, weight and price. Therefore, it is worth choosing according to this parameter with a certain margin, but at the same time, this margin should not be too large.

As for specific figures, a maximum diameter of 20 mm or less is considered relatively small, but it often turns out to be quite enough for simple work. 21 – 30 mm — the average value, 31 – 40 mm — above average, and in loppers the maximum thickness can exceed 40 mm.

The maximum height that the pole saw (see "Type") can reach while standing on the ground, without the use of ladders or other attachments.

This parameter is usually indicated by manufacturers according to the following principle: “the length of the rod plus the height of a person with arms raised” (usually 2–2.5 m is taken for a person’s height). When choosing according to cutting heights, note that more “long-range” tools are usually heavier, bulkier and more expensive than relatively short counterparts. So the headroom does not hurt, but it should not be too large.

It is also worth noting that the cutting height is indicated relatively rarely — mainly in the largest and longest tools, where this figure is 3 m or more. In shorter models, the range can be derived using the already mentioned formula "length plus height of the user with arms raised."

The ability to block the blades while the tool is not in use. Blade locking can be carried out in different ways, but the principle of its operation in all cases is the same: a special mechanism holds the blades in place, preventing them from opening and preventing unwanted contact of the cutting edges with surrounding objects. This provides additional security during storage and transportation.

The presence of a removable blade(blades) in the design of the tool. This feature provides additional convenience and savings. First, the blade is usually more convenient to sharpen and clean by removing it from the tool; secondly, a damaged blade can be replaced with a new one purchased separately — this is cheaper than purchasing a whole new tool.

The ability to adjust the blades of the tool. The specific meaning of this option in different models may be different, it should be clarified separately. So, in some cases we are talking about adjusting the distance between the blades, in others — about the angle of the blades relative to the handles, etc. However, anyway, this feature provides additional options for setting the tool for different situations.

The presence of a ratchet mechanism in the tool — a device known colloquially as a "ratchet". The principle of operation of such a mechanism is as follows: the blades of the tool can move in compression, but the reverse movement (in opening) is blocked by a gear wheel with a stop dog. This makes it easier to cut thick hard branches: the cut can be carried out in several stages, at each of them pressing the blades a few millimetres and not being afraid that they will move back. This way of working will be especially appreciated by users who do not have great hand strength. And in order to open the blades after cutting, you need to either unclench the handles with force, or vice versa, squeeze them all the way.