Manual secateurs have been in existence since the invention in the 1800s’.
Secateurs are important tools for gardening activities especially for trimming and cutting plants as well as shaping edges and garden arrangement.
Electric secateurs are an improvement on the manual secateurs and aim to improve the workings of the gardener.
The major catch of the electric type is its efficiency, speed and comfortability. Electric secateurs are good and you should consider adding one to your tool shed.
If you are not familiar with electric secateurs, I’ll be discussing what they are, how electric secateurs work, their advantages and disadvantages and things to watch out for when you want to buy one.
What Are Electric Secateurs?
Electric secateurs are secateurs for pruning shears that are powered by lithium batteries and are designed to make pruning activities faster than the manual secateurs.
Where the manual secateurs are designed to have a two handed grip, the electric secateurs work with one hand with a trigger to start the blades.
This innovation has definitely changed the world of pruning as gardeners are gradually moving from the manual to the electric secateurs.
The first electric secateurs prototype was designed by the Infaco company in France in 1984 and since then there have been great improvements on the different designs manufactured all around the world.
Over time, the designs have gotten less bulky and easier to use with a lot of innovations added all to make the pruning process easier.
How Do Electric Secateurs Work?
Electric secateurs are intended to perform the same functions as manual secateurs, but at a better and more accurate rate.
Just about all electric secateurs come with a power supply as well as a secateurs style with a one-handed grip.
Once the device battery is turned on, the electric secateur can make quick and clean cuts while the gardener is pruning.
Some electric secateurs have cords which connect the device battery to the operator.
However, there are regular improvements on the designs and cordless electric secateurs are becoming a regularity.
The whole point of the electric secateurs is to improve efficiency while pruning and also give the operator some comfortability.
The blades are designed to be strong and can snip through branches of different sizes.
Electric secateurs have different frequencies which you can switch, for example if you need to make small delicate snips on a thinner branch, you can place it on that frequency.
If you also need to work on thicker branches even as much as 25mm, you can adjust the frequency to your satisfaction.
Here is an article I wrote on anvil vs bypass secateurs?
Are Electric Secateurs Good?
They are, indeed. Manual secateurs might have a hard time competing with the specifications of electric secateurs especially in the areas of performance and ease of use as technology advances on the battery life power.
Electric secateurs are oftentimes more expensive than their manual counterparts, however they have outstanding features and capabilities that will make the process of pruning very easy.
It makes cutting easy as some designs can give from 450- 800 cuts in 30 minutes.
The blades have also been designed to be very strong, they are often made out of stainless steel blades.
The blades have also been designed such that sap doesn’t get stuck in between them while working and leads to corrosion in the long run.
It has a fashionable and versatile design that makes it easy to grip when working.
Due to technological innovations, electric secateurs now have lightweight versions with some weighing as low as 100g.
This enables the handler to be able to work with the secateurs for an extended period of time without tiring.
Electric secateurs also allow for a decent one-hand grip while pruning that does not put a strain on the operators’ hands.
This is beneficial to people suffering from joint conditions such as arthritis.
The major problem that has been encountered by people working with electric secateurs is the battery power life.
However, there are daily improvements on the battery technology and some can work for up to 6 hours and can charge fully in less than 2 hours.
Here is an article I wrote on the best pruning secateurs
What Are The Advantages Of Electric Secateurs?
- Higher Efficiency
Electric secateurs or pruning shears are 8-10about 10 times faster and more efficient than the manual types.
Their double-edged blade design is perfect for cutting, trimming hedges or tailoring your flower growth .
It is also as efficient for two-way trimming.
- Less Effort Put In
Unlike the manual secateurs where the operator has to use his energy for cutting, even with the thicker branches, the electric secateurs takes away the stress.
All the operator has to do is press the trigger switch and adjust the secateurs to his desired voltage.
The secateur would do all the work, with a faster number of trimmings done within a shorter period.
- Easy Switching To Different Modes
Electric secateurs are designed to easily switch from one mode to another. If you need to carry out a fine and delicate pruning task, you can do that with a flick of the switch.
You can as well switch back when you need to do heavy ratchet work on thick or prickly branches.
- Highly Durable
The electric secateurs operate smoothly and the entire system structure is designed to be simple.
It lasts longer than most manual secateurs and the cutting capacity and blade life are high.
Its’ maintenance is quite easy and simple as you can easily clean it and also get spare parts to replace old ones.
- Less Fatigue and Strain
Anyone who has used both the manual and electric secateurs can testify that they felt less strain on their hands after using the electric designs.
The design of the electric secateurs is geared towards comfortability and ensuring people who have joint condition do not get fagged out from pruning activities.
What Are The Disadvantages?
- Batteries Life
The battery life of the electric secateurs is one of the major problems of the design.
Some batteries have very low mah power and cannot last long enough for a gardener to satisfactorily complete all his pruning activities.
- Some Designs Can Be Really Bulky
Some electric secateurs have been designed to be lightweight, however most of the designs are still bulky and a bit heavy on the hands
- More Expensive
Electric secateurs are definitely more pricey than the manual secateurs and some gardeners have complained that the secateurs are not affordable enough for them.
- The Electric Cords Can Be A Nuisance While Working
Most electric secateurs have cords which connect the operators to the batteries.
This can be a big nuisance while they are working as the cords can get stuck in plants and tree branches as the gardener works.
Things To Note Before Buying An Electric Secateur?
When buying an electric secateur, there are some things you should have in mind and I’ll provide a short list. Take note of the following things:
- Quality
- Safety mechanism
- Cutting ability
- Battery capacity and size
- Easy maintenance
When looking to buy an electric secateurs, the first thing you should consider is the quality of the device.
A quality secateurs will last longer and save you a lot on costs of repairs and replacement. Quality electric secateurs will also ensure you complete your work 2x as fast.
Apart from the quality, the battery capacity is the next thing you should look into.
Purchase a secateurs that will enable you to work for a long time without the batteries running out. Some electric secateurs are good, but their batteries are not so strong.
The electric secateurs you choose should be easy to maintain.
Some electric secateur designs enable you to easily disassemble the parts of the secateur for cleaning before replacing them.
Other things on the list should also be taken into consideration. .
Which Is The Best Electric Secateur And Why?
There are a wide variety of electric secateurs on the market and with amazing designs and features.
According to Best Gardening Gifts Ideas, the best electric secateurs/pruning shears on the market is the Gardtech Electric Pruning Shears Lithium-Ion Cordless.
The product is durable and is lightweight at 2.48 pounds. The battery power life is about 6 – 7 hours, which gives a good range for gardening activities.
It can also cut branches as thick as 22 millimeters in size. It is a cordless design which means users do not have to work around the cord.
The design is ergonomic and comfortable. The only drawback of the design is that it cuts the branches a bit slowly.
However for a good enough and quality design, you should get this device for your pruning activities.
Conclusion
Electric secateurs are an innovation that were designed to make pruning activities easier and faster to carry out.
Over time, the designs have gotten better, stronger and lighter. As the technology advances, people are being worn over and they are competing well against the manual secateurs.
There are many advantages to using electric secateurs including speed, comfortability, easy maintenance, durability and the fact that there is less strain on the user.
Of course a major disadvantage of the electric secateurs is the battery life which on some devices is quite short and not enough to complete pruning work.
However, there are gradual improvements on the battery designs and with time, they might take over the market completely from the manual secateurs.
