Fiskars 28" Loppers for Tree Trimming, Heavy Duty, Rust-Resistant Sharp Bypass Steel Blade Loppers, Branch Cutter up to 1.5" Diameter Cut Capacity, Shock-Absorbing Handle, Garden Tools

I put these Fiskars loppers to work across a full season of pruning—spring cleanups, mid-summer shape-ups, and fall cutbacks—and they earned a permanent spot on my garden hook. At 28 inches, they strike a smart balance: long enough to give useful leverage and reach into shrubs, short enough to stay nimble around perennials and tight beds. If your yard work lives mostly in the 1/2- to 1-inch branch range with the occasional 1.25-inch challenge, this tool hits a sweet spot.

Build and ergonomics

The design is straightforward: bypass steel blades with a low-friction, rust-resistant coating and cushioned, non-slip grips on the handles. The head is compact, which helps with sightlines as you place a cut; there’s not a lot of bulk blocking your view. The handles are rigid without feeling heavy, and the balance point sits comfortably near the head, so it doesn’t feel nose-heavy when you’re reaching.

What stood out most is the grip and shock absorption. The grips are genuinely tacky without being squishy, so I could work in light rain and still maintain control. The bumpers at the throat do their job at the end of a cut; there’s less of that jarring feedback in the wrists when the blades close, which matters during long pruning sessions.

Cutting performance

Bypass loppers are the right choice for live wood, and these deliver clean cuts when used in their lane. On green stems—think lilac suckers, rose canes, butterfly bush, and fruit tree water sprouts—up to about an inch, I got one-and-done cuts with minimal effort. The blade geometry draws material into the cut, and the low-friction coating helps the branch release instead of binding.

At the upper end of the stated 1.5-inch capacity, results depend on wood species and condition. Fresh, straight-grained material around 1.25 inches is doable with a firm two-handed squeeze and good body positioning. At a full 1.5 inches, you need ideal circumstances—green wood, clean access, and a steady squeeze rather than choppy pressure. For seasoned hardwood or knotty pieces near that size, I reached for a pruning saw or a geared lopper. That’s not a knock; it’s the realistic edge of a 28-inch, non-geared bypass design.

On deadwood, these loppers handled smaller, dry twigs cleanly, but as with most bypass tools, very hard, desiccated branches are not their favorite. If dead, dense material is your primary workload, an anvil-style lopper will keep you happier.

Blade coating and sap management

The low-friction coating makes a noticeable difference in sticky scenarios. Cutting sappy shrubs and vines—oleander, honeysuckle, even the occasional pine tip—left far less residue than uncoated steel. When buildup did occur, it wiped off easily with a rag and a little mineral spirits. I made a habit of cleaning the blades at the end of each session and adding a drop of oil at the pivot; the action stayed smooth and free.

After months of use, the cutting edge still looked crisp. Any hand lopper will eventually appreciate a touch-up; a few passes with a fine file along the beveled edge restored a keen bite. The coating will scuff over time (especially if you nick soil or wire), but I didn’t see any flaking or rust.

Control and reach

The 28-inch length is a versatile middle ground. I could reach into the center of medium shrubs without crawling in, and the shorter handle length compared to 32–36 inch models made it easier to maneuver around fencing and trellis work. The narrower throw also meant less shoulder fatigue during repetitive cuts.

Power-wise, physics is physics—longer handles yield more leverage. If your regular pruning involves dense, mature branches near 1.5 inches, consider a longer or geared lopper. For mixed ornamental maintenance, brambles, and general shaping, this length keeps fatigue down and productivity up.

Comfort over time

Hand and wrist comfort matters if you’re pruning for an hour or more. Between the smooth hinge action, cushioned stops, and grippy handles, I felt less strain than I usually do with generic loppers. The tool is light for its size, which helps when you’re making overhead cuts or working at arm’s length. I liked that I could set the head exactly where I wanted without fighting the tool’s weight.

Durability and maintenance

The steel blades held their edge through regular use, and the pivot stayed tight without developing wobble. I tightened the central bolt once early on and it didn’t loosen again. The coating resisted surface rust after a couple of damp sessions where I didn’t get to cleaning right away—still, it pays to wipe the blades and store the tool dry.

A few care tips that helped:
- Keep a rag and a bit of oil handy; a quick wipe prevents sap from hardening.
- Avoid twisting mid-cut; that’s how blades and pivots get stressed.
- Go for clean, decisive squeezes rather than short pumps, which can bruise the bark.
- Touch up the cutting edge periodically with a fine file, maintaining the factory bevel.

Fiskars backs these with a lifetime warranty. I didn’t need it, but it’s reassuring for a tool that will likely live in your hands for years.

Where it fits in a kit

This lopper pairs well with a good set of bypass hand pruners and a compact pruning saw. I used the pruners for anything pencil-thick or smaller, these loppers for finger to thumb-thick cuts, and the saw for anything beyond about 1.25 inches in hardwood. If you’re tackling thick hedges or orchard work, a geared or ratcheting lopper may save effort, but you’ll sacrifice some speed and agility.

Limitations

• Near the 1.5-inch mark, hard or knotty wood can exceed the practical limits of this design.
• Bypass blades aren’t the best for very dry, brittle branches.
• The shorter handle length favors control over maximum leverage; power users may want a 32–36 inch model for heavy wood.

None of these are surprises; they’re the natural trade-offs of a lightweight, mid-length bypass lopper.

The bottom line

Across a season’s worth of trimming shrubs, cutting back vigorous growers, and neatening small trees, these Fiskars loppers performed consistently and comfortably. They make quick, clean cuts in the sizes most home gardeners encounter, the grips and bumpers reduce fatigue, and the coated blades handle sap without gumming up. They’re light, reliable, and simple to maintain.

Recommendation: I recommend these loppers for home gardeners and property owners who need a capable, comfortable tool for routine pruning up to about an inch, with occasional forays into the 1–1.25 inch range. They’re especially well-suited if you value light weight and control over raw power. If your workload regularly pushes past 1.25 inches in hard wood, pair them with a pruning saw or step up to a longer or geared lopper. For the bulk of everyday pruning, though, this is the tool I reach for first.