Felco 2 Pruning Shears

Why it works as a gift

Pruners are among the tools a gardener reaches for most, and a worn pair is often replaced with whatever the hardware store has on the shelf. The Felco 2 is a different kind of purchase: Felco builds it so the blade, springs and shock absorbers can be replaced, and the forged aluminum handles carry a lifetime warranty. That makes it a gift that can stay in someone's garden for decades rather than one more thing that goes dull and gets thrown out.

The details are practical rather than decorative. It is a bypass pruner, the scissor-like cut used for live branches, with a hardened steel blade that Felco says cuts cleanly up to 25 mm, about an inch. It has a micro-metric adjustment for the cutting head and cushioned shock absorbers to ease the jolt at the end of each cut. It is 215 mm (about 8.5 inches) long and weighs about 251 g, and it is made in Switzerland.

Against a cheaper pair of pruners, the reason to spend more is repairability, not a fancier look. Felco lists the 2 as a right-handed tool for large hands, so it is worth a quick look at the gardener's hands, and which hand they cut with, before buying this one.

Who it’s for

• A parent or grandparent who keeps roses, fruit trees or a big perennial border and still uses worn-out pruners
• A new homeowner taking on a garden with shrubs and hedges for the first time
• A friend who volunteers at a community garden and prunes every season
• A retiree who has more time for the garden and wants tools that last

Skip it if

• The gardener is left-handed; Felco lists this model as right-handed
• They have small hands; Felco lists it as a large-hand model
• They already own Felco pruners; replacement blades and springs keep those going
• Their garden is mostly pots and herbs; a lighter snip would be more useful

Giving it

• Check which hand they prune with and how large their hands are before ordering
• This listing is sold by Amazon.com; Felco lists a lifetime warranty on the handles and a 24-month warranty against defects on manual tools
• Pair it with a pair of good gardening gloves for a gift that's ready for spring
• Felco sells replacement blades and springs, so the gift can be kept going for years

The facts

Cut

Bypass; branches up to 25 mm (about 1 in)

Materials

Forged aluminum handles; hardened steel blade

Fit

Right-handed; large hand size

Size and weight

215 mm (about 8.5 in) long; about 251 g

Features

Micro-metric cutting-head adjustment; cushioned shock absorbers; replaceable blade, springs and shock absorbers

Warranty

Lifetime on the forged aluminum handles; 24 months against material and manufacturing defects

Made in

Switzerland

Sold by (this listing)

Amazon.com

Consider instead

• Leatherman Wave+ 18-in-1 Multi-Tool — A long-warranty tool for someone who fixes things beyond the garden
• Graphic Image Small Leather-Bound Journal — A smaller gift for a gardener who keeps notes on what they planted and when