Off the Trail

Three Pruners Under $50, Tested for a Full Season

I bought three bypass pruners under $50 and used them hard for an entire New England growing season. No manufacturer sent these. I pruned everything from green stems to dead hardwood with each tool, sharpened them mid-season, and noted what failed. Here's which one I'd buy again, which one disappointed me by August, and what actually matters when you're choosing a pruner for real garden work.