Tree Pruning Tool Guide — What Works and When to Call a Pro

A tree pruning tool is any hand tool or powered saw used to cut branches from a tree. The main types are hand pruners for small branches, loppers for medium branches, pruning saws for anything over 2 inches, and pole saws for high branches you cannot reach from the ground. Most homeowners need one or two of these, not all four. The tool matters less than knowing when and where to cut. I have been pruning trees across Billerica and the surrounding 17 towns since 1995, and the most common problem I see is not the wrong tool. It is the wrong cut. Here is what each tree pruning tool does, what it costs, and when you should put it down and call someone who does this for a living.

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I am Keith McDonald. I founded McDonald Tree Service in 1995 in Billerica, and I have been pruning trees across Billerica and the rest of Middlesex County ever since. Most of the calls I get for pruning start with a homeowner who bought the right tool and made the wrong cut. The tree survived, but it would have done better if they had called first.

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The four tree pruning tools every homeowner should know

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You do not need all four. But you should know what each one does so you can decide which ones make sense for your yard.

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Hand pruners (bypass and anvil)

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Hand pruners cut branches up to three-quarters of an inch thick. They fit in one hand and are the most-used tree pruning tool for routine maintenance. There are two types: bypass pruners, which work like scissors and make a clean cut on live wood, and anvil pruners, which crush the blade against a flat surface and are better for dead wood. For most homeowners, buy bypass pruners. They work on both live and dead wood. A good pair costs $20 to $60.

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Loppers

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Loppers are hand pruners with long handles. They cut branches up to 2 inches thick and give you more reach and cutting power than hand pruners. They also come in bypass and anvil styles. Bypass loppers are the standard choice. A decent pair runs $30 to $80. Anything cheaper will have play in the joint that makes precise cuts difficult.

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Pruning saws

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For branches over 2 inches thick, you need a pruning saw. These have curved blades with teeth designed to cut on the pull stroke, which gives you more control than a hardware-store hand saw. Prices range from $25 to $60. A folding pruning saw fits in a tool belt and handles most residential pruning up to about 6 inches. For bigger cuts, a fixed-blade saw with a 16-inch blade is the better tree pruning tool.

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Pole saws

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A pole saw puts a pruning saw blade on the end of a long pole so you can reach branches up to 16 feet high without a ladder. Manual pole saws cost $40 to $80. Electric ones run $80 to $200. Gas-powered pole saws cost $200 to $300 and handle thicker branches. If you have mature trees and want to handle routine pruning yourself, a pole saw is the single most useful tree pruning tool you can buy.

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Hedge shears

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Hedge shears are for shaping hedges and shrubs, not for pruning trees. They cut thin, new growth and crush anything over a quarter inch. If you are reaching for hedge shears to prune a tree, put them down and grab bypass hand pruners instead.

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Tool maintenance matters more than you think

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A dull blade crushes bark instead of cutting it cleanly. A crushed cut takes longer to heal and is more likely to let in disease and decay. Sharpen your hand pruners and loppers every few hours of use, or once a season if you only prune occasionally. A diamond file or whetstone works for bypass blades. A flat file works for anvil blades. Pruning saws are harder to sharpen at home; most people replace the blade when it starts binding instead of cutting.

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Forget the tool for a second. The question is whether you should be using one at all.

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Tree pruning injuries send over 100,000 people to the emergency room every year in the United States, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Ladders are the number-one cause. Chainsaws are number two. The right tree pruning tool in the wrong hands is still the wrong tool.

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What I tell every homeowner who asks whether they should prune their own trees:

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DIY pruning makes sense when:

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• The branch is dead and under three-quarters of an inch thick
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• You can reach it from solid ground with both feet planted
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• The branch is not over a structure, a walkway, or a power line
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• You know where to make the cut (just outside the branch collar, not flush with the trunk)
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Call a professional when:

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• You need a ladder to reach the branch
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• The branch is near a power line
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• The branch is over 3 inches in diameter
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• You are not sure if the tree is healthy or hazardous
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• The tree is in a tight space near structures
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An ISA-certified arborist makes the right cut every time. The right cut is what matters. A bad cut on a healthy tree is worse than no cut at all, because it opens a wound that takes years to close. If you are not sure, call us. We will tell you honestly whether you need a pro or whether your hand pruners are enough.

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Massachusetts-specific pruning considerations

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In Massachusetts, timing matters more than in warmer states. Late winter (February to early April) is the best window for most species because the tree is dormant and the branching structure is visible without leaves. Dead wood can be removed any time of year. Avoid heavy pruning in late spring when the tree is pushing new growth, and avoid fall pruning when fungal spore release is highest.

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Several of our 18 service towns have permit requirements for street trees or trees over a certain diameter. If your tree is within 100 feet of a wetland, the local Conservation Commission may need to sign off before any work starts. We pull the permits. Do not take a crew's word that you do not need one. Verify with the town.

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What tree pruning tools cost

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What you will spend on each tree pruning tool if you buy quality gear:

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• Hand pruners (bypass): $20 to $60
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• Loppers (bypass): $30 to $80
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• Pruning saw (folding): $25 to $60
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• Pole saw (manual): $40 to $80
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• Pole saw (electric): $80 to $200
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• Pole saw (gas): $200 to $300
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Compare that to professional pruning: $200 to $500 for a small tree, $400 to $800 for a medium tree, $800 to $1,500 for a large tree. Those prices include all cuts, cleanup, and hauling. If you are buying $100 to $300 in tools to prune one or two trees a year, the math favors doing it yourself. If you have mature trees that need real structural pruning every few years, the math favors a professional.

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When not to hire us

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I have been in this business since 1995, and I will tell you the same thing I tell every homeowner: if your tree just needs a few dead branches cut out and you can reach them from the ground, buy a pair of bypass hand pruners and save your money. We do not need to come out for that. If the tree needs real structural pruning, if there are dead limbs over the house, or if you are not sure whether the tree is healthy, call us. We will give you an honest answer. Sometimes that answer is "your tree is fine." Sometimes it is "we need to take it down." Either way, you will know.

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If you are not sure whether your tree needs professional pruning or just a pair of hand pruners, give us a call at (978) 375-2272. We have opinions. Some of them are even useful.