Your mower reaps the lion's share of your lawncare regime but if you're really going for grassy perfection then no amount of automation and power can replace the care and precision you can deploy with a trusty hand tool.
So whether it's giving the finishing touches to your lawn edges or tidying up all those loose strands around the bases of trees that your mower blithely ignores, you need a pair of trusty shears that let you go where your mower can't.
There's something for every purpose, from adjustable 'long-range' options to save your back, through to clever, rotate-able 'scissor heads' that let you single-handedly snip away to perfection.
Here's our pick of what's out there.
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Spear and Jackson Razorsharp Lawn Shears
With their angle head – which lies flat with the surface of your lawn while you remain upright – these Spear and Jackson Razorsharp Lawn Shears are just the job for catching loose blades of grass and tidying up around your delicate beds and edges.
And coming from the famous Spear and Jackon brand you can be sure they'll get the job done and last and last. They've got C50 carbon steel blades which are hardened and tempered for durability and they're PTFE coated blades for rust resistance and smooth cutting.
And with a generous 230mm blade length that's means more grass cut per snip.
C.K Carl Kammerling G5057 Legend Adjustable Lawn Edging Shears
Tired of adapting to your garden tools rather than the other way round? These remarkable shears from Carl Kammerling come truly tailor made as they're actually adjustable in height to 7 positions ranging from 64 cm to 105 cm.
No more reaching. No more stooping. Simply set for your height and have the perfect posture and cut that'll keep you working better and for longer.
Lawn edging shears feature their blades turned vertically rather than horizontally to give you a sharp defined 'scissored' edge from a comfortable standing position.
They're super lightweight with drop-forged, hardened blades with armour chrome plating for strength and durability. Finally there's such luxuries as fully adjustable blade tension – so you can set how stiff or loose you want them to feel – with a simple dial setting mechanism.
EasyKut Grass Shears
Another smart take on the humble lawn shear. Rather than feature long handles which – due to their length – requiring an exaggerated (and ultimately exhausting) two-handed cutting action, these EasyKuts require just a simple squeeze of its 'trigger' to produce a scissor action.
They've even got wheels on the base so you can rest them on the ground as you work and don't have to bear their weight. They're therefore and absolute labour-saving must for trimming lawn edges, border areas & bushes.
And that cutting head can be rotated 180° to they're perfect for flat horizontal trimming and vertical edging jobs too.
Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Steel Telescopic Lawn Shears
Take your pick – these S&J Razorsharps come in both grey or blue.
Like the Carl Kammerling option above these lawn shears are similarly telescopic but feature a flat head with handles that can extend right the way to 1140mm. This means they're not only ideal for lawns but – at a push – could be deployed for long-range hard-to-reach bush trimming and maintenance.
They feature tubular steel handles for strength and durability, hollow ground C50 carbon steel blades for a precise cut and lasting sharpness and even come with a sharpener and cleaning sponge and lubricating/anti-corrosion oil which are cleverly stored inside the handle.
Burgon & Ball GTO/EDGE RHS Lawn Edging Shear
Burgon and Ball are famous for their no-nonsense, high-quality garden tools having been in the business for 280 years, and their generous offer of a five year guarantee.
Their take on the lawn edging shear have hardened and tempered high-carbon steel blades for maximum edge retention, and also chrome coated for rust resistance.
And with blades 24cm long they're a great combo for super-light-weight, manoeuvrability and maximum grass cut per snip. And – of course – like the full range of current B&B tools, they come RHS endorsed.
GARDENA Classic Grass Shears, rotatable, mechanical straight-ground lawn-edging shears
Taking a slightly more hi-tech approach these typically trendy Gardena snips exhibit all their usual quality and design perfection in a hard-wearing tool that's as clever as it is useful.
Operated with a simple squeeze of the handle – allowing single-handed operation – your hand's movements are geared into a full scissor snip at the business end. Get up close and personal with every blade and snip away with mm accuracy.
Remarkably the blade isn't just 180 degree flipable, it rotates the full 360 so you can set them at the perfect angle for any job whether your right or left handed. Genius.
Okatsune 217 Shears
Clever rotating heads aside, for more delicate work, a classic set of manual shears is an essential tool for most gardeners.
Japanese brand Okatsune does a wide range of shearing tools, and the 217 is a perfect choice for lawn perfection, pruning and topiary. Everything from the yasugi (traditional Japanese steel) blades to the shock-absorbing oak handles short craft and quality; we’re confident these will serve you reliably for many long years.
Wilkinson Sword Unknown 1111220W Single Hand Grass Shear
Another up-close snipper and another with a clever 'squeeze to snip' action and rotating head.
Wilkinson Sword are of course famous for their razor-sharp blades and these hand grass shears in black are no exception to their reputation.
Their blades can be rotated to six different positions meaning you can always attack your subject from the fastest and most comfortable angle with the 15cm blades giving you the fine accuracy for real precision cutting.