Bachelor on the Cheap

Inexpensive, with quality

By Mike Thayer

If you're looking for an inexpensive hand pruner to handle all the light pruning needed in the garden, the Expert Gardener Soft Grip Adjustable Pruner is it!

It's light, nicely balanced, the grip is very comfortable and it can cut up to 3/4" branches/stems with ease.

I purchased this pair today at Walmart, it was the cheapest pruner on the shelf, with other pruner options going all the way up to $23.75.  I looked at them all and while I usually buy something in the mid-range of price, I went with the least expensive pruner having bought Expert Gardener products before.  And in researching Expert Gardener, this is Walmart's private label, made by Scott's Miracle-Gro.

The all important blade is high quality forged steel and made clean cuts of the barberry bush I trimmed up this afternoon.  It's an anvil blade, to mean it's got one blade and a solid base, ideal for trimming away dead branches.  When it becomes necessary to sharpen the blade down the road, it will be easy to do so thanks to the adjustable feature.  The grips are high density plastic and non-slip and call it a stress test, I intentionally dropped them on my concrete driveway, no issues, no cracking, not a scratch.  I also like the high visibility yellow, which is easy to see and locate the pruner should I set it down someplace and get distracted.  No, I don't have a pruner holster, I'm not that guy...

Costing me $7.88 at Walmart, I'm giving the Expert Gardener Soft Grip Adjustable Pruner 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars out of the gate, time will tell how durable these are, but all indicators are that these pruners will last quite awhile with proper use and care.

Trimming up dead branches to ensure bush health