Best electric secateurs for smoother snipping with in-house expert advice

Of all the electric secateurs we're featuring, these most resemble traditional versions with a handle that you squeeze together to make the cut, rather than use a trigger. This makes these attractive to anyone wary of making the transition to a full-on power tool.

What these secateurs offer is Bosch's Power Assisted technology that jumps in to close the handles and provide extra power when needed, making cutting branches of up to 25mm a lot easier than applying pressure by hand. These have stainless steel blades that work using an effective bypass action.

These cordless secateurs charge up via the supplied micro-USB cable and can offer you up to 450 cuts per full charge of the 3.6 volt integrated battery.

If you're looking for a complete electric secateurs bundle, then Nuzeky has you covered. A more affordable option than buying big brand bare tools and batteries separately, this set gives you the pruner, a charger, two lithium batteries, a handy storage box to keep them all in, and even throws in a pair of gardening gloves.

The blades of these secateurs are made from sharp and durable SK5 high carbon steel and work in a bypass action to enable cuts on branches of up to 30mm in diameter. The batteries need charging for six hours before use, so do plan for that, but when charged can keep going for up to 10 hours.

For safety reasons these secateurs require a double press to operate to avoid accidental activation, then pressing and holding the trigger for five seconds closes the blades for safe storage.

These Ryobi electric secateurs are part of the manufacturer's 18V ONE+ system in which one battery works with over 100 tools across DIY, garden, automotive and even crafting. this is sold as a bare tool which makes it a money-saving option for anyone that already owns a ONE+ battery.

These boast extra-sharp Japanese SK5 bypass blades that can tackle garden growth of up to 25mm. You operate these with a trigger action, great for reducing hand fatigue. From a fully charged battery, you can expect to be able to make around 1,500 cuts.

We've rated these Ryobi secateurs as great for safety as they deactivate after just four seconds of not being used. This timing is robust, although some reviewers comment it can be a bit annoying to keep unlocking them.

These VonHaus electric secateurs are another option with an integrated battery, so once charged, you have everything you need to get pruning right out of the box. The battery takes around three hours to charge and is then good for up to 800 cuts.

These offer one-handed trigger operation with a two-stage safety button to avoid accidental activation. The bypass blades are made of steel and can cut anything with a diameter of up to 25mm.

With a heft of 920 grams, these aren't the most lightweight secateurs we're featuring, but the ergonomically-shaped handle and what reviewers describe as a well-balanced design means they are comfortable to use for the average pruning task.

If the reason you're looking for a pair of electric secateurs is because you want to avoid hand strain, you need to look for a tool with an ergonomic handle. These DeWalt battery-compatible secateurs offer just that with a specially-shaped handle that has rubberised ridges to make for a non-slip grip.

The blades are crafted from Japanese SK5 high carbon steel and Fordwalt bundles in a spare blade, as well as the tools you need to replace the existing blade.

While these cut to the standard diameter of up to 25mm branches, it does it incredibly effectively thanks to the powerful 26,000RPM brushless motor. These go into sleep mode after 60 seconds of inactivity and completely power off after 15 minutes.

If you've bought into the Worx PowerShare battery system, these cordless pruning shears should appeal as they are sold as a bare tool. If you want to begin your PowerShare journey, these secateurs are also available sold with the charger and a single battery.

Powered by a brushless motor, these secateurs offer something unique to this list - the ability to adjust the cutting width of the titanium-coated, SK5 carbon steel blades. By holding the trigger for two seconds you can change the cutting width between 25mm to 15mm to suit the task at hand.

Elsewhere, you get up to 2,800 cuts per charge, a soft-grip handle, and a double switch activation system for safety - all in a relatively lightweight package.

If running out of charge halfway through a job is a particular bugbear for you, consider this high-end option from Kebtek. After a three-hour charge, these can carry on working for up to eight hours, offering an impressive 3,000 cuts.

These have a brushless motor and those all-important Japanese SK5 carbon steel blades that can cut through materials measuring up to 25mm in width.

Weighing at at 880 grams, these are a manageable option and the design of the battery means these have less of a 'heel' than alternatives making them more manoeuvrable in tight spaces.