Felco 2 Pruner Review: Worth the Price After 11 Years of Use

Eleven years ago I bought a pair of Felco 2 pruners at a specialist tool shop, winced at the price, and walked out wondering if I’d just been sold an expensive lesson in brand marketing.

I haven’t bought another pair of pruners since. That’s the review.

Build Quality: What Justifies the Cost

The Felco 2 is Swiss-made, and it shows. The high-carbon steel blade is noticeably stiffer than anything you’ll find in the hardware store’s seasonal display. After a season of heavy use on roses, ornamental grasses, and the overgrown quince hedge I inherited from the previous owners, it needed a sharpen — not a replacement.

The pivot mechanism is the part I expected to cause trouble. It hasn’t. The screw stays tight, the action stays smooth, and the spring returns consistently. My original spring lasted eight years. Replacement springs cost about four dollars.

Ergonomics: Good for Most Hands

The red-handled design is Felco’s classic, and it fits medium to large hands well. My hands run medium, and after two-hour pruning sessions, I notice less fatigue than with the cheap Fiskars pair I used before.

If you have small hands, Felco makes a smaller version (the Model 6 or Model 7) that might suit better. The Felco 2 isn’t uncomfortable for smaller hands, but it wasn’t designed for them.

The Replaceability Argument

This is what separates the Felco 2 from everything else: you can replace every single component. Blade, counter-blade, spring, bolt, handle — all available separately. I replaced the spring in year eight. Everything else is original.

The environmental argument is real, but the practical argument is more immediate: if something breaks mid-season, a $4 spring means you’re back in the garden in a week, not buying a new pair and waiting for muscle memory to adjust.

What Could Be Better

The weight is noticeable. At around 230g, the Felco 2 is heavier than the Fiskars (roughly 160g), and you’ll feel that difference in a long session. Not a dealbreaker for me, but worth knowing.

Replacement parts aren’t stocked at most garden centres. You’ll need to order online, which means a few days’ wait if something breaks. This is the trade-off for the quality.

Who Should Buy the Felco 2

If you garden seriously — pruning roses, shaping mature shrubs, maintaining fruit trees — the Felco 2 is the right tool. The upfront cost is real, but amortised over ten years of use, it’s cheaper than buying mid-range pruners every two or three seasons.

If you’re a casual gardener who deadheads a few pots on a Sunday afternoon, the Fiskars Pro serves the purpose at a third of the price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Felco 2 blade stay sharp?

With regular home use including pruning roses and woody shrubs, the blade holds a working edge through a full growing season. A quick sharpen in spring and again in late summer keeps it performing well year-round.

Does the Felco 2 need maintenance?

Yes — wipe the blades after each use, apply a drop of oil to the pivot every few weeks, and sharpen with a diamond file when the cut starts to feel rough. Five minutes of care extends the life of the blade significantly.

Is the Felco 2 good for roses?

It’s particularly well-suited to roses. The clean cut geometry minimises stem crushing, which reduces entry points for black spot and other fungal diseases. Many rose specialists use Felco as their standard tool.

Where do you buy Felco 2 replacement parts?

Felco sells replacement parts direct, and they’re available from most specialist garden tool retailers online. Garden centres rarely stock them. A full set of replaceable parts (spring, blade, counter-blade) costs about £15 / $20.

Felco 2 vs Felco 6 — which is right for me?

The Felco 2 fits medium to large hands. The Felco 6 (also called the “compact model”) is smaller and lighter, suited to smaller hands or anyone who finds the Felco 2 slightly unwieldy. Both use the same blade quality and replacement part system.