Best Scissors For Trimming Weed (Reviews And Buying Guide)

Can you believe how many different types of trimming scissors are out there?

And as you might expect, most are pretty useless.

But even the good ones tend to only be good for specific jobs. And when it comes to trimming weed, there are multiple distinct trimming jobs.

The trimming you need to do during vegging is different from the trimming required during harvest. And both are different from the trimming of a bud for smoking.

Each of these different tasks is best performed with a different type of scissor.

Sound complicated?

Never fear. Keep reading for a rundown of the best scissors for trimming cannabis, followed by a breakdown of the most common marijuana trimming tasks and a recommendation for the ideal shears for each one.

 

Best Weed Trimming Scissors Compared

11/12/2024 05:46 pm GMT

 

Best Scissors For Trimming Weed Reviewed

The following are our recommended shears for trimming marijuana. The first one is our top pick overall and the one we recommend for most people. But the other 4 might be better at specific tasks, so be sure to read the buying guide below the reviews.

 

Best Overall: Fiskars Softouch Micro-Tip Pruning Snip

The Fiskars Softouch trimmers are the best overall weed trimmers because of the mix of features, functionality, price point, durability, and comfort over long periods of use.

They are soft to the touch, spring loaded and have non coated blades, which will help you make precise cuts without sliding off the stalk or the bud. The downside to a non-coated blade is that, over time, you will be cleaning the blades regularly.

They are not too heavy in the hand and will not cause hand fatigue if you use them for a longer period. Of course, if you are not used to trimming, any of the scissors in this list will take some getting used to.

Features

• Straight Blade Design: These blades are straight which allows you to get into the tight spaces and make precision cuts, even on smaller buds.
• Hardened Blades: The steel blades have been hardened and sharpened to a razor’s edge. They will stay extremely sharp for a long time before you need to sharpen them.
• Easy on the Hands: These trimmers are spring loaded, and the spring is not too rigid, making cuts easier than with other scissors. The Fiskars scissors even won an award from the Arthritis Foundation for being easy to use for people with limited hand use due to arthritis pain.
• Lifetime Warranty: Not many models come with a lifetime warranty; this is a welcome feature, and it played a big part in why these get the best overall slot on the list.

 

Best For Thick Stalks: Gonicc 8″ Professional Pruning Shears

Not all trimming you do on your plants is going to be precise cuts getting the perfect bud off the thin stems. Sometimes you have to chop those massive stalks like a lumberjack.

The Gonicc Pruning Shears are the best at making cuts to the main stalk or fat branches and stems. These things are beasts that can easily cut through an ironwood tree branch (OK maybe not easily; that is the hardest wood on earth).

These shears have a curved blade design you may be used to seeing in many styles of pruning shears used by landscapers and gardeners.

This curved design allows you to get fat stalks in the crevasses and the pressure you can exert will easily slice right through cannabis. They are spring loaded with a functional locking mechanism and the handles have a rubberized coating.

Features

• Durable: The entirety of these pruning shears is made of drop forged carbon steel. They will not break even if you drop them from the top of a roof.
• Ergonomically Designed: They sit nice in your hand with finger divots on the handle and a curved blade design. They are a bit heavy due to them being solid steel, but for the heavy work they do, they need to be beefy.
• Sap Groove: There is a sap groove design which allows sap to be drained away without gumming up the blades and making them stick.
• Can Cut up to 3 to 4 Inch Diameter Stalks: There is no cannabis stalk that these cannot slice through.

 

Best Value Pack: Happy Hydro Mini Garden Clippers

Here we have the exact opposite of the Gonicc beast pruners. These are small little precision trimmers that will get in the tiniest of spaces and make those precise cuts. That makes them good for trimming cannabis buds, too.

They come in a 10 pack and let us be honest here, they are not the fanciest scissors. In fact, they look and feel cheap. But they are extremely useful, and each pair will remain sharp for a week or so of medium to heavy use.

They are exceedingly small and will fit easily into your hand. The tips are also tiny, and can get deep into a bud and clip off only the smallest section.

The need for these is probably for when you are getting ready to smoke and you want to cut up a gnarly bud so you can fit it in a bowl. The Happy Hydro Mini Garden Clippers are perfect for this use. Just know they do not last awfully long (which is why they come in a 10-pack).

Features

• Precision Tips: You can make exact cuts when prepping a bud for your bowl.
• Lightweight: These weigh almost nothing and will not tire your hands out no matter how much you use them.
• Sharp: They come extremely sharp; however, they do dull much faster than other higher quality trimmers.
• Multi-Use: Because they come in a 10 pack you can have 5 designated for cutting buds and use the rest around the house for cutting stray threads on clothes, sewing kits, and other household chores.

 

Best Budget Trimmers: Vivosun Pruning Shears

The Vivosun Hand Pruners are cheap…. like super cheap. These are not your go-to / last a lifetime / develop a long term relationship with type weed trimmers.

However, they are pretty darn nice for the price you pay. They have a spring loaded handle with razor sharp blades and rubber pads on the handles to help avoid getting blisters after prolonged use.

If you are on a strict budget and can only afford cheap trimmers, there is no doubt that these are the ones you should get.

They have titanium coated blades which are sharper than you would expect for this price. The manufacturer says they stay sharp for an exceptionally long time, but the truth is: they only last a few months of medium to heavy use.

Features

• Easy to Use, not too Hard on Your Hands: They have the spring loaded handles which help to keep the cuts less strenuous on your hand joints. The soft rubber pads on the handles also help keep them comfortable during use.
• Ultra-Sharp Blades: The blades come pre sharpened and are sharp enough to cut most medium sized stalks.
• Safety Lock: The safety lock mechanism is better than many others and is one of the best features on these trimmers. It stays locked and does not accidentally lock on its own, which is a common complaint among many models in this category.
• Long Blades Get in Tight Spaces: The blades are long compared to other similarly priced models and will allow you to get in small spots easily.

 

Best For Precision Micro Trimming: Gardenite Ultra Snip

The Loopseed shears are great little lightweight stainless steel trimmers with comfortable ergonomic handles. They are designed to be used for small to medium stalks and plants like rose bushes.

These clippers will not handle big fat stalks, but are perfect for the limbs and stems and chutes off the main trunk heading to the buds.

They have a spring loaded mechanism that feels exceptionally smooth compared to some other models. The way they are designed allows you to snip fast and continuously, which makes them great for shaping and removing excess branches in the veg stage. The safety lock is easy to use and not obtrusive during use.

Features

• Carbon Steel Finish: The blades are specially designed for deadheading. They are strong and have no problem getting through thick stems and stalks.
• Safety Lock: Safety lock ensures scissors stay shut for safe transport and to protect blades
• Ergonomic Handles for Less Hand Strain: The ergonomic handles make the snippers balanced in the hand while working. A balanced tool makes for less hand and wrist strain since you are not constantly compensating for a heavier blade.
• Easy to Clean: Loopseed made sure their scissors are easy to clean, which means they last longer (assuming you actually do keep them clean)

 

Cannabis Trimming Scissors Buying Guide

All the scissors on this list are the top of their category for the specific job they are designed to do, so you cannot really go wrong if you pick up any of them.

However, not every tool is going to work for every situation, and it can be confusing trying to decide which one you should buy.

 

Important Features

The key to getting the right pair of cannabis trimmers is to match the features you need with the features each pair of snippers has.

 

Functionality For The Job

What are you planning on using your scissors for? If you are like most growers, you will have more than one pair of snips for more than one job.

Here I will attempt to match up the specific trimming job with the best option from our list.

 

Vegetative Stage: Shaping And Cutting Off Branches

During veg, you are constantly trying to maximize the use of the plant’s resources, and the excess branches that grow toward the bottom of the plant tend to die off due to lack of light.

However, they are still taking water and nutrients from the business end of the plant, which you want to avoid. Time to lollipop.

For this job, you are going to want to use scissors that can easily cut off the unwanted branches and help shape the plant. The Ultra Snips (the best stainless steel category choice) are perfect for this job. A similarly designed pair of scissors will work well, too, if you decide not to get the Ultra Snips.

Because the veg stage requires a ton of trimming, these scissors or similar scissors will be the easiest on the hands due to the balanced feeling and extra soft handles.

 

Flowering Stage: Pre Harvest

Toward the beginning of the flowering stage, you will still be trimming off some excess growth, usually some of the same type of branches you removed in veg. But now the branches will be much fatter and harder to cut.

For this stage, the Fiskars Softouch Micro-Tip Pruning Snip may be the best option. They are exceptionally strong and will slice through these semi-fat stalks with no problem.

There will not be as much cutting to do as there was in the veg stage, and these clippers are easy to use and do the job quite well. Of course, if you end up with spider mites on your weed plants, or other types of infestations, you will probably be doing much more trimming, to try to remove the affected areas.

 

Harvest

This is an easy one. When you are harvesting, you want some beastly trimmers to cut those fat main stalks. The Gonicc 8″ Professional Pruning Shears are going to be the best for the job.

They are built like a tank and will slice through thick main trunks easily and stay sharp for a long time.

They are heavy, but considering each plant will only require a few cuts at this stage, you will not be using them for very long. Unless you have a massive operation, in which case you will need a couple people to spread the load out.

 

Smoking Weed

After all the hard work is done and it is time to smoke a bowl, you will need some small precise scissors to cut up the buds to get them into a bowl.

The best tool for this job is a small lightweight pair of scissors like the Happy Hydro mini clippers. They will allow you to cut exactly the parts you want to smoke.

 

Longevity Vs Budget

All the scissors here are inexpensive, but if you do not plan on replacing then frequently you should opt for one of the higher quality tools. Preferably one with an excellent guarantee.

The Fiskars Softouch scissors have a lifetime warranty and will be replaced for free if you break them. They cost a bit more than a few others, but they got the best overall slot on the list for a good reason.

On the other hand, if you are on a tight budget and do not mind replacing your clippers after a year or so, the Vivosun clippers are a great option. They will do the job well for a while, until they need to be replaced. They are not as nice or well built as the Fiskars, but for the money you can not go wrong.

 

FAQ

What am I supposed to do when the clippers get gummed up?

You can manually clean your scissors with a solution like window cleaner, but it is not the ideal way to do it. The resin and gunk that builds up from trimming cannabis can be quite nasty and hard to get off.

There is a product called Scissor Fix that is designed just for this purpose. There are other products like it, but Scissor Fix is my favorite.

 

How long will my weed scissors last?

Depending on how much heavy use you put them through, most of these trimmers will last a couple of years, if you are careful with them and maintain them correctly.

There are a couple of them that come with good warranties, and most of them will offer replacement if you break them within a given time window.

 

How do I maintain my clippers?

The first rule is to store them away from water and dirt. Ideally, they will go in a cabinet or drawer where they will not get rained on or get excessively dirty or dull.

Next, you will want to be sure you clean them after every use. Weed is notoriously sticky, and these clippers can get gummed up fast.

The best idea is to use the Scissor Fix product I mentioned earlier, but you can always clean them with a dishrag and some Windex or other compound of your choice.

Last, you want to avoid dropping them. Just like normal scissors, these clippers can get bent if they fall exactly right. And once they are bent, they will never open and close the same.

Bending them back to straight is frustrating and an exceptionally annoying job you want to avoid at all costs.

Additionally, trying to bend them back to straight will loosen the mechanism that allows them to open and close. Do not drop them too many times or you will have to replace them.

 

Best Marijuana Trimming Scissors: Final Thoughts

All 5 of the trimming shears listed here work great for any type of weed trimming job. But each pair of scissors does have it’s own unique strengths.

The result is that different clippers are best for different jobs. Hopefully you have an idea now which cannabis trimming scissors are best for you.

In many cases, this means getting several different scissors in order to do each specific trimming task as well as possible. But if you only want to get one pair, go with our top choice. They are the best all-arounders and the lifetime warranty is pretty amazing.