Fiskars-PowerGear2-featured-image Reviews

Fiskars PowerGear2 Bypass Pruner (P551): Product Review

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GPR RECOMMENDATION

Ease of Use:
Quality:
Cutting Performance:
Final Thoughts

A technologically advanced bypass pruner with less than stellar results.

Overall Score 2.6

Available on Amazon

Buy It

Fiskars, known for its pruning tools, has come up with a new design that incorporates a gear-driven cam mechanism and rotating handle into a bypass pruner. The PowerGear2 Bypass Pruner claims to have 3x more cutting power than a standard bypass pruner and is endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation.

POWERGEAR2 TECHNOLOGY – IS IT AS GOOD AS THEY CLAIM?

I’m a big believer in using new or different technologies to improve on age-old products.  That’s why I was excited to see how the new Fiskars PowerGear2 stacked up against a high quality standard bypass pruner.

After opening the package, I could see right away that this pruner is different.  It incorporates a gear drive/cam system into both handles that looks completely different than any other pruner we’ve tested.

Fiskars-PowerGear2-gear-mechanism

The future of pruning? Are gears and cams the answer?

GEAR DRIVE WITH CAM MECHANISM DIDN’T DELIVER

Fiskars incorporated a gear train/cam mechanism into their pruner that’s supposed to multiply the cutting force by 3x and thereby reduce the energy required to make a pruning cut.  In theory this should work, but what I discovered was the opposite.

I found that a standard non-geared bypass pruner did a better job than the PowerGear2. The PowerGear2 is supposed to cut through ¾-inch wood so I took some medium density wood and applied pressure to the handles.  To my surprise, I actually found it harder to cut through this wood using the geared pruner than I did with an equivalent sized standard bypass pruner.

In fact, I was almost unable to cut through the last 1/4 inch using the PowerGear2; I had to squeeze incredibly hard to finish off the cut. I’m a strong guy with strong hands – I can’t imagine someone with arthritis even approaching this kind of exercise and succeeding.

Fiskars claims that the gears are designed to make the first ¾ of the cut easier than with traditional pruners. I didn’t find this at all. And of course that raises the question “What about the final ¼ of the cut?” Well, as mentioned above, I found that to be the hardest part of the cut (so maybe the gears had at least some effect).

ROLLING HANDLE REDUCES FINGER FATIGUE BUT FALLS SHORT WHEN CUTTING

The Fiskars PowerGear2 has a rolling handle that’s the driving force behind the geared/cam mechanism.

If you’ve never used a rolling handle before, you may find it a little awkward at first. As you open your hand, the handle held by your fingers rotates outward; as you close your grip, the handle rotates inward with your fingers. A well-designed rolling handle reduces finger fatigue and minimizes friction between your hand and the handle (no more blisters!). On the PowerGear2, the rolling handle is adequate but not as smooth or easy to hold as others (see for example the ARS HP-VS8R).

After close examination of the rolling handle and the gear/cam interface, I could see that the 3x cutting power isn’t activated during the final part of the cut – oddly, there are no gears in that critical part of the pruner.  As a result, there’s no mechanical advantage (geared leverage) as you finish your pruning cut, making it that much more difficult to cut through the last bit of branch or stem.

Fiskars-PowerGear2-no-gears-to-finish-cut

Lack of gears throughout the cam mechanism makes cutting harder

ROLLING HANDLE HAS A PINCH ZONE

I had an instance where my finger slipped off the rotating handle and slid forward toward the geared mechanism as the handles were opening. My index finger got pinched in the rolling gear area. This shouldn’t be a frequent problem because the lower rolling handle has a pretty aggressive bump to hold your index finger in place.  But with a sweaty or wet hand, there is a greater slippage factor that can cause your index finger to slide forward into the gear train. One more reason to wear a good pair of gloves while pruning! (see our recommended gardening gloves here)

Fiskars-PowerGear2-pinch-point

Finger can get pinched in the rolling gear/cam mechanism

POORLY-SIZED HANDLES

When using the pruner, I continually pinched my palm between the two handles as they closed. I attribute this to the huge force I had to use to cut through ¾-inch branches and the flexing of the handles as the cut finished.

In smaller diameter wood (1/2 inch) the handles didn’t pinch my hand but my fingers bumped into the handles. Maybe people with small hands wouldn’t have this problem, but if you have mid-sized or larger hands, you’ll find that the handles are spaced too closely together. Perhaps there’s a reason for the handle spacing (maybe for arthritic hands?) but I am unaware of it.

Fiskars-PowerGear2-handles-to-close-together

The handles are spaced too closely, resulting in pinched palms and jammed fingers

Ironically, the PowerGear2 pruner seems to be sized for a large hand. I have big hands and the rolling handle just caught my fingertips. I think the handle spread would be a problem for a medium and certainly a small hand.

Fiskars-PowerGear2-handles-too-far-apart

The handle spread is so far apart that it’s hard to reach the rolling handle.

FOR RIGHTIES ONLY

The PowerGear2 bypass pruner is designed to be used by right handed folks, so those who are left hand dominant are out of luck.

NO BUMPER CAUSES UNDUE SHOCK

Most bypass hand pruners have a shock absorber built into the handles. These are usually a single or double rubberized pad that slams together at the completion of a pruning cut and cushions the impact. The shock absorption of the bumpers helps reduce wrist, hand and finger fatigue when making multiple pruning cuts.

The PowerGear2 bypass pruner does not have bumpers. Instead, it has plastic hitting plastic when the handles come together. As a result, there’s no force dampening and the handles slamming together quickly becomes tiring and uncomfortable. This can’t be good for people with arthritis.

Fiskars-PowerGear2-no-rubber-bumpers

There are no bumpers to dampen shock when making pruning cuts

GOOD LOCKING BUTTON

The pruner has a sliding locking button on top of the pruner, just aft of the cutting blades. It’s easily accessible, slides nicely and stays put in the both the open and closed positions.

NON-STICK BLADE COATING

The blades are coated with a non-stick material that reduces friction and makes it easier to cut. The coating also reduces rusting (although with all cutting tools I recommend that they be dried off after each use and a thin coat of oil applied to the blades). The PowerGear2 bypass pruner has an oil hole at the bottom of the cutting blade assembly to lubricate where the two blades meet.

Learn More >> Bypass Pruner Care and Maintenance (Clean, Lubricate, Tighten, Sharpen)

Fiskars-PowerGear2-non-stick-coating

Non-stick coating helps prevent blades from sticking together from debris and sap

REPLACEMENT PARTS

There are no replacement parts, not even blades, for the Fiskars PowerGear2 hand bypass pruner.

WARRANTY

Fiskars offers a lifetime warranty for the life of the tool that only includes defects in materials and workmanship.

Also, they do not warranty the sharpening of their blades and suggest buying a replacement blade. Since there are no replacements to be found it’s a little hard not to sharpen the blade when dull. If it were me, I would sharpen the blade as needed. In most cases, by the time they’ll need a sharpening any warranty issue will have arisen, so you might get a replacement pair before you need to sharpen the blade.

RECOMMENDATION

The technology behind the pruner design is an honorable attempt at making something better. It just missed the mark. Instead of making pruning easier, it turned it into a struggle that required a lot of grip strength. Overall, the problems outweighed any positives.

WHERE TO BUY

The Fiskars PowerGear2 Bypass Pruner (model P551) is available from Fiskars for $24.99 plus $10.95 shipping ($35.94 total if purchased online) and Lowes for $24.98 ($32.99 including shipping if bought online). Your best bet is to purchase it on Amazon for $24.99 (free shipping for Prime members).

 

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Disclaimer – GPReview would like to thank Fiskars for giving us a free sample to review. There was no expectation that it would be a positive review and we received no compensation for writing it. All opinions expressed here are those of the author based on personal experience using the product.

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5 Comments on Fiskars PowerGear2 Bypass Pruner (P551): Product Review

  1. What I don’t see is any info on left handed use. If I am getting the meaning of a rotating handle right, it is the one that I can’t use in my lefty hand because the handle rotates the wrong way. Please indicate right handed use only in your reviews when that is the case. Thanks.

    • Jack Hemingway

      Hi Brian,
      Thanks for your comment. In the review of the Fiskars PowerGear2 Bypass Pruner (P551) we did mention “For Righties Only”. I hope that addresses your concern. If not, please let me know.
      My best,
      Jack

  2. PeeDee

    I wish I’d read this review before purchasing. The P551’s have a plastic tab on the handle that soon breaks off so they fall apart and are worthless.

    • Jack Hemingway

      Hi PeeDee,
      I’m sorry you had this problems. We try our best to let folks like you know the good, bad and ugly regarding gardening and DIY landscape tools. Thank you for your update and following the Gardening Products Review. We sincerely appreciate it.
      Regards,
      Jack

  3. Phil Bartlett

    Hi Jack,
    A spot on review.

    I can’t understand the powers that be in the Fiskars corporation to allow the production of this Asian made attempted copy of the highly respected original design of the P91, P92 & P94 models from Finland and the current Polish made version as the PowerGear X series PX92, PX93 and PX94.

    By doing what Fiskars have done has tarnished their brand name and the PX series which are a sort-after beautiful tool to use. These models also have available the required consumable spare parts of blade & spring.

    Please avoid this Fiskars P551. It is a horrible tool. Complain to Fiskars Finland as you were horribly misled.

    Regards
    Phil

Comments are closed.