Bahco PX & PXR ergonomic pruners – Product Review

The ergonomic pruner improves your
Comfort
Safety
Health
Efficiency

All pruning professionals are at risk of developing aches and pains through repeating the same motion thousands of times a day during the whole pruning season. Those pains, commonly called Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD), account for a large part of work related illnesses in the horticultural industry.

The design of the ergonomic pruners results from five years of scientific research and user testing all over the world.

The benefits of this new design can be felt in two major advantages: less fatigue at the end of the day and a less painful, longer and more productive working life.

The main features of the ergonomic pruners are:

Vertical and lateral inclinations that help the user to keep arm and hand straight in line. Those angles then avoid pains on tendons and nerves while cutting thus reducing tennis elbow type pain – Epicondilytis – and wrist pains – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The flowing shape of the handles has emerged from serious study of how pruners are used. They spread the load more evenly and concentrate pressure points away from sensitive zones and nerve centers.

The elastomer coating on the upper handle gives a better grip and spreads the pressure over a larger surface. The user also requires less effort to hold the tool all day long.

Different sizes and types of cutting heads are available as are different strengths of springs. In addition to this a hand measuring system and different size handles allow for a nigh on made-to-measure pair of pruners.

At the recent Garden Press Event 2008 at the RHS Halls in Westminster on January 29, I was given a sample of the Bahco PX-M2 version of those ergonomic pruners by Richard Hayter, the representative on the Bahco stand.

I have tried so-called ergonomic pruners before from different makers but found most of them not very good and even more difficult and tiresome to use then the straight-forward versions so I probably was a little apprehensive at first with this one, and must have appeared somewhat like that to Richard Hayter as well, but...

Well, this is one of the best pairs of pruners that I have handled in years, and I do mean THE BEST, and as a professional I tend to handle quite a variety of different makes.

For the test I have used the pruners for a number of days and must say that I cut branches well above the cutting limit, e.g. green Elm of around on inch in diameter (25mm plus) and it cut that without much of an effort in strength applied and half an inch or below, around the 10mm mark, one does not even notice that one is doing it. I must remember to keep my little finger well clear of the blades here.

The handles fit so well that the pruners become an extension of the user's hand and the work is done rather effortless. That is, however, not surprising seeing that one is measured to the pruners. Cutting is, as said, absolutely effortless and one hardly notices that one is doing it.

This is the first pair of bypass pruners, methinks, which would make pruning roses, shrubs, trees or vines fun rather than a chore.

A definite recommend I can but put to this tool. A definite must for the professional gardener, forester and vintner.

The retail price is not low, that is for sure, with nigh on the, so I understand, 50 GBP mark, but then one gets a tools that is well designed and makes life and work easier and with a lifetime warranty one gets quality too.

Reviewed by Michael Smith (Veshengro), February 2008