By Kat Hodgins | Updated Jan 29, 2021 8:18 AM

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After a careful mowing, a lawn looks nearly perfect. Yet some grassy areas may require spot trimming or edging to achieve a flawless look. The best grass shears give you precision cuts for those awkward places that need trimming back, areas where the mower doesn’t fit, and where the trimming job is too small for a lawn edger.

Achieve a manicured lawn with the best grass shears, which cut much like scissors. Manual grass shears clip ends off smoothly, keeping them green, unlike trimmers, where the filament frays grass and results in yellowed tips. Easy-to-use manual grass shears cut grass or grassy plants, deadhead flowers, trim back soft growth, and clean up borders with a few quick snips.

Regular trimming and mowing of long grass stimulates the production of new shoots, making grass bushier and thicker. Beautiful lawns are the result of care (and perhaps helped by the best grass seed). With so much time tending to the growth of a lawn, spot-treating areas with a manual trim can enhance its beauty.

Selecting the best manual grass shears relies on important features such as how they will be used, the material of the blade, and how it feels in your hand.

There are three standard types of manual grass shears: edging shears, topping shears, and swivel-blade shears.

Grass shears need a sharp and sturdy blade for clean trimming. High-quality blades, such as those made of stainless steel, resist corrosion and rust. Carbon steel is a decent choice, but it’s a bit softer than stainless steel and can become brittle over time. Other metals may be cheaper than carbon or stainless steel, but they may lack longevity. Blades coated in Teflon prevent rusting and make caring for the shears easier.

The size and shape of the blades influence the shears’ performance.

As with all gardening tools, proper cleaning and care keep manual grass shears performing their best and lasting a long time. Sap can build up on the blades, which inhibits proper opening and closing; this problem is easily solved by wiping the blades with an oily rag.

Manual trimming shouldn’t take long, but users still need a handle that’s comfortable to hold and use. The shape of the handle is usually offset from the blade, preventing knuckles from touching the ground. For best ergonomics, the handle should be in a position that promotes good wrist posture and reduces strain on the muscles of the hand and wrist.

Handles for grass shears should be at least 4 inches, but longer handles are generally better for easy grip. Handheld options are used in crouching, bending, or kneeling positions. Long-handled shears come with an elongated shaft, enabling users to stand upright while tending to the lawn.

For comfort, handles should have a soft coating to protect the hand from blisters. A good grip results from the proper amount of friction between the handle and the hand. Conducive to this friction are nonslip, nonconductive, and compressible materials—rubber handles are a great choice. Highly polished or glossy-coated handles may reduce the amount of friction, promoting an unsafe grip on the shears.

Weight and balance effect ergonomics and ease of use. Too much weight or imbalance with grass shears may cause injuries and lower quality of work and may slow down productivity. If the blades grossly outweigh the handle, the tool requires more effort to hold. One-handed tools should weigh less than 3 pounds. Precision cutting, such as manual trimming, should not be attempted with tools heavier than 1 pound.

A balance of weight between the handle and the blade reduces strain on the user. Imbalance alters how the muscles in the hand and wrist operate, resulting in unnecessary stress. Lightweight, well-balanced shears distribute the weight in a manner that orients the tool’s center of gravity, aligning it with the center of the gripping hand.

It doesn’t matter how grass shears look; their function is the most important thing to consider before purchasing. A tool’s caliber is based on quality materials and design for the task at hand. Guided by the considerations outlined above, the following is a list of the best grass shears we could find.

Clipping back unruly grass missed by the lawn mower is simple with this swivel-blade grass shear from Fiskars. This tool’s versatility makes it helpful for edging and topping grass, even on sloped terrain. The stainless steel blade rotates 360 degrees for efficient and precise cutting at any angle; it simply needs to be positioned and locked in place before trimming. The 5-inch blade resists jamming or sticking and cuts up to the tip. The comfortable grip handle has a lightweight loop design, which prevents fingers from slipping for better control and safer handling. For safety, there is an easy-open lock, protecting the user from the blade when it’s not in use. Weighing 0.5 pounds, this grass shear can be used all over the yard without strain.

The simplest tools can be the best for the job, which is the case for this Corona ClassicCUT grass shear. Made for edging, this shear also cuts through tough sod and small hedges with efficient force, thanks to the well-performing spring and strong material. The 4.5-inch MAX FORGED steel blade makes quick work of manual trimming jobs. Though it has a fixed blade, its strength warrants use for jobs that may prove difficult for other grass shears and may be useful in other applications besides trimming grass. At about 1 pound, these are a bit heavier than other shears because the entire tool is metal, including the handles’ core. The handles are comfortable with a nonslip vinyl-coated grip—providing precision control even with sweaty hands. This grass shear performs impeccably with proper cleaning, storage, and resharpening when required.

Swivel blade grass shears don’t have to be expensive to prove they’re worthy of the job. Such is the case with these tempered steel shears from Edward Tools. The rotating head locks in place at three separate angles for safe cutting in the best position for each. An extra-sharp blade with a rust-proof coating for longevity makes quick work of grass-trimming tasks. The comfortable grip makes this tool easy to hold, while the auto spring minimizes hand fatigue and helps move the job along at a faster pace. Weighing approximately 1 pound, this grass shear is the heaviest users would want without putting additional strain on their hands.

Slender and strong, this Galadim stainless steel hand shear makes precise trimming and edging easy. With crisp clips that leave behind clean-cut ends, this shear makes quick work of tidying lawn edges. Its 6.1-inch blades, longer than many other shears, are long and pointed, masterfully clipping targeted areas using the tip for precise cuts and the length of the blade for longer snips. They’re as sharp as they look, so mind your free hand when clipping to avoid accidental cuts. Holding these shears is as nice as it gets with ergonomically shaped handles, a comfortable grip, and 5.63-inch handle length. A power spring fuels the cutting power of these shears, reducing the effort required by the user. The thin profile and good balance of these 13-ounce shears keep the wrist comfortable while in use.

This 180-degree swivel-blade design does a stunning job cutting small spots of grass that the mower missed, even on sloped lawns. Long 7-inch nonstick metal blades from base to tip cut down more grass in one snip than shears with smaller blades, making quick work of disorderly grass. If there are spots that need tidying along the driveway, these shears handle them by unlocking, rotating, and relocking the blades at different angles.

The red handle is easy to spot, minimizing the risk of misplacing these shears. A loop-handle design helps maintain a secure and controlled grip for each snip. Weighing just over 6 ounces, these shears’ light weight reduces the labor necessary when manually trimming the grass.

For proper wrist alignment and reduced strain, these swivel-blade grass shears from Q-yard help gardeners clip grass at ergonomically correct angles. Suitable for trimming grass along the edges of flowerbeds and driveways, or topping areas of the lawn, these professional-grade shears offer a lightweight and comfortable option.

Made of carbon steel with a nonstick coated blade, these shears also have a micro-serrated edge, helping to grip while cutting even as the blade dulls from use. Cutting requires less effort as these shears use compound lever technology, offering up to twice the cutting power over other shears. The handle’s metal core balances the weight of the blades, and a PVC grip feels comfortable in the hand. Coming in around 8 ounces, these blades are lightweight for easy handling and cutting. When not in operation, safety locks keep the grass shears closed.

Some grasses are tougher than others, requiring stronger shears. For stubborn grasses, leaves, and stems, use these swivel-blade shears from Kings County Tools. The blades rotate either 45 or 90 degrees, giving more options for trimming than a fixed blade but less flexibility than shears with 360-degree rotation. What it lacks in angles, however, it makes up for in strength. The power spring helps make cutting down unruly stems a more efficient process, reducing trimming time. By sharpening the 5.25-inch black steel blades once a season, the user can ensure these shears perform wonderfully for many years. Hold the handle by the comfort grip for edging, topping, or small pruning jobs. At 14 ounces, it’s quite lightweight for being such a sturdy tool.

These long-handle shears from Fiskars are kind to backs and knees, enabling users to stand instead of crouch, bend, or kneel when trimming the grass. The 37-inch aluminum shaft gives users easy access to overgrown areas, eliminating the aches and pains that may come with bending and kneeling. A swivel-blade head moves 360 degrees for trimming at the best angle for the job. With its 4.5-inch precision-ground steel blade, meticulous snips are possible with these shears. Unlike some models, this blade cuts clean to the tip, reducing the need to clip the same area repeatedly. Since these blades are so sharp, it’s important to use the locking mechanism for safety to avoid any accidents. An ergonomically designed handle with a comfortable grip makes it easy to hold the 2-pound shears.

You’ve brought your new grass shears home; now the work begins. Getting going is always one of the hardest parts, especially if you’re unsure of where to start. It’s common to have questions about new tools, and grass shears are no exception. To help, here are some commonly asked questions and answers about grass shears.

For areas that are missed by the mower or require some additional trims around the edge, grass shears make quick work of small areas that don’t justify using a string trimmer.

Lawn shears are meant to clip blades of grass or weeds that pop up in the middle of the lawn, as the blades on lawn shears are horizontal. With vertical, scissor-like blades, edging shears clean up the edges of a driveway or around flower beds.

Grass shears are meant to handle grasses, weeds, and sometimes stems. Trying to cut through thicker materials may ruin the blades. Cutting through roots and branches is better left to another type of tool, such as pruning shears.

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