Best Edging Shears

These three stand out in the product table above for different budgets and needs.

Best overall: the Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Edging Shears, around $53, is our first choice from the table.

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Best value: the JARDINEER Sharp Grass Shears, around $16, is the lowest priced of these three.

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Also great: the Kings County Tools Garden Clippers, around $36, is another strong option with a different set of features.

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Most edging shears use a scissor style cutting action with two blades that pass by each other, similar to hedge shears but oriented vertically for cutting along an edge. Look for hardened steel blades with a sharpened bevel, since dull blades tend to bend grass rather than cut it cleanly.

Some models add a wheel at the base of the blades that rolls along the edge as you cut, helping keep a straight line and reducing wrist strain. This feature is worth prioritizing if you plan to use the shears regularly along long borders.

Blade length also affects how much you can cut per pass, with wider blades covering more edge in fewer squeezes but requiring slightly more hand strength to close through thick growth. If your grass tends to get away from you between mowings, a wider blade cuts down on the total number of squeezes needed to work down a long stretch of border.

Long handles, typically around three feet, let you stand fully upright while trimming, which is the main advantage over a hand held pair of grass shears. Shorter handled versions require kneeling or crouching, similar to using detail hand shears.

Choosing the best edging shears for your body means matching handle length to your height, since handles that are too short force an awkward bent over posture during longer sessions.

Pay attention to the angle between the handles and the blade head as well. A slight downward bend positions the blades naturally against a vertical edge while you stand comfortably upright, whereas a straight, unangled shaft can force you to lean forward more than expected to get the blades flush against the border.

Cushioned or rubberized grips reduce hand fatigue during extended trimming, especially if your yard has a lot of edging to cover in one pass. Wooden handles tend to absorb vibration better than metal, though they require occasional care to prevent splintering or rot from moisture exposure.

Look for handles with a slight curve or offset near the grip, which keeps your wrist in a more natural position during repeated cutting motions.

A locking mechanism that holds the blades closed for storage is a small but genuinely useful feature, since open blades left loose in a shed or garage are both a safety hazard and more prone to nicking other tools stored nearby. Some models also include a shoulder strap loop for hanging the shears within easy reach near a back door or garage entrance.

A half moon or rotary edger is meant for cutting a fresh groove into the soil to define a new border, while edging shears trim grass that has already grown past an existing edge. Most yards benefit from having both tools, using the edger occasionally to reset a border and the shears for regular touch ups in between.

If you only maintain edges that were already cut cleanly during installation, shears alone are often enough to keep them looking sharp without ever needing to dig a new groove.

Think of it as a maintenance versus installation distinction: an edger reshapes the boundary itself, while shears simply keep grass from crossing a boundary that already exists. Skipping the edger step entirely works fine for years on a well installed hard edge like a poured walkway, but soft soil borders tend to lose their crisp shape faster and benefit from an occasional edger pass alongside regular shearing.

How often should I use edging shears on my lawn?

Most homeowners reach for them every one to two mowing cycles, since that is roughly how long it takes for grass to noticeably creep over a hard edge like a walkway or driveway border.

Can edging shears replace a string trimmer entirely?

For hard edges like sidewalks and patios, yes. For softer edges near fences or open beds where a trimmer can maneuver freely, a trimmer is often faster for covering larger areas.

Do edging shears work on wet grass?

They can, though wet grass tends to clump and stick to the blades, making cuts less clean. Trimming edges after the grass has dried usually gives a neater, less clumpy result.

What is the ideal handle length for someone over six feet tall?

Taller users generally do better with handles on the longer end, often 36 to 39 inches, to avoid bending forward while trimming. Some models offer adjustable or telescoping handles for this reason.

How do I sharpen edging shear blades?

A flat metal file or a sharpening stone run along the beveled edge of each blade a few times per season keeps them cutting cleanly. Wipe blades dry after sharpening to prevent rust.

Are edging shears safe to use near sprinkler heads and cables?

They are generally safer than power tools since there is no spinning blade or line, but you should still visually check the edge for buried sprinkler heads or low voltage wiring before cutting.

Can edging shears be used on curved bed borders as well as straight walkways?

Yes, the scissor action works on both, though a shorter blade offers more control for following a tight curve accurately compared to a wider blade better suited to long, straight runs.

Do edging shears dull faster on gravel or stone borders?

Contact with hard, abrasive surfaces like gravel or stone does dull blades faster than cutting grass alone, so keeping the blade away from the hard edge itself and touching up sharpness a bit more often helps.

A well made pair of edging shears is a simple, low maintenance way to keep hard borders looking crisp without firing up a power tool for a five minute job. Focus on blade sharpness, a comfortable handle length for your height, and you will have a tool that earns its spot in the shed year after year, getting reached for far more often than its size would suggest. It rarely gets the attention a mower or trimmer does when people talk about lawn care, but it is often the tool that makes the biggest visible difference in how tidy a yard actually looks from the curb.