Battery powered secateurs are a game changer for anyone doing large amounts of hand pruning because they make the task much easier as well as much faster.
I know I have said this a few times before about yet another tool from AEG for the landscape industry, but they just keep coming. The latest product in the AEG landscape range is the 18 Volt FUSION Secateurs and I have been eager to give them a try.
The 18 Volt FUSION Brushless motor is powerful, resulting in a smooth stroke of the bypass blade that completes its cycle in only one second with just a slight squeeze on the trigger. I was very impressed at how effortlessly the FUSION secateurs cut through branches at its maximum rated diameter of 30mm and equally impressed at the neat clean cut achieved. A similar outcome was achieved cutting deadwood at its maximum rated capacity of 25mm.
Before I sold my landscape business we maintained a property with 150 roses, I would have loved to have this tool back then when doing the annual prune! The blades are hardened steel, they were extremely sharp as expected for a brand new tool out of the box, but it is worth noting that they can be removed for sharpening or replacement with tools supplied in the kit.
An LED warning light on the top of the secateurs even lets the operator know when the blades need sharpening. The LED panel also indicates with a green light that the tool is on and ready to use, a red light flashing twice indicates overload or if the blades are jammed.
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Voltage | 18 Volt |
| Cutting capacity | 30mm (Greenwood), 25mm (Deadwood) |
| Cycle time | 1 second |
| Weight | 0.96kg (excluding battery) |
With all the cutting I attempted the only time I managed to get the red warning lights on was when I was attempting to cut material of greater size than AEG recommended.
This type of tool could inflict harm if not operated correctly or in the hands of minors, but AEG have incorporated some great safety features into the FUSION secateurs. Firstly, to turn on the tool you must depress the trigger for three seconds, a beep sounds and the tool is ready for action. Additionally, if the trigger is not depressed for 30 seconds the secateurs will automatically turn off – both great safety features.
Before I received the FUSION secateurs I was concerned that although they were going to require less effort to operate than conventional secateurs, they might be cumbersome and heavy. This concern was quickly put to rest as I could not believe how light they were, only 0.98kg without the battery and with the 2.0Ah FORCE battery inserted they were still incredibly light and would be forgiving on the operator even after long periods of pruning. The only small negative compared to conventional secateurs is that they are a bit bulkier and harder to manoeuvre in tight situations. A handy built-in sight light that automatically illuminates when the trigger is depressed would help vision of the cutting area in low light situations.
I would have to say that anyone who does a lot of hand pruning should give these a go. They will save you valuable time and are much more forgiving on the operator as minimal effort is required to operate compared to conventional secateurs. As always AEG offers an exceptional warranty for peace of mind with a six-year product warranty when registered online within 30 days of purchase. An additional bonus until June 30, 2022 is a free 18V 2.0Ah FORCE battery available via an online redemption addingto the appeal.
Available at Bunnings, Tool Kit Depot or delivered direct to your site via the AEG Onsite team. Call Matt from AEG Onsite on 0438 110 636 or visit aegonsite.com.au to get one of these or any AEG power tools delivered to your site.