The blade of anvil pruners cuts through the material with a drawing cut. This reduces the effort of cutting. Anvil pruners can be used on old, dry or hard wood and on thicker branches. One major advantage of the anvil cutting principle is that it is easy on the hand. It eliminates the cutting impact typical of bypass pruners.

The blade of bypass pruners slides past the counter blade during cutting. Friction between the blade and counter blade is low. Bypass pruners are ideal for cutting fibrous or sensitive woody plants. The pointed design makes them perfect for finer work requiring minimal cutting force. Their design means they can cut precisely flush with budding points and make clean cuts at the base of branches.