Bob Vila Tool of the Year: Pro Series Lopper

2026 Tool of the Year Awards

BobVila.com named the Pro Series 32" Forged Lopper a 2026 Tool of the Year.

The Pro Series Forged Bypass Pruner earned an honorable mention in the same hand tools roundup.

We have some news we are genuinely proud to share. Bob Vila's team tests new tools across eight categories each year, and this year's hand tools list runs from auger bits to multitools to an ultrasonic cutter. Seeing two pruning tools from a Madison, Wisconsin company on that list, next to names like DeWalt, Leatherman, and Victorinox, means a great deal to everyone here.

The review was published on September 24, 2026. Its testers were impressed "from the start by how substantial and well-made it felt," and said the forged-gear mechanism cut through dense branches "with considerably less effort than we expected." The line that landed hardest with us: for homeowners with trees and serious pruning work, "this may be the only lopper they need to buy." We designed the Pro Series for professional growers, the arborists, orchard crews, and vineyard managers who make thousands of cuts a season. Hearing that it also earns its place in a homeowner's garage is exactly the kind of feedback we hoped for. You can read the full review on BobVila.com.

What makes the Pro Series Lopper different

A lopper is the tool for the middle of the branch-size range: too thick for a hand pruner, not thick enough to need a saw. If you are not sure where your branches fall, our guide to tree pruning tools by branch size walks through it. Here is what went into the Pro Series version:

• Rated for branches up to 2 inches, with a 32-inch overall length for reach into the canopy
• Impact-forged high-carbon bypass blade and hook. Forging aligns the grain of the steel, which is a large part of why a forged blade holds its edge and resists flexing under load
• Patent-pending forged gear for mechanical advantage, the part of the tool Bob Vila's testers singled out
• Extruded I-beam aluminum handles that stay stiff without the weight of steel
• Protective bumpers that absorb the shock when the handles close at the end of a cut
• Engineered thru-bolts so the head stays tight season after season
• A blade you can resharpen and replace, rather than a tool you throw away when the edge goes
• A lifetime warranty. Like everything we make, it is guaranteed forever

That combination of forged parts and serviceable parts was the whole idea behind the line. We covered the thinking when we introduced the Pro Series earlier this year.

Honorable mention: the Pro Series Forged Bypass Pruner

The Pro Series Forged Bypass Pruner is the hand tool you reach for before the lopper. It shares the same core build:

• Rated for branches up to 1 inch
• Impact-forged high-carbon bypass blade and hook with a counter-blade
• A professional-grade aluminum body, 8.75 inches long
• A resharpenable, replaceable blade, backed by a lifetime warranty

Bypass pruners make a clean, scissor-style cut that heals well on living wood, which is why most horticulturists reach for bypass rather than anvil when working on growing plants. The two tools are designed to work as a pair: the pruner for everything under an inch, the lopper for the step up to two.

Keeping an award-winning edge

A forged blade is only as good as the last time it was sharpened. The Pro Series Sharpening Multitool was built for sharpening and routine maintenance on the Pro Series line. A few passes on the beveled edge, following the factory angle, before each pruning season keeps both tools cutting the way they did when they were tested. If you work through the dormant season, now is a good time to get them ready. Late winter is when most of the year's structural pruning happens, and a sharp, well-adjusted tool makes cleaner cuts that close faster.

Thank you

Awards like this come from a lot of people. Thank you to everyone who bought a Pro Series tool in its first season and trusted us to back it. And thank you to Glenda Taylor and the Bob Vila team for putting it through its paces. You can see the full line, including the Pro Series 12" Folding Saw, on our Pro Series page.

Frequently asked questions

What award did the Woodland Tools Pro Series Lopper win?

The Pro Series 32" Forged Lopper was named a winner in BobVila.com's 2026 Tool of the Year Awards, in the hand tools roundup published September 24, 2026. The Pro Series Forged Bypass Pruner received an honorable mention in the same roundup.

What size branches can the Pro Series Lopper cut?

The Pro Series 32" Forged Lopper is rated for branches up to 2 inches in diameter. For branches under 1 inch, the Pro Series Forged Bypass Pruner is the better fit, and for anything over 2 inches a pruning saw is the right tool.

Is the Pro Series covered by a warranty?

Yes. Both tools carry a lifetime warranty, and the blades on each are designed to be resharpened or replaced rather than discarded.