The hardened steel blades are incredibly sharp, and the forged aluminium handles feel reassuringly tough but surprisingly light.

As we’ve mentioned, we’re prone to clumsiness, so the trip hazard-reducing, bright-orange splashes of colour on these shears were a major bonus on the odd (read: repeated) occasions when we absent-mindedly left these shears lying in long grass. Finally, Stihl’s HSA 26 cordless shrub/grass shears are surprisingly easy to use, despite the extra (and very much appreciated) power. We also love the ingenious extra features – such as the slight bulges on the handle, which mark the ideal spot to hold them – and the sheer strength of the Japanese steel. The cutting blade is strong so never flexes whatever the conditions and the anvil/bypass is really solid.

The tapered blades are ideal for precision trimming a wide range of plants, and despite a rather lengthy pruning session, we experienced zero wrist ache, thanks to the ultra-lightweight aluminium handles. These might not be the prettiest shears but when we’re knee-deep in a privet bush, we don’t really care. You can also adjust the blade tension to ensure that you can maintain the perfect cut over long periods of use. Add the finishing touch after cutting your lawn by trimming the edges with the award-winning Darlac Telescopic Edging Shear. They’re also packed with features worth their weight in gold, including a wire-cutting notch, a sap groove and a rotating handle to reduce the risk of wrist and hand strain.

These telescopic shears are easy to use and incredibly lightweight – weighing in at just over 1kg – allowing you to use them for long periods without causing discomfort or back pain. A three-position switch ramped up the versatility of these shears, and the stainless steel blades made effortless cuts through some seriously tough branches. We’d have loved to see a larger area of rubber on the handles, but this minor issue doesn’t detract from the brilliance of these shears.Our (very small) garden shed is constantly overflowing with tools, garden furniture and various other items, so compact tools get an immediate bonus point. Collabs, it appears, have reached the gardening world, and we’re rather glad they have, if the results are this good.

Oliver Hill, founder of gardening site GardenList, suggests taking a moment to figure out what gardening tasks you’ll be undertaking. And these secateurs from Felco are a brilliant example – short, fat shears with handles wrapped entirely in rubberised material.The ones we’ve included in this round-up are suited to a wide range of tasks, but thankfully our garden was the perfect environment.