Cushy garden tools from OXO

OXO, the company best known for its clever kitchen gadgets, is rolling out a line of garden tools this winter. The bypass hand pruner pictured below ($24.99) comes with a cushioned, gel-pad grip and hardened steel blades finished with a nonstick coating. It can open wide enough to trim a 3/4 -inch-diameter branch or set on a “quick cut” setting that purposely limits the range of motion, reducing hand strain during light, repetitive clipping. When the time comes, replacement blades allow gardeners to refresh their pruner rather than toss the whole thing out. Equally practical: The hedge shears shown at left ($29.99, due out later this month) have been designed with rotating handles, for an improved grip at different angles, and the Bypass Loppers With Power Linkage ($39.99, due out later in winter) have a rust-resistant, lightweight aluminum construction that keeps the total weight to just 2 1/2 pounds. www.oxo.com

-- Craig Nakano