I didn't need a stem cutter in the past since the red bolt cutter worked fine for what I needed. Now that I'm using florals on wreaths, I found that the bolt cutter had a tough time cutting the thick stems. Deciding not to struggle anymore, I took the plunge and ordered the stem cutter. Even though it's a bit pricy, which was one of my concerns, the stem cutter makes cutting stems a breeze. It has gone from a luxury item to a necessity and is well worth the cost.