Pole Saw Buyer's Guide

If you ask anyone at the Minnesota State Fair, they'll tell you that anything on a stick is a good idea.

Hot dog + cornbread + stick = corndog.

Mini chainsaw + stick = polesaw.

While this “chain saw on a stick” may seem odd at first, it is quite a handy addition to anyone’s landscaping arsenal.


Cordless Pole Saws
Cordless pole saws are powered by a rechargeable battery which will last about an hour. Look for a model with a Lithium-Ion battery instead of a Ni-Cad battery. Lithium-Ion offers better performance, has a longer life, and performance will not suffer as the battery loses its charge.

Besides chain sharpening, there is really no maintenance associated with cordless pole saws, which is a big advantage over gas-powered models.

The convenience of rechargeable polesaws allows you to use them anywhere. However, due to the battery-power, these are the least powerful pole saws available.



Electric Pole Saws
Electric pole saws are popular because you just plug it into an extension cord and you're trimming trees. Still designed for small trimming work, these saws come with blades of 6" - 10".

Again, the electric motor requires almost no maintenance to keep the pole saw running strong.

Electric pole saws are lighter than cordless models because you don't have the added weight of a battery. However, you will need to use it within 100 feet of an electrical source as you will be plugged in.



Gas-Powered Pole Saws
Gas-powered models offer the pinnacle of performance and power in the pole saw category. These are equipped with more heavy-duty bars and chains than their electric counterparts to cut bigger stuff.

Gas pole saws come with shafts up to 9' so you can trim tall trees while keeping your feet safely on the ground.

The more powerful gas engines are heavier than electric motors, but these saws are balanced well so they are still easy to operate. Also, the gas powered engine creates more noise than electric motors.