Choosing the best pole saw for you doesn’t have to be difficult – simply think about what do you need it for and take a look at our most recommended units currently for sale:

The best pruning saws for occasional use:

* including battery and charger

 

The vast majority of people need to prune only a few times per year – and while spending money on a tool which will be used that rarely may seem awkward, it’s still much cheaper that hiring a professional to do it for you. So here are tools that offer solid quality, are easy to use, don’t require much maintenance, have some durability and won’t ruin your budget.

Compared to other models:

* including battery and charger

** according to users

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Best tree pruner for frequent/professional use:

If there are many trees on your property and you need to prune quite often (or just want a top quality equipment), this section is for you. These tools are more expensive, but also offer a lot of power (or a high quality and very sharp blade), durability, no limitation by electrical cord and some of them also a great reach.

* including battery and charger

Compared to other models:

* including battery and charger

** according to users

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Best machines for cutting large branches:

The rule of thumb is that you would need a chainsaw that is at least one or two inches longer than the limb’s thickness – all models offer at least 8″ bar so they are completely sufficient for most jobs. But if you need to deal with branches that are 8″ or even 10″ thick, a longer bar of 10″ (some electric tools) or 12″ (gas machines) will be necessary.

Also, note that there is a difference between bar length of chainsaws and saw length of manual saws – the typical saw length is about 15″ which is sufficient for approximately 7″ limbs.

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Best pole pruner with long reach:

The most common reach of pole tree trimmers is about 14 feet – 9′-10′ length plus few feet depending on your height. If you need to reach even higher, using a ladder is not a good idea at all – rather get a model which offers the reach you need; it’s more expensive of course, but much more comfortable and (most importantly) safe.

You can see that manual pole cutters offer the top lengths, even 20 feet! And there is also one commercial-grade Husqvarna unit if you would want a power pruner instead.

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Best pruner with both saw and lopper:

While these extendable saws handle medium or larger branches really well, they sometimes struggle with small limbs which are less than 1″ in diameter and farther from the tree trunk – they sway and bounce away from the saw.

The ideal tool to get rid of these more effectively is a pole lopper, also called a ratcheting pruner as they mostly use this mechanism to cut the limbs. While it may seem a little awkward, it’s easy to use and doesn’t require much force.

* can be purchased separately

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Best pole chain saw with a detachable saw:

Corded telescopic chainsaws have many advantages – and some of them even offer the ability to detach the saw itself and use it separately without the shaft. You can then cut all the fallen branches into pieces on the ground comfortably.

Of course, these can’t replace a large electric or even gas powered chainsaw for regular cutting – but switching a couple of parts and continuing right away is much easier and more comfortable than taking out a big machine just for those small limbs.

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How to choose the right pole saw?

Firstly, think about what do you intend to use it for – do you need a cheaper tool to use only a few times per year? Or a commercial-grade machine for frequent pruning? Do you need to reach really high or are all the limbs you need to cut closer to the ground? Let’s list the most important factors:

1. Frequency of use and your budget – these two are closely connected, if you need to use the pruner only a few times per year, you wouldn’t probably want to spend a lot of money on it. On the other hand, high quality units for a frequent use cost much more.

2. Reach – think about what height you’ll need to reach at so that you don’t buy a model that is too short. Most telescoping chainsaws offer a reach of about 14 feet – so if you need more, a manual pole trimmer will be your best bet. (the formula is simple – take the tool’s length and add a few feet depending on your height and how high you’ll be able to hold it – for example at chest-high with lighter ones and at waist level with those that are heavier)

3. Branch size – also consider how large will be the limb you need to cut. Most of the time, pole chain saws are able to cut branches that are 1″-2″ shorter than its bar so if you need to deal with thicker limbs, get a gas pole saw or an electric with a 10″ bar. Manual saws are able to cut branches with thickness approximately one half of the saw length.

4. Type – there are four types available: manual pole saws and electric (corded), cordless or gas chainsaws – and each one has its advantages and disadvantages. So think about your needs and how they correlate with each type, for example buying a corded unit for a very large property wouldn’t be a good idea.

Prefer a certain brand?

If you already own some products of a particular manufacturer’s cordless lineup or just have a favorite brand, we have specific sections for you: