Tending to your trees is no easy task. Some branches are harder to reach, and without a two-man team, a tall ladder, and plenty of guts, you’ll be hard-pressed to get rid of all of that deadwood. That is until you get yourself a nice pole saw. The best pole saw will allow you to reach those pesky branches, cut them with a few swift motions, all from a comfortable, safe position.
A good pole saw needs a comfortable grip, a sharp blade, and needs to be built using high-quality materials. We’ve compiled a list of some great pole saws from some of the best manufacturers, as well as some good alternatives from lesser-known, but promising makers. Without further adieu, let’s take a gander at what we have in store for you.
- 8-inch blade
- 375 RPM electric motor
- Fiberglass pole
Any homeowner should be familiar with this brand. Black+Decker, DeWalt’s parent company, constantly manufactures quality tools and equipment for blue-collar workers, DIY enthusiasts, farmers, and anyone who is in need of a good tool. The MAX 8-inch pole saw comes with a sturdy blade, a powerful battery, and a helpful kit that will prove to be invaluable when trimming deadwood.
With 20V max operating power and a 375 RPM saw, the Black+Decker 8-inch pole saw will allow you to trim your trees while staying safe. Using ladders can put you in harm’s way, and having a reliable tool will help you tidy up your property without any risk of injury. The kit includes the saw, a long fiberglass pole, a 2 Ah battery, and a sheathe for the blade.
The fiberglass pole is lightweight and sturdy. While it’s lightweight, the assembled product is well-balanced. You’ll have a lot of maneuverability, giving you the ability to make intricate cuts at difficult angles. The product is a bit pricey, but you’re getting top-notch quality, a hefty warranty, and an ergonomic design. The charging station is included in the kit.
- Affordable
- Battery-powered with around 100 1 and ½ inch trims per charge
- Lightweight and easy to handle
- Chain falls off a bit at first once you find a good tightness to it
Sun Joe SWJ803E 10 inch Multi-Angle Pole Chain Saw
The Best Electric Pole Saw
- 8-amp electric motor
- 10-inch blade
- Telescopic handle
- Up to 14 feet of overhead length
Sun Joe is a household name in the home improvement industry, so we’re bound to feature one of their products on our best pole saw list. With a simple, feature-packed design and a 10-inch blade. The Sun Joe SWJ803E pole chain saw gives you access to tricky cuts with its multi-angle design. The telescopic pole gives you up to 14 feet of overhead reach, plenty of length to eliminate the need for a ladder.
The 8-amp motor gives you plenty of power to cut through thick branches and logs. With a 10-inch blade, anything that’s up to 9.5 inches in diameter is fair game. This product will help you trim your trees beautifully, and the 0-30 degree adjustment helps you find the right angle for each cut. Weighing in at 7.9 pounds, it’s very lightweight. An adult should have no issues handling the pole saw with two hands.
The blade is self-lubricating, so carrying out long trimming sessions is no problem. With an electric motor, you don’t have any misses, the motor revs up instantly, and you can start cutting right away. Sun Joe provides its clients with a two-year unlimited warranty for this particular product, so we highly recommend you consider it. It’s a very capable piece of equipment.
- Long blade
- Two-year unlimited warranty
- Very ergonomic design
- A lot of overhead length
- A bit top-heavy
Greenworks 8.5’’ 40V Cordless Pole Saw
Ergonomic, Easy to Maneuver
- 8.5’’ blade
- 2Ah battery and charger
- 8 feet of overhead reach
Greenworks is a company that has a mission. They want to give you affordable, reliable products to maintain your garden without any hassle. Their 40V 8.5’ cordless pole saw blends utility and ruggedness in a beautiful package. With 8 feet of overhead reach and a sturdy aluminum handle, this product is very well-balanced. You don’t have to worry about tiring your hands.
With a 2 Ah battery and 40V of power, you get enough steam to blow through 8-inch logs in a matter of seconds. The 3-piece handle can be adjusted to your desired length, giving you the optimal amount of control for your trimmings. Weighing 8.3 pounds, it’s a bit heavier than other products, but that translates to better balance. The aluminum is also sturdy and easy to maintain.
The chain tensions system can be adjusted on the fly in a matter of seconds, so you can make adjustments easily. Depending on what type of wood or the diameter of the cut, you’ll have to constantly adjust the tension, so making it accessible is essential in a truly ergonomic product.
The battery is part of a Greenworks ecosystem, so if you want to invest in other products for your lawn, yard, garden, or homestead, we think that it’s a great choice. That being said, this is one of the best pole saws for casual trimming and it comes at a very affordable price. Highly recommended.
- Good balance
- Long-lasting battery
- Easily-adjustable chain tension system
- Not as much reach as other products
WORX WG309 8 Amp 10″ Electric Pole Saw & Chainsaw
More Affordable, Still Feature-packed
- 10-inch blade
- Auto-lubrication and Auto-tension features
- 8-amp electric motor
The WORX WG309 has an 8-amp electric motor, an 8-foot telescopic pole, and a rotating handle for easy pruning. Self-lubricating and with a lot of power, you can basically cut through anything. Use it at a chainsaw or as an electric pruner, your trees and yard will thank you for it.
The 8-pound head makes it a bit top-heavy, but that’s to be expected. It’s more compact than longer models and this will give you more control while sacrificing some reach. The electric motor generates no fumes and less noise, making this a perfect choice for someone who lives in a crowded suburb and wants to do some trimming on the down-low.
Overall, the WORX electric pole saw is potent, and while it is a bit top-heavy, the auto-lubrication and auto-tension functions make it an amazing product. The 10-inch blade gives you a lot to work with in terms of cutting capacity, so we recommend it for people who are looking to trim some thicker branches.
- Sturdy design
- Telescopic pole
- Easily-adjustable chain tension
- Top-heavy
- Not as much overhead reach as other products
Poulan Pro PR28PS Gas Pole Saw
The Best Gas Pole Saw
- Easy start system with air gauge
- Gas-powered pole saw
- Almost 40-inch length
Going electric is nice, but if you have bigger jobs and have to constantly charge your battery, you might be better off getting a gas-powered chainsaw. The Poulan Pro PR28PS is a gas-powered pole saw that brings you 12 feet of reach and an engine that never has to stop. This product also has the ability to be equipped with additional attachments that will help you tend to even more areas of your yard and garden.
The six optional attachments make this an interesting purchase. Having a hedge trimmer, blower, and pole saw, all in one, is definitely something that a lot of people would be interested in. The tool-less assembly and the gas-powered motor make it easy to carry around, so it’s ideal for someone who works in the industry. Overall, it’s a great pick for you if you’re looking for something versatile.
- Very long
- Reliable start
- Good cutting power
- Expensive
- Noisy
MAXTRA Gas Pole Saw
Good Gas Alternative
- 42.7 cc engine
- One year warranty included
- Chainsaw design
The MAXTRA gas pole saw is easy to assemble and easy to use. While the pole is not telescopic and uses nuts, all the tools you need to put it together are included in the kit. Because it’s a gas-powered chainsaw, you don’t have to worry about battery life. This bad boy will run for hours on a full tank.
The pole gives you about 15 feet of reach, allowing you to prune medium-sized trees with ease. It’s a bit loud, so I’d advise giving your neighbors a heads up if they’re easily bothered. The 47.2 cc engine gives you plenty of power, cutting thick branches in a matter of seconds. As with other saws, this also has optional attachments that will convert it to other gardening tools, so make sure to investigate if you want that sort of added value to your purchase.
The 10-inch blade will allow you to cut big logs easily. Just make sure to stay protected during trimming. The two-stroke engine is EPA certified, so it’s within safe guidelines. If you’re worried about climate change, it does produce a small amount of pollution, but if you only use it occasionally, I would argue that it’s sustainable.
- Doubles as a chainsaw
- Lots of reach
- 10-inch blade results in some big cuts
- Top-heavy
- Hard to handle by elderly customers
Fiskars Chain Drive Extendable Pole Saw & Pruner
The Best Manual Pole Saw
- Titanium blade
- 16 feet reach out of the box
- Hook design
If a chainsaw is too much for you to handle, then maybe take a look at an extendable pruner. The Fiskars extendable pole saw and pruner reaches up to 16 feet, is mechanically-powered (by your own two hands), and very lightweight. The handle is telescopic, so it’s easy to store and doesn’t require assembly every time you need to use it.
The double-locking system ensures that the pole stays extended as you rock the saw. The saw is retractable, both for storage and safety reasons, and has a hook to make sure that the blade stays seated in the grove. It’s held in place by a wing nut that you can remove with your thumb.
The pole also comes with a pruner, for twigs and small branches, that’s operated using a rope. Overall, it’s eco-friendly, sharp, great to use for environmentally conscious people. It’s durable, the pruner blade is titanium, and we highly recommend it.
- Retractable blade for safe storage
- 16 feet of reach without an awkward design
- Hard to handle if you don’t have a good physical condition
DocaPole Pole Pruning Saw
Good Budget Choice
- 12-foot reach
- Weighs 3 pounds
- 13-inch blade
The DocaPole pruning saw is a pretty basic product. It’s lightweight, affordable, has a maximum reach of 12 feet (although it does come in 24 and 30-feet models too), and is a pretty barebone product. With the purchase, you get the saw blade and the pole.
The telescopic pole does have the ability to hold different attachments, but they’re not included in the purchase. This product doesn’t come with a pruner, and while the saw is curved, it doesn’t have a hook to keep it in the grove. Overall, it’s not bad, but it’s not that great.
- Good blade for trimming trees
- Steel is reliable
- Affordable
- No pruning attachment
- Not as much reach as other products
Notch 40207 Pole Saw Set
The Long Boy
- Weighs 8.4 pounds
- Lightweight, lots of reach
- Chrome-plated blade will be protected from sap and corrosion
The Notch 40207 pole saw is more or less the same product as the DocaPole pruning saw. It’s pretty basic. It does have a hook that’s placed at the end of the blade for yanking the branches off the tree and the steel is of higher quality. It weighs 8.4 pounds.
The pole is not amazing, since it’s not telescopic. It is fiberglass, which makes it flexible and lightweight, but you’ll have to assemble and disassemble it before and after each use. That being said, the blade is chrome-plated, which is a nice touch, since you’ll be protecting it from rusting.
- Easy to handle
- Much more affordable than other options
- Easy to store
- No need to worry about fuel
- Not as much cutting power as a gas or electric model
- Not a sturdy as more expensive, automated models
How to Choose the Best Pole Saw
Ladders and tree work don’t really mix. If you want a good pole saw, then you need to follow a few guidelines. You need to pick up something long enough that’s going to comfortably cut through your thickest branches, as well as light enough that it won’t become uncomfortable during longer trimming sessions.
Length
The length of your blade should be a bit longer than the circumference of your thickest branch. I’m not saying that you should measure it, just use your gut and pick something that you think will get the job done. If you get a bigger blade, that’s fine, but if you get something that’s not long enough, you’re going to have a bad time.
Noise
Electric or gas-powered? Gas-powered chainsaws generate considerably more noise, so depending on where you live, you might want to opt for one or the other. Gas-powered models do use a more reliable form of fuel, so if you’re on a homestead and won’t bother anyone, you might want to consider them. If not, I wouldn’t risk bothering my neighbors a few times a year, since a chainsaw can be pretty disruptive. Of course, you can always forget about the pole saw and just use a pair of loppers.
Weight
Depending on how strong you are, you might be able to handle a heavier product or you want to get something lightweight. The more weight a product has, the more top-heavy it’s going to be. If it’s top-heavy, it’s harder to handle and find a good cutting angle. If you’re not the type of person that does a lot of yard work or goes to the gym, try shopping for a lighter model. It’s gonna be safer and easier to use. If not, then feel free to grab any product you see fit.
Fuel Type
Gasoline or electricity. I’m not going to make the eco-friendly argument, since you’re not going to be using your trimmers throughout the entire season. Instead, think about reliability. Gasoline is easy to carry around, affordable, and reliable. Batteries can die out randomly, and if you don’t have a spare, you’ll have to wait a few solid hours before you can get back to work. I recommend that you get gasoline if you work on large pieces of land, and electric if you only have a few trees to trim.