If you own a garden or you’re an arborist, trimming and cutting down dry tree branches, limbs, and twigs are unavoidable tasks that you’ll need to carry out almost every year. The pole pruner and pole saw are both designed to cut or trim tall limbs and branches. A pole saw has bigger blades that cut deep into thicker branches while a pole pruner is the best to go with for lighter branches.
There are different options to choose from to complete these kinds of tasks, but the two leading choices are: a pole saw and a pole pruner. In this blog post, we’ll be checking out pole saw vs pole pruner, power vs manual pole saw, tree pruner vs pole saw, and electric vs manual pole saw. That’s not all! We’ll be talking about the uses and benefits of the two tools and some pros and cons.
Table of Contents
Comparison Chart – Pole Saw vs Pole Pruner
A lot of farmers and gardeners know the pole saws but only a few are familiar with the pole pruner. Interestingly, pole saw and pole pruner have similarities in features as well as differences. Whenever you’re deciding on which to choose between the two, you should consider their similar features and differences. This table is a comparison of pole saw vs pole pruner. Check it out if you don’t have time to read all the content in the post.
| Criteria | Pole Saw | Pole Pruner |
| Cutting diameter | Bigger | Smaller |
| Chain Guide | Longer | Shorter |
| Blade Size | Moderate | Small |
| Power Source | Gas, electric, or battery | Motorized |
| Branches Type | Thicker branches | Slightly thick branches |
| Application | Used for cutting a tree and dry branches | Used for trimming and pruning limbs and branches |
| Power Rating | Medium power rating | Smaller power rating |
Overview of Pole Saw
These devices are classified into three types; electric-powered, gasoline-powered, and battery-powered. For the records, we’ll be talking about the electric-powered pole saw. If you want to maintain the trees in your garden, an electric-powered pole saw is an ideal option for you. It is a powerful and adaptable device for cutting and trimming dry tree branches.
The bar connected to the saw makes it easy to cut off high branches from the ground. You won’t have trouble with climbing ladders or trees to cut off branches that are up to 5-10 ft high. Electric-powered pole saws come in two versions. They include; the cordless and corded versions. If you choose to go with the cordless version, you’ll get to enjoy ample flexibility and mobility while cutting down trees and branches.
But we only hated that it has confined battery backup. This means that gardeners like an arborist who does a lot of heavy-duty for a long time would have to recharge the device many times before complete the day’s work. On the other hand, there may be some limited flexibility and mobility with a corded version, but the good this is that you won’t have to worry about recharging all the time as it has unlimited access to a power source.
Brief Description of Pole Saw (Powered-Electrically)
There’s a pole connected to the blade of a pole saw powered by electricity which gives it enough stretch to bring down tall tree branches from the ground. The lowermost part of the pole saw houses the engine – powerhouse. The maneuverability and handling of this device are quite easy and straightforward since it’s small-sized and lightweight. Now, let’s talk about each component of the pole saw. You’ll get to know the electric vs manual pole saw differences and similarities in a section below.
The Pole
There’s a lengthy and light rod equipped with an electric-powered pole saw. We loved that the handle of this device is protractible and it’s quite like a telescopic build, in terms of its retreating and extension process. You’ll enjoy extra balance and grip while cutting or trimming tree branches and limbs, thanks to its rubber grip.
The Blade
The chainsaw blade is quite identical to the one you’ll find in an electric-powered pole saw. The blade picks up the shape of an oval and it has small-shaped saw teeth wrapping it all. The unique design of this blade makes it easy to cut through any timber limbs and branches.
The Engine
You find the powerhouse of every electric-powered pole saw at the lowermost part. Pole saws with heavier and bigger engines are recommended for people who are into heavy-duty and demanding tasks There are different sizes and shapes of engines that you’ll find in the models of pole saw powered electrically. Don’t be surprised to find out that pole saws powered by battery are quite bulkier because of the heavy cell in the powerhouse.
The Activator
The activator/trigger connected to the handle helps to operate the blade easily. The cutting power of the pole saw can be adjusted with this function.
Uses/Benefits of Pole Saw – what is a pole saw used for?
A pole saw has a variety of applications and can handle numerous tasks from residence lawn/yard to big organizations. You might be surprised to know that many people even use the pole saw to clean and clear regions after a disaster. Quickly, we’re going to look at some pole saw uses for great cutting, trimming, and pruning experience.
Cleaning roads and forest after a disaster: there is some specially designed pole saw like hydraulic pole saws, used for clearing and tidying up streets and wood after an occurrence of a natural disaster.
Cutting branches: pole saw is mostly used for cutting high branches from the ground. It makes it easy to bring down tree branches and limbs. You won’t have to climb a tree or a ladder and expose yourself to the risk of falling off before you can cut those high branches. With this devil e, all you have to do is cut from the ground without any hassle.
Used for trimming: arborists usually make use of pole saws for bush clearing, tree trimming, or pruning. Normally, people mix up the meaning of trimming and pruning. Trimming involves the removal or cutting down of unwanted branches and limbs when it is required. It is the most common application for pole saws. Trimming helps to lessen the risk of dead branches falling off during storms or even reduce the amount of shade.
Used for tree pruning: pruning is done periodically, mostly once or twice a year. If you want to make your trees have healthy growth and development during the warm season, then pruning is a process that should be cultivated.
Curving decorative trees: gardeners and lawn owners use a pole saw to curve and style ornamental trees like Eastern Redbud, Ornamental pears, Japanese Maple, Cornus Mas, Serviceberry, and many more.
Used for bush clearing: brush trimmers have always been people’s number one choice when it comes to bush clearing. But do you know that a pole saw can be used for bush clearing as well? You don’t need to buy a brush trimmer once you have a pole saw. Just get yourself a pole saw to clear all the bushes causing unwanted mess within your garden or yarn.
Pros
- Fairly inexpensive
- Low maintenance
- User-friendly
- Easy to operate
- Great for thick branches
Cons
- Electric-powered pole saw requires close access to a power supply
- Isn’t ideal for use in wet conditions
Overview of Pole Pruner
The pole saw vs pole pruner comparison would not be complete with looking into an overview of a pole pruner. A pole pruner is used for trimming trees with high branches.
Pole
You’ll find a long, solid pole with a working system connected to the face of the pole pruner. The pole is equipped with a fixed bar to deliver additional balance and stability while working on tree pruning.
Build Material
Pole pruners are basically composed of fiberglass or something related to lightweight and hollow material, making it easy to move around.
Telescoping Design
What we love about pole pruners is that they either designed with numerous parts or telescopic, which helps to lengthen them to your preferred heights. A pole pruner can go as high as 18 feet or even more, allowing you to prune high tree branches.
Blades
The blades of the pruner starts-up and slice the branches as soon as you pull on the rope. Pole pruners have unique, long heavy-duty blades with a curved middle for tree pruning and trimming.
Saw Type
We figured out that there are some models of pole pruners with a special, long zig-zag saw at the front part of it. This serrated saw can be used to cut down thick branches that the pruning system of the device can’t handle. Pole pruners were mainly designed and built to prune trees as high as 18 feet or more without climb the tree or ladder.
Uses/Benefits of Pole Pruner – what is a pole prune used for?
This device is a very powerful and versatile tool that has made life easier for gardeners and arborists when are talking about trimming and pruning high branches from the ground. After finishing the pole saw vs pole pruner comparison, we’re going to talk about some benefits of using a pole pruner.
Increased Safety: using a pole pruner for trimming or pruning of tree branches is a safer option in comparison to other cutting or pruning methods. We all know that it’s risky to use a ladder while cutting since it can be tipsy or flimsy sometimes. You have an increased chance of falling off a ladder that’s not being held down by another person below it. That’s why we love the versatility that pole pruners bring to making cutting high branches easier and safer.
Extended Reach: extension of your reach to the highest point on trees is one of the biggest benefits you could get from using a pruning device. Why don’t you just go for a pruning device that offers a stress-free and effective cutting of high branches from the ground instead of using a short-range tool while on a ladder?
Affordability: Another interesting benefit of this tool is its great affordability. Why spend more money on small pruning tools and a ladder while you can just go for a single-rod pruner. There are so many models from different brands. But according to our research, we found out that pole pruners are affordable options for all gardeners, lawn owners, and arborists.
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Easy to maneuver
- Quite effortless to operate
- Budget-friendly option
- Usually comes with ergonomic design
Cons
- Can’t cut thick branches
- Some require more effort to cut limbs
Power vs Manual Pole Saw
The power vs manual pole saw comparison was made to give you precise information about both tools. Manual pole saws are quite affordable, lighter with no chain involved, and the longer height reaches. Also, manual pole saw require less servicing and maintenance. Since it’s not electric or battery-powered, you won’t have to worry about a failing power source. But the only thing is that the manual pole saw cuts slower than the powered pole saw. Hope the power vs manual pole saw comparison gives you the similarities and differences between the two devices.
Final Words
The bottom line is that a pole saw is perfectly suited for a heavy-duty cutting job while a pole pruner would only be great for trimming or pruning tree branches. We drafted this blog post about the comparison of the pole saw vs pole pruner to offer you in-depth and accurate knowledge about the two devices that are used to cut trees, branches, and limbs.
We’ve reached the closing chapter of this blog post. We hope you were able to find good and reliable resources in your quest to know the tree pruner vs pole saw comparison. If you have any questions or comments about the article topic, don’t hesitate to contact us. Thanks.
FURTHER READING
