Recommend me a (battery?) pole chainsaw

[Steevo]

Anybody have one of these? Thought it might be a handy option for trimming a few smaller trees.

All power tools here are Makita but they only do a split shaft option for a pole chainsaw so may have to look elsewhere.

Are the Bosch/Ryobi of this world worth looking at?

 

[Goweresque]

On the recommendation of a tree surgeon/landscape gardening friend I've bought a few bits of the Ryobi One + series of tools. He's moved his work gangs almost entirely over to Ryobi cordless for the normal house garden jobs, strimmers, hedgecutters, chainsaws, leaf blowers etc. They only have petrol kit for really heavy duty jobs. Saves a fortune on fuel, and the kit is cheaper too. All the batteries are common to the whole range, so once you've bought a few batteries and the charger the actual tools are quite reasonable to add on. I've only got a cordless angle grinder and drill driver, but both have been fine so far.

I bought mine (as has my friend) through these guys:

Ryobi at CBS Power Tools UK - Garden and Power Tools | Direct Powertools

Shop Ryobi Power Tools, Garden Tools & Accessories online ✓ Approved service agent & Warranty repairs for Ryobi ✓ Free Delivery in the UK over £100 ✓ From CBS Power Tools Ltd

www.direct-powertools.co.uk

 

[milkloss]

Have just borrowed Father in laws mountfield electric one. Mn48li I think. It's a consumer type thing with hedge trimmer attachment which I didn't use. It does cut well but is pretty soft to be honest, breaks into three pieces so fits in the motor easy. Ok for the money I suppose..... £250 vs 550 for a proper stihl jobby. If I had the cash it's be the stihl every time.

the problem you'll have is comparing the length of them as specs are a bit cloak and dagger for the cheapies.

 

[Steevo]

Have just borrowed Father in laws mountfield electric one. Mn48li I think. It's a consumer type thing with hedge trimmer attachment which I didn't use. It does cut well but is pretty soft to be honest, breaks into three pieces so fits in the motor easy. Ok for the money I suppose..... £250 vs 550 for a proper stihl jobby. If I had the cash it's be the stihl every time.

the problem you'll have is comparing the length of them as specs are a bit cloak and dagger for the cheapies.

Thanks for that. Yes, quality is a question mark on some. I'd be looking for a full kit with battery and charger and on the Husqv/Stihl that pushes the price up even more - it could add another £200 on top of the £550!

Husqvarna 530iPT5 battery pole saw (shell only) (10″ bar & chain) – FR Jones and Son Ltd | Warehouse Operating As Normal

DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE AND LOW WEIGHT OF THIS PRODUCT, IT WILL INCUR A £15 POSTAGE SURCHARGE IF ORDERED. THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES NOT GET DAMAGED IN TRANSIT...

www.frjonesandson.co.uk

 

[Exfarmer]

On the recommendation of a tree surgeon/landscape gardening friend I've bought a few bits of the Ryobi One + series of tools. He's moved his work gangs almost entirely over to Ryobi cordless for the normal house garden jobs, strimmers, hedgecutters, chainsaws, leaf blowers etc. They only have petrol kit for really heavy duty jobs. Saves a fortune on fuel, and the kit is cheaper too. All the batteries are common to the whole range, so once you've bought a few batteries and the charger the actual tools are quite reasonable to add on. I've only got a cordless angle grinder and drill driver, but both have been fine so far.

I bought mine (as has my friend) through these guys:

Ryobi at CBS Power Tools UK - Garden and Power Tools | Direct Powertools

Shop Ryobi Power Tools, Garden Tools & Accessories online ✓ Approved service agent & Warranty repairs for Ryobi ✓ Free Delivery in the UK over £100 ✓ From CBS Power Tools Ltd

www.direct-powertools.co.uk

I have a lot of plus one kit and am less than impressed with the later offerings. Battery life has been poor and my first drill lasted ten years and knocked in thousands of tech screws and suffered massive abuse.
the next drill only 3 years old and having a far easier life is up for replacement

 

[Kidds]

Stihl Turbocut pole saw gets my vote. Will cut an astonishing amount.
I have dismantled a full size oak with mine down to about 10" limbs. Batteries never go flat and never needs fuel.

 

[ED.D]

Have a husky battery pole saw and find it long enough when it’s retracted most of the time but occasionally we extend it to near 4m (I think). Been really handy to have about and battery life good.

 

[Frantic Farmer]

Bought a husky pole saw (battery type) to go with the petrol one we already have , fine and pleased with it first year ok second now man with it only does half a days work as batteries don' t last despite costing a lot of money , disapointing.

 

[Steevo]

Well I've taken the plunge and bought a Ryobi - they have an offer on at the moment, £150 inc VAT for pole saw. charger, 2ah battery. You can then claim a 4ah battery FOC direct from Ryobi afterwards. Seemed a fair deal to me, and I plumped for a cordless strimmer to go with it too.

I may love it or regret it....but at that price for the amount of gear it seemed pretty good value to dip my toe in the water given the Husqv 5.2aH battery alone is £150+VAT.

 

[SilliamWhale]

I was gonna say just hire a petrol one. Do a lot in a day

 

[farmerm]

Well I've taken the plunge and bought a Ryobi - they have an offer on at the moment, £150 inc VAT for pole saw. charger, 2ah battery. You can then claim a 4ah battery FOC direct from Ryobi afterwards. Seemed a fair deal to me, and I plumped for a cordless strimmer to go with it too.

I may love it or regret it....but at that price for the amount of gear it seemed pretty good value to dip my toe in the water given the Husqv 5.2aH battery alone is £150+VAT.

Well, do you love it or regret it....?

 

[Steevo]

Well, do you love it or regret it....?

I’m perfectly happy with it and don’t regret it. Does the job fine for a garden tool and cuts through some thick stuff with ease.

Now I have more Makita batteries, however, I think I would be looking at the Makita gear more closely. I’ve recently bought a Makita 36v cordless strimmer and am planning to buy a Makita cordless chainsaw too. Bare Makita tools are very cheap if you already have plenty of batteries, which at the time I bought the Ryobi I didn’t have.

Back then I had just 2 Makita batteries whereas I now have 10. That makes a big difference.

 

[essexpete]

I lashed out on a Stihl HTA 86 earlier this year, not cheap, especially with extra battery. Fantastic piece of kit in my opinion. Charge lasts ages. The only downside is the motor on the end by the saw can make it a bit heavy. I understand there are models with the motor at the handle end. I have cut quite a lot with it it and even used it on material on the floor. The joy of no noise and fiddling about with 2 stroke.

 

[Exfarmer]

I lashed out on a Stihl HTA 86 earlier this year, not cheap, especially with extra battery. Fantastic piece of kit in my opinion. Charge lasts ages. The only downside is the motor on the end by the saw can make it a bit heavy. I understand there are models with the motor at the handle end. I have cut quite a lot with it it and even used it on material on the floor. The joy of no noise and fiddling about with 2 stroke.

I too have a Stihl pole hedgev trimmer, I would hesitate to recommend it for any prolonged use as it certainly is heavy especially when extended. I use it in combination with a regular battery Stihl trimmer and then it is not too bad but alone i think I would bev finding someone fitter than me to trim my hedges

 

[dod1e]

I’m perfectly happy with it and don’t regret it. Does the job fine for a garden tool and cuts through some thick stuff with ease.

Now I have more Makita batteries, however, I think I would be looking at the Makita gear more closely. I’ve recently bought a Makita 36v cordless strimmer and am planning to buy a Makita cordless chainsaw too. Bare Makita tools are very cheap if you already have plenty of batteries, which at the time I bought the Ryobi I didn’t have.

Back then I had just 2 Makita batteries whereas I now have 10. That makes a big difference.

You can get an adapter from amazon so you can use your makita batteries with the ryobi kit.

I have one and it works fine.

My kit was all makita, but ryobi seemed to have some tools I wanted which makita didnt have or had significantly more expensive.

 

[dod1e]

I lashed out on a Stihl HTA 86 earlier this year, not cheap, especially with extra battery. Fantastic piece of kit in my opinion. Charge lasts ages. The only downside is the motor on the end by the saw can make it a bit heavy. I understand there are models with the motor at the handle end. I have cut quite a lot with it it and even used it on material on the floor. The joy of no noise and fiddling about with 2 stroke.

Is there an advantage of the motor being at the cutting end to help put weight on the branch when cutting?

 

[milkloss]

Is there an advantage of the motor being at the cutting end to help put weight on the branch when cutting?

No. With the makita pole saw (not the one you put different shafts on) the motor is in the handle end.

 

[essexpete]

Is there an advantage of the motor being at the cutting end to help put weight on the branch when cutting?

I think it is cheaper to build. Not much weight required by a sharp chain. There is probably a knack to using it (there is a basic shoulder strap). I find it very useful but would not use it for too long in one hit, as it were.