Chainsaw vs Pole Pruner: what is the difference?

Maintaining a beautiful and healthy garden requires regular pruning of overgrown branches, trees, and bushes. To carry out these essential tasks, it's important to have the right tools at hand. For some tasks you'll want to pick up your Chainsaws, but for others a Pole Saw will be an easier and safer choice.

A Pole Pruner, also known as Pole Saw or Pole Chainsaw, is basically a “Chainsaw on a stick”. As its name indicates, this cutting tool is ideal for pruning and trimming trees with higher branches as it provides a longer reach. Unless you are a trained Arborist a Pole Pruner is much safer to use for high branches than a Chainsaw as you don’t need to leave the safety of the ground while working.

WHAT CAN A POLE SAW CUT?

When compared to a Chainsaw, a Pole Pruner’s guide bar is generally smaller in size. But even the smallest Battery Pole Saw in our range is capable of cutting branches up to 30cm diameter.

WHAT CAN A CHAINSAW CUT?

A Chainsaw is better designed for cutting tasks in closer and tighter spaces, they are ideal for cutting firewood, felling trees, and general property maintenance. At STIHL SHOP, we have the widest Chainsaw range in New Zealand, with models from domestic to professional uses.

Find out which STIHL Chainsaw is best for your jobs here.

WHEN TO USE A POLE PRUNER?

A Pole Pruner is the obvious choice when working with taller trees that are out of reach. But you might be wondering if you could get away with using a Chainsaw for smaller trees? Here’s the rule of thumb: a Chainsaw is only safe to use when working below shoulder height. If you are tackling anything above that height, you should use a Pole Saw instead. It is not considered safe to lift a Chainsaw above shoulder height for a couple of reasons. First, there is a greater risk of losing control of your Chainsaw, also if it kicks back the Saw is more likely to come into contact with areas of your body not protected by Chainsaw Chaps.

When you use your Pole Saw, you are dealing with overhead hazards. Make sure you are wearing a protective helmet with earmuffs, protective pants or chaps are also recommended. During operation, it is important to stay alert and watch where the branch is going to fall.

CAN I USE MY CHAINSAW ON A LADDER TO EXTEND MY REACH?

We do not recommend using your Chainsaw on a ladder. Standing on a ladder is less stable than having your two feet on the ground. You risk losing balance or control of your Chainsaw during operation. As a result, you might seriously injure yourself. If you need a ladder for your task, you should use a Pole Pruner instead.

HOW TO CUT THE BRANCHES OF A LARGE TREE INTO FIREWOOD?

Once you have the branch down on the ground, it will be easier & faster to chop the wood into smaller pieces with a Chainsaw as it will provide more control and precision. Cutting to size at ground level is a lot safer than attempting to do this while the branch is at a height as you won’t have pieces of wood falling over your head.

TYPES OF POLE PRUNERS

PETROL POWERED POLE CHAINSAW

Petrol Pole Saws are sometimes favoured when the Pole Saw will be used for extended periods, as they have unlimited run times. For demanding tasks, the HT 135 Professional Petrol Pole Pruner is an exceptional option that offers excellent cutting power and is ideal for heavy-duty jobs.

CORDLESS POLE CHAINSAW

Battery Pole Pruners are lightweight, emit minimal noise and offer ease of operation. They operate on rechargeable batteries, providing impressive run durations, while maintaining the same level of robustness and power as their petrol counterparts. Moreover, the batteries are interchangeable, making them compatible with other power tools in the STIHL battery range.

POLE CHAINSAW WITH EXTENDABLE POLE

Certain STIHL Pole Pruner models, including the HTA 86 and HT 135, feature an extendable telescopic shaft. This allows for effortless adjustments to the reach, based on your specific needs.