Tree Trimmers

Manual trimmers can be the perfect tool for smaller jobs where you need to simply prune dead limbs or trim back during the fall season. There are many handheld pruners, loppers, and even manual saws, some of which are on poles that can be expanded for you to reach branches up to 20 to 25 feet.

 

Let’s first talk about pruners and loppers. Pruners are usually handheld tools that will allow you to trim stems and small branches up to about 1” in diameter. Loppers are designed to handle larger growth up to about 2” in diameter. Loppers though will require 2 hands and feature longer handles that are used to leverage the cut.

 

Some branches that are larger than 2” should be sawed off. You could use a simple hack saw in those cases but there are pruning saws that are specifically designed to make a cut in a way that will protect the health of the tree. Pruning saws have two typical styles, handheld and attached to a pole.

 

Both pruners and loppers have two different types of cuts.

 

Firstly, the bypass cut is better for cutting live, green, stems, and branches. The bypass cut forms a straight edge on the surface of the limb by using two sharpened blades. This type of cut on green live trees helps to maintain the tree’s health by reducing damage and bruising.

 

Secondly, the anvil cut which is better adapted for dead limbs. This type of cut performs a pinching action and will put a small triangular point at the place of the cut. It also allows for a greater transfer of kinetic energy and will let you power through some of the tougher cuts that aren’t suited for a bypass blade.

 

There may be instances where you will need to use a more powerful tool than a manual trimmer. Information on those types of trimmers can be found in the sections below.

Unlike the manual pruners and loppers, battery-powered tree trimmers use a small mini chainsaw as the cutting tool. One of the pros of this type of trimmer is the fact that you can make quick work of branches and spend less time maintaining your trees and more time enjoying them. However, it does come with a con. Batteries. You will either need multiple batteries and chargers, larger amp hour batteries or you will have to stop mid-work and recharge the batteries and then finish up at a later time.

 

We will state that certain manufacturers, such as DeWalt, Sun Joe, Greenworks, and Mikita, make a combo kit where they offer not only a pole saw but also other outdoor power equipment like hedge trimmers and weedeaters that can be interchanged with the same base pole and battery. In the near future, we will be reviewing and comparing those combo kits. However, for this section of the article, we will be focusing on just the stand-alone item.

 

While using battery-powered outdoor power equipment is much better for the environment it has the drawback of battery life. As mentioned above having multiple batteries or having equipment that runs on a larger amp-hour (Ah) battery will allow you to get all of your work done without having to stop to recharge. It should also be noted that bar and chain oil should be used and oftentimes is not included with the purchase of the item.

 

During our review and comparison process, one thing that stood out to us was DeWalt has made product lines that are compatible with 20V MAX* and 20V/60V MAX* FLEXVOLT® batteries. If you have other DeWalt power tools that run on these batteries you can simply switch them over from power tools to outdoor power equipment and not have to worry about buying additional batteries and chargers. Although with that being said you can never have enough batteries.

 

There are also manufacturers that make battery-powered handheld models that can perform a bypass or anvil cut. One of these types may be better suited for your yard work than a telescoping pole saw model from the likes of DeWalt or Sun Joe. Although, if you are coming across difficult cuts of thick low hanging branches one option is a handheld miniature chainsaw. During our preliminary research into these, we have noticed that most of these items are coming out of China so the performance and reliability may be questionable. We will have a full comparison and review article on handheld mini chainsaws in the near future.

 

Our researchers are still doing reviews and comparisons for battery-powered tree trimmers so we will have a full complete article posted in the near future.

Electric corded tree trimmers can be ideal for a small quick job. The typical motor for these trimmers is an 8 amp motor. However, there are smaller-sized models like the Sun Joe SWJ800E and SWJ802E that have a 6.5 amp motor.

 

Firstly, let us mention that if it is raining, even a light drizzle you should not operate a corded tree trimmer or any corded outdoor power equipment for that matter. In addition to the chance of electrocution, it is especially dangerous to cut wet limbs as the blade may slip off as you cut and cause personal injury.

 

In some areas, such as the Northeast, California, Alaska, and Hawaii where electric costs are over 20 cents per kilowatt-hour it may be more cost-effective to use battery-powered or manual trimming tools instead of corded electric trimmers. Some of the models we looked at, like the above-mentioned Sun Joe models and their larger 8 amp motor models, had great options like telescoping poles and the ability to angle the saw up to 30 degrees. However, there was one brand and model that makes us scratch our heads. This is the Worx WG310 8-inch pole saw and the WG309 10-inch pole saw. Granted these are 2 in 1 products which is a small chainsaw with the capability to add a pole to it. Here is what we found so terrible with it even though it has over 4200 5-star ratings and 800+ written reviews.

 

• The wiring to plug the saw into the pole is not self-contained and exposed, risking snagging on branches, damage to the wiring, or disconnecting.
• The saw itself rather clumsily attaches to the pole and you have to unscrew a cover, attach the saw and listen for it to click as it latches on, and then replace the cover.
• This 2-in-1 model has a handguard and grip bar on the saw making it impossible to do close in cuts or even prevents a cut altogether due to the size of it.
• Unable to adjust the angle of the saw
• It’s heavier than its competitors at a hulking 10 lbs

 

Our researchers are still doing reviews and comparisons for corded electric tree trimmers so we will have a full complete article posted in the near future.

Just like their other gas-powered outdoor power equipment the downfall of these tree trimmers is that they produce harmful byproducts as a result of burning fossil fuels. Slowly manufacturers are moving away from providing gas-powered options. Although this is the case TekEons will still review and compare the technology behind these models.

 

If you are shopping for a gas-powered tree trimmer or any other small engine power equipment you should keep in mind that some areas, such as California, are passing laws against the sale and use of equipment of this type.

 

However, many brands offer the same options for gas-powered trimmers as for the battery-powered and electric corded like telescoping reach and adjustable head positioning. Most gas-powered tree trimmers are going to have a 25cc to 43cc 2-stroke engine as the power source. EPA certification is something you will want to pay attention to because this makes the model more fuel-efficient and in turn creates less smog. Even though this is the worst option of tree trimmers for the environment the EPA certification does lessen the impact.

 

Even though our research into gas-powered tree trimmers is ongoing we have noticed that many of the brands out there also offer combo kits where you can get a tree trimmer, weed eater, hedge trimmer, and brush trimmer in an all-in-one package.

 

In the near future, we will be posting our full article comparing many of the different models of gas-powered tree trimmers.