I did some yard work over the weekend, including pruning a pear tree that’s become a bit unwieldy since last spring. It was another chance to bust out the trusty mini chainsaw from Stihl that’s become one of my favorite outdoor power tools—I’ve found it’s perfect for pruning hedges, clearing small brush, and trimming branches.
Also known as power pruners, mini chainsaws are a relatively new category of outdoor power equipment that our pros in the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab started testing last year. The tool is aimed at suburban homeowners who don’t need a full-size chainsaw, but who still to do a bunch of cutting of small to midsize trees and plants throughout the year.
Our team put the Stihl pruner to work across a slew of tough yard tasks, including cutting through 2-inch-thick tree branches and pruning a thorny rose bush with hard-to-reach stems. The runtime on the 10.8-volt battery is only around 20 minutes, but since the tool isn’t in continuous use, that allowed for hundreds of cuts per charge in our tests. This weekend, I was outside for at least two hours this and never had to come in for a recharge.
I also like the inclusion of Stihl’s safety features, like the retractable chain guard and trigger switch lockout, which reduce the risk of injury. Plus, the kit comes with a carrying case and a container of oil for keeping the chain lubricated.
Another helpful accessory is the pole attachment, which extends the saw’s reach by about five feet. That helped me take down a lot of higher up branches on my pear tree that would have been a beast to remove with a manual pole pruner.
The Stihl garden pruner is no small investment, especially if you spring for the extension pole. But the Amazon offer makes for a better deal, and if my experience is anything to go on, you’ll get plenty of cuts out of it—and probably a few envious looks from the neighbors, too.
