Fiskars 7-16 ft. Extendable 2-in-1 Pruner and Pole Saw For Tree Trimming, Tree Trimmer with Chain-Drive for Cutting Branches up to 1.25" Diameter with More Power, Garden Tools

We have a willow style tree which overhangs our patio. Lately it's started to look like a kid with an unruly hairdo who hasn't seen a barber or stylist in a long while. A few scaggly branches popping out here and there. It seems less than ideal - not to mention due to it's height, not possible - to really use a ladder effectively with a trimmer or lopper in hand. So pole lopper/saw it is.After looking at a lot of reviews and specs - this Fiskars model hits the right mix of features (length and cutting capability) for a good price. The model I purchased extends from 7' - 16' and has the "chain drive".Overall the tool seems sturdy - time will tell. The fiberglass pole is striking a nice balance between weight and strength and reach. The tool head with lopper worked fine to nip thru 3 branches that were just a bit over 1" in diameter (thickness). I have not yet tested the saw - other than to remove the blade while using the lopper.When fixing the saw for use - you undo a single wingnut and align a support hole with a nub on the tool head and the hole for the bolt for the wing nut to (re)secure the saw. It would be nice if they'd include a second nub so you could secure the blade to the tool while it's not in use and not worry that it could slide out of position.Overall I'm happy with the price/performance - it made easy work of the test branches on the willow over the patio - requiring not too much strength to pull the rope for the lopper. It's a bit unwieldy but extended to 12 or 16 feet that's to be expected. Time will tell about the durability - but I have a weekend coming up soon to do some trimming on a number of trees around my property.

BOTTOM LINE: Whether you're just doing occasional trimming ...or tackling a big project, this Fiskars extendable pruning saw will amaze you with its speed and simplicity. It sawed circles around my supposed 'top-of-the-line' Craftsman pole saw. 5 STARSTHOUGHTS: With Sears going out of business everywhere you look, I knew I needed to buy something besides another Craftsman unit when my old one started acting up. Surfing around, this Fiskars pole saw racked up solid reviews on every site I checked out. The brand is well-renowned for sharpness and durability, so I decided to pony up and buy one. This spring I finally got a chance to try it out... and I must tell you that I am beyond impressed. My driveway is almost 100 yards long, lined on both side by tall pine trees anywhere from 20 to 40 feet high. They've been slowly growing together for many years but I never had cause to trim much since the interwoven branches helped minimize rain and snowfall in my driveway, which is always a bonus. However I knew I had to do some major trimming recently because delivery trucks (fuel oil, UPS, etc.) coming up to the house were starting to complain about several of the lower hanging branches. So on a cool Spring weekend I headed out and began trimming the trees along my driveway with this new Fiskars pruner.First impressions were positive. The oval shape of the handle keeps the pole from twisting in your hands, which inspires confidence, especially when the pole is extended fully to reach high branches. The snap lock collar and simple push-n-pop spring-loaded retention pin make extending and retracting the pole a breeze; though the snap collar often popped open. Irritating, but it never adversely affected the saw's performance. (The positioning holes in the extension section have started to elongate after a few months' use, but this saw still works great in spite of this apparent design flaw. It's the only real complaint that I have about this otherwise excellent pole saw.) The lopping feature has a thick heavy cord with a large, easy to grasp plastic T-handle. It snips easily through anything that will fit inside the hook. But what impressed me the most was the hellaciously fast cutting power of the curved saw blade. The aggressive design of the blade & saw teeth quickly zipped through branches, seemingly in half the time (and effort!) of my old Craftsman saw. Wow! I am sold on this unit forever! After ripping through over 100 branches, ranging in thickness from an inch to well over 4 inches, I remain in awe of the ease with which this tool does its job.[I had 6 stacks of branches piled waist-high in just a few hours - check the picture! (The Fiskars is leaning against my first stack of branches, in the background.) A picture is worth a 1000 words: this saw WORKS!!!]I recommend the Fiskars 393981 to ANYONE looking for a telescoping saw. It may cost a bit more than others but this is one case where you absolutely get what you paid for! And then some!!

I bought this to trim my tree in my front yard. It works great. It was easy to use. The pull grip was comfortable and the sharpness of the blade made trimming easy. the telescoping pole made it able to reach the highest branches without trouble . Definitely worth the money. Looks like it will last.