The 7 Best Manual Pole Saws for Yard or Garden: Review and Buying Guide in 2024

Are you seeking for a solution to deal with the overhanging branch of the tree in the yard or the garden? Well, we all, prominently at some point in life, have seen that one notorious tree branch that hits the gutter or blocks our view and even sometimes creates obstacles for our car.

While you can call for a professional to prune the tree branch, but it would cost hundreds of dollars. However, with the best manual pole saws, you can prune the branch of the tree without standing on a ladder and have almost zero knowledge of pruning.

A manual pole saw is versatile and provides ultimate control over the entire pruning procedure. However, with tons of alternatives to opt for, we understand your manual pole saw selection needs some assistance.

With our seven most appropriate, accessible, easy-to-go, and affordable manual pole saw reviews, we are all set to give you essential assistance. For convenience, we have also come up with an in-depth pole saw buying guide.

The Seven Best Manual Pole Saws Review

When it comes to cutting branches or trimming them, nothing beats the efficiency of a manual pole saw. Sometimes people call them tree or pole pruners too.

We will also use these names throughout the article (just a reminder so you don’t get confused).

Fiskars 7.9-12 Foot ExtendableTree Pruning Stik Pruner

The first one ardently on our list is from the famous Fiskars, who have already earned an excellent reputation for their reliability and good product quality. This 92406935K extendable pole saw is no exception. Owning this power tool is like combining the benefits of a good-quality manual saw and a pruner at the same time.

Since it is an attachment to both types of facilities, there’s hardly any job that it can’t perform. From pruning during the fall or spring to trimming the extended limbs- it can handle a myriad of situations with ease.

Thankfully, it comes with a telescopic pole. So, you can perform both the high and low cuts without the use of a ladder. The telescopic pole also ensures you don’t lose control during the trimming session.

Another benefit of the telescopic pole comes with the trimming of decorative shrubs around your home space. Without the telescopic pole, you have to bend or sit on your knees to cut these shrubs. But with the expandable pole, you can forget about those painful knee sores.

However, the highlight and most beneficial feature of the Fiskars pruner is its rope-free ergonomic design. It permits you to use both hands in the trimming and cutting without thinking about the rope. So, you end up getting more accuracy and control over your work.

It has a brilliant cutting head that rotates around 230-degrees. So, reaching the harsh angles won’t be problematic anymore. Next, we loved its WoodZig 15-inches long saw blade. It powers through thick branches like a smooth walk.

The smoothness reaches the next level with its optimal height capacity of 12 feet. Although it may not be the highest reaching capacity, it is sufficient to trim the majority of orchard trees as well as yard shrubs and trees.

In short, owning the Fiskars Manual Pole Saw will enhance your pruning and trimming experience in the home yard to a heavenly feeling. Yes, it’s that good.

Specifications

• Range: 7-12 ft.
• Weight: 2.3 lbs.
• Extensions: 2
• Warranty: Lifetime

Best Benefits and Features

• It is a combination of manual saw and pruner
• The 15-inches long saw blade is ideal for thicker branches
• The pruner provides maximum cutting power with the Power-stroke chain drive.
• Actuating balls help easily reach too-far corners.

Verdict:

The Fiskars 92406935K manual saw is for those who want to achieve premium accuracy in pruning jobs without having to spend much on it.

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Silky HAYAUCHI 179-39 3-Ext. Polesaw

This best manual pole saw from Silky has surprised many homeowners and landscapers with its dynamic and stunning performance in real life. Many manual pole saws promise staggering features in the paper and produce unsatisfactory results in reality. But the Silky 179-39 manual saw is a perfect example of functionality, performance, and consistency both in documents and the existence.

From trimming decorative shrubs to pruning trees and cutting damaged branches, this Hayauchi professional pole saw is up for anything and everything- literally.

For starters, let’s focus on its unimaginable reaching capacity. Yes, its telescopic pole can go up to 21 feet. So, you can cut, trim or prune fruit-bearing trees along with the extended palm trees too. And do I need to mention that you can quickly trim the grounded shrubs without having to bend your waist or sit on your knees?

The pole saw is made of aluminum which comes in handy to keep the weight low. Furthermore, it has a positive locking mechanism. The locking ensures that it won’t slip from the tool when you operate the manual pole saw. All these results in a smoother finish with the finest possible control.

Another benefit of the Silky pole saw is its high thickness of blades per inch on the pole saw. It accommodates 5.5 teeth on each inch of the saw blade. Such a high number of modules means you get the correct pruning and cuts in real life.

Another unique feature of the saw blade teeth is its positioning. They have been arranged in such a way that it looks like four different rows. It is useful when tackling the toughest pruning and trimming chores with the manual pole saw.

Lastly, the capacity to adjust the angle in two directions makes lower and higher cuts comfortable and secure.

Specifications

• Range: 8-21 ft.
• Weight: 7.2 lbs.
• Extensions: 3
• Warranty: Lifetime

Best Benefits and Features

• Maximum 21 feet reach with the three extensions
• The package includes a custom sheath for safety
• Thicker teeth count for accuracy and a fast finish
• Tool-free saw-head removal is possible.

Verdict

The Silky pole saw is incredibly versatile. If you don’t hesitate to spend a few more bucks for stunning performance, this pole saw is your best bet for now.

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Gilmour 20-18 16-Inch Curved Blade Commercial Grade Pole

These days the productivity and necessity of a manual pole saw have skyrocketed. Thus several manufacturers have tried their luck in the market nut none could earn the trust of customers as Gilmour did. And when you use the Gilmour 20-18 Commercial Grade Pole Saw, you will know why they are the current king in the pruning and trimming market.

The pole saw comes with 3 extensions, each with a range of 6 feet. So, you get a good 18 feet reaching capacity with the Gilmour professional saw pole. Also, 18 feet range implies that you can perform high cuts and pruning without the risk of ardently using a ladder.

Out of many incredible benefits of the commercial-grade pole, you will first notice its sturdy built quality. The manufacturer has used high-quality cast aluminum to mend the saw head. On top of it, the expandable telescopic pole is made of premium fiberglass.

All these high-quality material used for the manual saw pole construction has made it a durable one for sure.

Next, you will love its curved shape sharp blades. The blades are indeed sharp enough to tackle the largest logs and limbs without any difficulty. Furthermore, the curved saw blade is 16-inches long that matters the most in pruning and cutting jobs.

The blades have a nonstick coating that helps it to continue high-quality performance for an extended period.

The highlighted feature of the Gilmour commercial saw pole is its paintbrush holder. You can clean-up the high areas or paint the damaged area with the paintbrush holder.  What a careful marketing strategy from Gilmour.

Specifications

• Range: 18 ft.
• Weight: 9.3 lbs.
• Extensions: 3
• Warranty: Lifetime

Best Benefits and Features

• Fiberglass pole ensures long-lasting performance.
• Curved 16-inches blade tackles large limbs and logs
• The brush paint holder supports clean-ups and paints.
• Enhanced control with the lightweight pole design.

Verdict:

The Gilmour commercial grade best manual pole saw takes pruning and cutting job to the next level with the curved shape blade. It provides one of the safest operations at present.

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Fiskars 14-Foot Power-Lever Extendable Tree Pruner

You need to ardently take a close look at the Fiskars 93016059J pole saw, if you want a cheaper solution to all of your pruning and cutting chores. Once you see its affordable pricing and the appreciation it receives from landscapers, you will undoubtedly, want to grab it at the home yard or garden.

At 14 feet reaching capacity, it might not be the highest-stalked pruner, but what makes it so popular is its over-skilled excellence and performance.  Nonetheless, our long experience prone us to tell you that with a 14 feet range, it is the perfect one for homeowners- anything above 15 feet is for professionals in the field.

Nonetheless, even with such a range, you can trim and cut high branches without moving upward on a ladder and your age-old pruner only. So, it is still a worthy investment.

During our review, we were particularly impressed with the Power Lever technology of the manual pole saw.  The technology maximizes the leverage to give your cutting power a good boost. So, tackling large logs or thick branches won’t be a problem with this extendable pole saw.

And for the telescopic pole, Fiskars have used fiberglass mostly. So, you can expect excellent durability on the pole. The 15-inches long blade of the pole saw is manufactured from hardened steel. Fiskars have even used a low-friction painted coating on the blade. Therefore, it glides through the tree branches with ease. It comes in handy when working with the trees that produce sticky saps.

And the final highlighting point of the Fiskars manual pole saw is the release lock mechanism. It is usable with one thumb only. So, you get excellent control over the entire cutting process.

All in all, its sturdy construction, easy use, and smooth control will give you a pleasant feeling at hand.

Specifications

• Range: 14 ft.
• Weight: 5.85 lbs.
• Extensions: 2
• Warranty: Lifetime

Best Benefits and Features

• One thumb-locking mechanism ensures accuracy and control
• The low-friction coating on the blade prevents gumming.
• The power lever mechanism boosts the leverage.
• Fiberglass poles and steel-made blades are ideal for heavy-duty trimming.

Verdict

The Fiskars 93016059J pole saw is a cheaper option. Yet, it delivers premium performance that makes it one of the best manual poles saw these days.

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Silky Zubat 13′ Polesaw

Lightweight, easy to use, practical functions, and affordable- these are the adjectives we cannot but help use for the Silky 272-18 manual pole saw. The professional manual saw comes with an initial extension of 13 feet.

However, when needed, you can stretch the saw length to 18 feet, thanks to the useful telescopic pole. So, you get quite a good reach. It is sufficient to take care of most tree branches without the risk of using a ladder.

The best part is that the telescopic pole saw is made of aluminum. So, it gives the durability you would want to trim and cut those sturdy branches. The blade of the pole saw is made of hardened steel and is slightly curved. The curve shape maximizes the leverage of the blade which makes cutting, trimming, and pruning chores easy as you get.

Also, the blade is available in 13″, 11″, and 9″ while the teeth density is 6.5 per inch. Such immense thickness suggests that the pruning and cutting result will be smooth and accurate.  The state-of-the-art razor further had 4 cutting angles that work perfectly for tackling even the toughest branches.

For safety purposes, as we found in the Silky pole saw review, the manual pole saw comes with two locking systems. The dual locks correctly work together to provide the highest possible leverage with the least effort. It even has a friction protective clamping mechanism to reduce friction while cutting. It makes the overall pruning a breeze.

Next, we noticed the protective scabbard of the blade that keeps the entire razor wrapped securely. It prevents accidental injuries even if you unintentionally put a hand on it. The sheath also protects the razor from rust and weather changes for long-term use.

Lastly, the lightweight design comes in handy when you have to prune or shear the entire backyard or garden or even the orchard garden. Your hands won’t feel fatigued even after long hours of heavy usage of the manual pole saw.

Specifications

• Range: 13-18 ft.
• Weight: 4 lbs.
• Extensions: 2
• Warranty: Limited lifetime

Best Benefits and Features

• The blade is super sharp, so, every cut is smooth and accurate.
• The handle has a shock absorber and an ergonomic rubber grip.
• Its two locks supply superior strength at work.
• The telescopic pole has ultimate control.
• The locks are adjustable at different layers.

Verdict:

The Silky 272-18 manual pole saw is mainly for professional use. Still, its ergonomic design and control is suitable for home pruning and cutting branches.

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Jameson LS-6PKG-6 LS-Series Landscaper Pole Saw

Jameson is a relatively new manual pole saw manufacturing company that has earned its reputation for assuring quality at all the times. The LS-6PKG-6 series is a legendary edition to their manual pole saw product line. It has set the market on fire with astounding features and realistic performance.

First off, it has a sufficient 12 feet telescopic extension. It may not be one of the highest in the market, but it is enough to reach most tree branches in the home yard and orchard garden. However, if you want to achieve even higher branches, the 3-poles give you the most elevated 18 feet reach.  On top of it, the manual pole saw has a hardened steel forged blade with a 16″ length.

Hence, the Barracuda Tri-Cut manual pole saw blade with its hardened teeth provides superior efficiency at every pruning and cutting task. What’s more, the impulse-hardening of the module prevents wear and tear to keep it working for an extended period.  It also brings higher cutting efficiency.

The pruning head of the Jameson Landscaper Pole Saw isn’t bad either. It comes with an active 1.25 inches cutting thickness. Henceforth, as our best manual pole saw review found, it is quite functional and complements the blade’s efficiency. So, you will be able to get clearer and smoother cuts and pruning results for a wider variety of tree branches and shrubs.

For consistency in cutting, Jameson has coated the blade with non-sticky powder. It keeps the edge free from dirt and prevents sticking with the tree sap when cutting and pruning. The overall experience becomes smooth and comfortable.

Finally, the lightweight yet sturdy design and ergonomic handle give you superior control over the whole cutting procedure. It also ensures the manual pole saw remains durable for a more extended period.  Lastly, the aviation-grade aluminum locking ensures security for the pole extension.

Specifications

• Range: 12-18 ft.
• Weight: 8 lbs.
• Extensions: 3
• Warranty: Limited lifetime

Best Benefits and Features

• The three-pole extension can reach up to 18 feet with ease.
• Sixteen inches long curved blade has impulse hardening to increase efficiency.
• The non-stick coating prevents saps and dirt from sticking on the module.
• It has a sufficient 1.25 inches of cutting thickness to tackle dense branches.

Verdict:

The Jameson Landscaper Pole Saw is suitable for those who won’t perform heavy-duty pruning and cutting chores. Its affordability makes it ideal for home usage.

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ARS LA-180ZR203 4-to-7-Feet Long Reach Pruner

The last manual pole saw in our review is strictly for home usage where there’re not so taller tree branches. Yes, ARS made this small manual pole saw or pruner to deal with low tree branches and shrubs around the yard and garden.

So, don’t expect to reach higher tree branches with the ARS LA pruner. It will only give you a range of 4 feet to 7 feet reach. But even this height is sufficient to deal with most branches that otherwise block your view or car entrance.

The height adjustment has three stoppages. You can lock the specific height with a single lever. For convenience, it has a single pin that makes the locking mechanism super-fast. So, you can quickly adjust the height and begin your pruning or cutting task without further problems.

The blade of the ARS LA Pruner is its main selling point. The blade is made of a design with Forged Slim chrome plating. Hence, you will receive extreme endurance with it. Also, chrome plating prevents the blade from sticking with sap and dirt. It helps you in getting smoother pruning and shearing with the least effort.

During the review, we also found the handle and grip very ergonomic. The grip is made from durable cast aluminum and has a comfortable non-slip plastic coating. So, it reduces the chances of accidental falls from the hand to keep your feet secure.

Finally, we were impressed with the swinging neck of the pruner. It permits the blade head to move around 30° which will make the pruning task in tough to reach areas comfortable and less risky.

Specifications

• Range: 4-7 ft.
• Weight: 2.25 lbs.
• Extensions: 3
• Warranty: Limited lifetime

Best Benefits and Features

• The single-pin locking mechanism is fast and secure.
• The swinging pole neck moves around 0-30 degrees.
• The forged slim blade is durable and chrome plated.
• The cast aluminum grip with a non-slip design is supportive for comfortable holding.

Verdict:

The ARS LA manual pruner is suitable for pruning small shrubs and tree branches. You shouldn’t expect something extravagant performance from the pruner.

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The Best Manual Pole Saw Buying Guide: How to Choose the Manual Pole Saw?

Since you have already read through the seven manual poles saw reviews, we expect that you have a clearer idea of the happenings now. However, sometimes only by judging the review, your buying procedure can get a bit creepy.

So, it is crucial to realize which manual pole saw factor and element are more critical and which is less significant. When you understand these factors, you will always be able to choose the perfect manual saw for you.

So, here we go with the manual pole saw buying guide.

Pole Saw Types

You will mainly find three types of pole saw. These are-

• Manual pole saw: A manual pole saw works without any electricity with the help of leverage. The pruner has a long telescopic extension that gives superb control over the cutting and pruning tasks. It is ideal for residential and small pruning jobs.
• Electric pole saw: Electric pole saw runs with electricity. It can be both corded and cordless. It produces enough power to tackle mature tree branches and cuts with smoothness. It is best to deal with medium-sized trees.
• Gas-powered pole saw: These are the most potent pole saw and are used for commercial purposes. It is used to prune tree branches in large lawn and landscape areas. However, they are pricier and heavyweight. It also causes extreme noise that can be a problem in the residential sector.

Saw Blade

The blade saw needs to be sharp and made from durable material to make cutting and pruning chores easier. Ideally, saw blades made from forged or hardened steel or aluminum provide the required hardness.

Also, the saw blade with a non-stick coating comes in handy while working with a tree branch that produces sap. You may also look for a detachable saw blade so you can remove and clean it from time to time.

Telescopic Reaching Range

Let’s admit the primary job of the pole saw is to reach tree branches and trim or cut it. So, the highest reaching capacity of the telescopic pole is crucial.

It is recommended that you get a telescopic pole saw that can reach 18 feet. It is a standard height that works well with most residential tree branches since these aren’t so heightened. Also, the number of extensions and locking system of the telescopic saw are essential.

We found that with a secured locking mechanism, you will get more control and accuracy with the telescopic pole.  Finally, the pole needs to be lightweight, so you don’t feel fatigued while using the manual pruner.

Cutting Capacity

The cutting capacity of the pruner is linked to its blade length.  If you want to cut thicker branches, get a longer saw blade. However, the standard pole saw blade length is between 6 inches and to 12-inches, while some expensive models can go up to 16 inches even.

Pruner Functions

Not all manual pole saws come with a pruner tool attached to them. The pruner is an extended part attached to the pole head. Therefore, it helps you in shearing shrubs and decorative plants for a beautiful looking yard and garden.

It also comes in handy in pruning small branches, especially if you have a fruit-bearing tree.

Cutting Action

If you want to deal with thicker tree branches, a manual pole saw with lever cutting mechanism is recommendable for you. The lever mechanism works with an attached gear to the pole saw handle. You can effortlessly move it back and forth to generate the power needed for cutting the tree branches.

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The Benefits of Using a Manual Pole Saw

A manual pole saw may look like a simple tool, but it brings a lot of benefits for you. Once you own a quality manual pole saw, you can expect to get the following benefits-

1. Since a manual pole saw operates without any battery or motor, it is lightweight. So, you won’t get tired quickly while working with the manual pole saw.
2. Manual pole saw is far less pricy compared to the electric and gas run pole saw or pruners. So, it is budget-friendly.
3. The lightweight design of the manual pole saw also makes it highly portable. So, you can reach any corner of the backyard or garden with ease.
4. When it comes to maintenance, nothing can come close to the easy maintenance of the manual pole saw. You only need to keep the saw blade and pole clean. There’s no complicated removal and cleaning necessary.
5. A manual pole saw requires you to use physical strength for trimming and cutting tree branches. So, it is ideal for some sort of exercise as well to keep you fit.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the best pole saw at present in the market?

There are many pole saws in the market that claim to be the best. However, we went deep into the discussion and found that currently, Remington RM1035P Ranger II Pole Saw and WORX WG309 Electric Pole Saw & Chainsaw are two of the best electric pole saws in the market. Both have a powerful motors and can cut thick branches with ease.

2. What is the rope for in a manual pole saw?

The rope with the pole saw is used to control the descending speed of the newly cut tree branches. Professionals use it as a pulley system to bring down tree branches safely. It reduces the risk of getting injured or damaging the surrounding from the falling branch. So, the overall pruning experience gets smoother.

3. How thick a branch will a manual pole saw cut?

The cutting capacity of a pole saw depends on the blade length. As far as experts are concerned, a pole saw can tackle 9-inch thick tree branches with ease. Anything above this thickness level needs professional landscaping tools to handle safely.

Conclusion

So, we are at the finishing line of our seven best manual poles saw reviews. Thanks a ton to stay with us for such a long time and making it through to this stage.

So, here is a quick bonus for your perseverance.

The Silky HAYAUCHI 179-39 manual pole saw is our overall best selection in the best category. It is a professional pole saw and is handy for dealing with high branches of the tree. Another excellent and affordable choice is Fiskars 92406935K, an extendable pole saw. It is built sturdy and has a good reach despite being a low-priced pruner.

Nonetheless, our every choice in the list is of high quality and ready to serve your specific purpose. So, feel free to opt for the one that helps you the best.