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Pole Saw Vs Hedge Trimmer – What’s the Difference?

By: David S. Miles | Last Updated: January 20, 2024

Planting trees and letting them grow healthily are the fundamental tasks for a gardener. However, it takes more to keep the plants in good condition. Different kinds of tools are needed to perform those tasks.

Sometimes there may be confusion as to which tool is suitable for what task. That said, I have come up with two great gardening tools that make gardening fun: Pole Saw and Hedge Trimmer. Although you can use them for pruning and trimming tasks, they are different in many ways.

Let’s learn how they are different and how you can perform pruning tasks using them. Thus, you can find all the answers to queries regarding pole saw vs hedge trimmer.

What Is a Pole Saw?

Pole Saw

Imagine a chainsaw is mounted at the end of a pole. This is exactly what a pole saw looks like. The long pole gives you an extended hand to reach the high branches and limbs of a tree while the chainsaw attached to the pole performs the cutting job. Trimming the limbs and trunks of a tree; pruning overgrown bushes and shrubs are the jobs you can do with a pole saw.

Length, weight, and power are the key things that you need to consider before buying a pole saw. The length is probably the most vital feature of a pole saw as it is what makes a chainsaw a pole saw. A long pole facilitates you to perform all those overhead jobs that you could hardly do otherwise.

Apart from that, there are two types of pole saws in terms of power input:

Pros and Cons of Using a Pole Saw

Pros

  • A pole saw can cut branches and trunks of a tree, trim shrubs and bushes.
  • The long pole helps you reach heights that you couldn’t do without a ladder.
  • Some pole saws are compatible with different attachments, making the tool more versatile.
  • Some models have a detachment system which means you can detach the chainsaw from the pole. As a result, you can use them for low-height tasks as well.

Cons

  • You can’t use them for precise pruning tasks.
  • The weight can be concentrated on one side, making it difficult to maintain balance sometimes.
  • They are relatively less expensive.


What Is a Hedge Trimmer?

Hedge Trimmer

As the name suggests, a hedge trimmer performs trimming tasks on hedges. Besides, you can use it to prune shrubberies to keep them in good shape and even on all sides. The blade of a hedge trimmer moves in reciprocating motion, trimming the shrubs as precisely as you want.

Hedge trimmer primarily comes in two types: manual and powered. A manual trimmer is like scissors with long handles. It takes long hours of work to give a good shape to shrubberies or hedges using a manual trimmer.

On the other hand, there are powered hedge trimmers that take a little time and effort to trim the unkempt shrubberies. Power hedge trimmers may run on gasoline, electricity, or battery. Moreover, they come in different sizes and lengths. It is up to you to decide what length is appropriate for your garden. However, gardeners prefer a long hedge trimmer if their hedges are huge in height and width.

Power hedge trimmers have an engine that delivers power to the blades to cut leaves and shrubs. Apart from that, there are some common attributes that most hedge trimmers have. For example, a comfortable handle, sound and vibration dampener, debris shield, etc.

Pros and Cons of a Hedge Trimmer

Pros

  • Hedge trimmers are lightweight and compact.
  • They can trim bushes so precisely that you can make all the plants uniform. Moreover, you can give artistic shapes to them if you wish.
  • The reciprocating blade makes the trimming job so fast and easy.
  • Some models are also able to trim tall grasses, vines, other ground tasks.

Cons

  • Hedge trimmers have a limited reach.
  • They cannot cut through twigs, limbs, and branches of a tree.
  • They are relatively more expensive.

The Differences: Hedge Trimmer vs Pole Saw

Pole Saw Vs Hedge Trimmer

The basic purposes of manufacturing these two tools are different. Hence, the gardeners use them to perform different, exclusive tasks. Pole saws perform overhead pruning task as it has a long pole to get access to the hard-to-reach limbs and branches of a tree.

On the other hand, a hedge trimmer does not have a pole to help you reach that height. But it does have a powerful engine and sharp blade to trim the hedges and other shrubberies to keep them healthy and beautiful.

Another difference is the cutting capacity of these gardening tools. A pole saw can cut through the logs and limbs of a tree. But for a hedge trimmer, those logs and limbs are too thick to cut through. If you want to use it to do those tasks, chances are you will end up damaging the tool and achieving no progress in your job.

However, you can sometimes use them for performing tasks even though they are not made for those. But you will miss the level of excellence and comfort in those cases. For example, you can prune long grasses using a pole saw although it would be quite difficult to move the tool horizontally. Hence, it is good to use them for separate tasks that they are good at.

Find out which manual pole saws are the bestsellers now!

Conclusion

Hedge trimmer and pole saw are two gardening tools that are manufactured for different tasks. Pole saws are more powerful and have an access to the hard-to-reach branches and twigs of a tree. Hence, it is a suitable tool for pruning those parts of a tree.

On the other hand, a hedge trimmer is a great tool for pruning and shaping shrubberies. They offer the most precise cuts when it comes to shaping shrubberies. If you got to do those tasks, you will need a hedge trimmer. The same applies to a pole saw for its distinct tasks. Hopefully, this article has answered your questions around pole saw vs hedge trimmer.

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