Which One Should You Buy?
So if you had to make a choice between buying a mini chainsaw or electric pruning shears – which would it be?
There are many considerations to take into account. We will address some of those here and hopefully that will get you thinking and make your buying decision easier.
In big picture terms, the comparison is akin to a crude blunt instrument (mini chainsaw) versus a high tech precision instrument (electric pruning shears) 🙂
That might be a slight exaggeration, but actually it’s not far off the mark. In fact, they even make disinfectants for pruning shears!
But lets take a closer look at the comparison.
The Blunt Instrument
Milwaukee Electric M18 Fuel Hatchet 8” Pruning Mini Chainsaw
The mini chainsaw comes in several versions, all of which you operate with one hand.
Once you get to a 10 inch bar chainsaw, then the chainsaws are no longer “mini” and you probably need two hands to operate them. So we will leave them out of this discussion.
Apart from the cut surface, this range of sizes available to you is perhaps the most important area for consideration.
At anywhere from a four to eight inch bar, these mini chainsaws can cut through some fairly solid branches. Manufacturer claims will vary and always tend to be on the high side, but an 8 inch mini chainsaw would be expected to chew its way through a 6 inch diameter branch even if it takes several different goes at it.
Price
If we look at price, electric mini chainsaws are definitely cheaper than cordless pruning shears. They do however have chains which require replacing from time to time, so that is an added potential expense.
The chain itself needs sharpening from time to time as well as tightening, so the mini saw perhaps involves a little more upkeep admin than the shears.
Cut Surface
The mini chainsaw will give you a chainsaw cut. In other words, an inelegant, rough, cut surface with perhaps a few splinters of branch still attached at the periphery where the piece being cut off actually really broke off as gravity took over.
This is all a result of (a) the nature of a chain) and (b) the one directional cut. In other words, there is nothing opposing the push of the mini chainsaw as it cuts through the wood.
That is usually not an issue when cutting branches for firewood. But its not so great for pruning.
The High Precision Instrument
Electric pruning shears are designed for the high precision requirements of pruning.
Whether its your favorite roses or your apple tree orchard, pruning requires a lot more thought and accuracy than simply lopping branches off at will.
Designed along the lines of the traditional pruning shears, these tools give you accuracy and clean curt surfaces without having to put your hand through an Olympic level fitness regime in order to be fit enough to do the pruning!
Having said that, they have limitations. Cost is one, but the most practical of these is the diameter of branch you can cut through.
Unlike the mini chainsaws, you are not going to find electric pruning shears that can cut through any branch much bigger than 1.5 inches! But then again, they are designed for pruning, not cutting!
Anyway, back to price.
Electric pruning shears are more complicated and refined than mini chainsaws and that is perhaps the bottom line. Increased sophistication means a higher price.
To Conclude
Although battery operated mini chainsaws and electric pruning shears would seem to be fit into the same broad category when it comes to gardening, they are very different in a number of significant ways.
This means that unless you are not too fussed about your pruning or are only going to chop up twigs for firewood, one of these will not do both jobs for you. Or at least, not very well.
C’est la vie!
Happy choosing.