You gotta love a good pole saw. Being able to trim up your shrubs and trees without the hassles and risks of using a traditional chainsaw up on a ladder makes that unpopular task so much easier. And it’s even better when you do not have to pull-start your chainsaw while up on that ladder. The SKIL 20V Pole Saw is the newest addition to SKIL’s PWRCORE 20™ OPE line-up. We used this flexible-length, battery-powered pole saw to trim up some of our trees and shrubs, let’s see if it has the power and performance we needed.
SKIL 20V Pole Saw Overview
SKIL offers just under ten OPE’s in their PWRCORE 20™ line-up. This SKIL 20V Pole Saw is the newest addition and was more than adequate for what I needed to do. SKIL also offers a more robust 10 in., 40V brushless version that has a telescopic shaft instead of the 20V’s 3-piece version. It is also slightly larger and heavier than the SKIL 20V Pole Saw.
SKIL 20V Pole Saw Features
The kit includes the SKIL Pole Saw Model PS4563B-10 two-piece saw assembly, a 3.5 ft. extension shaft, a blade sheath, shoulder strap, storage bracket, U Link, 20V 2.0Ah battery, and a 60W charger. The assembly of this lightweight (8.9 lbs.), cordless, pole saw was fairly standard, without any notable issues.
The power is supplied by a SKIL PWRCORE 20™ 2.0Ah battery and PWRJUMP™ charger. I was able to run it for just under an hour before I needed to recharge the battery. The charger’s PWRJUMP™ technology will take the battery from zero to a 25% charge in about five minutes, which allowed me to finish the job.
This pole saw has two assembly options. The two-piece stock pole is approximately 6.5 ft. When you also utilize the aluminum 3.5 ft. extendable shaft you can reach up to 10 ft.
The bar length is 8″. The chain is 0.043″ gauge and 0.375″ pitch.
Shown here is the control for tool-less chain tension adjustment and the chain sheath lock.
The saw requires standard bar and chain oil and is auto-lubricating. The oil level can easily be viewed through the oil-inspection window.
When I used it with the extension pole, at its maximum length of 10 ft., to cut some higher branches, the 135° pivoting head and tree hook provided secure placement of the saw.
There are two grip locations, the rubberized rear handle and a padded section of the shaft. With a hand at each location, I felt I could securely operate the saw. For safety, there is a lock-off button on top of the handle, above the trigger, that must be depressed to start the saw.
SKIL 20V Pole Saw Performance
The SKIL 20V Pole Saw easily cut through branches up to about six inches. It was convenient to have the shoulder strap and it felt well balanced, even at its maximum length of 10 ft.
SKIL 20V Pole Saw Value
Compared to comparable 20V pole saws on the market, this one is competitively priced. Another plus is SKIL provides a 3 Year Warranty, and if you register within 30 days you get a 5 Year Warranty (battery & chargers are two years). The SKIL 20V Pole Saw kit sells for $149 on Amazon. The 40V version is also available on Amazon for $179.99. If choosing between these two is based on price alone, the 40V seems like the better value. But if you have already invested in SKIL’s PWRCORE 20™ platform the differences might not be enough for you to add a 40V tool+battery+charger to your stock. The main differences are bar length, the motors, and length extension configurations. The 8″ 20V has a brushed motor and the extension rod is a separate piece. The 10″ 40V is powered by a brushless motor and offers a telescoping shaft.
SKIL 20V Pole Saw Wrap Up
I needed to do some seasonal trimming around my yard and this SKIL 20V Pole Saw was able to do exactly what I needed it to do. The 10 ft. reach, pivoting head, and tree hook allowed me to safely trim up almost everything I wanted this fall. It’s light weight and the shoulder strap made this task physically pretty easy. The one-hour run time was just about enough time for me to complete my trimming – then I just put the battery on the charger for about five minutes and was able to finish. If you’ve already invested in the SKIL’s PWRCORE 20™ platform, I would recommend adding this pole saw to your OPE’s. I’ll bet you’d use it a lot more than than you think and your yard will look great. And the one last thing I really appreciate is the built-in storage hook and provided bracket, so I can conveniently hang it up until the next time I need it.
