Budget Pole Saws That Plug In: Three Corded 6 to 8 Amp Saws With No Battery to Buy

Why the cheapest good pole saw has a cord

Strip the battery and charger out of a cordless pole saw kit and what is left is a motor, a bar and a pole, which is exactly what a corded pole saw is, at a fraction of the price. For a yard with an outlet within 100 feet of the trees, a 6 to 8 amp corded saw cuts the same 6 to 8 inch limbs as a mid-range cordless saw, never fades toward the end of a job and never needs a replacement pack three summers on. The cost is a cord to manage. The three saws here are the corded telescoping saws that give the most for the least, and they are ranked by what they offer at the budget end rather than by any single number.

This guide is built from the published specifications of each saw and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run these saws ourselves.

How the three compare

WEN 4019: light, plain and cheap to own

At 6.7 pounds the WEN 4019 is the saw an older user or a first-timer can hold overhead for a whole limb without the arms giving out, and that weight is the reason to buy it. The 6-amp motor drives the 8-inch chain at up to 36 feet per second, the pole telescopes from 5.3 to 7.3 feet for up to 12 feet of overhead reach, and the chain is adjusted without tools. WEN includes a blade cover, a shoulder strap and a two-year warranty. The reach is the shortest of the three and the listing does not mention an auto oiler, so keep a bottle of bar oil with it.

Sun Joe SWJ802E: the longest reach and an angled head

The Sun Joe telescopes to 9.4 feet and Sun Joe rates it for up to 15 feet of overhead reach, three feet more than the WEN, which is the difference between reaching the second-story gutter line and not. The head sets at 0, 15 or 30 degrees so the 8-inch Oregon bar can lie flat on a limb growing off to one side, the chain is oiled automatically from a 2-ounce tank, and Sun Joe rates the 6.5-amp motor for branches up to 7.5 inches thick. It runs at 6,000 rpm, is CSA approved and carries a full two-year warranty. Sun Joe does not list the weight or the tensioning method, and a 2-ounce tank wants topping up often.

SENIX 8A: the biggest motor and the longest warranty

The SENIX puts a 120V 8-amp motor behind an 8-inch low-kickback bar and chain, the most power of the three, which shows when the chain meets a 6-inch oak limb and holds its speed. Oiling is automatic, the pole extends to 8.9 feet for up to 14 feet of reach, and the shoulder strap carries the saw on a long afternoon. The box includes a bar cover and a wrench, which is also how the chain is tensioned. SENIX backs it with a 3-year limited warranty. There is no angled head in the listing and the weight is not published.

Managing the cord and the reach

Buy a 14 gauge outdoor extension cord for runs to 50 feet or a 12 gauge cord to 100 feet, and plug it into a GFCI outlet. Loop the cord through the shoulder strap or tie a loose knot where it meets the saw plug so a tug cannot pull it apart mid cut. Keep the cord behind you and work in an arc around the outlet, so the cord never lies under the limb you are dropping. Set the pole to the shortest length that reaches the cut; a fully extended pole is harder to steady and slower to stop. Cut in three steps on anything thicker than a wrist: an undercut, a top cut to drop the weight, then the finishing cut at the collar. Unplug before clearing a pinched bar.

Which one should you buy

Buy the WEN 4019 for the lightest and simplest corded saw. Buy the Sun Joe SWJ802E for 15 feet of reach, an angled head and automatic oiling. Buy the SENIX 8A for the most motor and a 3-year warranty.