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Skil has added a new chain saw to their 20V Max cordless power tool platform.
It features a 6″ bar and chain, and can be extended to a length of 2.8 feet, which is a little over 33-1/2″.
This doesn’t have the reach of a pole saw, but maybe we can consider it a mini pole saw. Skil calls it a “telescoping pruning saw.”
The saw has a brushless motor, tool-free chain tensioning, and IPX4 water resistance. It also has an “EasyStorage” bracket for storage and organization.
Skil says the pruning chainsaw can make up to 115 cuts per charge with the included 2Ah battery.
The kit comes with the saw, 2Ah battery, and PWR Core standard charger.
Price: $149 for the kit
Discussion
Milwaukee’s M12 and M18 Hatchet compact chainsaws have been popular in recent years, especially for lighter cutting, pruning, and cleanup tasks.
They’re a bit pricey though – the M12 Fuel with a battery is $199 at Home Depot, and the M18 Fuel with High Output battery and charger is $299 at Home Depot.
For pruning tasks where you need more reach, Ryobi’s 18V pole saw kit is $169 with battery and charger at Home Depot, and their 40V Max pole saw kit is $199 at Home Depot, also with a battery and charger.
What’s interesting is that the Skil isn’t quite a compact chain saw, and it’s also not quite a pole saw. It’s a small chain saw with a short telescoping handle.
Ryobi’s closest competing saw is their 18V HP 6″ chain saw with brushless motor, priced at $189 at Home Depot for the kit with a 2Ah battery and charger.
They also have an 18V 10″ chain saw kit with 1.5Ah battery and charger for $149 at Home Depot.
Craftsman has a V20 6″ cordless chainsaw kit for $99 at Lowe’s, with a 2Ah battery and charger.
There are plenty of compact cordless chain saws, as well as cordless pole saws.
The Skil looks to shoehorn in between all of them, giving you a bit more reach should you need it.
If you’re on the fence about the design, Skil apparently also launched a new compact chain saw. Shown here is the telescoping chain saw (top), and Skil’s also-new compact chain saw (bottom).
The compact chain saw also has a 6″ bar and chain, brushless motor, and IPX4 water resistance, and is kitted with a 2Ah battery and charger for $99.
Skil also has 20V and 40V Max cordless pole saws. At the time of this posting the 20V Max model is under $117, and the 40V Max saw is $149. Both prices are for the kits, with a battery and charger.
Craftsman also has a 8″ cordless pole saw for $149 at Lowe’s with battery and charger.
The telescoping saw isn’t quite as compact as competitors’ one-handed chain saws, and it also doesn’t have anywhere close to the same reach as a pole saw. But the added size gives it greater reach without having to step up to a larger or pricier model.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy the Skil, but I think the design is interesting and worth talking about.
Would you pick the Skil extending chain saw, or go in a different direction?
