Milwaukee Revives a Landscaping Classic and It Means Business
For the last few years, the big news in the lawn and landscape industry has largely centered around advancements in the battery-powered sector. While that’s still the case, our subject today is much more old school with a modern twist. The Milwaukee 16-foot Pole Saw and Pruner is part of Milwaukee’s latest generation of handheld landscaping tools.
From my very first impressions, it’s clear this isn’t your daddy’s pole saw. I’m going to highlight the key features and benefits of the 48-22-9375 so you can decide if it’s time for an upgrade!
Milwaukee Pole Saw and Pruner Basics
- Total Blade Length: 17 in.
- Cutting Area: 12-1/2 in.
- Cut Capacity: 7 in.
- Pruning Capacity: 1-1/4 in.
The Milwaukee 48-22-9375 sports a curved 17-inch high carbon, chrome-plated steel blade that offers 12-1/2 inches of total cutting space. This blade gives you a 7-inch cut capacity as a pole saw.
The blade features two rows of razor-sharp teeth that cut as you pull the saw across the limb, similar to a Japanese-style pull-saw. If you haven’t used a saw with that kind of tooth configuration before, it’s impressive how much faster it cuts through wood. The combination of the blade material and tooth configuration gives Milwaukee the confidence to call this “the fastest-cutting saw blade” in its class.
There’s also a high-leverage, spring-loaded pruning head that can handle cuts up to 1-1/4 inches. Milwaukee claims that this is one of the easiest cutting pruners on the market, and for good reason. Their high-leverage design is centered around a large internal pulley inside the pruner head that gives you a mechanical advantage over more traditional designs.
Milwaukee Pole Saw and Pruner Design Notes
- Model: Milwaukee 48-22-9375
- Total Length: 7 ft. to 16 ft.
- Weight: 7 lbs
- Handle Material: Fiberglass and Aluminum
Overall, this saw takes on a pretty traditional look, but with a few helpful improvements. Looking at the business end, you have an impact-resistant aluminum head that’s built to withstand drops.
The shaft is constructed of fiberglass with two telescoping aluminum extensions that take this saw from 7 feet to 16 feet in a matter of seconds. Simply unlock the friction clamp and push the spring-loaded button in to extend the shafts. Once you’ve got it adjusted, lock down the friction clamp and you’re good to go.
This is also where you’ll find the integrated rope storage system that helps keep your tool nice and tidy while not in use.
All in, the 48-22-9375 weighs just under 7 pounds and features a generous amount of rubber overmold and a rubber foot pad for improved comfort during use.
The weight is a bit more than you’ll find on cheaper pole saws that are better suited for occasional use. That’s the trade-off for the higher build quality Milwaukee put into this design to ensure it can stand up to the rigors of professional crews.
Pricing and Availability
This saw retails for $139.98 and comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects.
While this is more than you might pay for other brands, again, consider what you gain in terms of quality, durability, and productivity.
Should You Buy It?
So the real question is this: Is this the right saw for you? Well, there are a few things to consider. First of all, this is an extremely rugged tool that’s built for work day in and day out designed to help you work faster. The telescoping shafts are sturdy, with very little wobble, and the adjustment points are easy to manipulate, even while wearing gloves.
But it is more expensive and heavier than those cheaper models. If you’re after the cheapest pole saw just to keep your crew working, this might not be the right saw for you. However, if you value higher quality and productivity, the 48-22-9375 has very real benefits over its competition.
