Why I Use This Mini Chainsaw Before Reaching for My Hedge Trimmer

5 min readEarlier this summer, I set out to trim the trio of substantial evergreen bushes that line one side of my property. I knew that I’d need to cut out entire branches to let light penetrate through the bushes to promote healthy growth. Obviously, I could just trim off the top growth with a hedge trimmer and call it a day. But these bushes hadn’t been touched in a couple of years, so they needed something more than that.Initially I pulled out my hedge trimmer and a pruning saw, but after manually sawing one branch, I wanted something with more oomph.Well, a year or two ago, I acquired the Echo DHS-3996X1 battery pruning saw. And it’s been one of the unsung heroes of my yard care tool arsenal. After using it to cut those thick inner branches on my evergreen bushes, I never want to manually saw a branch again. If it’s too big for a set of loppers, out comes the Echo. So instead of me sawing back and forth for what can be dozens of seconds, the Echo zips off most branches in the time it takes to draw a breath.The Pruning Saw Cuts Heavy Inner Limbs and Lets in Light In the case of my bushes, the Echo DHS was the tool for the job. Big cuts were necessary before I could finish with the hedge trimmer, and this saw worked perfectly. I located each branch I wanted to cut down to some point of termination, positioned the saw, pulled the trigger, and just like that, had a clean cut and one less branch to remove.ProsAmple life from 2.5-Ah batteryFaster than cutting branches with a manual sawEasy to use with one handConsA somewhat niche toolFor strategic bush pruning, one benefit of using a powered saw like this versus a manual saw is the need for less space to work. Since I was removing some interior branches surrounded by other limbs, getting in a good cutting position could be challenging. That challenge multiplies when you need to factor in room to draw manual strokes in and out. A battery-powered mini pruning saw such as this Echo eliminates all that.The DHS that I tested is equipped with a 2.5-amp-hour (Ah) battery, which was more than sufficient for my needs. In fact, the illuminated gauge on the battery showed I had used only a quarter of its capacity with my dozens of cuts. As far as using the saw, the process is straightforward. Push the safety button, squeeze the trigger, and you’re cutting. The dual-button activation was effective as a safety measure to prevent accidental starting but isn’t so annoying that it slowed me down when I was working.Colin AylesworthThe Echo DHS pruning saw is perfect for zipping off thick branches from a hedge.Also not annoying is the minimal maintenance this saw requires. Keep the chain sharp and fill the reservoir with bar oil; that’s it. Otherwise, clean the machine as you would any chainsaw. The beauty of a battery-powered chainsaw is that you don’t need to worry about mixing fuel or keeping your carburetor clean. And while this saw’s 6-inch bar limits the scope of work it can tackle, it’s astounding how versatile it is.The Trimmer Shapes the Outer SurfacesWith the hard pruning out of the way, I could finally finish off my bushes with the hedge trimmer. I turned to the Ryobi 18-volt, 24-inch trimmer, which I’ve been using on my property for the better part of a year. The 2-foot cutting head is just about perfect for my needs. It allows for enough reach without being so long and unwieldy that it’s difficult to use for more than a minute or two.ProsStraightforward to useBalanced weightConsMay be underpowered for large jobsI did have to hop on a ladder to finish off the tops of the bushes, but that’s only because I don’t have a pole trimmer like the Craftsman contributor Tony Carrick recently tested. Thankfully, the Ryobi’s light weight meant I was able to finish the trimming without ever feeling unsteady or unsafe while having my feet off the ground.To be honest, I’m so deep into my membership of Ryobi’s 18-volt battery ecosystem that I don’t remember what size battery I grabbed to power this job. Whichever one had charge at that point in time was the one I slipped into the tool. But that’s the beauty of being established in a battery platform—all (or most) of your batteries fit in all or most of your tools, and you don’t have to think so much.The Ryobi hedge trimmer comes either as a bare tool or with a 2-Ah battery. And when I initially tested it with the included battery, it had sufficient juice for cutting a bunch of bushes. Remember that when you’re trimming bushes, you’re probably not running the machine for 20 minutes continuously. You’re on the trigger for a pass or two, then repositioning before squeezing the trigger again. This machine’s rating of 25 minutes should be sufficient for many homeowners.Colin AylesworthRyobi’s 24-inch, 18-volt hedge trimmer is the easiest to use of the ones we’ve tested.This is an easy trimmer to use. As I mentioned, it has a 2-foot cutting length, which is decent. And it’s relatively light. Plus it’s well balanced, so you never feel like you’re fighting a machine that could cut your fingers off. Activating the cutting head is a two-step process for safety. But again, it’s one that’s easy to get the swing of.This trimmer has a cutting capacity of branches up to 3/4 inch thick, and it did a solid job cleaning up the tops of my bushes. Anything thicker than that got cut during my pruning process with the Echo saw first, so the thickness limit was no issue. I took the Ryobi to branches that were that thick, but it had no problem cutting them cleanly. Still, if you do a lot of hedge trimming, there are heavier-duty options out there worth considering.Using Both Tools Saves Time I get that not everyone selectively prunes shrubs and bushes every season, but sometimes it’s necessary. In my case, the Echo mini chainsaw helped me to thin out my bushes to let more light through to the base before I did the finishing cut with the hedge trimmer.The Echo saw and the Ryobi hedge trimmer helped me make the most of the time I had to get my bushes cleaned up, and both lived up to my expectations. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend going out of your way to buy two different tools on two different battery platforms. But I was impressed with the abilities of the tools and batteries from both brands.Other Saws and Trimmers We RecommendBest Overall Hedge TrimmerHusqvarna Hedge Master 320iHD60 Battery Hedge TrimmerNow 20% OffBest Value Electric ChainsawEcho DCS5000-18C2 56V Rear-Handle ChainsawStihl GTA 26 Battery Garden Pruner KitColin Aylesworth attended Binghamton University and is a Deputy Editor with the Gear team at Popular Mechanics and Runner’s World, where he has been since 2022. Prior to joining Hearst Magazines, he worked for 11 years at U.S. News and World Report on the autos team. His personal pursuits fit in well with the work he does for PM and RW. Aylesworth was on his college’s club rowing team and has maintained a routine running habit through most of his adult life as a means of getting exercise and spending time outdoors. Running creates a hearty appetite, which brings us to Popular Mechanics. That publication's expertise in the area of grilling is relatable to Aylesworth, who is an adherent to charcoal grilling. In fact, he’s been primarily using the same Weber charcoal kettle he bought on Craigslist in 2012. Aylesworth also has experience in the lawn mower industry. Not only has he been mowing his and neighbor’s lawns during adolescence, one of his more recent endeavors is a side gig of repairing and restoring gas lawn mowers given up by their previous owners. Since joining PM, he has gotten more involved with the publication’s mower testing efforts and especially enjoys testing out new electric and zero turn mowers.