Greenworks 40V PS40B210 Pole Saw Review

The PS40B210 is a cordless 40V battery pole saw with an 8-inch bar, a three-piece sectional aluminum shaft, a 2.0 Ah battery and a charger in the kit. The shaft sections join with collars rather than sliding, so the pole is set at one length instead of telescoping.

The model number on the retail listing is PS40B210, and the current Greenworks listing uses PS40L210 for the same bar, pitch, gauge, shaft and weight. The manual cover code is PSF303. A similarly named combo kit that adds a hedge trimmer attachment is a different product.

The saw runs on the Greenworks 40V battery platform, so the kit battery can feed other 40V tools you already own, and a battery you already have can run this saw.

These are the figures that decide whether the saw fits your trees and your arms.

The box holds no bar and chain oil, since the saw ships dry, and no shoulder strap. The 8-inch bar and the 2.0 Ah battery are matched to limb-sized pruning, not to felling or log work, and the kit's features reflect that.

A 9-foot pole plus your height plus your arm reach puts a 6-foot user at roughly 14 ft, so the 11 ft figure is conservative for a tall user and about right for a shorter one. If you are well under 6 ft, plan on the lower end of that range and on a step back from the trunk.

The 7.8 lb figure is the tool alone. With the battery fitted the saw is heavier, and because the mass sits at the far end of a long lever, the load at your hands is greater than the number suggests. That is why buyers disagree on whether it is heavy: it depends on how long they hold it overhead.

Fatigue is a control problem, not just a comfort one.

The head sits at a fixed 45-degree angle. That suits horizontal cuts on side limbs, and it is why a clean undercut is hard to make.

The manual sets a 6-inch maximum limb diameter.

On one charge, the saw makes up to 45 cuts in 4x4 pressure-treated lumber. Lumber is uniform and dry, green wood is not, and operator technique moves the count either way.

Two-inch branches come off quickly, which covers storm cleanup and routine pruning of side limbs. The fixed head angle lets a limb hinge down rather than pinch the bar. The manual forbids felling and bucking, and the pole cannot be removed to turn the saw into a chainsaw, so it is a pruning tool and nothing more.

Because the head does not tilt, you cannot undercut. Expect some ragged bark and tear-out on the underside of larger cuts.

A 2.0 Ah pack on a brushed motor covers a typical pruning session and falls short of a full day of heavy limbing. If you have a lot of limbs to remove, a second 40V battery roughly doubles the session, and if you already own 40V tools, the bare-tool route is the sensible way in.

The included charger brings the pack back in about 60 minutes. Charge the battery between 32 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and use only compatible Greenworks 40V batteries and chargers.

The three shaft sections join with collars, and those collars need re-checking during use.

The saw ships dry, so fill the 2.7 fl oz (80 ml) tank with bar and chain oil before the first cut. The automatic oiler feeds the chain from there, and the translucent tank lets you check the level at a glance.

The chain coming off the bar is a complaint that comes up among buyers, and it is nearly always tension. A new chain stretches, a tensioner screw works loose, or the chain runs slack. Re-tension it cold, check that the adjustment screw has not loosened, and never jam the bar and hold the trigger.

Chain adjustment is a concern buyers raise often, so make checking the tensioner screw part of the routine after every use.

Stalling usually means a jammed bar.

Oil seep in storage is covered by the empty-and-run routine. A top-heavy feel at full extension is not a fault: it is the lever effect, and shorter sessions with a lower pole angle are the answer.

• The saw is not insulated, and a branch near a line is a utility job.

What it does well

• Light enough for occasional overhead work at 7.8 lb for the tool alone.
• Cuts 2-inch branches fast, which covers storm cleanup and routine pruning.
• The 9-foot pole with the extension gives real reach for a 6-foot user.
• The fixed 45-degree head suits side-limb pruning.
• Shares the Greenworks 40V platform with other tools you may own.
• The kit includes the battery, the charger and a spare chain.
• The tool warranty runs 3 years.

Where it falls short

• 6-inch limb ceiling, with 4 inches as the comfortable limit.
• No undercutting with the fixed head, so tear-out on bigger cuts.
• The brushed motor and 2.0 Ah battery limit a long session.
• No shoulder strap in the box.
• Chain tension needs attention, especially when the chain is new.
• Oil seeps in storage unless the tank is emptied.
• No felling or bucking, and no conversion to a chainsaw.