Ryobi P4360 Pole Saw Review

The Ryobi P4360 is an 18V cordless pole saw with an 8-inch bar, an in-line motor mounted at the base of the pole, and a telescoping fiberglass shaft. The motor and battery sit at the bottom, away from the cutting head, which keeps the weight where your hands are.

The model numbers P4360, P4360A and P4360BTL refer to the same saw sold in different bundles. The saw on this page is the bare tool.

In the box you get the bare tool, the extension pole and all relevant accessories. No battery, no charger.

The chain speed is the number to read twice. 5.3 m/s is slow by chainsaw standards, fine for green limbs, and the reason the saw bogs down in dry wood.

The angled head changes how you cut

A straight pole saw forces you to cut from directly underneath, so the limb's weight closes the kerf onto the bar and pinches it. The angled head lets you approach from the side and cut downward, so gravity opens the cut instead of fighting you. That is why the reach is usable and why you spend less time on a ladder.

Reach and balance

9.5 ft of pole plus your own height puts most first-story limbs within reach. The motor and battery at the base counterbalance the head, so the saw feels lighter than its 7.4 lb suggests.

Cutting green limbs

Buyers on Amazon most often praise how the saw performs and find it easy to use, with one customer noting it handles thicker branches effectively. It does what it is designed for: pruning live and dead limbs, not felling.

Battery economy

One buyer on Amazon reports using about 25% of a charge for 30 minutes of cutting. The manual's figure of up to 16 cuts per charge on a 1.3Ah pack is the conservative baseline, and larger ONE+ packs stretch it.

ONE+ compatibility

Any 18V ONE+ battery fits. For someone already on the platform, this is the saw's main argument, and one buyer rates value for money positively.

The oiler leaks

Oil drips down the pole and pools wherever the saw is stored, usually because the tank was overfilled or the saw was put away head-up. Fill to roughly 2 oz per refill, store it level or head-down, and wipe the pole after use.

The chain tensioner needs attention

The tension screw sits in the debris path, so chips pack into the socket and the chain loosens quickly. Clean the socket before every adjustment and check tension before each session.

Flex at full extension

The fiberglass poles flex when fully extended.

Durability is the weak point

Durability is the one area where Amazon buyer sentiment is mostly negative, with the extension shaft feeling flimsy and the chain coming loose quickly. One review reports motor and head failures as well.

It is a pruning saw, not a felling saw

The saw is rated to 6 inches and realistically comfortable at 4 to 5 inches. Overloading the brushed motor in dry hardwood or thick wood is how motors die.

Weight divides buyers

Some buyers on Amazon find it lightweight; others consider it heavy. The difference is usually how long you hold it at full extension.

Bare tool

Without ONE+ batteries, the saw is not the bargain it looks like.

The 8-inch bar and 6-inch capacity set the working limit. Plan cuts at 4 to 5 inches for clean, fast work.

The 5.3 m/s chain speed is slow by chainsaw standards. It is adequate for green wood and the reason the saw struggles in dry hardwood.

The 9.5 ft extension is the reach figure that matters. Add your own height to know how high you can cut.

At 7.4 lb, the saw is light enough to control at chest height but tiring at full extension over a long session.

The automatic oiler protects the bar and chain, at the cost of the leak. When the chain wears, the replacement spec to note is 3/8 in. low profile, .043 in. gauge, 33 drive links. The warranty is 3 years, limited.

Undercut about a third of the way through from below, roughly 6 inches out from the trunk, then finish from above, slightly further out. This keeps the limb from splintering and the kerf from closing on the bar.

Remove the stub with a clean cut outside the branch collar, never flush with the trunk. Keep the pole at 60° or less from horizontal; a steeper angle makes the undercut hard to control.

• Never cut from a ladder, and never stand directly under the limb.
• Keep bystanders 50 ft away and stay 50 ft from overhead power lines.
• Wear a helmet or face shield, eye protection, hearing protection, gloves, long pants and boots.
• Watch for kickback at the bar nose, and keep the chain sharp and correctly tensioned.
• Do not use it for felling or bucking.

Most upkeep on the P4360 comes down to the oiler and the chain. Before each session, check the oil level through the semi-transparent oil tank and top it up to roughly 2 oz rather than filling to the brim, since overfilling is what feeds the leak. After the job, wipe the pole and store the saw level or head-down.

Keep the chain sharp and correctly tensioned. With a chain speed of only 5.3 m/s, a dull chain makes the saw bog down even in green wood, and a sharp one also lowers the kickback risk at the bar nose. Clear the chips out of the tension screw socket before every adjustment, then check tension again before you start cutting.

When the chain is worn, replace it with an 8-inch, 3/8 in. low profile, .043 in. gauge, 33-drive-link chain.