WORX WG349.9 20V Cordless Pole Saw: features, specs and who it suits

The WORX WG349.9 is a 20V cordless pole saw: an 8-inch chainsaw on a telescoping pole, for cutting branches you can't reach from the ground. It gives up to 13.3 feet of total reach, and its head tilts to three angles for awkward branches. It's sold as a bare tool, so the battery and charger aren't in the box.

Reaching high branches from the ground

A pole saw puts a small chainsaw at the end of a long pole, so you can prune overhead branches while standing on the ground. The WG349.9's pole telescopes and adjusts in length without tools, and WORX gives up to 13.3 feet (about 4 metres) of total reach. How high you can actually cut also depends on your own height and the angle at which you hold the pole, so compare the figure with the branches you have in mind.

The saw weighs 8 lb (about 3.6 kg). On a pole, weight feels heavier than the number suggests, because it sits far from your hands, so a light tool is easier to hold up through a longer pruning session.

The 8-inch bar and 16 ft/s chain speed

The bar is 8 inches (about 20 cm) long, and the chain runs at 16 feet per second (about 4.9 metres per second). A short bar like this is made for the limbs and branches typically pruned from trees and shrubs around a yard, not for felling trees or cutting thick trunks. The manual gives the largest branch thickness it is meant to cut.

Chain speed affects how quickly the teeth clear wood. A faster chain generally cuts more smoothly, though a sharp chain and steady pressure, without forcing the saw, matter just as much.

Three head angles and a rotating handle

The head tilts to 0°, 15° or 30°. Angling it helps you meet a branch squarely when it grows at an awkward angle, and reach out-of-the-way branches and twigs without straining. The handle rotates 180°, so you can switch between vertical and horizontal cuts: take a branch from above, or trim along the side of a tall hedge.

Chain tension and automatic oiling

A saw chain stretches slightly with use. Too loose, and it can come off the bar; too tight, and it wears faster. On the WG349.9, you adjust the tension with a simple turn, with no tools needed.

The chain is lubricated automatically to extend its life. Automatic oilers typically draw from a small reservoir that you top up with bar and chain oil, so checking the level before each job is a good habit. A blade protection cover comes in the box for when the saw isn't in use.

Battery and charger not included

The WG349.9 is the bare tool: the 20V battery and charger are sold separately. If you already own WORX 20V tools, check that your battery fits this model. Battery capacity, given in amp-hours (Ah), mostly decides run time: at the same voltage, a higher Ah figure means longer running between charges.

Who it suits

It suits homeowners who prune trees and high branches around the yard and garden and would rather work from the ground. Standard advice for any pole saw applies: follow the manual, wear eye protection and gloves, keep well clear of power lines, and never stand under the branch you're cutting.

What to check before you buy

• Battery: a compatible WORX 20V battery and charger, since neither is included.
• Height: how high your branches are compared with 13.3 ft of total reach.
• Branch size: the manual's maximum cutting thickness against the limbs you plan to cut.
• Weight: whether 8 lb is comfortable for you to hold overhead, and whether that figure includes a battery.
• Oil: a supply of bar and chain oil for the automatic oiler.

The short version

• A 20V cordless pole saw with an 8-inch bar and a chain speed of 16 ft/s.
• Up to 13.3 ft of total reach; the telescoping pole adjusts without tools.
• The head tilts to 0°, 15° or 30°, and the handle rotates for vertical or horizontal cuts.
• Tool-free chain tension and automatic chain oiling; a blade cover is included.
• Weighs 8 lb; sold as a bare tool, without battery or charger.

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