Photo: Oregon
What We Like
- High-performance 40V battery
- A high 500-cuts per charge
- Heavy-duty 8-inch bar and chain
- Low-vibration and low-kickback chain
- A high 15-foot vertical reach
- Slim and ergonomic design
- A telescoping extension pole
What We Don’t Like
- Not pocket-friendly
- Weighty at 13.5 pounds
Bottom Line
A heavy-duty battery, low-vibration, and low-kickback chain combine flawlessly with a superior reach to make this pole saw ideal for demanding pruning and yardwork.
Introduction
Built for tough yard work maintenance including branch, limbs and vine removal, the Oregon PS250 and its powerful 40V Max lithium-ion battery are optimized for such intensive tasks.
An extended reach of 15 feet above the ground helps the saw remove those high branches with speed and precision, while its ergonomic design ensures you can operate the tool for extended periods while reducing fatigue.
Oregon PS250 Review
Photo: Oregon
Performance: Heavy-Duty Motor and Superior Vertical Reach
Oregon PS250 pole saw is the full package; power, precision, speed, and superior rich. You’d think that these are the qualities of a corded pole saw, but the PS250 is actually cordless and battery-powered.
This high-performance pole saw was designed to handle heavy-duty and demanding removal of limbs, vines, and branches in your garden or yard, without any sacrifices in power or usability.
Being part of the 40V Max Cordless Tool System, the saw has a powerful motor and drives a heavy-duty 8-inch bar and chain, which will cut limbs about 6 inches in diameter.
It will reach a decent height of up to 15 feet from the ground, thanks to the extendable shaft. This impressive reach allows you to trim high branches that are beyond the scope of shorter saws.
The chain is an AdvanceCut 90PX034G, which is built for heavy-duty usage, prolonged sharpness, and a low wear rate. It also has a 3/8-inch Low Profile™ pitch and a 0.043-inch gauge, for cutting versatility.
Fast and precise cutting is supported by a high (no load) chain speed of 2817 FPM, which ensures that saw gets the job done quickly, reducing exposure to operator fatigue.
Because of the high amount of raw power output by the motor, the chain assumes an ergonomic design, which minimizes vibration and kickback, effectively boosting your work’s efficiency.
And because this is a battery-powered tool, it runs relatively quietly, especially between cuts. It also does not emit any harmful gases, making it very environment-friendly.
Handling and Ease of Use: Ergonomic with Optimal Weight Balance
Superior ergonomics is a key design quality of the PS250 that ensures you get the best out of its many high-performance features.
The entire pole saw, from the handle to the saw-head, assumes and ergonomic design, which aims are reducing fatigue, especially because it is capable of supporting day-long cutting.
Admittedly, the 13.5-pound weight of this pole saw makes it heavy especially if you have to support it with your hands throughout its operation. To counter the challenge of weight management, the saw’s motor is mid-mounted.
Mid-mounting allows much of the weight of the tool to be concentrated in the PS250’s middle, thus offering better balance, as the saw-head remains slims and compact.
With the motor’s position being close to the handle, where much of your supporting effort is concentrated, you will have a better grip and control over the tool, and will barely notice its weight.
You’ll love the fact that the PS250’s extension pole is a telescoping one. You don’t have to add or remove any components to extend or reduce the pole’s length. Simply use the adjustment collar on the pole to extend it to your desired length.
There’s a highly useful trigger lock-out in form of a movable stop, which is designed to prevent accidentally triggering of the power switch, for you and your tool’s protection.
A clever design enhancement added to the pole saw’s cutting head is a debris deflector, which is a plastic trough added to this component to help re-direct wood chips and debris away from the operator, top prevent potential harm, and boost productivity.
Battery: High-Performance for Prolonged Tool Operation
The PS250’s high-capacity battery is the component that brings out the true power of this pole saw. It is designed to sustain heavy-duty usage for extended periods.
This 40V Max lithium-ion battery is a workhorse that promises high runtimes and endurance. According to the manufacture, the 4.0Ah version of this battery can deliver up to 500 cuts on 2-3-inch-diameter limbs.
While these figures are impressive, you may get varying outcomes from your saw depending on the type of trees or shrubs you’re trimming (hardwood vs softwood) and the capacity of the battery in use.
Overall, however, this battery is one of the best-performing in its class and Oregon rates it for up to 1,000 charge cycles. Assuming you undertake just the regular yard maintenance using this saw, expect its battery to last for a couple of years.
Finally, to prolong the battery’s life and endurance, it has been designed to maintain constant power throughout the discharge process. A standard charger is also included with the battery and will full-recharge the empty battery in 140 minutes.
Price: A Premium Cost for Premium Value
The Oregon PS250’s price nowhere near budget territory, and that’s okay because you get the exact value you’re paying for, and much more.
For a little less than $400, you get an entire pole saw package that allows you to get started with the tool without making any additional purchases.
You’re getting a heavy-duty 40V Max li-ion battery that will not only power the saw through the most demanding tasks, but it also lasts longer and is compatible with other Oregon power tools that accept the same.
Then there’s the superior 15-foot reach and ergonomic design that balances weight across the entire tool to support comfortable operation with minimal fatigue.
A rival pole saw models that compete well with this one is the DeWalt DCPS620M1. Just like the PS250, it is also powered by a 20V battery from DeWalt’s reliable 20V Max* System.
The saw’s brushless motor drives a heavy-duty 8-inch bar and chain, which has an automatic oiling system to simplify lubrication and reduce component wear. Also, its extension pole will reach vertical heights of up to 15 feet.
But even though the DCPS620M1 is more pocket friendly, it has a lower battery performance of up to 96 cuts per charge on 4-inch x 4-inch pressure-treated pine wood. The rating is, indeed, on larger wood, but even on smaller diameters, it does not match that of the Oregon PS250.
That said, both pole saws are strong and reliable when it comes to medium-to-intensive pruning and yard work around the home. You can’t go wrong by choosing either one of the two.
Verdict
You can count on the Oregon PS250’s reliable and powerful battery to power the saw through tough yard work without any dip in performance.
Not only does the pole saw support a high 15-foot reach, but it slim and ergonomic design, and excellent weight distribution ensures you get the best out of unrestricted cordless operation for extended periods.
Specs
- Product Name: Oregon PS250
- Product Brand: PS250
- Product Dimensions: 75.00 x 4.00 x 5.00 inches
- Power Source: Battery-powered
- Power Input: 40V, 4.0Ah
- Charge Cycles: Up to 1000
- Guide Bar Length: 8 inches (20 cm)
- Chain Pitch: 3/8-inch Low Profile™
- Chain Gauge: 0.043-inch
- Chain Type: AdvanceCut 90PX034G
- Extension Length: 10.1 feet
- Maximum Vertical Reach: 15 feet
- Chain Speed (No Load): 2817 FPM
- Oil Tank Capacity: 3.4 ounces
- Tool Weight: 13.5 pounds (with battery)
- Warranty: 3 years (tool), 2 years (battery)
Key Features
- Heavy-duty 40V Max Lithium-Ion battery delivers enough power for heavy workloads
- 3 robust power configurations offer operational versatility for multiple cutting tasks
- Up to 500 cuts on 2-3-inch limbs on a single charge for extended operation
- A high 2817 FPM chain speed ensures fast and efficient cutting
- Up to 15 feet of overhead reach supports trimming of high tree branches
- An ergonomic mid-mount motor design offers superior operational comfort
- A slim and compact saw head offers better control and handling balance
- The heavy-duty chain is ergonomic for low vibration and low kickback
- The quiet and emission-free operation makes the tool and eco-friendly companion