Ozito EPP-750

value for money if – I was sceptical when first buying the Ozito pole pruner. It has turned out to be way better than I expected. It easily cut through a 7" ( 170mm) gum tree branch and 3 x (4") 100mm palm trunks . Using extended to reach the tops requires a bit more strength but it did the whole job in less than 20 minutes....great value for money if......you keep the chain oil topped up, keep the chain tension right, not too loose, and clean it each time it is used. Let the saw do the cutting do not force it, be patient and it will do what it is designed for. Takes a little bit or nursing admittedly but well worth it. I could not do without it now, that I have used it for a while. Well worth the $129 spent + chain oil.

Great little pole pruner! – Received the OZITO EPP-750 pole pruner as a Christmas gift. Probably not something I would have thought to buy myself as I already had an extendable pole pruner with mechanical cutting jaws. Having said that, I’m glad I now have this to add to my arsenal of gardening tools as it does speed up the job and make it easier. There is some assembly out of the box with the shoulder strap needing adjustment, handgrip needing to be attached and adjusted (screwdriver required), chain saw blade fitted and tensioned and chain saw oil added to the reservoir. Should add at this point that no oil is supplied (nor is this even mentioned on the box) so if you don’t already have chain saw oil to hand, this will need to be a “must purchase” before any pruning is done.

Tool has a reach of 1.85m when collapsed and will extend to 2.8m when needed. Ideally I would have preferred a longer reach but the motor/chain saw head combination at the far end is already heavy enough without making it worse. Fortunately, both sections of the telescoping handle are made from fibreglass to help keep the overall weight down. The chainsaw has a 200mm chain bar making it a good size for pruning branches up to 180mm diameter. A blade cover is also supplied to help prevent injury from the (very) sharp teeth between uses.

Once oil is added, you just need to check the blade tension (easily done with the mechanism supplied) and attach to a 240v extension lead. Instruction leaflet is well set out and easy to follow. Would also strongly recommend all appropriate chainsaw related safety gear such as gloves and a face shield (better than safety glasses). Ear protection too as this is a noisy little beast reaching 105db.

With the pole extended to its full 2.8m it can be a little ungainly to manoeuvre because of the weight hanging off the end. This is not a “lightweight” garden tool. It is however very powerful and quickly cut through everything I threw its way. The 750w motor is well suited to this task and can cut branches up to 180mm diameter. Overall weight is about 3.8kg with the majority at the chainsaw head and this will be most noticeable the further you move off “the vertical”. Unfortunately, this vertical positioning means that all cuttings will then rain down on top of you. However, similar tools will all have the same issue. Storage wise it can be a bit cumbersome and would ideally need to be laid flat on a rack or shelves. Ozito warns about a possible leakage of oil from the reservoir between uses so precautions should be taken here.

Overall, I have found this a reasonable tool to use at a reasonable price (if you don’t get it as a gift like me). The materials all feel to be of good quality and Ozito is backing this with a full 3 year replacement warranty. What I liked… * Quality feel * Power of motor * 3 year full replacement warranty * Ease of chain blade assembly and tensioning * Just gets the job done!

What I didn’t like so much… * No mention on the box that oil is not supplied (not even a small “starter bottle”) so this will need to be bought before use. * When fully extended, needs application of some muscles to control it ...especially the further you move off the vertical