Stihl HT 133

Professional Pole Pruner – The Stihl US review site does not rate this pole pruner as highly as previous models but I have found it great for my purpose. I needed a pruner which could reach thick cypress branches over 4 metres above ground level. This extendable saw will do this and has plenty of power, enough to continue cutting up branches 30 cm wide when on the ground.… Read more

The saw starts every time with just one pull on the cord. However this is just a cheap addition and not the easy start on just about everything else Stihl produces. It might trim a few dollars off the total price but spending $1500+ on a professional piece of equipment it seems rather short sighted. I have found the small oil tank irritating and only put in half the fuel capacity to prevent running out of oil. Usually with chainsaws you regulate the amount of oil so a full tank of petrol will see out the tank of oil. With only capacity for 345ml of oil I'd rather have the extra weight and not worry about the bar running dry. This saw is too heavy to use for extended periods as holding above one's head quickly gets tiring. The power does, however, result in rapid completing of pruning. The engine stand is useless and does not stop the saw from tipping over when put on the ground. The new style harness attachment, extendable bracket and odd shaped extendable arm are great improvements. If you are after a professional pole pruner, quite expensive by the way, then the HT 133 is worth consideration.