Black & Decker NPP2018 18-Volt Cordless Electric Pole Chain Saw
Sunday, June 13th, 2010 at
4:34 am
Black & Decker NPP2018 18-Volt Cordless Electric Pole Chain Saw
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 List Price: $251.18 Sale Price: $124.94 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Eligible For Free Shipping 
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Product Description
Cordless pole saw featuring an 8" cutting bar and chain with a cutting diameter of 4". In line power head allows easy access and visibility between branches. Insertable extension provides an overhead reach of 14' and is easily removed for easy storage. 18
Details
- Lets you prune branches yourself to save time and money
- Extends to reach up to 14 feet
- Powerful motor won't get in the way of your view
- Measures 115 inches in length; weighs 7.6 pounds; 2-year warranty
- Includes one 18-volt battery #244760-00, one 18-volt battery charger, carrying bag, blade guard, oil bottle, and wrench
Tagged with: & • 18-Volt • Black • black and decker • Chain • cordless • cordless chain saw • cordless pole saw • Decker • Electric • NPP2018 • Pole • pole saw • pole saws • Saw
Filed under: Cordless chainsaw
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Rating
Features:
1.) Totally house current and gasoline free cordless battery operation.
2.) Battery recharges in 3 to 6 hours.
3.) Battery charges off of the tool, so extra slip-on batteries may be purchased.
4.) Easily operated by an average strength adult.
5.) Easily taken apart for transport in the included heavy duty carrying bag.
6.) Smooth and quiet operation.
7.) Works well for pruning limbs and branches up to 6″ in diameter.
8.) Rated by the manufacturer at 100, 1-1/2″ branch cuts per charge (approximately).
9.) Price range $150.
The Black & Decker 18 volt cordless Model 2018 is my first powered pole mounted
chain saw and I must admit that I’m impressed. Most pole saws are either gasoline engine
powered (too heavy and too much maintenance) or 120 volt AC driven (can’t be used
away from the reach of a 120 volt AC outlet and I don’t like using 120 volt AC power
cords around portable saws that can all too easily cut into the power cord). The Black &
Decker 18 volt cordless overcomes all of these objections. It’s compact 18 volt DC motor
is efficient, quiet and does a surprisingly good job on tree limbs (up to 6″ in diameter),
dead wood, brush and other lighter duty outdoor cutting needs. Keep in mind that this
chain saw will not completely replace a larger gasoline powered chain saw for heavy duty
cutting jobs like felling trees, but it will handle the bulk of the tree pruning and dead
wood clearing that most home owners are likely to run into in a season.
The overall construction of the B&D 2018 is also impressive, it’s built very well and
should last for many years with ordinary care and caution. Any chain saw should be kept
clean and well oiled at all times. The chain should never be allowed to contact the ground
and its use around on anything with metal nails or screws should be avoided.
The B&D 2018 is made in three sections. The first section houses the battery holder and
on/off trigger switch with safety lockout button. The lockout button must be engaged
before the trigger on/off switch will work. The battery clicks in nice and firmly and extra
batteries are available if you feel that you’ll need a charged and ready spare. It’s also
nice to be able to completely remove the battery when working on the saw, for safety
sake. By the way, the battery must be removed from the tool for charging. The charger is
a simple wall cube with a slip-on assembly that fits onto the top of the battery for
charging. After the initial 9 hour charge, subsequent charging times are anywhere from 3 to
6 hours depending upon how depleted the battery has become. Black & Decker
recommends not running the battery totally flat (which also applies to all rechargeable
batteries) and not leaving the battery on charge for more than a 30-day stretch (B&D
suggests that this will shorten the usable life of the battery pack). As you no doubt know,
any battery will loose some capacity to hold a charge each season, so prolonging the
usable life of the battery pack as much as possible by following the manufacturer’s
recommendations is always a good idea.
The second section of the 2018 pole saw system is a 48″ extension section. This is simply
a ruggedly built tube that extends the saws working length from 10 feet to 14 feet and
carries the DC voltage on through to the saw’s motor. It may be used or not depending
upon the job to be done. Very nice idea.
The third and final section is the power head with its compact 18 volt DC motor and the
chain saw itself. The sections connect together without the need for any other tools
(simply by hand twisting the rugged built in connectors) and can be quickly and easily
taken apart for storage or transport in the well made synthetic canvas carrying bag that
Black & Decker thoughtfully supplies with the tool package. Again, the maximum reach
without the center section connected is about 10 feet, and with the center section in place
it’s about 14 feet. This will vary somewhat depending upon the height and reach of the
individual user.
They’ve really put a lot thoughtful design considerations into this product. Even the chain
blade scabbard has a dual function. It covers the chain for protection and safety and it
stores the chain adjusting tool and chain oil container. The chain must be hand lubricated
from the chain oil squeeze bottle during operation to keep the chain and bar lubricated in
order to prevent unnecessary heat and metal-to-metal wear. All chain saws have this same
requirement, but most have a built in oiler. This one does not. The oiler is separate.
The most important questions that most people probably want to have answered about a
product like this is “how long does the battery last” and “how heavy is the unit while
operating it”? Unfortunately, both are difficult questions to answer because they are both
somewhat subjective, they depend on the owner’s usages and strength. The battery will
last a reasonable amount of time before recharging is needed, how long depends upon the
size of the branches being cut, their hardness (dead wood is usually very hard) and the
technique used by the operator (leaving the saw on for as little time as possible before and
after the cut). Black & Decker indicates that you can expect to be able to cut one hundred
1-1/2″ in diameter branches per charge. That’s quite a few. How unwieldily is it to
manage? Every pole chain saw is a fair amount of weight at the end of a pretty long pole,
so by its nature, it’s not the easiest tool to wield, but once you get the hang of it, it’s not
the hardest tool to handle either. The whole unit weighs 7.6 pounds and I would guess
that it can be easily managed by the average adult of average strength. Again, this is a
difficult thing to accurately quantify. I don’t see how they could make it any lighter and
still make the tool rugged enough to work reliably. I would imagine that it’s a lot easier to
handle than a gasoline engine driven chain saw on the end of a pole, though I’ve never
actually used one. That’s the only other way to achieve complete portability in a pole
chain saw, and the complete portability factor was my first requirement when I purchased
this tool. The B&D 2018 does what I’ve needed to do and does it well, so I’ve been very
happy with mine and I think that you will be with yours too.
NZ9E
A spare #244760 battery pack lists for $62.99.
Negatives: Only obvious negatives:
1.) The battery has a limited operating time, just like all batteries.
2.) The tool is a little unwieldily to handle with the weight of the saw at the end of a long
pole, but all pole saws share this same drawback.
3.) It’s a bit on the pricey side, but it is well designed and well built and that doesn’t come
cheaply. I would shy away from any pole chain saw that seems too low priced, you
usually do get what you pay for.
(…)
Rating
LOVE IT! I far better enjoy the battery component of this item than the gas/oil mix of most outdoor equiptment. Makes quick work of most things. Heavy enough to help tone my upper arm area-and abs as well! Allows me freedom NOT to have to call the local lawn service for simple and costly pruning.
Rating
In Florida one constant is palm tree pruning, that’s why I purchased this pole saw. I easily cut through dead and live palm fronds without the slightest bogging down of this amazingly powerful saw. I then went out to one of my 40 foot oak trees and and began cutting off 3 to 6 inch limbs, I got through four 3 inch and one 6 inch limbs before needing another freshly charged battery. Be sure to oil the chain frequently and this machine will rip through projects easliy.
Rating
Assembly was straightfoward and easy. In my first attempt at using it, I took down several branches ranging from 1 to 8 inches. They all came down quickly without my breaking a sweat. Based on this first experience, the B&D Cordless 18 Volt Pole Pruning Saw appears to me to be well designed, well made, and very easy to use. I anticipate I will be using this B&D saw for the majority of small jobs for which I previously used my gas powered chain saw.
Rating
With a yard full with oak trees, maple trees and various types of palm trees, there were plenty of branches to try the Black & Decker cordless pole saw out on. I can honestly say that this is one good yard tool. The first time I used it, it was very easy to assemble and the battery powered chain saw was strong enough to take down some branches that were close to 6 and 8 inches in diameter without any problems. When all three sections are assembled, the saw is surprisingly light and very easy to control, even when it is used at full extension. The carrying bag that comes with it is a very nice addition and it makes storing the pole saw very easy, without any chance of misplacing any of the parts. The battery needs to be charged for at least 9 hours before using it the first time but it seems to hold the charge very well, even after cutting tons of branches. For those of us here in Florida, or whereever strong storms and hurricances seem to hit, this pole saw will also come in very handy for that after-storm cleanup that seems to be never-ending. This should help make all of that cleanup a lot easier. And especially for those that are afraid of using a full sized chain saw, this is the perfect one for you. I highly recommend this pole saw to anyone that needs a good lighweight pole saw. It’s a great tool at a very good price by a very reputable company, Black & Decker.
Rating
As many reviewers have said, this is a wonderful product and pretty much lives up to Black & Decker’s claims.
We have a fairly large backyard pool surrounded by several queen palm trees. It used to be a real pain to trim off dead palm fronds, not to mention every pool & spa owner’s palm nemesis – the dreaded seed pods which spread their contents in a broad swath, most of which finds the water and loves to clogs filters. Now it’s a simple matter to get out the ladder, use whatever extensions are necessary and simply cut the nuisances down. Fwiw, there seems to be plenty of cutting power, even though palm fronds don’t give it much of a workout.
Another big plus is the fact that the batteries are interchangeable with the B&D Cordless broom/blower which I use on a daily basis (another terrific tool!) and reviewed on Amazon elsewhere. It came with two batteries so I now have three total and never seem to run out of power.
Lastly, the price has been dropping on this and last I looked it was down to about $110., down from Amazon’s $136. price this summer. Overall, I feel it’s a good investment considering the price of tree trimming by the pros. I’d certainly buy it again.
*****Update – After one full year of use, the batteries are still going strong as is the blower. Would be lost without it.
Rating
I have a lot of queen palms, which have quickly become too tall to trim
without getting on a ladder that’s too high for comfort. Not to mention
the amount of force needed to squeeze the handles on loppers or drag a
tree saw back and forth a jillion times. These are just the ticket. The
chain saw is at the end of a long pole, which makes it heavy, but you only
need to hold it there for a few seconds to cut through the frond or the
seed pod. I know it would be costly to have someone trim these for me,
but for a while longer I can take care of this myself and save some money.
I’m a woman, so I don’t have the strength of a man, but this makes the job
possible. Would definitely recommend this tool. Once the fronds are down
on the ground, I use it to saw them to size for the recycling container.
Rating
I had a sears reciprocating blade pole saw, that cut very nice and clean, but broke after 10 minutes of use (I tried 2 before returning it for my money back). This B&D unit doesn’t have a blade, it has a mini chainsaw on the end and man can it cut. I was amazed how it chews through branches 5+ inches thick. It seems to be pretty good quality and even though some plastic, it is holding up well.
Pro’s
-amazing cuts from the ground without climbing the tree
-very aggressive cut rate
-fairly light
-pretty easy to use, very easy to use without extra extension
-powerful battery
-blade cover and attached oil bottle is convenient
-gets branches that you would otherwise have to call the tree man to do
Con’s
-this is a real chainsaw so don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a toy, keep kids away too
-safety is a concern; safety glasses, heavy gloves, and a hard hat are good idea
-the lower the branch the easier to cut, high branches end up right over your head and there is risk of them falling on you
-it’s hard to undercut the branch before top cutting to prevent tear out
-it leaves a rough cut like a chainsaw, not smooth like a tree pruner
-battery life is good, but it comes with just one so you can easily find yourself stuck in mid cut. A second battery is highly recommended.
-included charger is a slow charger; 6 hours if completely dead. B&D makes a fast charger for 25 bucks.
I find this tool very handy. I purchased a B&D 18V broom ($70)just to get 2 extra batteries and another charger.
Rating
We researched quite a bit before buying this particular pole chain saw. We didn’t want to have to fool with a heavy gas one and since our home sits on five acres of mainly oak trees, we didn’t want to have to drag an electrical cord around the property. We have trimmed a number of oak trees using this saw and it’s always cut through every limb quickly and easily. It seems well-balanced and easy to use. The battery life is very good. We’re very happy with this purchase. Amazon’s price was also better than we could find locally including two major chains we have in our area. We highly recommend this product to others.
Rating
I bought this for my husband last Christmas hoping that it would make some of his basic pruning jobs around the house a lot easier. Little did I realize that this saw would give him delusions of grandeur, but as a result, we spent the better part of this past summer doing MAJOR pruning work in our yard. However, thanks to this saw, we were able to do everything ourselves, something that would have been impossible without the extension features of this product. We have four major trees in our yard, and working from a ladder (probably not always in the safest manner), my husband was able to trim them all back to allow for easier mowing of the lawn. Make no mistake, this was a BIG job–even though the saw is relatively light-weight, holding it steady while reaching for higher branches is extremely taxing. Frankly, I’m not sure how my husband was able to do it, as he is not a big guy (5′6″, <150 lbs.); in fact, I consider myself to be pretty strong, and I was barely able to hold the saw in place when I tried it.
If you don’t need the extension feature, the saw is even easier to use; pruning smaller trees is a snap! It’s great that it is battery-powered, so there is no gas to mess with and no cords to get in the way, although the charging can be inconvenient at times (seems like my husband was able to get about 1-2 hours of continuous use before having to recharge). However, the recharging process is simple, leaving you sawing again in no time! All the accessories you need are included, plus the saw comes with an attractive and sturdy storage case. This is a must-have yard maintenance items; if you are strong and take all of the necessary safety precautions, I highly recommend it!