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Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @paddlingman. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about pruning/chain saws.
Both mini chainsaws and reciprocating pruning saws are useful for garden trimming, but they have different strengths depending on what you’ll be cutting most often.
Mini chainsaws, like the Ryobi 18V ONE+ 6” 152mm Pruning Saw or the Ozito PXC 18V Brushless Pruning Chainsaw PXBPCS-1815, are much more efficient at cutting through larger branches. They have a proper chain and bar setup that allows them to slice through thick material quickly and with minimal effort. If you’re dealing with branches over 50mm in diameter, a mini chainsaw will make the job much easier. They do require regular chain maintenance and sharpening, but they offer the best performance for larger cuts.
Reciprocating pruning saws, on the other hand, can technically cut through material up to around 80mm thick, but they do so much more slowly. They work best on thinner branches, around 25mm in diameter, where their lighter weight and more compact size make them easier to manoeuvre. If you mainly need to trim small branches or shape shrubs, a pruning saw might be the better choice as it's easier to control and doesn’t require chain maintenance.
So, if you’ll mostly be cutting larger branches, I’d recommend going with a mini chainsaw for the speed and power. If your pruning work is focused on smaller branches and shrubs, a reciprocating saw like the Ozito PXC 18V Cordless Pruning Saw or the Ryobi 18V ONE+ Cordless 6"(15cm) Garden Pruning Saw will be lighter and more nimble to use.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
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