As a follow up to my Ryobi secateurs review, Pottzy bragged about his purchase of a DeWalt brand… couldn’t find the post.
While cruising in a tool shop for something I don’t need but can afford, I came across an offer that seemed too good to refuse for the same Dewalt skin (contacts in the game). Initially it didn’t stir my juices but did raise my curiosity… when informed about an extra 14% cutting capacity (32mm vs the Ryobi’s 28mm), in typical “Tim the Toolman” fashion got them (juices) gushing. Having other DeWalt tools, I already had the charger and batteries, shekel sacrifice was a tad less arduous than Abraham’s with Isaac.
Arriving home I was eager to give it a try. Selected an appropriate victim and gave it a snip… cut without an issue, however, immediately noticed it felt “clunkier” and seemed to wobble in the hand, as compared to the Ryobi... OK that wobble was free cut without a load.
The hand guard I thought was a bit of a wank and added unnecessary weight, however, that is just my druthers as I don’t mind blood spurting from my hand/fingers from branch scratches… as they still happened with the guard when I got enthusiastic towards my gardening vengeance.
The “safety” trigger was a pain and while I though the Ryobi’s safety timeout was a pain, I had an inkling for its preference.
While the Dewalt performed as expected, It felt more awkward than the Ryobi due to its shape and apparent heavier weight. I find it hard to put into words “why”, but I found it nowhere as comfortable as the Ryobi… it felt more like a cordless drill than scissors.
Now in all fairness, if I didn’t have the Ryobi to compare it with, I wouldn’t be phased and probably given it 5*… but I did.
When it came to “capacity cuts”, both needed a bit of coaxing with a 2nd, 3rd and sometimes 4th trigger squeeze.
Parking safety using the DeWalt’s “condom”
was not as neat as the Ryobi’s bare back... 3 second hold shut,
Then it dawned on me, IDIOTA!… (questionable brain matter)... why the hell was I worried about that extra 14% cutting capacity when I already had the Ryobi lopper?
that at least matched the DeWalt , though less manoeuvrable, more bulky, and my Milwaukee mini chain saw (gotta bring it across) as the backstay… not to mention a larger cordless chain saw,
or the Milwaukee Hackzall,
that is now a homestead for spiders… though it can be used as a one handed reciprocating saw, if I ever found a need for one.
Now I’m no way shitcanning this item and would recommend it to anyone if I hadn’t had the Ryobi experience. If that 14% is of importance to you, go for it, but if you have larger branches covered for those 14%+ situations?... I would recommend the Ryobi first… existing batteries for both assumed.
For the ladies, I would definitely recommend the Ryobi without hesitation as that extra 14% is loaded with extra torque… SWMBO hated it!
Having both now, at least I can slap one in each hand and play dueling secateurs.
Your choice if you make it to water… smooth and small or rough and big,
FAIW… Just couldn’t avoid noticing the advance in battery technology (size/capacity),,. The 15yo 5ah vs the recent 6ah,
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
wow i got the duck to buy something i recommended !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok im back up off the floor now, a little woozy but ok ! hey i love the dewalt. cuts though a 1-1/2" (38.1mm) branch like butter ! i agree about the "safety" device though. i may have to figure out how to remove that ?
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Not quite true... I believe you only mentioned it and I'm a sucker for tools... even if they may be duplicates as long as I expected it to be an upgrade. This time I was disappointed. My DeWalt only does 32mm... maybe the Yankee version has a bigger mouth.
I did buy the Micro-Mark Tablesaw from your review, however more so for making me aware of it... that's why I'm so much in favour of reviews, it makes people/non-people aware of products they may not normally encounter.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
so take the wind out of my sails duckie !!!!! damn for once i though i enfluenced you ? well anyway i love the dewalt, it saves my poor tired hand from pruning 35+ rose bushes !
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
I'd thought you'd have mastered the trimming early in life with your genetics based on the life of a fern cutter!
I just have manual loppers and a few tree trimmer bow saws. Hate them all, but I hate dead/worn out batteries even more along with the endless changes in battery formats.
Good comparison Duckie! I have the trimming stuff you have and more, but you have me beat on festool hands down, so you still win. I love the 40v outdoor tools. I got a 90mph blower in Sept. It is awesome. I have used it the year for something you never will...snow. On a 1/2" or in your native tongue, 12mm of snow it works awesome. I actually works well up to 25mm (1") for the rest of us, but my driveway is 35' or 10.5 meters and that small amount of snow really multiplies at that point. I now have 2 40v blowers and a back pack blower, then 3 - 18v I use in the shop. I guess two are the small "inflators" they work great for blowing off the machines. Much easier to use than air. One is a Makita, and it is far more powerful. The other is an old blue leaf blower....it works great instead of a broom. Brooms just don't seem to fit my hands anymore. I do have 7 trees so I need those all chainsaws, polesaws and loppers too.....my favorite after the limbs are down is the mini chainsaw trimmer....It is similar to your little Milwaukee. same type of grip and so on. I use it a ton.
Talk about 36V (we Aussies don't upsize to 40)... must be imperial influence. I have their blower/vac that has been idle since I got the turbo, Do you have their "curb jump edger"... powerful little sucker.
SOunds like yo have the large 36V covered.... if you haven't got their 18V secateurs, on the basis of your 36V coverage, it's a must in-lieu of these DeWalt Pruners.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
I just bought that edger. I have an elec cord one ( the cord is a real pain) and two of the interchangeable ones that go on the weed whacker power units. The first interchangeable one I was convinced was dying because the switch was intermittent. So I bought another power unit..(the top portion that has the battery) then they came out with a different format, the one they have now, so I had to have that too. It is a PITA to operate. You have to bend over, and really concentrate....I have 15,000 sq ft of concrete, in two 100' driveways and a 30 x 40 concrete apron to my garage. so it took a while....so I bought the one you have pictured. It is cold and I will not need to edge until late April so I have not been able to use it....what do you think of it? I do have the scathers, two chainsaws one 18v and one 40v, one 8" trim chain saw that has a hedge trimmer that will go on top, 2 hedge trimmers one 18v and one 40v, a pole saw, a lopper, and one of those hand held trimmers that operate like a hedge trimmer only with 3" head. So I am pretty well fixed for tree trimming. Then there are the other 65 ryobi tools...
