What DIY dad doesn’t love a chainsaw? There’s something about owning a power tool that can dismember with the ability to dismember you that brings a little extra excitement to your outdoor chores.
But, there’s a lot of times when even the smallest chainsaw is overkill. You don’t want to look like a horror movie villain just to prune a couple of branches. For the past few months, I’ve been testing the Stihl GTA 30, an electrical pruner that’s perfect for those times when a chainsaw is too much, but a pair of loppers isn’t nearly enough. And, it’s made some of my yardwork so much easier.
The GTA 30 is basically a mini-chainsaw; it has just a 6-inch blade, and is small and light enough that you can use it one-handed. Despite its smaller size compared to even a small chainsaw, I was able to easily cut through 4-inch branches. And, because it can be used with just one hand, I was able to use my other hand to pull aside branches that were in the way.
For example, I had to remove a bush that died, but was inconveniently wedged in between two others; I was able to hold branches in one hand while I used the GTA 30 to work my way down to the base, where it sliced through the trunk like butter.
The GTA 30, which is new for this year, is an upgraded (and more expensive) version of the GTA 26. The GTA 30 has a 6-inch bar and two batteries, where the GTA 26 has a 4-inch bar and a single battery slot.
The GTA 26 kit, which includes the saw, a battery, and a charger, costs $199; the GTA 30 kit, which has the saw, two batteries, and a charger, costs $329. I suspect most will be able to use the GTA 26 just fine, but it is nice to have the longer battery charge and reach of the GTA 30.
Cleverly, the GTA 30 is designed to be used by either righties or lefties; there’s a safety switch on either side that you have to hold down with your thumb before you can pull the trigger. It's a small detail, but a nice one.
Two batteries slot into the handle of the GTA 30, and there’s a small battery indicator further up; I didn’t time it, but I cut a lot of branches before I had to recharge the batteries.
Adjusting the tension on the saw chain was pretty simple, too. You just unlock and turn a small knob on the side of the saw to remove the protective cover, and then you can move the bar around easily to get the tension that you need.
I quickly ran out of things to prune in my yard, so I lent it to my neighbors, who quickly put it to use cutting down privets and other low-hanging branches. They all found it dead simple to use.
Perhaps the greatest validation came when one of them sent me a text, asking for its name, so that she could surprise her husband on Father’s Day. Hopefully he doesn’t read this until then. Hopefully he likes it just as much as I do!
