Black & Decker 6 in. Cordless Pruning Chainsaw Kit

I spent an afternoon thinning a tangle of overgrown limbs with this compact pruning saw, and it immediately slotted into that sweet spot between loppers and a full-size chainsaw. It’s not a felling saw, and it’s not trying to be. As a grab‑and‑go yard tool for routine pruning and light cutting, it’s surprisingly capable and easy to live with.

Design and ergonomics

The saw’s 6-inch bar and compact body make it easy to thread into tight branch crotches where a larger saw or a reciprocating saw struggles. With the battery installed it’s not featherlight, but the balance is decent and the rear handle’s rubberized grip helps control. I mostly ran it two‑handed for accuracy and safety, but for quick nips in softer wood I could support the branch with one hand and run the saw with the other without feeling like I was fighting the tool.

The front handle is smooth plastic and can get slippery with gloves if your hands are dusty or sweaty. It never felt unsafe, but a textured or rubberized overmold up front would improve confidence on awkward cuts.

One design choice that stands out is the integrated tip guard. It stabilizes the saw on upcuts and keeps you honest about where the bar tip is. I found it useful when reaching above shoulder height or working inside brush. The tradeoff is that the guard can limit your approach angle for flush cuts against the trunk. In a few cases I had to reposition the branch to finish the cut cleanly.

The included scabbard fully wraps the bar and chain and snaps shut. It protects the chain and anything it might bump in storage, though it can be a little fiddly to align and close until you get the feel for it.

Setup, tensioning, and maintenance

Out of the box you charge the 20V battery, check chain tension, and you’re off. There’s no onboard oil reservoir; lubrication is manual. “Oil-free” in this case means no automatic oiler to fill or leak, not that the chain runs dry. A few drops of bar-and-chain oil (or SAE 30 in a pinch) on the chain and bar rails before each session kept things cool and cutting efficiently. I keep a small squeeze bottle in my pocket and reapply every 10–15 minutes of intermittent cutting.

Chain tensioning is done with a bolt and a separate tension screw. There’s an onboard wrench included, but it lives in the scabbard rather than on the saw. You still use the wrench to loosen/tighten the bar nut—so it’s not the truly tool‑free thumbwheel system some compact saws use. Functionally, the “bolt-lock” clamping holds tension reliably once set, but expect to check and retension after the first few cuts as the chain settles. Early on, I did pop the chain off once when I ignored a slackening chain; retensioning and making sure the bar was fully seated solved it.

Routine upkeep is simple:
- Before use: oil the chain, verify tension
- During: re-oil periodically, recheck tension if you notice slower cutting
- After: brush off chips, wipe the bar, and store with the scabbard on

Safety and controls

The saw starts with a lockout lever plus trigger, which is intuitive and prevents accidental activation. The front hand guard adds another layer of protection, and combined with the tip guard, kickback potential is reduced, especially during upcuts. It’s still a chainsaw—eye and ear protection, gloves, and two‑handed operation are smart defaults.

Noise and vibration are modest compared to gas saws and even some compact electrics I’ve used. Neighbors won’t hate you for pruning on a Saturday morning.

Cutting performance

For the work it’s built for—branches up to about 4 inches—the saw moves quickly. In green hardwoods (oak and maple in my case) it zipped through 2–3 inch limbs in seconds with a steady feed rate and little bogging. At the upper end of its 4-inch stated capacity, plan on a slower, more controlled cut and let the chain do the work. With patience and a good starting notch, I occasionally worked through slightly larger pieces, but staying near the rated capacity yields the fastest, cleanest cuts.

Where it shines:
- Pruning and reducing branches that are too big for bypass loppers
- Breaking down stormfall into manageable pieces for curb pickup
- Reaching into dense shrubs where a larger bar is clumsy
- Cleaner cuts than a recip saw can make on live limbs

The chain out of the box was sharp and tracked well once tension settled. Because there’s no auto‑oiler, keeping it lubricated is on you, and you feel the difference immediately—oiled cuts are smoother, cooler, and faster. Dry chain equals dust, heat, and dulling.

Battery and runtime

The kit includes a 1.5 Ah 20V battery and a compact charger. There’s no fuel gauge on the battery or tool, so you have to judge remaining runtime by feel; when the saw starts to slow a bit under load, it’s close to done. Black & Decker quotes up to 55 cuts per charge. My experience tracked in that neighborhood, varying with material. On a mix of 2–3 inch green limbs, I got through an hour of stop‑and‑go trimming with power to spare; heavy cutting at the upper end of the capacity drains faster.

If you plan long sessions, a spare battery is worthwhile. The upside is compatibility with other 20V MAX Black & Decker tools you might already own.

What I liked

• Compact 6-inch bar that fits where bigger saws can’t
• Tip guard improves stability and confidence on upcuts
• Predictable cutting in the 2–4 inch range; clean, fast pruning cuts
• No auto‑oiler to leak; simple manual lubrication
• Light noise, low vibration, easy to control
• Included scabbard protects the chain and stores the wrench
• Part of a common 20V battery ecosystem
• Two‑year limited warranty for peace of mind

What could be better

• The chain tensioning needs a wrench, and the tool is stored in the scabbard, not on the saw; a true tool‑free adjuster would be faster in the field
• Chain stretch early on requires attention; ignoring tension can lead to a derail
• Front handle could use a grippier surface
• No battery fuel gauge
• The tip guard occasionally limits flush cuts near a trunk

Who it’s for

Homeowners and gardeners who routinely prune trees and shrubs will get the most from this saw. If your yard work mostly involves trimming branches too thick for loppers and breaking down small blowdowns, this is a very handy size and format. If you’re cutting firewood, tackling large limbs, or want the convenience of an automatic oiler and true tool‑free tensioning, you’ll be happier stepping up to a larger saw with those features.

Tips for best results

• Oil the chain before each session and periodically during use
• Check chain tension after the first few cuts; recheck whenever cutting slows
• Use a small starting notch on larger branches to keep the cut straight
• Let the saw work—don’t force it; a light feed maintains speed and safety
• Keep a spare battery if you prune for extended periods

Bottom line and recommendation

I recommend this pruning saw for homeowners who want a compact, battery‑powered tool for routine pruning up to around 4 inches. It’s easy to control, cuts cleanly, and the form factor makes it more practical for yard maintenance than hauling out a full‑size chainsaw. The lack of an auto‑oiler means one extra step before you start, and the wrench‑based tensioning is slower than true tool‑free systems, but neither is a dealbreaker given the saw’s reliability, portability, and overall performance. If your yard maintenance lives in that lopper‑to‑small‑chainsaw gap, this tool fills it well.