Look at the calendar and Christmas is just around the corner. Already!? Well it’s never too early to buy Christmas gifts, especially if you can find a tool you want or need on sale. Snap it up before the sale ends and you have an early gift for yourself or someone you love. A few of the best tools for Christmas include tools to cut or trim trees, branches, shrubs, and firewood.

Chainsaws – The Workhorse

Aah the master of wood cutting. The powerful chainsaw, fire it up and listen to the powerful roar of the engine and feel its power in your hands. A chainsaw could be one if the best tools for Christmas, but of course that depends on where you live and if you ever have any trees or firewood to cut.

I have seen a lot of positive on the fairly new battery operated chainsaws. The battery usually last about as long as a tank of gas would and a huge benefit is the instant start, no need to pull the starter rope on a stubborn chainsaw that doesn’t want to run!

For those who only use a chainsaw several times a year a battery saw could be a one of the best tools for Christmas gifts, they don’t need to worry about a gas carburetor gumming up and basically if you have a few spare chains you are set for years!

My favorite chainsaw brand is STIHL, we use mostly STIHL in our family owned tree pruning and removal business. However, STIHL and Husqvarna are the top brands and geared toward commercial use. They do make a few models for residential use and there are many other brands farther down the ladder to choose from depending on your color and price preferences.

Hedge Trimmers – Finesse Pruning

Hedge trimmers may not be quite as common but what better way to trim you own shrubbery and landscaping? Maybe you prefer to let the experts take care of your outdoor work, but if you are feeling ambitious or need to get Dad out of the house and trim bushes away from the sidewalk so you can actually walk on it instead of through the lawn, then a Hedge trimmers could be a great Christmas gift!

Here again you can choose between a gas engine or battery powered, the battery powered hedge trimmers seem to really be taking off as people are adding them to their collection of outdoor battery powered tools!

STIHL is the brand I use but of course you can decide which best fits your budget and plan accordingly. If you have a cordless tool set you may be in luck if they also make a hedge trimmer!

Leaf Blower – Heavily Used

We have arrived probably the most popular outdoor power tool, the leaf blower or blower and or whatever you prefer to call this nifty and efficient machine! Simply pick it up and with a few yanks on the starter rope or simply pulling the throttle on a battery operated one and you will have your driveway and sidewalks cleared in no time!

A leaf blower is defiantly used year round and therefore an excellent item to include in the best tools for Christmas list! In early spring you will use it during spring cleanup, for leaves and small broken down sticks in your yard or driveway. In summer any grass clippings on the sidewalk can quickly be blown away! And the most popular use is in the fall when leaves fall from the trees.

Less common, but still works like a charm is to blow light coatings of snow off sidewalks and driveways! We actually use a backpack leaf blower at hospital outpatient buildings to keep the entryways clear for their customers! Works amazing for cold dry snow!

Hand Saw – Strenuous Work

If your still reading and hoping to find the best tools for Christmas that are non motorized and hand held you are in luck!

Can you believe they used to saw lumber by hand back in the old days, now we complain when the chainsaw don’t start or we need to use a hand saw to cut a few limbs. I agree it’s a lot of work to use a hand saw but keep the blade sharp and stick with small branches.

Try to use a thin blade for a narrow cut and a smaller saw for less weight. Keep an even and steady pace so we don’t tire as quickly and prepare yourself for the appetite you will work up!

Hand Shears / Pruners – Delicate Pruning

    

A hand shears is similar to a large scissors, with its blades about 12 inches long. The two handles open and close the blades and it’s designed to quickly shape a shrub. It is best used to cut small twigs roughly a quarter inch or less.

The hand shears could easily trim the top and sides of your shrubs if you only have a few and don’t believe it’s worth purchasing a motorized hedge trimmer.

For larger branches up to three quarters of an inch a hand pruners is ideal. This pruners has a smaller blade but is designed to cut much nearer the hinge point for more torque. It can usually by operate with one hand while the other hand throws out the branches that are being cut.

A tough and resilient hand pruners brand I love is Felco. We have been using it for years and a little oil to the hinge and an occasional sharpening keeps it performing admirably!

Leaf Rake – Who Hasn’t Used One?

The good old leaf rake! It can be used for just about anything the needs to be cleaned up or moved. And so many sizes, lengths and brands to choose from. Should it be made of wood, plastic, or metal? What about the handle, wood or metal? Should it have soft hand grips?

First you need to determine if you will be mostly raking leaves or sticks, then decide on the rest. To rake sticks you will want a strong aggressive rake, probably with steel tines and only a medium width.

To rake mostly leaves a wide rake is excellent and it can have metal or plastic tines. Although they generally are plastic for less overall weight.

Then pretty much just pick out the color or look of the rake you like and it will do the job for you!

Merry Christmas Or Whatever Time Of The Year It Is

I hope you enjoyed learning about tools we use in our business and which could be the best tools for Christmas gifts. Or even Fathers Day, Mothers Day, or a Birthday! Enjoy your own gifts and the holidays!

Your Arborist Friend: Justin