You just cannot make a good proper pruning cut with one. I cringe when I hear an unknowledgable landscaper, or the like, get's one of these tools. I just imagine him running around at each job, cutting <I>every</I> lower branch he can reach, nicking the trunk, leaving stubs, flush cutting, or usually all of the above. The amount of damage one can do in a short time is unbelievable.
There is a town by me, and you can drive around and point at several ruined landscapes, all from one landscaper's power pruner. It makes me sick.
That being said, I have used mine a few times doing hazard removal work. Sometimes you can climb an adjacent tree and reach out and top a whole tree from this safe spot. Or reach up from a safe height, to top out dead branches that can't be climbed.
I did an apple tree with tons of dead wood this last weeekend. I was able to remove braches in several peices very quickly from the ground, without wrecking all kinds of garden plants and decorations below, then climbed up and cut the stubs by hand.
If you have one you will find all kinds of uses, please don't use them for prunning, and don't let others see you using it.
