The former owners of our home were not expert gardeners.  In fact, there seemed to be little rhyme or reason in the landscaping.  We had four large bushes in the backyard, 50-year old ivy along the fence and six yew bushes in front of the house.  Needless to say, they all had to go.

The Black & Decker Alligator Lopper 4.5-AMP Electric Chain Saw went through a honeysuckle bush like butter.  Since we were putting cobblestones in that area, we dug down around the roots about six inches and used the saw to cut below grade.  I loved avoiding digging up the root ball.  We used the same technique on an unidentifiable bush that was tearing our screens.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t get away with that trick with the ivy.  However, the saw was easily able to get through the toughest and oldest vines so we could get to the roots with a shovel.

The yew bushes were a huge project.  We had three on each side of the front door, and I believe they were planted when the house was built.  Since we didn’t have access to a Bobcat, I knew we couldn’t pull the bushes out by the roots.  The “honeysuckle method” was our only option.  The saw made quick work of the trunk, and was able to cut through the exposed roots quickly.  If we had this saw two years ago, we’d never have worried about how to get rid of the yews.

We don’t have any trees on our urban lot, but we’ve loaned the saw to friends and family who lost tree limbs in storms and it cuts them up quickly and safely.  This is a great tool for small to medium jobs and for those of us who are intimidated by “big” chain saws.