WORX WG324.9 20V 5-Inch Pruning Saw Review: A Compact Cutter That Earns Its Spot

Introduction

Small pruning saws often look like novelties, the kind of tool that promises more than it delivers. The WORX WG324.9 20V 5-inch Pruning Saw is compact enough to raise exactly that suspicion, so it deserved a proper workout before earning a recommendation. The test was straightforward: two mature trees on a three-acre property, with branches hanging low enough to hit a person standing beneath them and to block a riding mower’s path.

Who This Pruning Saw Is For

This saw makes the most sense for property owners who deal with exactly the kind of problem it was tested on: low branches that interfere with mowing, walking paths, or headroom. On a three-acre lot cut with riding mowers, low limbs meant circling around the trees and coming back to trim the remainder by hand, which is the sort of repeated annoyance this tool is built to eliminate.

It is also a good fit for anyone who already owns a full-size chainsaw but finds it awkward for overhead or tight-space cutting. The main appeal of a compact pruning saw is reaching the places a big saw cannot comfortably go.

Key Specs and Features

The WG324.9 is the bare tool version of WORX’s 20V pruning saw line. It runs on any WORX 20V Power Share battery, and the tested unit used a 20V 4Ah pack. Pricing has hovered around $99 for the bare tool, with a roughly $127 version that includes a battery and charger, so buyers who already own WORX 20V batteries can save by choosing the tool-only model.

Feature-wise, it covers the essentials well. There is tool-less chain tension adjustment, auto chain lubrication, a retractable bar and chain guard, and a handle guard for safety. A small flathead screwdriver tool is tucked into the handle guard, a detail that is easy to miss at first glance. The saw weighs about 3.86 pounds with the battery attached and 3.04 pounds without it, and the chain runs at 18.4 feet per second.

What It Can Cut

WORX rates the five-inch bar and chain for limbs up to four inches in diameter while still on the tree, or up to ten inches in diameter when cutting material already on the ground. Those numbers matter less than how the saw behaves in practice, which is where the testing got interesting.

Real-World Cutting Performance

The first test branch was a fairly large low-hanging limb, chosen deliberately to see whether the saw could handle meaningful wood right away. It cut through without any problem, and the description that fits best is that it went through like butter. Encouraged, the same branch was cut again at the stump, then the rest of the tree followed.

Across two trees, the saw produced consistently clean cuts, noticeably tidier than the ragged results you might expect from a tool this size. The thickest branch cut during the session measured around nine inches in circumference, with several others close behind. None of them gave the saw any trouble.

The other standout is access. The saw’s small size let it reach spots a regular chainsaw simply cannot get into, which was one of the main reasons for buying it in the first place. Both trees were trimmed to exactly the shape wanted, with every obstructing branch removed.

Battery Life and Handling

Perhaps the most impressive result of the whole session: both trees were cleared on a single 4Ah battery, and the saw was still running when the work was done. For occasional pruning jobs, that means one charged pack is very likely enough.

At under four pounds with the battery installed, the saw is easy to maneuver around branches and overhead, and fatigue was never a factor during the session. The tool-less tensioning also means adjustments take seconds rather than requiring a separate tool hunt.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The main decision point is the battery situation. The bare-tool WG324.9 only makes sense if you already own a WORX 20V battery and charger; otherwise, the kit version with a battery included is the smarter purchase. Also keep the four-inch on-tree cutting limit in mind: this is a pruning saw, not a felling tool, and large-diameter trunk work is outside its intended role.

Buying Advice

If your property has the recurring problem of low branches and you want a light, maneuverable tool that leaves clean cuts and sips battery, this saw is easy to recommend. Buyers already inside the WORX 20V Power Share ecosystem get the best value with the bare tool, while first-time WORX buyers should look at the battery-included version. Anyone who was hesitant about how a saw this small could perform can be reassured: it handled everything thrown at it with no issues at all, and it will be seeing plenty more work around this property.

Conclusion

The WORX WG324.9 turns out to be far more than a novelty. It cut large branches effortlessly, left clean results, ran an entire two-tree job on one 4Ah battery, and reached places a full-size chainsaw cannot. For light pruning and low-branch cleanup, it is a genuinely useful tool that justifies its place in the shed.