Customer Reviews

Droll Yankees Gp Garden Pole

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was pleased with the Droll Yankees garden pole (DY-GP) when I first received it. It's lightweight, quick and easy to assemble, modular, and more affordable than some of the other bird feeder poles I'd looked at online. I also trust the Droll Yankees brand and wanted to support a company that 1) manufactures some of its products within the U.S. and 2) contributes a portion of its sales towards wild bird/conservation efforts.

Now that I've had the pole a few weeks, however, I wanted to make some observations on its limitations. The lightness of the pole makes installation easily, but its lack of heft makes it a little unstable once installed. Of bigger issue than the material (galvanized powder coated steel) is the way the pole is put together. The staked section goes into the ground. The other two sections are "keyed" via a "dimple in one and a groove in the other," in the words of the Droll Yankees catalog. While the garden pole won't snap, the dimple-groove system makes it wobbly where the sections are united. The included pole adapter easily slides into the top of the pole but also doesn't make a completely secure connection.

That's not a big deal for me as I have just a regular tube feeder (1 lb. capacity) mounted on the pole. The birds aren't heavy enough to shake it and for the amount of money I spent, I'm happy with how it functions. But the pole might not be appropriate for a large feeder or birdhouse. I think in those cases, I'd consider a non-adjustable/one-piece pole or a pole made out of a heavier duty material.

(Side note: I was impressed with the minimal cardboard packaging in which the pole came. It confirmed for me the company's commitment to conservation.)

This pole was very easy to set up. The pointed end was easy to bash into the ground, and the other pieces fit snugly on top. The only thing I wish is that it came with a flat piece that I could put on top to screw onto a feeding tray. Still, this one seems very sturdy and fits into the socket on our tray. It's just that since the tray isn't screwed on, it can spin around, and sometimes the birds are a bit surprised.