What is the best battery operated chain saw

[Industrial Toys]

When does the true cost of owning a particular cordless tool outweight the extra work of getting out an extension cord? Are we just being brainwashed into "wanting" something else?

 

[George2615]

While we went with HF 40 volt tools because the wife wanted a line trimmer that did not require a BIG JERK to start and the leaf blower is a work horse around the place the Milwaukee M18 line of tools may be what we standardize around.

I hope she wasn't talking about you.

 

[Jchonline]

From several reviews, the Milwaukee M18 chainsaw weight 10.6 or 10.7 pounds with bar & chains, but without the battery and with the bar oil tank empty. With the 12 AH M18 battery, it comes to 14 lbs. Filling the oil tank adds about another 0.4 lbs.

I've always felt the Husqvarna 455 was a bit of a pig for weight compared to it's power. The Husqvarna 450 weighs significantly less, and only loses a little on the power as compared to the 455. The Stihl 250 is similar in power to the Husky 450, but weighs about a pound less. The pro-level saws in that power range for both brands are significantly lighter.

When comparing published weights, remember that most gas chainsaws specified weight is for the powerhead only: no bar and chain, and tanks empty. The weights for the Milwaukee chainsaw above included the bar & chain.

I really like the Milwaukee saw. For me it would be a no-brainer, if I ever decide to own one (rather than just trying out my friend's), since I already have a fair amount invested in the Milwaukee M18 products.

Home Depot is currently showing a sale where you can get the saw with two of their 12 AH batteries for $399. However, this sale special comes without their RapidCharger (actually, without any charger). That's OK if you already have one. If you don't, you can charge it with their regular charger, but it takes longer (the RapidCharger is really nice for the larger battery sizes).

The other key with the Milwaukee is you dont have to use the 12A battery. You can use a 4A which is significantly lighter...if you dont have hours of cutting to do. Most of us dont. I have a slew of different batteries for my Milwaukee tools. I usually take the smallest for the job. Also if my wife needs to use it she can use a lighter battery. This is why I went with the Milwaukee. It has been great so far. It is my GoTo for limbing, and I have a Stihl MS362 and MS241. I still use the 362 for felling and bucking the bigger stuff. I take the 241 if I am going to be out most of the day cutting.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I hope she wasn't talking about you.

I was wondering when someone would volunteer that.

 

[Jchonline]

here's a really good one. https://www.amazon.com/Makita-XCU03Z-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless/dp/B01MUCQTK4 I'd have to do a lot of searching to find more.. basically, you only get what you pay for.. some people would buy an HF saw, because it's so cheap, if it breaks just throw it out and buy a new one.. another very good one. https://www.amazon.com/Echo-CCS-58V4AH-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless/dp/B019NFPJ12

Not really. You said the Milwaukee catch on fire at a higher rate than other power tools. At least I hope this is what you are stating...because thinking that a manufacturer of any power tool is immune from this is folly. I would like to see some evidence this is the case, and not just a Youtube video of 1 persons tool catching on fire.

The second point is Chinese manufacturing. This might be a discussion for another forum, but you are also misinformed if you think the Chinese can稚 make quality products. The issue is the US parent company wanting the cheapest possible tool made with the lowest quality components. The Chinese dont dictate this...the US company paying them does. So you can blame the US company for asking the Chinese to make it as cheaply as possible. A great example of the capability of quality in China is Apple. Apple has one of the highest hardware quality ratings for technology products in the world. All made in China. Apple engineers and dictates quality components...and the Chinese use them. We pay a premium...but we get what we pay for.

 

[lostcreekranch]

When does the true cost of owning a particular cordless tool outweight the extra work of getting out an extension cord? Are we just being brainwashed into "wanting" something else?

Uh .... when you have no place to plug in your cord?

I use my HF Lynxx 40V chain saw and pole saw hundreds of yards, from nearest outlet, out in our pastures.

I've sold, or given away, all of my corded weed eaters, blowers, hedge trimmers, etc.

 

[LD48750]

When does the true cost of owning a particular cordless tool outweight the extra work of getting out an extension cord? Are we just being brainwashed into "wanting" something else?

When the work you want/need to do is 10' past the total length of your longest two extension cords.

 

[dragoneggs]

When does the true cost of owning a particular cordless tool outweight the extra work of getting out an extension cord? Are we just being brainwashed into "wanting" something else?

Uh .... when you have no place to plug in your cord?

I use my HF Lynxx 40V chain saw and pole saw hundreds of yards, from nearest outlet, out in our pastures.

I've sold, or given away, all of my corded weed eaters, blowers, hedge trimmers, etc.

Or you load your generator in your FEL bucket like I have done. That is a hassle but worked well for my electric pole saw excursions.

 

[newbury]

When does the true cost of owning a particular cordless tool outweight the extra work of getting out an extension cord? Are we just being brainwashed into "wanting" something else?

When the person spending the money decides it's worth it.

 

[sea2summit]

When does the true cost of owning a particular cordless tool outweight the extra work of getting out an extension cord? Are we just being brainwashed into "wanting" something else?

Don’t have a 15A outlet in any of my vehicles and it’s almost half a mile from my the nearest outlet to the far corner of the property so I’d say...

 

[Industrial Toys]

I just wonder how much of the push for cordless is profit driven. Not much business if they sell you a corded tool that lasts for twenty five years.

 

[beowulf]

Thanks John, for providing this information about weights and recommendations. I will continue to check things out. The debate I guess is about whether it is worth it to spend the money to save the additional work of lugging my Rancher 455 up and down some tricky terrain when that is not a frequent task (although I am sure I would find other uses for a lighter saw). I imagine this fence walking/clean up work would be about a once a year trek - or maybe twice a year - two trips to different parts of the fencing.

I should add, most of the time what I find would be trees of 4-10", or smaller branches, or 1-2 inch brush (and that not often as once I take it out once it does not come back for awhile). There have been larger trees that have fallen, but I could likely manage with a 12' saw for the few times that would be an issue. And because some of what I have been cleaning up was there because the fence line had been neglected for a while I am guessing there will be less and less of a need for doing this.

Again - thanks for the input.

 

[Jchonline]

When does the true cost of owning a particular cordless tool outweight the extra work of getting out an extension cord? Are we just being brainwashed into "wanting" something else?

Easy. Distance from a power source. Also, cords are a dangerous job site hazard. It is all too easy to trip on one or have it tangle when you least expect it. Now in a stationary shop it still makes sense to have some corded tools. For everything else I would go battery.

 

[t320pilot]

I have owned this saw for about 9 months. We were hit Very hard by Hurricane Michael. It amazed me how much it was capable of compared to a gas saw, and I've been running some nice Stihls over the years. Keep at least 2 batteries and you will never run out of power. I was ready for a break before the battery ran low. I've cut at least 100 trees this size and it also uses an oregon s56 chain that is very easy to find.

 

[tomplum]

My wife has the Ego chain saw, hedge and string trimmers and they work out real well. Home Depot has them and promos them from time to time. Cuts my gas saw and trimmer usage way down. I think if you like the various tools in a particular line that they make even more sense to go with a given brand. Much like buying other cordless items.

 

[t320pilot]

Because the chainsaw was so reliable I also bought the weed eater, blower, hedge trimmer and they use the same 40 volt battery. These newer battery powered tools are way better than 10 years ago.

 

[k0ua]

Because the chainsaw was so reliable I also bought the weed eater, blower, hedge trimmer and they use the same 40 volt battery. These newer battery powered tools are way better than 10 years ago.

I suspect that they will continue to improve and become even more mainstream. To the point that only serious chainsaw user's will have gas saws, and the majority of casual users will buy electric's. There are too many advantages to the electrics for a casual chainsaw/homeowner to bother with a gas saw.

 

[shooterdon]

I suspect that they will continue to improve and become even more mainstream. To the point that only serious chainsaw user's will have gas saws, and the majority of casual users will buy electric's. There are too many advantages to the electrics for a casual chainsaw/homeowner to bother with a gas saw.

Agree completely. I have two gas saws, a Shindaiwa 488 and a Husky 455 18". Good saws but mixing fuel is a PITA and I spill fuel every time I fill them up. If I am sawing a lot of wood, the electric saws currently available do not have the battery life. but I have been tempted to buy one. Many times I need a saw for a clearing a downed tree or for a few cuts. When I go off-roading with the Jeep, I carry a bow saw but a battery chain saw would be better and not stink up the interior with gas fumes. It would be convenient to have an electric saw. No need to run the fuel out if I am not going to be using it for a while, quiet and no starting issues. I might not need a gas saw for most of my cutting if a spare battery could be charged quickly enough. It would be sweet to have a small inverter that could supply the charger from the pickup or tractor.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MDXS0...C Car Inverter with 4.2A Dual USB Car Adapter

 

[John_Mc]

The other key with the Milwaukee is you dont have to use the 12A battery. You can use a 4A which is significantly lighter...if you dont have hours of cutting to do. Most of us dont. I have a slew of different batteries for my Milwaukee tools. I usually take the smallest for the job. Also if my wife needs to use it she can use a lighter battery. This is why I went with the Milwaukee. It has been great so far. It is my GoTo for limbing, and I have a Stihl MS362 and MS241. I still use the 362 for felling and bucking the bigger stuff. I take the 241 if I am going to be out most of the day cutting.

That's true, but the cutting power suffers with the lower Amp-Hour batteries. The 9 AH and 12 AH batteries are designed to deliver that 18 volts at a higher rate - they are higher amp ratings as well as being higher Amp-hour ratings. If you are just cutting small limbs (and don't need the longer time between charges), the lighter 4 or 5 AH batteries should work fine. If you are cutting larger limbs or bucking up small trees - especially hardwoods - you'll notice quite a difference between the 4 AH and the 12 AH batteries in terms of how long it takes to get through the cut. The Milwaukee saw with the 12 AH battery has been compared in power to a good 40cc gas chainsaw. With the 4 AH battery, a good 40 cc saw will easily out-cut the Milwaukee.

I saw a great YouTube video on this: the owner swapped various sized batteries on his saw. He mentioned a noticeable difference. I watched and timed it using the video's counter and posted it in a comment there. I can't find the video now, but the difference was significant.

 

[4570Man]

I notice quite a difference in my cordless tools using a 6ah battery vs a 3ah. The difference is more noticeable with the continuous load tools like a circular saw.