Battery powered chainsaw recommendations? (2017)

[Industrial Toys]

I like the auto sharpening feature of my Oregon 40 Volt. It's what pushed this impulse purchase. Although I have not used it much. I carry it around in the back of my Electric Gator, pretending I'm GREEN, but more for the odd limb or fallen tree I come across.

 

[MossRoad]

That's one thing about gas chainsaws that I've always not been pleased about.... you're not supposed to leave gas in them for extended periods of time, and many of them the oil will dripple out over several months. So I always run them out of gas before I put them away. But if there's just a couple branches down that I want to trim up, I don't want to fill the chainsaw with even half a tank of gas and oil. I'd rather just pull out a cordless model and do it in the time it would take to fuel the gas saw.

So, it may be nice to have for just such an occasion. However, I can buy a lot of gas and oil for the price of a cordless saw and battery. I suppose if I just needed one for yard work, I'd have it instead of a gas model. But since I heat with wood, have 20 acres of forest to maintain, and a couple miles of trails to clear, its not for me.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have the cordless trimmer as well which I REALLY like and the two tools together work better for keeping batteries charged.

 

[klm]

I have a 40v Greenworks 16" that I bought for light trimming and a backup saw, it has turned into my main light duty saw, works much better than expected and will wear me out before the battery dies. The saw is guaranteed 4 years and the battery 2 years. I also have 3 Stihl's, a 024, 170 and a 031, I only use the 031 now. It's just so handy to throw it in when running fences or doing any other chores around the farm, its always ready to go. I also have a Greenworks pole saw that I like even better , they use the same battery. I have nothing to gain by recommending this company and two years from now I may not recommend them, but right now I think they are great.

 

[dfkrug]

I have a 40v Greenworks 16" that I bought for light trimming and a backup saw...

My neighbor has the 80V Greenworks saw with 18" bar, the biggest battery-powered chainsaw I have yet seen.

It works OK for limbing and smaller logs, but it is heavy. I would put it at about the power of a 38cc gas saw.
A good pro 38-40cc saw will be less weight, so that may be a consideration for larger jobs. I have not used
it long enough to have an opinion about the vibration.

Batteries run $110 or so each for the 2Ah (lower energy) version.

 

[Sodo]

, it has turned into my main light duty saw, works much better than expected..... It's just so handy to throw it in when running fences or doing any other chores around the farm, its always ready to go.

It's impossible to imagine this change. But when you have a quick cut or two, and all you have is a gas saw, it's so odd to catch yourself "wondering" if its worth putting down the gas saw & going after the battery saw. You will....

It's not possible to realize how much time you waste checking gas, pulling a choke, the rope a few times, the warm-up blips......until its no longer required. Then you know.

 

[Garandman]

Just ran through this decision as we gave our Backup chainsaw to my nephew. He, and we need something to cut branches that fall, or to cut the way out of the neighborhood after a storm.

We have n 18V LiFe Dewalt reciprocating saw, but purchased a small gas Stihl because when needed, there probably will not be power.

We buy MOGAS at an airport or ethanol free gas at a station that has it for small engines to minimize storage problems.

 

[Piston]

I’ve been using a Milwaukee cordless “Hackzall” with 9” pruning blade. It works great for trimming branches when using the wood chipper. However I’m very intrigued by the electric saws, and will likely purchase an electric pole saw in the near future.

I like the battery backpack idea that husqvarna has, but it’s too expensive at this point.

 

[newbury]

It's impossible to imagine this change. But when you have a quick cut or two, and all you have is a gas saw, it's so odd to catch yourself "wondering" if its worth putting down the gas saw & going after the battery saw. You will....

It's not possible to realize how much time you waste checking gas, pulling a choke, the rope a few times, the warm-up blips......until its no longer required. Then you know.

Well since you brought it up again -
Just like other things how often you do it may be as important as how long you do it.
In my situation -
In Virginia I've a 1/4 acre lot with 5 "mature" red maples. All so mature that almost every storm they drop a branch or two that is well over 2" diameter where I've got to cut it to get it short enough to put in the yard waste (no burning allowed). I used to pile them up until I got enough that it was worth mixing up some fuel for my 021, starting the saw sawing them up. And the saw needed to be kept outside the main house due to fumes (SWMBO is sensitive). With the battery powered B&D ($120) it sits anywhere in the house (right now it's in the living room near the front door). I'll see a limb down after a storm, grab the saw, walk out do a few cuts, dispose of the limb. All done.
But it really shines when I've got to go up a ladder to trim a limb brushing against the house. Not having to pull start a saw is a great safety feature.

Similar situation with leaf blowers. I've two Stihl leaf blowers, one's an almost new 550, I've two corded Toro leaf blowers that require 12 gauge cord. But I bought a DeWalt 20vMax leaf blower, DCBL720P1, that gets the most FREQUENT use. This time of year it's kept at the front door to grab and clear sidewalks and the porch. Down in Mississippi I use it for the driveway and inside the workshops. Previously I used the corded leaf blowers but now they are reserved for standby. If I need to do a major leaf blowing I use the 550 and may spend an hour and 2 tanks of fuel. But that's a one time use versus probably 10 "grab it and blow" uses of the DeWalt.

Power tools come in a wide range of power. I find the relatively low power battery operated tools, with the advent of the 20 and 40 volt LITHIUM ION batteries to be replacing most of my small gas/oil fueled tools.

 

[jeff9366]

I've been using a Milwaukee cordless 'hackzall' with 9 pruning blade. It works great for trimming branches when using the wood chipper.

I keep the same compact reciprocating saw on my Kubota L3560 tractor. It takes only a single bungee cord to hold the saw securely. Saw is ready-to-hand when I am standing on the ground.

Try Milwaukee's THE AXE blades, which are much more rigid than pruning blades. THE AXE is easy to find in 5" length, more difficult to find in 9" length which I prefer. You will not return to pruning blades.

I have a Stihl MS261 always in the bed of my utility vehicle, along with two sizes of loppers.