If you cut your own wood to heat your house there's no question you need a gas saw. I heat with wood and I use a gas saw.
If you can afford a battery powered saw your gas saw will last a lot longer, because it will sit there waiting for the bigger jobs and whenever there's sustained cutting. Tanks full & ready for work.
My battery saw was "about" $169 (Makita) I use the same batteries for other tools, drill, driver, grinders, die grinder, multitool, skilsaw. Mine came with 2 5Ah batteries, a charger and a 'free' angle grinder for $299. Here is the top-handle:
http://a.co/gsQ9vqa They are probably rising the price because customers are realizing it rules.
There are two Makita chainsaws, a top-handle (slow chain speed) and a rear handle (fast chain speed). I do NOT recommend Makita's rear handle saw. (
http://a.co/iAka9oR) It has an infuriating start process where you have to hold a little button down for a few seconds each time before pulling the trigger. Give me a break! This will remind you of the starter rope you were so happy to rid yourself of. Except you have to do it EVERY frickin' time, just like a gas saw that won't idle. And the major difference is, when you're pulling a rope at least you THINK you're doing a necessary task. This stupid little safety button is SIMPLY wasting your time, to make it safer if your 10-yo daughter picked it up right after you set it down. A little gas saw may be able to compete against that rear-handle Makita for the quick cuts if there's a lot of cuts. (just maybe).
Which brings me to another point. Before buying a battery saw make sure it doesn't have stupidity programmed in. You can't always tell that in the reviews, as some people tolerate stupid. So read ALL the reviews and keep your wits about you. Different people have all kinds of point of view. I have work to do and I get stuff done, but I screw off too so YMMV.