Battery powered chainsaw recommendations? (2017)

[dragoneggs]

Here is my latest conquest this past weekend with my Stihl AP chainsaw...



Super lightweight, instant blade on/off, quiet, and plenty of battery life. Felled it, limbed it, and bucked up about 2/3rds. Still had 2 of 4 bars lit on the AP300S battery.

 

[AchingBack]

You will like this. I love it. M12 FUEL HATCHET 6" Pruning Saw Kit | Milwaukee Tool

 

[dfkrug]

You will like this. I love it. M12 FUEL HATCHET 6" Pruning Saw Kit | Milwaukee Tool

I own no Milwaukee battery-powered tools, but I am considering one or 2. They have over 100 different M12 and M18 tools, from the lowly screw gun to an $1100 winch. Particularly attractive to me is the downsizing: M12 Fuel tools are much smaller/lighter than ones that have higher voltage. Bigger is not always better, just as it is with tractors.

An update on my Greenworks 40V polesaw: the problem I was having was due to a disintegrating commutator inside the motor. I found a replacement motor, but GW says they will make good on my 3y warranty. We will see. A case for those new-fangled brushless motors?

 

[cqaigy2]

I own no Milwaukee battery-powered tools, but I am considering one or 2. They have over 100 different M12 and M18 tools, from the lowly screw gun to an $1100 winch. Particularly attractive to me is the downsizing: M12 Fuel tools are much smaller/lighter than ones that have higher voltage. Bigger is not always better, just as it is with tractors.

An update on my Greenworks 40V polesaw: the problem I was having was due to a disintegrating commutator inside the motor. I found a replacement motor, but GW says they will make good on my 3y warranty. We will see. A case for those new-fangled brushless motors?

Oh, ya. That doesn't look good does it.

 

[caver]

Project Farm just uploaded a battery chainsaw video

 

[dragoneggs]

Project Farm just uploaded a battery chainsaw video

Another excellent ProjectFarm review. Looking forward to his Part 2 review, where he plans to test Stihl, Echo, Husky, and others.

 

[two_bit_score]

Journal Of Light Construction - battery chain saw test. This one is pretty good.


Best Cordless Chainsaw - Head-2-Head Test - YouTube


I am not sure any of these tests I've seen convince me that the battery saws are better than gas. I'm used to cordless drills and impact drivers - bought a Craftsman cordless screwdriver back in 1980. Even bought the Kobalt 80 V battery lawn mower and like it.

On chain saws I'm just not convinced yet.

 

[ultrarunner]

I think the last comment being if you are already invested in a battery platform it is hard to go wrong sticking with it.

 

[caver]

The only thing i would like to have one for is camping out west. I mostly boondock on Forest Service or BLM land. Once in awhile it would be handy to cut up some downed firewood. I can't justify taking a gas saw but also can't justify $400 for a battery unit.

 

[dragoneggs]

Journal Of Light Construction - battery chain saw test. This one is pretty good.


Best Cordless Chainsaw - Head-2-Head Test - YouTube


I am not sure any of these tests I've seen convince me that the battery saws are better than gas. I'm used to cordless drills and impact drivers - bought a Craftsman cordless screwdriver back in 1980. Even bought the Kobalt 80 V battery lawn mower and like it.

On chain saws I'm just not convinced yet.

Thanks for posting that review, Two Bit... seems to validate I made a good choice with my Stihl. And I totally agree that it really makes sense to stick to as few platforms as possible when it comes to battery op tools.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Journal Of Light Construction - battery chain saw test. This one is pretty good.


Best Cordless Chainsaw - Head-2-Head Test - YouTube


I am not sure any of these tests I've seen convince me that the battery saws are better than gas. I'm used to cordless drills and impact drivers - bought a Craftsman cordless screwdriver back in 1980. Even bought the Kobalt 80 V battery lawn mower and like it.

On chain saws I'm just not convinced yet.

Kobalt 8V Max Brushless 18" Cordless Chainsaw (TOOL ONLY) 84182115329 | eBay

This is a $139 Kobalt 80v chainsaw option you may want to consider some day since you have already spent to get the battery and charger.

 

[two_bit_score]

This is a $139 Kobalt 80v chainsaw option you may want to consider some day since you have already spent to get the battery and charger.

You, Gale Hawkins, sir are the Man when it comes to battery equipment!

Very valid point. At least up to a point.

I got the Kobalt mower because my brother had one so I knew what it would do and when Lowe's put them on about half price at the end of the season I took the plunge.

The spare blade was high - about $25. I have thought about the Kobalt hedge trimmer but I could go with the Stihl or Milwaukee and stay with a platform I already have.

Milwaukee 1/2" Impact driver (2767) has the most torque of any and I wanted that so I also got their battery grease gun for the backhoe and their cordless sawsall which is also good.

I don't have anything Dewalt but they, Mikita and Milwaukee and probably others now are crossing over into saws and other landscaping tools.

 

[caver]

Makita owns Dolmar. I have a Makita blue Dolmar. Great gas saw.

 

[crazyal]

My neighbor bought a Milwaukee chain saw because that's the battery platform he has, so do I. I haven't tried it yet but he says he's sold for limbing and cutting small trees. He's done some bigger stuff with it but said you start to get to a point where the saw can do it but more power is really needed.

 

[two_bit_score]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I was really leaning toward the Milwaukee until the reviews on it kept being consistently poor. I realize the reviews may not give a true 'real world' picture so it's good to hear even second hand that someone with a Milwaukee battery saw actually likes it but feels it could be under powered.

I am now leaning toward the Stihl if I ever decide to take a plunge into a battery saw. Kobalt hasn't been reviewed enough as far as what Ive seen but they are second just because I already have the charger for the mower. I would have preferred the Stihl mower but it's never discounted and regular price would make it almost 3x what I paid for the Kobalt.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

My neighbor bought a Milwaukee chain saw because that's the battery platform he has, so do I. I haven't tried it yet but he says he's sold for limbing and cutting small trees. He's done some bigger stuff with it but said you start to get to a point where the saw can do it but more power is really needed.

I bought a Milwaukee cordless chainsaw this year. The batteries and the saw are working great, and the battery usually outlasts me for a cutting session.

There is an issue though. The kerf is quite thin and _any_ pinching of the chain will cause it to come off the bar. It's super sensitive in this regard and bugs me. But learning not to get your chain pinched is a good thing I guess, so the jury is still out.

Otherwise the unit has been flawless for me so far.

 

[ultrarunner]

Related but off topic... with power out for days it would be great to be able to tap into these hi capacity lithium batteries like Stihl and others...

I do think Milwaukee leads with accessories.

 

[Grumpycat]

I found a good deal on the new model EGo 18 last week. Have EGo 21 SP mower, string trimmer, and a backpack blower I bought because it was cheaper than the included 7.5AH battery alone.

So far it is still in the box but for the battery on charge.

Friend I respect has one and claims it is equal or superior to the comparably priced box store gas saws he has had.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I found a good deal on the new model EGo 18 last week. Have EGo 21 SP mower, string trimmer, and a backpack blower I bought because it was cheaper than the included 7.5AH battery alone.

So far it is still in the box but for the battery on charge.

Friend I respect has one and claims it is equal or superior to the comparably priced box store gas saws he has had.

That's a lot of battery. Our 18" Kobalt came with a 5 Ah battery and the mower a 6 Ah battery.

Brand different seems to be small as most seem to share sources.

 

[cqaigy2]

I see snapper makes a battery chainsaw. Specs on it look pretty good.