Finest Electrical Chainsaws of 2023, Examined and Reviewed

Probably the most inventive and impressed use of profanity that I’ve ever heard was articulated by a Canadian moose information as he tried to begin an previous, uncared for chainsaw. Each time he yanked the pull twine, the noticed would sputter, however not begin, and the information would mutter a exceptional stream of cuss phrases (which I cannot put down in writing). That information had an excellent level: When not correctly maintained, gasoline powered chainsaws are a ache within the butt. That’s why the perfect electrical chainsaws are so interesting.

With a charged battery, sharp chain, and a bit little bit of bar oil, electrical chainsaws get proper to work. You may’t flood them, you don’t have to fret about feeding them previous gasoline or swapping out their spark plugs, and also you don’t need to cuss them into beginning. Plus, they run way more quietly than a gasoline noticed.

Lithium ion battery know-how appears to maintain getting higher, and the electrical chainsaws we now have right this moment are extra highly effective and longer lasting than fashions from a couple of years in the past. Should you’re available in the market for a chainsaw to do gentle to average slicing work round the home, on the path, or at deer camp, a battery powered chainsaw may very well be a good selection. There are stable choices for slicing firewood, clearing trails, felling bushes, and even gentle timber stand enchancment.

However electrical chainsaws do have their limits. They aren’t as highly effective as top-end gasoline fashions. As a result of the batteries are heavy, the bigger fashions usually are not a lot lighter than comparable gasoline saws. You may’t get them moist (don’t run them within the rain). Construct high quality varies enormously from model to model—a lot of the saws on this evaluation are made in China. And, after all, they’ll run out of batteries. 

To seek out the bounds of the perfect electrical chainsaws on the market, I put eight prime fashions via a sequence of assessments. These are the saws that made the lower.   

Small-Dimension (10- to 12-inch bar)

• Editor’s Alternative, Finest Small-Dimension: Echo DCS-2500T
• Worx Energy 20V Share

Mid-Sized (14- to 16-inch bar)

Massive-Dimension (18- to -20-inch bar)

How I Examined the Finest Electrical Chainsaws

There are a stunning quantity of battery powered chainsaws on the market. To slim the sprawling area, I chosen fashions from corporations with trusted names both within the chainsaw or energy software world. I went with mid-priced to top-end chainsaws, on the consumer-grade degree. In my expertise, low-cost chainsaws usually are not well worth the hassle. 

From there, I examined every noticed for slicing velocity and battery life. For the massive saws (18- to 20-inch bars) I used a 14-inch diameter black willow log. I timed how briskly every mannequin might noticed via the log (averaging 3 times). For a management, I additionally ran my gasoline powered Stihl chainsaw with an 18-inch bar via the log. 

After velocity testing, I ran the noticed via the log, slicing disk after disk, to see what number of complete disks it might lower earlier than operating out of battery. This check was designed to push the noticed, with no break to chill down between cuts. For mid-sized saws (14- to 16-inch bars) I carried out the identical check on a 12-inch diameter log. For the small saws (10- to 12-inch bar), I used a 6-inch diameter log. If the noticed confirmed battery life however might not make it via the log, I finished slicing. If it confirmed battery life however appeared to overheat, I finished slicing. The ultimate stats for every noticed will probably be proven in the important thing options part and within the chart under. I additionally weighed every chainsaw (together with battery and bar oil) on a postal scale. 

After that, I took prime performing saws to my deer looking property in Wisconsin. I used them to clear trails, fell bushes, limb bushes, buck logs for firewood, and girdle bushes for timber stand enchancment. This sensible use portion of testing gave me a good suggestion how every noticed would deal with within the woods and stand as much as laborious use.  

The Finest Electrical Chainsaws: The Winners

Editor’s Alternative, Finest Small-Dimension: Echo DCS-2500T

Key Options

• Bar Size: 12 inches 
• Voltage: 50.4v
• Amp Hours: 2.5ah
• Minimize Time: 5.7 inches (6-inch diameter log)
• Variety of Cuts: 65
• Weight: 7 kilos, 7 ounces (measured)
• Worth: $570
• Made in Japan

Professionals

• Extremely helpful
• Highly effective for measurement
• Quick slicing and lengthy battery life

Cons

• For smaller bushes solely
• Prime deal with noticed designed for execs

Echo’s battery powered prime deal with noticed, the DCS-2500T was by far essentially the most spectacular chainsaw within the check. In truth, I believe it’s the pound-for-pound greatest electrical chainsaw on the market. For its small measurement, it’s surprisingly quick and highly effective combining 50-plus volts with a 12-inch bar. That’s extra voltage than a number of the large-sized saws supply. It’s additionally gentle, and with its prime deal with design it may be run with one hand. Its slicing velocity and the variety of cuts it produced within the check have been very spectacular—it sliced via the 6-inch diameter log prefer it was butter.

Earlier than we get an excessive amount of additional, it’s necessary to notice that this noticed was designed for skilled arborists. These are the parents who scale bushes and lower limbs or fell bushes which are too harmful for the common joe to tackle. Prime deal with saws are tougher to manage and are meant for use at peak—not sawing wood on the bottom. I’m not knowledgeable arborist, and in the event you’re studying this story, you’re in all probability not both. So why may a non-professional need a noticed that’s designed for execs? As a result of it could possibly do all the things your typical medium-sized gasoline powered noticed can’t. 

This could be an ideal noticed for throwing in your side-by-side, canoe, or on a horse for a backcountry tenting journey. Possibly you have to cowl a number of floor on foot to clear the path however don’t wish to haul a 14-pound noticed with you. Or perhaps you’ve obtained a bunch of capturing lanes to clear above waist peak. The Echo will probably be your greatest buddy.  

It has the standard options you’d see on a gasoline powered noticed: handguard/chain brake, bumper spike, and typical chain tensioning system. Nevertheless it additionally has a pleasant on/off button (for security and battery life) which most of the different battery powered chains saws don’t. 

Should you’re a novice chainsaw person who simply desires a easy noticed to do yardwork, a prime deal with design is just not an excellent choice (smaller doesn’t imply safer). However for knowledgeable customers who need a gentle, extremely succesful noticed, this is a wonderful choice. Should you anticipate a chainsaw to carry out like a gas-powered noticed, then simply get a gasoline powered noticed. Should you’re in search of an electrical chainsaw to convey one thing new to your arsenal, then get the Echo DCS-2500T. 

Finest Mid-Dimension: Stihl MSA 220 C-B

Key Options

• Bar Size: 14 inches
• Voltage: 36V
• Amp Hours: 2.6ah
• Minimize Time: 22.3 (12-inch diameter log)
• Variety of Cuts: 16 
• Weight: 12 kilos, 3 ounces (measured)
• Worth: $410-$420 
• Made in Austria

Professionals

• Useful but highly effective sufficient 
• Effectively made

Cons

The Stihl MSA 220 C-B would make for an excellent mid-sized noticed to tackle gentle responsibility at house or round camp. It might buck a weekend’s value of firewood or clear up a couple of smaller toppled bushes with out drawback. Nevertheless, don’t anticipate an electrical chainsaw of this measurement to tackle larger jobs. 

It carried out admirably through the velocity and battery check. It barely had sufficient usable bar to get via the 12-inch diameter tree on one lower, however nonetheless managed to slice extra disks than the Worx or Ryobi saws and it put up respectable velocity scores, too. The Stihl additionally displayed the next construct high quality than the opposite saws in its weight class. The items match collectively tighter, extra seamlessly. Notably, the noticed is made in Austria, not China like most of the others. 

Just like the Husky noticed, the chain tensioning system did get gummed up at occasions, however not too badly. The one different ding I’ve on this chainsaw is that it’s not fairly large enough to sort out critical jobs, but it surely’s additionally not fairly sufficiently small to be extremely moveable. The noticed can also be supplied with a 16-inch bar, which I’d suggest. However nonetheless, you may’t anticipate this electrical chainsaw to tackle heavy responsibility jobs it’s probably not suited to.  

Finest Massive-Dimension: Husqvarna Energy Axe 350i

Key Options

• Bar Size: 18 inches
• Voltage: 42V
• Amp Hours: 7.5ah
• Minimize Time: 26.6 seconds (14-inch diameter log)
• Variety of Cuts: 24
• Weight: 13 kilos, 15 ounces (measured)
• Worth: $450
• Made in China

Professionals

• Quick slicing velocity
• Strong battery life
• Good options

Cons

• Chain tensioner system obtained quickly jammed

The Husqvarna Energy Axe smoked the competitors within the full-sized area. It was solely three tenths of a second slower than the DeWalt, which continues to be spectacular contemplating it has a shorter bar, but it surely lower twice as many disks and it by no means obtained slowed down whereas slicing. One of many efficiency options that impressed me concerning the Husqvarna is that it lower with full energy till it ran out of battery—then it was useless. Different saws would start to stall or not totally make it via a lower whereas nonetheless displaying 1 / 4 battery life. Regardless that these saws technically had battery energy, they limped alongside however have been ineffective at that time on a bigger log. Not so with the Husky. 

The noticed has a pleasant on/off function on the deal with that lets the person know if the noticed is turned on and if the chain brake is engaged. The Husky was the lightest large-sized noticed within the check, and it felt effectively balanced and nimble when working within the woods. With its efficiency and ease of use, I believe the Husky is the perfect electrical chainsaw selection for many customers. 

The one factor to ding the Husqvarna on was that its chain tensioning system obtained jammed up with noticed mud and crud. A pair occasions I needed to unscrew the plastic cap, clear the tensioner of particles after which screw it again on. This can be a comparatively small quibble, however I want the standard tensioning techniques that require scrench. It’s a little bit of a ache to maintain the software available, however that system appears to get gummed up much less usually. Just a few different saws within the check had points with their “straightforward” tensioning techniques, too.  

Mid-Dimension Chainsaws

Finest Worth: Worx Nitro 40V Energy Share

Key Options

• Bar Size: 16 inches
• Volts: 40v
• Amp Hours: 4ah
• Minimize Time: 17.3 seconds (12-inch diameter log)
• Variety of Cuts: 13 
• Weight: 12 kilos, 6 ounces
• Worth: $319 
• Made in China

Professionals

Cons

• Threw chain
• Acquired slowed down whereas slicing disks
• Plastic bumper spikes

If you’d like an inexpensive chainsaw to chop down small jobs within the yard or round camp, the Worx Nitro is a stable selection. Right here’s the unhealthy information first: The noticed obtained slowed down with sawdust through the disk slicing check. I needed to preserve banging the housing on the log to knock the blockage free (sure, the saws have been examined roughly). I’m unsure if finally the noticed’s batteries died or if it overheated, however both manner, it solely made 13 cuts via a 12-inch diameter log. 

However whereas clearing trails and felling small bushes (extra sensible makes use of), the Worx carried out significantly better. It was in a position to deal with all the things I threw at it, and by the top of the day I used to be satisfied the noticed was a fairly rattling whole lot at simply over $300. The one-dial tensioning system labored properly at first however then gave in to the abuse and the noticed finally threw the chain. Below common working situations—not a torture check—I’d have stopped to take the noticed aside to correctly tighten the chain.  

It runs on two 20v batteries which lock into each side of the unit. These batteries might be discovered way more affordably, which might give your noticed considerably longer run time.

Ryobi 40V HP

Key Options

• Bar Size: 14 inches
• Volts: 40v
• Amp Hours: 4ah
• Minimize Time: 24.7 seconds (12-inch diameter log)
• Variety of Cuts: 11 
• Weight: 11 kilos, 10 ounces
• Worth: $229 
• Made in Vietnam

Professionals

Cons

• Plastic bumper spikes
• No chain brake

The Ryobi chainsaw has a handguard however no chain brake. In different phrases, once you press the protection and squeeze the set off, the chain begins operating. Skilled chainsaw customers aren’t going to like that function. Moreover that, the Ryobi did have hassle working via the willow log, recording solely 11 full cuts on a 12-inch diameter log. It’s value noting the noticed barely had sufficient usable bar to make it via the log in a single lower.

On the upside, this is without doubt one of the most inexpensive chainsaws within the check and it comes with a five-year restricted guarantee (three-year guarantee on the battery). I preferred the standard and unsophisticated chain tensioning system and Ryobi features a intelligent wrench holder within the deal with of the noticed. Plus, Ryobi has greater than 85 merchandise that run on a 40v battery. So in the event you’re already utilizing Ryobi merchandise—and have already got the battery—you will get the noticed for under $189.

Worx Energy 20V Share

Key Options

• Bar Size: 10 inches
• Volts: 20v
• Amp Hours: 8ah
• Minimize time: 17.3 seconds (6-inch diameter log)
• Variety of Cuts: 18
• Weight: 6 kilos, 11 ounces
• Worth: $150
• Made in China

Professionals

Cons

• Plastic bumper spike
• No chain brake
• Lesser construct high quality

That is the little brother to the Worx Nitro, and it was the lightest chainsaw within the check. It runs on a single 20v battery. The Worx recorded considerably decrease scores than the Echo chainsaw, but it surely additionally prices a couple of quarter of the value. This noticed is supposed for very gentle work; you’ll not be bucking firewood with it. It has the same chain tensioning system to the Nitro, however with a special knob. I’d suggest spending the additional cash and stepping as much as the Worx Nitro. Even in the event you solely want a noticed for gentle responsibility within the yard, the Nitro will carry out higher for you. 

Massive-Dimension Chainsaws

DeWalt 60V Max 

Key Options

• Bar Size: 20 inches
• Voltage: 60v
• Amp Hours: 5.0ah
• Minimize Time: 26.3
• Variety of Cuts: 12 
• Weight: 17 kilos, 4 ounces
• Worth: $549
• Made in China

Professionals

Cons

• Ran out of battery shortly
• Heavy

Consider this noticed because the defensive finish on a soccer group: hefty, robust, and quick, however he’s going to tire out shortly. This was essentially the most succesful all-around noticed of the check. With its longer bar size and quick slicing velocity it’s effectively suited to larger jobs. It was the quickest large-sized noticed within the check, although it nonetheless obtained via the 14-inch diameter log three seconds slower than my gasoline chainsaw. 

The DeWalt has a double bumper spikes (one on each side of the bar) with aggressive tines. It brings essentially the most voltage of any noticed within the check, and comes with sturdy carrying case, not like most of the different saws. 

On the draw back, this unhealthy boy is heavy. It’s an excellent 3 kilos heavier than my gasoline noticed. The battery alone weighs 4 kilos. Plus, it ran out of juice comparatively shortly. It obtained slowed down a couple of occasions going via the willow log on the tail finish of its battery life. If in case you have your coronary heart set on this noticed for larger tasks, I’d suggest getting a second battery—sadly, they’re spendy at about $360. The one different adverse factor about this noticed is that the battery housing is designed in a manner that it’s straightforward for noticed mud and particles to fall into it. You’ll need to preserve checking to verify it doesn’t get gummed up.     

Ego Energy+ 18-inch Chainsaw

Key Options

• Bar Size: 18 inches
• Volts: 56V
• Amp Hours: 5ah
• Minimize Time: 31.3 seconds (14-inch diameter log)
• Variety of Cuts: 11 
• Weight: 14 kilos, 12 ounces
• Worth: $370
• Made in China

Professionals

• Expenses shortly
• LED gentle is a cool function

Cons

Ego makes a wide range of battery-powered outside instruments together with trimmers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, and even a zero-turn using garden mower. Their 18-inch chainsaw presents some cool options, together with a LED gentle so you may see what you’re slicing in low gentle and a fast-charging 56v battery (a lot of the bigger saws required 4 hours or extra to cost, however the Ego charged in about half that point). 

Sadly the battery drained comparatively shortly too, because the Ego completed solely 11 cuts via an 14-inch diameter log. The chain tensioning system is cool in idea: it’s only one knob to tighten or loosen. However within the area it obtained gummed up and I needed to take the noticed aside to get it working. Further batteries are nonetheless spendy, however you may discover them on-line for considerably cheaper than DeWalt further batteries. 

What to Know Earlier than Shopping for an Electrical Chainsaw

Typically talking, electrical chainsaws usually are not as highly effective as comparably sized gasoline powered saws. However they’re easier to make use of and top-end fashions can noticed via loads of work. Right here’s what to think about when choosing the perfect electrical chainsaw for you.

Bar Size

Saws with longer information bars can tackle larger jobs, however they’re heavier. As a basic rule, you need your bar to be two inches longer than the utmost diameter of the log or tree you plan to chop. In case your electrical chainsaw goes to be your solely chainsaw, go along with an extended bar size of 18- to 20-inches. If the electrical noticed is a backup or for particular tasks (like a tenting journey) then go along with a mid-sized or shorter bar. 

Voltage

The voltage marketed on a noticed’s battery is basically a ranking of its energy capability. Normally larger saws have batteries with greater voltage, with the exception being the Echo, which boasts a 50v battery.

Amp Hours

The amp hours displayed on every battery is the quantity cost that allows 1 ampere of present to move for one hour. In different phrases, the next AH ought to supply an extended run time. Nevertheless, there are a number of variables concerned in how lengthy a noticed will run (how aggressively you’re operating it, kind of wooden, and measurement of logs to call a couple of). 

Security

Chainsaw work is inherently harmful. Even the extra inexpensive chainsaws generally described as “newbie” saws can buzz off a finger or chew deep into your leg within the fraction of a second. Simply because a noticed is smaller-sized or extra inexpensive doesn’t imply that it’s safer. Plus, the cheaper fashions are likely to not have chain brakes and are extra susceptible to working points, which might be harmful. You have to be further cautious when switching from a gasoline powered noticed to an electrical noticed. With an electrical noticed there is no such thing as a rumble of the motor to remind you that the noticed is “on.” At all times take away the battery earlier than checking and adjusting chain pressure and refiling bar oil. Additionally, at all times put on security gear.  If in case you have no thought what you’re doing with a chainsaw, take a security course, on-line or in particular person. 

FAQs

Closing Ideas on the Finest Electrical Chainsaws

There’s a variety of electrical chainsaws on the market, and lots of of them are low high quality. Similar to low-cost gas-powered saws, low-cost electrical chainsaws are extra of a headache than they’re value. You’re higher off spending more cash and getting among the finest electrical chainsaws that may do the work you want it to.