Have you purchased a battery powered chainsaw in the last 2 years?

May 4, 2024 7:25 PM

If so, please come in and share your experience!

My husband's dad had an amazing Greenworks electric chainsaw that was purchased probably about 10 years ago, so we bought one a couple years ago...leaked chainsaw oil badly right away, so we just made sure to add enough every time we used it. It stopped working after a bit over a month, so we exchanged it for one that stopped working the 2nd time we used it. We used his dad's often, so I'm 99.9% sure it wasn't user error. For this reason, I'm only interested in people's RECENT experiences with battery powered chainsaws.

We're in the US. We aren't able to use a cord powered option or a gas option, looking for 12-18 inches (preferably closer to 12). Nothing crazy, buy also not one of those little 6 inch saws that seem popular right now. Leaning towards a 20v Dewalt since we already have some of those batteries, but wanted to get some opinions first. 20v seems small, but no one seemed to be complaining about battery life in the reviews and we do have some extras.

Thanks in advance for any experience you can share!

posted by Eyelash to Home & Garden (17 answers total)

I used an Ego chainsaw to break down a tree that fell into the street this past winter; it was great.

…but maybe go with the battery system you already have, rather than getting a new platform.
posted by aramaic at 7:50 PM on May 4 [2 favorites]

We recently got this Ego 56v 16-inch chainsaw. I've only used it a couple of times so far, so I can't say it isn't going to suddenly stop working, but it's been good so far. The weight is manageable, the battery lasts long enough to get a reasonable amount of work done and it hasn't seemed underpowered. (I haven't cut anything very big yet, though.)
posted by Redstart at 7:55 PM on May 4 [4 favorites]

Best answer: I also have the Ego saw (I was already in the battery system for the rest of my yard tools) and it's been great the two times I've needed it. It does ooze a bit of bar oil when stored, but I think that's par for the course with these saws. I tend not to store it full for long, and it lives in a shed where a small oil patch on a plywood shelf matches the aesthetic. Since purchasing I've also started using Milwaukee M18 tools and if I had to do it over again I'm just as likely to get the Milwaukee version. To be frank I'd get whatever battery system you use now, or whatever system you plan on owning other larger amp hour battery tools in. Project Farm has a good YouTube video reviewing saws, but unless you're using it to make a living, the convenience of a unified battery system outweighs a few seconds of cutting time.
posted by token-ring at 8:06 PM on May 4 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I currently have the Ego 56V (described above) as well as a Ryobi 18V one. For comparison - I used to have the Greenworks one as well, back in the day (stopped working as you described) and I have a Stihl gas powered one. Yes, I use a lot of chainsaws.

The Ego is very much like the gas powered one. It's fast / powerful / dangerous (in all the right ways). Batteries last quite a while, but they take a while to charge so you really need two. The 18V ryobi is slower, which isn't a bad thing - just more deliberate about its cuts, for lack of a better word. It burns through batteries very quickly, so I probably need 3-4.

Honestly they're both great at what they do. The ryobi is light, maneuverable, and powerful enough for smaller jobs (8" trees, all the limbing on bigger trees), the Ego is a quality replacement for an gas saw. The fact that you're leaning to 12" saws makes me think the Dewalt is the right choice for this job.
posted by true at 8:15 PM on May 4 [3 favorites]

I used my dad's Oregon to clear 20 trees, and it was great.

Worked like a charm, I liked the safety features, came apart real easy for cleaning, I changed the blade easily. Why would I ever use a gas chainsaw ever again?
posted by eustatic at 8:56 PM on May 4 [2 favorites]

I also have the ego 56v. I like it. I am a noob, so a gas chainsaw was out. The kerf is thin so I feel like I need to use extra care not to get it wedged because it is powerful enough to use on big stuff. I bought oregon branded chain. I need to carry it a long way w no road access and it is great not to have to carry gas. I can cut through as much treefall as I can have time for clearing trail on one battery. I think it is even worth the battery difference even if you have an investment in other brands.
posted by drowsy at 9:36 PM on May 4 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I have the Ryobi 18" 40v saw. I have several other parts of their 40v ecosystem (blower, attachment trimmer, walk-behind mower, rear-tine rototiller) and so far, the tools have all been great. For my real use case on my property, I probably would've been fine with the smaller 14" saw, as most of my trees are pretty small. But, with tools, I sort of subscribe to the "buy once, cry once" policy. I'm only going to actually need an 18" saw maybe once or twice, but I'd rather have the capability than not, and the 18" saw just felt a little more solidly built than the 14".

Power-wise, no complaints. Like with any chainsaw, keep your bar oiled and properly tensioned, and your chain sharpened. I've had no issues with the saw feeling under-powered, or issues with the battery dying after just a couple cuts. I'm mostly using the 40v 6Ah batteries, and they seem to last forever. I really like that when I need to use it, I just grab the saw, slap on a battery, and get to work. I don't need to worry about fuel, or carburetor maintenance, and my neighbors are happy that I don't have anything with a 2-stroke engine any more.

What I will say about the 18v or 20v systems, you're generally going to get a lot less runtime out of them than the 40v or 56v systems. If you're only making a few cuts, it's probably not an issue. If you're converting a downed tree into stove wood, I hope you have a lot of batteries.

Regarding those little 6" saws you mentioned, I got a really sketchy-looking 21v cordless 6" saw off Amazon, and I actually love it. For pruning small to medium-size branches and limbs (say, 1" - 4" or so) it is absolutely perfect, and makes beautiful cuts. It's much easier to manage on a ladder than a full-size saw for that sort of thing, and it's a lot faster and easier than a manual saw or loppers. Works great for cutting limbs into smaller, more manageable pieces, too. It's never going to be your one and only chainsaw, but if there's room in your budget and kit for one, wow am I ever glad I picked one up!

(Edit: Forgot to mention, but others have touched on it. The batteries are a large part of the tool cost, in any system. It makes so much sense to commit to one battery ecosystem and really go all in on that. Once you have enough batteries for your typical use, you can buy "tool only" models of your tools, with no battery, for much less. Sometimes half. Conversely, sometimes there are deals to be had that include batteries, you just have to watch. The 40v tiller I bought was like, $799 for the tool only, or on special for $899 with four 6Ah batteries, which was a no-brainer.)
posted by xedrik at 10:10 PM on May 4 [4 favorites]

I've got the ryobi 12 inch - picked it up last summer. Battery life is OK w/ the larger amp batteries (4 and 6). It's a straightforward saw and easy to maintain. I only recently learned of the importance of chain sharpening, and that's made a world of difference. I have a lot of timber on my property, and it probably would have been wiser to get the larger model.

I hate gas chainsaws and won't ever go back. But I'm looking forward to buying a second chainsaw based on some of the recs on this thread!
posted by Happydaz at 10:28 PM on May 4 [2 favorites]

Another happy Ego 56v user. It definitely leaks chain oil, but otherwise, I am delighted with it as the tool to conquer my backyard full of privet trees.
posted by hydropsyche at 3:43 AM on May 5 [2 favorites]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned Ego yet, but I have their chainsaw (...and mower, and leaf blower, and snow blower, and...) and it's great.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:01 AM on May 5 [2 favorites]

I'm another happy Ryobi 12" 18v saw owner. I have a couple of the bigger batteries, and it works great for most of what I need to do. I also have one of their pole mounted chainsaws which pretty great. I use them mainly on oak, so I figure if they can handle that they can probably handle almost anything.

I originally bought a Ryobi 10" saw something like 8 years ago and one day the smoke came out of the wires, so I replaced it with the 12" version 2-3 years ago and it's been great ever since.

I do also have an 18" gas Echo saw which I only use for the big stuff. It's more of a pain to deal with a gas motor, and the vibrations make my hands unhappy. It's slightly terrifying to use due to all the power, but when you need it, you need it.

All 3 of these leak some oil when they're not in use, so I assume it's just the nature of chainsaws.

Dewalt generally makes good tools, so if the reviews look good and you have some of their largest batteries it'll probably be great. Battery powered tools are pretty amazing these days.
posted by DrumsIntheDeep at 8:12 AM on May 5 [1 favorite]

We have one of the Ryobi 18 volt ones and it's been fine. We bought it because we already had a few other 18 volt Ryobi tools (pole chainsaw, string trimmer, drill) and it's nice being able to swap the batteries between them.

Runtime hasn't really been an issue for us because we're typically only working with one of these tools at once, so we can keep a lot of batteries on charge and rotate them in as required.

These are in no way professional-quality tools and their prices reflect that, but for the occasional use we put them to they've been very reliable. The only maintenance the chainsaw has needed has been topping up the chain oil before use, cleaning out the sawdust afterwards, and occasional chain sharpening.
posted by flabdablet at 8:16 AM on May 5 [1 favorite]

My workplace has some pro Stihl chainsaws and they’re seeing serious use alongside gas-powered chainsaws.

They’re expensive and extra batteries are expensive but I’m talking about workplace use rather than homeowner use.
posted by sciencegeek at 8:18 AM on May 5 [2 favorites]

Since you've already got stocks of DeWalt batteries, you'd probably be fine with one of their chainsaws as well. DeWalt and Ryobi tools are built to about the same standard.
posted by flabdablet at 8:22 AM on May 5 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Stihl is the best for professional or serious personal use (my mom cuts almost all her own firewood with an electric Stihl) but for occasional use, the dewalt will probably be fine.

To avoid ending up with a counterfeit product, I would recommend buying it in person at a bricks and mortar store, and insist on getting one that has not been opened. Buying from a farm and fleet type store or a hardware store(rather than a big box store) will also improve your chances of getting a quality product. The manufacturer also sometimes produce a crappier version (for the same SKU!) just for the big box stores/amazon to meet the price point that the big players demand.
posted by rockindata at 10:04 AM on May 5 [2 favorites]

My neighbor bought a Greenworks electric chainsaw after decades of only using petrol-powered ones. I bought him an extra battery and he lets me use it whenever I want. I had never used a chainsaw before this. And I love it. Feels so much safer and less loud and smelly.

I have a Greenworks strimmer, vacuum stick, lawn mower, power drill and impact driver and have no complaints about anything they make.
posted by terrapin at 3:04 PM on May 5 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I have two DeWalt electric saws - a pole saw and a chain saw. Both are excellent and despite the weight of the batteries, are much lighter than their petrol alternatives and therefore much easier to use. I don't use them often - mostly this is light gardening for the pole saw, and firewood prep for winter for the chainsaw. I find the blade length of the chainsaw is a little limiting - it won't do larger logs without a lot of strategic jiggling - but I have taken down small trees with it without issue and with a freshly sharpened chain will go through hardwood like butter. It requires a little maintenance - oil and sharpening mostly - and I like that I can use it without requiring heavy ear protection. We've had it for two years so far and couldn't be happier.
posted by ninazer0 at 4:19 PM on May 5 [1 favorite]