Topic: The Best Electric Chainsaws of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 81 times)
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Topic: The Best Electric Chainsaws of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 81 times)
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The Stihl MSA 220 C-B would make for a good mid-sized saw to take on light duty at home or around camp. It could buck a weekend’s worth of firewood or clean up a few smaller toppled trees without problem. However, don’t expect an electric chainsaw of this size to take on bigger jobs.
It performed admirably during the speed and battery test. It barely had enough usable bar to get through the 12-inch diameter tree on one cut, but still managed to slice more disks than the Worx or Ryobi saws and it put up respectable speed scores, too. The Stihl also displayed a higher build quality than the other saws in its weight class. The pieces fit together tighter, more seamlessly. Notably, the saw is made in Austria, not China like many of the others.
Like the Husky saw, the chain tensioning system did get gummed up at times, but not too badly. The only other ding I have on this chainsaw is that it’s not quite big enough to tackle serious jobs, but it’s also not quite small enough to be highly portable. The saw is also offered with a 16-inch bar, which I would reco*mend. But still, you can’t expect this electric chainsaw to take on heavy duty jobs it’s not really suited for.
The Husqvarna Power Axe smoked the co*petition in the full-sized field. It was only three tenths of a second slower than the DeWalt, which is still impressive considering it has a shorter bar, but it cut twice as many disks and it never got bogged down while cutting. One of the performance features that impressed me about the Husqvarna is that it cut with full power until it ran out of battery—then it was dead. Other saws would begin to stall or not fully make it through a cut while still showing a quarter battery life. Even though those saws technically had battery power, they limped along but were useless at that point on a larger log. Not so with the Husky.
The saw has a nice on/off feature on the handle that lets the user know if the saw is turned on and if the chain brake is engaged. The Husky was the lightest large-sized saw in the test, and it felt well balanced and nimble when working in the woods. With its performance and ease of use, I think the Husky is the best electric chainsaw choice for most users.
The only thing to ding the Husqvarna on was that its chain tensioning system got jammed up with saw dust and crud. A couple times I had to unscrew the plastic cap, clear the tensioner of debris and then screw it back on. This is a relatively small quibble, but I prefer the traditional tensioning systems that require scrench. It’s a bit of a pain to keep the tool on hand, but that system seems to get gummed up less often. A few other saws in the test had issues with their “easy” tensioning systems, too.
If you want an affordable chainsaw to cut down small jobs in the backyard or around camp, the Worx Nitro is a solid choice. Here’s the bad news first: The saw got bogged down with sawdust during the disk cutting test. I had to keep banging the housing on the log to knock the blockage free (yes, the saws were tested roughly). I’m not sure if ultimately the saw’s batteries died or if it overheated, but either way, it only made 13 cuts through a 12-inch diameter log.
But while clearing trails and felling small trees (more practical uses), the Worx performed much better. It was able to handle everything I threw at it, and by the end of the day I was convinced the saw was a pretty damn good deal at just over $300. The one-dial tensioning system worked nicely at first but then gave in to the abuse and the saw ultimately threw the chain. Under regular working conditions—not a torture test—I would have stopped to take the saw apart to properly tighten the chain.
It runs on two 20v batteries which lock into both sides of the unit. These batteries can be found much more affordably, which would give your saw substantially longer run time.
The Ryobi chainsaw has a handguard but no chain brake. In other words, when you press the safety and squeeze the trigger, the chain starts running. Experienced chainsaw users aren’t going to love that feature. Besides that, the Ryobi did have trouble working through the willow log, recording only 11 full cuts on a 12-inch diameter log. It’s worth noting the saw barely had enough usable bar to make it through the log in a single cut.
On the upside, this is one of the most affordable chainsaws in the test and it co*es with a five-year limited warranty (three-year warranty on the battery). I liked the traditional and unsophisticated chain tensioning system and Ryobi includes a clever wrench holder in the handle of the saw. Plus, Ryobi has more than 85 products that run on a 40v battery. So if you’re already using Ryobi products—and already have the battery—you can get the saw for only $189.
This is the little brother to the Worx Nitro, and it was the lightest chainsaw in the test. It runs on a single 20v battery. The Worx recorded significantly lower scores than the Echo chainsaw, but it also costs about a quarter of the price. This saw is meant for very light work; you will not be bucking firewood with it. It has a similar chain tensioning system to the Nitro, but with a different knob. I’d reco*mend spending the extra money and stepping up to the Worx Nitro. Even if you only need a saw for light duty in the backyard, the Nitro will perform better for you.
Think of this saw as the defensive end on a football team: hefty, strong, and fast, but he’s going to tire out quickly. This was the most capable all-around saw of the test. With its longer bar length and fast cutting speed it’s well suited for bigger jobs. It was the fastest large-sized saw in the test, though it still got through the 14-inch diameter log three seconds slower than my gas chainsaw.
The DeWalt has a double bumper spikes (one on both sides of the bar) with aggressive tines. It brings the most voltage of any saw in the test, and co*es with sturdy carrying case, unlike many of the other saws.
On the downside, this bad boy is heavy. It’s a good 3 pounds heavier than my gas saw. The battery alone weighs 4 pounds. Plus, it ran out of juice relatively quickly. It got bogged down a few times going through the willow log at the tail end of its battery life. If you have your heart set on this saw for bigger projects, I’d reco*mend getting a second battery—unfortunately, they’re spendy at about $360. The only other negative thing about this saw is that the battery housing is designed in a way that it’s easy for saw dust and debris to fall into it. You’ll have to keep checking to make sure it doesn’t get gummed up.
Ego makes a variety of battery-powered outdoor tools including trimmers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, and even a zero-turn riding lawn mower. Their 18-inch chainsaw offers some cool features, including a LED light so you can see what you’re cutting in low light and a fast-charging 56v battery (most of the larger saws required four hours or more to charge, but the Ego charged in about half that time).
Unfortunately the battery drained relatively quickly too, as the Ego finished only 11 cuts through an 14-inch diameter log. The chain tensioning system is cool in theory: it’s just one knob to tighten or loosen. But in the field it got gummed up and I had to take the saw apart to get it working. Extra batteries are still spendy, but you can find them online for substantially cheaper than DeWalt extra batteries.
Generally speaking, electric chainsaws are not as powerful as co*parably sized gas powered saws. But they are simpler to use and top-end models can saw through plenty of work. Here’s what to consider when picking the best electric chainsaw for you.
Saws with longer guide bars can take on bigger jobs, but they’re heavier. As a general rule, you want your bar to be two inches longer than the maximum diameter of the log or tree you intend to cut. If your electric chainsaw is going to be your only chainsaw, go with a longer bar length of 18- to 20-inches. If the electric saw is a backup or for special projects (like a camping trip) then go with a mid-sized or shorter bar.
The voltage advertised on a saw’s battery is essentially a rating of its power capacity. Usually bigger saws have batteries with higher voltage, with the exception being the Echo, which boasts a 50v battery.
The amp hours displayed on each battery is the amount charge that enables 1 ampere of current to flow for one hour. In other words, a higher AH should offer a longer run time. However, there are a lot of variables involved in how long a saw will run (how aggressively you’re running it, type of wood, and size of logs to name a few).
Chainsaw work is inherently dangerous. Even the more affordable chainsaws co*monly described as “beginner” saws can buzz off a finger or chew deep into your leg in the fraction of a second. Just because a saw is smaller-sized or more affordable does not mean that it is safer. Plus, the cheaper models tend to not have chain brakes and are more prone to