Do you have a project that needs a chainsaw? Gas chainsaws are the most popular chainsaws out there, but now there’s a variety of electric and battery-powered ones. Even for the electric ones, there weren’t many cordless chainsaws just 5 years ago.
Fast forward to today, there’s loads of battery chainsaws that perform better than some of the gas-powered ones. If you are looking for a battery-powered chainsaw, read on to see why you should have one and see which ones are the best on the market today.
Top 3 Picks
DEWALT FLEXVOLT Battery Chainsaw
The Dewalt battery chainsaw tops our list because it’s lightweight and has a 16” range. It also has a big battery and motor that is powerful enough to do all the jobs around the house.
The BLACK & DECKER is our runner up because even though it weighs just 10.4 pounds, it can produce a major kickback, which means it’s pretty powerful.
If you’re looking for a contractor style battery chainsaw, you’ll be impressed with the Milwaukee 2727. It’s ultra-powerful, has a 16” range and it even has on board storage to store small tools.
Battery Power vs Gas Power Chainsaws
Time Using
This is important with chainsaws because it really depends on your project how long you can use your chainsaw. Let’s dig into how good battery or gas one is when it comes to runtime.
Battery
Even the best chainsaws with a powerful motor will still last maybe an hour, hour and a half at most. It could cut your projects short, or it’ll take longer to do your project if you wait for the recharge.
Gas
Gas chainsaws can last a long time with a little bit of fuel. This is best suited for longer projects or if you’re in the woods somewhere and need a chainsaw that doesn’t die on you.
Related: The Best Mini Chainsaws for Your Woodcutting Tool Arsenal
Battery Power Chainsaw Type of Tasks
It really does matter what you are trying to cut. We’ll tell you why for each one.
Battery
Battery chainsaws can do work around the yard. They’re usually compact and very light so it makes it easy to reach higher branches that you need to cut off. Battery ones are easier to store as well.
Gas
Gas-powered chainsaws are perfect for larger projects. You can probably cut down a tree with these ones. The reason for this, besides their powerful motor, is that they have wider ranges and bar lengths for those bigger cuts. These ones are most used for professional jobs because they’re more reliable for large projects.
Noise and Emissions
Battery
The battery chainsaws are usually very quiet. They’re also very environmentally friendly which makes them popular.
Gas
The gas-powered chainsaws are usually very loud, so loud to the point where you’ll actually have to wear earplugs. Also, it has that gas smell, so it’s not environmentally friendly.
How to decide between the battery and gas-powered chainsaws
It absolutely depends on the job you are doing. If you’re just going to be using it around the yard, an battery-powered chainsaw would be best. But if you’re doing larger projects often or live in an area where there’s tornadoes or hurricanes, a gas powered one is best for your needs.
Battery Chainsaws Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Lightweight – The electric chainsaws are much lighter than gas-powered ones. This means less fatigue and more productivity due to the light weight.
- Noise – Electric chainsaws are much quieter than gas-powered ones. This means your neighbors won’t be complaining if you use it outside around your house. It also won’t damage your hearing, like a gas-powered one could.
- Environmentally Friendly – A battery-operated one produces no emissions like gas-powered ones does. So that means you can do your jobs without the guilt of polluting the environment.
- Less maintenance – You’ll still have to do some maintenance with battery chainsaws, but not as much as the gas-powered ones.
- Quick startup – Battery chainsaws are usually quick to start up usually with a button or a trigger. It makes it convenient for people who want to do their job right away.
Cons:
- Not as durable – While they do the job, most of the battery-operated chainsaws are made out of plastic. This means it could break or wear out in the future if used heavily.
- Can’t do large projects – The battery chainsaws are just not powerful enough to take on large projects and they have an hour or so runtime at best, making them unreliable for bigger jobs.
Related: A Husqvarna Chainsaw is One of the Best Options: Here’s Why
What Are the Chainsaw Safety Rules
Every year, there’s reports of injuries from improper use of chainsaws. Although chainsaws today have safeguards and other safety features, you’ll still need to take extra precautions, even with the battery-operated ones.
Dress Appropriately
Most injuries happen to arms and legs. So, it’s best to dress for the job. That means wearing pants, boots and a hardhat. You’ll also want to wear heavy gloves so that you can have a good grip on it. You should wear chainsaw safety chaps as well.
Follow Manual Instructions
This is a no brainer, but it’s important to follow the manual’s instructions so that you can understand how to use the chainsaw and more.
Use the safety features
It doesn’t matter how experienced you are, you should use the safety features (blade guard or whatever other safety feature) always. Some chainsaws have a high kickback and that can cause issues.
Remove battery before maintenance
You should always remove the battery before maintenance so that you don’t accidentally turn it on.
Best Battery Powered Chainsaws
DEWALT FLEXVOLT 60V MAX Chainsaw
We are starting off with Dewalt because it’s a popular brand for high quality tools. It’s a very powerful cutter that operates on a 60V Lithium-ion battery. It can do 70 cuts per charge. We love the fact that it has a large motor and despite that, it’s still relatively low noise. The Dewalt chainsaw also has auto oiling when you put in Lubrilink and Lubriwell.
This chainsaw weighs in at 12.2 pounds, so if you need to cut wood for hours, you won’t be tired from the weight. This battery powered chainsaw is easy to use, and it has a tool free chain tightening. You can pull and stop with the pull of the trigger. Overall, anyone can use this chainsaw with ease.
Pros:
- Big motor
- Easy to use
- Tool-free chain tightening
Cons:
- The safety switch is hard to use
Milwaukee Battery Chainsaw
We’ll start off by saying that this is a contractor crossover battery chainsaw. That means it’s more powerful than most chainsaws and perfect for the workplace. It’s lightweight, weighing in at 21 pounds so if you have a day-long job, you won’t get tired from using this chainsaw. It can cut very fast and hard which is a good thing if you are on a time constraint. This chainsaw is also equipped with storage for your screwdrivers and such which is a bonus that we love. Even though it’s powerful it doesn’t produce firewood very well as it will wear the bar out.
It’s great for anyone who’s looking for a professional-level chainsaw that can do the job.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Onboard storage
- Powerful
Cons:
- Doesn’t produce firewood well
Makita XCU07PTBattery Chainsaw
The Makita XCU07PT is a compact but powerful chainsaw. It uses 2 18V LXT batteries and it has a max chain speed of 3,940 FPM. There is an outer rotor BL Brushless motor direct drive system that helps make this chainsaw very powerful. To give you an idea, it is the equivalent of a 32 cc gas chainsaw.
The power switch is very easy to find, and it comes with LED light if you are cutting in a dark area. For the extra features, it has captured bar nuts, lateral tensioning, and a front handguard. The chainsaw shuts off automatically when it’s not being used, which is a very good feature to have for safety reasons. It is 18.6 pounds so lightweight if you are going to be cutting for hours. The saw comes with a 14-inch bar, but you can get the 16 inch one if you want. It also comes with two batteries and a charger. It’s a great chainsaw for anyone who is looking for a compact chainsaw.
Pros:
- Compact
- LED light
Cons:
- Doesn’t make as many cuts on a single charge
WORX WG303.1 Battery Chainsaw
The WORX 16” has a powerful 14.5-amp motor so you can cut through thick branches and smaller trees. The 16” cutting radius should give you enough width to tackle on the bigger projects. We love the extra features such as vibration reduction technology, automatic tension adjustments and automatic oiling.
It is 11.1 pounds, making it perfect for use all day without fatigue. For the safety part, it has a chain break feature where if there’s an issue with the chain, it will stop automatically. It’s a great chainsaw for anyone who wants a lightweight and chainsaw that has features.
Pros:
- Not noisy
- Enhanced safety feature
- Automatic oiling
Cons:
- If you have an issue with the parts, it may be hard to find them
BLACK+DECKER Battery Chainsaw
The BLACK & DECKER LCS1240 has a powerful engine that’s powered by a 40V battery. If you want to compare it to a gas one, it’s equivalent to a 45cc. This model has a 12” bar length so it can cut through most things if you need to. It is lightweight at 10.4 pounds so if you are cutting all day, you won’t be tired from the weight.
This model is designed with the maximum kickback, so if you are new, you’ll need to be very careful. For the safety features, there is a blade guard and a start button. The start button is there so that you don’t accidentally start the chainsaw by accident. It’s a great chainsaw for anyone who wants a powerful one with safety features.
Pros:
- Very light
- Operates faster than you expect
- Safety features
Cons:
- It can use a lot of oil.
Greenworks 24V Cordless Chainsaw
Finally, we have the Greenworks 20362 battery chainsaw, the lightest one in the whole roundup, weighing just 7.86 pounds. It operates on a 24V lithium-ion battery so it’s powerful enough for the small projects that you’ll be doing. It has a 10-inch bar which is enough for the small things you’ll be cutting through. It can do 35 cuts per charge and it has an electric start.
This model also has automatic oiling so that you don’t have to worry about oiling the chainsaw often. It’s a great lightweight chainsaw for any small projects, especially yard work.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Automatic oiling
- Electric start
Cons:
- Only does 35 cuts per charge, which means you’ll spend more time on your project if doing bigger jobs
How to use a battery chainsaw
Stand Properly and start the saw
How your stance is, really matters when it comes to using a chainsaw. After you’re in a sturdy position, you’ll want to take your left hand with your thumb underneath. You’ll then want to take your right hand and grab the rear handle. Make sure your legs are spaced apart (as wide as your shoulders). You should then just pull the trigger (after disengaging the chain break) or push the button if there’s a button to start the saw.
Cut at waist level
Even though battery chainsaws are super lightweight, you’ll want it at a safe level so that you don’t get that kickback. You also don’t want to cut close to the ground because of the same reason. It’ll make your life much easier if you cut with the middle of the bar and much more efficient.
Stand to the side
You’ll always want to be standing on the side of what you’re cutting, not hovering over it as it can be super dangerous. Kickback can be dangerous if you’re hovering over your chainsaw.
Maintenance
A battery-powered chainsaw is the one that needs little to no maintenance, but you’ll still need to maintain it. Here’s a few tips of on how to maintain it:
1. Take battery out
You should take the battery out before you start any maintenance. This is a no brainer. You don’t want the chainsaw to accidentally go on while doing maintenance.
2. Check chain tension
You’ll want to check for chain tension, to make sure that it’s working properly. This means you should be able to feel some resistance when pulling the chain.
3. Inspect & clean bar if needed
You’ll need to occasionally clean the bar if needed so that the chainsaw can run properly.
4. Sharpening Chain
You’ll need to sharpen the chain occasionally. Some chainsaws come with a filing kit to make the job much easier.
FAQ
How long does a chainsaw battery last?
One hour. Less if doing more vigorous jobs. Battery chainsaws are not suited for longer/larger jobs.
What is the best battery-operated chainsaw?
The best battery-operated chainsaw, hands down, is the DEWALT FLEXVOLT Chainsaw. It is lightweight, has 16” range and can do most jobs around the house.
When should you get a battery-operated chainsaw?
- If you want lightweight and easy to start
- Small tasks around the yard
- Occasional use
- Want little to low maintenance
- Need something quiet (especially if you live in a closely packed neighborhood)
- Reduce impact on the environment
Do you need experience using a battery-operated chainsaw?
You will need some experience using chainsaws and follow the safety guidelines. You can look to your manual that came with the chainsaw or watch a YouTube video on how to use the battery chainsaw. You can even get a friend or family member who has experience to teach you on how to use the chainsaw if you do not have the experience.
Is a battery-powered chainsaw worth it?
It can be a handy tool around your house. It can help you save countless hours especially with yard work. It’s also quiet, which is beneficial if you live in a busy area with the chance of neighbors complaining about the noise.
Bottom Line
Battery-powered chainsaws are definitely relatively new to the chainsaw world. They have exploded in popularity in the last few years because they’re cordless and usually lightweight. Consider what you’ll be using the battery chainsaw for so that you can decide which ones to get. Every single one on our list is a great option, but they all have different features. If you have found this guide useful in your battery chainsaw search, feel free to let us know, if you want, in the comments.
The post The Best Battery Powered Chainsaw For Small Woodworking Jobs appeared first on Home Decorating Trends - Homedit.
0 Commentaires