Supplied as body only - batteries and chargers sold separately. Runs off a single 18 volt XR Lithium-Ion battery (DCB184 5.0Ah recommended). DEWALT CHAINSAW FEATURES Once assembled, it was clear to see that this chainsaw really lives up to its name in terms of being compact. Although it does have a sturdy 25cm bar , the unit itself looks smaller and feels less bulky than many of the other cordless chainsaws out there. On the downside, it seems a little flimsier too – even the bumper spikes at the front of the machine are made from plastic, rather than metal, which does give the chainsaw a slightly cheaper finish. However, there are some thoughtful design touches here as well, from the oil level window to the way in which the battery is positioned underneath the rear handle to save it from bumps and scratches. While I may have found a few more flaws to this battery powered chainsaw when compared to the others that I tested, its price makes up for these. This is a very affordable machine – you’d struggle to find a good chainsaw for any cheaper, especially one that doesn’t skimp out on quality.

With a 30cm cutter bar and weighing in at just 2.6kg, cutting logs for the fireplace has never been simpler. Brushless Motor To cut branches under 30 cm in diameter, look for a chainsaw with a cutting bar length of 15 – 20 cm and a cutting speed of 4 m/s . 18 V of power will generally be well suited to light-to-medium tasks. Ryobi products are always very distinctive with their green and grey colour palette, and, visually, this one fits perfectly into their ONE+ garden tool range. Although they may be smaller and lighter than their petrol alternatives, cordless chainsaws still have the potential to cause just as much damage should an accident occur. As a result, you need to take safety very seriously. In terms of runtime, my 5.0aH battery gave me about 20 minutes . Ryobi claims that it should last for about 40 cuts, but this varies depending on what you’re cutting. If I had focused on smaller and lighter branches, then I would have probably been able to use the machine for closer to 30 minutes. However, since I was cutting large and dense trunks, this took the runtime down to about 20 minutes.

Ryobi OCS1830 18 V 30 cm Bar ONE+ Cordless Brushless Chain Saw

Health benefits – in addition to saving yourself from the noise that a petrol chainsaw makes, a cordless chainsaw also won’t subject you to exhaust fumes I was very happy with how this machine performed. It neatly sliced through both large branches and small trunks, with the maximum diameter it could handle being roughly 50cm (when you cut from both sides). It’s easy to see why those who don’t have much chainsaw experience often find chainsaws to be intimidating – after all, these power tools can cause a fair bit of damage. That’s exactly why Bosch created their UniversalChain 18V Cordless Chainsaw. Designed with new users in mind, this chainsaw is geared towards those who need a power tool to help with pruning trees and cutting firewood. Thanks to Storm Arwen, I had plenty of the latter to do, and I was counting on this chainsaw to help me clear up the damage. As mentioned, the tool-less chain tensioning is a big plus, although all of the six cordless chainsaws that I tested have been designed with this feature. Just like the others, this one also has a claw stop, as well as ergonomic handles to improve the user experience. The first thing that stood out to me about this 18V chainsaw was its 30cm Oregon bar and chain – a sign of top quality. It has also been designed with a brushless motor, which makes any machine significantly more efficient. Other than that, the rest of its design features were pretty standard, but there were definitely no flaws either.

The Greenworks GD24CS30 is a robust, lightweight 24V chainsaw designed for home and DIY tasks. Powered by an advanced 24V lithium-ion battery, the chainsaw offers high performance despite its compact size. Convenience is guaranteed with no fuel or electric cables to contend with, simply insert the battery and you are ready to cut. Cordless chainsaw motors come in different sizes. It goes without saying that the larger the motor, the more powerful your chainsaw will be. The downside to a large motor is that this will detract from your battery’s runtime. There are a few design elements to this battery powered chainsaw that immediately stand out. Firstly, its size – with a 20cm bar and a very compact body, it’s the smallest of the six cordless chainsaws that I reviewed. Next up, the metal protective cap over the tip of the chainsaw. It’s there to reduce vibration, give you a cleaner cut when pruning trees, and prevent you from cutting with the nose of the chainsaw. Why? Because that requires expertise, whereas this chainsaw is designed for beginners. Assembly Ease: I assessed assembly ease on how long it took to put the chainsaw together and the clarity of the instructions provided. I deemed any chainsaws that took more than 20 minutes too long, as this may take significantly longer for someone who is unfamiliar with this tool. I also marked down chainsaws that didn’t provide clear instructions, those that took longer than specified, or models where the parts didn’t seamlessly fit together. Chainsaws that required no assembly were given top marks, as these designs made the tool more accessible for less experienced users. The fact that this machine is so small and lightweight (just 3kg , even with the battery in), makes it very easy to manoeuvre and cut in a controlled manner. I used it with a 4aH battery, which enabled me to cut on and off for about two hours. I was impressed with the battery life, but not so much with the machine’s chain speed – at 4.5m/s , it was much slower than some of the other chainsaws that I tested (I would recommend the Makita, at 20m/s, if you’re looking for something faster).Ryobi recommends using at least a 4.0aH battery with this 18V chainsaw. While it’ll work with smaller ONE+ batteries, your runtime wouldn’t be long enough to make it worth your while. So, since I had a fair bit of wood to get through, I went slightly larger with a 5.0aH battery.

Less noise – one of the biggest advantages of a battery-powered chainsaw is that it’s far quieter than its petrol alternatives. There’s usually less vibration too, making it more comfortable to operate This DUC353Z cordless chainsaw from Makita is a great choice for those seeking something that will hold up well to heavy-duty tasks and repeated use. No less than two 18V lithium-ion batteries supply power to a 36V brushless motor drive, delivering incredible levels of performance for more demanding tasks. If you’re only going to be cutting small and thin pieces of wood, then a short bar is all you need. However, if you plan on using your chainsaw to cut chunky logs and to fell trees, then go with a longer bar. Understanding MotorsConsidering this big oversight, I would have to say that this chainsaw is a little pricey. You could spend a similar amount of money and bag yourself a chainsaw that’s fitted with all of the right safety features while also having a larger motor and longer bar. However, it wouldn’t be easy to find another chainsaw that’s this lightweight – most are significantly heavier. If low weight is a high priority, then this battery powered chainsaw would be considered good value.