Best Cordless Chainsaw Comparison Test – 2020

There is nothing cooler than a chainsaw. They are aggressive tools that make processing heavy timber materials effortless and enjoyable. But are cordless battery-powered chainsaws ready for the spotlight? A chainsaw requires a high output of power in order to cut efficiently, without stalling or bogging down. With the advancements in battery and electronics technology over the last few years, we were anxious to see how the cordless tool world applies that technology to chainsaws.

The benefits of cordless OPE are well known. Ease of maintenance, effortless long term storage, reduced noise, no more exhaust fumes, no more mixing fuel, just to name a few. Many pros are tired of dealing with the maintenance of gas-powered saws as well. But what kind of performance can you realistically expect from a battery-powered chainsaw? That’s what we set out to find with this latest Head-2-Head.

Cordless Chainsaw Head-2-Head Selection Criteria

Currently, there are dozens of different models of cordless chainsaws in a variety of different voltages and bar lengths. In order to limit our sample size, we determined what size saw would be most practical across a wide range of applications. We identified three main categories of users that could benefit the most from a cordless chainsaw.

The first is arborist’s or tree care professionals looking for a smaller, maneuverable saw, requiring less maintenance for limbing work or cleaning up brush piles to be chipped. The second is contractors or construction professionals who are already invested in a battery platform and looking for a saw for occasional use or home use. And finally, homeowners or landowners looking for a tool for occasional use or storm cleanup.

Based upon this, we chose to test saws with a bar and chain between 14″-16″ long. A saw of this size would be practical in the hands of most users for a variety of tasks. Likely in place of a gas-powered chainsaw in the 30-45 cc range. We also limited the voltage from 18V-62V. This gave us a sample size of twelve saws from all of the major brands and manufacturers.

Cordless Chainsaw Lineup

DEWALT Flexvolt MAX 60V

• Model: DCCS670X1
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 12.2 Lbs
• Battery Size: 3.0 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Limited /1 Year Free Service / 90 Day Money Back

DR Power PULSE 62V

• Model: 414170
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 9.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 2.5 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir W/ Replaceable filter
• Warranty: 2 Year Residential / 90 Day Commercial

Echo 58V

• Model: CCS-58V4AH
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 13.7 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Consumer / 2 Year Professional

Ego Power+ 56V

• Model: CS1604
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 8.69 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 5.0 Ah
• Tool Free Chain Tensioner
• Autimatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year

Greenworks PRO 60V

• Model: 2014502
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 10.0 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 2.0Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 4 Year Tool and Battery

Husqvarna 536li XP 36V

• Model: 536li XP
• Bar Length: 14″
• Chain Manufacturer: Husqvarna
• Weight: 5.29 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 9.4 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Residential / 2 Year Commercial

Kobalt 40V

• Model: KCS 4040-06
• Bar Length: 14″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 10.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Makita 18V X2 / 36V LXT

• Model: XCU04PT1
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 8.3 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 5.0 Ah (X2)
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Adjustable Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Limited

Milwaukee M18 FUEL

• Model: 2727-21HD
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 13.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 12.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Oregon 40V

• Model: CS300
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 10.2 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 6.0 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Years

Ryobi 40V

• Model: RY40550
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 12.4 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Stihl 36V

• Model: MSA 220C-B
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Stihl
• Weight: 6.4 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 7.2 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Manual Chain Brake
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Residential / 2 Year Commercial

Cordless Chainsaw Evaluation Criteria

Up until recently, cordless chainsaws were honestly kind of a joke. But the cordless revolution and improvements in battery technology have now given manufacturers the foundation they need to build truly capable chainsaws. In order to thoroughly evaluate our sample body of tools, we conducted a series of demanding tests. Each saw was ranked based upon a total of nine evaluation categories.

When determining our evaluation criteria it was important to select tests that applied to a wide range of users. Our compiled data needed to be as relatable to tree care professionals as it is to contractors and home/landowners. Testing each saw to its limit was also critical in order to clearly establish the line that separates the capability of a cordless saw from a traditional gas-powered model. It is also worth mentioning that all of our tests were performed on hardwood trees as they are common and widely available throughout the Northeast.

Bearing all this in mind, we settled on the following categories:

• Run-Time Cutting
• Speed Cutting
• Torture/High Demand Cutting
• Tool Size and Balance
• Weight
• Features
• Ergonomics
• Decibel Output
• Price

In addition to these ranked categories, we wanted feedback from true professional users and reached out to a local tree company to be a part of the testing. They were on-site with us for the day of testing and brought their bucket truck. We put each saw in the hands of an experienced tree pro and put them to work limbing up a standing dead ash tree. This is a real-world application that has always been done with a gas-powered saw. Performing this task gave us valuable feedback in determining if any of the battery-powered tools were ready for demanding professional service.

Cordless Chainsaw Run-Time Test

Run-time testing seems pretty straight forward, right? Put a battery in the thing and just cut some stuff. Our goal is to truly test the limits of these tools and run-time testing was a premier opportunity for us to do this.

Our run-time test consisted of inserting a fully charged battery in each saw with a factory sharpened chain and then proceed to cut as many crosscut slices through a tree length log as possible on a single battery charge. Each saw was filled with Stihl Woodcutter bar and chain oil prior to beginning the test and chain tension was also set properly.

The test logs were Maple, all approximately 13.5″ in diameter. The logs had sat off the ground seasoning for approximately two years. Because no tree is a perfect column, we had some variation in diameter. The average diameter of the logs calculated out to 13.6875″.

Maple is not the hardest species of wood out there, but these were some BIG logs. In fact, they were likely bigger than what most of these saws were designed to cut, which is why we chose them. This test forced the saws to work hard, and it showed. In order to keep things uniform, we kept the same two test cutters for the entire test. Both operators were instructed to perform five cuts at a time and then pause for 25 seconds to allow the batteries a brief relief and avoid thermal overloading.

First Place: Ego

Ego crushed this test, plain and simple. The Ego saw performed a total of 31 full depth cuts and then a partial cut of 4.25″ on the 32nd cut before dying. Ego has a rock-solid battery platform, and this test highlights that.

The electronics of the Ego saw are extremely efficient and transfer the power of their 56V ARC technology seamlessly to the 16″ bar and chain. The Ego was the first saw we tested and as we watched the stack of cookies rise, we started to worry that we might run out of test material. Our crew did mention that after the 15th cut, there was a change in cutting speed and the tool seemed to slow down slightly, but kept going.

Second Place: Milwaukee

The Milwaukee FUEL saw was the lowest voltage tool of the day, but still shined as a cutter. The FUEL completed a total of 21 cuts with a partial depth of 9.25″ on the 22nd. The proven M18 platform with the massive 12.0 Ah battery did very well in our testing. However, this saw did experience a battery overload at the 18th cut. We had to remove the battery, let it cool down for almost ten minutes, and then continue the test. The Milwaukee saw uses a slower chain speed compared to some of the other saws, but delivers a ton of torque and power while cutting.

Third Place: Greenworks

The Greenworks Pro 60V saw is no stranger to the Tool Box Buzz crew. It performed a total of 21 full cuts and maintained constant chain speed and power throughout. Overall our test cutters agreed that it had excellent power and was a “Top Cutter”.

Learning to Cut Differently

While evaluating run-time, our test cutters learned that operating a cordless chainsaw is drastically different from a traditional saw. A gas-powered saw will typically allow you to lean into a cut and put extra leverage and force on the tool. A gas-powered motor will power through this while bogging down without incident. However, an electric saw will shut itself down when encountering extreme resistance to prevent damaging the motor. Our operators had to allow the saws to do the cutting and hold back from leaning on them too much.

Of the saws we tested; Makita, Stihl, and DR Power had issues with stalling out and had to be reset to continue cutting. The Stihl in particular had to be reset, battery removed, and cooled off, several times to continue the test.

Speed Cutting Test

Published chain speeds, RPM ratings, manufacturer cutting claims can all get pretty confusing. So we made it a priority to see just how fast our cordless saws could perform a cut in a piece of hardwood. A seasoned length of Ash was selected to perform the speed cutting test. Our sample log measured out to an average diameter of 11.02″ based upon measurements taken before the start of each test cut.

We chose to keep the same operator for the entire test to maintain consistency. Our test cutter then performed three timed cross cuts as quickly as the saw was able to. After the results were recorded, we reset and performed the test a second time. The average of the two times was calculated and used to rank each saw.

First Place: Echo

One of the test cutters summed up the Echo perfectly; “This thing feels like a chainsaw!” The Echo saw powered through the speed cuts with an average time of 44.5 seconds. Echo’s 58V system uses a slower chain speed but delivers a lot of felt torque in the cut. This balance of speed and power allowed the Echo to chew through our test material quickly without bogging down or dropping in speed.

Second Place: Stihl

Stihl is a big name, if not the biggest in the chainsaw world. Their reputation is built upon their solid construction and professional-grade engineering and features. This lineage really showed itself during out speed cut testing. With an average cut time of 48 seconds, the Stihl had zero issues cutting through the 11″ Ash log. While the Stihl struggled with the larger diameter run-time log, the smaller log used here, along with Stihl’s very aggressive profiled chain yielded impressive results.

Third Place: Greenworks

With an average cut time of 50.2 seconds, Greenworks continued to shine as a “Top Cutter.” The Greenworks PRO 60V saw’s performance in the speed cutting test is an outstanding example of a tool that was built from the ground up as a cordless chainsaw.

Cordless Chainsaw Torture Test

In order to break down a large round of wood to a more manageable size, chainsaw users will often perform a rip cut or “Noodling” cut as it is more commonly referred to as. We selected a noodling cut as our torture test due to the fact that it greatly tests the full powerband of the cordless saw. A noodling cut is performed parallel to the grain of a full log round.

What makes it so difficult is the chain has to pull the long-stranded chips through the entire kerf length of the bar and chain. These long-stranded chips resemble curly noodles, hence the name Noodling. Traditionally a user would need a larger and more powerful gas-powered saw to perform such a cut.

For our test, twelve pre-cut rounds, of wet Red Oak, were placed standing on a block and cut parallel to the grain. Our rounds were each twelve inches long and averaged 16.78″ in diameter. The toughness of the grain structure of the Red Oak and the moisture content of the wood placed a huge demand on our saws.

We chose to make this test a Pass/Fail evaluation mainly because we were unsure if the saws would be able to complete the test. To our surprise, almost every tool passed the test! The only saw which failed to complete the noodling cut was the Milwaukee M18 FUEL. During the test cut, the Milwaukee jammed with sawdust and noodle strands completely binding and seizing the blade. The saw had to be disassembled and cleaned out before it was functional again.

The performance of these battery-powered saws during our torture test was extremely impressive. It showed us the benefit of modern electric motors and their ability to maintain a constant output regardless of demand.

Weight

We ranked our saws based upon the bare tool weight of each model. Based upon the published bare tool weights we ranked the saws as follows:

Overall Size and Balance

Numbers alone do not always tell the full story of the overall feel of a tool in hand. We chose to include size and balance in addition to weight during our evaluation. Some of the saws did a great job of balancing this increased weight and size while others did not. One of our test cutters remarked that operating some of these saws felt like “driving a big Cadillac boat like my Grandma used to drive”.

Our professional tree cutter felt that overall size and balance was one of the biggest factors for him when deciding if he would take one of these saws up in the bucket. If the saw was bulky and unwieldy, then it would be an absolute no-go for them to even consider.

First Place: Stihl

The Stihl felt like a compact professional-grade tool in the hands of every user. The overall size and balance is excellent and felt more like a chainsaw with a battery in it than a battery-powered chainsaw.

Second Place: Husqvarna

Husqvarna is the other biggest and most well-known name in the chainsaw world. The 536li XP felt nimble and balanced in hand. It’s lightweight and compact design makes it a true professional-grade tool. Our tree cutter stated that the Husqvarna had “great balance and lightweight in hand”. He felt that it was the most realistic choice of all the saws for use in a bucket or tree due to the weight.

Third Place: Makita

The Makita XCU04PT1 saw offered a great combination of weight and balance. The Makita 36V two battery system places the battery packs higher up and centered on the saw. This cuts down on the overall length of the saw body and streamlines it as well. Much like the Stihl and Husqvarna, the Makita saw balanced similarly to a traditional gas-powered saw and was easily controlled by our test crew.

Cordless Chainsaw Features

Our saws ranged from basic and Spartan in terms of features to jam-packed. We examined each saw and compared features such as manual chain brakes, chain tensioning systems, bar oil fill cap design, onboard tool storage, bumper spikes or felling dogs, and many other areas as well. Based on this detailed comparison, we were able to rank our tools as follows.

First Place: DEWALT

The DEWALT Flexvolt saw has an outstanding set of features that make it very user friendly. The manual chain brake, in particular, stood out to our crew as a well thought out and executed safety feature. The brake lever had an excellent contour to it with very short travel to engage and disengage. DEWALT’s tool-free chain tensioning system was also the most user friendly. As a right-handed operator, I could easily hold the saw by the forward handle in my left hand while using my right hand to adjust the chain tension. All of the controls featured high-quality, flip-down levers that are easy to use and store securely. The flip cap design of the bar oil reservoir was also extremely easy to use. One area of improvement for the saw would be a set of steel bumper spikes as opposed to the current molded plastic ones.

Second Place: Oregon

The Oregon name is well known as a manufacturer of high-quality bars, chains, and other forestry products. But the CS300 chainsaw was a bit of an unknown surprise to our crew. Having never tested a tool from Oregon before, we were pleasantly surprised by this mighty monster. Oregon saw was packed with features that were very clearly designed by chainsaw people. The first of which was the Oregon Self Sharpening system and 91PS056X chain. Oregon included a self-sharpening system in which the user simply pulls upwards on a control lever for 3-5 seconds while running the saw to automatically sharpen the chain. The lever lowers a contoured sharpening stone down onto the chain and sharpens as it runs. This feature makes the often foreboding task of sharpening a chain effortlessly. The chain is proprietary and the sharpening stone will only work with the special chain. Oregon also has excellent bumper spikes and a responsive chain brake as well as a tool-free chain tensioning system.

Third Place: Stihl

It comes as no surprise that a professional-grade tool like the Stihl includes professional-grade features as well. Stihl includes an inboard clutch design along with steel bumper spikes and chain catch with the MSA 220 C-B. The tool-free chain tensioning system is very user friendly. The finger rotary dial design for adjusting tension was found to be slightly less intuitive than the DEWALT Design.

Of all the saws that were tested, Kobalt was the only model to not feature a manual chain brake lever and it’s placing in this category reflects that. The Kobalt also requires a tool to tension the chain. Our crew found an overwhelming preference for saws with a tool-free chain tensioning method as opposed to a traditional tooled system. For saws of this class, tool-free seems to make the most sense.

Overall Ergonomics

The term ergonomics gets thrown around a lot and is completely user-dependent. Bearing that in mind we ranked our tools in terms of ergonomics based upon the way they worked with us during use. The areas we focused on were handled angles, grip textures, control locations, and felt vibration. All of these features are worth considering to find the tool that is comfortable to the user.

First Place: Husqvarna

The Husqvarna saw was designed for all-day professional use. The contoured angle of the handles was comfortable as well as made the controls easy to reach. The saw featured a simple push-button power switch as well as a manual chain brake, and grip tang safety release. These controls all worked smoothly together in hand. There is also little felt vibration with this saw and no hot spots on the grips.

Second Place: Stihl

The compact body design of the Stihl along with ergonomic controls makes this one of the most comfortable tools in hand. The Stihl features a push-button safety release on the left side of the rear grip as opposed to an on/off switch, this button is easy to reach and unobtrusive during use. The ease of battery access and quick change were exceptional on the Stihl.

Third Place: Makita

The Makita saw followed the same design path as the Husqvarna, with a push-button on/off switch and a grip tang safety release. This simple feature alone was found to be a favorite among our testing crews. The tree care pros also greatly favored this system and found the Makita to be extremely similar to their current gas-powered saws.

Decibel Output Rating

One of the main benefits of cordless chainsaws and cordless OPE in general is the lack of noise. But just how quiet is a cordless chainsaw. To test this, the saws were placed on a concrete slab open garage space in the same general area. An average Decibel rating from each saw at approximately arms length away. The same rough distance as users ears would be from the tool during use. The decibel rating was captured during the loudest rev-up phase of the tools, similar to how they would perform while cutting.

Husqvarna metered the lowest at 74.4 and DEWALT followed closely behind at 74.5. The majority of the saws fell between 74.5 to 76.5 decibels, Greenworks was the loudest saw at 80.1 decibels.

All of the saws tested fell within the OSHA safe hearing level standards and are drastically quieter than a comparable size gas-powered saw. For prolonged use, a set of hearing protection is a good idea in my opinion. I found the pitch of the electric motors to be annoying after extended use. Similar to listening to a miter saw all day.

Price

Using a host of different online vendors and local dealers, the saws were ranked based upon the current market price on a bare tool, at the time of this article. The bare tool price is the best way to rank a comparison such as this because many of our manufacturers sell their saws as a la carte system. They allow the individual user to select the battery packs and charger right for them.  Such as Stihl, Husqvarna, and Oregon.

Looking at bare tool prices, we see three of our top-performing saws all the way at the bottom. This wide difference in price is a direct reflection of a truly pro-grade tool as opposed to a residential or homeowner grade tool. The Kobalt will not be capable, or expected to perform, to the same level as the Husqvarna or Stihl. Stihl is also unique in that they do not offer online sales. In order to buy a Stihl chainsaw, you must visit a Stihl dealer. This dealer experience is a trademark of the Stihl brand and is something that TBB Crew Member Jeff Williams discussed in a previous review.

Below is some “Buy Now” links to purchase some of the saws featured in this Head-2-Head from our sponsor at Ohio Power Tool.

Best Overall Value Cordless Chainsaw

Echo CCS-58VA Chainsaw

Of all the cordless chainsaws featured in this comparison test, the Echo stood out as a tremendous value backed by outstanding performance. The Echo was our fastest cutter and ranked in the top 5 for run time and weight. But more importantly, it tied for third for the price as a bare tool. The echo has a solid heft to it that makes it feel like a traditional gas saw in hand but is still relatively light. Because it cuts at a lower chain speed with higher torque, the 58V Echo chewed through every species of wood we threw at it with no issues.

While a little bulky for a tree climber or bucket saw, the Echo is an excellent saw for firewood cutting or general clean up around a home or property. Echo also gives users the option of online ordering as well as the local dealer experience or purchasing from a large home center. The CCS-58VA is part of a larger lineup of cordless OPE from echo and would serve any homeowner well as part of a complete system of products.

Best Cordless Chainsaw Results – Winner Stihl

Based on our evaluation criteria, each saw was ranked and a point value was recorded. These scores were then added and a final ranking order was determined. The lower the score, the better the placement of the tool. Based upon this, Stihl took top place overall with 36 points. DEWALT and Husqvarna tied for second place with 41 points. Makita followed close behind with 42 points and was a solid performer.

Overall our test saws established themselves into three categories. Power tool companies that made a cordless chainsaw, chainsaw companies that designed a battery-powered saw, and battery-powered companies that built a chainsaw around their platform. Each individual tool had its own strengths and weaknesses and their performance was clearly based upon their battery system. Overall our crew was extremely impressed with the power and capabilities that these cordless saws have to offer.

If you are currently invested in the battery platform, then you likely can’t go wrong with picking up a matching chainsaw. If you are considering purchasing a saw and aren’t invested in a platform, take a look at the full range of tools from each manufacturer when making your decision. Cutting a tree a few seconds slower is nothing compared to the expense of investing in multiple battery platforms.

For the tree care pros out there, a battery saw is worth looking at as well. Charging a battery is way easier than filling a gas can and less messy. More importantly, a battery-powered saw goes from on to off with the flip of a switch. While expensive, the professional-grade tools highlighted in this test are extremely capable and powerful. A pro will be surprised at how often they would find themselves reaching for a battery-powered saw over a gas-powered model.

So whether you are a backyard lumberjack, a rugged tree cutter, or an eco-conscious cannibal from Texas, a cordless chainsaw is likely a great option for you.

Best Cordless Chainsaw Video Review

Best Cordless Chainsaw Head-to-Head is a post from Tool Box Buzz