Best cordless electric chainsaw recommendations?

I know there are some older threads about electric chainsaws, and I did read them, but the gear recommendations seem to be 5-6 years old and I imagine there are different selections out there now. I'm thinking about replacing my old gas chainsaw (which doesn't run properly despite a tuneup and I am not strong enough to pull start it anyway) with a cordless electric but I know nothing about them. Can anyone comment on what's out there on the market now, please?

The planned use of the saw would be general cleanup around the property, turning windfall trees into firewood primarily. Use would be pretty intermittent, which has been one of the problems with the gas saw, it can sit for long stretches of time without being used.

At this point, as we are hunkered down at home avoiding exposure to coronavirus due to older daughter having a sketchy immune system plus asthma, I am thinking that ordering one on Amazon is my best bet. But other options may be possible too.

I love my Stihl MSA 200.  So does everyone on the farm who uses a chainsaw!  Its quiet, lightweight, easy to use - and yes, unlike your little gas stinker, doesn't mind sitting around for months waiting to be used!

I've had it for about 2.5 years now - the battery pack also gets used in a leaf blower, a string trimmer and a pole saw.  It gets a fair amount of use - and it was recently "read" on the Stihl dealer's fancy machine and the battery reported 100% capacity.  Its certainly an investment in this system, but I'm really pleased with it. (and yes ... its kinda embarassing.  All Stihl.  There's also the corded Stihl chainsaw, the small gas chainsaw and the friend's big Stihl 362 with a 26" bar.  Forestry Fridays make me feel like I'm a product placement ad ....)

There are a boatload of battery chainsaws now.  A chainsaw itself isn't a terribly complicated thing - motor make chain go round! -so everyone is doing it.  So yes, how to choose?

First, know that not all batteries are created equally.  The rated voltage is relevant to performance, but the amp-hour rating tells you how much juice it has before recharging.  What you can't see is the quality of the battery cells themselves - these determine the longevity of the battery over all.

Second, the charger is super important!  If its just a wall wart with no brains, don't do it.  It will slowly cook your battery if you leave it plugged in.  And if you don't leave it plugged in then you're forever trying to remember if the battery is charged.

Third, for me the general safety of the saw was critical.  How did I quantify that?  I didn't.  I figured the world's largest (I think...) maker of chain saws knows something about their design and function of chainsaws while, say DeWalt doesn't.  I love my DeWalt tools - but the chainsaw they have is clunky, really long, and generally feels like it was inspired by a Tonka truck.  I think the Stihl has better balance and is more nimble.

Fourth - is it special?  That's to say, does it require a special chain? If it does, make sure that you have a ready supply of extra chains.  For instance, my Stihl uses a VERY low profile/narrow chain.  I haven't been able to source the chain from elsewhere.  Of course, a standard width chain takes a much bigger cut and thus uses more power and shortens time between charging....

Finally, support.  Your needs,  preferences and support availability all come into play here.  I have two very good Stihl dealers near me.  There are other stores that carry Stihl products, but that's not the same thing.  Personally I wouldn't buy one from a big-box store.  Amazon might be necessary at this moment - but personally I'd like to feel the ergonomics/balance of it.

I'll mention that the cordless is GREAT for woods work - I have dropped 18" trees with it, though it is generally used to limb smaller standing trees and to clean up fallen timber.  I decided that the longer bar was actually a safety improvement so I have a gas saw too.  The corded saw is the best thing for processing firewood.

Here's a weird thing - all the chainsaw chaps out there are for use "with gas powered saws."  Seriously - says so on the safety instructions.  Corded electric chainsaws have slow chain speeds but tremendous torque and may not be stopped by the chaps.  Cordless saws .... who knows?  I might yet take an inexpensive pair and find out....  The plus side of the cordless is as soon as your finger lifts from the trigger, the motor acts like a brake so the chain stops much faster than on a gas saw.

Let us know your decision.

I've loved ego. It has worked well for me and other farmers. Like some other brands the battery of this model is interchangeable with an electric push mower,  weed wacker,  and string trimmer that they sell, all of which are also great

I also know for a fact that it's sold online,  including Amazon usually. That's how I bought mine

We use a Husqvarna 536Li XP. It wasn't cheap... but it's not cheaply made.
We fall, trim, and buck about 5 cords of firewood each fall. This saw worked well for us.
Be sure to buy extra batteries no matter what make you get. The one downside to electric is that you cant refill them in the bush.
I love not stinking like 2-stroke at the end of a day cutting wood!

https://www.husqvarna.com/ca-en/products/chainsaws/536li-xp/966729174/

Only thing to add is to think about the big picture on battery tools.  You will have a large amount of money wrapped up in the batteries and...

If you are thinking of more cordless tools it is a big cost savings to stick with the same brand and batteries across the line.  But you will have to compromise somewhere.  

Andrea,

Some great responses here.  My first point that I will make is to consider that you are buying into a whole line of tools and not just s chainsaw, so consider the whole line before buying.

I have the Lowe’s Kobalt 40 volt line of battery powered OPE.  I started with the 12” 40 volt chainsaw.  I already had a Stihl gas chainsaw, but I wanted a smaller, electric one just for doing some simple trimming, but I have ended up doing some fairly serious cutting.  I can’t remember the last time I used the gas saw, but it has been at least 2 years—that’s just how handy the little battery saw is, and I occasionally cut a limb 10-12” inches in diameter.  It’s great to carry on the tractor, just pick up, squeeze the trigger and cut.

If you are looking specifically at a chainsaw, a feature I strongly recommend is to look for actual metal bucking spikes.  This makes cutting a lot easier when going through an actual log (as opposed to a stick or small branch).

Unfortunately the Kobalt 40 volt trimmers leave something to be desired.  The biggest problem is the way the shaft connects leaves it somewhat flexible—I wish it was a solid, stiff shaft.

If I were doing it all over again I would strongly consider the Ego brand, if for nothing else than the fact that they can hold larger amp-hour batteries.  That said, I am surprised by how much work a 40 volt, 2.5 amp hour battery can do—and I am equally surprised by how much a 4-5 amp hour battery costs.  One would think they were buying gold instead of a battery!

I also own a pole saw, a hedge trimmer and a blower.  They all perform adequately—I don’t mean this as some sort of euphemism for mediocre, I just don’t understand how a hedge trimmer can be excellent.  I mean either the trimmer trims a hedge or it doesn’t.  Same thing with the blower, I mean it blows debris just fine.  I am not going to start a hurricane or compete with a jet engine, but who cares—the blower moves debris just fine.

Generally I am satisfied with the Kobalt brand, and would recommend it to someone needing OPE equipment,

Eric

Hi Andrea; I've owned E-go cordless lawnmower/weed wacker and the 16" chainsaw for several years now. I love them!  
The charging station is fast, but if you are off grid it pulls hard on your battery's until they start coming up towards full power.    
Mine came from home depot ,they are an official seller.  Amazon handles them as well.
As mentioned , the chain will be different size than your gas saw.

Thomas,

I imagine that fast charging one of those battery packs does pull a lot of current.  Might this be a good option for a gas generator?

BTW, how big are your battery packs?  2ah?  4ah?

Just curious as I would love if my Kobalt battery packs came in something bigger than 2.5 ah.  

Eric

Good Morning Eric;
I have a 2 amp I got for my weed wacker and for the lawn mower and chain saw I have a 7 amp!

Yes, definitely start the genny when you plug that charger in!   Unless its full sun plus the hydro running and then I can leave it off.

I will toss out a short story about ego and their warrenty.
Last summer in the middle of mowing my weed patch (lawn) the ego just stopped!!! WTF???
Being me, I disassembled it. Testing everything.   Power into motor ... no power out..
I contacted ego.  After talking with a tech about what happened and what I tried to remedy the issue.
His first response was , It will need to go to a repair center... moments after that I was told to please hold the line while he talked to his supervisor.
When he came back on the phone his first words were" Wow you live way out there don't you?"  
We have decided that because of your location ,120 miles one way ... We are just sending you a NEW MOWER!!!  Holy Cow Batman!  How cool was that!
It came fedex 5 days later!    I got to keep the old one as well !! (Spare parts)  
Ego gained a customer for life that day!

Thomas,

WOW!  New mower!  And you can keep the old one.  You may have just made a convert in me.

Like I said, I LIKE my Kobalt tools, but doing it again I would seriously reconsider EGO.  Basically I got the Kobalt because Lowe’s is just down the road.

Does the EGO chainsaw have metal bucking spikes?

Eric

Wow, that's some positive review activity there!

I have to say that an 18" bar, battery and charger for $349 (EGO) at HD is a good deal!  And it has headlights!  and the !4" saw is only $249...  Of course the bigger battery is an extra $249!

EGO isn't proud of the saw weight ... have to dig to find that the 14" w/o battery weights in at 8.29 lbs (3.76 kg).  The 5ah battery weighs 5 lbs... so in the hand that's 13+ lbs.  Stihl says mine weighs in at 2.9 kgs without battery and the 6 ah battery weighs 1.7 kg .. so 4.6 kgs or just over 10 lbs.

Wow, what a lot of excellent responses on this thread. Thank you all very much for your thoughtful advice! You have given me a lot to think about.

I have an Ego chainsaw.  I'm in my mid 50s and consider it the biggest piece of shit I've ever spent money on, and all because the chain oiling system is TERRIBLE.  It leaks oil while you're using it (all over your leg mostly), it leaks out all the oil while it is sitting waiting to be used, and after a couple uses, it stopped oiling the chain at all and the oil runs out immediately.  I'm debating between tearing it apart to see if the oil line came off, and throwing it off a cliff.  The satisfaction of the idea of throwing it is currently winning.

Eric;   Sadly there are no log dogs on my 16" ego.   But my main use for it is cutting dry mountain maple to use in my smoker.  Most is 4" or less dia. so no dogs needed.
Saw weighs in with 16" bar and 2 amp battery at a whopping 11.3 lbs.
Some folks have reported oil leakage , I'm happy to say that mine has not leaked a drop.

Thomas,

Argh, sad that there are no bucking spikes.  That actually makes me appreciate my Kobalt system all the more.  Even a 2.5 ah battery cuts for a surprisingly long amount of time and I love being able to simply carry it along, pick it up and start cutting.

EGO is a nice brand for with some nice products and great batteries.  But by far the tool I use the most is the chainsaw and personally I require bucking spikes.

Eric

Where's Dale?

He made this great thread a few years ago: https://permies.com/t/48909/Dale-battery-powered-transformation-complete and he had a range of battery powered tools from different manufacturers.  I'd love to hear the results of his long-term testing program!

I forgot to add ... I tried a GreenWorks cordless pole trimmer.  Not a good experience.  The head unit leaked oil and the drive gears were plastic... it lasted about 5 months and probably 10 hours of use.  I never found the receipt so I couldn't get a warranty repair (hence my use of dealers who keep track of these things for me...).  I bought the Stihl pole saw and have been super happy.

ALSO -- it is my observation that the women in my life invariably point out that the sexes differ significantly in upper-body strength - this may be said to dupe me into moving heavy things but it also affects digging holes, using loppers, etc.  Any women care to weigh in (hah!) on hefting the weight of a saw, and if there are any insights about technique?

Dale decided to move on to the next adventure (got married and moving to a new country).  Probably won't be seeing him back on permies.

Eliot Mason wrote:
ALSO -- it is my observation that the women in my life invariably point out that the sexes differ significantly in upper-body strength - this may be said to dupe me into moving heavy things but it also affects digging holes, using loppers, etc.  Any women care to weigh in (hah!) on hefting the weight of a saw, and if there are any insights about technique?

I can't say about chainsaws, as I haven't learned to use the one I bought yet, but I made a thread on women and tools Tool thoughts for women that is a LOT about ergonomics of lower upper body strength and smaller hands. Well worth reading at least the first post of it. Goes on for quite a while, the discussion is less informative as far as upper body strength etc. The reason I haven,'t learned my chainsaw yet is exactly because it's the kind of tool I warn against there, something that requires strength to control it. I HATE tools that bounce, and I have to be able to hold them still, it's not always easy. Haven't had the guts to try the saw yet, knowing it scares me because it's not stable.   :)

Because I invested in the DeWalt brand of tools, and a handful of batteries, I bought the 20v chainsaw made by the brand. I don't regret it, its tool-less and gets the job done without issue. It will cut up a downed tree no problem, but I wouldn't expect to outcompete a gas saw. Unless you invest in the large 60v batteries for the 20v tools That might have this saw last a long time. Might need two 20v batteries if its about 12 inches or more diameter. Won't cut much larger than that without an upgraded chain and bar, up to 16 inches. Its great to for forestry and orchard work by pruning and cutting up things less than 12 in diameter. It will go quite a while on things less than 10 inches or less, will likely need to fill up on oil before changing battery. There are probably better brands, but can't go wrong if you have the batteries and invested in the brand already.

Well, I have to ask the contrarian question: is a chainsaw actually the right tool for your particular jobs?

You would not believe what can be accomplished with a battery reciprocating saw (a.k.a. sawzall) that has the right blade (and you can change them in 5 seconds). It's my go-to when there's too much for quick cuts with my bow saws and pull saws.

+1 on previous recommendations that you buy a battery system and compatible tools. I'm running Ryobi (shut up snobs!) which is not pro quality but has done an incredible amount of actual work.

And yes, I have a mondo Stihl chainsaw for mondo work. It's all about the right tool for the job.

Pearl Sutton wrote:
I HATE tools that bounce, and I have to be able to hold them still, it's not always easy. Haven't had the guts to try the saw yet, knowing it scares me because it's not stable.   :)

Thanks for sharing that - it wouldn't have occurred to me.  And smaller hands too.

My local extension office puts on a huge and successful Tree School every year (draws people from all over the state).  Every year there is a Chainsaw Safety for Men class - and a Chainsaw Safety for Women class.  I imagine that the men are taught to leave some testosterone at home and the women are taught how to control the little monster.

Douglas has an excellent and apropos point about recriprocating saws - and women might pay attention.  We generally think of these as "demolition" saws as they are generally used to cut holes in wood and metal and are kinda a big dumb tool - BUT you can get excellent arborist blades (e.g. https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/garden/garden-care/saws/71675-lee-valley-pruning-blade-for-reciprocating-saws , https://www.portercable.com/products/accessories/saw-blades/reciprocating-saw-blades/9-pruning-blades-3pk/pc760r and others).  These blades are much better at delicate pruning, I think they leave a better cut, and are likely to be safer (the back-n-forth motion of the blade doesn't pull or kick as much as a chain, and the sharp bits are only on one edge).  I once used one of these in a big maple to chop it up and drop the bits to the ground.  It seemed safer than a chainsaw and it was also the tool I had.  I'd wonder about using one to FELL a tree, but for pruning, limbing up, processing branches into firewood, coppicing, etc?  Heck yeah!

Oh - and they weigh about 5 lbs (instead of 10+) and don't require chain oil....but I suppose the blades aren't considered sharpenable so there's that.

(side note - if I HAVE to be on a ladder with a saw, I'd choose the recip over the chain saw.  Search youtube for a wealth of videos that conclusively demonstrate that chainsaw+ladder=bad outcome.  "Bad outcome" might be funny if you're into that kinda thing).

And Douglas - I'm glad the Ryobi works for you!  Its all a personal preference.  I no longer have a Ryobi drill largely because there was a big fat sale on DeWalt at the right moment, not because there was anything wrong with it.  And the Ryobi trimmer just didn't make the cut for the big move.

Haha, no worries! The Ryobis do have limits. But I sometimes get chaff from the Milwaukee crowd. Great tools, except their owners are a bit self-righteous about their cognoscente status. To which I reply, "No problem, dudes, let's compare woodpiles!"

BTW, your links show the kind of blades I've been using for years. Unbeatable value! And you can sharpen them on the hardened edges, to some degree, with a slim diamond abrasive.

Right now, far and away the best deal in town on a cordless electric chainsaw is the 16" Jonsered 58V saw made by Husqvarna. It comes with a 5.2 amp hour battery and on a good day you can pick one up for $90, new. Of course, there's a catch. First, Husqvarna is discontinuing its 58V line, so don't expect the batteries to be useful with new products (but they do work with the existing 58V Poulan Pro, Snapper, and Jonsered products). Second, they are sold at Menards, so you need to be in the midwest US to get one.

I ended up buying two and selling the second charger on Ebay, so for $140 plus tax I got two 5.2 Ah batteries, an electric chainsaw, a backup bar, and a second chain. This past weekend I was using the saw to clear an area so I could plant more fruit trees, and I ran out of go-juice before even the first battery was fully drained.

I have the DEWALT DCCS670X1 60V MAX FLEXVOLT Brushless Chainsaw and I'm a big fan. I knew early on that the majority of my tools would be Dewalt and so I went with their chainsaw as well. Having never owned or operated a chainsaw before that point, it made a lot of sense to go electric so that I didn't need to worry about mixing motor oil and all of that.

I'm 6'2'' and it's a comfortable weight and size for me. My wife is 5'10'' and she is also able to use it comfortable. We really like the weight of the saw as it is much lighter than you would think!

I really appreciate the safety features on the saw. The leaking oil is a little annoying, but if you store it sideways it doesn't leak out. It doesn't leak very much when it's operating (they designed oil container/valve poorly so that it leaks if the chainsaw is upright).

I have found the 60v battery lasts a long time. It's great that we can throw it in the 20v tools as well. I would like to pick up a second 60v battery for when I need to do a lot of cutting in a day. I'm still quite new to felling and cutting wood so my expectations are much lower than some of the more seasoned people here.

My advice is pick a brand you can trust, get serviced locally, and can expand into their range of other battery-powered tools!

Eliot Mason wrote:

Pearl Sutton wrote:
I HATE tools that bounce, and I have to be able to hold them still, it's not always easy. Haven't had the guts to try the saw yet, knowing it scares me because it's not stable.   :)

Thanks for sharing that - it wouldn't have occurred to me.  And smaller hands too.

My local extension office puts on a huge and successful Tree School every year (draws people from all over the state).  Every year there is a Chainsaw Safety for Men class - and a Chainsaw Safety for Women class.  I imagine that the men are taught to leave some testosterone at home and the women are taught how to control the little monster.

Douglas has an excellent and apropos point about recriprocating saws - and women might pay attention.  We generally think of these as "demolition" saws as they are generally used to cut holes in wood and metal and are kinda a big dumb tool - BUT you can get excellent arborist blades (e.g.  These blades are much better at delicate pruning, I think they leave a better cut, and are likely to be safer (the back-n-forth motion of the blade doesn't pull or kick as much as a chain, and the sharp bits are only on one edge).  I once used one of these in a big maple to chop it up and drop the bits to the ground.  It seemed safer than a chainsaw and it was also the tool I had.  I'd wonder about using one to FELL a tree, but for pruning, limbing up, processing branches into firewood, coppicing, etc?  Heck yeah!

Oh - and they weigh about 5 lbs (instead of 10+) and don't require chain oil....but I suppose the blades aren't considered sharpenable so there's that.

OH COOL! Thank you!! Wonder where my recip ended up.... I haven't looked for it, but I know I moved it. I'll look for pruning blades for it. I get along well with jigsaws, and consider the recip just a big jigsaw.

Did you read my Tool Thoughts for Women post? I wish I could use a chop saw, that would bug me least. I like things I don't have to hold in my hands to use. Don't think I want a chop saw up a ladder in a tree though... or a radial arm saw :D

And I have never met a saw blade I couldn't sharpen. It's just a matter of paying attention to the angles and being patient.

Pearl,

A bouncing chainsaw is definitely something to avoid.  Ironically one of the lighter and easier to pick up chainsaws might just be the easier to bounce.  Although I like my little Kobalt battery powered chainsaw, it can bounce a bit.  The worst bouncing actually happens on flexible, bouncing wood, like a small branch.

I can believe that a chainsaw is one of the more difficult to use tools for someone with less upper body strength.

Eric

Pearl Sutton wrote:And I have never met a saw blade I couldn't sharpen. It's just a matter of paying attention to the angles and being patient.

Good stuff! Even if the results aren't factory, it's rare that a "disposable" blade can't have nine lives (or 18). For those who think this is a masculine preserve, my experience is that patience, attention to detail, and fine motor control are the keys. And a willingness to ask for feedback and directions! (Hear that, guys? :-))

(I was going to say "You go, girl!" but wasn't sure if that's appropriate or PC or whatever these days. But I'm saying it as a cheerleader, not a mansplainer. I hope that counts for something.)

I love my Snapper chainsaw from Home Depot.  I started with their tiller, then their string trimmer and then got the chainsaw last fall.  My research at the time indicated the battery had the most volts of any on the market at 82.  The chainsaw saw is an 18" and every bit as effective as asimilar size fuel model.  Same goes for the tiller just like a Mantis.  

Eliot Mason wrote:

Second, the charger is super important!  If its just a wall wart with no brains, don't do it.  It will slowly cook your battery if you leave it plugged in.  And if you don't leave it plugged in then you're forever trying to remember if the battery is charged.

Hey Eliot (and others), is there a term we should look for to know if the battery has "brains"?

Erica,

The colloquial name would be smart charger.  This charger charges fast as the battery is depleted and then drops back to a trickle charge just to keep it topped off.  Most chargers today are smart chargers, but this is a relevant point.

Good Luck!

Eric

Julian Williams wrote:I have the DEWALT DCCS670X1 60V MAX FLEXVOLT Brushless Chainsaw and I'm a big fan. I knew early on that the majority of my tools would be Dewalt and so I went with their chainsaw as well. Having never owned or operated a chainsaw before that point, it made a lot of sense to go electric so that I didn't need to worry about mixing motor oil and all of that.

I'm 6'2'' and it's a comfortable weight and size for me. My wife is 5'10'' and she is also able to use it comfortable. We really like the weight of the saw as it is much lighter than you would think!

I really appreciate the safety features on the saw. The leaking oil is a little annoying, but if you store it sideways it doesn't leak out. It doesn't leak very much when it's operating (they designed oil container/valve poorly so that it leaks if the chainsaw is upright).

I have found the 60v battery lasts a long time. It's great that we can throw it in the 20v tools as well. I would like to pick up a second 60v battery for when I need to do a lot of cutting in a day. I'm still quite new to felling and cutting wood so my expectations are much lower than some of the more seasoned people here.

My advice is pick a brand you can trust, get serviced locally, and can expand into their range of other battery-powered tools!

I have this saw and hate it.

I had at peak 7 batteries, 2x 3AH and 6x 2AH. I would runout of batteries way before doing all the bucking I wanted to do, ie a pickup load. The batteries degrade quickly, as the low voltage cutoff point is too low. To get ~2% more runtime out of their shitty batteries, they designed them for extremely short lives. Why not, then you have to buy more batteries!

The oiler clogs, when it isn't spewing 3x as much oil as needful.

But worst is the chain tensioner stopped holding tension after a year or so of modest use. It appears to be a fairly common issue.

I spent 40 bucks to send it in for warranty(they stopped dealing with the independent shop that used to handle RMAs for them in my area, now there is none within 5.5 hours) and they sent it back untouched with a letter claiming the bad tensioner was fine, and scolding me for 'having put gasoline in the bar oil reservoir', which is most certainly not a thing that I did.


I have had enough other issues with other dewalt products that I am hoping to ditch the whole lot of yellow junk and replace it with M18 gear... if I can find the funds.


Hard to believe we're talking about the same saw, but that was my experience!

Erica:

As Eric writes, all of the brands that have been mentioned here have smart chargers.  The warning is apt for some off-brand import "ChinSaw", but the others have good chargers - as well they should when a battery costs $200!

I'll point out that some chargers are also "quick" chargers.  These are generally physically larger and have fans to keep their innards cool as they JAM electrons into the battery.  My Stihl charges the battery from nothing to full in about 35 minutes (IIRC).  That's a good lunch break.  In contrast, my DeWalt charger takes longer to charge a battery with 1/3 the capacity (I think they make better chargers... I don't need one).

D Nikolls wrote:
I spent 40 bucks to send it in for warranty(they stopped dealing with the independent shop that used to handle RMAs for them in my area, now there is none within 5.5 hours) and they sent it back untouched with a letter claiming the bad tensioner was fine, and scolding me for 'having put gasoline in the bar oil reservoir', which is most certainly not a thing that I did.

Ouch!!  I'm really sorry to hear you've had a bad experience.  I've really enjoyed my DeWalt tools, but I use them recreationally.  Although I do think chainsaws are indeed different beasts from drills.

Your problems with service are my fears, and thus why I went with a dealer system.  Recently my battery seemed to poop out way too soon and then seemed confused about how much charger it had.  The dealer is a convenient 13 minutes away.  They decided the battery was fine, but I still had the problem so I came back with the saw.  Aha! I'd allowed too much stuff to build up in the battery compartment and the contacts weren't happy. It looked ok to me, but that change did the trick. Fixed! with no shipping required and a chance to actually talk with the person doing the work.

Eliot Mason wrote:Erica:

As Eric writes, all of the brands that have been mentioned here have smart chargers.  The warning is apt for some off-brand import "ChinSaw", but the others have good chargers - as well they should when a battery costs $200!

I'll point out that some chargers are also "quick" chargers.  These are generally physically larger and have fans to keep their innards cool as they JAM electrons into the battery.  My Stihl charges the battery from nothing to full in about 35 minutes (IIRC).  That's a good lunch break.  In contrast, my DeWalt charger takes longer to charge a battery with 1/3 the capacity (I think they make better chargers... I don't need one).

The flip side of this is a slower charge is better for the battery. Not all fast chargers are putting in an excessive current, but some certainly do. 'Smart' is relative, they're set to do what the manufacturer wanted, which sometimes has more to do with 'impressive stats for initial reviews' than it does 'optimal battery longevity'.

D Nikolls wrote:I had at peak 7 batteries, 2x 3AH and 6x 2AH. I would runout of batteries way before doing all the bucking I wanted to do, ie a pickup load.

I really like my electric chainsaw, but I certainly agree that if your purpose is cutting wood to split and burn - rather than cutting to clear out a space - then gas is the way to go. For smaller jobs where I'd spend more time trying to get the damn gas saw to start then I would spend actually cutting, then electric wins hands down.

I got a Husqvarna 535i-XP as my xmas present to myself. It's fantastic. Super grunty, light and balanced, and the battery recharges quickly enough that I can do a round of cutting, then split and stack while it's charging.

John Wolfram wrote:

D Nikolls wrote:I had at peak 7 batteries, 2x 3AH and 6x 2AH. I would runout of batteries way before doing all the bucking I wanted to do, ie a pickup load.

I really like my electric chainsaw, but I certainly agree that if your purpose is cutting wood to split and burn - rather than cutting to clear out a space - then gas is the way to go. For smaller jobs where I'd spend more time trying to get the damn gas saw to start then I would spend actually cutting, then electric wins hands down.

I think bucking, in moderation, will be practical with a better setup. The dewalt 2AH batteries were especially shitty; despite them launching a whole new line(flexvolt) for these higher powered tools, they neglected to use high current cells in them. Where the 3AH batteries would give maybe 30 cuts, the 2AH would give more like 10, instead of the 20 one would expect, as the cells simply could not handle the current draw.


Will see how the 16" Ego I just picked up does for this... I tried the 18" first, but the chain tensioner sucked. The tensioner mechanism is different on the 16" saw, seems much better at first use. Unfortunately, you give up both the LED light and more annoyingly the variable speed trigger. The ergonomics aren't great either. But I will forgive all that if it will hold tension and do a reasonable amount of work!

Hi All;
Back to tell you about my latest interaction with the wonderful folks at EGO warranty department.
My 7.5 amp battery that came with my mower, started acting up! It quickly progressed into a flashing red light!!! Oh No!
I checked the warranty and battery's are covered for 3 years.
My mower battery and charger were purchased May 2017 !!!
A call to Ego and a little time on the phone.... my brand new 7.5 amp battery is already shipped and I should have it in a few days!

Their warranty is rock solid ! They stand behind their product 110% !