Cordless chainsaw: recommendations?

[folivier]

I'm thinking of buying a cordless chainsaw for use at my cabin. I have 2 gas chainsaws and they work great but are somewhat finicky since I'm only using them a few times each year for cutting up aspens for firewood.
My local power company has a 50% rebate now that I could use for this.
All of my cordless power tools are Dewalt 20v and Dewalt makes a 12" 20v chainsaw which would be ok for light duty work. But I'm thinking of a larger saw for heavier work. So that puts me into a higher voltage Dewalt or one of many other brands.
Anybody using a cordless chainsaw?

 

[braumeister]

I have a 40V Ryobi chainsaw that I like very much.

 

[jimbee]

I bought an Ego CS1611 chainsaw earlier this year, and I've been happy with it so far. I've cut a few trees with it, nothing more than about 14" in diameter at the base.

It uses the normal Ego 56V batteries, mine came with a 2.5 amp-hr, you can use larger capacity batteries. I like the tool less chain tension system, works well for me. It has steel bucking spikes, translucent chain oil tank and a 16" bar.

Ego had an older version with a 16" bar, but the chain speed was a lot slower. The newer version cuts nice.

 

[punkinhead]

I'd start with a chainsaw that works with the batteries you already have and see if you're happy with it. As you know, batteries can end up being more costly than the tools. I'm heavily invested in Milwaukee M18 so I have an M18 chainsaw and pole saw. I haven't taken any huge trees down with it but I've done up to about 2' in diameter. It's so much nicer than a gas saw. A single 8aH battery almost gets the entire job done, from dropping to bucking and cutting up the branches. I haven't used my gas saw since getting the electric.

 

[Cobra9777]

This video comparison is 2 years old. But it's very comprehensive and well done. He also did a 2nd round video with some additional brands. I own the Milwaukee and I'm quite happy with it. But had I seen this video first, I probably would have bought the DeWalt.

https://youtu.be/_aBZt8m1XkQ

 

[Trooper]

Another vote for the E-Go. Works well for me.

 

[Walt34]

I'm also heavily invested in Milwaukee battery tools including the chain saw. While I have not done any heavy cutting with it I'm very happy with it for back yard/homeowner use and light use clearing stuff at an R/C club flying site. I gave my gas chain saw to my wife's nephew.

No matter the brand, no one should be under the impression that a battery saw will replace a heavy duty gas chain saw. Reviewers of all brands make that clear.

 

[Sunset]

My two gas chainsaws are cordless

I also borrowed and used a 12 inch battery operated ryobi one, it was a cheap one, very underpowered.

It was fine for cutting off branches up to 2in thick, and fun for a change instead of swinging an axe.
I really liked how I could pick it up cut, put it down, and repeat, unlike a gas chainsaw that is more trouble to start, and have to wear hearing protection.

I'll be interested in the thread, as I figure someday I'll buy one too.

 

[jimbee]

My two gas chainsaws are cordless

Doesn't each saw have a pull cord?

 

[old medic]

I got a Black & Decker 20V a few years ago just because I already had the batteries. Its worked like a champ, and love it. Have also used the sawzall to trim stuff. I would stay with the dewalt since you have the "power'.

 

[folivier]

The Dewalt I'm looking at is a 60volt one. The battery is downwards compatible with my 20V tools but the 20V batteries won't work with it. So no real advantage to staying with Dewalt.
The smaller 20V saw would be ok for trimming but too small for cutting up a 50' aspen.

 

[Fermion]

We have been using a EGO 16" for the past four years when riding our snowmobiles in the mountains and I love it. As long as you don't hit a rock when cutting (which ruins the blade), I have been able to make many cuts on 6" to 12" trees which have fallen across the trails, using one 5 amp battery. I actually have never had to switch batteries and stopped carrying the spare with us. This is in 10 to 20F temperatures too!

 

[DayDreaming]

I have a 40V Ryobi chainsaw that I like very much.

Same here. Chainsaw works great, and the battery works withy my Ryobi string trimmer and lawn mower.

 

[Ronstar]

We have been using a EGO 16" for the past four years when riding our snowmobiles in the mountains and I love it. As long as you don't hit a rock when cutting (which ruins the blade), I have been able to make many cuts on 6" to 12" trees which have fallen across the trails, using one 5 amp battery. I actually have never had to switch batteries and stopped carrying the spare with us. This is in 10 to 20F temperatures too!

Another vote for the E-Go. Works well for me.

I bought an Ego CS1611 chainsaw earlier this year, and I've been happy with it so far. I've cut a few trees with it, nothing more than about 14" in diameter at the base.

It uses the normal Ego 56V batteries, mine came with a 2.5 amp-hr, you can use larger capacity batteries. I like the tool less chain tension system, works well for me. It has steel bucking spikes, translucent chain oil tank and a 16" bar.

Ego had an older version with a 16" bar, but the chain speed was a lot slower. The newer version cuts nice.

I'm interested in getting a battery powered chain saw for small branches and keeping my gas powered 16" Stihl for bigger stuff. And I have a 6" Black and Decker alligator that cuts about 10 - 3" branches before the battery goes dead.

How long will the Ego battery last cutting 1-3" branches?

 

[Fermion]

I'm interested in getting a battery powered chain saw for small branches and keeping my gas powered 16" Stihl for bigger stuff. And I have a 6" Black and Decker alligator that cuts about 10 - 3" branches before the battery goes dead.

How long will the Ego battery last cutting 1-3" branches?

Probably a couple hundred cuts? (for the 5 amp or larger battery)

 

[Ronstar]

Probably a couple hundred cuts? (for the 5 amp or larger battery)

Wow that's good!

 

[Fermion]

Wow that's good!

Well, it is about 250 watt-hr in that battery. If you figure a small 16" gas chainsaw has about 2kw of power output (I think that is about right) but they only hold about 10 ounces of fuel in a tank. A gallon has 128 ounces in it and has a energy content of about 33kwh. So if you figure the chainsaw has a conversion efficiency of 30%, then a small gas chainsaw has about 770 wh in a full tank of gas.

But the electric chainsaw doesn't have to idle...almost nobody turns off their gas chainsaw during cuts, right? So the 250 watt-hr lasts quite awhile.

 

[Scubamax]

I have had a Dewalt Cordless chainsaw for a few years now and really like it for light/medium duty work. It is great to have as a “grab and go” tool and as long as I have a charged battery it always starts. Along the way I have acquired other Dewalt battery trimmers and cutters which work well too.

 

[TheWizard]

I've a Husqvarna gas saw with 20" bar.
I'd consider going to a high-end battery saw if/when this one dies.
Regardless of the power source, you need to keep your saw chain sharp and drop the depth gauges every so often to maintain good cutting performance.
I keep my files and other saw tools right in my truck so they are available when needed...

 

[Fermion]

I did have an almost unfortunate downside to using the electric chainsaw though. It is too quiet! I was cutting a 10 inch diameter tree that had fallen across the snow trail and a fellow snowmobiler came right up to me to grab the tree and help. He thought I was trying to move the tree by hand because the chainsaw made no noise. I guess I need like some sort of noisemaker on it like some EV cars have lol.

 

[Tetto]

Just received my 60v 16” DeWalt. Took it out and immediately cut a big branch up (~6 inches dia) wow, does this thing cut! Battery power has come a long way, and now I’ve got every 60v Dewalt that’s tool! Plenty of batteries. Great machine.

 

[Ronstar]

Well, it is about 250 watt-hr in that battery. If you figure a small 16" gas chainsaw has about 2kw of power output (I think that is about right) but they only hold about 10 ounces of fuel in a tank. A gallon has 128 ounces in it and has a energy content of about 33kwh. So if you figure the chainsaw has a conversion efficiency of 30%, then a small gas chainsaw has about 770 wh in a full tank of gas.

But the electric chainsaw doesn't have to idle...almost nobody turns off their gas chainsaw during cuts, right? So the 250 watt-hr lasts quite awhile.

I do occasionally have some whole trees to cut down which are perfect for my gas saw. But most of my chainsawing is downed limbs, where I spend a few minutes sawing limbs less than 6”, then moving them to a burn pile, then saw up more downed limbs from a different tree. So there’s more non sawing time than there is sawing time. This seems perfect for an electric saw.

 

[folivier]

I just picked up an EGO 18" chainsaw with the 5AH battery and bought another 2.5AH battery. My power company will reimburse me 1/2 the cost.
Most of my cutting is aspen trees for firewood, trees already down. And I take my time and take breaks frequently, don't want to be tired swinging a chainsaw around. So the EGO should work out according to the reviews.
Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[mountainsoft]

I just picked up an EGO 18" chainsaw with the 5AH battery and bought another 2.5AH battery. My power company will reimburse me 1/2 the cost.
Most of my cutting is aspen trees for firewood, trees already down. And I take my time and take breaks frequently, don't want to be tired swinging a chainsaw around. So the EGO should work out according to the reviews.
Thanks for the suggestions.

I have the EGO 18" too. As long as I have a good battery it works great. I wear out long before the chainsaw does. I haven't run across anything yet it won't cut. I love that I can just pop in the battery and start working. No noise, no gas smell, no struggles starting the saw. I also love that it's not running unless I'm actually cutting. My old gas saw would just sit there spewing out exhaust if I set it down to move a limb or something. I didn't dare shut if off or I'd never get it started again.

I love the EGO tool line. I've got the chainsaw, mower, leaf blower, and string trimmer. Unfortunately, I've had a couple of three year old batteries fail on me recently, just outside of the warranty period. At $250 they're expensive to replace. Last time I spent $20 more and got a newer blower with the battery. Sold the old blower and made a few bucks back.

 

[folivier]

If you want to there are videos out there that show how to replace a bad cell.
Can't wait to hear all of the naysayers when I fire this up. A couple friends at our mountain cabin are old school lumberjacks.