Battery Chainsaws - What do you like?

[ATC]

Someone here is a bit too emotionally attached to Dewalt.

Asia owns the electronics and battery market. With everything they make from tools, to cellphones, computers, TVs, to every electronic & chip in modern vehicles....I'd say they are pretty damn good at it by now.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy ANY name-brand CORDLESS chainsaw on the market. Dewalt is made of the same stuff....just shipped over here on a boat in pieces instead of whole...

 

[Dakotadadv8]

OP give us feedback on the Makita cordless chainsaw. I am sure it is a good product, great cordless drills, corded angle grinder, and Big Bore air compressors. Not yet a convert to cordless chainsaw or any saws. Only have and trust Stihls chainsaws, gas and electric.

 

[shawhite]

OP give us feedback on the Makita cordless chainsaw. I am sure it is a good product, great cordless drills, corded angle grinder, and Big Bore air compressors. Not yet a convert to cordless chainsaw or any saws. Only have and trust Stihls chainsaws, gas and electric.

I would also like to hear the OP feedback as I’m looking for a cordless for the house. We are issued Stihl cordless at work and they have made me a believer in the cordless chainsaw. So much so my hydraulic Stanley has been put in the top bin and only used for storm work. I can get a days worth of cutting cat 2 utility poles on a charge sometimes 2 days.

 

[Davefr]

OP give us feedback on the Makita cordless chainsaw. I am sure it is a good product, great cordless drills, corded angle grinder, and Big Bore air compressors. Not yet a convert to cordless chainsaw or any saws. Only have and trust Stihls chainsaws, gas and electric.

Once I have the saw and get a chance to use it I'll be happy to give feedback for what it's worth.

However a huge part of the decision is deciding on the battery platform. Do you already have the batteries/charger or are you starting out fresh. Do you want to build your cordless fleet using power tool batteries or outdoor power equipment batteries. For me I need to start out fresh. I already have M12, Festool 12V and Kobalt 40. I prefer going the power tool battery route vs the OPE route. I'm very happy with my other Kobalt 40V OPE but the chainsaw is a real turd.

 

[billconner]

Ego 56V here. Lots of power and run time. Although I have both Milwaukee 12V & 18V hand tools, I have settled on the Ego platform for garden tools.

I second the EGO. I bought the 16" with 5 ah battery and charger. Added the multi tool with pole saw. Added hedge trimmer and string trimmer and an extension piece to multi tool. Bought the 765 CFM blower with another 5 ah battery and charger. If I start the day with fully charged, have never run out. Easily cut an 18" pine. Great system. No regrets.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Home gamer not married to any battery platform, have both Dewalt and Makita.

 

[Formerjeeper]

I have the Makita and have used it fairly hard. Super happy with it. The 16" bar is the way to go having used both. Same motor, just different bar length.

 

[67CarGuy]

I see that OP has already made his decision, and I'll be interested to read his feedback.

I've got the Ryobi 40V with a 16" bar, and other than a slow bar oil leak I can't complain for what I use it for - clearing brush, bucking small trees / branches, etc. (1) 2Ah and (1) 5Ah lasted me a half day of cutting and clearing recently, which frankly is about all my body really wanted to do anyways.

If I end up needing another / larger chainsaw, I'd likely look to the Milwaukee, as I already have several M18 tools. Although there is something to be said for the smell of fresh sawdust and 2-stroke exhaust....

 

[SteveCh]

I bought the 40V Greenworks 16" because I already had some of their hedge trimmers.
Managed to clean up a 40' pine tree that fell at the back of the property. Not as powerful as other brands, but it cut through everything on a single battery charge.

I wanted to try out the battery saws without investing a ton of cash, and I bought the Costco Greenworks saw kit: 18" bar, 4 amp hour 80-volt battery, with three chains. The chains are apparently Oregon, so average quality, but they are doing ok.

I have been using the saw two months, have now cut down and cut up maybe twenty 9" to 12" inch trees for what will probably be near two cords. Saw has worked great, battery lasts about 45 minutes for cutting up the trees, longer than that for limbing. I have to sharpen those chains every two battery runs [like I said above, Oregon]. The battery recharges in about a half hour.

What's not to like...time will tell whether this saw holds up, but performance-wise, I am quite pleased. Note: I haven't had the opportunity to use any other brands to compare.

 

[f121]

The makita 16" is awesome, I've used one a bunch and really like it. I've been using a makita 36v electric top handle for about 5 years and it's brilliant, sold my ms181 because the makita was so much better.

The new sthil is very good, the build quality and feel is an order of magnitude better than makita/milwauke/dewalt, it feels like a sthil chainsaw not a battery drill. But it ties you to the sthil battery platform which isn't worth it to me unless you are buying multiple tools

 

[garfieldzzz]

Did anybody mention that Makita chainsaws actually Dolmar? So if not Stihl, i would try the 40V Makita.

Stihl recently brought the MSA 300 up which outperforms the MS261c-M a pro saw with 50cc/4,2hp

 

[subroc]

The revision fixed a lot of the legit issues people complained about on Amazon.
I had a Type 1 as well. The switches could permanently fail, as mine did, rendering the tool an expensive paperweight. Sometimes they would cut out when the tool was hot, and start working again after cooling down.
The initial tool-less bar clamp design was changed.
And IIRC something with the bar oil cap.
I talked with a Dewalt tech about some of the changes, but thats been some time ago.
Im a Makita guy, but Dewalt does seem to make upgrades to tools when needed.

The extra length of the 14” bar makes a big difference IMO, and i would recommend it.

I ended up ordering one of those 14" bar and chain kits from Amazon. Not necessarily because I wanted or needed the 14" bar but because i wanted the insurance of a spare bar and chain. At $23 delivered it is a reasonable price for some insurance in case I pinch a bar. Now, maybe I use the 14" and keep the original as insurance? BTW, it will fit but it is not recommended by Dewalt or Oregon. They are a larger size chain.

 

[slowtwitch73]

I've cut a lot of fairly big trees with the makita..better part of a 100 of them.. I have a thread or two on the saw if you search.

 

[Davefr]

The makita 16" is awesome, I've used one a bunch and really like it. I've been using a makita 36v electric top handle for about 5 years and it's brilliant, sold my ms181 because the makita was so much better.

The new sthil is very good, the build quality and feel is an order of magnitude better than makita/milwauke/dewalt, it feels like a sthil chainsaw not a battery drill. But it ties you to the sthil battery platform which isn't worth it to me unless you are buying multiple tools

The MSA300 does look nice but it's $900 for tool only. The MSA2XX come in around $700 with battery and charger but the reviews at Project Farm were kind of unimpressive given the high price. The little MSA1XX series seem to get decent reviews but are at the low end of the scale.

I agree that the expensive Stihl battery platform would be an orphan and that's why I scratched them off the list.

Makita looks like the best built saw of the entire lineup based on Project Farm videos. I ordered the version with real bar studs vs those silly tool less chain adjuster thumb wheels. It came in at about $350 and should be here next week.

 

[slowtwitch73]

I tapped the safety trigger closed and ca glued a button onto the flush mount on/off button as it was so flush as to be just about unusable with gloves on.

 

[Rinspeed]

For what it costs the Stihl is a dog compared to the Makita.

 

[Snapped-off]

I'm planning to get the 12" 18v Makita soon, mostly for light branch cleanup around the yard.

Looking forward to the review of yours.

 

[Milton Shaw]

My M18 is awesome when comparing the ease of use to a gas saw... And I've had and used many gas Stihls. I take the M18 in the truck when camping now... But wouldn't use it for logging all day of course, it is slower than a big gas saw as expected and that's ok.

Recently got the M12 Hatchet... That little thing kicks **** for limbing trees and big hedges on my property.

I like my M12 hatchet, have you noticed the teeth on every link instead of every other like full size saws. That is a good bit of the secret of why it cuts so much. I just bought the M18 and haven't used it yet. I had a Riobi 18 volt and its was terrible as another one said you could feel every tooth as it tried to cut. Shook like crazy.

 

[2oolhound]

I went through this a few months back. I was looking at the ego 18" because of the bar length and the great online reviews but I went with the 16" dewalt because I own lots of their battery tools and they had good reviews as well. I've been pretty happy but my worst nightmere happened the week after I used the saw heavily. Dammed if dewalt didn't intoduce this bad boy just after I got mine all dirty: Dewalt 677 20"

I would have gladly paid the extra cash for this new saw with a 20" bar. True I should be able to mount a 20" on my saw but it won't have the power. I worked as a faller and log builder for 20 years and I love these electric saws for the noise factor but mainly the whole scenario of mixing gas and dealing with gas and exhaust odors.

I'm not going to argue one brand over another because I haven't used them all. Your battery platform should weigh heavily on the decision. I forget what swayed me away from echo, it may just have been the dealer was 50 miles away but the big tool brands, makita, dewalt milwakee etc should all be fine. Sadly husky and stihl don't seem to ... well, cut it.

 

[F-22]

Mistakenly made another post instead of editing this one.

 

[F-22]

My Makita impact driver I bought last year is made in UK. My old corded Makita drill was made in Germany and my new drill was made in China (but the new one is a budget version and I'd expect no more).

Contrary to Dewalt or Milwaukee, Makita is an independent company, not owned by a conglomerate. They don't hide their ****** budget options under different brand names like stanley black and decker or ryobi or ridgid. Imo even budget makita tools are way better than those because they don't want to smear their name. Besides, if you don't need a pro-grade tool, the budget makita options still use the same batteries which is a major advantage. Others all use their own battery standards so there's no compatibility. And they have loads of corded tools too, which are way too often overlooked nowadays (but can often do a much better job, we don't need cordless everything....). Conglomerate owned companies can change as the wind blows, only fine as long as they make profit... I'm sure Makitas owners are a lot more "invested" in the company.


Anyway, I own corded tools from all major manufacturers and problems are always model-specific, not brand-specific.

I'd go with the Makita chainsaw. Makita owns Dolmar which used to be a well known competition to Stihl. I'm sure they designed them well and the two-18v-battery setup is cool cause the batteries fit in all tools but the chainsaw stays strong. For a while now I've been eyeing these chainsaws too.... I heard the ones with a screw-tension adjustment are more reliable and used only on the pro-grade stuff, the tool-free tensioning versions which are common with battery powered chainsaws are problematic.


If I didn't already have Makita tools, I'd also consider CAS battery system tools like from the German Metabo. Lots of niche brands which make top quality tools have this battery form.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

I moved to town and all i use a saw for now is pruning a few branches around the house. I picked up the dewalt 20 volt 12in and it’s awesome for that. It has the handle on top so it would be great if you have to be in the tree limbing to.

 

[Davefr]

I rec'd my Makita today and spent some time doing some various cutting (small and big). I love this saw! The high chain speed is really nice for small branches. It instantly slices them clean vs grabs them and chatters thru the cut. I tried it with a 10" log and it took just a few seconds to slice off a "pancake". This will be a great "grab and go" saw and in a whole different league than my old Kobalt "toy".

Build quality is excellent and commensurate with my other Pro grade gas saws. The Makita rapid charger takes up a large footprint but only took about 45 minutes to get both batteries nearly fully charged.

Special thanks to member Rapid Badger for pointing out this version (XCU07) with real bar studs vs those silly thumbwheel chain adjusters.

In the future, I might pair this with the little Makita 10" top handle. That would be a great marriage for small stuff. My only nit pick is the main power switch which tends to timeout and shut off a little too quickly.

 

[Rinspeed]

Glad you are happy and I agree about the switch, it takes me a couple tries sometimes to get it going but that’s a small issue.

 

[man-a-fre]

Dewalt 20v works good. BUT...it uses oil like crazy and it leaks oil. And having to press the safety switch before you can pull the trigger and cut gets really old and annoying real quick.

My Milwaukee m18 uses quite a bit of oil too and leaks oil all overwhen stored if you don't drain it. I would sure like to know the fix for the oil leak.

 

[Rabid Badger]

My Milwaukee m18 uses quite a bit of oil too and leaks oil all overwhen stored if you don't drain it. I would sure like to know the fix for the oil leak.

Buy a Makita.

 

[Davefr]

Buy a Makita.

I checked under the Makita this morning and not even one drop of oil leaked out. (maybe that's because Makita/Dolmar has a 95 year history in chainsaw design.)

 

[slowtwitch73]

Oil flow is adjustable.

 

[Rinspeed]

My $1,000 Stihl leaks more oil than the Makita.

 

[ATC]

My Milwaukee m18 uses quite a bit of oil too and leaks oil all overwhen stored if you don't drain it. I would sure like to know the fix for the oil leak.

Lay it on it's side. Mine doesn't leak a drop.

I checked under the Makita this morning and not even one drop of oil leaked out. (maybe that's because Makita/Dolmar has a 95 year history in chainsaw design.)

My brand new Stihl leaks. Every chainsaw I've come across leaks some.

VW owns Lamborghini....still, VW cars are junk. Just because one company own another, doesn't mean anything.

 

[Xcursion88]

For what it costs the Stihl is a dog compared to the Makita.

The Stihl is a dog period. It also happens to cost 2.5 times as much for mediocre performance.

I'm pro USA first and foremost and I want Stihl to be up there but unfortunately it really lags. Was on par with the Milwaukee which also really lagged behind.

IMO the best bang for the buck in a chainsaw is the DeWalt 60v. The Echo was the only saw that kept pace with the DeWalt.
If you use or need any cordless power tools the 60v battery can be used on all thr DeWalt 20v tools.

That said I wouldn't buy any electric saw over 16". If I "NEEDED" a bigger bar I'd go gas and if I needed a bar that big it's because I'm cutting that stuff for money which puts a whole different perspective on the discussion

 

[shawhite]

The Stihl is a dog period. It also happens to cost 2.5 times as much for mediocre performance.

I'm pro USA first and foremost and I want Stihl to be up there but unfortunately it really lags. Was on par with the Milwaukee which also really lagged behind.

IMO the best bang for the buck in a chainsaw is the DeWalt 60v. The Echo was the only saw that kept pace with the DeWalt.
If you use or need any cordless power tools the 60v battery can be used on all thr DeWalt 20v tools.

That said I wouldn't buy any electric saw over 16". If I "NEEDED" a bigger bar I'd go gas and if I needed a bar that big it's because I'm cutting that stuff for money which puts a whole different perspective on the discussion

What model Stihl are you referring to as a dog? I used a msa200 daily and find it more than capable. Sure it’s not my Stanley cs06 but it will cut thru cca or creosote utility poles with no problem not to mention the occasional tree limb.

 

[Xcursion88]

What model Stihl are you referring to as a dog? I used a msa200 daily and find it more than capable. Sure it’s not my Stanley cs06 but it will cut thru cca or creosote utility poles with no problem not to mention the occasional tree limb.

It's a relative statement by yours truly isn't it...
Allow me if you will..
The MSA 220C is Stihl's most powerful saw according to them....
Whille I can't comment specifically on your 200 model mentioned, I refer to PF video using the 220 model which again Stihl claims as their most powrful unit.
It finished middle of the road in time but considering it's advertised as a 16" saw the usable bar length is only 12"
Add in the fact the 220 cost $850 (2.5 times more than the others) isn't very good in the big scope of things.
The only saw that edged out the DeWalt was the Echo and it's time difference was negligible. If you need or use other cordless power tools the DeWalt can accommodate that while the dedicated saw brands not so much.

What I was most impressed with was the DeWalt beating the 170 gas Stihl saw in the first video. I've got a really good Husqvarna gas and I can attest the DeWalt outperforms it.

Back to the Stihl...again I wanted it to do well. I'm America first and I believe Stihl built some of the electronics of that saw and or charger in America hence the ******** $850 tag. (You know...because we can't seem to make much electric stuff in this country at any reasonable cost)

 

[f121]

My $1,000 Stihl leaks more oil than the Makita.

Likewise! My new ms500i is way worse than my 50yo $150 makita.

Fwiw, I've had no issues with the tool less chain tension adjuster on the makita. 5 years and a lot of pruning and 4 wheeling trips later, it still works great.

 

[Bigbird]

I'd like a new battery chainsaw. My old 40V Kobalt is a piece of ****. It runs so slow you can almost feel each cutter contacting the log. I have gas saws but for simple quick storm cleanup tasks or occasional pruning I'd something to grab and go. On my short list is Makita, Dewalt, Echo and Stihl. They're all about $300 with battery and charger. Milwaukie is around $500 which is too high. (I don't have batteries or can share the platform with any of them). Then there are the $150 no names ones on Amazon that have surprisingly good reviews. (some look almost identical to the name brands)

I'm leaning Makita because they're both a chainsaw company and power tool company and maybe their 18v battery platform could be useful for future tools vs. orphan batteries in the case of Stihl or Echo. What say you? TIA

Off topic a little, but I thought I would throw this in - corded is significantly less convenient, but the power is very good if you can live with a cord. I have this one: https://youtu.be/-Ymr6Hp5GoQ
I‘m on an acre and a half with 3 exterior outlets and some long cords. For the limited cutting I do I have been pleased with it. The occasional dead tree or limb cleanup is about it. I dropped and cut up dead 12” dia, 35’ hardwood last use.
it’s inexpensive and takes a standard Oregon blade and standard chain which is a plus. Every chainsaw I have owned has leaked oil to some extent. With this one being so light, I just dump the unused oil back in the bottle after I am done cutting for the next time. Even with the cord (which I have not severed…yet!) its easier for me than dealing with a gas unit.

 

[garfieldzzz]

@Xcursion88 you did not hear about the MSA300 yet right? That one is a beast, not quite cheap yes but looks promising even fwlling smaller trees, more chain speed than a MS261C-M.

I have to admit that also half of my Stihls leak bar oil, but depents also on the viscosity of the used oil.

That Makita one looks promising, whats the coo? Japan or ?

 

[Xcursion88]

@Xcursion88 you did not hear about the MSA300 yet right? That one is a beast, not quite cheap yes but looks promising even fwlling smaller trees, more chain speed than a MS261C-M.

I have to admit that also half of my Stihls leak bar oil, but depents also on the viscosity of the used oil.

That Makita one looks promising, whats the coo? Japan or ?

I've heard about it but I won't commit to talking about it until I see it actually on Stihl's website or (I've a huge Stihl deaker near me) and they have one.

It's like they unveiled iit but then put it back befind the curtain.
Look at their website. The 300 doesn't eveb exist. Like it's not even acknowledged in any capacity.

 

[shawhite]

It's a relative statement by yours truly isn't it...
Allow me if you will..
The MSA 220C is Stihl's most powerful saw according to them....
Whille I can't comment specifically on your 200 model mentioned, I refer to PF video using the 220 model which again Stihl claims as their most powrful unit.
It finished middle of the road in time but considering it's advertised as a 16" saw the usable bar length is only 12"
Add in the fact the 220 cost $850 (2.5 times more than the others) isn't very good in the big scope of things.
The only saw that edged out the DeWalt was the Echo and it's time difference was negligible. If you need or use other cordless power tools the DeWalt can accommodate that while the dedicated saw brands not so much.

What I was most impressed with was the DeWalt beating the 170 gas Stihl saw in the first video. I've got a really good Husqvarna gas and I can attest the DeWalt outperforms it.

Back to the Stihl...again I wanted it to do well. I'm America first and I believe Stihl built some of the electronics of that saw and or charger in America hence the ******** $850 tag. (You know...because we can't seem to make much electric stuff in this country at any reasonable cost)

Don’t get me wrong the Stihl equipment is expensive and I can’t justify the cost for home use since my current Stihl gas tools are still working 15 years later. But to compare the Stihl 36v against the 60v Dewalt and 56 volt ego and echo is a little unfair. We will see how things look when the msa300 hits the US market. Just an fyi the msa220 with the ap300 and charger is closer to $750.

 

[Ton ton]

I'm sticking with a gas powered chainsaw.

 

[Xcursion88]

Ill

Don’t get me wrong the Stihl equipment is expensive and I can’t justify the cost for home use since my current Stihl gas tools are still working 15 years later. But to compare the Stihl 36v against the 60v Dewalt and 56 volt ego and echo is a little unfair. We will see how things look when the msa300 hits the US market. Just an fyi the msa220 with the ap300 and charger is closer to $750.

I'll tell you a story that took me into the electric saw world. Now I had already switched over to DeWalt in all our other tools as the USA made means a lot to me. (DeWalt doesn't make everything here but they definitely make a decent amount and far more than any other brand. (Per Roy in sales @ Milwaukee headquarters...I asked him how many power tools are Made in USA at present by Milwaukee. His words and I quote " 98% of our tools are Chinese with the exception being a couple corded Sawzall models" (not all corded Sawzalls) and a couple magnetic drill presses are USA and a couple items coming out of Mexico. " I said I thought you guys had a vacuum now Made in USA. His answer..."NO."

Anyways we had a massive storm here and I needed to clean up with my Husqvarna. So I pull it and it abruptly stops after a few inches (aboit rips my shoulder out unexpecting the abrupt stop) chain is too tight.
Loosen chain. Pull, runs, chain immediately too loose. Tighten chain, can't pull it.
Back and forth back and forth for an hour.
It was later Saturday...I don't have time for this nonsense (my Dealer closes @ noon) i head out and grab a 16" DeWalt.
I asked a friend of mine in the tree cutting business what size to get. He said if I were getting just one saw it would be 16.
So I pick up this DeWalt and it's been amazing. I happened upon the PF video after abd thought that seems accurate because it outperformed my gas Husqvarna just like it outperforms that gas 170 Stihl in the video.

Electric stuff has taken massive steps in the last 20 years. Before I would have laughed at Electric. I had one of the early Makita drills (12v) heavy sum ***** but was ok. I'd never have considered a chainsaw back then based on that early Makita cordless drill.

The cordless tool world technology is growing rapidly today.
I'd like to see Stihl be at the top...we will see.

BTW the bearing on the sprocket of the Husqvarna was at fault causing those issues.