Battery Chainsaws - user experiences?

[stanmillnc]

Looking to buy a battery chainsaw for my sawmill operation to quickly trim logs for milling. I see that some forum members have commented that the Stihl 200 36V model performs well; albeit it's expensive. I see the new Husqvarna battery saw gets good reviews online as well. How about other models, like GreenWorks, the Harbor Freight Atlas 80v 18" bar model, etc.? Just looking for feedback from users.

[Southside]

I have an 80V Kobalt 18" that has been surprisingly good for the price you pay, and it comes with a 3 year warranty.  Also have an M18 Fuel Milwaukee that is excellent.  The bar and chain on that is a bit more "pro", but it's only 16" and honestly the Kobalt performs just as well, which was a shock to me.  

[barbender]

I have a Dewalt 20 volt, I think it only has a 12" bar on it. It's handy as heck around the mill, but I wouldn't use it to actually buck logs of any size. Bumping a knot off, trimming boards and such it works great for. It's kind of a top handle configuration that can be ran with one hand, which is why I got it.

[reride82]

I have a Dewalt 20 volt, I think it only has a 12" bar on it. It's handy as heck around the mill, but I wouldn't use it to actually buck logs of any size. Bumping a knot off, trimming boards and such it works great for. It's kind of a top handle configuration that can be ran with one hand, which is why I got it.

I have the same one, and it is incredibly handy for what it is. Great for in the pickup, on the four wheeler, or even for my wife to use. Granted I have a whole slew of Dewalt 20v tools so batteries aren't a problem.
Levi

[barbender]

Exactly my thoughts, my wife can use this where she probably wouldn't get a gas saw started. The problem is that it's always in my pickup with me😊

[ESFted]

I have the Ego 18" and am very impressed with it.  Didn't think a battery power was going to be tough enough to take the knocking around that usually happens, but had a chance to use my son-in-law's Kobalt for a couple of tough jobs and was happy with the ease of use battery power provides.  Saw some good reviews of the Ego stuff and bought into the system.  No regrets...except the cost of batteries. I bought two different tools as kits that came with battery and charger, so between those two batteries I can do most anything before my personal battery wears down.

[Tom King]

Doesn't apply to anything you need, but I have the little one battery top handle Makita chainsaw.  It looks, and feels like a toy, but I really like it.  I use it up in a lift bucket, or for climbing.  I even cut off a 5" Red Oak limb with it, and it did the job fine.

If you have batteries for some brand of other tools, I'd look at what they make.  I bought my little saw tool only, since I already had the batteries.

One thing about battery saws, they're easy to start.

[Magicman]

I have been very pleased with my Ryobi 40v chainsaw.  I also have a weed wacker and hedge trimmer and they all use the same battery.

[woodworker9]

I have the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 16" saw.  Bought it on a screaming deal with a M18 blower, and both tools surprised me.  Really good.  I use the chainsaw for trimming and even bucking small logs, and it works better than expected.  Came with the 12 A-hr HD battery, which lasts a long time.

[weimedog]

I've had and used the Husqvarna 120i saw, their low cost option at $270 or so complete with battery and charger. Awesome. Enough power to actually get something done and no issues. Best bang per buck in that class of saw for the home owner for certain. Used it this week for breaking down pine tree limbs. Did a video a couple of years back where it's capabilities are demonstrated as compared to a hot 50cc saw....( no it's not in that league! )

Husqvarna120i Battery Powered Chainsaw. Are these Saws Useful? A First Impression? - YouTube

[Fishnuts2]

I was pleasantly surprised at my Oregon 40V saw.  I limbed a large Pine and bucked most of it up with one charge.  It cuts similar to one of my 30cc saws.  Except my Echo 2511 which is in a league of it's own.

[gspren]

I have the Greenworks with a 16" bar and it's handy to have on the ATV and during trips to the hunting camp, it can reside in the FJ Cruiser the entire time and no gas fumes. It is not what I use for firewood cutting but if there's a big branch or even a tree across the cabin driveway it will get it opened up.

[Caloren]

I've had my Milwaukee M-18 chainsaw over a year now and really like it. This last spring a high wind broke some limbs off some of our Black Oaks and broke the tops off a couple smaller ones. In cleaning up my Son-in-law was using my 028 and I the m-18 cutting all this up for firewood. One limb I was cutting on had only 1 inch of that 16" bar showing out of that limb, but the saw just kept on keeping on! Could the M-18 keep up with the 028? Oh heck no, but I was still impressed with the M-18.

[gspren]

I'm very tempted to sell all/most of my battery tools of 3 different brands and start over with the M18 Milwaukee line, be nice to have everything be able to use the same batteries/charger. 

[UVXYpaulSPY]

Can't beat my Kobalt 80v or Ryobi 40v, 18in and 16in bars respectively. These are great for quick 15m jobs where you don't want to fire up a gas saw. I was really impressed with the Kobalt, has quite a few cuts in it per charge. Battery charges quick enough (especially on the kobalt) where you can keep a couple batteries in rotation for longer jobs. Not going to do the work of my 620p or 362.

For regular use, I would not own them without at least a second battery so that you never run out of juice.

[John Mc]

What little I've used a friend's Milwaukee M18, it seems to cut about like a good 40cc gas saw.

In Youtube reviews in timed cuts, other electric saws with higher chain speeds out cut it by a coupe seconds in softwoods, but the Milwaukee did better under heavier loads, such as when cutting hardwoods. Here's one video by Project Farm with some comparisons. (I can't find the other I was looking at right now.)

Project Farm: Best Barry Powered Chainsaw? 

[DeerMeadowFarm]

Quick question on the battery saws: Someone told me that they are not as safe as a gas saw due to the clutch system. He said that chaps won't stop the chain....? Comments?

[John Mc]

It's true that most chaps are not designed to stop an electric saw. An electric motor does not "stall" the way a gas engine does: a gas engine will bog down and die under a heavy enough load - which is exactly what the chap design is counting on: the fibers clog up the works of the saw, stalling the engine. However, even if you completely stop an electric motor, it's still trying to turn as long as here is power to it. A small shift in the fibers could free it up allowing it to start turning again.

[Caloren]

I remember a you tube video where they were trying out electric saws on a pair of chaps, and it did stop the chain. Remember also that the motor stops as soon as you release the trigger. With no load, the chain on my Milwaukee stops in less than one revolution, with any kind of load it will stop immediately. I just wear my chaps and don't worry about what saw I am running.  8)

[UVXYpaulSPY]

On both my Kobalt 80v and Ryobi 40v, I have yellow label chains. When pushed too hard, they both WILL trip the motor overload protect circuit and require releasing trigger for at least 5 seconds before they will start to cut again.

I'm sure that is designed to not overload the electric motor, but would think it would be the same concept as with chaps fibers tangling the sprockets.

[Ianab]

Quick question on the battery saws: Someone told me that they are not as safe as a gas saw due to the clutch system. He said that chaps won't stop the chain....? Comments?

Chaps will still stop an electric chainsaw, but it takes a fraction of a second longer. This is because with an electric motor the torque increases as the revs drop, opposite of a gas engine.
So the sprocket might get a couple more turns before it gets totally snarled up and the overload trips. 
Will that be enough to chew through the chaps and into your leg? Don't know, hopefully not, but even if it does get through it's going to be slowing down and shouldn't bite very deep. 
So it is true that chaps are less effective with an electric saw. They will still protect you better than anything else though. Probably take 2X as long to pick the nylon out of the sprocket, but that's a small price if you have saved your your leg. 

[mad murdock]

I have had the Milwaukee M18 chainsaw for almost 2 years now.  I have done some tree topping with it, and a lot of cleanup around the mill etc.  It will cut almost a cord of wood on a charge.  Nice thing about using it for aerial work, is you can really hear what's going on with the wood, and you seem to have much better feel for anticipating what will happen as it is so quiet compared to a gas saw!  I would highly recommend the Milwaukee saw, comes with Oregon bar and chain too, so that is a plus, IMO

[clark8534]

Looking to buy a battery chainsaw for my sawmill operation to quickly trim logs for milling. I see that some forum members have commented that the Stihl 200 36V model performs well; albeit it's expensive. I see the new Husqvarna battery saw gets good reviews online as well. How about other models, like GreenWorks, the Harbor Freight Atlas 80v 18" bar model, etc.? Just looking for feedback from users.

I guess Ryobi 14" Battery Chainsaw is very good too. I had a chance to use this chainsaw before. It's very powerful.

[berryjb]

I've had the Milwaukee M18 with 16" bar - for the most part it is superb and very handy around the mill.  It does tend to throw the chain when I'm out cutting brush, unless you keep the chain more tightly tensioned that I'd normally use on my gas saws.  The battery (which cost more than the saw) probably gives me as much cutting time as 2 tanks of gas with my 20" Echo CS450

[Gary Davis]

I got my wife a stihl msa 120c she loves it and its light the battery has more energy then she does 
has about the same power as my stihl 150t very happy with it