After a few weeks of research, I think I know what new chainsaw to buy.
For context, battery chainsaws have not been considered “serious” in the past compared to gasoline models, but now (as of Summer 2022) there are abundant powerful options, for up to a 20″ bar. For nearly 4 years, I’ve been happily using a 14″ Makita XCU03 (LXTx2), and I’ve been delighted with the quality and reliability, but now I need something bigger and more powerful.
Here’s what I found about the power of chainsaws now available:
| Bar | Volts | Max Power (kW) | HP (kW*1.34) | Chain speed (m/s) | Gas engine cc equiv | Battery Wh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makita LXT x2 chainsaw | 16″ | 36 | 0.9-1.0 ? | 1.2-1.3 ? | 20 | 32 | 2x5Ah=180 |
| Makita XGT chainsaw (*) | 18″ | 40 | 1.6 | 2.15 ? | 25.5 | ? | 4Ah=144 5Ah=180 |
| Ego CS1804 | 18″ | 56 | 2.1 ? | 2.8 | 20 | 45 or 42 | 5Ah=270 |
| Kobalt KCS 4080-06 | 18″ | 80 | 2.5 | 3.35 | 20 | 50 | 5Ah=360 |
| Greenworks GS181 | 18″ | 80 | 2.5 | 3.35 | 21 | 50 | 5Ah=360 |
| Stihl MSA 300 C-O with AP500s (*) | 20″ | 36 | 3.0 | 4.0 ? | 20-30 variable | ? | 9.4Ah=337 |
| DeWalt DCCS677 with DCB615 | 20″ | 60 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 13.5 ? | “around 60” | 5Ah=270 |
| Greenworks Commercial 82CS34 | 20″ | 82 | 3.4 | 4.5 ? | 24 | “more than 60” | 4Ah=288? 5Ah=360? |
The two saws marked with a (*) are, as far as I can tell, not yet released in the USA.
My first impulse was to buy a more powerful Makita chainsaw, but it’s not sold in my country, and also, as you can see in the table, it’s surprisingly underpowered.
The next saws (Ego, Kobalt, Greenworks) are just three examples of affordable 18″ saws under 3 HP that are sold under dozens of brand names by many companies. They appear fine, but…
The last three saws are all new this year, and are the first three to reach 4 HP and directly support a 20″ bar. Stihl is a major German chainsaw manufacturer, and their MSA 300 looks amazing, but, once again, it’s not sold in the USA yet, and will certainly be very expensive when it does (probably $900 for saw, $400 for battery)
That leaves a choice between the last two, the DeWalt and Greenworks Commercial. From online reviews, both are impressive. Both are affordable. The DeWalt saw seems to sell for around $390, the battery for another $390, but bundled together for only $550. The Greenworks Commercial is $600 for a similar bundle. The final points I considered, in favor of the DeWalt saw:
- DeWalt is a much bigger company with a much bigger user base.
- DeWalt has a better reputation for support.
Some points against the DeWalt, in favor of the Greenworks saw:
- Some claim that the DeWalt might overheat more easily than other saws, or that the bar retention mechanism is a little better on other saws.
- Subjectively, to me the DeWalt looks clunky and blocky.
- The DeWalt has a strange low chain speed, which some YouTube videos indicate produces a rougher cut surface when doing chainsaw milling.
Something to additionally consider when evaluating performance is the chain the saw is running. How wide is the kerf? What is the chain pitch. This will affect the delivery of energy to cutting work. And of course the sharpness is a factor.
We look forward to your user’s report.
Comment by Eric — September 13, 2022 @ 3:01 pm
I have an Ego. With a smaller battery it stops more often then when using the big heavy battery. It is OK but I have a feeling Stihl knows the finer details of chain saws better. Local stores have them in Santa Cruz.
Comment by Chuck Stein — September 13, 2022 @ 3:37 pm
Eric, you’re right about chain width, nearly all the battery saws on the market default to a narrow bar/chain (.043″) to make the work easier for the electric motor, less wood to cut. However, some do default to .050″, and you can always change it. I did this with one of my Makitas, it now runs an 18″ bar with .050″ gauge. To avoid overloading the small saw with the bigger/wider bar, I’m simply a bit more patient and don’t push as hard,
Comment by ben — September 19, 2022 @ 10:25 pm
Chuck, are you saying you’ve seen the new big Stihl (MSA 300) for sale at a store in Santa Cruz? I’ve seen the Stihl MSA 220 and smaller in lots of places, but not MSA 300 in the USA yet.
Comment by ben — September 19, 2022 @ 10:27 pm
For what it’s worth, I bought an Ego 16″ chainsaw off Amazon a few weeks ago when it was on sale. Finally got it charged up and did some cutting with it on Friday and was super impressed. 10x quieter compared to an AC plugin chain saw. You only have to hold the trigger for a second when you are cutting smaller branches, so you can do that all day long on a charge. On my first outing, I ran out of charge well before the battery. Super happy with it.
Comment by Curt — July 3, 2023 @ 4:37 am