Best 8 Cordless Chainsaws for 2022 | Comparison Chart & Reviews

This is the age of new and sophisticated tech and rapid improvements in existing technology. And that improvement has come in every aspect of our lives, including the chainsaws.

The chainsaws we are used to operating were those operated on a gas-powered engine, and they were powerful but made a noise of a tractor.

Today we have an alternative, the battery-powered chainsaws, which are extremely quiet, more efficient, and have a long life, which means they are built to last.

If you search online for the best brushless cordless chainsaws, then you will find that there is a flood of these things in the market. There weren’t that many a few years back because no one thought that they are powerful enough or has enough run time to handle some applications and will be of small weight to carry around easily.

But here we are; these chainsaws are now on the edge of replacing those gas-powered chainsaws to handle some of the heavy-duty tasks.

If you don’t know what a chainsaw is, then let me tell you, it is a tool that is used to cut wood. It uses a steel chain to penetrate the wood and an electric motor or gas engine to supply it with the necessary power. The motor gets the power from the battery and the gas engine obviously from the gas.

If you are a novice in terms of the chainsaw and need a portable cordless chainsaw or a seasoned chainsaw user and want to switch from gas chainsaw to portable battery-powered alternative, this guide is for you.

so let’s dive into our collection of the best battery-powered chainsaws in the market right now.

Best Cordless Chainsaw

1. Greenworks 20312 G-MAX 40V 16-Inch Cordless Chainsaw

First of all, this is a professional-grade chainsaw from GreenWorks.

Let’s start it off with the performance, shall we?

To do your task, you rely on the brushless dc motor, which the company claims to be provided with its innovative brushless technology for increased life, more efficiency, and very quiet operation with extra torque. They claim that this is the only tool that can replace your gas-powered chainsaw.

And that is so true for this chainsaw. For a battery-powered chainsaw, you don’t expect them to cut through a large diameter of around 10” of a fresh oak tree, do you? But this chainsaw did it and that too quickly, effortlessly, and without bogging down ( This is the time when you raise your eyebrows).

What is more impressive about this 16-inch chainsaw is its battery life; if you make 7 large cuts on that same fresh oak tree, the battery will drop by just one bar.

As we have seen, the battery is very efficient and works for a long time on a single charge, which is a 40v 4 AH capacity G-Max series battery. This battery will also be compatible with all other products from GreenWorks, which is in the G-max range.

What GreenWorks says is that this fully charged 4 Ah battery is capable of cutting up to 150 pieces of 4×4 wood in a single charge.

Other than that, the oiling system that it comes with is Automatic; just pour the oil into the reservoir, and the oiling is done, no need to flick a switch; that’s very convenient.

To top it off, It comes with loads of safety features. It has a low kickback bar and a reduced kickback chain. And even if there is kickback, then a chain brake will protect you, which can be activated by pushing the front handguard forward towards the saw.

There are bucking spikes that will help with stability while cutting. To prevent accidental start-up, there is also a safety trigger switch, which should be pressed before starting the saw.

What’s more, the brushless motor here is well designed to keep the vibrations down, so there won’t be any problems because of the vibration. The only noise this tool makes is of motors rotation and blade scrapping away wood.

Talking about robustness, this tool is constructed mainly out of hard plastic, that plastic is sturdy enough for simple jobs, and used at home.

The plastic is the main reason for its lightweight plus it has to carry a 3 pounds battery. So there is no issue of corrosion.

What I find most compelling about this chainsaw is its 4 years warranty period. This is a strong choice for homeowners, DIYers, and almost anyone who wants to do medium to light-duty work.

2. DEWALT DCCS670X1 FLEXVOLT 60V Chainsaw Kit

This is one of the best cordless chainsaws for homeowners and woodworkers. Dewalt is a known name in the market for its quality power tools. From the moment you lift it, you will know that it would be a delight to work with this saw.

As you may have noticed from the title that it features a 60V battery With Flexvolt technology so let’s have a little discussion over that term, what it actually means. Flexvolt eh..!

If you can see through that name, it means a flexible voltage; that being said, it means that the single battery can supply the 20-volts, and that same battery can also supply the 60-volts to the tool, so it’s your choice how much power you need.

The 3Ah capacity battery will give more than enough runtime, and if you still need more runtime, then the 9 Ah battery is also available for this chainsaw.

That thing is fine, but what about the performance? let’s see.

From some of the tests, it came to attention that it is able to cut through the 8-inch thick wood in just 6 seconds.
The run time is surprisingly good for the featured 3 Ah battery with a 60-volt rating.

Moving on, the size of the bar is really good, and the 16” Oregon bar is enough to cut through any tree or trunk efficiently without making any other cut at some angle.

When you hear that this tool is almost maintenance-free, you get that feeling of relaxation that you won’t have to deal with the mess like gas-powered chainsaws. This cordless chainsaw got you covered on that aspect too.

The good thing is you don’t need any tool to adjust the chain or a bar; they give you the knob, turn it, and you are good to go.

The main concern when buying a new chainsaw is its safety features. I’m glad to say that this tool is well-equipped to see to that.

It is engineered for the minimum kickback possible. You won’t experience any kickback, but if you ever experience a kickback, it also has a chain brake system to protect you. While it is not in use, the well-designed chain guard keeps the chain from giving anything a scratch.

What gives DeWalt a high standard is its commitment to its customers. That’s why you just don’t only get 3- years manufacturer warranty, but you also get a 90-day money-back guarantee and a year’s free service plan.

If the company is so sure about its product, then there is nothing for you to worry about. You can be assured that this chainsaw is going last, and you are going to get years of hard work from it. We strongly suggest this for their excellent customer service and strong performance.

3. Greenworks GCS80420 80V 18-Inch Cordless Chainsaw

For heavy-duty work, you won’t hear anyone talking about tackling that job with the cordless chainsaw, and that’s where the vision of the Greenworks unfolds. They wanted to make a chainsaw that is capable enough to compete with gas-powered chainsaws in terms of power. And this 80V Cordless chainsaw is a result of that vision.

This is one of a kind and powerful chainsaw available with 80V battery power in the electric portable chainsaw category. One of the biggest selling points of this tool is that it includes a DigiPro brushless motor that operates on the 80-volt Li-ion battery for better runtime and increased lifetime. To top it off, it features an 18-inch bar, never seen before in cordless chainsaws.

The 18-inch blade can accommodate thick wood. You let the device penetrate bit by bit and it will do its job pretty well.

The one noticeable thing about its handle is that it is made up of quality metal, and it operates on a two-ounce of oil you can check oil level from the transparent window. Using this chainsaw feels comfortable and well-ordered.

The 2Ah 80V battery is pretty fast to charge and to charge it, slide it inside the device and plug it in, and it starts charging. It takes half an hour only to go from empty to full. Plus, it has a teeny-tiny fan attached to the charger, which works as a coolant propellant for the Li-ion battery pack.

As I was saying, Company claims that the battery can work for up to 150 cuts on a full charge. There is no doubt about what they said there. It works as promised and delivers enough power that you will feel like this is a regular corded chainsaw you are using.

Where this cordless chainsaw shines is its design. It is lightweight and comfortable to handle so that you can work with it for more prolonged hours. No more aching muscle or sore back for you then. If you are chopping twigs or branches, the bar is long, and the back has ample space to grasp onto.

The main design goal of this tool was to tackle a full range of light and medium-duty tasks at home and at the farm.

With its exceptional features, this battery-powered chainsaw is a great alternative to take light to medium-duty tasks in a fast, easy, and safe manner and has plus points for its user-friendly, convenient, ergonomic design and really appreciating safety features. This chain saw is almost everyone’s recommendation.

4. WEN 40417 40V 16-Inch Brushless Cordless Chainsaw

It is a powerful alternative to those accustomed, gas-powered chainsaws that emit harmful fumes while working with it. It’s a sound choice for jobs that needs portability while still having a surplus amount of power.

This battery-powered chainsaw features a very good 40-volt battery with a 4 Ah capacity, and that too with fade-free battery technology. That is just enough power that most folks would ever need while taking care of a few things around the house.

Don’t take your hopes high by expecting more than what a 50cc gas-powered chain saw could do; it just won’t cut the line there.

It comes with a decent amount of power, but it doesn’t have the power to do too heavy-duty work.

Besides the 40-volt battery, its 16” bar length is another advantage, and it runs at 49 feet per second. That is more than adequate to cut most types of logs and tree trunks. But sometimes, you may require a few more cuts at some angle to get the job done.

That being said, It is designed for as minimal kickback as possible; if that’s not enough, it will come to an immediate stop when you disengage the start button.

This tool is great for a newbie if you don’t want them to get amazed by sudden power thrust when working with it for the first time.

Other than those things, the safety feature includes suppression of the kickbacks to be a minimum when the chainsaw is running. It has an instant stop feature, which will bring the chainsaw to an instant still position. Now, talking about when it’s not in use, the chain guard does an incredible job of protecting the blade and the hands.

The one thing where this tool really stands out is its design, and they did a great job at it. It is very comfortable and perfectly fits in the hands, and it will prevent the transfer of trembling in your hands when you are doing some work.

All these things combined together make it an excellent proposition for people who haven’t worked with a chainsaw for years and would want one without surprises or kind of a fuss; you know what I mean, right?

5. EGO Power+ CS1400 14-Inch Lithium-Ion Cordless Chainsaw

Someone who needs a chainsaw occasionally to do some cutting, like Homeowners who do the job by themselves, is going to appreciate the convenience of no maintenance of cordless chainsaws, And the chainsaw which never requires the spark plug or the fuel.

The design of this chainsaw is totally different. It doesn’t match any conventional corded chainsaw that you may have ever used or seen.

They choose to give it a totally fresh look and feel, considering that they have given balance to the tool by placing the batteries below the handle in the side loading position, which offsets the motor’s weight and gives better balance.

The look of this chainsaw is just not for bragging purposes only it is equally sturdy to keep you going.

I really liked the handle design of this chainsaw. It lets you make the horizontal cut with ease by turning the saw at 90 degrees thanks to the handle design, which wraps down around the left side of the tool. The handle is comfortable and easy to grip.

The 5-ounce chain oil reservoir is given on the left side. The lid doesn’t have any secure connection with the tool, so just be mindful of it and don’t misplace it. To inspect the oil level, there is an inspection window just down the cap, and it is easy to read.

You know, it has a functioning chain brake, which serves multiple purposes; it works as a kickback safety device and also works as a manual shut-off for the tool as well.

You may be familiar with the above-mentioned things if you are used to operating with gas chainsaws, so it gives you comfortable transitioning from gas to battery-powered chainsaws.

One great thing about this chainsaw is that it flaunts a lot of power and long runtime, which is only possible due to the 2.0 Ah Arc lithium+ battery and the brushless motor. Brushless motors run cooler and have a long lifetime.

The performance of this cordless chainsaw really stands out due to the motor, which is capable of supplying 6300 FPM.

It features a 14-inch steel Oregon bar and a kickback chain, which is easy to adjust with a tool-free chain tensioning knob.

The main highlight of this tool is its power, convenience to use, and comfortable handle, which makes it a great choice for everyone. There isn’t much to dislike about this chainsaw. Just insert the 2.0 Ah and make as many cuts as you wish. With a 5 years warranty, this tool is a steal at that price.

6. DEWALT DCCS620B 20V Brushless Cordless Chainsaw

For such a small size, this chainsaw has plenty of power.

Worried about the long charging time of the battery, then this cordless chainsaw is for you. It is powered by a 20 volts Li-ion battery, which takes a very short time, around 2 hours, to go from empty to full. This battery carries more power than you think.

The considerable difference and a plus point it has is that the bar is 12”- 2” inch extra than its rivals. And those two inches make a noticeable difference when you are doing precise cuts, which makes it a very good choice for construction and outdoor work. It is perfectly capable of doing up to 90 cuts per charge on 4×4 pressure-treated wood.

Just don’t expect it to do the job in half the time as some traditional gas-powered chainsaws. The chain is comparatively faster, which is 25. 2 feet/second.

If you want a chainsaw that can be gripped and that too properly, this chainsaw is just ideal for that. It is a comfortable fit in hand, and to cut around the corners; it offers fine control over it.

Keeping user safety in mind, it has been engineered with a minimum kickback and has a chain lock to reduce the kickbacks even more. I was really amazed by how it cuts smoothly through hard material. Still, some professionals use it as a backup tool.

Don’t underestimate it because of its compact size and battery-powered system; they have virtually no say in the saw’s performance. This compactly designed chainsaw weighs 8.8 pounds, which is a good thing for maximum control and user comfort.

It is made with some extra features of safety in mind. It has a chain lock, an on/off switch, and a chain cover when it stays still.

This cordless chainsaw came on top as a favorite backup tool for professionals. It will make a great starter model for anyone if he/she is going to use it for lighter work around the lawn. But if you want it to cut through several trees, then you are going to need a little more power.

7. Makita XCU06Z LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Chain Saw

As I have said in the first chainsaw review from Makita, that it is a trusted brand of woodworkers.

It is compact, lightweight, and very efficient to take care of light-duty work, which ranges up to some medium-duty work as well.

The bar is about 10-inch, and the chain is strong.

If we discuss its performance, it uses a brushless motor that makes the tool more efficient, provides a long lifetime, and makes less noise. Besides that, the speed of this motor is variable so you can change it and the speed range is between 0 to 4720 FPM for improved cutting performance.

To power that silent motor, it comes with an 18-volt battery.

The main highlight of this chainsaw is its automatic chain lubrication system with its large oil reservoir.

Where this small and compact chainsaw really shines is its Torque boost mode. From its compact size, it doesn’t instantly strike us as a tool for a dense material, but this torque mode will enhance the motor’s performance up to its full capabilities, and the job will be done. That’s a nice surprise.

The one thing that sets it apart from the rest of the chainsaw crowd is that it doesn’t have a lever mechanism to tighten the chain. You will need some kind of tool to tighten the nut. Which in turn, changes the tension of the chain. That manual mechanism gives more control and confidence over the tool.

Apart from all these technical things, it really has an ergonomic design that feels comfortable to hold. To top that off, this design just doesn’t only look good but is very sturdy to see through the harshest weather possible.

To put it in simple terms, this thing is built to last.

Annoyed with those heavy gas-powered chainsaws?, that keep giving you muscle aches? Don’t worry; this cordless chainsaw just weighs about 7.9 pounds for long and comfortable use and is extremely well-balanced.

This should be your first choice if you are a homeowner and need a portable battery-powered chainsaw.

8. Makita XCU04PT1 Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Chain Saw Kit

Makita, the trusted brand of woodworkers and DIYers presents you with a Makita portable chainsaw featuring a fierce brushless motor.

These Battery-powered chainsaws are increasingly becoming popular because they have zero emissions, less noise, and considerably less maintenance.

The outer rotor brushless motor is powered by an 18 volts LXT battery to achieve the utmost power, speed, and improved runtime. This combination of motor and batteries in Makita gives the almost equivalent performance of gas chainsaws.

The impressive direct drive system of the motor is capable of delivering 0-3,940 FPM for better cutting speeds.
To make this device more user-friendly, they equipped it with 16 guide bars, no less.

Let’s talk about convenience while operating on this chainsaw. It comes with a toolless chain adjustment and has a front guard, which is specially designed to actuate the chain brake when engaged. It’s easy to operate, too, with no gas feeling or draining; just slide in the two 18 volts batteries, and you are good to go.

To get maximum efficiency and better productivity, it features an electric brake system. Believe me when I tell you that Makita’s batteries have a really fast charging time in their categories.

One of the excellent features Makita offers is its “Star Protection Computer Controls.” This is a real-time data exchanging communication system between the tool and the battery to monitor the power flow and avoid any overloading if it is about to happen. It also gives protection against overheating and over-discharging as well.

You can simply tell if the batteries are star protected or not by the symbol of stars on the battery.

For Arborists, Landscape gardeners, and Homeowners, this cordless chainsaw is the best solution for cutting and trimming needs.

Different Types of Oiling Systems for a Chainsaw

Whether it is a corded or cordless or even gas-powered chainsaw, they all have one thing in common; chains and bars. They need to be properly lubricated; otherwise, they will burn up the motor; hence the chain and bar will be destroyed.

And for that matter, all chainsaw comes with a mechanism to oil the chain and the bar, but that mechanism can differ from each other in terms of many things.

We will recommend that you buy the chainsaw in which the lubrication system is automatic, and the flow of oil can be controlled.

The different types of oiling systems that can be found on any chainsaw are as below.

• Manual oiling: The manual oiling system works with the use of a push-button switch. The operator can control how much oil he wants to flow and at what intervals of time. You have full control over the oiling.
• Automatic Oiler (Fixed Flow): Just pour the oil into the reservoir, and you don’t have to do anything. It self-lubricates the chain and the bar at some intervals with a fixed flow of oil.
• Automatic Oiler (Adjustable Flow): This is the best type of oil lubricating system there is, in which the oiling is automatic, but you can change the rate of the flow of the oil.

How Does the Cordless Chainsaw Work?

The working of the chainsaw is really simple, But before getting to that, let’s briefly discuss chainsaws in general.

These chainsaws have seen so many evolutions from the time it was discovered, first was the gas-powered chainsaw then came the chainsaw with a motor that works on the electrical supply, and then came these compact, lightweight, easy-to-use battery-powered chainsaws.

Any chainsaw has two main parts the chain blade, which is wrapped around the long metal bar, and the battery or the engine to power the blade. The chain-cutting blade is set on the sprockets and has sharp teeth at equal distances.

As soon as you push the start button and turn on the safety switch, power is supplied to the motor, and the crank starts rotating, which in turn will run the gears. With gears rotating, it gives the push start to the sprockets, and it starts, pushing the chain with sharp teeth forward. And like that, in a fraction of a second, the whole chain starts moving.

And that’s how it starts. The efficient battery chainsaw can be used to cut trees and logs of a significant thickness.

Buyer’s Guide for the Cordless Chainsaws

It’s hard to choose one product when there are so many options available. If you keep in mind the things listed below while buying a cordless chainsaw, you will be able to make the right decision.

⦁ Battery

All battery-powered chainsaws today use Li-ion batteries to supply power to the motor.

Before the advent of Li-ion batteries, there used to be cadmium batteries and if you want to charge it from empty to full, it would eat up your whole day, but not these Li-ion batteries. They just take a little over an hour to be fully charged.

That less charging time will let you keep the work going by keeping another battery handy while the used one gets charged.

Now to see how much power the battery can hold and supply is determined by its voltage. The simple light-duty chainsaw uses multiple 18-volt batteries, while a high-end chainsaw uses batteries of 40 volts and for heavy-duty applications, some chainsaws also feature an 80-volt battery.

Generally, the runtime varies based on the type of work, but you can get decent runtime ranging from 30 to 40 minutes. If you already have some portable battery-powered tools, consider the chainsaw of the same brand.

⦁ Oiling system

To keep the chain of the chainsaw from getting stuck in the wood or in the binding of the bar, it needs to be well-lubricated with oil. And also, the ability to work efficiently for this chainsaw mostly depends on it.

For that purpose, all the chainsaws come with an oil reservoir that stores this oil.

In some brands, you will need to lubricate the chain manually, and some come with an automatic oil lubrication system. Choose the one with automatic oil lubrication.

⦁ Size, Weight, and Balance

If you are a heavy-duty professional, then you can surely say that a lightweight chainsaw of a proper size for a specific application can make your life much easier.

If we compare the chainsaw weights than gas-powered chainsaws weigh around the same or a little more than a battery-powered chainsaws.

Both are similar in weight with a minor difference, which features the same bar length.

Besides that, the comfort and balance of any tool are equally important.

For the best cutting experience and less effort, the chainsaw needs to be equally balanced. It is acceptable if the saw is little tipping towards the front, but the tipping on the rear side is not acceptable. Otherwise, it will require more effort from you to move the blade in the wood log.

⦁ Blade guard

A blade guard is essential for the protection of the chain as well as it protects you from accidents while it is not in use. Today every chainsaw comes with a blade guard that fits over the blade like a scabbard, which helps to prevent accidental cuts while moving it somewhere from one place to another. They are also available as a whole alone accessory.

⦁ Guide Bar Length

The guide bar is a metal strip that guides the chain through the log, and it plays a major role while cutting an old tree or a tree trunk, which is large in diameter. The chainsaw can cut a tree whose diameter is 2 inches less than the bar length. So choose the guide bar length based on how large wood you are going to encounter.

A small bar chainsaw is good for pruning applications.

⦁ Handles

Any chainsaw you buy will come with two handles, one at the rear, which will have a trigger, and the second in front, which will start from the top and wrap around the whole chainsaw for your guiding hand.

To have a good hold on the chainsaw, the handles come with incorporated rubberized grips.

Keeping in mind the user safety besides the trigger, it also has a safety switch. The reason behind the wrap-around handle is that you can hold it at various angles to make creative cuts.

⦁ Runtime

Runtime is a crucial consideration if you want less hassle and want to do many cuts with a single charge.

Cordless chainsaws come with their own special chargers to charge the battery, but some of them take hours to fully charge the battery. So look for the ones which come with a fast charger in a kit and multiple battery sets.

Multiple batteries will help you to continue the work while others charge.

As you’d guess, the best battery-powered chainsaw is the one with a good balance of cutting speed, runtime, and efficient use of its battery.

⦁ Bucking spikes

The bucking spikes or the felling spikes help while pushing a saw through a block of wood more efficiently. Their function is to anchor the saw in place while the bar moves from top to bottom on that block.

It helps you lift the rear handle instead of pushing the front downward; this saves you from vibrations and jerks.

All battery-powered chainsaws are equipped with some kind of spikes and they will be mostly of plastic, prefer the one which comes with steel spikes.

FAQs

Q. How to choose the chainsaw size?

The chainsaw size should be based on how thick the material is going to be. Chainsaws generally can cut through the wood, which is 2″ less than the bar size.

So keep that in mind that the bar length should be two inches longer than the wood’s thickness.

For removing young trees, one with a 10” to 12” bar length should be enough.

For larger jobs, it will be better if you purchase a chainsaw with a bar length of 16-inch or 20-inch.

Q. What will be the runtime of the chainsaw on a single charge?

Any chainsaw generally lasts in the range of 30 to 50 minutes on a single charge, but it will highly depend on the type of work you are doing.

Q. What is the difference between the battery-powered and the gas-powered chainsaw?

Both battery-powered and gas-powered chainsaws operate with the same functionality and have almost all the same parts. The difference is in the motor and the effect on its use and everyday operations.

They both can supply enough power to cut through the hardest wood.

Battery Chainsaw – They are quiet, easy to start with just the push of a button, and free of toxic fumes. When you connect it to a battery pack, it will run for hours. They are also lightweight and well-balanced and are perfect for forest workers, arborists, and hobbyists alike.

Gas Chainsaw – Modern models are easy to start and have enough power to do heavy tasks. You can keep going as long as you don’t run out of gas and are little light on pockets.

Q. What are the advantages of battery-powered chainsaws?

The few advantages of battery-powered chainsaws are listed below.

• They are portable and small.
• They are environment friendly, and don’t emit harmful gases.
• They are quiet and efficient.
• They don’t fluctuate in speed and have variable speed control.
• It is good to have a battery-powered chainsaw when you are 25 feet high in the sky. It is safe and has a push-button start.

Q. For Whom these battery-powered chainsaws are beneficial?

This is an ideal choice for homeowners who wants to do a variety of job and DIY projects around the house. This is a great starting point for newcomers who don’t know how to use this chainsaw to their full extent.

It’s a solid option for any light to medium-duty yard work that may come up and needs to be done around the house or for a small construction project.