Best Chainsaws

Electric vs gas

Chainsaws are either electric or gas-powered. There are pros and cons to each, so it typically comes down to personal preference and what you need to use it for. Let’s take a look at the good and the bad of each:

Electric

Most electric chainsaws are lighter and more compact than their gas-powered counterparts, making them easier to carry and use for long durations. They’re also quieter and you can start them with a simple push of a button. Even better, you don’t have to mix oil and gas or inhale the fumes left behind from a gas chainsaw. Electric chainsaws are ideal when tidying up trees and trimming limbs, cutting small logs, and other minor tasks around your home or yard.

Because electric chainsaws are smaller and lighter, most of them lack the umph for larger projects like cutting down large trees. If your chainsaw is corded, you’ll lack the mobility that comes with uncorded electric saws or gas saws. If it’s uncorded, you have more mobility but they tend to be less powerful than corded models — even with battery life improving in recent years with newer, more high-powered batteries.

Gas

A gas chainsaw is much better suited for heavy-duty jobs than an electric model. If you use a chainsaw in your everyday profession or live on a piece of property with a lot of large trees, a gas chainsaw is probably your better option. Gas saws come with a range of bar lengths to adapt to different tasks. You won’t be limited to one area like you would with a corded chainsaw and you won’t run out of battery life like an uncorded electric model, but you will need to make sure you have enough gas and oil.

Gas chainsaws are often heavier and clunkier than electric models, making it more tiresome to use them for extended periods of time. They’re also much louder than electric chainsaws and have a pull-to-start recoil handle that can be tricky for beginners. You have to mix oil and gas to keep it running and those fumes can be dangerous if inhaled too much. Lastly, gas chainsaws typically cost more than electric saws. This price point can be a lot less appealing for someone who is just starting out or only uses a chainsaw periodically.

Chainsaw Components

Once you know whether you want gas or electric, you’ll want to consider the chainsaw’s blades, chain, and engine power.

Blades

Blades are also known as cars, vary in length and hardness, and the right one is highly dependent on the job at hand. For example, solid bars are made from a single piece of steel and are used for the tougher jobs that need that extra strength. You’ll also see hard nose bars (solid through the nose of the blade) and laminated bars (two steel tracks with a steel core and a sprocket between them) that are a little more flexible and will work on smaller tasks.

Chains

Chains come in three variations: narrow kerf, low profile, and ripping chains. Narrow kerf chains are slimmer and allow the saw to cut quickly, making thinner cuts. Low profile chains have shorter cutters than normal to create shallow cuts. Ripping chains cut at a 10° angle, unlike normal cutters that cut at a 30° angle, and are best when cutting smooth boards. Chains also have either semi-chisel or full-chisel — semi-chisel is good for jobs around the house and full-chisel is better for professional use.

Engine power

Power in gas chainsaws is measured in cubic centimeters (cc) while electric chainsaws are measured either in volts (cordless) or amps (corded). This is a good way to gauge whether that model will work for the job you need. You’ll find a variety of power ranges, from 30-120cc for gas-powered and 8-15 amps or 24-82 volts for electric. The higher the power number, the better suited the model is for heavier, more frequent work. For people looking for occasional or light usage around the home, lower power engines will complete the tasks just fine. Professionals will want something in the highest power ranges to ensure the saw can hold up to daily use on a variety of jobs.