You will probably need a chainsaw at some point. Maybe a storm snapped off a large branch and its hanging against your eaves. Perhaps you are a hero who clears hiking trails on your own.
Once youve found a need and own a chainsaw, youll probably invent uses for it. These tools are both powerful and versatile. These are the top 5 small chainsaws.
Gas Chainsaw
Chainsaws come with one of three different power plants: gas, electric (with a cord), and battery-operated. Each platform has its strengths as well as weaknesses. This will force you to think carefully about how you intend to use your chainsaw.
Gas is classic. Gas is the classic. It rumbles and it’s loud, making cutting easier. Because these are a more powerful breed, gas chainsaws are capable of handling heavier work and require more maintenance. Gas is also the most mobile, which means if you plan to use your chainsaw at any distance away from a power source, gas will be your best bet.
Gas is also the most noisy and takes the longest to start. This can be tedious at best and exhausting at worst. Some may consider the way gas starts a deal-breaker. Gas chainsaws tend to be heavier, and it is important to consider the ongoing costs of fuel and maintenance.
Electric Chainsaw
Electricity is quieter and cleaner than gas and requires less maintenance. Electric chainsaws are generally lighter than gas, and they can be started by simply pulling the trigger. These machines can handle light- to medium-duty jobs, and some models are capable of doing heavy-duty work.
However, your mobility is limited. You can only go as far as your extension cord will let you and youll also have an extension cord dangling around. This is another thing you will need to be careful about. Using a chainsaw already requires your full attention.
To get the best performance out of your electric chainsaw youll need a quality extension cord of the proper gauge and probably a minimum of 15.2 m of it. If you dont have a cord laying around, youll have to buy one and, depending on what your saw needs, it can get pretty expensive.
Battery Chainsaw
The best battery-powered chainsaws are for light to moderate work, but only on a very limited basis. These saws don’t have the same power as an electric or gas. These saws can be just as expensive, or even more expensive, than electric and gas. This is because of the cost of the batteries and chargers.
However, they are still very clean and easy to run. You can take them all the places you could a gas chainsaw. As long as you understand the limitations on the battery runtime. But once you run out of juice youll be taking a long break unless you have additional batteries on backup.
Safety Basics For Chainsaws
Chainsaws can be amazing, but they can also be dangerous. Chainsaws can be dangerous if you don’t know what to do or get too excited. Chainsaws are responsible for thousands of injuries every year. They command and deserve a healthy amount of respect.
Kickback is the most dangerous part of a chainsaw for most people. There are two possible ways to kickback on a chainsaw. The first is if the chain gets pinched between the material its cutting and causes the saw to drive backward into the handler.
The second way is if the tip of the bar comes into contact with something. This is the more dangerous form of kickback. Because all the torque from the chain suddenly stopping gets transferred to the body of the chainsaw, the chainsaw wants to flip back at the saw handler, presumably with the throttle still held down. This is literally where you start to see the problem.
All this happens in the blink of an eye and if you dont have a firm grip or youve let your mind wander from the task at hand the situation becomes far worse.
Quick Look: Chain Brake
This is why a chain brake on a chainsaw is important. The chain brake is a pressure trigger positioned in front of the left-hand grip. If kickback occurs and the saw attempts to flip, the chain brake is activated by the back of the hand or wrist of the handler which stops the chain almost instantly. This feature is not available on all chainsaws. On some it is just a guard, so that is why it is important to read up on the specific chainsaw you intend to purchase.
Chainsaws can quickly wear your hands, largely due to the vibration. This can affect your ability to hold onto the saw which means you dont have as much control and if a kickback occurred at this time it would be that much worse.
Regular breaks can help you save your hands. A few chainsaws have an anti-vibration system, but it is a good idea also to get vibration reducing gloves. A good investment is to have chaps that cover your legs and provide protection for your eyes and ears. As with most things in life, the safest way to avoid getting yourself hurt is to minimize your risk to begin with.
The best piece of safety equipment you have is your head, so use that first. You should pay attention to what you are doing and avoid taking unnecessary risks. If something feels unsafe, it most likely is.
Smallest Battery-Operated Chainsaw
Black & Decker LCS1240
The Black & Decker LCS1240 is a surprisingly powerful and determined machine. It is a pleasant surprise for a battery-operated saw. Although you won’t be cutting redwoods, the LCS1240 can handle almost any job a homeowner might need.
In addition to handling any trimming and brush clearing, the LCS1240 can process logs for firewood and even fell small to medium sized trees with a little patience.
The chainsaw itself uses a 30 cm low-kickback bar and chain, which is good because you wont find a chain brake on this one, and weighs just 38 kg. Black & Decker’s 2.0Ah MAX lithium-ion 40-volt motor is used in all other Black & Decker products. This is a huge advantage if you already have Black & Decker-operated tools.
The battery can make approximately 60 cuts and last for about 50 minutes before it needs to be recharged. The LCS1240 has some nice features such as a tool-less chain tensioner and an automatic oiler. The automatic oiler seems to be a source of complaints as some have said it appears to leak, not just weep oil after use, but full-on leak where it doesnt oil the bar/chain at all.
Overall, if you stay within the limits of what the LCS1240 is capable of doing, and that should be plenty for most homeowners, this is a delightful tool to have around.
Makita XCU02Z
Makita XCU02Z can be described as a battery-powered beast mode. It is capable of handling more than its 36-volts (two 18V LXT Lithium Ion batteries). Makita has a reputation for producing excellent tools and this chainsaw is no exception.
The motor is powerful enough to crank the chain at 1650 FPM, and it can chew through logs and trees with great gusto. The motor can handle all trimming, pruning, and clearing of brush. At 46 kg it feels a little beefier but is still light enough to be easily maneuvered.
The XCU02Z runs on a 30 cm bar, and is very quiet. It also has a tool-less chain tensioner, automatic oiler, and a chain brake for your safety. The main downside to the XCU02Z is it is expensive.
The battery or charger are not included in the base price. These can be as expensive or more than the chainsaw and make this item slip to the top. However, if you already own battery-operated Makita tools on the 18-volt platform this is less of a hurdle.
Best Small Electric Chainsaw
Makita UC3551A
This is the powerlifting older brother to the XCU02Z. Sure, they might be from the same family, they even look similar, but when you need a refrigerator moved into your third-floor apartment we know who youre gonna call first.
Beyond professional tree felling and processing, there is not much this chainsaw cant handle. The saw has a 36 cm diameter bar and a 15-amp motor that can rip the chain at an insane 2900 FPM. And if you somehow manage to push this saw too far there is a built-in limiter to avoid burning the motor out.
The chainsaw is easy to use and can handle regular, heavy work. The chainsaw has an automatic oiler, which can be used with different viscosities.
The UC3551A is reasonably expensive considering you will need a long (at least 15.2m), 10 to 12-gauge extension cord to run this chainsaw optimally. That will add significantly to the overall cost. I am a big believer in the „buy nice or twice“ mentality. However, for many people this is a significant investment for a tool that could far exceed their usual usage requirements.
Remington Limb N Trim RM1425
With the Remington Limb N Trim RM1425 we jump to the other end of the spectrum in electric chainsaws. This is a light duty chainsaw that is a surprisingly capable cutter. Its best suited for smaller jobs such as trimming, pruning, clearing brush, felling very small trees, and processing smaller diameter logs into firewood.
The RM1425 is incredibly lightweight at 283 kg. It has a 36 cm low kickback bar and chain, and an 8-amp motor. This makes it very easy to use even for novices. The features are all pretty basic: the chain tensioner is side access which requires a tool to adjust, the oiler is manual, and there is no chain brake.
Overall, the RM1425 is a very affordable and capable chainsaw for most homeowners. Although it will require a decent 12- to 16-gauge extension cable, this will increase the price. However, if you have a good understanding of the RM1425’s capabilities and a little patience, you can achieve a lot with it.
Best Small Gas Chainsaw
Echo CS-310
There are seemingly few well-built, well-reviewed gas chainsaws in the 36 cm bar or below market. Most manufacturers seem content to let electric and battery-operated chainsaws dominate.
Having said that the Echo CS-310 more than fills a need for those hungry for a gas chainsaw in this size.
The CS-310 with its 36 cm bar and grunty 30.5cc engine will rip through even larger diameter lumber with authority and its still light enough (40 kg) to use for pruning and trimming. Although the Echo i-30 system makes it easier to start, it won’t be as easy as an electric or battery-operated engine. Same thing for noise level. Its quiet as far as gas goes but when compared to battery or electric its two different beasts.
The CS-310 is a pro-grade piece of equipment in terms of features. It uses an automatic oiler and side access chain tensioner. It has a vibration reduction system and a chain brake for safety and comfort.
Sure, it wont start or run as quiet as battery or electric and there is quite a bit more maintenance with a gas but there is something so satisfying about the rev of a gas chainsaw, especially when it chews through lumber like a half-starved beaver.
