What do you think of electric chain saws?

[C. Amick]

I having issues with my old gasoline chain saws and I am a better tractor mechanic than I am a chain saw mechanic. I am considering switching to an electric chain saw. Do they cut just as fast as a gasoline one?

 

[soupkid]

Electric are great for cutting up branches and small trees as long as you keep it sharp, if it dull it would be faster cutting with a buck saw.
If you're planning on cutting firewood, gas all the way.

 

[Mule Meat]

I have a 56 volt Echo with an 18" bar. It will cut anything that my 18" gas saws will. It is not as fast cutting as my CS 400, but close. I like the fact that it uses the same bar and chains as the comparable gas models. And it comes with a 5 year warranty out of the box with no hoops to jump through.

 

[DanielW]

Still use gasses in the bush, but around the mill or around the house for the odd cut here and there and limbing, the electric are fantastic. We have Milwaukees, and I've used my Uncle's Greenworx and Ryobi a fair bit. I was expecting the Milwaukee to be notably better, but I think those ones made my household power tool companies are all about the same.

I've used Echo and Stihl's electric saws a fair bit at sites, and if I were buying another electric saw (or rather: when I buy another), it will definitely be an Echo or Stihl. While the Milwaukee is OK, you can tell the Milwaukee and others like it are made by companies that make lighter household power tools. Whereas you can really tell the Stihl and Echo are from companies that specialize in commercial-use chainsaws. Much heavier built that the Milwaikee/Ryobi/Greenworx.

 

[greenmech]

I having issues with my old gasoline chain saws and I am a better tractor mechanic than I am a chain saw mechanic. I am considering switching to an electric chain saw. Do they cut just as fast as a gasoline one?

I have an EGO 18 inch. Cuts as well as a gas. When battery is dead, time to rest. Have cut several big trees up and no problem. Ron MN

 

[Ray,IN]

3 years ago I bought a Ryobi 40v reconditioned electric chainsaw.(reconditioned was ½ the price of new but with same warranty) I really like it for trimming and light work, but it's heavier than my Echo 18" gasser. By the time the battery runs down, so am I. Then we both go back to the house to recharge. As others said, it's not for sawing up firewood or cutting down large trees.
For cutting firewood or trees, I grab my larger Echo since the smaller one is not working and I can't find a place to have it repaired. It acts like the flywheel key is sheared, starter rope kicks back big-time.

 

[kevin110]

I have a 120v pole saw 10 inch. It gets used a couple of times per year. I'm very satisfied with it. kevin110

 

[Dieseltech]

I have a Stihl that works well and an OLD Craftsman 110 volt electric that is used on the Snorkel manlift that has a built in generator. I carry an extra battery for the Stihl and when both are used up I'm ready to quit for awhile.

 

[timcasbolt]

I've been using a corded electric chainsaw for 30 years. Largest tree I cut down was about 30" at the base. I would emphasize that I don't do it for a living, and the saw sometimes sits on the shelf for years at a time. That's the biggest advantage of all: pull it off the shelf, put some bar oil in it and go to work.

 

[Aaron SEIA]

I've worked with some of the Stihl electric ones. They are a beast for what they are. Not going to run all day of course, but they'll cut every bit as good as a gas one in the same category.
AaronSEIA

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

I have a Ryobi 40 volt and hardly ever start the Husky now. Only when I have a big tree to cut down or saw up . The Ryobi would do it but a little slower. Sure is a lot easier to crank to start.

 

[showcrop]

I find that my Ryobi 40 V operates at the speed of light compared to my husky. Most jobs that I do with it are done in less time than it takes to get my Husky running. I got an extra battery with it, but I doubt from my experience with it so far that I will use it much.

 

[560Dennis]

I got a Ryobi 40 volt chain saw. Keep the chain sharp and don’t run it while after a finish cut battery will last .
I get about 8 to 12 cuts through a 10 inch firewood would log depending on wood type, chain conditions ,and my methods . Then have to charge it up. Got to wait till the battery cools to charge. Put it in the refrigerator if in a hurry.
I never depend on it for felling a tree. I have a husky for that. I use it for bucking limbs .
What I’m using it for .

 

[john in la]

I have a 120 volt chainsaw that my sister gave to me. It works great and is my go to chainsaw within 100 feet of an electric outlet.
The only problem with it is the short bar.
I have 2 trees laying in my yard right now that are bigger than the bar so I had to keep switching sides of the tree to keep the cut equal. That can be a problem if you are cutting a tree in tight quarters because the fall might go sideways it the two sides aren’t equal.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I haven't used a full sized electric but out daughter gave the wife an 8 inch B&D 19 volt for Christmas. An August storm in '24 took down some trees around the yard. I kind of snickered when she brought it out but it's the handiest little thing for cleaning up all the little branches and limbs. Takes the same batter as the trimmer and blower.

 

[MeanGene1]

I have a bunch of the 20V DeWalt stuff, including the sawzall. A while back I noticed the "pruning" blades for sawzall and gave them a try, $10 or so apiece. Those suckers are amazingly sharp! I have a small Genie lift so do a lot of pruning from it, and have cut limbs up to 8" with it- works really well on up to 4-5" stuff, slow on the bigger stuff but works, and the light weight of the sawzall lets you cut up high without getting arm-weary. I usually take 3 batteries up with me, and by the time they are spent, I'm also ready for a break

 

[woodbutcher]

My old Craftsman 110v came with a 16" bar and will do all the cutting I want to do around the place. The only problem I have is with the oiler over-supply. If I set it down with a full reservoir and leave it for ten minutes, it looks like the Exxon Valdez was parked there.

Butch

 

[rrlund]

Faster. I've got an Atlas 18 inch 80 volt. It doesn't bog down like a gas. It's a cutting machine. Unbelievable how much you can cut and how fast. I about starved to death one day cleaning up storm damage. I was going to run it until the battery went dead then charge it while I got something to eat. At 2 o'clock, it was still going and I was done.

 

[Don B.]

Was thinking about picking up a Milwaukee battery powered one to toss in the camper as where we go there's always downed trees in the woods around the campsite within short distance...

 

[DoubleR]

I have a Ryobi 40 volt saw with 14 inch bar and a 40 volt pole saw. I have two 40 volt batteries. I'm real happy with them for keeping things trimmed up around my place. Hardly ever use my gas saws. By the time my batteries are dead like others, I'm ready for a break. I also brought my wife a 18 volt Ryobi hand saw for her fruit trees. Can't believe how handy that thing is as I use it all the time. Battery operated Ryobi saws and tools are the best thing I've added to my tool arsonal in a long time.