A How-To Guide to Finding the Best Chainsaw

When cutting down trees, you will be hard-pressed to find a better tool than a chainsaw. Tried and trustworthy over decades of use, they are unbeatable for limbing, pruning, and felling. While the concept of a chainsaw remains the same, today’s modern chainsaws have advanced significantly from the saw your grandfather might have used. They are no longer only gas-driven; they have safety mechanisms to prevent nasty injuries, and new materials make them lighter and more robust. However, all these features, functions, and power can make finding the perfect chainsaw harder than you would think. That said, we have compiled a guide to help you decide what kind of chainsaw is the best for you.

Read About:

Bar Length • Fuel Type • Safety Features • Important Features • Handle Placement • Other Types Of Chainsaws

Bar Length

Choosing the right size tool for the job is always the first thing you should consider. The length bar should be no longer than half the width of the broadest tree you plan to cut. To get an accurate estimate of the size you need, consider the type of work you will be doing and where you plan to use it. Farms and forests have more tall trees to cut down on than cities and require longer bars. Shorter bars are easier to handle but restrict you to minor cuts. Giant saws also need bigger motors, making them loud and heavy.

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What’s the difference between Gas, Battery, and Electric models?

Gas

The most significant and potent chainsaws have gasoline-powered internal combustion engines. They are also the most versatile design without a power cord tethering them to a wall outlet. They cut fast and support longer bars, which is common in commercial applications. From logging forestry to farming, ranching, and groundskeeping, a gas saw has what it takes. Gas chainsaws can also be cut for extended periods since they need to add more gas if running low. Never wait for batteries to charge or stay close to utility power.

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Battery

Battery-powered chainsaws have steadily grown in popularity in recent years. As battery technology and brushless motors have become more advanced and available, their power has rivaled many smaller gas chainsaws, especially for consumer use.

Battery-powered saws are typically smaller than gas models, but they make up for what they lack in size and convenience. No gas engine means no maintenance, as well as having no exhaust and minimal noise. They also start without a pull cord, even on chilly days or after sitting without use for a long time.

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Electric

Corded electric chainsaws have been a great alternative to gas saws for a long time, especially for homeowners. They are almost silent during use and have no exhaust or engine maintenance. They are easy to store since there is no risk of motor oil leaking out. No metal engine or heavy battery weighing it down makes them the lightest category of saws. Electric saws are cheaper than the other two types because of their simple construction.

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Safety Features

Chainsaws are one of the most dangerous tools you will ever use. Safety is not something you can afford to be cheap about. Be sure when you choose a saw that it has as many safety features as possible to prevent serious injuries.

Chain Brake

A brake stops the chain from rotating if the saw kicks back. Once the saw jumps back at you, your hand hits the guard, and rather than winding down slowly, the saw stops almost immediately, reducing the risk of injury. All modern saws have this feature, but you still need to ensure it is present before you decide on a model.

Chain Catcher

If the chain breaks or comes off the bar, a catcher wads it up into a clump and prevents it from whipping out at you. It looks like a small metal bar on the bottom, so keep an eye open for it while looking for saws.

Low-Kickback Chain

Kickback is extremely dangerous when the tip of the chain catches on the wood and launches the saw back at you. Modern chains have features to reduce the likelihood of this hazard. Buying a chain or a saw will have either a green or a yellow indicator box on the packaging. Green means low kickback; you should always begin with these safer chains.

Narrow Bar

Narrow bars have a lower risk of kickback during use than wider bars. With less surface on the end of the bar to catch the wood, the speed will be much lower if it does shoot back.

Vibration Reduction

Chainsaws can produce dangerous vibrations that cause long-lasting health problems in your hands. Gas saws have the strongest vibration since the internal engine has many more moving parts than electric motors. Electric and cordless models also do not idle between cuts, so the only vibration created is while doing work. Low-vibration chains also exist. Any protection to your hands will help you keep the feeling in your fingers at the end of the day.

Trigger Lock

New chainsaws have mechanisms for protecting against accidental trigger pulls. The exact design varies from brand to brand, but you should never buy a saw without a safety on the trigger.

Weight And Balance

Chainsaws are heavy, so be sure you can control them the entire time you use them. If the saw is too heavy, you will have difficulty wrangling it through tough cuts. The more you tire yourself out, the more you risk hurting yourself or damaging your work. Gas saws are much heavier than either batteries or electric models.

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Important Features

Tool-FREE Chain Tightening

The chain heats up and expands as you cut, and then it needs to be tensioned for proper cutting. The luxury of tightening the chain without any extra tools could be worth it if you are not familiar with saw maintenance.

Automatic Oiler

Old-school chainsaws had to be oiled manually while cutting to prevent the bar and chain from overheating. New chainsaws always have automatic chain oilers, so this is hardly a concern anymore. However, if you plan to get an older used saw, check if it has an oiler before buying it.

Bucking Spikes

You also called a bucking plate, spike bar, felling bar, dog teeth, and many other names. Bucking spikes are a set of metal or plastic spikes to dig into the wood you are cutting, giving you more leverage during intense plunge cuts. It is not explicitly a safety feature, but providing extra grip reduces the risk of kickback if the blade jams.

Easy Start Pull Cord

Gasoline saws all must pull cord starters. They can be hard to start if they have not seen use in a while, especially on chilly days. Electric and cordless saws skip the cord altogether for the most effortless starts and start with a trigger pull.

Serviceability

Many name-brand chainsaws have networks of service centers where you can bring them for repairs. Make sure you buy an easily serviceable saw from nearby service centers.

Personal Protective Equipment

Chainsaws have no safety guards covering the cutting end, so any protection between you and the chain must be worn on the user side. Protective chaps protect your legs from an errant cut. The fabric fibers clog the saw and stop it in a fraction of a second. You must always hear ear and eye protection as well. Chainsaws, especially gas models, are very loud and throw chips with force. Sturdy work gloves are also essential. Not just to protect your hands against cuts but to have an extra layer to absorb dangerous vibrations as you work.

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Top Handle or Back Handle

Chainsaws have one handle that wraps from the top to the side for your left hand and a second handle in the rear with the trigger. But some specialist saws have both handles mounted on top. Top-handle chainsaws are more compact than typical saws, so that arborists can use them up high in trees. The handle configuration also allows for excellent maneuverability and distributes the tool’s weight to both arms rather than just one. Because the back of the saw is flat, they have rings for attaching to utility harnesses to make climbing easier.

Which Is Best?

For all purposes, rear-handle chainsaws are better. They have outstanding balance and are extremely easy to steer during cuts. The only times you need a top-handled saw is if you are a trained arborist up in the air. In this case, the smaller body dimensions let you make cuts easily at any height without worrying about the balance of the saw.

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Other Types of Chainsaws

Powerhead Saws

While some pole saws are resolute units, others are attachments for powerheads. By sharing a single motor, you can jump between a string trimmer, pole saw, and several other tools at a much lower investment than having multiple individual tools.

Compact Chainsaws

Some gardening and consumer-grade tools use chains to cut through wood or other small plants. While these share many features with their full-size brethren, they have drastically less cutting power and other safety features. Despite the power difference, they can still be valuable tools, such as the Worx JawSaw, if appropriately implemented.

Chainsaw Blades For Other Tools

Because of their unique cutting abilities, chainsaw blades have been adapted for many other tools. Many of these adaptations allow cuts that would have been impossible or required much more expensive tools. Two popular options are the King Arthur Lancelot cutter for angle grinders to make surface cuts in wood and the Prazi beam cutter for making 12” vertical cuts from a 7-¼” circular saw.

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