Battery powered chainsaw recommendations? (2017)

[Grumpycat]

The wife finally ran a battery down today. Seems they run for about 2 1/2 hours on the battery. We've run lithiums dead many many times. Sometimes, if tried to charge when still warm, they won't go. Just let them sit and cool.

Running the battery until the tool stops is not the same thing as running the battery until it is completely depleted. Lithium tools must cut off when the battery still has something in it else the chemistry destroys the cells.

NiCAD and NiMH tools didn't bother to try. Is hard on NiCAD and NiMH to be run until little comes out but is not the certain death as it is for lithium chemistries.

 

[terryknight]

I've been looking at a battery powered top handled saw for several months. I have been doing more and more tree work as of late and last Monday I bought a Stihl 161T. Its 36v weighs under five pounds without the battery 8.5 ish with the battery, has a 12" bar and 1/4" picco chain. I bought one battery and the slow 300 charger; out the door with tax $684, yes that's a chunk of change, but I am getting paid to cut tress down. The biggest pain I had with the 201T I am comparing it too was starting the saw while in a tree and/or in the bucket. I can use this saw completely one handed, though I may shave the plastic down around the safety button you have to push in to get the saw to run, so that it is easier to use one handed. I like that i don't have to start and stop the saw in order to hear the guys on the ground. While cutting I still like to use muffs since it is a little louder than I like while cutting, but no where near as bad as a gas saw. The battery lasts a long time. I did recharge it between jobs, but I'm not sure I really needed to. It has 4 bars and I ave only gotten down to two. The biggest draw back is the lack of power. It's great up to 4-5" but doing lots of 6" or bigger is SLOW. I changed out to the gas 201T at that point.

It is also strange the first time you stall the chain the saw just stops where a gas one the clutch slips and the motor runs this doesn't, its strange, I will get use to it eventually.

I think it will be nice for my father when he needs a small saw, he's been using my 201T.

overall 3.5 stars

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Our 40 volt HF chain saw is still doing fine. The daughter has been giving their pole saw a work out. I saw a 60 volt saw the other day that looked nice. It have have been a Green Works. Stihl makes awesome saws.

 

[bridge4]

I've been looking at a battery powered top handled saw for several months. I have been doing more and more tree work as of late and last Monday I bought a Stihl 161T. Its 36v weighs under five pounds without the battery 8.5 ish with the battery, has a 12" bar and 1/4" picco chain. I bought one battery and the slow 300 charger; out the door with tax $684, yes that's a chunk of change, but I am getting paid to cut tress down. The biggest pain I had with the 201T I am comparing it too was starting the saw while in a tree and/or in the bucket. I can use this saw completely one handed, though I may shave the plastic down around the safety button you have to push in to get the saw to run, so that it is easier to use one handed. I like that i don't have to start and stop the saw in order to hear the guys on the ground. While cutting I still like to use muffs since it is a little louder than I like while cutting, but no where near as bad as a gas saw. The battery lasts a long time. I did recharge it between jobs, but I'm not sure I really needed to. It has 4 bars and I ave only gotten down to two. The biggest draw back is the lack of power. It's great up to 4-5" but doing lots of 6" or bigger is SLOW. I changed out to the gas 201T at that point.

It is also strange the first time you stall the chain the saw just stops where a gas one the clutch slips and the motor runs this doesn't, its strange, I will get use to it eventually.

I think it will be nice for my father when he needs a small saw, he's been using my 201T.

overall 3.5 stars

should have went with the MSA200 or MSA220. 14 and 16" bars. Not much heavier and the price isn't really much different either, but somewhat significant upgrade IMO.

 

[terryknight]

should have went with the MSA200 or MSA220. 14 and 16" bars. Not much heavier and the price isn't really much different either, but somewhat significant upgrade IMO.

maybe i wsan't clear..... i wanted a top handle

 

[RalphVa]

For limbing, you cannot beat the Stihl MSA-120. For cutting logs, you might want to look at a Stihl model that takes a regular chain.

Stihl hogs the bar oil, and the bar oil indicator is not very good. Best to keep an oil container handy and put more in at each battery change.


Ralp

 

[ernemats]

Does anyone have the 60 volt Craftsman battery chain saw that Lowes sold.. My neighbor has one and it stopped working, they no longer sell it.

 

[bcp]

HF 14 inch Lynxx 40 volt chainsaw.

Today was the first extended use on consistent sized wood. Douglas Fir log, dead about a year, 30 rings at the last cut. Battery was charged a couple of days ago.

First cut was 7 inch diameter, last was 9 inches diameter. The saw made 18 cuts. No waiting time between cuts except several times to reposition the log lifter. The saw stopped a couple of times on the last cut. About 10 seconds wait and it would cut for about 5 more seconds to finish the cut. The saw has been used about 6-8 months with the same chain, mainly trimming and a few smaller trees cut for firewood, so it wasn't as sharp as new.

Bruce

 

[dfkrug]

Well, this thread is 3.5y old now, and man has the battery-powered industry evolved.

My 40V Greenworks polesaw is still working after well over a year of use. I have some issues, however: it has too much power, so it often jumps off a branch when triggered. It may benefit from a lower chain speed.

Bigger issue is the brush system inside on the motor. They get really hot, and sometimes send out some pretty big sparks. The unit also sometimes does not start until you push or pull the chain a bit.

That said, brushless motors are the new trend, and Greenworks now has a brushless polesaw, but it is over $400! Does it solve all these problems?

 

[ultrarunner]

NO complaints here and I find myself readily doing small tasks that before I would put off until bringing out the gas powered gear.

Don't use the Stihl pole saw too much but great when I need it.

The extended reach hedge trimmer and blower used the most followed by the chainsaw and then the pole saw...

There are times I really could use a battery leaf vacuum... not for big things but to tidy up... so far don't think one is available... it would make quick work in the rock landscaped cactus garden...