5 Eco-Friendly Electric Chainsaws Worth Checking Out
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Battery-electric chainsaws offer the same portability as their gas-burning counterparts. However, unlike internal combustion engines, battery power doesn't require fuel or mixing gas with two-stroke oil, and it eliminates the chance of a fouled carburetor or spark plug rendering your saw useless midway into the task.
There's little argument that electric-powered chainsaws are more eco-friendly than their fuel-burning counterparts. However, producing plastics, batteries, and electricity still has some adverse environmental impacts. So maybe it's time to start looking at electric chainsaw efficiency when we explore eco-friendly options.
We took Popular Mechanics' rundown of 2024's best electric chainsaws and calculated an efficiency score for 12 of the best options. We focused on the chainsaws thoroughly tested by Popular Mechanics, excluding mini-chainsaws.
We've limited selections to electric chainsaws that cost under $500. One honorable mention is the Stihl MSA 300 C-O, a highly efficient contender we dropped from consideration because of its $799 price tag. That's not including the required 500 S battery. If you don't already have one and need to buy one, you're looking at around $1,200.
If you're just getting started with your first chainsaw purchase or looking for an easier saw to maintain, we've narrowed down the choices to these five eco-friendly electric chainsaws.
Amazon brand Denali by Skil
While the Amazon brand Denal by Skil 20-volt chainsaw is very efficient, its current availability makes it hard to get. If you can find one, just be aware it's loud and vibrates excessively, according to the Popular Mechanics test. Some prime features of this chainsaw include its affordable price of $128.92, light weight, and compatibility with Skil's PWR Core 20 power tool collection. Another option not tested by Popular Mechanics, although slightly more expensive, is the Skil PWR Core 20 chainsaw; since the Amazon Denali is essentially a rebranded Skil, their efficiencies should compare favorably.
The Denali by Skil chainsaw features a 12-inch guide bar with toolless chain tension adjustments. It comes equipped with a 0.375-inch pitch saw chain with 0.043-inch thick guide lugs.
The included 20-volt 4.0 amp-hour lithium battery powers the Denali by Skil's digital brushless electric motor. The kit also contains a 2.4-amp 20-volt charger capable of recharging the 4.0 amp-hour battery in under two hours.
A five-year warranty covers the Denali by Skil 20-volt chainsaw. Amazon reports two years of warranty coverage on the battery.
Husqvarna Power Axe 350i
The Husqvarna Power Axe 350i has a 40-volt battery system and an 18-inch guide bar. Buying options include the chainsaw-only version without a battery for $329.99 and the chainsaw with a battery for $479.99. The chainsaw-only option makes adding the Husqvarna Power Axe 350i to your existing collection of 40-volt Husqvarna tools less expensive.
According to Lowe's, a leading supplier of Husqvarna products, the Power Axe 350i features a brushless motor. Its 18-inch guide bar uses a 62-link saw chain with a 0.375-inch pitch and 0.050-inch guide lugs.
The Power Axe 350i uses Husqvarna's BLi30 battery with a 7.7 amp-hour capacity, which Popular Mechanics calls "bulky." Lowe's lists the BLi30's run time as 0.65 hours with a 4.08-hour recharge time.
Husqvarna offers extended warranty packages of up to 5 years on some of its equipment. Lowe's indicates the Power Axe 350i comes with a warranty that covers parts for three years and labor for two years.
Echo DCS-5000-18CS
The Echo DCS-5000-18CS is a full-size battery-powered chainsaw featuring an 18-inch guide bar and 56-volt power. The 18CS model comes with a compatible 5.0 amp-hour battery and charger for $299.99. If you already have one of Echo's 56-volt 2.5 or 5.0 amp-hour batteries for use with other Echo products, you can choose the 18BT chainsaw-only option for $199.99.
The Echo DCS-5000 uses a brushless motor and weighs 14.6 pounds with the 5.0 amp-hour battery attached. The 18-inch guide bar supports a 0.375-pitch saw chain with 0.050-inch guide lugs.
The 5.0 amp-hour battery that comes with the DCS-5000 includes Echo's standard charger, which can charge the battery in 2.5 hours. The 2.5 amp-hour battery can recharge in half the time. Echo's optional rapid charger cuts charging time to 38 minutes for the 2.5 amp-hour and 75 minutes for the 5.0 amp-hour batteries.
Echo backs the chainsaw with a five-year consumer or two-year commercial warranty. The battery warranty is good for two years for consumer or commercial use.
RIDGID R01101
As the exclusive in-store dealer for Ridgid tools, Home Depot sells the 18-volt 12-inch Ridgid R01101 brushless motor chainsaw for $269.00 with the 6.0 amp-hour MAX battery and charger included. If you already have a battery compatible with other Ridgid power tools, you can choose the chainsaw-only option for $189.00.
The Ridgid R01101 comes equipped with a 12-inch guide bar and saw chain. The included saw chain carries a 0.375-inch pitch and 0.043-inch thick guide lugs.
The battery that comes with the kit delivers 6.0 amp-hours at 18 volts. Ridgid includes a standard charger that could take up to three hours to replenish the 6.0 amp-hour battery. However, the $79 Rapid Charger recharges your chainsaw battery in an hour.
The Ridgid chainsaw is covered under Ridgid's three-year warranty. However, it's also eligible for inclusion in Ridgid's Lifetime Service Agreement, which provides a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser if they register their purchase with Ridgid.
Worx Nitro WG385 and Greenworks CS406412 chainsaws
Tied for fifth place on our list of eco-friendly electric chainsaws are the $329.99 Worx Nitro and the $293.99 Greenworks entries. Both chainsaws feature 40-volt operating systems with 4.0 amp-hour batteries and charging stations included.
Both chainsaws use brushless electric motors and come equipped with 16-inch guide bars featuring toolless saw chain tension adjustment. Their nearly identical saw chain dimensions include a 0.375-inch pitch with 0.043-inch thick guide lugs.
The battery charger included with the Worx Nitro chainsaw delivers about four amps of charging power, capable of topping off the 4.0 amp-hour battery in about an hour. The Greenworks chainsaw battery charger takes two hours to recharge a 4.0 amp-hour battery.
Greenworks provides a two-year warranty on the battery and up to four years on the chainsaw. Worx chainsaws are covered for five years, while the batteries get three-year warranty protection.
Of the two chainsaws, only the Greenworks chainsaw received a negative comment from Popular Mechanics about its "ineffective bumper spikes." However, reviewers gave both chainsaws the nod for their long battery life.
How we ranked these eco-friendly electric chainsaws
Popular Mechanics tested the chainsaws on the list by cutting thin discs, or cookies, from six-inch diameter hardwood logs. The test results note the number of discs cut on a single charge, any cons, such as excessive vibration or noise levels, and any stand-out characteristics.
We multiplied each chainsaw's voltage by the listed battery amp-hour-rating to calculate relative efficiency. This gave us a standard watt-hour value to compare the different voltage chainsaws with varying amp-hour batteries. Then, we divided the watt-hours by the number of cookies each chainsaw cut, as reported on Popular Mechanics' test results, to find the five most efficient battery-powered electric chainsaws under $500.