5 Top-Rated Chainsaws You Can Find At Ace Hardware

For many homeowners and nature lovers, the arrival of spring means starting a weekly yardwork routine or taking to the great outdoors to explore and discover the beauty of our natural world. However, while most of us were huddled indoors, savoring the warmth of our heaters, nature was reclaiming its spaces. It's important to clear out the off-season overgrowth to kick off the season properly. Many homeowners and yardwork enthusiasts can get by with weed eaters and lawn mowers. But those with large yards, those who live in extremely rural, heavily wooded areas, or those who enjoy hitting the trails and basking in nature's glory may need something a bit more hardcore to clear overgrown brush and shrubbery. For these adventurers and landscaping aficionados, a quality chainsaw may be the best tool for the job.

If you're planning to purchase a chainsaw, Ace Hardware, a store with must-have tools for every home garage, is a great place to look. From electrician's instruments to diagnostic devices and, yes, even chainsaws, Ace Hardware is full of underrated tools to help you complete various projects and tasks. We scoured the Ace Hardware site, and we compared nearly 100 different saws to provide you with a comprehensive look at the store's chainsaw selection and some of its best deals. We'll go into our methodology in greater detail later, though. For now, check out these five top-rated chainsaws you can find at Ace Hardware.

EGO chainsaws are consistently found on lists of best chainsaw brands. The company is known for producing quality saws that don't require fossil fuels. While battery-electric chainsaws have their pros and cons, modern technology has enabled manufacturers to produce ever stronger and more powerful tools. These days, many battery-powered saws are capable of providing fossil fuel power without the extra weight or negative environmental impact. 

The EGO Power+ 16-inch 56V Battery Chainsaw Kit may be a solid choice for homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts. It provides power equivalent to a 35cc gas-powered saw without the need to purchase fuel or pump the air full of harmful emissions. Its 16-inch bar is suitable for most light-duty work, including trimming, pruning, and minor tree felling, while its 56-volt battery is capable of powering the saw for up to 250 cuts on a single charge. The saw features a low-kickback mechanism to prevent hand and arm fatigue, a quick chain adjustment feature, and an engine capable of spinning at 6,800 RPM for maximum efficiency.

A 16-inch chainsaw can handle most light-duty work, including things like trail clearing, residential pruning, and cleaning up damage from a fallen tree. However, those searching for a more versatile tool may want to look for a saw with a longer bar. Increasing the bar size to 18 inches can drastically improve utility, while anything over 20 inches is more suited to professional work. 

The EGO Power+ 18-inch 56V Battery Chainsaw Kit is the older sibling of the previous saw we covered and could be a great option for those looking for a larger and more robust tool. The saw provides the same power as a 45cc gas device and is capable of performing up to 300 cuts on a single battery charge. It features an 18-inch bar, designed for light to mid-level work ranging from pruning and trimming to chopping up branches and felling trees. The saw has built-in LED lights to help illuminate your work area, a quick, tool-free chain adjustment mechanism, and an engine capable of 11,000 RPM for efficient work. The kit includes the saw itself, a battery charger, and a 56V battery that works with all EGO battery-powered tools.

Chainsaws come in many different shapes and sizes. While many people may picture a traditional chainsaw with its long bar and large powerhead, that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these devices. In reality, there are various different types of chainsaws, from small, drill-like tools to long pole saws designed to trim tree tops. Each type of saw serves a specific purpose and has unique applications, and you should check out a chainsaw buyer's guide or do a substantial amount of research to determine which style best suits your needs. 

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 10-inch 18V Battery Pole Saw Kit could be a solid choice for homeowners and landscapers. The kit features a pole that's over six feet and a three-foot extension, allowing you to reach more than 9 feet and access high branches. Furthermore, the Quik-Lok mechanism enables you to swap in various attachments, meaning you can use this kit as a pole saw, weed eater, and edger. The battery-powered saw is capable of making up to 150 cuts per charge while the engine reaches full throttle in under one second. The kit includes a shoulder strap, one battery charger, and one 18V battery that you can use with more than 175 other Milwaukee M18 tools.

We mentioned earlier that bar size is an important factor to consider when selecting a chainsaw. While 16- and 18-inch saws are ideal for a wide range of light and mid-level tasks and 20-inch+ saws are geared more toward professional work, saws with bars sized 14 inches and smaller are more suited for light-duty residential yardwork and outdoor activities. 

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 14-inch 18V Battery Chainsaw is a smaller device that could be well-suited for homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts. The 14-inch bar is designed for light work like trimming, pruning, and cutting small branches and trees. You can use this saw to trim shrubbery, cut firewood, or clear brush along a trail, but if you're planning to fell large trees or use your saw for professional work, you probably need something a bit bigger. The Milwaukee 14-inch chainsaw uses the same M18 batteries as more than 175 other Milwaukee devices, and it's capable of making up to 150 cuts per charge. The saw reaches full power in less than one second and has a brushless motor capable of providing the same power output as a 40cc gas-powered device. The downside to this saw is that it does not include a battery or charger. However, if you own any other M18 tools, you can use those batteries to power this Milwaukee chainsaw.

Small, lightweight chainsaws are ideal for convenient use and light-duty jobs. Many of these saws are smaller than 10 inches, and they're designed for minor tasks like cutting small amounts of firewood and clearing brush. You won't be able to cut down large or even mid-size trees with a six-inch chainsaw, but they can be excellent tools to keep in your kit. Due to their diminutive size, these saws don't take up much space, and they're incredibly lightweight and easy to maneuver. 

The Milwaukee M12 FUEL 6-Inch 12V Battery Pruning Saw Kit could be a helpful tool for nature lovers and homeowners with small yards. The 6-inch saw weighs less than 5 pounds, while its blade can cut branches up to 3 inches in diameter, and its 4.0Ah battery is capable of performing up to 120 cuts on a single charge. The tool has an easy-access chain tensioner, automatic oiler mechanism, and a built-in storage compartment for the scrench tool. The saw is part of the M12 family of devices, featuring over 120 different tools, and the battery is compatible with all other M12 products. The kit includes the saw itself, one battery, and a battery charger.

When selecting items for this list, we considered a few criteria: user ratings, price, and product features and applications. We chose to write about the top-rated chainsaws you can find at Ace Hardware. To find those saws, we studied user ratings and reviews. Each of the tools featured in this article has a 4.5/5-star rating or higher based on no fewer than 1,000 user reviews. 

While we endeavored to include chainsaws for various applications and user needs, we ultimately wanted to showcase some of the top user-rated saws the store has to offer. We also considered price, and we focused on products under $500. Each of the tools covered here comes in below that threshold, with all but one of the saws costing less than $400. Finally, we factored in application and versatility when choosing products for this list. We wanted to include a variety of chainsaws that homeowners, hobbyists, and even professionals can find useful for their jobs and projects. The items we included on this list each have real-world applications ranging from trimming tree tops and clearing debris off a driveway to gathering firewood and removing overgrowth from a trail.