Thread: Cordless chainsaw experiences and recommendations?

I recently got a loan of a pre-release Dewalt battery chainsaw and I have to say it cut very nicely. Probably need 3 batteries to work non stop but for track/fence clearing and firewood collecting it'd be more than fine.
I'm waiting for the AEG chainsaw to come back to Australia to compare.

Got a 36 volt Ryobi unit for Christmas with all the Bunnings vouchers I got.

Went the 36 volt unit as I want to get the mower too at some stage. I just wanted to be able to cut up a few small branches to make a small fire with when camping, but it is much more capable than that. I used it around the FIL's farm and cut up 10 hardwood fence posts into fire wood and the battery still had 3/4 charge left in it. It is the same size as a small petrol powered saw and weighs about the same too, but it also cuts better than the cheap ones which really surprised me.

Not as cheap as a petrol powered saw but suits me for what I want down to the ground. If you were heading out bush for weeks on end it isn't what your after but for a weekend saw you can keep in the back of the car and not have to worry about the smell of petrol, etc - they are great.

Originally Posted by Homestar

Got a 36 volt Ryobi unit for Christmas with all the Bunnings vouchers I got.

Went the 36 volt unit as I want to get the mower too at some stage. I just wanted to be able to cut up a few small branches to make a small fire with when camping, but it is much more capable than that. I used it around the FIL's farm and cut up 10 hardwood fence posts into fire wood and the battery still had 3/4 charge left in it. It is the same size as a small petrol powered saw and weighs about the same too, but it also cuts better than the cheap ones which really surprised me.

Not as cheap as a petrol powered saw but suits me for what I want down to the ground. If you were heading out bush for weeks on end it isn't what your after but for a weekend saw you can keep in the back of the car and not have to worry about the smell of petrol, etc - they are great.

Good feedback, I appreciate the petrol comparison - one of my mates who's got every chainsaw ticket under the sun used the Dewalt and admitted he'd probably be reaching for it for those kind of jobs before the baby petrol saw.
I was impressed with the torque and progressive feel - no sudden stalling and as good as impossible to get kick back from. Could bore cut hard wood no worries. And just easy, and quiet. I'm dead keen when I have some coin. The extra money is well worth it for the ease and convenience IM (now slightly informed) O.

I'm yet to see one of these in action......

Every camping trip seems to be only petrols.

Stuart, just reading some of your feedback

- no sudden stalling is this in relation to petrols or the smaller cordless units?

- impossible to get kick back, what do the unit ha to prevent this? Although I cannot recall the last time I had a kickback on a petrol.

- ease and convenience...both petrols and cordless easy and convenient.....

The only pro (a big pro) I see with cordless is no petrol smell which means it can be stored inside the car

The con is charging batteries.....I wonder how many batteries you would go through compare the the 2L of fuel I carry.

I'm not convinced on them yet...but that might change when I see one in the flesh and if it can do a decent job.

Not a bad comparo

36V Cordless Chainsaw Shootout Comparison Review

I only had a quick read but the stihl sounds like a nice piece of kit.

I say no sudden stalling cos it's been suggested some cordless brands get high chain speeds using inappropriate gearing, making them gutless and prone to just stopping. But the Dewalt just neared down and let you back off if necessary, and had a good progressive trigger.

I say near impossible to get kick back cos I tried. I don't get kick back with petrol saws cos I know what I'm doing but there's always that time you're tired, catch a branch or nick some bark and get a kick. For the sake of the exercise of assessing it OHS-wise I (carefully) did as much as I could to induce kick back. Maybe it's the lighter and narrower chain, slightly lower chainspeed, bar design or other stuff I don't know.

Ease and convenience - no cold starts or starts at all, messing with 2 stroke, maintenance ever beyond basic cleaning and chain sharpening, no flooding or spilling if packed wrong, light, very little to go wrong...
I don't know how far 2L or even 10L of fuel gets you. The Stihl claims 30 odd mins of constant run time which, depending on the job amounts to plenty of time to quick charge a second battery, even if you have to make a cuppa after 45 mins of sawing and stacking/dragging. And once your 10L is gone, there's more chance you'll have solar/generator/other battery capacity for a recharge out in the bush.

I was the same in that I really needed to try one out, and given I found the Dewalt was surprisingly good I expect the Stihl to be quite a little cracker. If only they'd put a 16 rather than 14" bar on them!

Thanks Stu......

As I'm impressed with our electric lawn mower I guess an electric chain saw would have similar advantages. My Stihl wouldn't start today so an electric is sounding good.