Cordless Chainsaw – Battery Powered 40 Volt Powerhouse
Last year I bought a battery powered (40 volt) electric cordless chainsaw and I couldn’t be happier with it.
I also have a nice Stihl gas chainsaw which is fantastic.
So you might be wondering, why would I buy a battery powered cordless chainsaw if I already have a gas chainsaw? Won’t the electric chainsaw be wimpy compared to that?
Good questions!
I was wondering about the wimp factor myself, but I took a chance. And let me tell you, my 40 volt Oregon cordless chainsaw is no wimp!
Oregon 40 Volt Chainsaw
(I upgraded mine to the 6.0 Ah Battery)
(It has a 16″ bar)
First, I’m not claiming that it’s comparable to a gas chainsaw. However I will tell you that the 40 volt power is incredible. This coupled with a chain that voraciously chews through wood makes it incredibly efficient. I have had no problems quickly slicing through trees or limbs with this particular cordless chainsaw.
(My Stihl and my Oregon cordless chainsaw)
Reasons Why I Like The Cordless Chainsaw
1. Quick and easy to use. Seriously. You pick it up, pull the trigger, and it’s ON. When you first start using one, it’s strange if you’re used to a gas chainsaw. It’s pretty neat! Instant on.
2. It’s quiet. Comparably, the cordless chainsaw is very quiet. I’ll not forget the first time I used it with some of my buddies while out clearing some forest trails after a windstorm. The look of confusion, surprise, and then “wow” as I sliced through a fallen tree with ease. They were still starting their saws…
3. No choke! A gas chainsaw can be a bit of a pain in cold weather, dealing with the choke and getting it to run. Sure, a well tuned saw will start up okay, but just saying that the cordless is instant on. Period.
4. No mess. No gasoline. No mess. Just bar chain oil.
5. Battery longevity. I did buy my cordless chainsaw with a 40 volt 6.0 Ah lithium battery for longest run-time. To be honest, I’ve not had to use it long enough to have it run out! And that includes some long days on the trails dealing with downed trees. The 4.0 Ah battery may have worked out okay for me, but I just felt better with maximum ‘juice’.
6. Built in chain sharpener (on the Oregon model). The built in sharpening system will sharpen the chain in 3 seconds. Nice!
(Lithium 40-volt battery & battery compartment location)
Preparedness
Since I have a solar power system for my home, I feel good about having the electric cordless chainsaw for preparedness. No gasoline, no problem. As long as my panels are working I can charge up the chainsaw in short order…
Another preparedness attribute is that it’s so much quieter than a gas chainsaw.
Though the Oregon cordless chainsaw is expensive, there are others which cost less (although I cannot attest to their value).
An example is the Ryobi 40 volt chainsaw (14″ bar) :
Ryobi 40 Volt Chainsaw
Or the Greenworks cordless chainsaw (16″ bar) :
Greenworks 40 Volt Chainsaw
