To help you find the best chain saw for home use, here are 4 of the best homeowner chainsaws that should make it onto your short list The products reviewed below includes top rated homeowner chainsaw products from reputable brands that may stir your interest to finally invest in a reliable chainsaw.
Homeowner chainsaws are divided into two major categories, gas-powered or electric-powered chainsaw products. Whereas, most gas-powered chainsaws are used for heavy-duty cutting while electric-powered chainsaw products are commonly utilized for light to medium-heavy duty woodwork. Take note of these types of homeowner chainsaws so you can easily see which are the best options for your needs.
1. Remington RM5118R Rodeo – Good for heavy duty cutting on a budget
The Remington RM5118R Rodeo is one of the best homeowner chainsaws available in the market. It is highly popular due to its excellent features which include power for felling trees or cutting firewood. This chainsaw is suitable for medium to heavy-duty cutting, utilizing its 51cc 2-cycle engine.
As mentioned earlier, most heavy-duty chain saws are gas-powered, making this Remington RM5118R Rodeo one of them.
It includes a rubberized large handle with spikes that promote full grip and prevents your hand from slipping. Its bar and chain are fashioned with a low kickback that measures 18 inches, good enough for cutting large trees. This bar and chain are instantly lubricated through the chainsaw’s built-in automatic oiler which is automatically activated once the machine starts running.
You can also start its motor engine with just a few pulls. To make you more comfortable in using this chainsaw, an added anti-vibration handle at the back and front of the chainsaw are also integrated for improved handling.
Pros:
- Good for heavy-duty work
- Powerful 18″ bar
- Automatic oiler
- Comes with a handy storage bag
- Remington offer a 2-year warranty
- Gas powered so can be used around the home or further away
Cons:
- A little heavy
Remington RM5118R Rodeo is great for homeowners who have some heavy cutting and sawing requirements. At a cost effective price you can have this product and all its benefits including all the other excellent features packaged with this electric chainsaw.
2. Husqvarna 450 – A quality chainsaw with lots of features
The Husqvarna 450 is designed for medium to heavy-duty cutting. It can easily cut through a 24-inch thick tree with reduced emission. This chainsaw is equipped with an 18-inch bar and chain, and a 50.2cc X-Torq engine. It has an easy start/stop feature called, the smart start.
Added features such as anti-vibration system for comfortable handling, centrifugal air cleaning system that prevents the accumulation of dust particles on its air filter, an easy to clean air filter, air removal system ideal for its carburetor, and a snap-lock cylinder cover that help reduce the time required for changing or cleaning spark plugs.
Pros:
- With inertia-activated chain brake
- Suitable for large projects
- Can be used for long hours
Cons:
- Quite heavy but ok for short stints
The Husqvarna 450 is ergonomically designed to help keep it stable. It weighs 11 pounds, which can be quite a challenge to use, especially when you’re working on higher branches or parts of a tree. Other excellent features of this product include a transparent fuel window, felling marks to note where the tree may fall, and a low kickback with the help of its inertia brake.
Most customers who have tried this product rated it as an outstanding chainsaw product due to these features. Note that some of these key features are unique to the Husqvarna brand so don’t be surprised that this brand is usually more expensive compared to other homeowner chainsaw products. Despite this being the most expensive model on test the quality construction and mix of features make it possibly the best homeowner chainsaws ever.
3. WORX WG303.1 – An inexpensive chainsaw for occasional use
The WORX WG303.1 is ideal for light to medium-duty cutting. It is perfect for felling small trees and softwood. Its 16-inch bar and chain allows you to cut up to 16-inches of wood. This machine is an electric-powered chainsaw that uses 15.5 Amp electric motor engine.
To keep you safe while using it, a built-in chain brake is added to its features plus a rubberized handle to promote full grip for safer and more stable handling. In order to control you from over tightening the chain, a tool-free tensioning system has been integrated on the chainsaw to help you keep its performance at its peak.
Pros:
- Automatic oil lubrication of the chain and brake
- Noticeable oil indicator
- Electric-powered chainsaw
Cons:
- Not for heavy-duty cutting
The WORX WG303.1 is an inexpensive electric-powered chainsaw option. You can buy this machine for less than a hundred dollars. This chainsaw can help you with all your light to medium cutting and pruning jobs. Many buyers of this product rated it as affordable and efficient type of chainsaw product. Online and offline market usually has a stock of this product due to popularity, especially amongst buyers who have limited budget.
4. GreenWorks 80V Chainsaw – Serious cuting power from a battery powered product
One of the impressive electric chainsaw options for homeowners is the GreenWorks 80V Chainsaw. It is powered with 80V Li-Ion battery system that can cut for hours when fully charged. Its chain and bar measure about 18 inches that can cut through 16-inches of trees. This electric chain saw belongs to the heavy-duty battery chainsaw category.
It has amazing cutting power that is equivalent to a 45 cc gas-chainsaw. Other features integrated to this machine include quick start, automatic oil system, electronic chain brake, lightweight, and little maintenance is needed.
Pros:
- Rechargeable
- Lightweight
- Cordless
Cons
- Limited battery life
The GreenWorks 80 V chainsaw can use either 2ah battery or 4ah battery. The 2ah battery requires 30-minutes of charging time, which will allow you to cut up to 150+ trees and branches. 4ah battery on the other hand doubles the performance of a 2ah by doubling the amount of work it can complete. The only downside is it also means you have to charge your chainsaw battery for 60 minutes.
The Verdict – Which is the best homeowner chainsaws
All of the chainsaws in the list above are worth considering. However, the best-rated homeowner chainsaw that stood up above the rest is the Husqvarna 450 because it is packed with multiple features that are unique to it’s brand. This does however impact the price but rest assured you’ll be buying a high quality product.
In case you are working with a limited budget the next best option would be the GreenWorks 80V at roughly 100$ cheaper than the Husqvarna. This can power through lots of cutting tasks and as long as you have at least 1 spare battery to hand you’ll be good for a days work. The WORX WG303.1 and Remington RM5118R Rodeo are even cheaper options with a good mix of features so these will also find themselves into plenty of homes. Ultimately though they just don’t quite measure up to the very best on test, the Husqvarna 450.