Black & Decker CCS818

The buyer must bear in mind that all cordless electric tools have power and stamina limits that gasoline powered units do not. If you need an 18 inch gas saw, get one and stop complaining. A SmartCar… cannot race a Shelby Mustang, and is not meant to. This saw has adequate cutting power for most heavy pruning and similar uses, but if you plan to lop and fell several trees or cut firewood you'll need several BW cordless tools so that you have enough batteries. Heavy cutting - that is, limbs and trunks four inches or more in diameter - will drain a battery in about fifteen minutes. A hundred 1-1/2" braches on one battery is optimistic to say the least. You can lop and fell a typical tree with a 6 inch, maybe 8 inch, bole with one battery, maybe, but you'll need two to be sure. I've cut up two 12 inch trees with it but it was difficult and took two days for each tree. If I had a lot of such work to do I would buy a gasoline or propane powered unit with a large bar. However, on light work this saw is excellent, is very light and much quieter than a gasoline saw, less tiring to use, and less trouble to maintain. I plan to buy the pole version shortly, so I guess that means I'm satisfied.

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This is the first electric chain saw I've used - and it will be the last. It took me three days to cut a couple fallen tree branches (15' long,8" diameter) into fire logs. Yes...three days. The battery… pack lasted just long enough to make about 3 cuts - then it needed to be recharged. My recommendation - if you can handle a gas mower - stick with it. If not, stock up on battery packs - because you're going to need them for this chainsaw. As for me, I'm going back to gas.

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