Best Reviewed
Chainsaws
- Best gas chainsaw for homeowners Husqvarna 240 e-series *Est. $240
- Best electric chainsaw Husqvarna 316E *Est. $270
- Budget electric chainsaw Craftsman 34118 *Est. $100
- Cordless electric chainsaw Black & Decker CCS818 *Est. $90
Get info about new reports and updates
Best electric chainsaw
- Great safety features
- Auto oiling, translucent oil reservoir
- Quiet operation
- Easy to start
- Zero emissions
- Must be within 100 feet of an outlet
- Fairly expensive
Reviewers consistently name the Husqvarna 316E the best electric chainsaw for frequent use. It's not only quieter than gas chainsaws, but also quieter than most electric models. Its anti-vibration handle makes the Husqvarna 316 a good choice for long or frequent cutting sessions. It also has more safety features than most electric chainsaws, including an inertia-activated chain brake and a cutting bar and chain designed to reduce kickback. If you want a less expensive electric chainsaw for lighter use, you may want to consider the Craftsman 34118 (*Est. $100) , which also boasts excellent safety features.
We found the best review of the Husqvarna 316E electric chainsaw at ConsumerReports.org, where it's ranked in comparison to other electric chainsaws based on thorough objective tests and very specific ratings. Tools of the Trade also tests the Husqvarna 316; the review there compares it to fewer models, but provides more overall detail. The Noise Pollution Clearinghouse reviews and compares 19 chainsaws including the Husqvarna 316, based on tests that measure noise levels and assess performance and ease of use.
Mother Earth News recommends the Husqvarna 316, but without doing any formal testing, and it's also recommended by the editors of the retail site ChainsawsDirect.com as the best electric chainsaw. Owners post positive reviews on this site as well. Finally, we consulted a Wall Street Journal article reporting on a female novice user's experience when she tried out several gas-powered chainsaws along with the Husqvarna 316E.
 |
||
|
|
Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
This review ranks the Husqvarna 316E in relation to 25 others. Testers evaluate the saws' cutting speed, safety and ease of use, among other things. We wish editors had also rated sound level, however.
Review: Chain Saws, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Oct. 2006
This review compares the Husqvarna 316E with eight other electric chainsaws based on objective tests that included cutting two sizes of square timbers, and judges say it's a "nimble powerhouse." The Husqvarna 316E also earns praise for excellent balance and low grip torque, and according to the review it's especially easy on the wrist.
Review: Electric Chainsaws, Michael Springer, March 2007
3. Noise Pollution Clearinghouse (NPC)
Chainsaws are tested and rated in "real life" for this review. The Husqvarna 316E is the quietest of the 19 chainsaws tested. It also earns praise for the quality of its cutting as judged by experts.
Review: Is a Quiet Chainsaw an Oxymoron?, Editors of Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, Summer 2005
Neil Soderstrom, the author of a book on chainsaw use and maintenance, tests three electric chainsaws at different price points, but doesn't compare them with directly competing models. He recommends the midrange Husqvarna 316E for its good safety features, and says it has "good heft and a solid feel."
Review: Electric Chain Saws, Neil Soderstrom, Oct. - Nov. 2005
Product expert Mike Sawisch names the Husqvarna 316E the best prosumer electric chainsaw (between the consumer and professional grades). In his review of this saw he writes that it "will handle all but the most rigorous, lumberjack grade, cutting jobs." A handful of owners rate the 316E as well, giving it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
Review: Husqvarna (16") 1600 Watt Prosumer Electric Chainsaw, Mike Sawisch
Gwendolyn Bounds, a novice chainsaw user, tries out several gas models along with the electric Husqvarna 316E. She writes of the latter that it "earned praise from my initially skeptical pros for being quiet, environmentally sound (no gas fumes) and extra safe with a power-trigger lock that prevents setting the chain in motion when you pick it up." If you don't have a large property and can stay within 100 feet of an electrical outlet, she concludes, this may be the way to go.
Review: Joining the Chainsaw Gang, Gwendolyn Bounds, Feb. 4, 2006
Chainsaws Runners Up:
6 picks including: Amazon.com, Lowes.com…
3 picks including: Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com…
2 picks including: GardenWeb.com, The Wall Street Journal…
2 picks including: Amazon.com, Lowes.com…
Husqvarna 455 Rancher 20-Inch 55-1/2cc 2-Stroke Gas-Powered Chain Saw (CARB Compliant)
In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Echo CS-370 16" Gas Chainsaw
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
 |
||
|
|