Chainsaw Review

Comparing types of chainsaws

Chainsaws can make quick work of cutting firewood, cleaning up fallen limbs and trees, cutting framing timbers or carving wood. Gas chainsaws continue to take the lion's share of the market, but as recent reviews demonstrate, electric chainsaws keep winning converts. They're quieter, easier to start, use and maintain, and pollute less. Cordless chainsaws are available too, but they don't have as much power as corded models; reviews recommend them primarily for cutting smaller branches.

Thanks to new safety features, chainsaws are much safer to use than they used to be, although experts still recommend that you wear protective gear. Consumer-grade chainsaws now come with anti-kickback chains, and nearly all incorporate additional features such as inertia-activated chain brakes and vibration-dampening systems. . The best chainsaws also make maintenance easier, with see-through oil tanks and tool-free chain adjustment. Features don't necessarily predict actual performance, however, and we give the most weight to chainsaw reviews that are based on objective comparison tests.

Of the four best comparison reviews based on objective testing, only ConsumerReports.org tests gas and electric chainsaws. Reviews at Tools of the Trade and the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse (NPC) provide detailed test results, including decibel noise levels, but compare only electric chainsaws. In its 2008 review, Popular Mechanics compares only gas saws at the high end of consumer-grade power.

Our report covers consumer-grade chainsaws that are priced up to about $300. Experts say this is the most you need to pay for homeowner use, even if you need to cut lots of firewood. But our research makes it clear that price doesn't tell the whole story. You can pay much less and still get a safe saw that's efficient and comfortable to use.