Chainsaw Brands and Links

Chainsaw buyer's guides and safety resources

If you're not yet ready to tackle using a chainsaw, Black & Decker offers both corded (*Est. $75) and cordless (*Est. $85) Alligator Loppers that are a cross between a chainsaw and regular loppers. The chain is inside the jaws of the lopper instead of on a bar. According to Black & Decker, their Alligator Loppers can cut wood up to 4 inches in diameter. Users give the corded model high ratings at Amazon.com.

There is an excellent buyer's guide from the University of Missouri Extension, complete with safety information.

ConsumerGuide.com has a great article showing each part of a chainsaw and explaining how it works and fits together with the others. The article includes a video, and the site also has an article on two-stroke engines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer a beginner's guide to chainsaw safety, with a link to a longer guide from the University of California.

About.com's forestry guide, Steve Nix, has a useful article called "Purchasing and Maintaining a Chainsaw -- Frequently Asked Questions". He provides links to other resources on the topics he addresses here. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

A Wikipedia article, "Chainsaw Safety Clothing," explains what to look for and why. Other articles at Wikipedia on chainsaws, chainsaw safety features and chainsaw safety are also detailed and well illustrated.

Experts say it's much better to learn the basics of sharpening a chain and using a chainsaw from a dealer or training course. But we did find an online video demonstrating how to do the sharpening at VideoDo.com.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has worked with manufacturers to recall quite a few chainsaws over the years; in recent years they've all been gas models. None of the chainsaws discussed in our report have been recalled. Experts recommend registering any new chainsaw with the manufacturer so you can be notified promptly of any problems. You can also track recalls on the CPSC website.

Chainsaw brands

Manufacturers' websites provide detailed information about their products:

Black & Decker

Echo (owned by Kioritz Corp. of Japan)

Homelite (owned by Ryobi/TTI, Techtronic Industries)

Husqvarna (owned by Electrolux)

Makita USA

Poulan (owned by Electrolux)

Ryobi (owned by TTI, Techtronic Industries)

Craftsman (made by Poulan)

Stihl