Battery-powered chainsaw

[Snoop Puss]

Went to visit a friend on Friday and she showed me her battery-powered Stihl chainsaw (MSA 120). She has a petrol chainsaw and hates it, but raved about this battery-powered one.

We own a petrol one but Mr Snoop hates it and it's too unwieldy for me. The battery-powered one seemed lighter and generally more manageable. But I didn't get to actually use it.

Does anyone own a battery-powered chainsaw or have any views? Are they really as good as my friend says? What are the pitfalls?

Thanks.

[Plot70]

They are pricey.
https://www.moleonline.com/stihl-msa...ss-chainsaw-12

[Snoop Puss]

Yes they are, Plot70. The reviews I've read in magazines in the States, where they seem to be cheaper, suggest that the additional purchase price is offset by reduced fuel and servicing costs, especially if you charge the battery using solar electricity, which we would.

The cost is obviously an issue, but seeing as I couldn't use a petrol-driven one anyway, it's this or nothing. I'm more worried about spending all that money and then the thing being rubbish or unreliable.

[Nicos]

My daughter bought herself one for cutting up thick logs for her woodstove.
I'll ask her about it - but I must say that her OH uses it an awful lot rather than his petrol chainsaw if that is a thumbs up?

[nick the grief]

the Stihl will be expensive anyway as it is more a professional tool than some of the others. I don't think (if its the one im thinking of) its a very big one but if you're only cutting thru timber 3" or so then it should be fine mush above that and I think it would struggle as its not made for that ... I've still got my trusty bowsaw and after that a felling axe

[Snadger]

I have a Stihl rwo stroke chainsaw which I don't really find unweildly? I don't use it for long sessions though. I usually use it until the tank runs dry and starts to splutter then call it a day after that. I haven't timed it but would guess I get about an hours wood cutting?
Would I get that long with a battery powered jobbie, I doubt it. I don't know the stats, but if I could get that long I would probably think about buying one!

[roitelet]

I have a two stroke Sthil which I don’t find unwealdy. I have never used a battery powered one,
, they are lighter but when you add the weight of a battery it could be a different story. I did use an electric one once and found it didn’t have the power of a petrol one

[Martin H]

I have a small (12 inch) DeWalt 18 volt one. Model DCM565N. It uses the same batteries as my lawnmower so I saved money by just buying the bare unit. It has plenty enough power for small trees and logs, and being brushless it ought to be pretty trouble-free.

I don't know how long it would run on continuous use, but my strimmer that uses the same battery runs for about half an hour so I guess it will be eimilar.

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, guys. All really helpful comments.

That's a big thumb's-up, Nicos, yes. I'd be glad to hear your daughter's views.

And that's interesting, Martin. Mr Snoop picked up a DeWalt catalogue yesterday that lists your one with a charger and two or three batteries. By the time you add the batteries, it's competitively priced, which surprised me as I always thought DeWalt were expensive. I'll check it out. What kind of diameter logs/trees do you cut with it?

NtG, Stihl do an absolutely tiny battery-powered chainsaw. The one I'm looking at has a 12-inch blade.


Snadger, I'm not sure how long the battery would last. I guess it depends on which battery I go for. But the bigger the battery, the heavier the weight. Which for me is an issue but maybe not for you. My friend claims she gets a day's use out of hers, but that includes all her prep work, not just the actual cutting.

My friend has offered Mr Snoop and me a test run of hers on Thursday. I'll find out more about the battery size, Snadger, and let you all know how it goes.

[Martin H]

And that's interesting, Martin. Mr Snoop picked up a DeWalt catalogue yesterday that lists your one with a charger and two or three batteries. By the time you add the batteries, it's competitively priced, which surprised me as I always thought DeWalt were expensive. I'll check it out. What kind of diameter logs/trees do you cut with it?

The biggest tree I've cut down so far was about 8 inches in diameter. I will probably have a bit more cutting to do in a week or so, after the tree man has done his work on the big stuff.

I just have the two batteries, because they came with the lawnmower.

[Snoop Puss]

The biggest tree I've cut down so far was about 8 inches in diameter. I will probably have a bit more cutting to do in a week or so, after the tree man has done his work on the big stuff.

I just have the two batteries, because they came with the lawnmower.

That's impressive. I expected the diameter to be much less than that. Thanks for the info.

[Nicos]

Sorry - forgot to ask daughter - have sent her a message

[Nicos]

She's just dry stone walling in the rain!

But her brief response was that it's the only one Stihl do . It's good for coppice work and cutting up standard logs , it's nice and light and the battery lasts longer than she does!

No wonder her OH has commandeered it !

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, Nicos. Maybe Stihl have increased their range since she bought hers because they now do a number of battery-powered ones. But that's a great review. Thanks again.

All in all, your daughter and Martin H's comments are a better endorsement of battery-powered chainsaws than I expected.

[greenishfing]

I 've never had a chainsaw but you are all tempting me with the battery ones. I love my battery strimmer. I am always happy when the battery gets flat. I have usually run out of energy at around the same time.