10 inch cordless electric chainsaws are ideal for cutting firewood
Four Top Notch 10 Inch Cordless Electric Chainsaws
A 10 inch cordless electric chainsaw is the ideal size chainsaw for a homeowner who needs a general purpose chainsaw.
When you think about it, a 10 inch electric chainsaw is a sort of Jack of all trades. It’s small enough to get into those tight little corners to cut away that annoying branch and it’s big enough to chop firewood and take down the odd medium sized tree if and when required.
It’s a 10 inch mini chainsaw that can cut like a big chainsaw when required!
And being battery driven, they have all the advantages associated with a battery powered tool. Think less noise, more portable and far more environmentally friendly than small gas powered chainsaws.
So lets take a look at our selection of the best 10 inch electric chainsaws on the market today.
The BIG Four
When it comes to the conventional 10 inch battery powered chainsaw space then there are four tried and tested models that continue to dominate the market.
These 10 inch chainsaws are also well known brand names that you will likely be familiar with. That in itself is somewhat reassuring.
Surprisingly, only one of these 10 inch battery operated chainsaws boasts a brushless electric motor.
I suppose the old adage – don’t fix what ain’t broke – applies. However, at some point they will need to upgrade to stay competitive, technologically speaking.
But that day may yet be some way off. There are a lot of satisfied users out there who get by quite happily with a conventional electrical motor driven chainsaw.
And of course, price always plays a role! This is where the non brush motors certainly have an advantage!
Much of a Muchness
The interesting aspect of these four different 10 inch battery powered chainsaws is that they all form part of a greater range of electrically driven tools in their respective brands.
In short. They all use batteries than can be used on a multitude of other tools in the range.
The upside of that is of course you can own one or two batteries and interchange them with a diverse range of tools.
The downside is that once you have decided on which brand, you are pretty much locked into that brand and electrical system. That’s if you want to minimize the number but maximize the efficiency of your batteries.
So lets look at the best 10 inchelectric chainsaws on the market. We start (of course) with the one that offers all the benefits of a brushless electrical motor
Makita XCU06SM1 18V LXT® Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 10″ Top Handle Chain Saw
Dimensions {LxWxH} 9.21 x 14.96 x 8.78 inches (23 x 38 x 22cm)
Weight: 7.2 pounds (3.2kg) with the battery, 6.2 pounds (2.8kg) without it.
With a low noise output, low maintenance but with a distinctly superior chain speed (up to 4 720 feet per minute or 24 meters/second) this is a boss of a chainsaw.
The chain speed alone puts it in direct competition with some of the gas driven chainsaws. And that’s without the aggravations that are so common with small gas powered chainsaws. Read difficulty starting, smelly, gas and oil requirements, frequent servicing and the like.
Compare that to: Insert charged battery, pull the trigger and start cutting.
No competition really 🙂
This Makita is without doubt one of the best 10 inch cordless chainsaws currently available!
Greenworks 24V 10-Inch Cordless Chainsaw
Dimensions: LxWxH 24.8 x 8.07 x 12 inches (63 x 20 x 30cm)
Weight: 7.85 pounds (3.5kg)
What is slightly mystifying about this Greenworks 10 inch chainsaw is this:
The 12 inch version is fitted with a brushless motor.
So why not the 10 inch version?
I suspect this is a pricing decision. it keeps it competitive with the likewise conventional electric motor powered Black & Decker 20V and Worx WG322 10 inch chainsaws.(see below).
This does not have a variable speed trigger and is thus its either full speed or stop. I haven’t been able to find any reference to the actual chain speed. However its safe to say it’s nowhere near that of the Makita.
Still, as long as you understand its purpose (small jobs) and limitations, it could be the perfect cordless chainsaw for you at a very attractive price.
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Cordless Chainsaw, 10-Inch (LCS1020)
Dimensions: (LxWxH) 16.7 x 8.81 x 9.63 inches (42 x 22 x 24 cm)
Weight: 6.8 pounds (3kg)
So apart from the name there is not much to separate this 10 inch cordless chainsaw from the Greenworks above or the Worx version below.
They have all sold well and all have their little quirks. Even their pricing is pretty close so it does become difficult to separate them. Unless you have a particular issue that is important to you that one brand has or does better than the others.
If we revert back to the multiple tools that a single battery might power (in the same range), then perhaps that might be a source of inspiration. Look at what other tools you might want that Black and Decker make that are powered by the same battery vs the Greenworks or Worx ranges.
Click on the picture above which will take you to more info about it. Or click here for a more in-depth look at this option.
WORX WG322 20V Power Share 10″ Cordless Chainsaw
Dimensions: (LxWxH) 25 x 7.5 x 9.5 inches (63 x 19 x 24cm)
Weight: 6.19 Pounds (2.8kg)
While Worx proudly announces a chain speed of 12.5 ft/s or 3.8m/s (which is probably not too different from the Greenworks or Black & Decker above) it does highlight the absolute superiority of the Makita in this class.
Remember, the Makita has a variable speed trigger that tops out at 24m/s.
However, this Worx 10 inch cordless chainsaw remains a top seller in this class so it must be doing something right!
People Also Ask (F.A.Q.)
- Is a 10 inch chainsaw big enough? A chainsaw with a 10 inch bar can comfortably cope with cutting a branch or log up to 8 inches in diameter. That makes it the ideal size for the home owner who needs a general purpose chainsaw for work around the house and garden.
- What can you cut with a 10 inch chainsaw? Any wood product up to 8 inches in diameter. But the good thing about 10 inch chainsaws is that they can also cut small branches. In other words they are small enough to get into the tight little spaces and cut branches that are only one or two inches in diameter. Bigger chainsaws will often battle with the small stuff.
Conclusion
These 10 inch battery chainsaws are all well proven and good sellers over a long period of time.
This can only indicate ongoing customer satisfaction with their overall usefulness.
A New Comer
A relative new – and exciting option – arrival in the 10 inch cordless chainsaw market segment is the 10 inch
CRAFTSMAN V20 Mini Chainsaw with automatic oiler. You can see what it has to offer here.