The Best 14 Inch Cordless Chainsaws(2023)
Before we get into which chainsaws feature in the list, perhaps we should consider why you would want to buy this type and size of chainsaw.
What Can a 14″ Cordless Electric Chainsaw Cut?
Battery powered chainsaws with a 14″ bar are ideal for backyard warriors.They are ideal for trimming and pruning trees, cutting down the odd small tree and cutting up small amounts of firewood. They are also handy (small and light enough) to take along on camping or fishing trips.
Below is a list, in order of rating, of the top rated 14 inch cordless chainsaws.
You can click on the brand name on the left (under “Make”) to find out more about each one.Alternatively scroll down for a more detailed breakdown of what they offer and what you need to look out for!.
| Make | Design Type | Batteries | Auto Oiler | Tool less Chain Tensioning | Motor Type | Weight |
| Makita | Standard | 2 x 18V | Yes | Yes | Brushless | 11.5 lbs |
| Makita | Top Handled | 2 x 18V | Yes | No | Brushless | 10.2lbs |
| Ego | Standard | 56V | Yes | Yes | Brushless | 11.4 lbs |
| Ryobi | Standard | 40V | Yes | No | Brushless | 10.3lbs |
| Skil | Standard | 40V | Yes | Yes | Brushless | 11,5lbs |
| Worx | Standard | 40V | Yes | Yes | Brushless | 10.4lbs |
| Greenworks | Standard | 2 x 24V | Yes | No | Brushless | 11.5 lbs |
| Greenworks | Standard | 40V | Yes | No | Brushless | 9.8 lbs |
| Litheli | Standard | 40V | Yes | Yes | Brushless | 11.7 lbs |
| Kobalt | Standard | 40V | Yes | No | Brushless | 11,2 lbs |
NB Some of these come with battery & charger included, and some don’t! Some have options to include a battery or two and the charger, and some don’t! Just make sure, especially when comparing prices that:
- You compare like with like
- You buy everything you need. A battery powered chainsaw without a battery or charger is not going to be of much use to you!!
Another aspect to consider before we get started.
As we go further down the list, it is impossible to determine the relationship between price and the overall rating. In other words, there might well be a bias towards a higher rating for lower priced chainsaws as less is expected of the lower priced chainsaw.
Standard Makita 14″ Chainsaw
What is the number one feature that separates Makita 14 inch cordless chainsaws from their competition?
Chain Speed!!
The Makita XCU03PT1 pictured here has a variable speed trigger and tops out at a chain speed of 3940 feet per minute or 20m/sec.
That puts it in the same chain speed bracket as many gas powered chainsaws, which is phenomenal.
To give you an idea of how this compares to the battery powered opposition, the WORX 14″ battery chainsaw in this list has a chain speed of 1560 feet per minute or 7.9m/sec.
Chain speed is one of the biggest factors in determining how a chainsaw performs. The faster the chain speed, the faster it cuts!
Of course chain speed alone is not enough to push this chainsaw to the top of the pile.
Additional pluses include:
– The Makita batteries that power this chainsaw also power over 300 other Makita products. If you are a DIY enthusiast then it makes so much more sense to use one set of batteries for multiple tools. Other makes featured here also share batteries with other tools of the same brand. But just not as many tools!
– The batteries can be recharged in about 45 mins which is a great turn around time.The design of the chainsaw includes Extreme Protection Technology (XPT). This is aimed at strengthening the tools ability to continue working in dusty or damp conditions.
– Comes with a dual port charger so you can charge both batteries at the same time.
– A larger (than it’s competitors) oil port & reservoir. You can work longer without having to stop frequently to refill the oil that lubricates the bar and chain.
– Light, robust and effective are other attributes of this cordless chainsaw.
Then there is the Top Handles version
Makita 14″ Top Handle Chainsaw
Top Handled chainsaws are designed specifically to be used in a lift bucket to trim trees. Or while up a tree.
So it is NOT designed for felling, limbing or bucking!
Although many people buy top handled chainsaws because they are easier to use one handed, this is not the intention of the design.
And it’s not recommended!
So a bit more about this chainsaw.
– Awesome chain speed.
– A torque boost button for when you need that little bit extra oomph!
– Batteries can be recharged in as little as 45mins
– Light & compact
– Low noise output – an added bonus when up a tree and the sound can carry for miles.
There is a lot to like about these Makita 14″ cordless chainsaws and they are clearly a step ahead of their opposition.
Onto the opposition 🙂
EGO Power CS1400 Cordless Electric Chainsaw
This battery powered 14″ chainsaw by EGO Power is part of their 56V tool range which consists of about 50 other tools powered by the same battery.
If you compare that to the 300 plus tools for the Makita battery then you can understand why DIY enthusiasts might prefer the diversity offered by Makita.
However,as a stand alone choice it still has a lot to offer.
– a brushless motor
– tool-less chain tensioning
– automatic oiler
– weather resistant construction. In other words, you can still use it when it is damp outside!
– A unique backpack battery holder is available (purchase separately). This allows you to carry the weight of the battery on your back while working. It’s an additional cost and could be a help or a hindrance depending on where and how you are using the chainsaw.
On the face of it, the EGO is somewhat cheaper than the Makitas and if cost is a big consideration (cost is always a factor one way or the other), then it is a very good option!
However, do remember to look at the big picture when comparing these chainsaws.
Ryobi 14 Inch Battery Powered Chainsaw
This chainsaw from Ryobi has all the features that you would expect in this class of cordless electric chainsaw.
These include a brushless motor and an automatic oiler, It also has a neat onboard little tool storage area for the chain tensioning tool.
Which means of course no tool-less chain tensioning mechanism.
Also the automatic oiler reservoir is a bit on the small side with people noting it needs topping up every 20 minutes or so when working. So it does go through oil but that’s not a bad thing if the chain and bar are being kept well oiled.
The battery will last 20-40 minutes depending on how hard you work the saw. So the oiling interval might be a little inconvenient. However, for most homeowners, this probably isn’t a big deal as its not often that the saw would be used for that sort of time period without stopping.
NB The 40V battery and charger are usually sold separately. You can pick them up here if you don’t already have them.
In summary. This Ryobi is a light duty chainsaw that is ideal for around the house or for taking on trips. It can handle the odd bigger job but is at its best being used for smaller jobs.
SKIL PWR Core 40 Cordless Chainsaw
The SKIL is a well priced saw that covers all the basics that you would expect from 14 inch cordless chainsaws. In other words it
– is equipped with a brushless motor
– has an automatic chain and bar oiler
– tool-less chain tensioning
– weather resistant to allow you to continue working when it is damp
– battery recharges in 60 minutes which is not a bad effort
– You can upgrade to a 5Ah battery and or purchase a second 2.5Ah battery if you need one. Which you most likely will if you want to work for longer than about 20 mins and then take a 60 mins break while the battery recharges.
So – a good lightweight battery powered saw that is designed for small jobs. Don’t push it to do any big jobs and it will see you right.
Worx 40V 14 Inch Cordless Chainsaw
Worx has been around a while and generally it’s tools have a solid reputation.
And that includes their chainsaws!
However this bigger 14″ version of the much loved 12 inch version seems to be beset with a number of problems.
The complaints can be grouped into 3 main areas.
– the chain keeps coming off
– leaks oil like crazy
– batteries don’t last long/dysfunctional
OR IS IT?
Because the chain coming off might just be people not understanding the chain tightening process properly. That’s not uncommon for first time users who are not familiar with the ongoing dynamics of chainsaw chains.
Likewise the oil leaking aspect. ALL chainsaws leak oil! If you store a chainsaw with oil in the oil tank or you fill the oil tank to the brim before using the chainsaw, it will leak even more oil!
The battery issue is a bit more problematic to explain except to say the very same 20 V Power Share batteries are used in a wide range of Worx Power Share battery driven tools. It is unlikely that the whole system would be undermined (for any length of time at least) by faulty or poor batteries.
So, despite these potential pitfalls, many buyers are very happy with this Worx 14″ cordless electrical chainsaw.
And it does have some useful if not entirely unique features such as the battery charge indicators and the markings on the oil tank which guide the user as to when recharging or refilling needs to happen.
So if you already have some Worx power tools powered by Worx 20V Power Share batteries then there is probably no reason not to consider this chainsaw.
If you are starting from scratch, then have a look at some of the other ones featured here.
Greenworks 40V 14-Inch Cordless Chainsaw
This 40V chainsaw is one of 2 models of 14 inch cordless chainsaws produced by Greenworks.
The other is a 48V machine that uses 2 x 24V batteries. However, this 14 inch model has suffered from availability problems.
Having said that, the 24V battery 10 inch bar, 12 inch bar and 16 inch bar cordless chainsaws would seem to be readily available! Maybe just a temporary supply problem……or?
The shorter bar length Greenworks cordless electric chainsaws earn substantially higher review ratings than either of the Greenworks 14 inch bar saws or indeed the 16″ version.
This is similar to the Worx chainsaws and interestingly the Greenworks 14″ chainsaws seem to suffer from the same potential shortcomings. Those are:
– Chain issues
– Excessive oil leakage
– Battery issues.
Again, some of these may be a result of ignorance by first time users but the frequency of these comments in comparison to say the Makita or Ego saws tends to at least raise a flag of concern.
So, as with the Worx 14″ chainsaws. If you already have Greenworks 40V or 24V cordless power tools that you are happy with then it probably would not make sense to swap brands. But you might consider whether the better rated 10 or 12 inch bar versions would do the job for you?
Litheli Cordless Battery Chainsaw
We are now getting into the “cheaper” options of 14 inch cordless electric chainsaws.
Despite the lower price, or maybe because of it, this Litheli 14″ chainsaw is well rated by buyers and users.
The Litheli 40V battery powered saw has all the standard features you might expect like
– brushless motor
– automatic oiler
– tool-less chain tensioning
It has a quoted chain speed of 36 feet/second which equates to 11m/s or 2160 feet per minute. That’s virtually half that of the Makita!
The bottom line here is that this is a light, cheap(ish) cordless electric chainsaw that is more than competent to do small jobs intermittently.
Don’t expect too much from it and it wont disappoint.
Kobalt 40V 14″ Chainsaw
So lets go back to our statement further up the page and pose it as a question.
How does a low price influence buyers ratings?
It obviously has some influence but how much?
The Kobalt 40V battery powered chainsaw is a case in point.
No special features to write home about but has all the basics, including a brushless motor.
The battery and charger are sold separately which does up the price but they are cheap in comparison with the competition.
In essence, you get what you pay for. So if you don’t expect too much from this saw, you wont be disappointed.
BONUS SELECTION – Milwaukee M18 Fuel 14″
This Milwaukee belongs towards the top end of the ratings.
The reason it is not in the original list is that there seems to be some confusion in the ranks in terms of comments and experiences pertaining to the 14 inch chainsaw and the bigger 16 inch offering.
This is perhaps because at the time of writing (Feb 2023), the official Milwaukee website has it listed as “coming soon” ….and then lists a whole bunch of comments pertaining to the 16 inch offering!
In general though, Milwaukee produces a quality product at a corresponding price point and so it will be well worth checking out when it becomes available!
You will probably need to purchase the battery and charger separately
That’s a Wrap
A final reminder. These 14 inch cordless electrical chainsaws are designed and built for light/small jobs.
The more expensive ones – Makita, Ego, Milwaukee – can be pushed and will stand up to heavier duty stuff once in a while.
So consider your needs, and buy appropriately.