A Selection of the Best Cheap Mini Chainsaws
Is this the best value for money cheap mini chainsaw?
If you are not too fussed with the pros and cons and just need a cheap mini chainsaw fast, then you can take your chances and click here to see what is currently available on the market.
But if you would like a little more insight into some of them, then read on.
Here you will find amongst the cheapest chainsaws available.
The problem with identifying the cheapest chainsaw is defining what you mean by “cheap”!
Cheap cost wise, cheap quality wise, cheap (poor) performance?
It can become a bit of a minefield as everybody’s expectation of “cheap” is likely to differ somewhat. Also keep in mind that a cheap small cheap small chainsaw still has a lot of steel and electrical parts to it, so they are not going to cost only a few dollars.
You can read more about that conundrum here.
ALSO, AGGRESSIVE DISCOUNTING from time to time is common in this market and so for example the O CONN mini chainsaw pictured above can vary in price from well below $50 to well over $50.
So here we go!
But before we do.
Price & Quality rather than Price OR Quality dictates that these will all be 4-inch bar chainsaws. Also, almost none of them will have a brushless motor
US$40 – US$60 Price Range
The Soyus Mini Chainsaw
It’s always a positive sign when a mini chainsaw comes from a brand that makes more than one mini saw and also makes other cordless power tools.
This Soyus Chainsaw comes from such a back ground with Soyus making leaf blowers and vacuums and other garden tools as well as a range of mini and not so mini chainsaws
Interestingly, they also make a pink colored mini chainsaw aimed at the ladies.
This mini chainsaw has also been upgraded which is also an encouraging development as it signals intent on the part of the brand to both improve their offering and be in the market for the long run!
So all good on that front but as with all these small tools, they do have some issues that you need to be aware of before you buy.
Some Issues
What is a small issue is no oiler. If you run any mini chainsaw for any time without oiling the bar and chain (and thus reducing friction), it is going to overheat and not cut very well. Or stop altogether to protect the motor.
So remember to carry a small bottle of oil with you so you can lubricate the bar and chain at regular intervals.
Another small issue is if you are left handed you will find pushing in the safety switch and pulling the trigger at the same time awkward to say the least. That design fault is not unique to this mini saw so you can click here to find mini chainsaws suitable for left handed people here
Finally, remember that the chain will need to be tightened from time to time, especially in the beginning as it will stretch with use. On the same lines, this is a lightweight mini chainsaw designed to do small jobs.
Treat it as such.
Powtech
This Powtech is a 4-inch bar mini saw that comes in 2 different colors. Weirdly, one color costs more than the other! Why that is is not obvious…..but they both fall within the given price range.
Its not a bad package either. Apart from the actual tool you get:
– 2 batteries
– 3 chains
– A carry/storage case & a few necessary tools
– A battery charger
– Ear plugs, goggles and cut resistant gloves (size?)
That is a fairly comprehensive package to tackle most small jobs around the garden or small DIY emergencies.
The batteries will last you 30 plus minutes of working time and will take two hours to recharge. That seems a bit skew in terms of power available to use the tool. However, in reality, you will find it hard to use (any) tool for 30 uninterrupted minutes. So that is not really an issue.
Same sort of issues arise here as with the Soyus. No oil, awkward for lefties etc.
Gigilli Mini Chainsaw
This mini chainsaw is interesting in that the supplier sells spares for just about the whole mini saw.That is pretty unique in the mini chainsaw world, never mind at this low price point!
So you can get spare:
However, there seems to be a potential availability problem with the spares so lets assume your purchase decision will be based on the initial package as seen on the left.
So fairly comparable to the Powtech in terms of what is offered although there are a few minor differences.
- They also do 2 colors BUT with no cost difference
- This one has a splash guard for the chain that reduces the chance of sawdust and wood chips flying up into your face.
However, same problem as the Powtech for lefties!
Issues?
Reading between the lines here they seem to have had a few quality and supply issues following the initial Covid-19 outbreak but these seem to have improved after that.
Reviews of the performance vary widely from horrible to magnificent! But the “good” heavily outweigh the “bad” with (at the time of writing) 74% of verified purchasers giving it a 5 star rating. So it has a lot of satisfied users recommending it!
The Orlemo Mini Chainsaw
This mini chainsaw is a different proposition. No extra chains, no extra batteries, no protective goggles or ear plugs, no carry case and so on.
The only other obvious differences are the trigger guard and a somewhat more substantial chain guard.
The general consensus seems to be that this mini saw works well for small jobs of short duration.
Which in fact is what mini saws are primarily designed to do!Try much more than that with any mini chainsaw and you are likely to run into problems.
So before you buy it, understand what you are wanting it to do for you.
And if you expect it to perform minor miracles then this one (or any of these tools) is not what you should be looking at. Instead you would need something with at least a brushless motor. See some brushless motor 4-inch bar mini saws as a comparison
The MKSENSE Mini Chainsaw
This mini chainsaw comes in a variety of package offerings which you can view here (Click on the Chainsaw tab at the top of the MKSENSE page)
There are 2 more options available on that page which offer a few more add ons (extra chains etc) for a few more dollars., which does make sense.
What doesn’t really make sense is that there is a price differential based on color of the tool alone. Bit weird but there you have it.
The particular package seen here is cheaper than the three above but does in fact cover all the bases. With a chain speed of 5m/sec it is not going to set the world alight but in fact that is not a bad stat for a 4-inch bar mini chainsaw without a brushless motor!
So lets move even further down the price bar
Mini Chainsaws for less than US$40
The Cub Tik
This little chainsaw comes with all the basics that will allow you to get to work without too much admin.
It is also rated as having a chain speed of 5m/sec which as previously noted, wont set the world on fire but is decent enough for a mini saw in this price range.
Unusually for this price point, it still has a chain baffle to stop sawdust and wood chips flying into your face. So that is a point of difference worth considering!
Again, don’t expect miracles at this price point but it will do a decent job within its design capabilities.
O-Conn Mini Chainsaw
This one also comes with a variety of options in terms of packages that offer a variety of extras.
Shown here is the basic package which is the cheapest and also has the fewest extras.
However, it has everything you need to do the small jobs that you would want a mini chainsaw for.
Common Issues with these Cheap Mini Chainsaws
All these issues have been alluded to one way or the other above.
This is just a quick list for reference.
Remember that these are small tools designed to do small jobs – keep that in mind!
– Chain falls off frequently (perhaps not tightened before used?)- Short battery life
– No oiler or oil supplied
– Overheat quickly (almost certainly being over worked)
- as safety switch poorly positioned
So the question is this:
Take your chances with a cheap mini chainsaw or look for a mini saw that is more robust and with better performance parameters.…but at a cost?
How & Why We Chose These Cheap Mini Chain Saws.
So in order to establish a reference point, the above selection of mini chainsaws all:
– cost less than 50 US dollars (US$50) – but see comments re discounting and price variations!!
– have a verified purchaser 4 star or higher rating on Amazon (at time of writing)
– And have more than 100 reviews from verified purchasers
The latter two points give substance to the ratings. Anyone can “test” a mini saw and write a review. But that review is inherently flawed:
– Did the reviewer get a bad/very good example of the product?
– What did the reviewer do with the tool vs what you want it for?
– Was the reviewer paid to do the review?
And so it goes.
Doing it this way you get an aggregated view from a multitude of users. If the overall consensus is that it’s good, then there is a better than average chance that it is, indeed, good!
Over to you! 🙂