Top Notch Mini Chainsaws for Gardening
When it comes to buying mini chainsaws for gardening you need to think carefully about what you want to do with the mini saw?
In other words, what is the main purpose you want the saw for? What job do you want it to do for you?
This is an important consideration because mini chainsaws have definite performance limitations and they will break down pretty quickly if you keep using them for something they are not designed for!
On the plus side, mini chainsaws come in a range of sizes so you should find one that is suitable for what you want to use it for in your garden.
The sizes are defined by the length of the bar (the metal bit that the chain runs around on). The most common sizes are:
There are also 5 and 7 inch bar mini chainsaws on the market but they aren’t a popular size and once you get up to a 10-inch bar you are beginning to look at “normal” chainsaws. Most, but not all, 10-inch bar saws are no longer “mini” in nature. They tend to look like a traditional chainsaw, weigh much more than a mini chainsaw, and need 2 hands on the tool to use it.
Saw Bar Length vs Your Gardening Requirements
So you feel a mini chainsaw could help you.……do what?
That is the crucial question.
And in answering that question, you primarily need to think about the diameter of what you want to cut and accessibility.
To illustrate: If your primary use for the mini saw is going to be pruning branches off trees and bushes and those branches are mostly 1 -3 inches in diameter, then a 4-inch bar mini saw will do the job for you.
Conversely if you are wanting to tackle something a bit bigger, say 4 or 5 inch diameter branches, then you will need to go for a longer bar because that sort of work is beyond a 4-inch bar mini saw.
Also, how densely packed are the branches you want to cut off? This might influence your choice of design of mini chainsaw.
For example, some come without any trigger guard which may be a safety issue if you are working in dense foliage.
However, some come with a guard that protects not only the trigger but your whole hand. That’s much safer but the guard is by necessity not flexible so it could become a hindrance when working in small or difficult to access spaces!
Is Bigger Better?
Given the bar size vs wood diameter conundrum, wouldn’t it be better just to buy the biggest mini saw to cover all options?
Probably not.
What are the advantages of a mini chainsaw? They are (in no particular order)
- light weight
- use with one hand
- easy to maneuver
- can work in small spaces
The bigger you go, the less the above apply!
So Which Chainsaw Should I Buy?
There are literally hundreds of different makes, models and brands of mini chainsaws on the market.
Below we have picked one out from each of the main size categories that we consider would serve you well in your garden.
4-Inch Bar Category
The Amazing Omola
This is probably one of the best mini chainsaws out there and has a lot of features normally only found in the bigger “mini saws”.
So lets list the pluses:
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- Far and away its biggest plus is that it is equipped with a brushless motor. Take it from us that that is a huge plus! If you want to, you can read more about the advantages of a brushless electric motor HERE
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- Auto oiling function. All chainsaw bars and chains need to be oiled frequently while they operate. Most mini saws of this size don’t have this feature so you have to carry a small bottle of oil around with you which is not ideal. This Omola does it automatically for you!
- It has an amazing (for a mini chainsaw) chain speed of 14m/sec which means it will chew through appropriately sized branches at a great rate.
- Lightweight. At 1.9kg (4.2 pounds) with the battery attached, this is about as light as it will get – and still pack a decent performance punch!
- A case to pack it all away in, ready to go the next time you need it!
As with all mini saws, – actually all chainsaws – the oil can become an issue if you don’t pay attention!
So, only fill the “oil tank” up to one third capacity and make sure when you store it away that the saw is upright. If you mess either of those up, you will end up with a mess – of oil – all over the place! 🙂
6 – Inch Bar Category
The OICGOO Mini Saw
If you feel you need to go bigger in the saw length size, then this mini chainsaw is worth a look.
Forget the weird name and lets look at what would make it a great choice as a mini chainsaw for around the garden.
- First off the 6 inch bar allows you to tackle bigger branches but perhaps at the cost of not being able to access really tight spots due to its increased size.
- It has a brushless motor!
As discussed above, this is a major plus and is reason enough by itself to go for this one if point one above applies.
- Automatic oiler
- A second battery and spare chains
- A case to store it all in.
Bonus Contender
Because the 6-inch bar category is probably the most popular/common size of mini chainsaw on the market, there are more to choose from. And hence more contenders.
We thus have the luxury of offering another choice in this category.
The Imoumlive Mini Saw matches the OICGOO in just about every department.
Which one is better? You will need to decide that! 🙂
8 -Inch Category
The Prunarbo Mini Chainsaw
So now we are getting to the intersection of “normal gardening activities” and something bigger. In other words, what do you want to do in your garden that a 60-inch bar mini saw or a traditional type chainsaw wouldn’t do better?
The most likely answer to that is that you want to do the ordinary small stuff but have the capacity to do occasionally deal with something bigger.
The flip side of that again is size – its bigger so doesn’t do small or tight spots very well!
Two positive points worth taking on board:
- It features a brushless motor
- Prunarbo also make a cordless hand pruner and hedge trimmer. Both of these also feature brushless motors so they have a decent track record making small battery driven garden tools which is always a good thing.
In Conclusion
Choosing a mini chainsaw which is ideal for gardening can be a bit challenging if you are not exactly sure how you want to use it.
But not impossible. A bit of thought should point you in the right direction.
NB. If you want a mini chainsaw ONLY for pruning something like your rose bushes then its probably best to look elsewhere!
Electric pruning Shears will do a far better job!!
Happy gardening!
Looking for something else. Take a look at ChainsawChoices.com
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