Top Brand Name Mini Chainsaws
Surprisingly few top brand names in the chainsaw world produce what Chainsawchoices.com would classify as “true” mini chainsaws.
That is, a small chainsaw designed to be used with only one hand and fitted with a battery powered electrical motor.
The reason chainsaw brand names aren’t really in this market (yet) is probably partly historical and partly market size/technical requirements. In other words they probably view the potential market as small and it taking too much effort to produce something that is not core market.
However, this might well change as this market sector grows – as it is now doing.
The other potential barrier to entry for the top brand names in chainsaws is price i. The mini chainsaw category is full of relatively cheap (and not so cheap) mini chainsaw. Many of these are not bad value.
So lets take a quick look at some well known chainsaw brand mini chainsaws and almost mini saws!
Worx 5-Inch Bar
The Worx mini chainsaw (pictured left), has a 5-inch offset bar. An unusual feature which sets it apart from other mini chainsaws, and indeed other chainsaws in general!
This name brand mini chainsaw is billed as a “pruning” chainsaw with the claim that the off set bar makes for more accurate cutting as you have better line of sight.
Probably not wrong, but not a must have either!
A definite plus here is that the same 20V battery that drives this mini saw can be used to power over seventy-five other Worx tools in their PowerShare range.
That is an impressive array of battery powered tools that you can choose from for other tasks without having to buy a different battery.
It also means that they have a ready supply of spare or extra batteries which is always good to know.
This concept is of course not unique to Worx. However the scale of tools on offer is possibly only matched by the Greenworks ranges (24V, 40V and 80V battery driven tools).
Back to this Worx mini chain saw.
Two aspects that are missing which would have made this an even better mini chainsaw are:
- Automatic bar and chain lubrication mechanism
- A brushless motor for improved all round cutting efficiency & longevity.
However, there are plenty of people who are quite happy with it as it is. So perhaps the 2 points above are not deal breakers.
That really is it for mini chainsaws as defined by “one handed”! Even then the design is such that you could use your second hand on the top of the saw for extra control.
Lets look at a few more well recognized brand name mini chainsaws.
Milwaukee 6-Inch Bar
The Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hatchet has a 6 inch bar and chain. It is also described by the seller as a pruning saw.It is arguably one of the top mini chainsaws on the market today!
In contrast to the Worx above, this little gem does have
- a brushless motor and
- an inbuilt bar and chain oiler.
A bonus is that the oil reservoir is see through so you can see the oil level clearly! You therefore don’t have to keep stopping to check if the oil needs topping up.
The brushless motor is a huge plus from a performance and efficiency standpoint. As almost always however, that is reflected in the price of the tool.
As with the Worx, the battery can be used with a (very) wide range of other Milwaukee M12 series tools.
PS: There is also an 8″ Milwaukee available
Now lets get onto some light, but probably not strictly mini chainsaws in that although they have bar lengths of only 8 inches to 10 inches they are more like traditional chainsaws in their design.
Ryobi 8-inch Bar Chainsaw
This mini Ryobi chainsaw with an 8-inch bar is also marketed as a pruning saw.
As can be seen from the picture on the left, there is definitely a place (handle) for a second hand. However, it is probably light enough for some to use one handed.
Surprisingly, Ryobi advertise it as having an “oil free” function which indicates they don’t expect you to use oil on the bar & chain while working with this saw.
As we have commented before – this would be a mistake. Oil is essential to ease the friction between chain and bar and not applying it will negatively affect both the performance and longevity of the tool.
So if you think this one is for you, make sure you take a small bottle of oil along with you and lubricate the chain and bar at regular intervals!
Makita 10-inch Bar Top Handle Chainsaw
Perhaps the king of lightweight small battery driven chainsaws, this Makita has it all.
Apart from the brushless motor and self oiling function, the stand out feature of this tool is its incredible chainspeed.
At a maximum of almost 24m/s (4720 feet per minute), this is way ahead of its competition.
This translates into an awesome cutting ability which is why this little chainsaw is so well respected in the industry.
Yes its a bit pricey, but as we all know, genuine quality is never cheap!
Greenworks 24V 10-inch Bar Light Chainsaw
As mentioned earlier, this Greenworks light electrical chainsaw is powered by the same battery that powers an entire (and very large) range of tools.
So think about the implications of that ability when you consider this chainsaw as it could be a big bonus factor.
This is another battery driven small chainsaw that is not fitted with a brushless motor.
But it sells large numbers to a mostly very satisfied customer base so we can’t ignore it.
And the tool-less chain tensioning mechanism and automatic oiler certainly add to the attractiveness of the package.
Finally
Lets not forget the two old war horses that have represented their well known brands for a very long time and are still going strong.
- The 10-inch Black & Decker 20V battery driven chainsaw
- Worx 10-inch PowerShare Cordless Chainsaw
And you can find more brands of chainsaws here