Battery Powered, Mini Chainsaws

Is a Brushless Chainsaw Better?

And What is Meant by a Brushless Chainsaw?

Is a brushless chainsaw better than a “normal” cordless chainsaw?

But first – what is a brushless chainsaw?

A brushless chainsaw (like the two examples pictured on the left) is an electric chainsaw that is equipped with a brushless motor instead of a brushed motor.

The brushless motor is a technical advancement on a brushed motor.

 

chainsaws with brushless motorsFurther design refinements and advancements in the capability of these brushed motors, together with advances in battery technology, has led to their being incorporated in small cordless tools.

So you can get a conventionally designed chainsaw (like the Blue Makita above left) being equipped with a brushless motor and more recently, they have started being incorporated in mini chainsaws.

The yellow ImoumLive (left) is an example of a mini chainsaw that is powered by a brushless motor.

The Advantages of a Brushless Motor

mini chainsaw with brushless motor

Brushless vs Brushed

 

Brushed electric motors have many advantages over the older brushed electric motors.

These include:

  • Improved power output
  • Higher chain speed which means better cutting
  • Reduced friction which leads to
  • Increased efficiency and
  • Longer motor life and
  • Reduced energy consumption

These advantages are significant when you consider that they kick in every time you pull the trigger to get that chain spinning and cutting!

So we go back to our original question.

Is a Brushless Chainsaw Better?

Given the advantages of a brushed motor over a brushless motor, you would need to have a very good reason NOT to buy a chainsaw equipped with a brushless motor rather than one with a brushed motor!

And there is ONE reason you might decide to do that and that is cost!

Of course the price of new technology always comes down over time. However, at the moment and for the most part, chainsaws and mini chainsaws equipped with brushless motors tend to be pricier than their counterparts.

For example, compare the cost of the Makita 12 inch chainsaw which is equipped with a brushless motor, to the cost of the Worx 12 inch chainsaw which has a conventional brushed motor.

But then compare performance:

Worx 12 inch chain speed is quoted as 21ft/sec

Makita 12 inch chain speed tops out at over 3 times that figure!!

So in terms of cutting performance, there is just no comparison. The more expensive, brushless motor equipped Makita, wins hands down!

But…

So does that ALWAYS mean the brushless motor option is better??

Nope, not at all.

Many of the brushed motor chainsaws like the Worx and Black & Dekker electrical chainsaws have proven pedigrees and thousands of satisfied users.

However, eventually one would expect the brushed motors to be phased out across all brands as the price differential lessens.

This is perhaps already happening in the mini chainsaw market. Here are examples of mini chainsaws of various bar lengths that have brushless motors.

You can compare them with other mini chainsaws that have normal brushed motors such as the SEYVUM mini chainsaw.

NB A Pure Copper Motor does NOT MEAN a brushless motor. It is a normal brushed motor.

To Conclude

Is a brushless chainsaw better?

In the context of electrically powered chainsaws (battery or corded), the simple answer is YES.

The longer answer depends on what you want to spend on a chainsaw, and what you want it to do for you!

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