Is There an Overall Best Small Gas Chainsaw?
Small gas chainsaws are great for clearing up storm damage
Small gas chainsaws can be a very handy addition to your tool shed.
We define “small” here as having a bar length of 14 inches or less.
In reality you probably wont find a gas chainsaw with an 8 inch bar as 8-inch mini chainsaws and are battery driven nowadays.
There are 10 inch bar gas powered chainsaws on the market but it probably makes more sense to get a slightly bigger bar which will give you more flexibility in terms of what you can accomplish.
So our focus here is on 12 and 14 inch gas powered chainsaws and trying to sort out which will be the best choice for you.
Comparative Table of the Best Small Gas Powered Chainsaws
This table lists the selected chainsaws in alphabetical order
| Make | Bar Length | Engine Size | Horse Power* | Design Type |
| Echo | 12 inches | 26.9 cc | 1.79 (5.3) | Top Handled |
| Husqvarna | 12/14 inches | 35.2cc | 2.35 (?) | Top Handled |
| Makita | 14 inches | 32 cc | 2.1 (1,8) | Classic |
| Neotec | 12 inches | 25,4cc | 1.69 (3,5) | Classic |
| Poulan Pro | 14 inches | 33 cc | 2.2 (3,5) | Top Handled |
* The horse power figures before the brackets are calculated as CC divided by 15 whereas the figures in brackets are those quoted by the manufacturer or seller.Given the small differences in CC values of the respective engines, the non bracketed figures are likely to be more accurate.
Lets take a look at the features of each one that might help you in deciding which is the best small gas powered chainsaw for your requirements.
Echo CS-271T Chainsaw
This Echo chainsaw has a 12 inch bar although it will also accept a 14 inch bar. Opinions are divided on whether a step up to the 14 inch version does not leave it slightly under powered.
As can be seen by the picture on the left this is a top handled chainsaw. Despite the fact that top handled chainsaws are not designed to be used one handed,many people do just that if the chainsaw is small and light enough.(safety issues not withstanding)
This one is small and light enough!
Most gas powered chainsaws nowadays have some sort of mechanism(s) to make starting them a bit easier. This Echo has a digital ignition system and an integrated choke to address the starting issues.
Similarly, it features a vibration reduction system which reduces the vibrations you feel in your hands and arms when operating the chainsaw. Makes it more comfortable to use and enables one to use it for longer periods of time when necessary.
The fuel tank hold 8.1 fluid ounces or 240 ml which is not a lot of fuel (Compare that to the Makita below). However, at least one user has reported that that is good enough for at least 45 minutes of typical chainsaw work, so it does seem to be pretty light on fuel!
In terms of storage, it doesn’t come with any sort of storage case, but it does have a plastic scabbard to put over the bar and chain.
Warranty
This is unusual.
The Echo comes with a 5 year warranty for home owners (only 1 year for commercial business owners).
It is a limited warranty so don’t make assumptions about what is and isn’t covered!
Echo CS-271T Chainsaw Summary
A small, lightweight gas powered chainsaw that punches above it’s weight in the power stakes. Ideal for taking on smaller jobs involving smaller diameter branches/trees/logs etc.
It’s power might tempt you to try using it on bigger challenges, but that’s not what its designed for and you will shorten its work life by continually trying to make it do work more suited to bigger chainsaws!
On the other hand, if you only have a few small trees in your yard that need attending once or twice a year then this is probably overkill and you would be better to look at a small cordless chainsaw
Husqvarna T435
This chainsaw is part of the well established Husqvarna stable of chainsaws and other power tools.
As with the Echo chainsaw above, it has a top handle design and can accommodate either a 12 inch or 14 inch bar.
This model, the T435 is sold with a 12″ bar.
As a top handled chainsaw it is designed for working above ground level and to this end it has a purpose designed rope attachment which allows one to easily attach a rope to the saw to lift it up to you.
There is no storage box but it does come with a scabbard to protect the bar and chain.
All in all, not too dissimilar in many respects to the Echo.
Makita
This Makita 14 inch bar chainsaw is different to the two saws above in several respects.
- It has a classic or traditional chainsaw design rather than a top handled design
- Is equipped with a tool-less chain tensioning system which makes tensioning the chain so much less tedious and time consuming.
- A large metal spike bar to help stabilize the chainsaw when cutting. This also helps to combat operator fatigue!
- A large fuel tank (13.5 oz. or 400ml) which is not far off twice the capacity of the Echo listed above (8.1 oz. or 240ml)
- Large oil tank capacity (9.5 oz. or 280ml)
So in many respects, the Makita is a different beast compared to the Echo & Husqvarana which are very similar in their designs and features.
However, in common with the other two, it does also feature a spring-assisted starter and an advanced vibration dampening system.
It comes with a one year limited warranty
NEO-TEC 12” Top Handle Gas Chainsaw
The Neotec NCS2500 is a very reasonably priced top handled 12 inch gas powered chainsaw.
Most 2 stroke chainsaws run on a 50:1 mixture but this one runs on a
Still, forewarned is forearmed and it will just take a little bit of organization to ensure the right mixture goes in the right tool!
Also it doesn’t come equipped with a muffler so is quite loud when you fire it up. So warn the neighbors and don’t forget your ear protection gear
One observation is to check all the nuts and screws before first starting it up. Several people have remarked that they have been loose but once tightened, all worked well!
In summary. This chainsaw is designed for light work and although it is a bit cheap looking, it is great value for your money. And of course, it is way cheaper than the 3 mentioned above!
Poulan Pro
This 33cc top handled chainsaw has many diametrically opposed reviews.
Some people are very happy, while many complain about starting issues, being down on power and so on.
Perhaps the issue is more about quality control and the users experience is really down to which version of the saw they receive – a good one or a not so good one?
So perhaps if you have had good experiences with Poulan Pro chainsaws before then this would be worth pursuing. If a first time buyer, maybe go for one of the others.
Finally
Small gas powered chainsaws have their quirks. These mainly revolve around getting them started and oil leaks.
But they certainly have their place in the chainsaw world.
Small, light weight, sometime noisy, but a great power to weight ratio and very capable of cutting up small diameter branches quickly and efficiently.
As with any chainsaw, don’t push their capability boundaries and you won’t be disappointed.
However, if you are only a very occasional user of a chainsaw, then a cordless chainsaw might be a better fit.
You can check out these battery driven alternatives:
Different Types of Cordless Chainsaws
Best Cordless Chainsaw for Home Use
12 Inch Cordless Chainsaws with Buzz
[no_toc]