When it comes to the best electric chainsaws, our Tool Nerds team certainly knows a thing or two. These electricity-powered devices are the most common chainsaws on the market, and the most readily available to consumers.
We’re excited to introduce our electric chainsaw guide to help you understand why we love these power tools so much.
You have a lot of options when it comes to choosing the right chainsaw for you. While we are huge fans of brands like WORX and Makita, there are a wide array of options, brands, and specifications for you to decide between. In fact, there is a bigger variety of electric chainsaws available today than there are battery or gas powered chainsaws.
And there’s good reason for it, too!
The range of functionality and power that electric chainsaws bring to the table are preferred by a lot of average customers, and there are plenty of advantages that this saw brings over the other types of saws. There are certain projects that electric chainsaws will work best for, and it’s important to highlight why these may be a more affordable and logical choice than gas or battery powered saws.
How do Electric Chainsaws Work?
Electric chainsaws operate using a long, versatile cord, which can be plugged into any nearby power source. They do not use gasoline like a traditional chainsaw, and they do not use batteries like their smaller counterparts. They are perfectly functional for average, everyday tasks, making them a top choice by DIY enthusiasts.
The cord attached to an electric chainsaw is often 100 feet long, and sometimes even longer with the most advanced brands. However, it is very flexible and it is great at keeping your movements from being too restricted. 100 feet should be more than enough space for you to be able to move around your back or front yard, trimming branches and performing other light to medium-sized tasks.
Plus, you can use an extension cord to increase the length of your workspace by an even larger amount. There’s no surpassing the balance of functionality and flexibility with an electric chainsaw.
Our favorite electric chainsaw brands often come with the following advanced features for ease of use:
Anti-vibration features, which help to keep yourself and the machine stable while you’re cutting – this also helps to prevent permanent damage to your hands and wrists.
Air-cleaning filter, which removes debris and dust particles from the internal parts of the chainsaw, keeping it safe and preventing any type of sputtering or kickback.
Automatic chain adjustment system, so that you don’t have to manually adjust the tension of the chain.
Automatic chain lubrication, which helps to lubricate your chains o you don’t have to stop at any point during your project to maintain the device.
Because an electric chainsaw runs on electricity powered by the cord, this chainsaw in particular emits no fumes and does not require a refill or a recharge at any point. This is one of the biggest reasons why homeowners flock to this model for average projects.
Why Electric over Gas or Battery Powered?
There’s a reason why electric chainsaws are making a constant rise on the market. Industry standards are changing to adapt electric chainsaws into the range of industrial uses and functions. And while electric chainsaws are not always as powerful as their gas powered brethren, they offer a lot of versatility that the gas-guzzlers don’t.
They are an awesome mid-range product, or, as our Tool Nerds team likes to call it, a Goldilocks product. This is because electric chainsaws are not too big, not too small, not too noisy, and not too inconvenient. They are a great blend of functional, flexible, and affordable to suit most of the average homeowner’s needs.
What are Electric Chainsaws Typically Used For?
Electric chainsaws are great for chopping firewood, pruning bushes, removing small branches from trees, cutting down saplings, trimming pieces of lumber, clearing drybrush, and many more activities.
A lot of customers face confusion when trying to purchase an electric chainsaw for the first time. If you have no experience with chainsaws, the amount of options and details at your disposal can be quite overwhelming. However, this is why we recommend electric chainsaws as the best choices for beginners. They require much less energy and maintenance to operate, and you won’t have to worry about refuelling or buying extra products just to keep the chainsaw in good use.
A Note on Pole Saws
You may be wondering, “What in the world is a pole saw?” These are alternative types of electric chainsaws that do not fit the traditional model or brand. They are used in specific ways and they are worth mentioning for a variety of reasons:
First, they are technically included as an electric chainsaw, making them a valid choice when you’re looking to get a project completed.
Second, they offer a lot of benefits on their own that make them a worthy choice in the industry. Check out the information below to learn a few things about pole saws.
A pole saw takes a small, motorized saw, and attaches it to a long extension pole. When the pole saw is plugged into power, it can be used to reach high places and narrow spaces where a typical chainsaw can’t reach. Most people use a pole saw to cut down branches or trim leaves in high spaces.
What are the Advantages of Electric Chainsaws?
Electric chainsaws provide a number of clear advantages over their battery and gas powered counterparts, making them an ideal choice for someone who’s just starting out. Again, there’s a reason why they are rising in popularity. We sent some of our Tool Nerds team to research the top benefits of electric chainsaws over their alternatively-fueled brethren.
Here’s what we’ve found to be the biggest advantages of electric chainsaws:
Electric chainsaws do not emit fumes, debris, or any other harmful substance. There is no gasoline and no combustion engine, meaning there is no smoke for the machine to put out. This is because the electricity powers the rotating blade directly, leaving no dust or dirt behind in its wake.
Electric chainsaws are the most affordable saws on the market. In most cases, they are even cheaper than battery powered saws. Lithium ion batteries are still a technology in their infancy, making them widely sought after and more difficult to come by at an average store. Electric chainsaws use traditional cord technology, making it easy for you to find them anywhere at a wide range of prices. Browsing Amazon will give you a good selection of available electric saws, which range in functionality and versatility.
Electric chainsaws are great choices for beginners. Electric chainsaws can be easy to handle, especially when you’re just starting to learn how to use power tools. They offer a wide threshold for learning and do not require menial tasks like refuelling, revving, and tightening parts of the chainsaw. Plus, it can be turned on and off with ease. If you ever face an emergency with your chainsaw, simply unplugging it will make it turn off immediately.
Electric chainsaws reduce kickback. A gas powered saw is famous for outputting large vibrations, which typically require gloves to handle. An electric chainsaw is not so difficult on the hands and wrists, making it a friendlier device altogether. Plus, it is safer to use over longer periods of time.
Because they require less maintenance to operate, they don’t need any fuel, and they are a great choice for beginners, we highly recommend electric chainsaws as a top buy for those who are just starting out.
But that doesn’t mean that electric chainsaws don’t come without any flaws. Check out some of the disadvantages you may face if you’re looking to perform a certain project in particular.
Disadvantages of Electric Chainsaws
Electric chainsaws offer a lot of versatility for a lot of different uses, but they aren’t the greatest choice for every use. In some cases, a gas or battery powered chainsaw is simply the better choice.
Here are a couple drawbacks of electric saws:
The cord limits your movement. While 100 feet is quite the length, you are still restricted because you have to make sure the cord is out of your way at all times. You can’t walk in too many circles or you risk getting the cord twisted. If you need to raise the chainsaw into the air, the cord can be too heavy or cumbersome in order to get the job done correctly (and safely!).
Electric saws don’t output as much power as gas saws. If you’re in a professional industry, and you are looking to fell some trees, an electric chainsaw will not work for you. Only gas powered saws can output enough power to slice through anything.
Electric saws aren’t as small as battery powered saws. This can either be an advantage or a drawback, depending on what you’re looking for. If you need something small, lightweight, mobile, and compact, your best bet is to go with a battery powered saw. Electric saws range in size but cannot be made too small.
Our Conclusion
We love electric saws, and we think they have a lot to bring to the table. If you’re looking to start out with chainsaws, and you aren’t sure exactly the depth of power and versatility that you need, we recommend starting out with one of our favorite electric chainsaw models.
The cord can be restricting, and they often don’t display as much raw power as a gas saw, but these things can be overlooked if you’re just looking to get some yard work done. All in all, this is a great choice for the average homeowner.
