Best chainsaws for homeowners: electric or gas, sized to the wood you cut

Match the bar and the power source to the wood you cut

Choose the bar length by the wood first, then battery or gas. Makers state size in different ways. BLACK+DECKER's page lists an 8-inch cut capacity for its 10-inch saw, while its manual says logs up to 10 inches. Husqvarna's 350i manual lists an 18-inch bar with 17.5 inches of usable cutting length. Ask which figure a maker is quoting, and stay under the smaller one. Weights are not like for like either: EGO's figure leaves out the battery, the 350i's leaves out the battery, bar and chain, and the 450S's leaves out the bar and chain.

Run time is a maker claim tied to one battery. EGO's 130-cut figure is for a 2.5Ah battery, not the 4.0Ah pack in the CS1613 kit. Husqvarna's 350i manual lists 70 minutes as a “free run” figure, while its FAQ gives about 45 to 55 minutes in standard use, so plan on the FAQ number. A gas saw has no charge time but needs mixed fuel. The table below lists 13 more models, including DEWALT, Greenworks and WORX saws, each with its own guide.

Pruning and small logs: BLACK+DECKER LCS1020

A 10-inch saw that the manual calls suited to pruning and small logs, for consumer use only. The kit has one 2Ah battery and a charger that the manual times at about 4 to 5 hours. Amazon's title says “Automatic Oiler”, but BLACK+DECKER's page does not, and its manual says to press the primer bulb three times before each cut. The manual says not to cut above chest height and to retighten the chain often in the first two hours. The two-year warranty covers home use and excludes abuse and accidental damage.

Read the LCS1020 guide · Check the LCS1020 on Amazon

A 16-inch cordless kit: EGO CS1613

The CS1613 kit is EGO's CS1610 16-inch 56V saw with a 4.0Ah battery and charger. The manual gives 9.0 lb without the battery and chain sheath, and an operating range of 5 to 104 °F. Oil seeps when the saw is idle unless you empty the tank after each use and run the saw for a minute. EGO gives five years on the tool, three on the battery and 90 days on bars and chains for household use.

It covers the original purchaser from an authorized EGO retailer, with the dated receipt, so ask EGO whether your seller qualifies before you order.

Read the CS1613 guide · Check the CS1613 on Amazon

An 18-inch battery saw: Husqvarna Power Axe 350i

Husqvarna lists an 18-inch bar with tool-less tensioning and automatic oiling. Its 7.72 lb weight excludes the battery and cutting equipment; the manual lists the BLi30 battery at 4.2 lb. Husqvarna's FAQ gives about 4 hours 30 minutes to charge on the included 40-C80 charger. The manual says to charge indoors only, and it gives two ranges for using the battery: 14 to 104 °F in one section and 41 to 104 °F in another. The product page states no warranty term for the saw, and the support page says a dealer must examine a broken product.

Read the 350i guide · Check the 350i on Amazon

A gas saw for firewood: Husqvarna 450S Rancher

A 50.2 cc saw with a 20-inch bar (13 to 20 inches recommended) and 11 lb without cutting equipment. The warranty is two years for residential use; extending it up to five needs 96 fl oz of Husqvarna pre-mixed fuel and oil bought with the saw, plus online registration. Commercial, agricultural or rental use, skipped maintenance and E15 or E85 fuel void it. The manual calls for unleaded gasoline with at most 10% ethanol, mixed 50:1 with two-stroke oil. Service goes through an authorized dealer, and you pay transport.

Read the 450S guide · Check the 450S on Amazon

Before you cut

• Kickback. All four manuals warn that kickback can happen when the nose or tip of the guide bar touches an object or when the wood pinches the chain, throwing the bar up and back towards the operator. Husqvarna's 350i manual says not to let the guide bar tip touch an object, and EGO says its chain brake stops the chain when kickback occurs.
• Height and grip. Husqvarna's manuals say never to use the saw above shoulder height or with one hand. EGO's says shoulder height in one place and chest height in another, and BLACK+DECKER's says chest height, so keep the saw below your chest.
• Keep it dry. The BLACK+DECKER and EGO manuals say not to expose power tools to rain or wet conditions, even though EGO rates its saw IPX4, and Husqvarna's 350i manual says not to use it in rain.
• Gas fumes. Husqvarna's 450S manual says never to start the saw indoors and to work only in a well-ventilated area, because of carbon monoxide.
• Protective gear. Husqvarna's manuals call for an approved helmet, hearing protection, eye protection or a face visor, and gloves, pants and boots with saw protection. BLACK+DECKER's calls for safety glasses and hearing protection, and EGO's for eye protection; both recommend protection for the head, hands, legs and feet.
• Leave felling and tree work to trained people. BLACK+DECKER's manual says felling should only be done by a trained person, and Husqvarna's 350i manual says not to use a chain saw in a tree without specific training.

Based on published specifications, manuals and warranty terms, not cutting tests. Sources checked September 29, 2026: BLACK+DECKER LCS1020 (blackanddecker.com) and its manual (toolservicenet.com), EGO 16-inch chain saw (egopowerplus.com), CS1610 manual (egopowerplus.com), EGO warranty (egopowerplus.com), Husqvarna 350i (husqvarna.com), 350i support (husqvarna.com) and manual (husqvarna.com), Husqvarna 450S Rancher (husqvarna.com) and manual (husqvarna.com). Amazon links are affiliate links.