Cordless electric chainsaw testing and review - Part 1 - which battery chain saw is right for you?

[@parkercovieo9103]

I can't tell you how many hours of research I've done trying to find the best chainsaw for my needs. This is by far the most helpful video I've watched!

[@normnelson]

I'm glad my video was helpful!

[@simonm1135]

Which one did you end up going with?

[@parkercovieo9103]

@@simonm1135 I ended up getting the 18in ego, mainly because I wanted to have the metal bucking spikes and built-in light.

[@simonm1135]

@@parkercovieo9103 Gotcha. I was going to buy electric but I just got a Husqvarna 130 for 230.00 I think it was a 5 year warranty so I couldn't beat it.

[@blackturtleshow]

I've been using the EGO 18 inch since June. I've cut up a huge stack of wood and I'm pretty happy with it's performance.

[@normnelson]

That's great to hear! The 18" EGO certainly has helped with my firewood around here!

[@benpower5599]

Still in college so don’t need any of this stuff yet but love the videos man, glad you got good internet now so we can seem more

[@normnelson9583]

Thanks man!

[@John-cj3ve]

I used to run Stihl gas saws cutting BIG trees for firewood, 051, 075. But my favorite one for some reason, was my 020 AVP. So that was my memory of how a chainsaw acts. Imagine my surprise, (and initial let down), when I fired up my new EGO 18 inch saw! I was very underwhelmed. I was glad to see, in your comments about your EGO, that it wasn't just me having false memories from decades ago. P.S. I have come to appreciate the GOOD qualities of the EGO, and ignore the insignificant aspect of it's slow rev up time.

[@bobcrowe8364]

Terrific video, thank you. Nice to have the confirmation of my choice! I watched this after ordering my Ego 18" saw, which should come in this week. I've had their line trimmer for three years, their mower for two, and their blower for one, and have been very happy with all three. Made sense to get the saw for battery compatibility if nothing else, and I'm happy to know it performs well.

[@normnelson]

How do you like the 18" saw?

[@picocantieni]

This review stands head and shoulders above any others I've found on KZbin. Useful, thoughtful comparisons and commentary. Top notch! Thank you for a most informative presentation.

[@normnelson]

Thanks for the compliment, and thanks for watching!

[@johnnywishbone932]

I bought a B&D 40v. 12 inch bar cut 10” pine with ease. I cut 3 wind blown trees and cleared a ATV path in 15 mins. Limbed, Cut, bucked 3 10-15 foot sections of fallen trees. Pack saw….. great idea. Great video. Thanks!!! Merry Christmas ✝️❤️

[@normnelson]

Strong work, sounds great! It sure is nice to have a small, quiet, powerful saw that starts when you want it to! Makes getting work done just that much easier!

[@dale10knjdale32]

I've seen a bunch of battery powered chainsaw videos and yours is Outstanding. The test and detailed information you put in your video was on point . Thank you Best of time to you .

[@normnelson]

Thank you very much!

[@alanluckystripesb3706]

Really excellent video and commentary. I've seen so many reviews where the commentary appears to be read from the manufacturers sales brochure so it is deeply appreciated to get your views and experiences. Thank you. From England.

[@robgrubb420]

OWNS A SAWMILL, loves electric saws for specific tasks. perfect.

[@normnelson]

It's all about proper use of tools. I would own an electric sawmill too, if I could find another one.

[@COMtnPilot]

Great review! Sold me on the EGO. 👍🏼

[@normnelson]

Good to hear, let me know how it works out for you!

[@COMtnPilot]

@@normnelson ... It didn’t work out. I immediately returned it. It had a terribly long delay and was under powered. It was also way heavier than I expected. I opted for the DeWalt instead. Very happy with it too!

[@mrpoopypants9586]

Best review I've seen on these saws. Thanks & cheers from Australia.PP

[@normnelson]

Thanks and cheers to you, too!

[@jkocol]

Excellent review, thanks. I had back in the '90s a 14'' plug-in electric saw that I used for firewood at the house. Fast, quiet and light. I loved it. I am really impressed by the quality of these saws. I was thinking of getting another chainsaw, currently have none, and these really sound like a good option.

[@walterroettinger6727]

I’m still using an old craftsman plug in electric. 1 7/8 horsepower. I’ld like to get rid of the cord

[@normnelson]

I had a plug-in electric Craftsman chainsaw years ago, for use around my sawmill. It worked well, but leaked bar oil pretty badly. Luckily these EGO ones have the bar oil figured out, they don't leak.

[@richardtribe5487]

What a cracking no-nonsense, no-bs review. 5 Gorilla salute. Cheers mate.

[@normnelson]

Thanks mate!

[@TreeOfThe]

Great quality videos man. Please keep making good stuff like this, I hope you get more attention.

[@egomaniac8510]

Great video. Honest and sincere. This coming from a 1 year convert to ego. I never thought cordless tools could change my life. Ego does.

[@normnelson]

Thanks for the comment! I do like the EGO tools. I plan to use my chainsaw tomorrow!

[@dubmasterz3261]

Super great review. Keep up the good content!

[@dubltap7216]

I've been running a EGO line trimmer and 650 leaf blower for 2 years and they have been perfect except one charger quiting. Just ordered the 18" EGO chainsaw.

[@normnelson]

That's the first I've heard of a charger quitting... I've heard of some batteries having issues, but (until now) not a charger...

[@avlisk]

FWIW, I bought the Ego 24" snow blower with the 7.5ah batteries for my 250' gravel driveway, and after 7 storms so far in mid Maine, I'm loving it. I won't go back to a gasoline one. (FYI, 8" powder, one charge. 8" heavy wet, 3 charges. A charge is 90 minutes.)

[@normnelson]

Thanks, that's good to know! I've heard really good things about that EGO 2-stage blower. I'd love to get one for around our place, but my first priority is to figure out a better piece of equipment to clear our 1/2 mile driveway... I'm tiring of using the bucket and back blade on my antique Kubota tractor. Where in "mid Maine" are you? I lived in Old Town for a number of years before moving west.

[@avlisk]

@@normnelson I'm in Fryeburg, across the street from the Fairgrounds and just over the border from North Conway, NH . I moved into a 3 season cabin in Oct, having moved from Phoenix, and am still trying to winterize the place. IT'S FREAKING COLD!!!

[@RadicalFitnessLLC]

Great video for helping me decide on where to spend my money adding in an electric chainsaw. Thanks!

[@davidmarlow3891]

Thanks for an exceptional video, that was very very helpful. I just bought my first EGO 18” chainsaw, as my old Black and Decker corded just gave up. I do have a large number of Marita cordless tools, being a cabinet maker, but nearly all the reports I have seen on YT indicated that EGO was better. I will be purchasing a leaf blower and trimmer later, so good battery technology is a must. I got my EGO on sale at Amazon and also got a carrying case. Please keep up these good and practical reviews.

[@dmorgan28]

You should have used a Stihl 220C-B battery saw for the comparison. It has a 14” or 16” bar available and it uses 3/8 saw chain. Of all the reviews that I’ve seen it’s the best.

[@NigelNaughton]

I have that exact Stihl and love it. I usually use it when overlanding to clear trails and harvest firewood. It's awesome not having to carry liquid fuel and it's just immediately available. Expensive yes! but my friend bought it for me ;-)

[@normnelson]

Yes, it's a good saw, and durable. The biggest bummer for me was the propriety chain. But it must be nice to have friends that will buy you tools like that!

[@kimoates8231]

I have a ego saw, blower, love them. I am thinking of the sthil but I hate that the sthil is 12 inch. I can switch My batteries with my ego. M6 son has taken over the ego saw.

[@NigelNaughton]

@@kimoates8231 You can get a 14" or a 16" version as well. I have the 14"

[@sirvozelo1]

I am not a professional logger but every year I cut quit good amount of fire wood, use to have 3 gas saws and I buy the first battery stihl 220C most for curiosity, some time later I end up buying 2 more Stihl battery saws and the 135 trimmer. Just wish the batteries with last little longer.

[@normnelson]

I still have a few gas saws, but I'm really enjoying the electric ones, too.

[@FatherOfTheParty]

Great review. We bought the Ego mower several years ago to maintain a small yard in town for much the same reason you mention. Wife struggled with starting the gas mower. Plus, the mower is so quiet you don't have to worry about mowing in the morning and bothering people. I'm also with you in terms of limiting / reducing the number of small engines I have to maintain. I'm looking at the 16" Ego chainsaw now as well as the Ego trimmer. Another thing I'm trying hard to do is minimize the number of different battery platforms I'm using. One downside of the Ego line is the size of the batteries. You'll probably not see a Ego nailer or drill/driver or circular saw. Alternatively, you won't see a Dewalt or Makita lawn mower . . .

[@Twomps]

just got ego 18" inch chainsaw and power load trimmer for the spring and to have the extra 4 ah battery for sawing now.. the 18 inch saw is supposedly much more powerful than the 16. I really like the metal teeth on the 18 as opposed to plastic on 14 and 16 inch saw.. i also like the single self tensioning knob. on the other hand it keeps the chain very taught whereas I prefer a little more slack. the saw and trimmer are powerful and so easy to use. hope any of that helps if you were on the fence about 16 or 18.

[@FatherOfTheParty]

I ended up getting the 16" chainsaw with the 2.5 ah battery (I have the mower with the 7.5 ah battery). My saw does have the metal dogs. I've been very happy with it so far. I've used it for ~ 10 hours clearing some trails on our property which involves a little bit of sawing interspersed with a lot of dragging, splitting, and digging so the ability to instantly start for a short amount of sawing is really nice and the 2.5 ah battery does fine for the size and amount of cutting I'm doing. If I need to fell a larger tree or do concentrated sawing I just use the 7.5 ah battery. Thanks.

[@normnelson]

Glad to read that you like it so far. I too have found that the 5.0Ah and 7.5Ah batteries (14s2p and 14s3p respectively) work better than the 2.5Ah (14s1p) batteries, on the 18" chainsaw. I assume the 2p and 3p configurations just are more tolerant of the Amp loads that 18" saw can produce.

[@johnwasson8604]

well done review of the different saw i just got the 18" ego just for the reason im tired of needing my saw and having it not start when trees have fallen into our drive way or general brushing. i'll still keep my 20" gas saw for when im doing a big day of clearing helping people or cutting bigger trees. one thing to note for people looking to get a saw the ego 18" is alot more powerfull than the 16" but you can still put a 16" or 14" bar on it if your wanting a smaller saw.

[@normnelson]

That's a great point about being able to use the smaller bars on the 18" saw body. Thanks!

[@relaxingnature2617]

I have the stihl msa140 and 2 ak30 batterys 180ah , I carry it on the ATV Quad bike for blowdowns, trail brushing and some firewood ..its a great saw ..all my gas saws sit in the house now

[@normnelson]

I still use a gas saw for the big stuff, we took a bunch of trees down up here this Fall, and for limbing and bucking the small stuff we used all electric (EGO and Stihl), but for bucking the bigger stuff (18"+) I still was using a gas saw. I still hate the noise and the smell of the gas saw, and what I smell like afterwards (2 stroke stank).

[@genemetz1945]

Why does no one evaluate the Kobalt 80-volt brushless 18" chainsaw with a 5ah battery? I have (2) Kobalt 80-volt 18" Bar Chainsaws and use (2) 5 AH Batteries. Using it on a Southeast LA farm that was devastated my Hurricane and has been working absolutely great even cutting huge logs and trees. For oil, I like to use Ryobi Bar and chain oil. We have cut 20"+_ logs and it works like a charm. And NO more pulling and pulling to start a gas-powered chainsaw. My first 80-volt 18" Bar Chain saw with a 5-AH Battery and charger was $400 in Jul 2021

[@Markus_Kennedy]

Steller review, thanks for putting this together. I invested in the EGO line of electric power tools as well and I absolutely love them. They are powerful, easy to use, and work great! Looking forward to getting the saw next :)

[@normnelson]

Thanks for the comment! They are good tools!

[@rconn4501]

Ego is the absolute best in battery lawn equipment‼️ Slowly snagging their entire lineup...

[@givemeabreakdoc]

Great video. I used to HATE battery tools. Now I’ve got the blower, 16 inch saw, weed eater and hedge trimmer. I LOVE ego. Now I want the 18 inch saw. If you are waiting on switching from gas to battery, you’re wasting time.

[@normnelson]

Exactly! and now my family wants the zero-turn EGO mower...(!)

[@givemeabreakdoc]

@@normnelson lol. That would be nice, but $4999 and only 42 in. at the local Lowe’s is a little cost prohibitive. Plus, my trust isn’t that far along yet.

[@GmanTheTank]

I bought a Toro, which is a rebranded Greenworks, which does a great job for the small stuff around the house.

[@normnelson]

Glad to hear it. FYI, there is a safety recall on some of the Greenworks electric saws, more info here: www.cpsc.gov/zhT-CN/Recalls/2018/cordless-electric-chainsaws-recalled-due-to-injury-hazard-distributed-by-hongkong-sun

[@BOB-ud4gy]

Awesome video! I have Ego mower and blower with 2.5 and 7.5 batteries. I think I will get the Ego chainsaw as well thanks for the video.

[@Kimberlyworks-ps2wm]

Thanks for the info. Great Video. Just bought the 18" ego saw at lowes. It was expensive $370, but got it on credit. Got to pay it off in 6 months. I was going to get the 16" which is $100 cheaper, but it came with a smaller battery and the big battery cost is 250. The 18" comes with the big battery 5.0. So it made sense for me to buy the bigger also i i need the longer bar for wide trees

[@normnelson]

The 18" EGO is the right choice, in my opinion. The 18" one runs at a much higher rpm than the 16" EGO, and truthfully, I wouldn't recommend running any of these EGO saws on anything smaller than their 5.0 Ah battery. The 2.5 Ah battery is just a single set of cells in a series, so it can't put out as many Amps constantly as the 5.0 Ah battery (two series sets of cells in parallel, or "2P") or the 7.5 Ah battery, which is 3P. I was just using my 18" EGO saw today with 5.0 Ah battery, bucking Douglas fir logs about 22" in diameter. It worked great.

[@johnwasson8604]

keep in mind you can always put the smaller bars on the 18" as well if your wanting a smaller saw most of the time

[@brandonswan9247]

I bucked a 32 inch diameter tree into 16 inch length peices with the ego cs1800. Took a while but it got the job done eventually.

[@normnelson]

Strong work!

[@hobbithabits2806]

Excellent video! I REALLY like your level of explanation on certain topics that I'd like to know more about but haven't researched because I'm always watching other KZbin videos instead :-)... Seriously, I don't know if you have a formal Engineering background or are one of those guys that 'just gets it' but your knowledge adds a great touch to your videos. Thanks!

[@returningtoearthtv8836]

Great review! Thanks! Also, really dig that jacket. Ive got a couple like it. Patches.

[@normnelson]

Thanks, I dig it too.

[@geraldmoore6257]

Good video. I've cut way over 20 full cord of hardwood with a Makita XCU03. I used a 16" 0.043 bar with no noticeable reduction in cut speed. I've also use a 16" 0.050 bar with no problems. I've used mostly full chisel chain and think perhaps they may cut marginally faster. I use the 6Ah batteries which translates to 216 watt hours of power (the units that should be used for comparison, not volts or amp hrs). The EGO looks like a very good choice. I liked the storage mechanism you described. My choice was based upon having lots of Makita batteries. I have many indoor tools and a few outdoor tools like the blower and weed eater and, of course chain saw. I too, am happy to stop using gas equipment. The key is to own a lot of batteries.

[@normnelson]

Thanks for the good info! I have since used a couple more of the Makita saws, and they perform ok. You are right, the key is owning a bunch of batteries!

[@biodiv62]

Great video! With the EGO saw could you use the 12AH battery in the back pack; or are you still limited to the 10AH battery?

[@__J-Fish__]

Damn man you are very good at making these videos. You know your shit and i am certain which one i want because of you. Thank you sir! Keep up the good work!

[@richiec7700]

Nice! Really appreciate the peak dB Frequency.

[@normnelson]

Glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully more reviews to come, as the weather warms up here.

[@pjfan173]

Excellent video from someone who uses the products

[@normnelson]

Thanks, I appreciate you watching!

[@Scootphoria]

Good video with great comments. Thanks.

[@sirvozelo1]

Excellent demonstration I don't have any of those saws. I have the Stihl 161T, 220C and the MSA300. My brother have 2 Makitas comparable with mines 161T and 220C we tested themes together and prefer the STIHL, in his case the Makita is preferable because he is a builder and use the batteries in other tools. But for heavy cutting is the MSA300 this one yes it sure have power and speed, the 220C is not even comparable, just for full power you need the AP500 battery and even this one don't last long and here in Portugal I pay 820 Eur. for 2 AP500.

[@normnelson]

Yes, the batteries are expensive. I would like to see the MSA300, it has not delivered to our area in the USA yet.

[@sirvozelo1]

@@normnelson I buy mine MSA300 online from store in Holland because here in Portugal and Spain they have many orders but is not available yet as far as I heard from stihl dealers here Stihl is not capable to produce enough.

[@sirvozelo1]

@@normnelson The MSA 300 is in did a joy powerful machine I have mine with 16 and 182" bars, the downside is the batteries because even the best one the AP500S and I have 3 of thoes but not last long. At the moment for what I see no other battery saw with be a challenge for the MSA300 in regard to power and speed. I also have the GTA26, 161T and the MSA220C.

[@clarkfos3447]

The Makita is a top handle limbing saw and the oldest model that was replaced at that with the 30cc gas equivalent XCU08Z . You should have shown 3 Similar saws like the Makita XCU04 should be here competing you're welcome.

[@normnelson]

Thanks Clark, I'm not a KZbinr worthy of getting free gear, so I made this video with the saws I could get my hands on at the time. Since then, I have had some folks come forward with other saws to review, and I hope to put together another video as soon as the snow melts a little bit here.

[@TIGERSDFW]

I have the little kobalt electric, had if for years, and i am more than happy with it. I would prpbably grab it before the husqvarna.

[@normnelson]

Good to read that! Be aware that there have been some recalls on the Kobalt / Greenworks / Black and Decker electric saws: www.cpsc.gov/zhT-CN/Recalls/2018/cordless-electric-chainsaws-recalled-due-to-injury-hazard-distributed-by-hongkong-sun

[@catherinemerideth4801]

Really excellent review! You know your stuff very well.

[@normnelson9583]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@jacobcline7076]

Great video. Thanks!

[@normnelson]

Glad you liked it! Thanks!

[@morganfingleton3736]

Great video. Very detailed and informative .

[@jps101574]

Great review. You are very knowledgeable. I will subscribe

[@jrxlegend8738]

Awesome video! i have been very indecisive on wether i should get the ego 18 inch chainsaw. I do a lot of yardwork and i just want a quiet , fast saw that just get's the job done like nobody's business. thanks!

[@garylanders1470]

Hi Norm Great review. FYI that speed ramping on the EGO is called "soft start". It is technology that was designed to extend the life of motors and as you suggested it draws less amperage also extending battery life.

[@normnelson]

Thanks Gary, yes - I'm familiar with VFD's and soft starters on bigger, AC motors in industry... at my last employer, we had a 480VAC 30 hp water jet pump that employed a soft start... in that case it was nice... but on this 18" chainsaw, it's a bit annoying! I just wish the ramp-up was adjustable. I mean, even the throttle mapping and steering servos on RC electric cars I played with 30 years ago had adjustable curves (linear, log, etc.). I realize it's an apples to orangutans comparison, but our current Nissan Leaf EV has multiple throttle maps (and regen maps) to pick from, and it's really nice. Maybe EGO will offer some options in the future?

[@jasonjenkins4901]

Great review.new technology showing its edge.

[@joeb2172]

great review Thanks for the work

[@normnelson]

Thanks! And thank you for watching!

[@williamstewart6534]

Great review!

[@normnelson]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@crackerjack3359]

I have a Sthil 271 which is fantastic for where I use it. I have a Dewalt 20' battery saw, which is fantastic for where I use it. I have an Oregon wired electric saw which is fantastic where I use it. The only one I don't use inm y workshop is The Sthil because of the fumes.

[@normnelson]

Yes, it's good to have a variety. I used to have a corded electric saw for use at my sawmill... squaring up ends of logs, bucking off pieces of limbs that were missed, bucking up slab wood, etc. Now I use the EGO battery saw for that, and for most limbing and bucking of logs under about 16"-18". For the bigger stuff I still use a gas saw, though I still hate the noise and smell and pollution, and the fact that no matter if I feed them ethanol-free gasoline (USD $4.89/ US gallon here now) and genuine Stihl 2-stroke oil, they still eventually get cranky and need a carb kit, etc. Frustrating.

[@user-yb2tp4qf1r]

Great review, very informative.

[@normnelson]

Thanks for watching!

[@kevinstory872]

own several ego tools and love the saw.

[@normnelson]

Same here... I love the line trimmer, and my wife loves the mower. I'm considering the snow blower for this winter. I love the saw so far, too...

[@SupraNaturalTT]

Same. Their tools are king and that chainsaw really has a lot of torque. Picked one up with the 5.0 ah battery 18" bar at Home Depot for $169.00 because it was on clearance because of the company switch.

[@normnelson]

@@SupraNaturalTT That's an awesome deal! I've seen a bunch of people on a EGO Facebook group saying that they've been getting great deal like that on EGO tools at Home Depots all over these past couple of months! More power to them!

[@yogigutz2875]

Awesome info I'm in for the EGO

[@normnelson]

Right on! Let me know how it works for you!

[@TimPaddy]

Great video

[@normnelson]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!

[@jimmycarl2]

I'd like to see you review Kobalt and Black and Decker. We already have chargers and batteries for those, to support mower, leaf blowers, weed whackers and drills. Thanks!

[@justonpreble4083]

I'm torn. I'm invested in Makita lightly... As well the EGO Line with their awesome lawnmower, line trimer, backpack blower, and hand held blower. I'm leaning towards the EGO because I have so much battery pack energy, and its total package. But the Makita is super appealing because its so small and compact. But the leaky oil part of the review is a major turn off to me. Doing trail maintenance... The Makita seems like a better option to backpack in... as well climbing trees, the Makita seems like a better up in the air option with the metal loop to easily attach and carry up a tree hands free. But the leaky oil weakness really irritates me. Truthfully I'd love to have both. Maybe over time. But if I had to pick today. I'd probably go with the EGO. I'd agree the battery tech is pretty impressive speaking from a few years of experience with the EGO line. Side note. I do find myself mowing my lawn at night. The light works so great. The mower is so quiet you cant hear it inside the house. Not true of my neighbors lawn services that we hear several times a week starting at 7am! So having a chain saw with a light for bad weather storm clean up really is a thoughtful and useful bonus...

[@kimoates8231]

Love my ego, after watchin* this I think I will get another ego with the 18 8nch bar.

[@joedouthit5502]

I would like to see you do a review of harbor freight 80 V atlas chainsaw in your next video.

[@normnelson]

Sounds good, there are a few new saws that I'd like to review.

[@relaxingnature2617]

Apparently there is a stihl msa300 prototype saw in the wilds of germany ..that one looks xtra powerful ..itll probably be great for fast firewood cutting

[@normnelson]

Interesting!

[@danielmoore1394]

The EGO is also self- adjusting.

[@TheDwightMamba]

I think the slow start on the EGO is for 2 reasons. 1. Battery health. 2. EGO knows this will be many peoples' first chainsaw. Without an engine running to remind them it's armed, it's a soft start to keep newbies from chewing off digits.

[@normnelson]

It could be both of those. I just wish it was switchable... like "beginner" mode and "pro" mode.

[@TheDwightMamba]

@@normnelson, I just realized another reason... a full speed start would shred the battery capacity.

[@happyhippr]

nice review, thx

[@tedbownas2748]

I wonder if the Makita could be modified for that Stihl bar and 1/4 pitch chain. It would cut faster with a narrower chain, and the battery would last longer.

[@blackspruceroutes]

Normstead!! Lol Love the name! My name is also Norm and I also live on a stead.. and I have the same models and color of jacket you have on there!!! Only difference I can see is that I m in Canada and you are in the US I think!!! Anyway, good review here .thank you!! I'm looking for a saw for light blocking and detail work in my chainsaw carving hobby

[@normnelson9583]

Thanks Norm! Always good to meet another! I love those jackets, I need to get another. Yes, I'm in the USA, but close to Canada. Just today I did some bucking and decking of logs, with a friend from Vancouver Island. The EGo is a decent saw for the money, and especially if you have other EGO equipment. I like their battery technology, and the fact that all their batteries fit all their equipment. The Stihl is also a good saw - typical Stihl build quality, but you pay for it $$$... and their battery technology is a little dated, and the batteries from the smaller saws aren't compatible with their mid-sized saws (like the one reviewed here), so you end up buying into two battery systems if you want to run different-sized saws.

[@erichunter5835]

Awesome review

[@normnelson]

Thanks! Let me know if there are any other in particular that you’d like to see...

[@Cyber_Homestead]

One thing that I noticed with my Kobalt 80v chainsaw is that it's every bit as heavy as a standard 2 cycle. Are any of these on the lighter side? Also, have you noticed if any of the batteries are easily serviceable?

[@kimoates8231]

My ego is light, I am a girl so it sure makes a difference.

[@williamfrancis6993]

Most of the battery powered chainsaws don't oil the bar and chain very well. I just sent a brand new Greenworks back for refund. Greenworks support, Good luck with that. I tried calling was put on hold and finally gave up.

[@normnelson]

The EGO oils pretty well, you can always test it by revving the chain in front of a clean piece of paper or cardboard. I do think it (and most chainsaws) benefit from running a bit thinner bar oil in cold weather. The Stihl oils as you would expect a Stihl to oil, and is adjustable oil output.

[@williamfrancis6993]

@@normnelson I decided to fix my 20 yr old Shindaiwa 488. I always run it out of gas before putting away. Sat for over a year, Would not start, hoping a carb kit will fix it. There is a Stihl Shop in town, Will check it out if I unable fix the old 488.

[@isaacnewton8563]

please what gas chainsaw you can compare with stihl msa160c-be, cause i want most powerful battery chain saw compareable to gas ones, please advice!

[@relaxingnature2617]

The msa120 comes with 36v ak20 battery and msa140 comes with 36v ak30 battery included ..the ak series saws can run on ak10 ak20 ak30 ..only the ap battery saws dont come with batt and charger included

[@normnelson]

Yes, this stuff is constantly evolving... which is ok, it's a good thing, battery technology is getting better...

[@randycessna4403]

Ego...do you make a big wheel line trimmer...that you walk behind?

[@rudolphvanthoff1391]

Thanks for the comparison video. If I were to go slow, Would the ego be ok with a ripping chain for using in an Alaskan Mill to produce slabs like those behind you?

[@normnelson]

I don't think so, I don't think the EGO is powerful enough for that. Since I own a Mobile Dimension sawmill, I've done very little chainsaw milling - but when I did we used an 066 Stihl, and the EGO is nowhere equivalent to that sort of power. All that being said, if you have the Alaskan and you have the EGO, give it a whirl and let us know. I would take it really slow and don't try and cut slabs that are too wide.

[@chuckrussell419]

You need to post a video on how you modified for the table saw blade

[@normnelson]

You're right, I need to do that before spring time.

[@patterdalezipsuzilil]

Well my makita batteries from 3 years ago use Samsung cells but my are lxt star

[@orvillevincent2186]

How about echo?

[@gentlemensedge5503]

Good review, very competent and to the point. I'm interested in the EGO saw. Do you now anything about it's toughness? I'm interested in metal parts under the cover. I know Makita has a plastic pin used for adjustment..don't like that. Thanks..

[@normnelson]

Yeah, I have a follow-up video that I'm working on editing. There is a plastic piece in the EGO CS1800 as well, part of the chain tensioning... and it could be a fatal flaw. Stay tuned.

[@rongotzon9947]

Great demonstratiin best buddy. I mfg houses! Bird houses. I use this saw to cut my woid up for it. Buy it! Youll love it. I gavent heard anything bad about this saw

[@normnelson]

Thanks for watching, and thanks for your comment!

[@robertlester9566]

Very nice video. Would love to see Echo review

[@normnelson]

I’ll see if I can scrounge up an Echo to review.

[@WilfredForbert]

@@normnelson I second the request for an Echo review. BTW, this video was great- really helpful. Thanks.

[@joelblank262]

I was looking at dewalt for the the use in my orchard and my lawn area and also was going to get drill and impact and such I have seen some videos on it and it ranks ok what do you think

[@normnelson]

I haven't used the DeWalt saws, thought I have a buddy with the 20V version and he says it's ok for the small stuff, pruning, etc. but for bigger stuff he would get the 60V version. I think if you're looking for a drill and impact as well, then DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita are all decent choices. I, for one do not care for the DeWalt impact drivers I have used... I bought a 60V DeWalt kit last year and loved the 60V circular saw, the drill was ok (but the fit & finish of the battery-to-tool interface is not great) but the DeWalt impact driver was so bad that it made me return the whole kit. It's hard to describe, but... the DeWalt impact seemed to have much faster, but less "impactful" impacts... which made it really easy to strip out screw heads, no matter how hard I pushed on them. It was most noticeable on 3" Philips head screws... it was like DeWalt engineers had made a driver with the goal of stripping screws. I went back to my 15 year old Milwaukee V18 impact driver (with old batteries), and it worked just fine - same screws, same wood. So I returned the DeWalt kit and bought a new Milwaukee M18 kit, and the new Milwaukee impact driver worked (for me) hands-down better than the DeWalt impact driver.

[@fbswampfox]

Have you had any issues with the battery saws in very cold weather? I am thinking about the ego. I live 8000 ft above sea level and my 2 stroke gas saw ALWAYS gives me issues.

[@normnelson]

HI there, I have not used any of these in very cold temperatures, we are at about 1,500ft in the Pacific Northwest, and the coldest I have used the EGO is just below freezing, maybe 28°F, with no problems. Of course I use thinner bar oil in colder temperatures. I do bring all my batteries in to our mudroom and have the chargers in there... with most lithium batteries, it's recommended that you store - and especially charge them at above-freezing temperatures.

[@fbswampfox]

@@normnelson that’s good advice thanks!

[@TheDwightMamba]

Because Ego batteries create their own heat, they perform well in the cold. I keep a small cooler with a little hand warmer activated to keep spare batteries outside for a job.

[@natefxx]

Any info you could share about getting the brush blade on your string trimmer, want to try and do that to mine but havent seen a good how to on the powerload head.

[@normnelson]

Yes, I hope to share a video about this soon.

[@ramsaymcewan3916]

is it better to discharge lithium batteries or can you keep it topped up

[@normnelson]

It's best to store them at 50% to 75% state of charge (SOC). The EGO batteries actually have a timer and self-discharge circuit built into them... if you charge them fully and then store them away, don't be surprised if you see them with a red LED on at some point, like three weeks later... they will be running their self-discharge cycle, to get them down in the optimum SOC for long-term storage. I have not heard if the Makita or Stihl batteries do this, and I don't think they do...

[@stephens4129]

Very well done electric chain saw comparison. Do you feel that the ego line is here to stay? Does it have service support?

[@normnelson]

I do feel like it's here to stay, and as far as I know, so far it hasn't had any recalls, like the Greenworks / Snapper saws have. I have yet needed to try out EGO's support.

[@angelwings197]

I was running this saw for about 2 hours at about a 30-50% duty cycle kzbin.infoUgkxfQm1wmg0ItKDLavxj1nXtQY9HP7EF504 and it did a great job. I used the lever for the built in sharpener to clear chip buildup out more than to actually sharpen the chain. It managed to cut some hardwood stumps much larger than it's size without bothering the neighbors with hours of 2 stroke noise.

[@bigwheelsturning]

The Stihl's are more expensive, but when you need service you just go to your dealer to get it fixed. Try taking one of the others back to the "big box store" and see if anything gets done. And they are not made in China, so you know the Stihl's will last.

[@mennealy]

Can you share how you retrofitted a saw blade on your ego trimmer?

[@normnelson]

Yes, I’ve got a short video about it that I’m working on.

[@craigsilver2146]

You sold me on the EGO 18

[@normnelson]

So how do you like it?

[@StartVisit]

problem with cordless is a battery life, cost to replace, cost to have spare or two.

[@normnelson]

Problem with 2-stroke gas is you have to keep good gas (means buying ethanol-free these days, and putting stabilizer in it), keep your carburetors clean, then even once it's running you end up smelling like 2-stroke oil, have to breath that exhaust and listen to all that f*&$&ing noise all day. I'll gladly buy a few batteries now and again.

[@StartVisit]

@@normnelson I hate 2 stroke gas equipment

[@fredteske548]

Dewalt saw against Eco saw or milwalkie YARDWORKS

[@normnelson]

Yes, I have a follow-up planned with a DeWalt, Milwaukee, Harbor Freight and others...

[@cancer8343]

Selling a battery chainsaw with no battery and charger is bs

[@normnelson]

Agreed, unless you already have the battery(s) and charger(s) and just want a bare tool... but to *ONLY* sell it as a bare tool is weird.

[@foghornstation4118]

I think the sound of a chainsaw is the worst sound ever! Thanks for making this review about sound as well as function.

[@kdegraa]

I kind of like the sound of a chainsaw in the distance. It’s the sound of productivity.

[@normnelson]

I agree! Sound is important to me. Especially as I get older and can hear less of them!

[@normnelson]

I imagine the sound of axes and two-person handsaws was more pleasing, if not as productive.

[@markbrooks770]

Thanks. Believe I'm getting an ego

[@arvindrana292]

I am india on pese me

[@outlawjjsmith]

Their textures sucks

[@kdegraa]

Little petrol engines are so annoying.

[@normnelson]

They are! Not just their sound, but their temperament!

[@ralfwimmer6325]

the problem is, you can cut 20 minutes without break, than the battery is done. its too short at all.