Introduction
As technology advances and battery-powered tools continue to surge in popularity, the question remains: is a cordless chainsaw strong enough for some of those heavier duty cutting tasks — like felling trees? Cordless chainsaws have come a long way from their early days when power and capacity posed very real limitations, but is there more to that story and are they truly appropriate for the most rigorous of tasks?
Cordless Chainsaw Capabilities
Note: Cordless chainsaws have come a long way in power and performance. Offering brushless motors and large bar lengths, certain models will even cut down small trees and process firewood with little effort. This illustrates they are more than capable of handling heavy-duty tasks. Depending on the model, high-capacity batteries offer long run times — up to 45 minutes of active cutting on a full charge. These chainsaws are convenient options as quick charging times reduce the downtime between uses.
Limitations of Cordless Chainsaws
While they have come a long way, you will likely use a gas model for really thick logs or some heavy-duty tree felling. The battery can run out much faster, especially if you're cutting through thicker logs, so this can be an issue in your work if you have too much heavy lifting to do. There is the caveat that cordless chainsaws can do a lot, but aren't going to outperform gas chainsaws on every heavy-duty task.
Factors to Consider
There are many factors to keep in mind when trying to decide whether a cordless chainsaw can be suitable for heavy-duty cutting tasks:
Tree Size / Type – Best for small to medium-sized trees and softwoods such as pine Some trees are larger, or they may be hardwood, and you'll need a gas chainsaw for that job.
Usually larger voltage batteries will give more power, which may be needed for heavy-duty stuff. An especially big plus is that we now have higher capacity batteries available too which extends the runtime even further, giving you more cuts before needing a recharge.
Bar Length and Chain Speed – The longer a bar is, the larger the trunk that can be cut in one pass, whereas a higher chain speed makes smoother and faster cuts possible. This is essential for performing heavy-duty tasks.
Safety Features and Maintenance
Chainsaws are one of the most dangerous power tools to handle, so safety should be your number one priority. Choose models that are equipped with chain brakes, kickback protection, and safety switches to minimize the burden of injury. While often perceived as less safe than gas chainsaws, cordless chainsaw safety features have become some of the most robust in the industry especially as designers prioritize user safety in recent years.
Another advantage of cordless chainsaws is that they are often much easier to maintain. They need less maintenance than gas models too, with automatic chain oiling systems that minimize manual tweaks and upkeep. Economically, this means time and money saved in the long run.
Conclusion
In recent years cordless chainsaws have developed into a tool that can tackle just about any cutting task, including the occasional heavy-duty job. But, when it comes to the toughest jobs of felling fullsize trees or cutting heavy duty hardwoods, gas chainsaws maybe where you'll want to go still. When choosing between a cordless chainsaw and a more traditional one, make sure to take into consideration the most common cutting needs you will face, as well as the types and sizes of trees you will be working on. And of course your budget! Keep in mind that battery technology has come a long way since these saws were first introduced so the costs are quite reasonable now too.
There will be some heavy-duty cutting tasks a cordless chainsaw won't tackle, but for many users it strikes the sweet spot of power, convenience and safety. And thanks to ongoing battery technological innovation, those limitations will only continue to recede over the next few years, making battery-powered chainsaws an even more enticing option for nearly any cutting job imaginable.
