4 Top-Rated Chainsaws That Are Worth Buying (And 2 To Avoid)

As a homeowner on an acreage or a city lot with plenty of trees, a chainsaw is a handy power tool to own. Whether you want the best tool to trim branches in your yard or quickly and safely clean up broken limbs after a storm, a chainsaw is the proper choice. Choosing the right chainsaw for basic yardwork or creating firewood may seem difficult, though, because of the hundreds of different brands, sizes, and power sources available.

We already tried the cheapest mini chainsaw at Home Depot, and it had plenty of limitations. For this list of the top-rated chainsaws, we tried to stick with bigger models (16-inch bars and larger) that have more power and versatility regarding the type of wood you can cut. Our list of the top-rated chainsaws includes some of the best gas-powered brands — like Stihl and Husqvarna — as well as some battery-powered models. We also found a couple of poorly rated chainsaws that you should definitely avoid. First, let's discuss the top-rated models across battery- and gas-powered chainsaws. (As always, before attempting to cut down a tree with one of these powerful tools, be certain you know how to safely use a chainsaw and you are wearing the proper protective gear.)

As a homeowner, if you're looking for a big chainsaw that can handle cutting large limbs while remaining comfortable to handle, a 20-inch bar is probably the largest you'll want to use. Anything larger is going to be more difficult to handle, which increases the safety risk. Heavier chainsaws cause premature fatigue, too.

With that in mind, the Husqvarna 20-Inch 455 Rancher Gas Chainsaw is as big as we'd recommend. This gas-powered chainsaw costs $569 on Amazon. It has a 55.5 cc engine displacement measurement, giving it a significant level of power. Its 20-inch bar is suitable for limbs 16 to 18 inches in diameter. Husqvarna as a whole is one of the highest-rated chainsaw brands. This particular model has an impressive 4.5-star rating out of 5 from customers on Amazon.

YouTube reviewer After the Knot says the Rancher model is highly reliable, still working perfectly for creating firewood and clearing downed trees three years after purchase. Amazon reviewer Jack C. says it's a powerful and dependable saw that can be used week after week for cutting wood. Mr. A, a reviewer at the Husqvarna website where the saw has a 4.6-star rating, says this chainsaw starts easily and cuts smoothly with plenty of power.

With an 18-inch bar, the gas-powered Stihl Farm Boss MS 271 Chainsaw is a little lighter and smaller than the Husqvarna model on our list, but it still offers plenty of power for homeowners. Its 50.2 cc engine displacement lets you handle big cutting jobs with ease. Stihl was able to include exhaust emission engine technology in this model without having to sacrifice power. The MS 271 has half the emissions of the previous 18-inch model in this category, the MS 270. You can buy the Farm Boss at Ace Hardware for $490. Stihl is a trustworthy and highly regarded chainsaw brand, similar to Husqvarna.

YouTube reviewer Donnie B All Day says the Stihl Farm Boss cuts like butter and goes through all kinds of wood quickly. The Farm Boss has a 4.5-star rating on the Ace Hardware site, and 90% of reviewers would recommend it to friends. Ace Hardware reviewer Brandon calls it one of the best saws available with an engine that starts easily. Mike NC, a reviewer on the Stihl website, says the Farm Boss continues to perform perfectly after three years of use.

If you prefer the ease of maintenance and startup you receive with a battery-powered chainsaw, one of the highest-rated models is the Ryobi 40V 18-Inch Battery Chainsaw. It's available for $379 at Home Depot with a 6 Ah 40V battery and charger included in the kit. More than 85 other Ryobi tools can also use the 40V battery, including mowers and pressure washers. The Ryobi 40V Chainsaw allows for more than 165 cuts per battery charge. This model offers a power equivalent to a 38 cc gas-powered chainsaw. It has an 18-inch bar, allowing you to cut limbs 14 to 16 inches in diameter.

YouTube reviewer Workshop Addict says the Ryobi model is one of the best battery chainsaws available. The Ryobi 40V chainsaw has a 4.5-star rating on Home Depot, and 88% of reviewers would recommend it. Home Depot reviewer acw04 says the Ryobi model offers the same quality as a gas-powered saw, and it easily cut up a large tree that fell on the property. Reviewer SteveM1 on the Ryobi website says it handled regularly trimming tree limbs over the course of a few months.

If you'd prefer a smaller tool that's a little easier to handle, the battery-powered Oregon CS300 Self-Sharpening Chainsaw uses a 16-inch bar. It costs $369 on Amazon with a 4 Ah battery and charger included in the kit. This saw has a lever that you deploy to sharpen the chain in a process that only takes a few seconds. It weighs only 12 pounds with the battery attached, making it extremely easy to handle for branches with a diameter up to 14 inches. With the 4 Ah battery attached, you should be able to make around 400 cuts of 2- to 3-inch diameter branches before recharging.

YouTube reviewer GP Outdoors was especially impressed with the unique self-sharpening feature found with this Oregon model. During testing, GP Outdoors was able to cut a trailer full of firewood in an hour on a single charge. On the Amazon website, reviewers give the Oregon CS300 a 4.5-star rating. Amazon reviewer Victoria A. said the Oregon chainsaw was able to cut three cords of firewood successfully without causing an issue. Amazon reviewer Martin Batten appreciated the weight and balance of the Oregon chainsaw, making it easy to use.

One of the most poorly reviewed electric chainsaws is the Greenworks 18-Inch Corded Chainsaw. It is an inexpensive model with an $80 price tag at Lowe's, but it only has a 3.6-star rating on the Lowe's website. Lowe's reviewers ChrisSS and Dissatisfied Customer both said the chainsaw seemed to be defective out of the box. However, Lowe's reviewer Sparker440 liked the performance of the Greenworks model for the first two weeks of use. YouTube reviewer Sprigg Dude says it's a good chainsaw, but the person cutting logs in the YouTube video is clearly struggling to generate cutting power. Another major drawback to this model is that it requires an electrical cord; a battery-powered chainsaw would be more convenient to use in remote areas.

Another poorly rated chainsaw we'd avoid is the NEO-TEC 36-Inch Gas Chainsaw. This model costs $500 on Amazon, where it has a 3.9-star rating. This model weighs nearly 29 pounds, meaning you'll almost certainly feel fatigue early in a cutting session. Most homeowners do not need a chainsaw with a 36-inch bar, as 20 inches is usually large enough. Amazon reviewer Avid Reader liked the way it ran, but said it was nearly impossible to start. Amazon reviewer RJ did appreciate having a big saw available after a huge storm dropped multiple trees on the property. Another Amazon reviewer, Street Villan, uses a lot of chainsaws while serving as an arborist for more than a decade, but disliked the significant vibration with this model. It also did not start easily.