The best chainsaw for most homeowners is the EGO Power+ CS1611, a 16 in 56V saw that ships with a battery and charger for about $249 and is listed at 40cc gas equivalent. We checked every pick on Amazon on 2026-09-14. Stihl sells chainsaws through its authorized dealer network, not through Amazon itself.
One thing before the list: we make digging spades, not chainsaws, so nothing here is ours. Every pick is judged on bar length, power source, what comes in the box, and specs we verified against each Amazon listing on 2026-09-14. This page is one stop on our fall yard cleanup tools checklist, which puts every fall job in order.
Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It does not change what we recommend or what you pay. Prices and availability were checked on 2026-09-14 and can change.
Best chainsaws at a glance
| Saw | Power | Bar | In the box | Best for | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EGO Power+ CS1611 16 in 56V kit (best overall) |
56V battery | 16 in | 2.5Ah battery and charger | Most homes, rounds to about 14 in | amazon, $249.00 |
 Husqvarna 135 Mark II 16 in gas (38cc) |
38cc gas | 16 in | Bar and chain | A full day of bucking, no charger | amazon, $209.28 |
 Greenworks 40V 18 in kit (5.0Ah) |
40V battery | 18 in | 5.0Ah battery and charger | The longest bar here without gas | amazon, $295.99 |
 Makita XCU11Z 18V LXT 14 in, tool only |
18V battery | 14 in | Tool only | Limbing, Makita 18V owners | amazon, $196.00 |
 Oregon CS1500 18 in corded (15 amp) |
15 amp corded | 18 in | Quart of bar and chain oil | Cheapest 18 in bar here | amazon, $143.86 |
 Ryobi 40V 16 in brushless, tool only |
40V battery | 16 in | Tool only | Ryobi 40V households | amazon, $299.99 |
How we picked
We picked from Amazon listings in stock on 2026-09-14, verifying every title, feature bullet, price and stock state against the listing that day. We did not fell trees with these saws, and where a listing states no figure we write "Not listed" rather than guess.
The list runs $144 to $300, with bars from 14 to 18 in. Below that are mini saws that cannot buck a real round. Above it you pay for a professional saw you will run four weekends a year. Top-handle saws are climbing tools, so they are out. Buy early in the season: on 2026-09-14 several of the homeowner saws we checked were already scarce or on a lead time, across 14, 16 and 18 in bars.
| What you cut most | Bar length | Power to start with | The pick here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm limbs up to about 8 in | 14 in | 18V battery | Makita XCU11Z 14 in |
| Firewood rounds 10 to 14 in, small trees | 16 in | 40V to 56V battery, or a 38cc gas saw | EGO CS1611, Husqvarna 135 Mark II, Ryobi 40V |
| Rounds 14 to 16 in, occasional felling | 18 in | 40V with a 5.0Ah pack, or corded | Greenworks 40V 18 in, Oregon CS1500 |
| Past about 18 in, regular felling | 20 in and up | 50cc and up gas | Not on this list, see below |
What is the best chainsaw?
The best chainsaw for most homes is the EGO Power+ CS1611 56V kit: a 16 in bar, tool-free tensioning, automatic oiling, a low kickback chain with a brake indicator, and a battery and charger in the box for about $249. Buy it when your firewood rounds top out around 14 in.
Which chainsaw is best for each job?
For a normal woodpile, the EGO CS1611. For all-day bucking with no charger, the Husqvarna 135 Mark II, our best chainsaw for firewood. For the longest bar on a battery, the Greenworks 40V 18 in. For limbing, the Makita XCU11Z. For work near an outlet, the Oregon CS1500. For a Ryobi 40V garage, the Ryobi 16 in.
1. EGO Power+ CS1611 56V kit: the best chainsaw overall
The EGO Power+ CS1611 is the saw we would hand to a first-time buyer. The listing calls it a 40cc gas equivalent at 20 m/s chain speed, with a 16 in bar running 3/8 in pitch, .043 in gauge and 52 drive links. It adds tool-free tensioning, automatic oiling, IPX4 weather resistance, and a low kickback chain with a brake indicator. EGO rates it at up to 130 cuts on a 4x4 with the included 56V 2.5Ah pack. At $249.00 it is the cheapest saw here that ships with its own battery and charger. Where it loses: 2.5Ah is EGO's small pack, so a long afternoon of bucking wants a second battery, and the listing states no weight. EGO's 18 in CS1815 kit is the step up at about $399.
2. Husqvarna 135 Mark II 16 in gas: the best gas chainsaw for firewood
The Husqvarna 135 Mark II is the one gas saw here, for the reader who cuts firewood all day. The listing states a 38cc, 2.1 HP X-TORQUE engine, Smart Start, a choke and stop control that reduces flooding, an inertia-activated chain brake, Air Injection air cleaning, side-mounted tensioning, and LowVib dampeners. Husqvarna recommends it for bars between 14 in and 16 in, so it is a bucking and limbing saw, not a felling saw. At $209.28 it is the cheapest way here to cut all day away from an outlet, because refuelling takes a minute and recharging does not. The box holds the bar and chain only, no fuel or oil. Where it loses: mixed fuel, a filter check and off-season storage are the price of unlimited runtime, and the listing states no weight or tank size. Pair it with our best splitting axes and mauls guide.
3. Greenworks 40V 18 in kit: the most bar per dollar
The Greenworks 40V 18 in kit puts the longest bar here on a battery, with a 5.0Ah pack and 5A charger included. Listed: a 40V HP brushless motor, 250 cuts on a 4x4 per charge, push-button start, an automatic oiler, tool-less tensioning, a chain brake, 9.7 lb, a 3-year warranty, and 100-plus compatible 40V tools. Greenworks says the bar cuts 32 in trees and limbs, which is a two-sided cut, not one pass. At $295.99 it is the only battery saw here reaching 18 in with a real pack included. Where it loses: at 9.7 lb listed it is the only battery saw here that publishes a weight, and it is not a light one; expect an 18 in bar on 40V to slow in wet hardwood, because a longer bar asks more of the same motor. The listing publishes no model number; the ASIN is B0FBQTM2Q3.
4. Makita XCU11Z 18V LXT 14 in: the most compact saw for limbing
The Makita XCU11Z is the small saw, and small is the point. Its listing leads with a compact rear-handle body, a brushless motor, high torque at 1,520 FPM chain speed, low noise, and no gas, emissions, oil mixing or pull starts. It is a 14 in bar on one 18V LXT battery, sold bare at $196.00, so the math works only if those packs are already yours. Where it loses: buying into 18V LXT for this saw alone costs more than the EGO kit, and the listing states no chain brake, no oiler and no weight. For branches overhead a pole saw is safer, and for the smallest cuts a pruning saw beats any powered tool on control.
5. Oregon CS1500 18 in corded: the cheapest way in
The Oregon CS1500 is the corded pick, and it solves the problem most new owners do not see coming. Its built-in PowerSharp system sharpens the chain on the saw in 3 to 5 seconds, so a chain that dulls partway through a pile of rounds gets fixed where it stands. Beyond that, the listing gives a 15 amp, 2400W motor, an 18 in guide bar, a low kickback chain, tool-free tensioning, automatic lubrication, and a quart of bar and chain oil. At $143.86 it is the cheapest saw and the cheapest 18 in bar here. Where it loses: the cord is the product and rules out the back of most lots, the listing states no chain brake, and PowerSharp chains are a proprietary consumable.
6. Ryobi 40V 16 in brushless: best for a Ryobi 40V household
The Ryobi 40V 16 in brushless saw is here for one good reason: Ryobi 40V is one of the most common homeowner battery platforms. On the listing: a 16 in bar and chain, a brushless motor, an automatic chain brake, an automatic oiler, side-access tensioning, on-board storage, and every Ryobi 40V battery, sold bare at $299.99. The listing publishes no model number; the ASIN is B08S6VL84Y. Where it loses: that is more than the EGO CS1611 kit with a battery and charger, so buy it only if the packs are on your shelf. The listing gives no cc equivalent and no chain speed, so it is harder to compare on paper.
What about Stihl, Echo and the bigger Husqvarna saws?
Stihl is the brand most readers name first. Stihl sells chainsaws through its authorized dealer network, not through Amazon itself, and on 2026-09-14 nothing carrying the name there was a Stihl-sold saw: parts, accessories and third-party listings only. If you want a Stihl you are going to a dealer.
Echo we checked and could not slot honestly. On 2026-09-14 the 16 in CS-3410 showed at $259.99 with scarce stock, the 18 in CS-4510 at $398.99 scarce, and the 16 in commercial saw at $299.00 scarce. Scarce stock is not something we can stand behind on a page that has to hold through the season.
Husqvarna's bigger saws are in stock and deliberately out of scope. The 450 Rancher is a 20 in, 50.2cc saw at $354.99, and the 460 Rancher showed a lead time. Those are felling saws, and this page is about the saw that handles the rounds afterward. If you fell trees regularly, buy the Rancher and real training with it.
What is the best electric chainsaw?
An electric chainsaw is either corded or battery powered. The best corded electric chainsaw here is the Oregon CS1500 at $143.86, an 18 in bar with a self-sharpening chain and a 15 amp motor, for work within reach of an outlet. For cordless, the best battery chainsaw is answered in the next section.
What is the best battery chainsaw?
The best battery chainsaw is the EGO Power+ CS1611 at $249.00, listed at 40cc gas equivalent with a 20 m/s chain and up to 130 cuts on a 4x4 per charge. Take the Greenworks 40V 18 in kit at $295.99 for a longer bar, or the Makita and Ryobi bare tools if you own those packs.
What size chainsaw bar do I need?
Pick a bar about two inches longer than the largest log you cut regularly, so a 16 in bar suits rounds up to roughly 14 in. Longer bars are heavier and slower to control, not better. A 14 to 18 in bar covers almost every homeowner.
Is a gas or battery chainsaw better for homeowners?
Battery wins for most homeowners now. It starts on a button, needs no fuel mixing, and a 56V or 40V saw handles firewood rounds. Gas still wins on one thing: unlimited runtime. If you buck wood for hours at a stretch, the Husqvarna 135 Mark II refuels in a minute and keeps going.
- Battery costs more up front once you count packs, and it stops when the pack does. It has nothing to winterize, which is what kills most homeowner gas saws.
- Gas means mixed fuel, a filter and off-season storage. The mix ratio is printed on the saw and in the manual, and it is not a thing to eyeball. Stale fuel left in a tank over winter is why small engines will not start in spring.
What safety gear do you need to run a chainsaw?
Chainsaw chaps, a helmet with a face screen and ear protection, gloves, and boots. That is not a wish list, it is the standard kit, and chaps are the item people skip and then regret. Budget for gear before you budget for a second battery.
Two habits matter as much as the gear. Kickback comes from the upper quarter of the bar nose touching wood, so know where the nose is and keep the chain brake working. The Husqvarna, Greenworks and Ryobi listings state a chain brake outright, the EGO states a brake indicator, and the Makita and Oregon listings state neither. And never cut above shoulder height or from a ladder.
How do you keep a chainsaw chain sharp?
Sharpen with a round file matched to the chain pitch, the EGO CS1611's 3/8 in for example, touch up every refuel or battery swap, and file the depth gauges too. The tell that you are overdue is the debris: a sharp chain throws chunky chips, a dull chain makes fine sawdust.
- Round file matched to the chain. File diameter follows chain pitch, printed on the chain or in the manual. The EGO CS1611 lists a 3/8 in pitch, .043 in gauge chain with 52 drive links, and that is the number you write down before buying files.
- Do the depth gauges too. The rakers ahead of each cutter set how deep the tooth bites. File only the cutters and the chain stops pulling itself into the wood.
- Sharpen little and often. A touch-up every refuel or battery swap takes two minutes. A chain run until it smokes may not come back at all.
- Or buy the system that does it. The Oregon CS1500's PowerSharp sharpens on the saw in 3 to 5 seconds, the strongest argument for that pick beyond price.
- Keep the bar oiled. Every saw here except the Makita and the Husqvarna lists an automatic oiler; the Husqvarna listing does not state one. Top it up every refuel or pack change, using bar and chain oil.
How do you choose a chainsaw?
Choose by the wood you actually cut, then the power source you can live with, then what comes in the box. Work the list below in that order. The rule: the round you cut most sets the bar, the batteries you already own set the platform, and the box contents set the real price.
- Measure your wood, not your trees. The round you cut most weeks sets the bar length. Add about two inches to it.
- Count the batteries you already own. Two picks here are bare tools, the Makita at $196.00 and the Ryobi at $299.99: a real saving if the packs are already on your shelf, and the most expensive way onto this list once you add a battery.
- Check what the listing does not say. Weight, chain brake and oiler are stated on some listings here and absent from others. Absent is not missing, but confirm first.
- Buy the gear in the same cart. Chaps, a helmet with a face screen, ear protection and gloves.
- Store it dry and empty. Gas saws get drained or stabilized. Battery packs come inside at partial charge, never flat in an unheated shed.
What do you do once the tree is down?
The saw work is the loud part of the job and the short part. What is left is a stack to season and a stump in the lawn. Buck the trunk to stove length, split the rounds, stack them off the ground to season, then deal with the stump. Our best log splitters guide covers the splitting and our best firewood racks guide the stacking, because wood stacked on bare ground rots from the bottom up.
The stump is the part no saw finishes. Our how to remove a tree stump guide walks the digging order, and that job is spadework, severing roots in tight ground rather than at full stretch with a bar.
Spear Head Spade makes double-patented digging spades for root-bound, rocky ground, with over 600,000 sold, and Better Homes and Gardens named one its "Best Shovel/Spade" in 2025. The spade finder matches one to your soil in a minute.
Frequently asked questions
What size chainsaw do I need for firewood?
A 16 in bar handles the great majority of firewood, because most rounds people buck at home run 10 to 14 in. Step to 18 in only if you routinely cut bigger, and accept the extra weight. A 14 in saw is for limbing and cleanup rather than a full woodpile.
Can a 16 inch chainsaw cut down a 20 inch tree?
A 16 in bar can cut a 20 in trunk, by cutting from both sides, but that does not make it a good idea. Two-sided felling on a trunk wider than the bar is advanced technique with real consequences. If you are taking down standing trees that size, hire it out or get trained first.
How often should you sharpen a chainsaw chain?
Touch the chain up roughly every time you refuel or swap a battery, and always after the bar touches dirt or a hidden nail. Judge it by the debris rather than a schedule: chunky chips mean sharp, fine sawdust means dull. A chain takes several sharpenings before it needs replacing.
Do you need chainsaw chaps for a battery saw?
Yes. A battery chain moves at the same speed as a gas chain and cuts the same way. The EGO listing puts its chain at 20 m/s, which is faster than any reflex. Chaps, a helmet with a face screen, ear protection and gloves belong with every saw on this list.
How do you store a chainsaw over the winter?
Store a gas saw with the fuel drained or stabilized, the chain oiled and the bar covered. Bring lithium packs indoors at partial charge, because an unheated shed is hard on them. Sharpen the chain when you put the saw away, not when a storm hits.
The bottom line
Buy the EGO Power+ CS1611 at $249.00 if you want the best chainsaw most homeowners can buy today, the Husqvarna 135 Mark II at $209.28 if you cut firewood until the light goes, and the Oregon CS1500 at $143.86 if the job is close to the house. Buy the chaps in the same order, and keep the chain sharp.
