Best cordless chainsaw (that doesn’t cost the earth!)

[peatff]

19 hours ago, Matt.H said:

As a newbie to this I’m looking to upgrade from a corded to cordless electric chainsaw.

It's not really an upgrade, just a change for convenience. You will not get the same power as 240v and you will have a limited cutting time till you run out of battery. The only one I have experience of is a Stihl MSA 60 with the toolless tension and I wasn't over impressed plus there were no cheap replacement chains as it is a fine pitch.

[Stere]

Yeah even all  the cheapo brands of of the  corded chainsaws are say a  2000w 240v motor.

 

So most  cordless saws won't cut anywhere near  the same speed & not a chance with  the budget ones...unless its  on very small diameter stuff im guessing.

 

 

 

The top of the range cordless stihl MSA300 is 2500w & 36v  for comparison.

 

So which one would  win at a race cutting cookies im unsure.....?.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 15 by Stere

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, Stere said:

Yeah even all  the cheapo brands of of the  corded chainsaws are say a  2000w 240v motor.

 

So most  corded saws won't cut anywhere near  the same speed & not a chance with  the budget ones...unless its  on very small diameter stuff im guessing.

 

 

 

The top of the range cordless stihl MSA300 is 2500w & 36v  for comparison.

 

So which one would  win at a race cutting cookies im unsure.....?.

 

 

 

 

 

You got a bit mixed up there .

[rapalaman]

7 hours ago, peatff said:

It's not really an upgrade, just a change for convenience. You will not get the same power as 240v and you will have a limited cutting time till you run out of battery. The only one I have experience of is a Stihl MSA 60 with the toolless tension and I wasn't over impressed plus there were no cheap replacement chains as it is a fine pitch.

plus there were no cheap replacement chains as it is a fine pitch.
 

Rotatech do direct replacements, as do Panther, available from Rob D at chainsawbars 👍

[Peter 1955]

On 15/04/2025 at 10:21, Stere said:

Yeah even all  the cheapo brands of of the  corded chainsaws are say a  2000w 240v motor.

 

So most  cordless saws won't cut anywhere near  the same speed & not a chance with  the budget ones...unless its  on very small diameter stuff im guessing.

 

 

 

The top of the range cordless stihl MSA300 is 2500w & 36v  for comparison.

 

So which one would  win at a race cutting cookies im unsure.....?.

 

 

 

 

 

I've seen Youtube videos where the MSA 300 beats an MS261 in a race. Corded saws will always fight their way through a large log, but not particularly quickly, as I believe they often have lower chain speeds. 

[AHPP]

6 minutes ago, Peter 1955 said:

I've seen Youtube videos where the MSA 300 beats an MS261 in a race.

 

Over one cut maybe. Or ten cuts. Will it keep up over an hour? What about all day? Overheating.

[Peter 1955]

1 hour ago, AHPP said:

 

Over one cut maybe. Or ten cuts. Will it keep up over an hour? What about all day? Overheating.

One cut indeed. I suspect I didn't make my point very well, apologies. I was trying to suggest that it was a  Tortoise and Hare scenario. Cordless 300 romps off, stops for a rest, and the cabled saw just chugs on slowly all day. 

[AHPP]

Yep. Like Mike Yardley with a side by side vs a firearms copper with a semi/pump with a big mag years ago. First ten shots the copper obviously stormed off in five seconds, then couldn't reload fast enough to keep up.

[Muddy42]

6 hours ago, Peter 1955 said:

I've seen Youtube videos where the MSA 300 beats an MS261 in a race. Corded saws will always fight their way through a large log, but not particularly quickly, as I believe they often have lower chain speeds. 

 

I'm going to search for that youtube video.  Having used both, I am very sceptical of that claim or it wasn't a fair test, my MS261 feels night and day faster than the MSA 300. 

[Peter 1955]

3 minutes ago, Muddy42 said:

 

I'm going to search for that youtube video.  Having used both, I am very sceptical of that claim or it wasn't a fair test, my MS261 feels night and day faster than the MSA 300. 

I've got both, both running the same bar/chain combo. I'd say you're correct, that's my feeling too.