UK’s best cordless chainsaws: Heavy duty Makita, Dewalt, Black and Decker, Ryobi, WORX, Cobra Tested

Update since last update 😀 

I’ll never knock Makita off top spot. The only thing I’ll concede is that the new tooless chain tension version ( the DUC353LXT) is easier. The only possible flaw I can pick in this cordless chainsaw since testing at least half a dozen other more modern models is the chain tensioner. Other than that I can never see myself picking up another cordless chainsaw and using it ahead of the Makita commercially. When I took down that huge tree in the garden in the testing above it was like chalk and cheese when the danger moment of felling decent sized trunks were in play, the Makita just gives me so much confidence and I feel safe.

Other than that, as you can see from the years of use the bar has taken a hammering but that’s a small cost and the motor remains tight and as powerful as ever. You can hear it in the video it really sounds sharp and vicious – like new!

Even with a new budget model against it with a new battery vs my two year old batteries, there is no comparison in power delivery:

As you can see the power delivery is like new and it’s very hard for me to recommend anything else when all it’s direct competitors struggle at the price point and quality on offer here 🙂

You can definitely buy this with confidence, it is one of the best cordless tools Makita have ever produced.

Old review:

I cut a 28cm green tree trunk with this chainsaw with ease. You probably find that hard to believe on a 35cm bar? Well, take a look at this video. It didn’t lose power at any point, I didn’t have to ease off, it was actually an enjoyable cut. Not something you would associate with a cordless chainsaw 🙂

Video of cutting the trunk with plenty of power

Now, here’s a tape on that tree trunk, it can practically cut full bar and no this isn’t a brand new chainsaw and chain making it’s first ever perfect cut, I have been cutting down trees around the garden safely and we even used it to cut an opening for a shed window! It’s been hammered for months! Here’s the tape measure on that trunk and as you can see it’s still green.

Needless to say poor little 8 inch logs don’t stand a chance; this thing is absolutely superb at cutting, raw power isn’t two words you would associate with a cordless chainsaw but Makita have made that possible. Their battery tech is miles ahead in my opinion for everyday use at home and I feel like I had a right bargain. Have a look at 8 inch logs being cut. Would I be mad for suggesting this was actually ‘fun’? 😀

youtube video of 8 inch log cut effortlessly for my Google Amp readers.

Not only that, I liked the safety features too. The bar needs to be brought forward to engage the motor as well as turned on. It is very difficult to actually press the switch on by accident which goes without saying is a very good thing.

It’s really quiet compared to petrol, I even like the sound :), comfortable to grip, and feels safer and sturdy under load. If you come off the power the blade stops fast which makes me think it has a braking mechanism. A nice and welcome touch for extra control. The oil filling position for the the chainsaw oil is very well placed for easy filling and it’s self lubricating on the chain so just top up the oil and make sure you don’t run dry.

The cap can get really stuck on and I don’t know if that’s because I’ve overtightened it or a minor blip in an otherwise faultless bit of kit. Talking of over tightening, getting the tension right on the blade is lovely, you simply do up the screw towards positive on the side and you’ll visually watch extra tension on the chain. I will say if you cut branches and leaves you’ll need to take the cover off and clear debris from the chain from time to time. Here’s a picture of that:

I remove the chain entirely it’s that easy but you don’t need to, removing the housing is enough but it will try to slip on you and fall off. I would personally recommend complete removal of the chain for an easy life even though it takes an extra couple of minutes to put back and re-tension.

The battery light indicator is a nice touch too. Pressing the batteries is awkward. So having the ready directly on the chainsaw makes for easy use. It’s bright enough to see in the day too:

If I could try to talk this tool down it would be the need for two batteries. However, if you have the batteries already then what a fantastic piece of kit and I make this into excellent value for money by having the best cordless lawn mower too. 🙂 Without question the one thing I found annoying is making sure the chain goes on the right way round. I’ve put on many a chainsaw blade and I still managed to fall foul! I would in fairness say a lack of concentration on my behalf.

When you buy this on my recommendation and if by some miracle you are not happy with it, feel free to email in and call me some obscene names, however, more likely you’ll be emailing to thank me for uncovering this bargain. A complete gem and the Makita DUC355Z easily is my pick for the best cordless chainsaw.

If you’re looking for a quality alternative to the Makita and you don’t mind spending the money then there’s little choice in my mind. You will probably pick the DEWALT DCM565N Cordless XR Brushless Chain Saw. And, if you have this battery set then it’s a no brainer, but on top of that, of all the cordless chainsaws in the DEWALT range I would say this is my favourite as it balances power of cut with size of bar.

What you’ll like about this when first picking it up is the rubber grip. It sits nicely. I also probably would go as far as saying I prefer the safety brake. You really know if that thing is engaged or not. With the Makita there’s less movement. The next thing is the self lubricating chain is inline with the other top models in this review and a real bonus.

Power delivery is superb. You’ll be very surprised by just how powerful this thing sounds and feels. Which makes it even more surprising just how many logs you’ll cut on one battery. It’s hard to give a perfect estimate but I would say at least 50 cuts before you run out of power which is very good and easily inline with Makita.

It edges Makita on the weight too. Being only 8lb it’s a tad lighter. I’d have to say this is totally unnoticeable when holding them though. It’s such a small difference and of course this is a 5cm smaller bar so expected that it’s lighter.

Dewalt correctly appreciate (just like Makita) there is a limit to the amount of power you can deliver to a cordless chainsaw and therefore a really long bar makes little sense. Makita have the Makita DUC405Z which is fine and about the limit of what you want to cut. They manage this by making a much thinner and sharper blade for these cordless models and so allows you a bit of wiggle room and ability to compete with petrol chainsaws 🙂

It’s definitely better than the Ryobi in my mind which is my third pick, but not quite as good as the mighty Makita. If you are a Dewalt fan then you’ll still pick this irrespective of my comments 😀

I won’t try to dress this up, my heart has been completely stolen by the Makita DUC355Z but if you have Ryobi batteries already then this is a super bit of kit. It hasn’t got the same cut size being a smaller 30cm bar and being powered by only one battery doesn’t have the same volts or cut speed either but it’ll cut logs in the garden shed with ease. If you’re plans are simply cutting up logs for the wood burner then this is a super bit of kit. I reckon you can reasonably expect to cut 9 inch logs with this bar with not much fuss, making it ideal for 6-8 inch logs!

In some respects this has an advantage over the Makita too, the tensioning is a cog which can be turned without the need for tools. This is a nice touch I have to say. The switch and safety bar are also on point so this make it very difficult to fire up by accident! Further on the safety it is electrically braked so the blade stops quickly.

The rubberised handle is a nice touch for gripping, I like the feel in the hand and overall its a massive improvement in the ease of use when compared to the corded electrical versions. You’ll be in the shed wondering why you put up with the power lead for so long!

The Greenworks Cordless Chainsaw GD40CS40 has a nice all around performance. The batteries are pretty cheap, it’s a big 16 inch bar with a 3/8 inch pit that will cut decent sized logs. There’s no complaints on the cut power but I wouldn’t put a 2 amp battery on this, it won’t last ten minutes! So make sure if you’re going to buy this model invest in a 4 amp battery to give a longer lasting cut and gives off similar vibes to the Makita DUC405Z

On a strict budget this tool may make sense, it performs similarly to the best cordless models and if you invest in Greenworks then make sure you take advantage of their other bare tools. This model is considerably lighter and quieter than a petrol and provides enough power for almost all cutting you would expect in an average garden. It’s claimed you’ll get 150 logs cut on a single charge. I’m not sure that’s easy to quantify but in my opinion you can get a solid 75 6-8 logs cut with minimal fuss before you need a charge, certainly more than you’ll burn in the next couple of days!

Much like the other top models it has quality braking and a good safety bar and switch to ensure maximum user safety. I really like the grip too. Some Greenworks cordless tools are hit and miss but this is without question one of their very best. In the same size category I easily prefer the Makita DUC405Z but then you have to pay that much more!

There’s only one cordless chainsaw bigger and badder than my favourite Makita DUC355Z. It’s another Makita pretty unsurprisingly. This does everything the Makita DUC355Z does but with a longer bar. Interestingly I’m not sure I would attempt much larger logs though but it can handle it. They appear to deliver exactly the same power and the only difference of note is the longer chain and bar.

It handles super and the power delivery feels pretty menacing, just like the Makita DUC355Z it fires up hard and you get minimal kickback. If you’re doing work that involves a good deal of stop start I’d take this over a petrol chainsaw any day of the week. The way batteries are evolving is making jobs like topping a long run of wooden posts an absolute breeze.

So it delivers the same chain speed and it’s beautifully quiet compared to nasty 2 stroke petrol just like it’s smaller sibling, but it’s heavier and given the bar and chain size that’s pretty reasonable. I would say you buy this if you’re going after big logs (12-13 inches), otherwise I would probably stick with the best pick but would pick this over the 16inch Greenworks any day but for anything heavy duty you would still have to favour a petrol chainsaw. However the fact I’m comparing the two says a lot about the quality of this kit!

Good old BLACK+DECKER. I had to throw one into the review as almost everyone has owned or used one of their tools at some point in their life. Some have been shocking quite frankly but not their BLACK+DECKER 36 V Lithium-Ion Chainsaw, 30 cm. This is a nice bit of kit and every bit as competent as the Ryobi 30cm cordless chainsaw. I feel like it delivers a bit more power and that might be down to the fact its 36v as opposed to the 18v of Ryobi.

They both have similar power and deliver excellent cutting ability. I like the soft grip handles and it feels very safe to use. I have to feel and comment comparing the Ryobi as they are really similar. The tensioning works in the same way with a cog on the side next to the bar that does not require tools and they are both lovely and light weight, but a bit heavier than the Ryobi. If you need a tool to cut average logs for the home Black and Decker is a pretty trustable brand to put your money into.

You can expect safe and powerful cutting with a decent battery. There have been a few reports of fault chargers and batteries but with the sheer number of people that buy this trusted brand I think it’s pretty reasonable to expect a few bad ones. They also offer excellent customer service and refunds on faulty products has never been a problem in all the time I have bought BLACK+DECKER. A nice cordless chainsaw to round off the reviews if I’m honest.

If you’re looking for a budget pick, nothing too heavy, a few 8 inch logs mixed in with a load of smaller stuff, then the WORX Cordless Compact Chainsaw is a really good shout, purely based on price. It’s a quality bit of kit for the money actually and probably a bit unreasonable to just say go with this on cost alone. WORX was a relatively unknown name up until a few years ago when they began selling on Amazon. Since then, their reputation has grown and they’ve always been considered a decent outside choice for power tools.

So you’ve got a 25cm bar which is 10cm smaller than the mighty Makita top pick and it also trails in power too. However, there’s still ample cut power to get the job done and I really like the teeth on this and the fact it’s single battery means far less investment than the beefier models. Talking about beefier, this thing is lovely and light weight. Really ideal for someone with less strength looking to do light work.

What I don’t like on this is the speed ratings. I don’t know how to compare because rpm means nothing to me in chainsaw terms. It’s therefore hard to know what rating safety equipment one needs to stay safe. In my opinion this is an absolute must fix thing for them.

The other thing I don’t like is the oil flow. When positioned correctly it can leak. Given this hasn’t just happened to me I would assume it’s a problem they need to fix.

Apart from these niggly bits you can go far wrong with this budget cordless chainsaw, just as long as you know you’re not competing with the top models for cut power then all is good!

Since recently making this article I just had to update it to include this super mini cordless chainsaw. The Bosch Home and Garden Cordless Chainsaw has just a 20cm bar so only able to cut up to 6 inch logs. However, if you’re looking for lightweight and easy to use, especially for an alternative to a pruning saw, this might well be your top choice! It certainly is mine for the mini chainsaw category!

First thing you’ll notice is how lovely and balanced this is. It’s slightly lighter than the WORX and feels great due to how small it is to hold. The bar guard is handy for cutting but not my cup of tea. Needless to say it’s there for safety and should be left on! For trimming branches and holding weight with arms raised this has to be one of the best inventions to date. But I’m afraid it does lack power to take out anything over 6 inches. In fact, I wouldn’t want to have to cut 6 inches frequently with this.

The power delivery is ok but don’t start thinking you’re going to get Makita or Dewalt performance, they just aren’t the same tool and shouldn’t be compared this way. If you have to force this chainsaw, you’re working on wood too thick or dense, or the blade is dull. Either way forcing this means you’ve got the wrong tool for the job.

As I mentioned before, you buy this for pruning and because you want a mini cordless chainsaw for really light stuff, not much more than a quality pruning saw can handle. Used this way it’s an incredible bit of kit and since it fits all your other Bosch battery equipment like hedge trimmer and strimmer it really is great value if you’re already into this range.