Chainsaws: Best Buys 

Chainsaws tested and rated by Which?

Chainsaws: Best Buys

If you’ve got logs to chop or heavy pruning to tackle, a chainsaw could be just the tool for the job. But they can be dangerous and cause serious injury. So, with different types and lots of models available, how do you know which chainsaw to choose?

At Which?, our independent experts have put petrol, corded electric and cordless chainsaws through a series of rigorous tests to see just how good they are at cutting wood and how easy they are to use.

• Testing starts before the chainsaw has even been taken out of the box - our experts record and rate the level of assembly required, so you’ll know if the chainsaw you buy is ready to use.
• We review the quality of the instructions and rate how extensively they demonstrate user and safety guidelines, as well as how effectively they cover essential maintenance tasks.
• We reveal the chainsaws that are safe and easy to use so you can make light work of the heaviest wood sawing jobs.

The Best Buy chainsaws aren't always the most expensive. Find out which models we recommend with a £1 trial to Which?

What makes a Which? Best Buy chainsaw?

A Which? Best Buy chainsaw will cut through wood effortlessly and cleanly, without leaving jagged or split edges. It will power through branches and logs up to 30cm in diameter and won’t struggle to cut harder wood.

As well as being great at cutting, a Best Buy chainsaw will be easy and comfortable to use. It will be well-balanced to help give the best cutting technique; the chain-oil reservoir will be easy to top up; and the transfer of vibration from the machine’s engine to your arms and shoulders will be minimal. Plus, performing essential maintenance tasks, such as adjusting the chain tension and filing the cutting teeth, will be straightforward, with clear and easy-to-follow instructions on how to do it.

Find out more about how we test chainsaws.

Chainsaw reviews you can trust

First and foremost, all of the chainsaws we have reviewed are safe to use. We have checked that they are equipped with all of the required safety features and we’ve tested these features to make sure they work as they’re supposed to.

Once we’re sure they are safe, each chainsaw is put through the same rigorous tests to separate the best from the rest. 

How well do chainsaws cut?

A chainsaw slices through wood like a knife through butter

When it comes to cutting, our testers assess how well the chainsaws cope with light pruning and cutting larger logs. Each machine makes a series of cuts in branches of 5cm-diameter green wood; smaller logs of 10cm and 15cm; and larger logs of 20cm and 30cm. They time how long each chainsaw takes to find the quickest, and rate how cleanly each machine cuts through live wood

To see how the chainsaws cope with tougher cutting tasks, our experts also repeat this test on a hardwood log, then they time and rate a single cut through a railway sleeper.

But it’s not all about cutting: a chainsaw should also be easy to use, well-balanced, comfortable to hold, easy to manoeuvre and straightforward to maintain. Our testers perform a total of 27 different tests to check this out, looking for things like how comfortable the handles are, how easy it is to adjust the chain tension, and how easy it is to switch between vertical and horizontal cutting.

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