Best Cordless Chainsaws 2026: Battery-Powered Saws That Actually Cut

Updated May 2026 — added Hurricane Cleanup guide section and new Pro/Commercial Grade picks.

Gas chainsaws are loud, smelly, and require a whole ritual just to start them. Battery chainsaws in 2026 have caught up in a serious way — not just for light pruning, but for felling medium trees, processing firewood, and cleaning up after storms. If you’re a homeowner who touches a chainsaw more than twice a year, the case for cordless has never been stronger.

We looked at the top cordless chainsaws across every voltage tier — from the budget-friendly 40V entry points up to the serious 80V and 60V FLEXVOLT platforms — and ranked them by performance, runtime, and value. Here’s what you need to know.

Quick Picks: Best Cordless Chainsaws at a Glance

Award	Model	Price	Rating	Why We Picked It	Buy
Best Overall	EGO CS1804 18″	~$319	4.5★	Top-rated cordless chainsaw with 5.0Ah battery included. Matches gas performance for most homeowner tasks.	Buy Now
Most Powerful	Greenworks 80V 18″	~$240 (31% off)	4.3★	80V platform delivers the most torque in the class. Best for dense hardwoods and larger trees.	Buy Now on Amazon
Best Pro Grade	DeWalt DCCS670T1 60V	~$340	4.3★	60V FLEXVOLT power with DeWalt’s reliability. Works with your 60V MAX battery ecosystem.	Buy Now on Amazon
Best for M18 Users	Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2727-20	~$249	4.7★	Best-in-class M18 performance. Ideal if you already own Milwaukee batteries. ⚠️ See recall notice below.	Buy Now at Home Depot
Best Budget	Ryobi RY405100 40V HP	~$199	4.5★	Includes 4.0Ah battery + charger. Handles limbing, light pruning, and small tree removal well.	Buy Now at Home Depot

Our Top Picks: Full Reviews

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EGO POWER+ CS1804 18″ — Best Overall

Price: ~$319 (kit with 5.0Ah battery + charger) | Rating: 4.5★ (3,131 reviews)

Buy Now on Amazon — EGO CS1804 18″ Chainsaw Kit

EGO’s CS1804 is the chainsaw that made a lot of gas-chainsaw loyalists reconsider their stance. Running on EGO’s 56V ARC Lithium platform, it cuts at 67 feet per second — competitive with entry-level gas saws. The 5.0Ah battery included in this kit is the sweet spot for runtime: you can expect 150+ cuts through 4×4 lumber before needing a charge. For storm cleanup, firewood processing, or taking down a few small trees per season, this is enough power.

The brushless motor adapts to the load, running efficiently through soft wood and ramping up when you hit something dense. Chain tension adjustment without tools is a small feature that makes a real difference if you’re doing extended cutting sessions — chain stretch is real, and being able to retension without digging for a wrench matters in the field.

Spec	Value
Bar Length	18 inches
Voltage	56V ARC Lithium
Motor	Brushless
Chain Speed	67 ft/sec
Battery Included	5.0Ah (+ rapid charger)
Weight (with battery)	~12.1 lbs
Chain Gauge	.050″
Compatible Platform	EGO 56V ARC Lithium

Bottom Line: The EGO CS1804 is the benchmark cordless chainsaw for homeowners. It’s powerful enough for most real tasks, comes with a solid battery included, and has the reviews to back it up. Start here if you’re building an EGO outdoor power setup or just want the most proven cordless chainsaw on the market.

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Greenworks 80V 18″ (GCS80420) — Most Powerful

Price: ~$240 (kit with 2.0Ah battery + rapid charger — currently 31% off) | Rating: 4.3★ (2,140 reviews)

Buy Now on Amazon

Greenworks runs their chainsaw on an 80V platform, and that extra voltage shows up in the specs. The 1.8kW brushless motor is the most powerful in this roundup, making it the best choice if you’re regularly cutting through dense hardwoods — oak, maple, hickory — or handling logs that would bog down a lower-voltage saw.

The tradeoff: the included 2.0Ah battery runs shorter than EGO’s 5.0Ah. For light to moderate use (say, processing a cord of firewood in sessions), this works fine. For sustained heavy cutting, budget for a second 4.0Ah or 5.0Ah battery from Greenworks’ 80V line.

Greenworks’ 80V platform covers over 75 outdoor power tools — lawnmowers, leaf blowers, string trimmers — so if you’re building out a battery-powered yard tool ecosystem, the 80V platform gives you a clear upgrade path.

Spec	Value
Bar Length	18 inches
Voltage	80V
Motor	Brushless (1.8kW)
Battery Included	2.0Ah (+ rapid charger)
Compatible Platform	Greenworks 80V (75+ tools)
Chain Gauge	.050″
Bar Type	Oregon bar and chain

Bottom Line: The Greenworks 80V GCS80420 is the right call if you need maximum cutting power and are comfortable investing in a second battery. The 1.8kW motor handles hardwoods better than anything in this voltage range. Just plan for a battery upgrade to get the most out of it.

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DeWalt DCCS670T1 60V MAX FLEXVOLT — Best Pro Grade

Price: ~$340 (kit with 2.0Ah FLEXVOLT battery) | Rating: 4.3★ (275 reviews)

Buy Now on Amazon

DeWalt’s FLEXVOLT system gives this chainsaw a unique advantage: the same battery powers both 20V MAX and 60V MAX tools. If you’re already running DeWalt 20V drills, impact drivers, or saws, the FLEXVOLT battery slides in and works — but when connected to the chainsaw, it steps up to deliver 60V performance.

The 16″ bar is slightly shorter than the EGO and Greenworks, but for most homeowner work (tree trimming, storm debris, small firewood rounds), 16″ is plenty. Where this saw earns its “pro grade” label is precision: the low-kickback chain and DeWalt’s tight quality control make it the choice if you want a chainsaw that behaves predictably during detailed cuts or working overhead.

Spec	Value
Bar Length	16 inches
Voltage	60V MAX FLEXVOLT
Motor	Brushless
Chain Speed	25.2 m/sec
Battery Included	2.0Ah FLEXVOLT (+ charger)
Weight (tool only)	~8.6 lbs
Compatible Platform	DeWalt 60V MAX / 20V MAX

Bottom Line: If you’re running a DeWalt power tool setup, the DCCS670T1 is the no-brainer addition. The FLEXVOLT battery bridges your 20V tools with 60V chainsaw performance. For users starting from scratch, the EGO offers more battery capacity for similar money.

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Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2727-20 16″ — Best for M18 Users

Price: ~$249 (tool only) | Rating: 4.7★

Buy Now at Home Depot

Set the recall aside for a moment and look at the performance numbers: the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2727-20 earns a 4.7★ rating — the highest of any chainsaw in this roundup. Milwaukee’s POWERSTATE brushless motor is legendary among M18 platform users, and the chainsaw is no different. If you already own M18 REDLITHIUM batteries (a Milwaukee-standard 5.0Ah or 6.0Ah works great here), this saw delivers exceptional cutting performance on an 18V platform.

The 16″ bar suits most residential use. Milwaukee’s AutoStop oil flow system keeps the chain lubricated properly without wasting oil, which matters over the course of an afternoon’s cutting.

Buy this if: You’re already invested in the Milwaukee M18 ecosystem, you can verify the recall remedy has been completed, and you want the highest user-rated chainsaw in this category.

Spec	Value
Bar Length	16 inches
Voltage	18V (M18 FUEL)
Motor	Brushless (POWERSTATE)
Chain Speed	67 ft/sec
Battery Included	No (tool only)
Compatible Platform	Milwaukee M18
Oil System	AutoStop automatic oiler

Bottom Line: The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2727-20 is technically one of the best chainsaws in this roundup — the performance data backs that up. However, the active safety recall requires you to take an extra step: verify the recall remedy before you use it. For M18 users who do this due diligence, it’s an excellent saw.

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RYOBI RY405100 40V HP 14″ — Best Budget

Price: ~$199 (kit with 4.0Ah battery + charger) | Rating: 4.5★

Buy Now at Home Depot

For casual use — clearing brush, cutting firewood rounds from smaller logs, limbing after a storm — the Ryobi RY405100 gives you everything you need at a price that won’t hurt. At $199 with a 4.0Ah battery and charger included, it’s the most complete package value in this group.

The 40V HP brushless motor punches above its voltage class. The 14″ bar is right-sized for suburban work — tight enough to maneuver between branches, long enough to cut through logs up to about 10″ in diameter. If your chainsaw use is measured in hours per year, not hours per week, this is the right call.

Ryobi’s 40V ONE+ HP platform covers an extensive range of outdoor power equipment — mowers, leaf blowers, pressure washers — so this saw fits into a growing battery ecosystem.

Spec	Value
Bar Length	14 inches
Voltage	40V HP
Motor	Brushless
Battery Included	4.0Ah (+ charger)
Compatible Platform	Ryobi 40V ONE+ HP
Chain Type	Low-kickback Oregon chain

Bottom Line: The Ryobi RY405100 is the correct entry point for homeowners who need occasional chainsaw capability without investing $300+. The included 4.0Ah battery and competitive 40V HP motor make it a genuine performer for light to moderate work.

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Best Cordless Chainsaw for Hurricane Cleanup

A chainsaw is the single most-used tool in the 24 hours after a hurricane or major storm. The job is specific: clearing a downed tree from a driveway, cutting up a fallen limb from a fence line, making a path to the road. You don’t need hours of runtime — you need a saw that starts instantly, cuts reliably through wet hardwood, and handles unpredictable angles and wood orientations.

The Greenworks 80V GCS80420 is the right pick for this scenario, and it happens to be the best-value cordless chainsaw available right now — currently 31% off at $239.99 (down from $349.99). Here’s why it’s the hurricane-cleanup choice:

• The 2.0Ah battery is enough: For clearing one downed tree or several limbs, 10–15 minutes of cutting is all you need. The included 2.0Ah battery handles that comfortably.
• 80V motor handles wet wood: Storm debris is green, wet, and often dirty. The 1.8kW brushless motor has the power to push through where 40V/56V saws bog down.
• 18″ bar is versatile: Most downed residential trees are 12–16″ in diameter. The 18″ bar handles them in one pass.
• Instant start: After a storm, you want to pull the trigger and cut — not pull-start three times in 90°F heat.

Buy the Greenworks 80V GCS80420 on Amazon — currently $239.99 (31% off)

Hurricane Chainsaw Safety: What Changes After a Storm

Storm cleanup chainsaw work is higher-risk than normal chainsaw use. Downed trees are under unpredictable tension — limbs that look stable can spring or roll when you cut them. A few rules specific to storm work:

• Never cut a limb that’s under compression or tension without planning the cut sequence first. Identify which direction the wood will spring when cut — make a relief cut first to release pressure before the main cut.
• Check chain tension before every cutting session. Chains stretch during cutting; a loose chain on wet/dirty wood is dangerous.
• Never cut overhead limbs alone. Have someone watching for falling debris. Better: use a pole saw (our Best Cordless Pole Saws 2026 guide covers the top picks) for anything above shoulder height.
• Wear chaps, gloves, and eye protection even for quick cuts. Post-storm adrenaline leads to skipping PPE — don’t.
• Check the chain brake before every use — it’s your last-resort protection against kickback.

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Pro and Commercial Grade: For Serious Cutters

The five saws above cover 95% of homeowner use cases. If you’re a tree service professional, arborist, or a serious property owner who regularly fells medium-to-large trees, two cordless platforms have now reached gas-replacement territory at the professional level.

Greenworks Commercial 82V H.O.G. 28″ — Strongest Battery Chainsaw Available

The Greenworks Commercial H.O.G. (High Output Greenworks) 82V is in a different class than anything in the homeowner section above. Running on an 82V platform with a 5.0 kW brushless motor and a 28″ bar, it’s been tested against professional gas saws — including 80cc+ models — in head-to-head cutting evaluations. The conclusion from field testing: it wins on cutting speed and matches gas on runtime for professional use cases when paired with Greenworks Commercial’s 10.0Ah batteries.

The 28″ bar handles trees up to 24″ in diameter in a single pass — the kind of work that’s everyday material for a tree crew. If you’re running chainsaws as a business tool, the instant-start, zero-maintenance, zero-exhaust cordless operating model has real labor-efficiency implications over a fleet of gas saws.

Spec	Value
Bar Length	28 inches
Voltage	82V (Greenworks Commercial H.O.G.)
Motor	Brushless, 5.0 kW
Battery Platform	Greenworks Commercial 82V
Target Use	Professional tree service, arborists
Gas Equivalent	Comparable to 80cc+ gas saws

Bottom Line: The Greenworks Commercial 82V H.O.G. is the current benchmark for battery chainsaws at the professional level. If you run a tree service or deal with large-diameter trees regularly, search Amazon or contact Greenworks Commercial directly for current pricing and availability — this is a different product category than the consumer 80V line.

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Makita 40V XGT GCU08Z 20″ — Fastest Battery Chainsaw for Pro Use

Makita’s performance claim for the GCU08Z is direct: 25% faster cutting than a comparable 50cc gas chainsaw. That’s not “faster than old battery saws” — it’s a head-to-head claim against the gas standard. The 20″ bar handles the majority of professional cutting work, and the IPX4M weather resistance rating makes it serious equipment for field use in rain and wet conditions — a spec most cordless chainsaws don’t touch.

The GCU08Z runs on Makita’s 40V Max XGT platform. One critical note: XGT 40V batteries are not cross-compatible with Makita’s 18V LXT platform. If you’re building on LXT (the standard for most Makita trade tools), this is a separate battery investment. If you’re starting fresh on XGT or already committed to the platform, the GCU08Z is Makita’s flagship chainsaw.

Read our full news coverage: Makita GCU08Z: 40V XGT Chainsaw Is 25% Faster Than Gas.

Check Current Pricing on Amazon — Makita GCU08Z

Spec	Value
Bar Length	20 inches
Voltage	40V Max XGT
Motor	Brushless
Weather Resistance	IPX4M
Battery Included	No (tool only — GCU08Z)
Compatible Platform	Makita 40V Max XGT (not LXT)
Cutting Speed vs. Gas	25% faster than 50cc gas (Makita claim)

Bottom Line: The Makita GCU08Z makes the most aggressive performance claim of any battery chainsaw in 2026 — and the IPX4M weather rating backs it up as a professional field tool, not a fair-weather homeowner saw. For LXT users, evaluate the XGT platform investment carefully. For new platform buyers, this is the fastest battery chainsaw you can run on 40V.

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Cordless Chainsaw Buying Guide

Bar Length Guide: Match the Saw to the Job

Bar length determines what diameter logs you can cut in a single pass. The rule of thumb: your bar needs to be at least 2 inches longer than the log diameter you’re cutting.

• 10–12″ bar: Limbing small branches, cutting firewood from logs under 8″ in diameter. Best for light pruning and cleanup.
• 14″ bar: Good for suburban residential work — small to medium trees (under 10″ diameter), storm cleanup, firewood processing from medium logs. Easier to maneuver in tight spaces.
• 16″ bar: Handles most homeowner tasks comfortably. Good for trees up to 12″ diameter and regular firewood processing. The sweet spot for most users.
• 18″ bar: Serious capacity for homeowners who regularly fell small to medium trees (8–14″ diameter), process firewood in quantity, or deal with storm damage from larger trees. Heavy for extended overhead work.

For most suburban homeowners, a 14–16″ cordless chainsaw handles everything short of large tree felling. If you’re regularly working on trees over 12″ in diameter, step up to an 18″ bar and a higher-voltage platform (56V+).

Voltage and Runtime: What the Numbers Mean

Voltage determines the power ceiling. Runtime is battery capacity (amp-hours) and the efficiency of the brushless motor working together. Here’s how the platforms compare:

• 40V: Handles light to moderate cutting. Fine for 14″ bars and occasional use. Budget-friendly.
• 56V/60V: The sweet spot for homeowners doing real work. Handles 16–18″ bars with authority. EGO’s 56V and DeWalt’s 60V FLEXVOLT are the benchmark platforms.
• 80V: Maximum cordless power. For dense hardwoods and extended cutting sessions, 80V delivers noticeable torque advantage over 56V. Greenworks is the main player here.

For deeper reading on how voltage and amp-hours interact, see our guide on Power Tool Batteries Decoded: Volts, Amp Hours, and the Numbers That Actually Matter.

Battery vs. Gas: An Honest Comparison

Gas chainsaws still hold advantages for professional loggers and anyone cutting continuously for hours. But for the homeowner who needs a chainsaw a few times a year, battery wins on almost every metric:

• Startup: Battery chainsaws start instantly. Gas requires priming, choke adjustments, and pull-starting — often several times.
• Maintenance: Battery saws need chain sharpening and bar oil. Gas adds carburetor tuning, spark plugs, air filters, and fresh fuel every season.
• Noise: Battery chainsaws run at about 95–100 dB. Gas runs 106–113 dB. The difference matters for residential neighborhoods and ear protection requirements.
• Fumes: No exhaust. Battery chainsaws are usable indoors (for carving, for example) and in enclosed spaces without venting concerns.
• Power: High-voltage battery chainsaws (60V+) now match entry-level gas for most residential tasks. Professional gas saws at 50cc+ still outperform battery for sustained cutting, but that’s not most homeowners’ use case.

For a broader comparison of cordless vs. traditional power tools, see our guide on Milwaukee vs. DeWalt vs. Makita vs. Bosch vs. Ryobi: Battery Platforms Compared. If you’re storm-prepping, pair your chainsaw with a generator — see Best Portable Generators for Hurricane Season 2026.

Chain Types: Full Chisel vs. Semi-Chisel

The chain matters as much as the bar. Most consumer cordless chainsaws ship with a semi-chisel chain: slightly rounded cutting corners that stay sharper longer and tolerate dirty or abrasive wood. Full chisel chains (sharp square corners) cut faster but dull quicker — they’re for pros who sharpen chains constantly.

For homeowners: stick with semi-chisel Oregon chains. They come standard on most of the saws in this review and are widely available as replacements.

Chainsaw Safety Essentials

This isn’t a section to skip. Chainsaws cause around 36,000 emergency room visits annually in the U.S. Every saw in this roundup includes a chain brake, but the chain brake only protects against kickback — it doesn’t protect your legs, eyes, or ears.

Minimum safety gear for any chainsaw use:

• Chainsaw chaps or pants (cut-resistant Kevlar protection for your legs)
• Gloves with cut-resistant material
• Eye protection — debris flies constantly
• Hearing protection — even battery saws exceed safe noise exposure levels during extended use
• Steel-toed boots
• Helmet with face shield for any overhead cutting

See our guides on Best Safety Glasses for Woodworking and DIY 2026 and Best Hearing Protection for Power Tools 2026 for recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions