Best Electric Chainsaws 2026: 8 Compared (16 Sources)

What are the best electric chainsaws in 2026?

Background, first written March 2026. The current picks, with dated prices, are in the table above.

Summary

Battery saws now cut as fast as gas ones. Consumer Reports has 45 chainsaws in its ratings, the overwhelming majority battery-powered; nine battery models earn its top score for cutting speed against only three gas saws, and some battery saws make more than 100 cuts through a 10-inch oak beam on a single charge. TechGearLab's fastest saw of any kind is the battery EGO Power+ CS2005, but it still sends you to a gas saw for all-day work on big logs: "Even the best electric models can't match gas when powering through piles of logs all-day long." [src10, src4]

Three testers put the Husqvarna Power Axe 350i at or near the top. Outdoor Life found it "cut with full power until it ran out of battery", Bob Vila felt its lower vibration immediately, and TechGearLab ranks it second of 19 saws and timed it at 5.1 seconds through a 4x4, level with the EGO CS1815. The fastest saw in TechGearLab's test is the 20-inch EGO CS2005 (3.45 seconds, "very fast" in Consumer Reports' oak test), at the price of 19.1 lb. Reviewed names the 16-inch DeWalt FLEXVOLT DCCS670T1 the best chainsaw it tested; Bob Vila's 2024 pick, the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2727-21HD, is listed 15th of 19 at TechGearLab. [src1, src2, src4, src13, src8, src3]

For less money there are two different answers. The Greenworks 80V 18" had the lowest list price of the large battery saws in TechGearLab's test and is powerful, but short on runtime with its 2.0Ah battery; Amazon had no purchasable offer in three consecutive US price checks, the latest on 2026-10-13, and Greenworks' store listed it as out of stock when we checked on 2026-10-14. If you can work within reach of an outlet, the corded Oregon CS1500 is the pick of both Bob Vila and TechGearLab for the money. [src2, src9, src15, src4]

Top 8 Models Compared

Prices are from our latest US price check of the listing each button links to; "—" means no purchasable offer was found or the listing is not yet in our checks. The live table at the top of the page is updated daily. Prices are for the kit (saw, battery and charger) except the corded Oregon. Weights and cut times are the outlets' own measurements, so compare them within one outlet.

Best for Each Use Case

Top Pick: Husqvarna Power Axe 350i — Check price

Three testers put the Power Axe 350i at or near the top of their 18-inch battery saws. In Outdoor Life's test it cut through a 14-inch-diameter log in 26.6 seconds and made 24 cuts on a charge, and it "cut with full power until it ran out of battery—then it was dead", where other saws stalled with a quarter of their battery still showing; at 13 lb 15 oz it was the lightest large saw in that test, and its tester calls it "the best electric chainsaw choice for most users". Bob Vila, which made it its best large-size saw, found it had lower vibration than the rest of its test group and says it "gave the best overall performance of all the saws we tested, with the possible exception of our top pick, which is built for lighter work". TechGearLab ranks it second of 19 saws, timed it at 5.1 seconds through a 4x4, and found it had "the best weight-to-performance ratio for those who want to cut larger logs but keep the saw as light as possible"; Consumer Reports rates it fast through 10-by-10-inch oak beams. The downsides: TechGearLab measured a 165-minute recharge and calls it expensive, its chain tensioner jammed with sawdust in Outdoor Life's test, and Bob Vila finds it bulky for light-duty cutting. [src1, src2, src4, src11]

Best Value: Greenworks 80V 18" (GCS80420) — Check price

This is the saw Bob Vila calls the Greenworks Pro 80V 18-inch and makes its best battery chainsaw for 2026, linking the same Amazon listing we do; TechGearLab's review and Family Handyman name the model, GCS80420. Bob Vila found it "cut quickly and aggressively, but the battery runtime was not great", that it "didn't bog down in any of our cutting tests" and "cut everything at least as fast as any of the other saws", and that "at the modest list price, it's a highly capable saw worth considering"; at 16 pounds it was the heaviest saw in that test, and the chain tensioner felt somewhat flimsy. Family Handyman found it one of the most powerful saws it tested, but its 2.0Ah battery "provided only about half as many cuts as saws with 4- to 6-amp-hour batteries", and Bob Vila's 2024 test got about 20 minutes of constant cutting from it; Family Handyman notes a 4-amp-hour battery and charger are available at extra cost. TechGearLab scored it 70 of 100 (listed 11th of 19), timed it at 5.3 seconds through a 4x4 and measured a 30-minute recharge; its $350 list price was the lowest of the battery saws with 18- or 20-inch bars in that test, which ran from $439 to $549 for the others. Greenworks rates the 2.0Ah kit at up to 110 cuts per charge. Amazon had no purchasable offer on the listing we link in three consecutive US price checks, the latest on 2026-10-13, and Greenworks' US store listed this kit at $209.99 but out of stock, with its 4.0Ah option sold out, when we checked on 2026-10-14. We keep it as the value pick on the testing; if you need a large battery saw now, the live table at the top of the page shows which of the other 18-inch saws had an offer at our latest check. [src2, src9, src3, src4, src5, src15]

Best Budget: Oregon CS1500 (corded) — Check price

Two testers name this 18-inch corded saw their pick for the money: Bob Vila's best bang for the buck and TechGearLab's best affordable corded chainsaw. Bob Vila cut up a 13-inch-diameter oak log with it, and after 40 slices a 3-second pull of the built-in PowerSharp sharpener left the teeth visibly sharper; its tester says "It felt more aggressive than most of the larger battery models" and "it's super affordable". TechGearLab timed it at 7.8 seconds through a 4x4, weighed it at 10.6 lb, lists it at $140, and says "If you can plug in near your work area, the Oregon CS1500 is the best value for cutting medium-sized logs." The cord is the price of that: Bob Vila found it limited maneuverability in brushy areas, and TechGearLab docks corded saws because most chainsaw work happens much further than 100 feet from an outlet; it also found the bar flimsy and the saw awkwardly wide. [src2, src4]

Best Lightweight: EGO Power+ CS1201 12" — Check price

TechGearLab gives the CS1201 its Best Value Chainsaw award and calls it "the best 12-inch chainsaw we've ever used — and the clear choice for most homeowners on a budget"; it cut through a 20-inch tree, timed 8.1 seconds through a 4x4, and weighed 8.8 lb with its 2.5Ah battery. That makes it the lightest saw on this card that TechGearLab weighed: it put the corded Oregon CS1500 at 10.6 lb and every other battery saw here that it tested at 14.3 lb or more. Consumer Reports, which lists the CS1201 at 8.95 lbs, found it cuts through 10-by-10-inch oak beams and is safe to use, maintain and store. Its drawbacks in TechGearLab's test: a slower wind-up than the bigger saws, chain tensioning "a little trickier than the CS1815", and it is still too heavy for true one-handed use. [src4, src14]

Fastest Cutting: EGO Power+ CS2005 20" — Check price

The CS2005 tops TechGearLab's 19-saw test with a 3.45-second average cut through a 4x4, "beating the next best by 1.5 seconds (a gas saw)", and Consumer Reports rates it very fast through 10-by-10-inch oak beams. Its 6.0Ah battery lasted a bit over 6 minutes of cutting in TechGearLab's test, but in that time "it got as much done as the PowerAxe 350i". The cost is weight: 19.1 lb in TechGearLab's measurement (19.05 lbs per Consumer Reports), "4–5 pounds heavier than most 18-inch battery models in our tests", and its chain tensioner needs a tool. [src4, src13]

18-Inch EGO: EGO Power+ CS1815 — Check price

TechGearLab calls the CS1815 "the most capable 18-inch battery chainsaw we have used" and ranks it fourth of 19, timing it at 5.1 seconds through a 4x4, level with the Husqvarna; Consumer Reports rates it fast through 10-by-10-inch oak beams. It replaces EGO's older CS1800 with more cutting power, quicker tool-free chain tensioning and an Eco mode that stretches the battery, for a $50-$100 higher price and about a pound more on the bare tool; with its 6.0Ah battery it weighed 16.2 lb at TechGearLab (16.425 lbs per Consumer Reports), "one of the heavier 18-inch electric chainsaws we tested". [src4, src6, src12]

For DeWalt FLEXVOLT Owners: DeWalt FLEXVOLT 60V 16" (DCCS670T1) — Check price

Reviewed names the DCCS670T1 kit "the best chainsaw we tested": it cut through a 30-inch-diameter log, beat the EGO it was compared with by 4 seconds on a log slice, and Reviewed found no cons. Its FLEXVOLT battery is "20V/60V backward compatible", so it also runs DeWalt's 20V tools. Bob Vila tested the same saw as the 3Ah DCCS670X1 kit in 2024 and listed it as one to also consider: at 13.2 pounds it "easily spit out some wood chips" and ran about 30 minutes per charge, though its chain tensioner may be hard to adjust. The kit we link comes with the 2.0Ah battery Reviewed tested. [src8, src3]

For Milwaukee M18 Owners: Milwaukee M18 FUEL 16" (2727-21HD) — Check price

Bob Vila made the 2727-21HD kit its best overall battery chainsaw in 2024: its tester found it "just about as close to gas power as a battery chainsaw can get", and Bob Vila says it can make up to 150 cuts on a single charge, at 17.3 pounds with the battery. TechGearLab, which tested the same kit with its 12Ah battery, now lists it 15th of 19 (8.3 seconds through a 4x4; cons "Costly, bulky, high oil usage") but says "If you own Milwaukee tools already, you won't be disappointed in the cutting performance". Its 15th-of-19 place at TechGearLab and those cons are why we mark it buy with caution: it is a sensible buy mainly if you already own M18 batteries. [src3, src4, src7]

Key Market Trends (2026)

• Battery saws now match gas on speed: Consumer Reports' top cutting-speed score goes to nine battery saws and only three gas saws, and TechGearLab's fastest saw, the EGO CS2005, beat every gas saw in its test. [src10, src4]
• Gas still wins all-day cutting: TechGearLab keeps a gas saw as its pick for all-day cutting because "Even the best electric models can't match gas when powering through piles of logs all-day long." [src4]
• Corded saws are fading from the ratings, not from the value picks: Consumer Reports has one corded model left in its ratings, yet Bob Vila makes the corded Oregon CS1500 its best bang for the buck and TechGearLab its best affordable corded chainsaw. [src10, src2, src4]
• The battery is the expensive part: TechGearLab says batteries are usually the most expensive component of a battery saw, so the platform you already own matters as much as the saw. [src4]

Chainsaw Safety (read before buying)

The safety kit is a real line item in the budget, not an accessory. More than 36,000 chainsaw injuries happen in the United States every year, according to the Alabama Cooperative Extension. [src16]

• Protective gear. Essential PPE is a hard hat, cut-resistant safety chaps, and eye and hearing protection, and anyone helping the operator should wear the same; add heavy work boots with high ankle support, and gloves are recommended. The upper left thigh and the back of the left hand are the most injured areas, and the head and upper torso are at risk from falling debris and rotational kickback. [src16]
• How chaps work. Chaps are not cut-proof: a moving chain cuts the outer layer and long inner strands pull out and tangle the drive sprocket, slowing or stopping the chain. They should reach down to the top of your foot, fasten with every strap, and carry a UL label. [src16]
• Battery saws are silent when on. "With an electric saw there is no rumble of the motor to remind you that the saw is 'on.'" Remove the battery before checking or adjusting chain tension and refilling bar oil. [src1]
• Two hands, and know your limits. Bob Vila, writing about the top-handle Echo, advises using two hands for all cuts until you become familiar with a saw, and Reviewed's testers left tree felling out of their testing: "Know what you're doing, and know your limits." This card covers limbing, bucking and storm cleanup, not felling standing trees. [src2, src8]

Important Caveats

• Prices in the comparison table are from our latest US price check of each linked listing; the live table at the top of the page is updated daily and names the seller of each offer, including when it is a third-party marketplace seller rather than Amazon
• The Greenworks 80V 18" had no purchasable offer on the Amazon listing we link in three consecutive US price checks, the latest on 2026-10-13, and Greenworks' US store listed it as out of stock when we checked on 2026-10-14. We keep it as the value pick because the testing supports it, not because it can be bought today [src15]
• Kit prices include the battery and charger. Greenworks also sells its 80V saw as a tool only, and TechGearLab notes that buying the bare tool can be the best value if you already own the brand's batteries [src3, src4]
• Weights, cut times and runtimes come from each outlet's own test: TechGearLab cuts 4x4 lumber, Consumer Reports cuts 10-by-10-inch oak beams, Outdoor Life times logs of set diameters. The same Husqvarna weighed 13 lb 15 oz at Outdoor Life, 14.2 pounds at Bob Vila, 14.4 lb at TechGearLab and 13.64 lbs at Consumer Reports [src1, src2, src4, src11]
• Not compared here: the Echo DCS-2500T, the top-handle saw that is Outdoor Life's Editor's Choice and Bob Vila's best overall. Outdoor Life says it "should only be run by experienced users", and Bob Vila warns that its one-handed operation increases the chance of accidents [src1, src2]
• Also not ranked: Stihl's battery saws (Outdoor Life's best mid-size, the MSA 220 C-B, and Bob Vila's, the MSA 60 C-B) and the EGO CS1611 (Reviewed's best battery-powered saw; Family Handyman's pick of it rests on an older EGO model it tested). For each, we found a readable verdict from only one tester [src1, src2, src8, src9]