While chainsaws used to be the sole domain of hardened lumberjacks, farmers and very keen woodsmen, chainsaws are now almost ubiquitous in the family home.
Given the varieties of machinery available, it's important that the user has the right chainsaw to do the job. There's no point in having a power saw that's designed to cut down California Pine all day when you simply need a reasonably powered saw to cut some limbs of a tree.
Here then is our guide to identifying the best chainsaws to use for cutting firewood.
There are two factors to first consider.
How proficient and experienced are you at using a chainsaw?
If you are a bit green (nothing wrong with that, we all started at the same place) then you will want a chainsaw that is not too heavy as holding and working with these units can quickly tire your arms - which reduces productivity and increases the risk chance of an accident occurring.
If you are well practiced and in a fit state, then you can consider using a chainsaw with more power.
One of the pros of using a small chainsaw is that you can be a bit more nimble and maneuver them more easily.
What kind of tree and wood will you be cutting?
If you are felling large trees, then you may want to consider a chainsaw which has a lot of engine strength. If the tree is hardwood, then you will want the power.
A chainsaw that is not designed to cut large hardwood trees will find its engine is placed under a fair bit of strain - this will lead to unnecessary wear and inefficient cutting time.
So what am I really looking for?
The way we see it, if you are cutting firewood, you can go two ways.
They are usually designed and built in the same way as professional saws, but have a lesser performance rating. They are not intended for use as an 'all day tool' but for part-time use, such as cutting firewood!
To that end, the Husqvarna 460 Rancher might be the chainsaw for you:
Purchase a general consumer saw
Smaller and easy-to-use saws designed for home use by people who will use the saw every so often. If this sounds like you, we suggest an electric chainsaw like the Dewalt DCCS620B:
The real benefit other than it being lightweight is that the electric saw requires less maintenance. It's also less than half the price of your standard gas-powered equivalent.
The real benefit other than it being lightweight is that the electric saw requires less maintenance. It's also less than half the price of your standard gas-powered equivalent.
The Husqvarna 460 Rancher is a robust all round saw, ideal for demanding cutting jobs where more power is required for a longer guide bar.
Equipped with a X-Torq engine with high torque over a wide RPM range. The saw's body is ergonomically designed allowing for easy handling of the saw's power.
Further features include Smart Start, Air Injection, LowVib and combined choke/stop control.
The real value though is checking in what real users of the Rancher have to say about its performance. Here's what buyers from Amazon have said in their reviews after putting cutting bar to wood:
"I'm not a professional arborist or somebody who cuts wood all the time. But I do cut down trees from family and friends and cut some for a wood burner I have in my woodshop. Ultimately as I said I would love to be able to mail my own lumber. So for a normal everyday person I just wanted a good strong chainsaw that will hopefully be one of the last ones I buy for a very long time this chainsaws absolutely excellent !! I would even recommend this to experts as well because I believe they would love it too."
"The build quality is outstanding... contrasting it with my cheaper Ryobi chain saw, EVERYTHING (from the housing, to the bar chain oil and gas tank lids, to the chain tensioner, the bar itself, etc.) is made and assembled with much higher quality materials and attention. After all the advocado trees I've already dropped and broken down with this Husqvarna saw, I see myself using this saw for years (probably decades) to come"
If that sells you, check out this pricing:
We would be remiss if we didn't remind you that if you are new to using a chainsaw, you may wish to take lessons on how to correctly use a chainsaw (at the least, learn what a kick back is). You'll also do well to have safety equipment such as gloves, chaps, and eyewear. And you probably will need to learn how to start a flooded chainsaw engine.
If that sells you, check out this pricing:
We would be remiss if we didn't remind you that if you are new to using a chainsaw, you may wish to take lessons on how to correctly use a chainsaw (at the least, learn what a kick back is). You'll also do well to have safety equipment such as gloves, chaps, and eyewear. And you probably will need to learn how to start a flooded chainsaw engine.