Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw [Power Cutter]

We recently looked at the Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw . The 12-inch Greenworks cutter is powered by an 82V 3.2kW battery platform. The beauty of a battery power cutter set up like the Greenworks is all you have to do is insert a battery and start cutting. There is no pull start, 50:1 gas ratio, spark plug, stale fuel or clogged air filters.

Greenworks currently is offering 4 battery sizes, we tested our unit with w 4.0 Ah battery.

Greenworks Cut-Off Saw | Specifications

• Volts: 82V
• Motor: Brushless
• Performance: 3.2kw
• Cutting Speed: 5248 RPM
• Torque: 5.2Nm
• Blade Diameter: 12″
• Blade Arbor Size: 1″/20mm
• Electronic ON/OFF: Yes
• Integrated LED: Yes
• Cut Depth: 4.3″
• Blade Speed: (F/S) 279
• Speed Settings: Variable
• Water Connection: Yes
• Adjustable Flow :Yes
• Adjustable Guard: Yes
• Guard Material: Magnesium
• Aux Handle Material: Metal
• Overmold Grip: 1/20mm
• IP Rating: IPX4
• Sound at Ear: 94 (dBa)
• Vibration Aux: 3.99 (m/s)
• Vibration Rear Handle: 2 (m/s)

First Impression | Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw

The Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw is a brushless, direct drive, zero- emission power cutter that allows users to work indoors without the worry fumes. It is compact and seemingly well built. This 82 volt cutter has a 4.3″ depth of cut and is lightweight and well balanced.

The LED light on the blade guard is a nice feature, we wondered, due to its proximity to the blade if slurry splatter would build up and obscure the LED during our testing. It did not!

Operating the saw is simple and intuitive with an electronic power button, safety switch and trigger.  This two-step process to turn on and off the tool is easy to follow and we liked the simplicity of it.

Testing the Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw

The cutter has a deeper cut than other competitor 12″ gas saws, 4.3 vs 3.9 inches, and we liked that the 4.0 Ah battery charges in 30-minutes. We tested the Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw in several materials: concrete with embedded rebar, metal pipe and rebar.

Metal Cutting Test

Outfitted with a fresh battery and abrasive cutting disk we used the Greenworks cutter to cut metal pipe, and five #4 ganged rebar. The cutter made fast cuts and was easy to use. 

Concrete Test Blocks

We poured 3500 psi concrete blocks, 12” x 24” x 4.5″ deep for a Head-to-Head test we were working on, so it made sense to use the same blocks to test the Greenworks concrete cutter. Each concrete block also had two embedded #4 rebar running along its length.

Note – the Greenworks cutter was not able to cut all the way through our test blocks. We maxed the cutter out for cutting and counted the slices completed.

Performance Testing | Concrete with Embedded Rebar Cutting [Ave. Speed]

Run-time on cordless concrete cutters is important when discussing how battery and gas operate differently.  The number one question we are asked is,  “How do this saw compare to a gas power cutter? In order for us to address this question we included the Husqvarna K770 gas saw as a comparison.

Run-time Test Procedure:

Without a test rig to eliminate these types of variables, it is very hard to have a controlled test. Technique is important and we recognize that we needed to let the tool do the work and not bog it down, which is why we designed our tests with the following criteria:

1. The Greenworks had two fresh batteries and new diamond cutting blade
2. The Husqvarna K770 had a full tank of gas and a fresh Milwaukee Diamond blade
3. 4 operators per saw.
4. We used the 24″x12″x4.5″ concrete test blocks
5. Each cut is timed and recorded.
6. Water was used on each cut
7. Each operator will make 3 cuts and swap out to prevent fatigue. [Fatigued users tend to lean on the saw]
8. Every operator will employ a “stepped” cutting method.
9. Every operator will let the tool do the cutting, and listen to the motor. Operators could apply pressure if the tool would allow it, and if the motors seem like its bogging down they were to let up on the pressure.
10. The test ended when the saw battery died, and when the K770 ran out of gas
11. The total slices [including partial cuts] were recorded for a total lineal foot measurement.

Note on Run-time Testing

With any power cutter you will experience varying results based on the material you’re cutting, you’re cutting style, operator experience, blade used, etc.  Ambient temperature also affects run-time. The more demand you put on the motor, for example leaning into the saw too much, the more Amps it will pull from the battery to keep the power output. The same effect can happen with a gas saw, except runtime is just not usually taken into consideration given the quicker refueling vs. recharging time.

Cutting Results | Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw

We made 14 cuts in concrete [14-lineal feet] before draining both batteries. The Husqvarna K770 gas saw completed 30 cuts/feet and was able to cut completely through the test blocks. We recognize that we were cutting with a 4.o Ah battery and had we had the 8.0 Ah battery to test we probably would have had 28+ cuts. and be much closer the the K770 saw.

We did notice that the Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw if pushed too hard can be bogged down and it was important to let this tool do the work and not bear down too hard.

The reality is that with two batteries, the Greenworks cut-off saw can compete with a gas saw.

Improvements

If we were to offer Greenworks advice on improving their saw, it would be the water connection. The saw has a flexible water hose which makes one-handed hose connecting impossible. We recommend that the water connect be mounted to the side of the saw as a solid connection.

Price and Where To Buy

The Greenworks 82 volt power cutter costs $439.99 as a bare tool, and $699.99 as a kit. The kit includes:

• 82V 12″ 2.5KW Power Cutter – 82PC12
• 12″ Diamond Blade
• 4Ah Battery
• Charger

I included the Greenworks graphic below because it tells an interesting story comparing cost of ownership between the Greenworks saw and a gas power cutter.

Final Thoughts

We enjoyed using the Greenworks concrete cutter and all agreed when paired with a 4.0 Ah battery its best suited for lighter masonry work such as cutting pavers. If you plan on cutting basement slabs open, or doing any full depth concrete cutting, then we recommend pairing it with an 8.0 Ah battery.

We think that battery power cutters have their place, especially when remodeling indoors. It’s our opinion that contractors who cut concrete with 2 tanks of gas or less a day are in the “sweet-spot” to convert to a battery power cutter.  If you are cutting all-day and using 5 to 7 tanks of gas you should stay with a gas cutter or invest in more batteries.

Greenworks 12-Inch Cut-Off Saw Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best Battery-Powered Top Handle Chainsaw Testing

This Head-2-Head will take a look at the best battery top-handle chainsaw for 2023.  Battery technology has evolved to become arguably the king of outdoor power equipment. But does it measure up to what dedicated Pros need? In 2020 the ToolBoxBuzz crew hosted our first Best Cordless Chainsaw Head-2-Head where we evaluated twelve traditional rear handle saws. During that testing it was clear that a battery saw was an excellent option for a homeowner or DIYer, but not for full-time use in the forestry and tree care industry.

Fast forward to 2023 and the battery tool industry has continued to evolve. Additionally, the pro arborist and landscaping trades have seen an increased demand for pro-grade battery offerings. Many communities and even some states, like California, are moving to ban gas-powered OPE altogether. Bearing all this in mind, the TBB Crew set out to find out who makes the best battery top-handle chainsaw.

Top-handle chainsaws are often commonly referred to as climbing saws or bucket saws. They are designed for in-tree use by trained climbers or when working from a bucket truck in the air. These environments require the user to make cuts at adverse angles or from overhead or unsupported positions. They are often hung from the belt harnesses worn by arborists when climbing trees for takedown work. These unique demands require a saw to be compact and robust and move the handle location to the top of the saw to scale down the overall length.

Pro User Feedback

Scott Angelovic of Angelovic Tree Service, LLC.

Pro-user feedback is something we pride ourselves on at ToolBoxBuzz. In order to ensure that our testing protocols catered to tree care pros, we enlisted some local help. Our tests were conducted in Oxford, Connecticut by crew member Wes Bartosik. Additionally, Wes reached out to his friend Scott Angelovic of Angelovic Tree Sevice LLC. Scott is a long-time friend of Wes and a local business owner. Scott provided invaluable feedback on how each of our saws stacked up for pro use.

Jake Pollak better known as @DudeRanchDIY

ToolBoxBuzz was also fortunate enough to work with Jake Pollak of @DudeRanchDIY  for the first time on this project. Jake is an arborist by trade but also sells firewood and operates his own Youtube channel showcasing his firewood operation and equipment as well as arborist and chainsaw-related content. Jake is another Connecticut native and was able to provide us with some excellent feedback on the saws. Check out Jake’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram accounts where he cross-posted a lot of the content we worked on together.

Testing Criteria

In order to keep the sample pool as consistent as possible, we developed a set of selection criteria. First and foremost, the saw must be a purpose-built arborist saw designed for professional tree work. There are several saws on the market that happen to have a handle on top but are not tailored to professionals in any other way. Next, we limited the bar length to between 12″and 14″. Some models that were sent by manufacturers had their OEM bars swapped out to the proper length for testing. While we could not narrow down the pitch or gauge any further amongst samples, the bar lengths were kept consistent. Finally, we limited the battery pack Ah size to the kitted offerings from each manufacturer. Some of our manufacturers offer their saws as an a la carte system with multiple chargers and battery offerings (such as Husqvarna and Stihl). For these manufacturers, we selected the recommended battery offering for the tool.

The above-mentioned criteria provided us with a sample size of eight saws from six manufacturers. Makita and Stihl both had two models included in the testing. Makita with their legacy 36V 18V LXT X2 saw as well as the new 40V Max XGT and Stihl with their legacy pruning saw as well as their newest offering.

Saw Lineup

Echo

• Model: DCS-2500T
• Bare Tool Weight: 3.84 Lbs.
• Battery Platform: 56V eFORCE
• Battery Tested: 2.5 Ah
• Manual Adjustable Oiler
• Bar Length: 12″
• Chain Pitch: 3/8″ Low Profile
• Chain Gauge:  0.050″
• Tool Warranty: 5 Year Consumer / 2 Year Commercial
• Battery Warranty: 2 Year Consumer / 2 Year Commercial

Greenworks Commercial

• Model: 48TH12
• Bare Tool Weight: 6.10 Lbs.
• Battery Platform: 48V DualVolt
• Battery Tested: 4.0 Ah
• Automatic Oiler
• Bar Length: 12″
• Chain Pitch: 3/8″
• Chain Gauge: 0.050″
• Tool Warranty: 2 Year Limited
• Battery Warranty: 2 Year Limited

Husqvarna

• Model: T540i XP
• Bare Tool Weight: 5.66 Lbs.
• Battery Platform: 40V
• Battery Tested: Bi200X 5.2 Ah
• Manual Adjustable Oiler
• Bar Length: 12″, 14″,16″
• Chain Pitch: 0.325″ Mini
• Chain Gauge: 0.043″
• Tool Warranty: 3 Year Consumer / 2 Year Commercial
• Battery Warranty: 3 Year Consumer / 2 Year Commercial

Makita 36V LXT

• Model: XCU08
• Bare Tool Weight: 6.28 Lbs.
• Battery Platform: (2x) 18V LXT
• Battery Tested: (2X) 5.0 Ah
• Manual Adjustable Oiler
• Bar Length: 14″, 16″
• Chain Pitch: 3/8″ Low Profile
• Chain Gauge: 0.043″
• Tool Warranty: 3 Year Limited
• Battery Warranty: 3 Year Limited

Makita 40V XGT

• Model: GCU03Z
• Bare Tool Weight: 5.74 Lbs.
• Battery Platform: 40V Max XGT
• Battery Tested: 4.0 Ah
• Manual Adjustable Oiler
• Bar Length: 12″, 14″, 16″
• Chain Pitch: 3/8″ Low Profile
• Chain Gauge: 0.043″
• Tool Warranty: 3 Year Limited
• Battery Warranty: 3 Year Limited

Milwaukee M18 FUEL

• Model: 2826-22T
• Bare Tool Weight: 7.30 Lbs.
• Battery Platform: M18 FUEL
• Battery Tested: 8.0 Ah
• Manual Adjustable Oiler
• Bar Length: 12″, 14″
• Chain Pitch: 3/8″ Low Profile
• Chain Gauge: 0.043″
• Tool Warranty: 5 Year Limited
• Battery Warranty: 3 Year Limited

Stihl MSA 161T

• Model: MSA 161T
• Bare Tool Weight: 4.86 Lbs.
• Battery Platform: 36V AP Series
• Battery Tested: AP 300S 7.2 Ah
• Manual Adjustable Oiler
• Bar Length: 12″
• Chain Pitch: 1/4″ PICCO Micro 3
• Chain Gauge: 0.043″
• Tool Warranty: 3 Year Consumer / 2 Year Commercial
• Battery Warranty: 3 Year Consumer / 2 Year Commercial

Stihl MSA 220TC-O

• Model: MSA 220TC-O
• Bare Tool Weight: 6.10 Lbs.
• Battery Platform: 36V AP Series
• Battery Tested: AP 500S 9.4 Ah
• Manual Adjustable Oiler
• Bar Length: 14″
• Chain Pitch: 3/8″ PICCO
• Chain Gauge: 0.050″
• Tool Warranty: 2 Year Commercial Only
• Battery Warranty: 3 Year Consumer / 2 Year Commercial

Testing Criteria

Our saws were evaluated and ranked based on the following categories;

• Ability to Stall Out
• Small Diameter Speed Cut Testing
• Large Diameter Speed Cut Testing
• Weight
• Decibel Output
• Price
• Features
• Ergonomics

Based upon this information we named a best overall winner as well as a best value winner.

Safety Considerations

Chainsaws are an inherently dangerous tool by design. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were 28,859 chainsaw-related accidents in 2020. The majority of those accidents (11,630) were to users’ legs. Bearing this in mind proper safety gear was mandatory for our testing crew. Each test cutter was required to wear safety toe boots, leg protection, as well as eye protection.

The ToolBoxBuzz crew strongly recommends any user interested in purchasing or working with a chainsaw invest in some quality protective gear. It is a simple initial investment that can save your life.

Ability to Stall Out

Before beginning our performance testing, we wanted to measure the ability of the user to stall out the saw during a cut. Traditionally a pro-grade gas saw can be “leaned into” when cutting to push through tough material, pinching forces of the wood,  or overcome a slightly dull chain. Battery-powered saws are far more temperamental and less forgiving of the user levering them during use. Many manufacturers include overload protections in their battery tools to shut the saw down if the motor or the battery is being overworked. While this is a great idea in theory to protect the tool, it can be problematic for pros in the field.

An arborist may be suspended in the air making an intricate hinge cut on a limb. At that moment, the user needs the saw to be able to power through and not bog down or stall out completely and need to be reset. Based upon this we set up a testing rig using a section of maple log. The test cutter was then instructed to make a crosscut while burying the saw to the nose and leaning into the cut. The test cutter was also instructed to apply the same amount of force each time in order to cause the saws to stall out.

The Two best performers in this test were the Milwaukee and the Stihl MSA220TC. Our test cutter described both as “Beastly” and was unable to stall them out in the test log. Both saws provided outstanding consistent power throughout the cut. In second place was the Greenworks saw, which slowed during the test but continued cutting while being pushed through the cut. All three of these saws demonstrated an excellent low-end torque band that is ideal for demanding cutting tasks.

The Husqvarna and smaller Stihl MSA161T were our next best performers, stalling out only once the bar was at a depth consistent with the full width of the bar. Both Makita saws stalled out once the saw bar reached approximately half the width of the bar into the cut. Once this occurred, both saws had to be lifted up and then re-engaged to begin cutting again. The Makita XGT then stalled a second time before completing the cut. It seemed to our test crew that the Makitas were stalling in order to preserve the electronics, but this additional stop/start represents wasted time and productivity for professional users.

The Echo struggled the most in this test. The saw stopped multiple times and struggled to perform when being leaned on by our cutter. The Echo is also the smallest saw we tested and appears to be ideally suited for cutting smaller-diameter limbs or pruning work. Our test crew all agreed that the saws with larger full-size chains were preferable for commercial work and that reset buttons belong in video games and not on chainsaws.

Speed Cut Testing

In order to determine our fastest cutter amongst the sample group, we designed two speed-cutting tests. The first was a smaller diameter cut to simulate a limbing or pruning job and the second was a larger diameter cut to simulate a full takedown job. For both tests, we used a green hardwood log from a tree species native to New England. We focused on green wood with this H2H in order to simulate the conditions that pros would encounter in the field. To keep it as green as possible, we dropped some trees on the day of testing!

Scott using a Stihl MS400 to drop our test log tree.

Both tests were performed on sugar maple logs. Maple was selected as a medium-grade hardwood to offer a compromise between some harder species like oak which is plentiful in the Northeast and some of the pine species that are common on the West Coast. The Janka scale, which is the industry standard for hardness, lists sugar maple at approximately 1,450 Lb./Ft. The smaller diameter piece had an average measured diameter of 4.87″ and the larger diameter piece averaged at 7.75″.

Moving our test log into position with a Vermeer mini-skid machine with a hydraulic grapple.

The test cut pieces were strapped securely to a log stand and the same test cutter performed the cuts with all eight saws. The instructions for the crew member were to guide the saw through the cut without leaning into it and allow gravity and the weight of the saw to do the work. For the smaller diameter test (T1), the cutter performed a down, up, and down cut to make a total of three cookies. The larger diameter test (T2) was limited to a down and up only in order to prevent stall out or thermal overload. This was the first test performed; all eight saws had fresh factory sharp chains.

Small Diameter Speed Cut T1

The winner of T1 was the Stihl MSA220 at 8.47 seconds, finishing almost three seconds faster than the runner-up. Milwaukee came in second at 11.10 seconds and Husqvarna in third at 11.56 seconds. The slowest cutter for T1 was the Echo at 23.35 seconds.

Larger Diameter Speed Cut T2

The Makita XGT saw powering through our larger diameter speed cut test.

The winner of T2 was the Stihl MSA 220 at 10.97 seconds. T2 showed the Makita XGT rising to second place at 11.59 seconds and Husqvarna beating out Milwaukee for the number three spot by 0.01 seconds. The slowest cutter for T2 was the Echo again at 39.29 seconds.

The Stihl was absolutely unstoppable. The saw’s heavier weight and powerful battery system allowed the saw to rip through both tests. This test also demonstrated the capabilities of the new Makita XGT platform compared to the legacy Makita 36V saw. The XGT platform provided constant speed and power throughout the trial.

The Echo was the smallest saw we tested and lagged behind in both tests by a substantial margin.

Weight

Weight is a huge factor to consider when selecting a top-handle saw. By design, these tools are meant to be used at adverse angles and uncomfortable positions. A tree care pro may use one of these saws at shoulder height or above for hours at a time. Therefore in order to paint the complete picture of what each of these saws weighs, we took two measurements.

The first was the bare power-head weight. We weighed each saw with an empty bar oil reservoir and removed the bar and battery. Then we attached the bar and chain, filled the oil reservoir, and inserted a battery. We ranked the tools based on the fully assembled weight but thought that the bare powerhead weight and subsequent increase in weight was a good data point to collect.

The lightest assembled saw was the Echo at 7.46 Lbs. Second place went to the Stihl MSA161T at 9.84 Lbs. and third place to Husqvarna at 10.16 Lbs. The heaviest assembled saw was the Stihl MSA220TC at 12.38 Lbs.

The Echo is an incredibly light saw in the hand at under four pounds as a powerhead. Even fully assembled the Echo is almost as light as the Milwaukee powerhead. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Stihl MSA2210TC powerhead is about one pound heavier than its gas counterpart the MS201T.

Decibel Output

The level of received noise at the ear is a concern for the longevity of all professionals. According to OSHA standards, any exposure for eight hours of 85 decibels or higher requires hearing protection. In order to measure the noise output of each saw, we placed them on a jig with a decibel meter placed in a designated location to measure noise output. We then ran each saw for ten seconds at full speed, while not under load, and recorded the decibel range.

The quietest saw was the Stihl MSA161T at 80.8 decibels. This was the only saw that was under the 85-decibel threshold as well. Second place was Milwaukee at 91.3 decibels and third place went to Husqvarna at 92.4 decibels. The loudest saw tested was the Makita XGT at 100.9 decibels.

An interesting field note from our pro-user testers was that decibel ratings were really not a concern to them. They all wear helmets with built-in hearing protection and radio capabilities for communicating with their ground guys. However, the lower decibel output of all of our battery saws, compared to their gas counterparts, can be beneficial when working in areas with noise-based work hour restrictions, such as residential neighborhoods.

Price

For this H2H we chose to rank the tools based on a kit price. While carpenters, plumbers, and electricians, are likely loyal to a battery platform and heavily invested, the same cannot be said of most tree care pros. A tree care pro is likely buying a battery top handle saw for the first time and has no other tool that runs on that platform. Therefore we chose to select a kit option for the price ranking that includes the battery we used during testing.

The winner of the price rankings is a tie between Greenworks Commercial and Milwaukee. As of July of 2023, both companies are offering a kit with battery and charger for $499.99. In second place is Echo at $549.99 and third place is the Makita 36V at $579.00. Our most expensive saws are the Husqvarna at $1,049.00 and Stihl MSA220TC at $1,169.97 as kits.

While price is important to all users, we chose to not include it when determining our final rankings.

Features

Our entire saw lineup featured outstanding professional-grade features. For instance, all eight saws included manual chain tension adjustment systems. This traditional, tooled, style of adjustment is our preferred method due to its robustness. In order to determine which saw had the best set of features, we outlined nine total evaluation criteria. We then ranked each saw’s feature on a scale of one to three, with three being the best. The saw’s total overall score was used to determine rank. Our evaluation criteria are as follows;

1. Felling Spikes
2. Chain Brake Contour/Response
3. Lanyard Ring(s)
4. Electronic Chain Brake
5. Automatic Oiler
6. Manual Chain Tensioner
7. Additional Modes
8. Standout Features
9. Safety Auto Shut-Off

The saw with the best features is the Milwaukee. The M18 saw has outstanding aggressive felling spikes as well as a large manual chain brake lever that is responsive and has a very positive click action. The steel lanyard ring is in a great position and locks in the open position. It has a very responsive electric chain brake and the chain tensioner features an extra bar stud to lock the mechanism in securely. Our crew agreed that an automatic oiler system is their preferred option, but Milwaukee’s manual adjusting oiler performed well in the highest output setting. The Milwaukee is also the only saw with an onboard saw wrench or “scrench”. While not an absolutely mandatory feature, it is a nice bonus.

Second place went to the Stihl MSA22oTC-O, which has an outstanding billet of professional-grade features. In fact, the “O” designation in the Stihl’s name refers to their electronic bar oil monitoring system. The saw will monitor the flow of bar oil via an internal laser. The system also monitors for dirt and contaminants. When the oil is low or full of debris, a light will activate on the saw’s main control panel to alert the user. This feature was unlike anything our testing crew had seen before.

Where Milwaukee excelled over the Stihl to our crew was with the different safety auto shut-off systems. The Stihl has a push-button activation switch to turn the saw on and off. There is also a warning light to alert the user when the chain brake is turned off as well as a tang safety in the top of the grip that must be depressed. Once the user releases that tang safety, with the chain brake off, the saw shuts off in about five seconds. This was a real annoyance to our crew during testing and our pro users agreed that this was too fast. Conversely, the Milwaukee uses a spring-loaded tang safety in the grip with no additional on/off switches. It is intuitive to use and ruggedly simple. Our pro-user crew agreed that Milwaukee’s system would be more user-friendly and productive for them.

Third place resulted in a tie between the Echo and Husqvarna saws. The Echo is an extremely lean-built saw and doesn’t have many extra bells and whistles. It lost points due to the shorter felling spikes but has a simple and excellent push-button activation switch. The Husqvarna features an excellent digital battery display at the activation switch to show power consumption in real time as well as an Eco mode for battery conservation. However, the Husqvarna chain tensioning mechanism makes it difficult to get seated properly when removing the clutch cover and changing bars and chains. Twice the Husqvarna saw chain completely slacked out during our test cutting. We experienced the same issues in our 2020 Head-2-Head testing.

Rounding out the category, the Makita 36V saw has an impressive feature set, including a high-performance “Turbo” cutting mode. But the mode is difficult to switch back and forth from. The Makita XGT lacks some of the additional features of the legacy 36V saw, but both offerings have excellent felling spikes and chain brake designs. The Greenworks Commercial and Stihl MSA-161T had very basic features compared to the rest of the test sample. The Greenworks saw lost points due to having rounded felling spikes that did not grab into our cutting materials during testing as well as a confusing power activation button.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is one of our most subjective categories, but is one of our favorite and most discussed evaluations. If a tool is not comfortable or works against the user in any way, it is almost worthless. Similar to our Features section, we chose a total of six evaluation criteria to rank our battery top-handle chainsaws. The ergonomics of a top-handle saw are critical to a pro user in the field when working in the air, wearing gloves, or working in inclement weather. That is why we selected the following categories for evaluation;

1. Grip Comfort
2. Grip Contour
3. Forward Handlebar Angle
4. Bar Oil Fillcaps
5. Weight and Balance
6. Ease of Battery Change

The winner of this section is a three-way tie between Echo, Makita XGT, and the Stihl MSA-220TC. All three saws featured well-contoured and comfortable grips. The texture on all of them is excellent and all of the controls are easy to reach with one hand. The forward handlebars are also out of the way but easy to reach with an off-hand. Weight and balance were interesting with these models because they represent the best of our small, medium, and large offerings. The Echo is lighter and more compact, but both the Makita XGT and Stihl are compact in their overall design with no wasted space.

Although all three saws received the same overall score, the Echo had the best and most comfortable grip of the three as well as the nicest bar oil reservoir caps. However, the Makita XGT and Stihl have superior battery-changing mechanisms. The Stihl is the easiest to change batteries thanks to the battery being spring-loaded and inserted from the top of the saw.

Husqvarna took second place in ergonomics for battery top-handle chainsaws with excellent weight and balance as well as very comfortable grip material and handlebar angles. The criticisms of the Husqvarna were that the chain brake lever is too close and can be cramped on the user’s hands. Additionally, the sliding tang safety on the top of the grip was awkward to all of our test cutters. The Milwaukee came in third place with excellent grip materials as well as the most room for your hands of all of the saws test. The Milwaukee is a very big saw though. It sacrificed compact size for more room and feels bulky compared to most of the other saws. The side handlebar of the Milwaukee also bows out further than any other saw and gives it a Beachcomber bicycle feel.

Finally the Makita 36V saw was bulky and more off-balance than its counterparts due to the two-battery system. While they are easy to change, managing two batteries was not something our test crew viewed as desirable. The triple manual grip safeties of the Stihl MSA-161T were our least favorite and seemed almost impossible to use, safely, for lefties. The Greenworks saw felt off-balance and the controls were cramped and on top of each other.

Best Value Battery Top-Handle Chainsaw

One of our favorite categories to name is the Best Value, especially when we are talking about a battery top-handle chainsaw. These are expensive tools and present pro-users with a large financial investment. So which saw gives the best performance while still remaining reasonably priced? It is hands down the Milwaukee M18 Fuel.

The Milwaukee battery top-handle chainsaw finished in the top three of every category except for weight. Additionally, it achieved a first-place finish in the features category while tying for first place in the Stall Out test. Furthermore, Milwaukee also tied the Greenworks saw as our most affordable saw tested.

Overall Best Battery Top-Handle Chainsaw

At the completion of our testing, all of the data we gathered on the saws was compiled. When then used this to create rank structures for every category and finally used those ranks to create an overall final rank structure. The saw with the lowest number of points in this final ranking structure was our overall winner.

With a final overall score of nineteen points, our best battery top-handle chainsaw is the Milwaukee M18 Fuel. The Milwaukee is ergonomic and powerful with well-thought-out features. The safety system on the M18 saw was also one of the most preferred designs by our test crew due to its simplicity and similarity to their traditional gas-powered saws. The Milwaukee is a large saw though and is heavy. Because of that, our pro users weren’t sure if it would be suitable for full-time climbing work. The fact that the Milwaukee battery platform is so widespread and commercially available is a nice bonus but was not a determining factor for our tree care pros.

Second place was a tie between the Stihl MSA-22TCO and the Husqvarna. The two biggest names in the chainsaw world and both companies make an incredible battery-powered top-handle chainsaw. The Husqvarna has been on the market for several years now and has remained mostly unchanged. After testing it we realized that this is because Husqvarna got it right with the first generation. It is a fast, light, powerful, and nimble saw. The Stihl is brand new to the market and focuses more on raw power. We described the saw as “Beastly” earlier and that really is the best word for it. The Stihl is hands-down our top choice for demanding take-down work. Our test crew all greed that the Husqvarna and Stihl would be their top choices as tree care professionals and likely the only choices that would earn a coveted spot in their tree trucks due to the commercial warranties, dealer support networks, and overall reputation of both brands in the industry.

Third place went to the Stihl MSA-161T which shares many of the same perks as its younger, but bigger, brother. However, the MSA-161T has a proprietary bar design and uncommon chain size that make it less desirable. Stihl also does not do online sales, even for parts, making it more difficult to source these bars and chains.

All smiles!

The Makita XGT took fourth place overall. Showing that it is a product-improved version of the legacy Makita 36V saw. The improved battery technology and electronics of the XGT platform make for a saw that is really enjoyable to cut with. The legacy Makita and Echo tied for fifth place. The Echo struggled in our performance cutting tests but was a crew favorite thanks to its lightweight, great ergonomics, and professional-grade features. For smaller-diameter cutting tasks, the Echo is definitely worth a look. The Greenworks Commercial came in sixth place overall. While powerful, our crew agreed that it lacked some of the features and ergonomics they want in a saw.

Final Thoughts

Overall our test crew was impressed by the evolution and capabilities of all of the battery top-handle chainsaws tested. The saws discussed above are true professional-grade tools and are capable of performing a variety of tasks common with the Arborist and tree care industries. We would strongly encourage any user out there considering a battery-powered option to give it a chance. The ease of battery-powered electric motors versus traditional gas-powered engines is well discussed and documented. They make for an exceptional user experience and will only get better with time.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the saws mentioned in this article, please check out our Buy Now links listed below. These links will bring you to some of our preferred industry partners such as ACME Tools. Additionally, you can find Echo, Husqvarna, and Stihl battery-powered OPE at your local outdoor power equipment dealerships.

Best Battery Top Handle Chainsaw Head-To-Head Video

Best Top Handle Chainsaw | Head-to-Head | 2023 is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best Cordless Blower | Head-To-Head

What would the perfect cordless leaf blower be? Wait…can we even call them leaf blowers? I certainly don’t use mine for leaves, I use them to blow sawdust on my job sites, my tools, out of my van and tool shed, or to clean off my patio and porch. They’re just blowers!

Comparing 15 Blowers

Fifteen manufacturers sent us their best handheld cordless blower. The majority of these blowers can be found in kit configuration and are sold at most common and online retailers. In past testings, we’ve received comments that we should include Harbor freight tools, so in this head-to-head test, we’re happy to welcome Harbor Freight’s Atlas blower to this test.

ATLAS

Model – 56994
Voltage – 80V
Battery Watt Hour – 288 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 150
CFM’s – 605 CFM’s
Length – 35-⅜”
Weight – 4lbs, 6oz
Price – 274.99 (when added kit components)

CRAFTSMAN

Model – CMCBL730P1
Voltage – 20V
Battery Watt Hour – 100 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 110
CFM’s – 410 CFM’s
Length – 33-½”
Weight – 5lbs, 7oz
Price – $149.00

DEWALT

Model – DCBL772X1
Voltage – 60V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 125
CFM’s – 600 CFM
Length – 36-¾”
Weight – 6lbs, 2oz
Price – $299.00

ECHO

Model – DPB-2500
Voltage – 56V
Battery Watt Hour – 252 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 158
CFM’s – 549 CFM’s
Length – 36-¼”
Weight – 5lbs, 6oz
Price – $199.99

EGO

Model – LB7654
Voltage 56V
Battery Watt Hour – 280 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 200
CFM’s – 765 CFM’s
Length – 36-½
Weight – 4lbs, 11oz
Price – $329.00

GREENWORKS

Model – BLB489
Voltage: 80V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 170
CFM’s – 730 CFM’s
Length – 37-1/8
Weight – 5lbs, 8ozs
Price – $342.99

HART

Model – HLB07VNM
Voltage: 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 155
CFM’s – 600 CFMs
Length – 37-⅜”
Weight – 6lbs, 12ozs
Price – $138.00

KOBALT

Model – KLB 1040A-03
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 160 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 120
CFM’s – 520 CFM’s
Length -33-¾”
Weight – 5lbs, 4ozs
Price – $169.00

MAKITA

Model – GBU01M1
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 160 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 143
CFM’s – 565 CFM’s
Length – 33-1/2″, 35-1/2″, 37-1/2″ (ADJUSTABLE)
Weight – 5lbs, 5ozs
Price – $439.00

MILWAUKEE

Model – 2824-20
Voltage 18V
Battery Combined Watt Hour – 288 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 145
CFM’s – 600 CFM
Length – 37-⅜”
Weight – 6lbs, 1oz
Price – $707.00 (not kit)

RIDGID

Model – R01601K
Voltage – 18V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 130
Battery Watt Hour – 288 Wh
CFM’s – 510 CFM’s
Noise dB – 83.1
Length – 34-¼”
Weight – 5lbs, 7ozs
Price – $241.53

RYOBI

Model – RY404100
Voltage – 40V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 190
CFM’s – 730 CFM’s
*Battery Watt Hour – 144 Wh
Noise dB – 84.6
Length – 37-⅞”
Weight – 6lbs, 4ozs
Price – $269.00
*Wh based on one battery

SKIL

Model – BL4713-c-11
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 100 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 193
CFM’s – 500 CFM’s
Length – 36”
Weight – 4lbs, 3ozs
Price – $159.00

STIHL

Model – BGA 86
Voltage: 36V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 154
Battery Watt Hour – 337 Wh
CFM’s – 459 CFMs
Length – 38-½” (ADJUSTABLE)
Weight – 6lbs, 5ozs
Price – $839.97 (not kit)

TORO

Model – 51822
Voltage – 60v
Battery Watt Hour – 216 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 157
CFM’s – 605 CFMs
Length – 37-½”
Weight – 5lbs, 8oz
Price – $290.03

Cordless Blower Testing | 7 Criteria

Our goal was NOT to verify marketing claims, instead, we used ANSI testing standards as a guide, to create consistent, repeatable, and measurable data that you can make intelligent decisions on.

Our team scored the blowers on seven criteria, each ranked independently, and the “Overall Best Cordless Blower” was determined using the combined test results.

We include but did not rank price and best value categories, but list them here for your own informational purposes.

7 Scoring Criteria

1. Pitot Tube Run-time Testing – Directly measure air speed with a pitot tube and calculate MPH and CFM during a runtime performance test
2. Weighted Sled Test – tested the thrust performance with a sled rig on rails.
3. Ergonomics and Features – Ergonomics is really important to users and an important category to consider when purchasing any power tool.
4. Balance – Measured the balance and resulting rotation in the off and full throttle states.
5. Noise -Measured Decibels at full throttle
6. Best Value – Not ranked.
7. Price – The kit price at the time of publishing. Not ranked.

Anemometer | Pitot Tube Air Test

I’ll be honest, I had to ask Jeff what a Pitot tube was. Jeff, also a helicopter pilot, explained that a pitot tube probe measures the pressure difference of an air stream and can calculate fluid flow velocity. The Pitot Tube was invented by a French engineer, Henri Pitot, in the early 18th century.

Pitot tubes are widely used to determine the airspeed of aircraft, the water speed of boats, and the flow velocity of liquids, air, and gasses in various industries.

When manufacturers test their blowers to come up with the MPH and CFM values they follow an American National Standard (ANSI) procedure to measure the force or thrust. This is effectively an electronic scale that measures the force in Newton’s 5 inches from the blower nozzle.

Using fluid dynamics theory and measured environmental parameters like temperature, pressure, and humidity, the average and peak MPH and CFM values can be calculated.

We replicated this ANSI procedure to validate the measured MPH values gathered from our pitot tube instrument. Both measurements aligned. Here’s a summary of that procedure:

1. We used a 13.8 in ± aluminum plate as a force plate for our electronic scale.
2. We vertically mounted and centered the blowers in our rig and off the force plate 5”.
3. The blower was operated for 10 seconds, and the result was recorded.
4. Three tests were performed for an average measurement.
5. Barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity were recorded
6. Used ANSI blower performance equations to calculate theoretical peak and average blower speed

Anemometer and Pitot Tube | Testing

The Pitot Tube was set up 5 inches from each blower in the center of the air stream. Batteries were fully charged and measurements were taken at full throttle. The data was collected at 1 Hz sample rate or once per second until the battery was drained.

An ExTech HD350 Pitot Tube Anemometer was used to perform this test. The chart below shows data for all 15 blowers.

Using this data we were able to determine and calculate 4 important metrics for each blower, ranked them separately, and also combined them for an “Airflow Performance” winner.

1. Run-time in minutes
2. Average Speed
3. Average CFM
4. Total air moved

Run-time | Sustained Performance Winner | Stihl

You can see from the chart that the Stihl ran the longest, at 25.4 minutes. Second place was ECHO with 19.4 minutes, followed in third place by Milwaukee at 16.7 minutes.

This is a good time to talk about open and closed-loop battery control and how it relates to sustained performance. One of the biggest complaints with cordless blowers is their poor run-time and tendency to suffer a drop in sustained performance over time, as the battery discharges.

Three blowers Makita, Milwaukee, and Stihl all have closed-loop control on the battery output enabling them to run at a consistent [not peak] speed, for the life of the battery. While these blower batteries may have more power that could be drawn from them, these closed loop controls limit the output so an expected level of sustained performance can be delivered over a longer period of time. This is a feature that appeals to Pro users.

In contrast, most of the blowers, we tested, showed open-loop control.  Their peak performance was delivered within the first few moments of battery discharge, and then a variable level of declining performance results, as the battery discharges.  For example, the Ryobi blower showed a 22% drop in performance when comparing a fully charged battery to one that is half “empty”.

The three closed-loop control blowers we tested, all handle the dwindling voltage of their batteries a bit differently:

• Makita ran at a consistent speed until it quit.
• Milwaukee ran at a consistent speed for over 90% of the battery life before rapidly fading.
• Stihl ran consistently for over 80% and then when the voltage began to drop, it forced a reduction to 75% peak power to continue on for an additional 5 minutes.

As pro tool users, we feel that having a blowers power stay consistent, and maintain its performance over the entire battery charge is really important.

Average Speed Winner | Stihl

Speed is measured in miles per hour and measures air velocity, or more specifically, the rate at which air passes through the blower’s nozzle.

A higher mph rating, results in the ability to push more dense or sticky debris like gravel or wet leaves. One interesting fact is that many tool companies market their blower’s performances by their PEAK measurement. We used average recordings to give you the MOST realistic and honest measurement.

The Stihl performed the best with an average speed of 124.5 mph. Second place was Milwaukee at 119.8 mph and closely followed in third place was Makita at 119.5 mph.

Note – The chart shows the EGO with the highest initial peak speed, but its average performance over time dropped, resulting in a fourth placement.

CFM Winner | EGO

Cubic feet per minute or CFM was calculated by taking the measured speed data and combining it with the area of the nozzle opening, to calculate the volume of air moved per minute.

The EGO came in first with 659 CFM. Second place was Makita with 643 CFM, and third was HART with 628 CFM.

The higher the CFM value, the more air your blower produces, resulting in a wider area cleaned in a shorter time.

Total Air Moved Winner | Stihl

The winner of this category is a combination of run-time and average CFM. This is an indication of the total amount of work performed on a battery charge.

The Stihl performed the best, coming in at 11,550 cubic feet, followed by ECHO with 11,126 cubic feet. Third place was Milwaukee with 10,032 cubic feet.

Overall Airflow Performance Winner | Milwaukee

It’s important to note that two of the above categories are power performance values, and the other two are indications of battery size and runtime. In order to level the playing field between tortoises and hares we combined all four categories to see how the blowers performed in totality.

The winner was Milwaukee, followed closely by EGO and Stihl.

Weighted Sled Test | Power Test Winner | EGO

Who doesn’t like a strong-man contest?  We’ve touched on the importance of MPH and CFM, but the importance of where these two values intersect is the overall “force or thrust” that a blower can produce.

Manufacturers measure this force in Newtons in their development and testing. We developed a test rig to indirectly measure thrust and provide a good visual understanding.

We built a weighted sled that rides on low-friction wheels attached to inclined rails.

Sled Procedure

Prior to each blower test the rails and wheels were cleaned and lubricated with silicone. To perform this test we placed each blower’s tube onto a v-shaped rest, mounted to the sled. We placed the blower body onto a tool rest setting the blower in the same plane as the sled rails. Once set, we ran each blower for a 10-second count and recorded the sled movement on a measuring tape mounted to the sled. Three tests were completed for an average measurement. All blowers were tested with a 5.5 weight placed on the sled rig.

Two blowers maxed this test out, they were the EGO and Ryobi. We then added a second 5.5. lb plate and retested both blowers. The Ryobi was able to move the sled approximately halfway, while the EGO maxed out the rig a second time!

The sled topped out at 70 inches. Our chart below does not account for the additional weighted tests for EGO or Ryobi. EGO was the clear winner, Ryobi was second followed by Harbor Freight’s Atlas blower which was able to move the sled 66 inches.

Blower Nozzle or No Nozzle | What’s Best?

We wanted to see the direct impact of the nozzles on our weighted sled rig. The nozzles are designed to narrow the opening of the chute and increase the speed of air coming out.

Many people don’t realize that manufacturers will often use a nozzle to measure higher peak MPH values and will use the wider chute opening without the nozzle to list their peak CFM number. The same blower, but tested with different configurations.

Most manufacturers supply a nozzle because many users feel it increases performance, and they ask for it. The reality is that adding a nozzle may increase the localized air stream speed, but the added friction and constriction reduce the overall performance.  [E.g Milwaukee reduces from 17.5 to 17 Newtons, but increases from 145 to 155 mph]

Our sled test results showed that adding a nozzle to the blower drastically reduced the blower’s performance on the sled test. For example, the Ryobi which was able to max out the test sled at 70-inches without a nozzle, was only able to achieve 58-inches with a nozzle. Similar results were observed with EGO and Milwaukee nozzles.

Ergonomics and Features Winner | EGO

This category is compiled from the combined opinions of the TBB crew after using the tools. Grip, throttle, battery removal, intake placement, and adjustable chute length were evaluated.

The EGO eked out a win with 10 points, followed closely by Makita and Milwaukee which tied for second place each with 11 points.

Grip

While all blowers had relatively comfortable grips, both the EGO and Milwaukee stood out. They have base stands that can double as a two-handed hold for overhead use or off-balance use.

Throttle | Trigger | Power On

When it came to evaluating the blower’s throttle, the TBB crew favored blowers with a single point of activation. Unfortunately, most blowers employ a boost button, which we feel is an unnecessary hassle and a marketing gimmick.  Some of the blowers, like the Craftsman, have boost features that can be locked on – we preferred that to having to hold the button down. Pro users definitely do not want to have to engage a second button.

The Milwaukee throttle stood out with ambidextrous use and had a very responsive throttle control and no boost button.

Lastly, some blowers have a power-on switch, or safety feature, in order to power on the trigger. Most of the crew found these features frustrating.

Battery Insertion and Removal

When considering the battery removal and installation, the crew really liked those blowers, like the Kobalt, that offer a spring-loaded ejection.

Milwaukee lost points in this category by being the only blower to employ dual batteries.

Adjustable Chutes

Makita, along with Stihl offers an adjustable chute, with several configurations. We felt this may appeal to users who might want to adjust their blower chute to their height.

Air Intake Location

Intakes were also evaluated. The team favored rear-mounted over side-mounted intakes due to side-mounted intakes sucking in the user’s pant legs when held close to the body.

Balance and Rotational Force Winner | ECHO

Too much rotational force can result in a blower that you’re constantly fighting to control, or worse results in a wrist injury like tendonitis. Wrist tendonitis is frequently caused by activities requiring sideways motion of the wrist while gripping. Activities such as using a blower in a side to side motion can lead to Dequervain’s tendonitis.

Rotational Force Rig

We built a rig to hold each blower’s handle to simulate a neutral grip position. The rig allowed the blower to rotate freely on this axis.

We used some image analysis to capture the angle of the blower chute relative to the horizon. The angle at rest with the blower powered off was measured, followed by the blower in the full throttle state.

We considered two values to be the most important when analyzing this data and used their individual rankings to determine the blower with the best balance.

1. Angle under load
2. Difference between no-load and full load

The first was the angle under load relative to the horizon. We found the most strain on the wrist was felt when the blower wanted to pitch down directly at the ground, forcing the user to pull the blower back up to a useful working angle.

The blowers we tested pitched down between a comfortable 40 degrees, to a very uncomfortable near vertical 89 degrees.

The second value we considered important was the change or Delta between the blower at rest and under load. A well-balanced blower should have minimal change in pitch when the throttle is activated. A bower that swings a large amount is likely to be harder to control. The smallest delta observed was 15 degrees and the highest was 57 degrees.

The ECHO took the best Balance category. The Echo had a no-load balance of 19 degrees and deflected to 40 degrees down under full throttle. This comfortable 40 degrees nose-down attitude coupled with the relatively small change of just 19 degrees scored it top marks.

Craftsman came in second with a  no-load measurement of 31 degrees and a full load of 46 degrees. Stihl followed in third place with 19 and 41 degrees.

Cordless Blower Noise Winner | Stihl

OSHA sets legal limits on noise exposure based on a worker’s 8-hour work day. For noise, OSHA’s permissible exposure limit is 90 dB.

To measure relative decibels mounted the blowers. back into our rotational rig, and mounted a decibel meter 24” away from the blower to simulate the distance between a user’s ear and wrist. Three readings were captured and an average was recorded.

The blower that was the quietest was the Stihl coming in at 81.5 dB. The second quietest was the RIDGID averaging 83.1 dB followed by the RYOBI averaging at 84.2 dB.

The blowers that were the loudest were the DEWALT and ECHO averaging 97.9 db.

Best Price Winner | Hart

When purchasing tools, price is unquestionably a crucial factor, particularly for those of you who are just beginning out in the trades or are DIY/Homeowners just starting out.

We ranked pricing as *kits and with blowers that weren’t sold in kit form, we included a battery(s) and charger to even the playing field.

* Ryobi kit comes with 2 batteries.

At the time of testing, the best-priced blower kit was the Hart coming in at $138.00. The second lowest price was the Craftsman at $149.00 and the third was the Skil at $159.00.

The most expensive blower we tested was the Stihl BGA 86, coming in at $839.97.  The majority of these blowers can be purchased at ACME Tool or your local big box store.

Best Value Blower Winner | Hart

Price and quality will continue to be the top deciding factors for consumers. In today’s economy, consumers are looking for ways to stretch their dollars further, and tool companies need a solution to deliver a well-made, powerful tool at a competitive price, without sacrificing quality.

As we have indicated, we do not include pricing in our overall scoring, but we include it and always suggest our pick for best value.

The Hart was an easy decision for us, it performed exceptionally well in our testing, and is priced the lowest, guaranteeing a seat at the “best value” table. Hart scored in the fourth place in noise, and mid-pack on pretty much all the other categories scored, finishing in 6^th place.

Best Cordless Blower Winner | Milwaukee

Milwaukee 36-volt cordless blower came in first place scoring a total of 20 points. It scored tops in airflow performance, second in features and ergonomics, and fourth in balance.

The Milwaukee operates easily in either user’s hand and has a responsive trigger. Its sturdy base plate doubles as a secondhand grip, and the heads-up battery display is a nice touch. The crew appreciated that there was no boost or turbo button to engage, everything you need comes from the trigger. Milwaukee did suffer in the ergonomic battery scoring category due to the fact that it was the only blower in the lineup with two batteries.  That second battery, while inconvenient, clearly helped push the power and runtime up where it needs to be.

The formidable EGO came in second place with 22 points. EGO scored tops in both ergonomics, features, and the sled thrust test. The EGO was clearly the most powerful of the blowers out of the gate.  The open loop battery control and resulting performance drop over time coupled with the mediocre balance numbers pulled the EGO down from walking away with the top spot.

The EGO is a powerful blower but some users will find that they have to fight to hold it in position, it has a recessed throttle control which the team appreciated. Like Milwaukee, the EGO has a base stand that allows the user to place a two-handed hold for overhead use. Ego also has a nice spring-assisted battery removal feature, which one would not appreciate unless you were testing 15 blowers!

Stihl took third place with 25 points. Stihl took tops in noise and third place in both balance and airflow performance. The Stihl is a robust tool with a nicely designed spring-assist battery removal setup. The team liked that it has an adjustable-length chute, but did not like having to manipulate the awkward safety lever to power it on.

Closing Thoughts

If you’re considering purchasing a blower you should first think about the application, you’re using it for, and then performance. A lot of these blower measurements we shared result in a compromise, so if you want our advice, we feel you should choose a blower that is “stronger for longer.”

Our Head-to-Head tests take time to complete and we are ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company. We cannot do long-term testing that would shed light on longevity or durability, and we can’t possibly test every application that you might use a blower for.

We receive a lot of comments about how we arrive at our winner.  We’ve openly shared ALL the data from our tests, and you can rank the tools however you want. In this article, if you hover over the line or column in our graphs, you’ll be able to see the actual values. Hopefully, you’ll find this Head-To-Head useful when comparing compact cordless blowers.

If you have a moment, please check out our other Head-to-Head Tests.

Best Cordless Blower | Head-2-Head Video | 2023

Best Cordless Blower 2023 | Head-To-Head is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Greenworks 24″ 80V Cordless Two-Stage Snow Blower SKU 2609102

80V 24" Two-Stage Cordless Snow Blower

4/5

Manufacturer: Greenworks
Model number: 2609102
Price: $2,099.99
Power source: 80V Li-Ion

Features and Specifications

• Clears driveways, sidewalks, and patios with a 24 in. clearing path and handles snowfalls up to 18 in.
• Discharge chute rotates 200° for directional control and can discharge up to 50 ft. in distance
• Intelligent TRUBRUSHLESSTM Motor Technology – 2x more torque, more power, longer runtimes, quiet operation, and extended motor life
• LED headlights illuminate your path in poor light conditions
• Variable speed controls for auger and drive speed selection
• Self-propelled with power steering for effortless control
• Tri-port powerhead holds up to 3 batteries for the industry’s longest runtime
• Zero turn hub motor wheels for stronger output power and more control
• Includes (2) 80V 5.0 Ah batteries and dual-port rapid charger
• No Gas Smell. You no longer have to smell like gas after snow blowing
• No Maintenance. No tune-ups, no mixing fuels, no messy spills
• Low Noise. Easy on the ear, low decibel snow blowing
• 4 year tool limited warranty
• 4 year battery warranty
• Dedicated Support 1-888-909-6757

Performance and Operation

The Greenworks 24″ 80V cordless two-stage snow blower offers some impressive power when it comes to throwing snow! The last two snow storms here in NH have been heavy wet snow that isn’t much fun to shovel or clear with a snow blower. However, one of the really nice benefits of a battery powered tool is the incredible torque they generate in motors. This results in lots of power for clearing heavy wet snow. The Greenworks snow blower easily blew the heavy wet snow twenty plus feet in the air with ease.

The Greenworks 24″ Two-Stage Snow Blower looks and operates just like a traditional gas powered snow blower. It has a control panel where you can turn the unit on, adjust the travel speed and auger speed (this is a great feature to help increase run-time when you don’t need as much power).  You can also control the headlights from the panel and see a visual battery gauge for each of the 3 battery ports.

There’s one lever to control the vertical snow shoot and another lever for controlling the shoot from left to right. I did find the design of the left/right shoot control to be a bit cumbersome compared to the many other snow blowers I’ve operated over the years. You have to pull the lever out (it’s spring loaded so you have to hold it there) and then rotate it left or right. There are way better systems out there and Greenworks should give this some thought on the next model.

The augers and housing are all metal construction and appear to be well built. The shaft has two break-away shear pins that are easily accessible in case they need to be replaced. Greenworks also supplies to replacement shear pins and they are conveniently located on top of the snow blower for easy access.

The snow blower has a LED headlight mounted on the top front of the auger housing that works quite well. I found it did a good job in the dark lighting up the work area. They also mounted a clearing tool on top of the housing which is definitely nice to have in case of a clogged shoot.

The sides of the auger housing have traditional skid shoes and snow deflectors to have cut the sides of deeper snow. These are features you’d expect to see on any decent size snow blower.

I found the speed control a bit finicky and I hoped it could be adjusted a bit easier at low speeds. For the majority of snow blowing that I did I prefer the snow blower to move at a relatively slow speed. At the slower speed it’s hard to adjust it down really slow without it just stopping.

One feature I really liked about this cordless blower compared the the last one I reviewed is the fact that it “free wheels” when not turned on. This makes moving the snow blower around really easy and it rolls without much effort at all. This is something I found incredibly useful.

Run-Time

The million dollar question with these tools is always about the run-time.  We tested this unit with two 5.0 Ah battery packs. This snow blower can use 3 batteries and that would be very useful in this application. In the last storm I was blowing 6-8″ of very wet heavy snow and it lasted about 30 minutes. I’m sure a third battery would have increased that quite a bit. For any decent size driveway you are definitely going to want another set of batteries so you can be charging a set while you’re blowing snow. If you have a really large driveway the run-time could be an issue to consider.

Overall Thoughts

Cordless snow blowers are the real deal and they offer some really nice benefits over traditional gas powered models. These start the minute you turn them on. Anyone that has owned a gas powered snow blower can tell you they are a lot of work to keep running well. This is especially turn with ethanol in gasoline these days, which really messes with small engines. Not smelling the exhaust and having a much quieter experience are both really nice benefits as well.

What I really like is the power of these units especially when dealing with wet heavy snow. Their website says this unit will shoot snow 50′ in the air and I truly believe it. The torque that these battery powered motors generate is impressive to say the least.

Priced at nearly $2,100 this is a big investment for sure. But when you start thinking about the maintenance costs of small engines and the associated hassles these cordless snow blowers start making a lot of sense. This is my 2nd battery powered two-stage snow blower that I’ve reviewed and I really like them. I no longer own a gas powered snow blower and really have no desire to again. If you can manage the run-time / battery management then a cordless snow blower really makes sense.

I rated this a 4 out of 5 stars and that’s just due to the cost combined with the run-time. Other than that I really like this unit and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking to ditch their gas powered snow blower.

Greenworks 80V 24 Inch Two-Stage Snow Blower Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Greenworks Commercial OptimusZ Zero-Turn Mowers Preview

The Equip Expo (also known as GIE [green industry and equipment] featured an abundance of new products in the Outdoor Power Equipment industry this past October. More specifically, many brands have launched new battery-powered zero-turn mowers. That’s correct, BATTERY POWERED Zero Turn Mowers!

The OptimusZ Range of commercial zero-turn ride-on mowers from Greenworks Commercial, an industry leader in battery-operated outdoor power equipment, was on display at this year’s show. Greenworks Commercial product line is cutting-edge, robust, and innovative in its field. This series completely transforms the lawn care sector by providing faster, more powerful, profitable, and sustainable advantages than any rival.

OptimusZ | Available Options

The OptimusZ Zero-Turn mower consists of the following options:

• 48-inch, 52-inch and 60-inch ride-on platforms with 18kWh and 24kWh battery modules
• 48-inch, 52-inch, and 60-inch large stand-on platforms with 18kWh and 24kWh battery modules
• 32-inch and 36-inch compact stand-on platforms with 8kWh battery modules

Greenworks Commercial OptimusZ | Ride-On Zero-Turn Mowers

OptimusZ  Ride-On zero-turn mower soars past the competition by leveraging a powerful 24kWh battery capable of up to eight hours of runtime. Landscapers can now confidently mow up to 21 acres on a single charge from sunrise to sunset. They are completing the job faster than ever before with a class-leading top-cut speed of 16 MPH. This ultra-high-performance mower operates with the equivalent power of a 65HP gas engine and is equipped with three direct-drive cutting motors capable of achieving and sustaining a constant 19K FPM blade tip speed with up to 16 MPH cutting speed in any grass conditions.

NOTE: 32″ Stand-On Mower Productivity Chart

These motors intelligently adjust to various grass conditions to provide users with an unmatched quality of cut, every time. With the absence of pulleys and belts, this mower is virtually maintenance-free. OptimusZ mowers are engineered to handle any terrain, cutting along slopes of up to an astounding 25 degrees. The revolutionary, innovative design features two industry-first. Low-profile hub drive motors in the rear wheels constantly monitor and respond to changing conditions, providing adaptive traction control.

I believe this product line will shock the world,” said Mason Cain, Product Manager of Commercial Mowers and Cordless Vehicles at Greenworks. “These new ZT does not only address multiple pain points but also have the ability to do a job faster, at a higher quality, and with a better return on investment. [ROI].

Battery Housing

The “battery-first” design maximizes the space within the chassis, allowing for the battery to be housed directly beneath the rider, achieving the lowest center of gravity in the industry. The superior cutting and drive systems, its innovative design, and intelligent CAN bus system not only help make this the most agile and powerful zero-turn mower line-up on the market, but also the most compact.

Designed to tackle the most demanding commercial applications, OptimusZ brings comfort and safety to the forefront; with features including 360-degree, high-intensity HALO lighting LED illumination, fold-able Roll Over Protection System (ROPS), safe LFP lithium-ion battery technology, ultra-quiet operation, built-in protective measures, and unrivaled response time and user control.

Greenworks Commercial offers rapid charging capability, allowing users to achieve a full charge in three hours to keep them on the job, maximizing efficiency. With productivity engineered into each facet of these machines, OptimusZ allows for a drastically quieter operation, earlier start times, longer working hours, and increased profitability opportunities compared to any competitor.

Greenworks Commercial Savings

This line-up consists of up to 80% fewer moving parts than gas classmates. Resulting in the elimination of related maintenance fees, part replacements, winterizing, and associated downtime. Landscaping crews can now breathe easily with no fumes, no headaches, no trips to the gas stations, and no vibration fatigue. Incorporating OptimusZ into a fleet has a projected savings of $29,475 in year five, all with zero emissions.

Anti-Theft Protection

Not only do these machines help generate more profit than the gas competition, but they also help secure investment with the industry’s first real-time Green Shield theft protection. 4G/GPS connectivity comes standard across the entire OptimusZ  Range enabling fleet management via the Greenworks Fleet Connect app anytime, from anywhere. This connectivity provides instant visibility to usage statistics and gives insights into the battery status and all systems functions. The 4G module enables over-the-air (OTA) software updates to guarantee every OptimusZ always has the latest and greatest software without ever having to step foot in a dealership or repair shop.

Greenworks Commercial OptimusZ | Compact Stand-On Zero-Turn Mowers

For those looking for a stand-on experience, Greenworks Commercial has you covered! Greenworks delivers an intelligent design that allows operators to optimally stand between the rear wheels of the machine. The operator is achieving the lowest center of gravity. Greenworks Commercial is introducing the first ever battery-powered 32-inch and 36-inch compact stand-on mowers. This exciting addition to the OptimusZ Range features smaller deck sizes. Providing landscapers more visibility around the mower and allowing them to fit in much tighter openings. All while eliminating maintenance and service, emissions, and fumes.

The OptimusZ  Range of Zero Turn mowers provides cutting-edge technology. This allows landscapers to efficiently provide premium services that meet local ordinances and requirements. With multiple patents, Greenworks coins the OptimusZ  range as “the ultimate productivity machines.”

Greenworks Commercial

Since 2002, Greenworks has been manufacturing rugged, powerful tools with superior brushless motor technology and advanced lithium-ion battery power. Greenworks Commercial sets the standard for commercial-grade, battery-powered outdoor equipment. As the only brand exclusively focused on the design and manufacturing of battery-powered products entirely.

Greenworks Commercial OptimusZ Zero-Turn Mowers Preview is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Greenworks Pro 80V 42″ CrossoverZ Zero Turn Lawn Mower CRZ 428

Greenworks PRO 80V 42 Inch CrossoverZ

4.5/5

Manufacturer: Greenworks
Model number: CRZ 428
Price: $5,999
Power source: 80V Li-Ion

Last year we reviewed our first cordless zero turn mower from Ryboi so this is a great comparison for folks interested in ditching the gas! So in this review we’ll focus on the Greenworks mower but also do some comparison at the end.

Greenworks is offering wide range of mowing options in their 80V lineup including two different riding mowers, several push mowers, and assorted accessory tools including blowers, string trimmers, hedge clippers and chainsaws. Buying into the battery platform allows users to get all the essential outdoor power equipment on the same battery platform.

Features and Specifications

• High-efficiency Brushless Motors Provide More Power, Torque and Longer Life
• Mow up to 3 Acres on a Single Charge
• Handles Hills up to 15° Slope
• Built with a 42″ Reinforced Stamped 12-gauge Steel Deck
• Max Cutting Speed of 8 MPH
• Voltage: 80V Li-Ion
• Cutting Width: 42″
• Minimum Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
• Maximum Cutting Height: 4-1/2″
• Warranty: 4 Years Tool and Batteries

Getting To Know The Greenworks Zero Turn Mower

Our sample mower was dropped shipped via a freight company and dropped off in the hard on a pallet. This is typical of large mowers and also how we received another brands zero turn mower last year. There was some slight damage to the seat from shipping and Greenworks offered to replace the seat. The mower arrives fully assembled and ready to go. We simply cut the shipping straps and drove it right off the shipping pallet and started mowing immediately.

This particular model/package comes with 12 batteries so you can mow with six of them while you charge another six. This mower shipped with 4.0 Ah battery packs (5.0 Ah packs are also available which would increase run-time). As you can see above the mower has 6 slots of batteries located under the seat. It also ships with 3 dual port charges allowing users to charge all six batteries at once.

A side note to the battery chargers. I tried plugging all 3 chargers into the same circuit and the current draw was too much resulting in tripping the 20 amp circuit. So if you want to charge 6 batteries at once you’ll likely need to use two different circuits.

The controls on the Greenworks CRZ 428 are what you’d expect from a standard zero turn mower with a couple of unique differences. The CRZ 428 does not have a break pedal. When the control levers are pressed to their most outward position they engage the parking break instead of a pedal. One thing I really like about the control levers on this unit is the “spring” resistance as you push forward. Unlike some of the mowers I’ve driven this is a nice feature having some back pressure on the handle which makes for smoother changes in speed in my opinion.

The deck height adjustment is very typical of most mowers and easy to set. The deck raises and lowers with ease and the height adjustment seemed to be very accurate. All of the levers and controls on this unit felt robust and well made.

I found the seat to be extremely comfortable and it’s high back was a pleasant surprise for me especially because I’m over 6’3″ tall. The seat adjusts backward and forward for users of different heights. I will say the seat would be nicer if it could slide back a bit more for people with really long legs like myself. While that would be nice, the mower was still comfortable to mow with.

This mower allows the user to select both the drive and blade speeds to a slower setting. This is extremely useful for prolonging battery life and also to help with better drive control. When mowing hilly sections I found myself wanting to use the slower drive speed to help prevent spin outs. The control panel also has a nice battery gauge so you can tell how much run-time is left before swapping out the batteries. When the batteries are nearly exhausted the unit will show down the mower and allow you to ride back at a lower speed to change batteries and not get stranded in the yard.

Other notable features for this mower includes drink holders, a USB port to charge your phone, on-board material storage (up to 200 lbs), LED lights and an integrated deck cleaning nozzle to hook up a hose to. Overall the deck and other metal parts on the mower seem heavy gauge and robust.

Performance and Run-Time

The Greenworks CRZ 428 really impressed me with cutting power, cutting quality and smooth drive controls. We’ve had a fair amount of rain the last month or so here in NH and the grass has been growing like crazy. I was easily able to mow 6″ tall grass with ease with the CRZ 428. A huge benefit to these cordless zero turn mowers is the direct drive motor on each cutting spindle. These mowers have incredible torque and it shows in tall grass. In addition, the drive motors are also separate meaning you’re not relying on one motor for cutting and driving, the results speak for themselves and I’d argue battery powered mowers are far stronger than the gas competition when it comes to cutting power.

I mow just over an acre of somewhat hilly terrain and I was able to do the entire yard using all 12 batteries but it was close. Using the 12 4.0 Ah packs in deep grass was just about all I could squeeze out of them. It’s certainly worth looking at the 5.0 Ah packs if you’re going to do a yard over an acre as that should improve run-time quite a bit. The rapid charges work well and charged the batteries in the time it took me to drain the first set.

Greenworks CRZ 428 Vs Ryobi RY48140

As I noted last year we reviewed the Ryboi RY48140 and I wanted to do a quick comparison. These two mowers are very similar yet very different. The Ryobi is a lead acid system while the Greenworks is a Li-Ion platform. The Ryobi is 54″ cutting width while this Greenworks is only 42″. So the big question is which one is better? As you might suspect it’s not that easy and there are Pro’s and Con’s to each of them.

• Run-Time: I have to give this one to Ryobi. Which a large lead acid battery this mower can easily do my full acre on one charge without having to stop and swap batteries like the Greenworks. Also, the Ryobi just plugs in to charge it Vs having to remove batteries and put them in multiple charges for the Greenworks.
• Cutting Performance: The Greenworks has a slight advantage over the Ryobi in this situation. While they both perform even better than gas mowers the Greenworks absolutely smashed through tall wet grass like nothing I’ve ever mowed with before. I attribute this to the Li-Ion battery pack being able to crank out higher amps without damaging the battery.
• Hilly Terrain: The Greenworks definitely did better on hills than the Ryobi. Again this is most likely a function of the Li-Ion battery packs being able to draw higher amps allowing the mower to climb hills at higher speeds with the additional load on the motor. The difference was quite noticeable and made my mowing time considerably faster than the Ryobi.
• Controls: The Greenworks controls are much better than the Ryobi’s. The spring loaded control arms on the Greenworks makes for a much smoother control both in turning and accelerating. I found myself spinning out far less with those controls.
• Overall: While the Greenworks mower only has a 42″ deck compared to 54″ on the Ryobi, I do believe the Greenworks CRZ 428 is a better overall mower. It’s a smoother, stronger, and faster mower with similar features to the Ryobi. It’s also a newer model and features Li-Ion batteries. While the Ryobi is definitely much more convenient to charge the overall performance of the Ryobi is just too hard to ignore.

Overall Thoughts – Greenworks CRZ 428

The Greenworks CRZ 428, 42″ Zero Turn Mower is a great option for anyone considering ditching gas motors and going to a battery operated mower. I’ve been using battery operated push mowers, string trimmers and other outdoor power equipment for several years now and I can tell you I won’t ever go back to small gas engines. This mower is significantly quieter, has zero maintenance and performs as well as gas powered equipment. Yes it takes some getting used to dealing with battery management but the benefits are worth it in my opinion. At just under $6,000 these mowers are definitely and expensive investment. But if you consider the lack of buying fuel and yearly service combined with the lack of hassles that small gas engines can have it’s a pretty good investment. On top of that Greenworks has a full compliment of outdoor power equipment you can run off the same battery platform. This is a mower you should definitely consider.

Greenworks PRO 80V 42 Inch CrossoverZ Zero Turn Lawn Mower Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Greenworks 40v AXIAL 390 CFM Cordless Blower – Model 2400802VT

Greenworks 40v AXIAL Cordless Blower

4/5

Manufacturer: Greenworks
Model number: 2400802VT
Price: 139.99
Power source: 40 Volt

Greenworks cordless blowers deliver the power and performance of comparable gas-powered tools without the cost, mess, fumes, and noise that comes with gas-powered equipment. In this review, we will take a closer look at the Greenworks 40volt AXIAL 390CFM Cordless Blower.

Greenworks Model 2400802VT Specifications

Greenworks 40v Cordless Blower Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Greenworks 24V LED work light (model 3502302AZ)

Greenworks 24v LED work light

4/5

Manufacturer: Greenworks Tools
Model number: 3502302AZ
Power source: Cordless or AC
Motor size: 24V / 120V
Weight: 3.6 lbs

Included in Review:

• 24V LED light (model 3502302AZ)
• 24V 5Ah batteries, 2 total (model 2949602AZ)
• 4V Battery charger (model 2938202)

Our first impressions of this Greenworks LED light are that it is very compact and bright.  The head rotated smoothly and locked into the positions very securely with the locking knobs on either side of the light’s head.  The LED light offers multiple hanging choices; floor, wall-mounted, or rafter hanging which all worked well and kept the light safely in place.  The on/off switch is a simple rubberized button that sets both low and high modes.  The Greenworks 24V LED work light is not available with batteries. It is only sold as a bare tool.

Specifications & Features | Greenworks LED work light

Specifications

• Hybrid: 24V Battery or 120 AC
• 2000 lumen output
• Run time: 5.5 or 7 hrs (5Ah battery, high/low mode)

Features

• Compact/portable design
• 360-degree rotating head
• Multiple mounting options- floor, wall, or rafter
• 2 brightness settings
• Runs cooler than Halogen lights
• 3 Year Limited Tool Warranty
• 5Ah Batteries have built-in USB charging ports (sold separately)

Light it up:

Using the Greenworks 24V dual-power LED work light has been great. We put the light to use immediately the day it arrived on site.  We used it to illuminate a rough framed over garage space as we did an initial evaluation to plan out future finish work. Then we used it on a simple bathroom fan/light combo install. It was as straight-forward as you can get. And using the dual-power mode was helpful. Plug it in or pop in a battery and hit the button. Done!  We appreciated the ability to save battery power when an outlet was available to plug into.  And the cord-free light put out was impressive. Plus not having to step around or trip over cords is always highly desired on-site.

One additional nice feature of the Greenworks 24V LED work light is that when the battery gets to 5% charge, the light will blink 3 times at 25% max brightness (500 lumens).  We always appreciate smart features built into products like this.  It allows for more efficient use of work time with required battery swaps only. This enables max usage of battery power without any actual work stoppage.

Mounting Options

There are 3 mounting options for this LED work light.  First, you can use it on the floor.  This is the simplest and most readily available configuration.  The base is wide and sturdy and the light was much more apt to slide if bumped into rather than tumble which we appreciated. Second, the light can be wall-mounted.  There are pre-formed attachment holes in the base for this purpose.  This was easily the most secure mounting option and works great if you plan to keep the light in a single location for a while.  Lastly, the light can be hung from a rafter or joist. The hook is designed to perfectly fit a 2x board and still allowed easy light angle repositioning sing the locking knobs on the light head.

Battery Performance

The LED design causes a major reduction in heat which also means more efficient energy consumption.  A single 5Ah 24V battery gives you 7 hours of run time in low mode and approximately 5.5 hours in high mode. These numbers were accurate when we tested it out on-site. And the 24V charger will finish charging the batteries in approx. 2.5 hours. That means that even if you run the light on high, you can still charge a replacement battery in less than half the run time of the mounted battery.

Battery Features

Also, the 24V 5Ah battery has 2 nice design features.  First, it includes an on-board battery life gauge.  This is a pretty standard feature for batteries these days.  But it’s worth noting because on batteries it’s not standard on, it is a noticeable drawback.  Second, and much less standard, is the built-in USB charging port.  We loved the fact that you can charge a phone or tablet on-site without buying any battery attachments.

 Suggested Improvements:

Greenworks should consider pairing the 24V LED work light with a battery and battery charger in a single kit. It would also be helpful if Greenworks designed a better tripod mount into the base.  While there is an attachment point, it was not very robust and required you to start your own threading. These are minor recommendations as overall the light was very functional and performed well on site.

Greenworks LED Light | Overall Impression:

Our overall impression of the Greenworks 24v LED work light is very positive.  Having the ability to run off a 24V battery or 120V outlet is awesome versatility and quickly becoming the LED work light standard for good reason. The battery runtime and design are excellent.  The light was sufficiently bright for all the tasks it was used for.  We loved the multiple hanging options and dual-mode operations.  If you are looking for a compact and relatively inexpensive LED option, especially if you already own some Greenworks 24V tools, then this LED work light is an excellent option.

Greenworks 24V LED work light Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best Cordless Chainsaw Comparison Test – 2020

There is nothing cooler than a chainsaw. They are aggressive tools that make processing heavy timber materials effortless and enjoyable. But are cordless battery-powered chainsaws ready for the spotlight? A chainsaw requires a high output of power in order to cut efficiently, without stalling or bogging down. With the advancements in battery and electronics technology over the last few years, we were anxious to see how the cordless tool world applies that technology to chainsaws.

The benefits of cordless OPE are well known. Ease of maintenance, effortless long term storage, reduced noise, no more exhaust fumes, no more mixing fuel, just to name a few. Many pros are tired of dealing with the maintenance of gas-powered saws as well. But what kind of performance can you realistically expect from a battery-powered chainsaw? That’s what we set out to find with this latest Head-2-Head.

Cordless Chainsaw Head-2-Head Selection Criteria

Currently, there are dozens of different models of cordless chainsaws in a variety of different voltages and bar lengths. In order to limit our sample size, we determined what size saw would be most practical across a wide range of applications. We identified three main categories of users that could benefit the most from a cordless chainsaw.

The first is arborist’s or tree care professionals looking for a smaller, maneuverable saw, requiring less maintenance for limbing work or cleaning up brush piles to be chipped. The second is contractors or construction professionals who are already invested in a battery platform and looking for a saw for occasional use or home use. And finally, homeowners or landowners looking for a tool for occasional use or storm cleanup.

Based upon this, we chose to test saws with a bar and chain between 14″-16″ long. A saw of this size would be practical in the hands of most users for a variety of tasks. Likely in place of a gas-powered chainsaw in the 30-45 cc range. We also limited the voltage from 18V-62V. This gave us a sample size of twelve saws from all of the major brands and manufacturers.

Cordless Chainsaw Lineup

DEWALT Flexvolt MAX 60V

• Model: DCCS670X1
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 12.2 Lbs
• Battery Size: 3.0 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Limited /1 Year Free Service / 90 Day Money Back

DR Power PULSE 62V

• Model: 414170
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 9.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 2.5 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir W/ Replaceable filter
• Warranty: 2 Year Residential / 90 Day Commercial

Echo 58V

• Model: CCS-58V4AH
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 13.7 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Consumer / 2 Year Professional

Ego Power+ 56V

• Model: CS1604
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 8.69 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 5.0 Ah
• Tool Free Chain Tensioner
• Autimatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year

Greenworks PRO 60V

• Model: 2014502
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 10.0 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 2.0Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 4 Year Tool and Battery

Husqvarna 536li XP 36V

• Model: 536li XP
• Bar Length: 14″
• Chain Manufacturer: Husqvarna
• Weight: 5.29 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 9.4 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Residential / 2 Year Commercial

Kobalt 40V

• Model: KCS 4040-06
• Bar Length: 14″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 10.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Makita 18V X2 / 36V LXT

• Model: XCU04PT1
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 8.3 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 5.0 Ah (X2)
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Adjustable Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Limited

Milwaukee M18 FUEL

• Model: 2727-21HD
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 13.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 12.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Oregon 40V

• Model: CS300
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 10.2 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 6.0 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Years

Ryobi 40V

• Model: RY40550
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 12.4 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Stihl 36V

• Model: MSA 220C-B
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Stihl
• Weight: 6.4 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 7.2 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Manual Chain Brake
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Residential / 2 Year Commercial

Cordless Chainsaw Evaluation Criteria

Up until recently, cordless chainsaws were honestly kind of a joke. But the cordless revolution and improvements in battery technology have now given manufacturers the foundation they need to build truly capable chainsaws. In order to thoroughly evaluate our sample body of tools, we conducted a series of demanding tests. Each saw was ranked based upon a total of nine evaluation categories.

When determining our evaluation criteria it was important to select tests that applied to a wide range of users. Our compiled data needed to be as relatable to tree care professionals as it is to contractors and home/landowners. Testing each saw to its limit was also critical in order to clearly establish the line that separates the capability of a cordless saw from a traditional gas-powered model. It is also worth mentioning that all of our tests were performed on hardwood trees as they are common and widely available throughout the Northeast.

Bearing all this in mind, we settled on the following categories:

• Run-Time Cutting
• Speed Cutting
• Torture/High Demand Cutting
• Tool Size and Balance
• Weight
• Features
• Ergonomics
• Decibel Output
• Price

In addition to these ranked categories, we wanted feedback from true professional users and reached out to a local tree company to be a part of the testing. They were on-site with us for the day of testing and brought their bucket truck. We put each saw in the hands of an experienced tree pro and put them to work limbing up a standing dead ash tree. This is a real-world application that has always been done with a gas-powered saw. Performing this task gave us valuable feedback in determining if any of the battery-powered tools were ready for demanding professional service.

Cordless Chainsaw Run-Time Test

Run-time testing seems pretty straight forward, right? Put a battery in the thing and just cut some stuff. Our goal is to truly test the limits of these tools and run-time testing was a premier opportunity for us to do this.

Our run-time test consisted of inserting a fully charged battery in each saw with a factory sharpened chain and then proceed to cut as many crosscut slices through a tree length log as possible on a single battery charge. Each saw was filled with Stihl Woodcutter bar and chain oil prior to beginning the test and chain tension was also set properly.

The test logs were Maple, all approximately 13.5″ in diameter. The logs had sat off the ground seasoning for approximately two years. Because no tree is a perfect column, we had some variation in diameter. The average diameter of the logs calculated out to 13.6875″.

Maple is not the hardest species of wood out there, but these were some BIG logs. In fact, they were likely bigger than what most of these saws were designed to cut, which is why we chose them. This test forced the saws to work hard, and it showed. In order to keep things uniform, we kept the same two test cutters for the entire test. Both operators were instructed to perform five cuts at a time and then pause for 25 seconds to allow the batteries a brief relief and avoid thermal overloading.

First Place: Ego

Ego crushed this test, plain and simple. The Ego saw performed a total of 31 full depth cuts and then a partial cut of 4.25″ on the 32nd cut before dying. Ego has a rock-solid battery platform, and this test highlights that.

The electronics of the Ego saw are extremely efficient and transfer the power of their 56V ARC technology seamlessly to the 16″ bar and chain. The Ego was the first saw we tested and as we watched the stack of cookies rise, we started to worry that we might run out of test material. Our crew did mention that after the 15th cut, there was a change in cutting speed and the tool seemed to slow down slightly, but kept going.

Second Place: Milwaukee

The Milwaukee FUEL saw was the lowest voltage tool of the day, but still shined as a cutter. The FUEL completed a total of 21 cuts with a partial depth of 9.25″ on the 22nd. The proven M18 platform with the massive 12.0 Ah battery did very well in our testing. However, this saw did experience a battery overload at the 18th cut. We had to remove the battery, let it cool down for almost ten minutes, and then continue the test. The Milwaukee saw uses a slower chain speed compared to some of the other saws, but delivers a ton of torque and power while cutting.

Third Place: Greenworks

The Greenworks Pro 60V saw is no stranger to the Tool Box Buzz crew. It performed a total of 21 full cuts and maintained constant chain speed and power throughout. Overall our test cutters agreed that it had excellent power and was a “Top Cutter”.

Learning to Cut Differently

While evaluating run-time, our test cutters learned that operating a cordless chainsaw is drastically different from a traditional saw. A gas-powered saw will typically allow you to lean into a cut and put extra leverage and force on the tool. A gas-powered motor will power through this while bogging down without incident. However, an electric saw will shut itself down when encountering extreme resistance to prevent damaging the motor. Our operators had to allow the saws to do the cutting and hold back from leaning on them too much.

Of the saws we tested; Makita, Stihl, and DR Power had issues with stalling out and had to be reset to continue cutting. The Stihl in particular had to be reset, battery removed, and cooled off, several times to continue the test.

Speed Cutting Test

Published chain speeds, RPM ratings, manufacturer cutting claims can all get pretty confusing. So we made it a priority to see just how fast our cordless saws could perform a cut in a piece of hardwood. A seasoned length of Ash was selected to perform the speed cutting test. Our sample log measured out to an average diameter of 11.02″ based upon measurements taken before the start of each test cut.

We chose to keep the same operator for the entire test to maintain consistency. Our test cutter then performed three timed cross cuts as quickly as the saw was able to. After the results were recorded, we reset and performed the test a second time. The average of the two times was calculated and used to rank each saw.

First Place: Echo

One of the test cutters summed up the Echo perfectly; “This thing feels like a chainsaw!” The Echo saw powered through the speed cuts with an average time of 44.5 seconds. Echo’s 58V system uses a slower chain speed but delivers a lot of felt torque in the cut. This balance of speed and power allowed the Echo to chew through our test material quickly without bogging down or dropping in speed.

Second Place: Stihl

Stihl is a big name, if not the biggest in the chainsaw world. Their reputation is built upon their solid construction and professional-grade engineering and features. This lineage really showed itself during out speed cut testing. With an average cut time of 48 seconds, the Stihl had zero issues cutting through the 11″ Ash log. While the Stihl struggled with the larger diameter run-time log, the smaller log used here, along with Stihl’s very aggressive profiled chain yielded impressive results.

Third Place: Greenworks

With an average cut time of 50.2 seconds, Greenworks continued to shine as a “Top Cutter.” The Greenworks PRO 60V saw’s performance in the speed cutting test is an outstanding example of a tool that was built from the ground up as a cordless chainsaw.

Cordless Chainsaw Torture Test

In order to break down a large round of wood to a more manageable size, chainsaw users will often perform a rip cut or “Noodling” cut as it is more commonly referred to as. We selected a noodling cut as our torture test due to the fact that it greatly tests the full powerband of the cordless saw. A noodling cut is performed parallel to the grain of a full log round.

What makes it so difficult is the chain has to pull the long-stranded chips through the entire kerf length of the bar and chain. These long-stranded chips resemble curly noodles, hence the name Noodling. Traditionally a user would need a larger and more powerful gas-powered saw to perform such a cut.

For our test, twelve pre-cut rounds, of wet Red Oak, were placed standing on a block and cut parallel to the grain. Our rounds were each twelve inches long and averaged 16.78″ in diameter. The toughness of the grain structure of the Red Oak and the moisture content of the wood placed a huge demand on our saws.

We chose to make this test a Pass/Fail evaluation mainly because we were unsure if the saws would be able to complete the test. To our surprise, almost every tool passed the test! The only saw which failed to complete the noodling cut was the Milwaukee M18 FUEL. During the test cut, the Milwaukee jammed with sawdust and noodle strands completely binding and seizing the blade. The saw had to be disassembled and cleaned out before it was functional again.

The performance of these battery-powered saws during our torture test was extremely impressive. It showed us the benefit of modern electric motors and their ability to maintain a constant output regardless of demand.

Weight

We ranked our saws based upon the bare tool weight of each model. Based upon the published bare tool weights we ranked the saws as follows:

Overall Size and Balance

Numbers alone do not always tell the full story of the overall feel of a tool in hand. We chose to include size and balance in addition to weight during our evaluation. Some of the saws did a great job of balancing this increased weight and size while others did not. One of our test cutters remarked that operating some of these saws felt like “driving a big Cadillac boat like my Grandma used to drive”.

Our professional tree cutter felt that overall size and balance was one of the biggest factors for him when deciding if he would take one of these saws up in the bucket. If the saw was bulky and unwieldy, then it would be an absolute no-go for them to even consider.

First Place: Stihl

The Stihl felt like a compact professional-grade tool in the hands of every user. The overall size and balance is excellent and felt more like a chainsaw with a battery in it than a battery-powered chainsaw.

Second Place: Husqvarna

Husqvarna is the other biggest and most well-known name in the chainsaw world. The 536li XP felt nimble and balanced in hand. It’s lightweight and compact design makes it a true professional-grade tool. Our tree cutter stated that the Husqvarna had “great balance and lightweight in hand”. He felt that it was the most realistic choice of all the saws for use in a bucket or tree due to the weight.

Third Place: Makita

The Makita XCU04PT1 saw offered a great combination of weight and balance. The Makita 36V two battery system places the battery packs higher up and centered on the saw. This cuts down on the overall length of the saw body and streamlines it as well. Much like the Stihl and Husqvarna, the Makita saw balanced similarly to a traditional gas-powered saw and was easily controlled by our test crew.

Cordless Chainsaw Features

Our saws ranged from basic and Spartan in terms of features to jam-packed. We examined each saw and compared features such as manual chain brakes, chain tensioning systems, bar oil fill cap design, onboard tool storage, bumper spikes or felling dogs, and many other areas as well. Based on this detailed comparison, we were able to rank our tools as follows.

First Place: DEWALT

The DEWALT Flexvolt saw has an outstanding set of features that make it very user friendly. The manual chain brake, in particular, stood out to our crew as a well thought out and executed safety feature. The brake lever had an excellent contour to it with very short travel to engage and disengage. DEWALT’s tool-free chain tensioning system was also the most user friendly. As a right-handed operator, I could easily hold the saw by the forward handle in my left hand while using my right hand to adjust the chain tension. All of the controls featured high-quality, flip-down levers that are easy to use and store securely. The flip cap design of the bar oil reservoir was also extremely easy to use. One area of improvement for the saw would be a set of steel bumper spikes as opposed to the current molded plastic ones.

Second Place: Oregon

The Oregon name is well known as a manufacturer of high-quality bars, chains, and other forestry products. But the CS300 chainsaw was a bit of an unknown surprise to our crew. Having never tested a tool from Oregon before, we were pleasantly surprised by this mighty monster. Oregon saw was packed with features that were very clearly designed by chainsaw people. The first of which was the Oregon Self Sharpening system and 91PS056X chain. Oregon included a self-sharpening system in which the user simply pulls upwards on a control lever for 3-5 seconds while running the saw to automatically sharpen the chain. The lever lowers a contoured sharpening stone down onto the chain and sharpens as it runs. This feature makes the often foreboding task of sharpening a chain effortlessly. The chain is proprietary and the sharpening stone will only work with the special chain. Oregon also has excellent bumper spikes and a responsive chain brake as well as a tool-free chain tensioning system.

Third Place: Stihl

It comes as no surprise that a professional-grade tool like the Stihl includes professional-grade features as well. Stihl includes an inboard clutch design along with steel bumper spikes and chain catch with the MSA 220 C-B. The tool-free chain tensioning system is very user friendly. The finger rotary dial design for adjusting tension was found to be slightly less intuitive than the DEWALT Design.

Of all the saws that were tested, Kobalt was the only model to not feature a manual chain brake lever and it’s placing in this category reflects that. The Kobalt also requires a tool to tension the chain. Our crew found an overwhelming preference for saws with a tool-free chain tensioning method as opposed to a traditional tooled system. For saws of this class, tool-free seems to make the most sense.

Overall Ergonomics

The term ergonomics gets thrown around a lot and is completely user-dependent. Bearing that in mind we ranked our tools in terms of ergonomics based upon the way they worked with us during use. The areas we focused on were handled angles, grip textures, control locations, and felt vibration. All of these features are worth considering to find the tool that is comfortable to the user.

First Place: Husqvarna

The Husqvarna saw was designed for all-day professional use. The contoured angle of the handles was comfortable as well as made the controls easy to reach. The saw featured a simple push-button power switch as well as a manual chain brake, and grip tang safety release. These controls all worked smoothly together in hand. There is also little felt vibration with this saw and no hot spots on the grips.

Second Place: Stihl

The compact body design of the Stihl along with ergonomic controls makes this one of the most comfortable tools in hand. The Stihl features a push-button safety release on the left side of the rear grip as opposed to an on/off switch, this button is easy to reach and unobtrusive during use. The ease of battery access and quick change were exceptional on the Stihl.

Third Place: Makita

The Makita saw followed the same design path as the Husqvarna, with a push-button on/off switch and a grip tang safety release. This simple feature alone was found to be a favorite among our testing crews. The tree care pros also greatly favored this system and found the Makita to be extremely similar to their current gas-powered saws.

Decibel Output Rating

One of the main benefits of cordless chainsaws and cordless OPE in general is the lack of noise. But just how quiet is a cordless chainsaw. To test this, the saws were placed on a concrete slab open garage space in the same general area. An average Decibel rating from each saw at approximately arms length away. The same rough distance as users ears would be from the tool during use. The decibel rating was captured during the loudest rev-up phase of the tools, similar to how they would perform while cutting.

Husqvarna metered the lowest at 74.4 and DEWALT followed closely behind at 74.5. The majority of the saws fell between 74.5 to 76.5 decibels, Greenworks was the loudest saw at 80.1 decibels.

All of the saws tested fell within the OSHA safe hearing level standards and are drastically quieter than a comparable size gas-powered saw. For prolonged use, a set of hearing protection is a good idea in my opinion. I found the pitch of the electric motors to be annoying after extended use. Similar to listening to a miter saw all day.

Price

Using a host of different online vendors and local dealers, the saws were ranked based upon the current market price on a bare tool, at the time of this article. The bare tool price is the best way to rank a comparison such as this because many of our manufacturers sell their saws as a la carte system. They allow the individual user to select the battery packs and charger right for them.  Such as Stihl, Husqvarna, and Oregon.

Looking at bare tool prices, we see three of our top-performing saws all the way at the bottom. This wide difference in price is a direct reflection of a truly pro-grade tool as opposed to a residential or homeowner grade tool. The Kobalt will not be capable, or expected to perform, to the same level as the Husqvarna or Stihl. Stihl is also unique in that they do not offer online sales. In order to buy a Stihl chainsaw, you must visit a Stihl dealer. This dealer experience is a trademark of the Stihl brand and is something that TBB Crew Member Jeff Williams discussed in a previous review.

Below is some “Buy Now” links to purchase some of the saws featured in this Head-2-Head from our sponsor at Ohio Power Tool.

Best Overall Value Cordless Chainsaw

Echo CCS-58VA Chainsaw

Of all the cordless chainsaws featured in this comparison test, the Echo stood out as a tremendous value backed by outstanding performance. The Echo was our fastest cutter and ranked in the top 5 for run time and weight. But more importantly, it tied for third for the price as a bare tool. The echo has a solid heft to it that makes it feel like a traditional gas saw in hand but is still relatively light. Because it cuts at a lower chain speed with higher torque, the 58V Echo chewed through every species of wood we threw at it with no issues.

While a little bulky for a tree climber or bucket saw, the Echo is an excellent saw for firewood cutting or general clean up around a home or property. Echo also gives users the option of online ordering as well as the local dealer experience or purchasing from a large home center. The CCS-58VA is part of a larger lineup of cordless OPE from echo and would serve any homeowner well as part of a complete system of products.

Best Cordless Chainsaw Results – Winner Stihl

Based on our evaluation criteria, each saw was ranked and a point value was recorded. These scores were then added and a final ranking order was determined. The lower the score, the better the placement of the tool. Based upon this, Stihl took top place overall with 36 points. DEWALT and Husqvarna tied for second place with 41 points. Makita followed close behind with 42 points and was a solid performer.

Overall our test saws established themselves into three categories. Power tool companies that made a cordless chainsaw, chainsaw companies that designed a battery-powered saw, and battery-powered companies that built a chainsaw around their platform. Each individual tool had its own strengths and weaknesses and their performance was clearly based upon their battery system. Overall our crew was extremely impressed with the power and capabilities that these cordless saws have to offer.

If you are currently invested in the battery platform, then you likely can’t go wrong with picking up a matching chainsaw. If you are considering purchasing a saw and aren’t invested in a platform, take a look at the full range of tools from each manufacturer when making your decision. Cutting a tree a few seconds slower is nothing compared to the expense of investing in multiple battery platforms.

For the tree care pros out there, a battery saw is worth looking at as well. Charging a battery is way easier than filling a gas can and less messy. More importantly, a battery-powered saw goes from on to off with the flip of a switch. While expensive, the professional-grade tools highlighted in this test are extremely capable and powerful. A pro will be surprised at how often they would find themselves reaching for a battery-powered saw over a gas-powered model.

So whether you are a backyard lumberjack, a rugged tree cutter, or an eco-conscious cannibal from Texas, a cordless chainsaw is likely a great option for you.

Best Cordless Chainsaw Video Review

Best Cordless Chainsaw Head-to-Head is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Cordless Lawn Mower Head-To-Head | 2020

Cordless Lawn Mowers have taken over the lawn and garden section in many retail stores. Six years ago, Tool Box Buzz ran a Best Cordless Lawn Mower Head-to-Head test of five cordless mowers, so we were really interested in how the field of manufacturers has increased and how the offerings have changed after six years.

Our 2020 cordless lawn mower head-to-head will answer the question of whether cordless mowers’ performance “cut it” when compared to a gas-powered mower.

Why Cordless Lawn Mowers?

Even when operated correctly, gas-powered mowers require lots of service including oil changes, fuel filters, spark plugs, and air filters. Oftentimes people wait to do service until the mower won’t start! Anyone who has had to get a small engine repaired knows the hassle and time-sink that can be. Cordless mowers eliminate all of the above-mentioned maintenance, last-minute fuel purchases and they’re quieter to operate and do not emit fumes.

Cordless Lawn Mower Line Up

We reached out to 10 of the top cordless lawn mower manufacturers and asked if they would like to participate in our head to head article. We received 12 mowers, Greenworks and Kobalt sent two models. The models we tested included:

Black and Decker  60 V POWERSWAP 20″ Cordless Mower CM2060C

DEWALT  2x 20V Brushless 20 in. 3-IN-1 Cordless Lawn Mower DCMW220X2C 

EGOPower+ 21″ Select Cut Mower with Touch Drive Self-Propelled Technology LM2130SP

Greenworks   60V 21 in. Cordless Brushless Self-Propelled Lawn Mower with 5Ah Battery and Charger 2520102

Greenworks 60V 25 in. Cordless Mower  with 4Ah and 2.5 Ah Battery and Charger 2510802

HART 40V Brushless 21″ Self Propelled Mower Kit HLPM021VMN

Kobalt 80-volt Max Brushless  Self-propelled 21-in Cordless Mower MP 6080-06

Kobalt 40-volt Max Brushless Self-propelled 21-in Cordless Mower KMP 2580-06

Makita 18V X2 (36V) LXT® Lithium‑Ion Brushless Cordless 21″ Self‑Propelled Lawn Mower Kit with 4 Batteries (5.0Ah) XML08PT1

Ryobi 21 in. 40-Volt Cordless Self Propelled Mower with 7.5 Ah Batteries & 1 Charger RY401130

SKIL PWRCore 40 Brushless 40V 20″ Self-Propelled Mower Kit SM4910-10

STIHL Cordless Lawn Mower RMA 510 V

** Weight includes batteries but does not include clippings bag.

Cordless Lawn Mower Head-to-Head Comparison

While this head to head is not a scientific research project, we did take measurements, evaluate each mower in several categories, and rank them against each other. When we begin to pull together our Head-To-Head tool tests, we always try to figure out how to make the tests consistent, repeatable, and fair. Often, we figure out how to take the human variable out of a test, but we couldn’t do that with mowers.

We looked at the following categories in order to give you the Best Cordless Lawn Mower.

• Quality of Cut – This was a subjective comparison based on mowing adjacent areas of lawn and comparing the quality of the cut areas.
• Noise – We measured decibel levels for each mower. The test was performed with each mower set at the highest deck level, sitting on a concrete slab. We measured the noise at the highest motor speed and the lowest (Note – some models motors ramp down due to demand to save battery life).
• Run-Time – Run-time is affected by so many different variables. However, we wanted to give a relative comparison for discussion purposes so we tested the run-time using a very large field and ran the mowers under “load” conditions.
• Ergonomics – Ergonomics play a major role in all of our evaluations and testing. Not only does the mower need to perform well, but it’s very important that it is comfortable, which ultimately leads to more productivity and reduced risk of injury.
• Handle Comfort & Adjustment– Another subjective comparison focusing on the handle height, adjustments, and overall comfort.
• Maneuverability – We evaluated how easily the mowers were to push and to cut around trees.  This category is largely factored based on the mower weight, self-propulsion, and wheelbase design.
• Deck Height Adjustability – We ranked each of the mowers based on how easy they were to adjust the cutting deck height.
• Rough Stuff – We took the mowers to a field that had 18” tall grass to see which mowers could handle this condition.
• Compact Storage – Users know that folding up and storing these mowers is an important consideration for purchasing. We examined what it took to fold these up and how much volume it takes to store them.

Cordless Lawn Mower Features

All 12 mowers have fairly similar features included the ones noted in the table below:

Both Hart and Stihl have an inoperable battery storage bay (this means when one battery is exhausted, the pack needs to be swapped out manually). One of the big differences with the mowers is how many battery packs each one uses, and how those packs are combined/utilized to power the mower.

• The Greenworks switches automatically to the next battery pack when the first one is exhausted.
• Makita has a switch that is used to change from one set of packs to the other when the first packs are exhausted.
• Lastly, there are others that run two batteries in parallel, like DEWALT and Makita (Makita holds 4 batteries onboard that swap over with a switch).

Cut Quality – Winner EGO Power+

To evaluate the cut quality we mowed adjacent areas with each mower side by side. After cutting the grass we evaluated how well the grass was cut.  The cut quality of the grass areas was excellent. This is due to the fact that each mower was brand new with an extremely sharp and new blade. There was no BIG discernible difference in the cut quality of the mowers.

Note on grass quality: The grass we mowed was field-quality. As a result, the grass plant type was not particularly uniform. This made the cut quality harder to determine than if we had cut a sod-quality lawn.

Since we were evaluating cut quality, we noted that one mower had a unique blade configuration. The Ego Power+ mower comes with three blades. The mower itself runs with a two-blade combination. The top blade is consistent in any combination. The bottom blade is designed to be switched out with either:  a ‘Premium Mulching Blade’ or a ‘Premium Bagging Blade’.

The Premium Mulching Blade is ideal for weekly mowing, giving you the cut quality and run time expected from high-end gas lawnmowers. The Premium Bagging Blade is a heavy-duty blade that turns grass into fine fragments ideal for both bagging and mulching.

We wanted to see if there was a difference in cut quality between all of the single-blade mowers, and the two mowers that had unique blade configurations, [EGO and 25″ Greenworks] hoping to see a cut quality difference.

We attached grass bags to the mowers and mowed a consistent section of grass. The team examined the clippings and saw a substantive difference in the size of the grass pieces. The EGO clippings were much smaller in size than the second-best sample that belonged to the 25″ Greenworks mower. Both of these mowers cut the grass into much finer pieces than the single-blade mowers.

We ranked the EGO mower in the top spot, followed by the 25″ Greenworks mower. The ten single-bladed mowers ranked in third place for cut quality.

Noise Winner – Makita XML08PT1

One of the biggest questions readers have asked about cordless mowers seems to be how much noise do they produce?

We did a basic decibel test to measure the noise of the mowers in a controlled situation to get a relative comparison of noise. The test consisted of running each mower with the deck raised to its midpoint level sitting on a concrete slab. We placed each mower in the exact same designated spot on the floor in a large barn and the decibel meter located in the same height and relative position to the test mower. The decibel meter used an ITU-R 468 frequency rating.

We ran the test for enough time to have the mowers reach a maximum and stable rpm speed. Many of the mower motors start at a high RPM and then cycle down to a slower speed to save energy. Our time interval took the readings before the speed algorithms stepped the rpm down because of the no-load condition.

Makita took the win with 80.5 dB and was noticeably quieter even without a decibel meter. HART came in second place with 82.4 dB and EGO was third with 84.1 dB.

For reference, the average gas lawnmower produces approximately 95 – 100 dB. The average of the noise measurements for our test mowers was 86.1 dB. Compared to a 100 dB noise level, these cordless mowers reduce the sound energy you hear by just over 20 times compared to a loud gas mower. (decibels are a logarithmic scale, 14 decibels difference is approximately 20 times louder).

Many communities have adopted noise restrictions that limit the time that you can mow with a gas mower. Please note that these mowers were measured while running on top of a concrete slab. In practice, these are much quieter when used on a lawn. As a group, these mowers will not have to be limited in their time of use. That is a great improvement!

Run-Time Winner – Kobalt 80v MP 6080-06

Run-time is a big question on the minds of people considering the purchase of battery-powered mowers. Huge advancements in battery technology are making these cordless mowers a viable option but the million-dollar question on everyone’s mind is how long can you mow on a battery charge? Mowing run time will vary greatly depending on the height of grass, the thickness of grass, and the type of grass.

The winner of our run-time test was the Kobalt 80v mower.

It’s important to note that all 12 of these mowers have different battery Amp-Hour, capacities, and voltages. So, how do you make any sense of that in order to determine the best runtime?  We measured the performance of the mowers “out of the box,” and also normalized performance on the basis of the energy available. [Watt-Hours explained below]

In order to get a relative comparison of run time, we tested the mowers in a very large field under load conditions. The field was mowed a week prior to our test and the grass type and height were very consistent within the borders of the test area. We set the deck height at the same height of 2 ½” for each mower.

We set each mower to its maximum speed if it were self-propelled. For the push mowers, (DEWALT and Black & Decker) we asked the operators to move at a comfortable pace. (It was interesting to note that a 40-year old man in good shape pushing a mower was much faster than most of the self-propelled mowers.)

Runtime Procedure

We measured, and marked off mowing lanes for each mower and kept track of the time and total distance that each mower traveled by counting the number of laps it traveled. We required the operator to place the wheel onto the furthest extent of the previous lap.

In the event that any mower completed its entire lane, we lowered the mower deck by one additional inch and re-cut the lane.

Watt-Hours is calculated by multiplying the voltage (actual load voltage, not the MAX that some companies advertise) by the battery pack Amp-Hours. This calculation allows us to compare the total energy available to do the work based on both the voltage and size of the battery pack (amp-hours).

The Kobalt 80v took first place, it ran 85.5 minutes and mowed 38,600 sq. ft. Second place went to the MAKITA, it ran 83 minutes, and mowed 35,000 Sq. Ft. Third place went to the Greenworks 60V 21″ mower which ran for 65 minutes and mowed 27,700 Sq Ft.

The HART mower ran the least at 22 minutes and mowed 8,400 Sq. Ft.

Ergonomics – Winner 25″ Greenworks

Ergonomics is the science of designing and producing tools that improve a worker’s efficiency while reducing discomfort, fatigue, and risk of injury.

For the ergonomics, we evaluated seven areas. These included the adjustability of the handle, the effort of maneuverability,  human factor in the ease of foldability and storage, deck adjustment ergonomics, and the control ergonomics.

The Greenworks mowers were virtually identical in a number of ergonomic categories and scored very well in those. The mowers’ handle adjustment factors, the ease of folding and unfolding the mowers, and the design of the mower control were where the Greenworks units shined. In close second place was the ergonomic scores in these categories that the EGO mower collected.

Handle Comfort & Adjustment Winner –Both Greenworks Mowers Models 21″ 2520102 and 25″ 2510802

When it comes to comfort with respect to push mowers the handle is a big deal. Both of the Greenworks mowers were superior to the group in terms of comfort, handle height, and adjustments. Adjustment is easily done with the two slides on each side of the handle. Just pull back on them and they dis-engage pins that set the adjustment and you can move the handle up or down. Release the slides and once the pins spring back into place you’re ready to go!

The EGO has a very simple and intuitive adjustment single lever near the base of the handle. Testers liked the large rubber over-mold handle and found it to be quite comfortable. The controls are also easy to use and everything is pretty intuitive, most buttons or levers are green making them easy to find.

The Skil has a wide paddle switch for the self propel mode along with an easy handle adjustment. Making it a third-place runner up in this category.

Maneuverability Winner – Black & Decker Model CM2060C

Black and Decker and DEWALT were more maneuverable than the rest of the mowers because they were NOT self-propelled. The self-propelled units require the user to disengage the propulsion in order to maneuver tightly. The user must then push against the propulsion mechanism to turn the mower tightly.

The 25″ Greenworks was the best maneuverability in the self-propelled mowers. This was due because of the short wheelbase front to back. The mowers with the longest wheelbase ranked towards the bottom.

The maneuverability of push mowers is especially important when trimming around gardens, trees, and other landscaping features. The ease with which the mower’s turn is largely a result of the wheels and mower weight.

Deck Height Adjustability Winner – Ryobi

All of the mowers we tested include a single lever deck height adjustment feature. This sure does beat adjusting each wheel like the old-style mowers. The Ryobi mower was a dramatic stand out with a grab handle that allowed the user to lift or drop the mower while adjusting the height. Rather than the other mechanisms which all relied on a short lever to lift the mower.  EGO took second place with the deck height adjustment out on the deck, clear of any obstructions. Third place went to the Skil, the large handle and reinforced plastic detent plate worked smoothly and easily.

Some mowers had knuckle-busting setups that would cause the user to hit the lower part of the handle assembly when adjusting the mower for taller cutting.

Rough Stuff Testing – Not included in Rankings

We took the mowers to a field that had 18” tall grass and weeds to see which mowers could handle this condition. We recognize that this is the WRONG application for this type of equipment, and did not use the results in the final rankings.

Almost all of the mowers pushed the larger weeds down and simply cut the leaves off of them. The lighter mowers with plastic decks tended to float over the top of the weeds, the Skil and Hart mowers were especially prone to this. Amazingly only one mower failed this test. The 40v Kobalt stalled out three times in quick succession and was the only mower that we felt ‘did not finish’.

Some mowers stalled out but started back up or were simply clogged up with leaves and weeds, and once cleared started up again. The Black and Decker, 21″ Greenworks, 25″ Greenworks, Skil, and Kobalt 80v mowers completed the test without stalling or needing their bags emptied. Testers found that the lightweight Black and Decker, Skil, and Hart mowers basically just slid over the top of the really tall weeds and didn’t do much cutting, but they did cut the overgrown grass.

A few mowers clogged up and needed their bags emptied (we decided to give them a thorough test on bagging in this context as well).  The 25″ Greenworks cut well, which we attribute to the dual blades. The Stihl stopped running a few times because the bag was full but completed the test and absolutely dominated bagging efficiency. The Makita clogged up but would get right back to it when the bag was emptied. The Kobalt 80V got through the test without stalling but didn’t cut as well as some of the other mowers. The EGO’s dual blades made for better cutting and it filled it’s bag near the end of the test and stopped at that point but picked right back up after the bag was emptied. All in All the 25″ Greenworks, 21″ Greenworks, and Kobalt 80v mowers performed best in this test, no stalling and doing a decent job of knocking down the rough stuff.

Compact Design & Storage Size Winner – EGO LM2130SP

Storage is important to some folks, as garages seem to be taken over by mowers, trimmers, and tools during the summer.  Additionally, cordless mowers CAN be stored vertically without the fear of spilling gas onto the floor or filling the cylinder with engine oil.

The EGO LM213oSP really blew away the competition with their very easy to store design. In just 15 seconds you can quickly fold the unit up and store it vertically in a space the size of a suitcase. Because the EGO can be stored both horizontal and vertically, it offers a better solution in tight spaces. Also, with the vertical solution, you can even hang it on the wall which I think is a great option for those of us with a need to hang everything in its place.

Both Greenworks and the HART models also fold up fairly small. The Makita model doesn’t fold and that is due to its durability and PRO grade construction. This mower is designed to be a professional-grade piece of equipment that lives on a landscaping trailer. The handle was specifically designed this way to eliminate a weak point at a hinge.

Fit & Finish Winner – Makita XML08PT1

Makita stands out in this category. This mower was built for daily nonstop use by professional landscapers. The Makita features large-diameter rubber over-molded wheels, a steel deck, and everything about it is tight and made to stand up to some hard use. Screws and bolts hold everything together including the handle which is not adjustable or foldable without a wrench. Almost all of the parts are metal. In short, this high-quality tool is made for the long haul.

The Ego and Greenworks mowers also stood out with regard to fit and finish. The EGO has heavy-duty parts, simply to operate levers and clamps, and a very polished appearance. The Greenworks mowers also have heavy-duty parts and smooth operating features.

Best Value Winner –Greenworks 21″

At the time of publication, the 21″ Greenworks mower was priced at about $349 with a 4.0Ah battery given the performance and overall quality this was a solid pick for the best value. This mower came in tied for 1st place overall and is the second least expensive in the group.

Best Cordless Lawn Mower – EGO and 21″ GreenWorks 

These tests and evaluations are very difficult, take a lot of time, and ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company. We also cannot do long term testing that would shed light on durability.

In order to choose the best cordless lawn mower, all ten [10] evaluated categories were scored and ranked 1 through 12, to define the winner. We then tallied those category numbers to come up with a total number. The lower the number the better.

Our test in 2014 crowned EGO as the best cordless lawn mower and its obvious they didn’t take their foot off the gas with this generation 3 mower.  EGO tied for the best mower with the 21″ Greenworks mower. Third place went to the 25″ Greenworks and Black and Decker coming in 6-points behind the top two mowers.

Each of the mowers we tested did a good job cutting grass and offer features that you’d expect from a great mower.

The EGO LM2130SP has an excellent portable design and performed well in all categories, especially the quality of cut, fit and finish, handle comport, adjustments, controls, and ergonomics.

EGO also offers a platform of outdoor power equipment with a blower, trimmer, edger, hedge trimmer, snowblower, chainsaw, a multi-head system, and a portable power station. The EGO is above average in cost compared to the rest of the mowers.

Greenworks also offers a platform of outdoor power equipment with a chainsaw, blower, trimmer, edger, hedge trimmer, pressure washer, and a portable power station. Both EGO and Greenworks tools work off the same battery platform and provide a complete solution for all of your lawn and garden tasks.

Final Thoughts

While gasoline mowers have been around since 1914, the advances in powerful lithium-ion batteries have created a battery-powered lawnmower market that can truly compete for many users with gasoline-powered mowers. Today’s cordless mower owners are not subject to the noise, smell, and maintenance issues that are the hallmarks of gas mower ownership.

Best Cordless Lawn Mower Video Review

Best Cordless Lawn Mower 2020 is a post from Tool Box Buzz