Battery Powered Chainsaw

By Mark R. Johnson Battery power companies like Husqvarna and STIHL offer battery chain saws. I have not been a big fan of battery power when it comes to high performance, but I’m trying to get on board because times are changing. Proof: Harley Davidson just un-veiled a prototype for an electric motorcycle in June! And I had a more hands-on experience with battery power this summer when I tried out Husqvarna’s battery chain saws. The experience made me a believer for these reasons:

• Power – I was impressed by how easily the saw cut through a log.
• Charge – Today’s lithium-ion batteries give you up to 40 (STIHL) or 45 minutes (Husqvarna) of continuous operation.
• Quiet – The saw was so quiet I didn’t need earmuffs. Your cabin neighbors may thank you for using a quieter saw. Husqvarna’s 53LiXP battery saw registers 93 decibels (less than an electric drill), while its 543XP saw registered 101.
• Lightweight – I could pick up the saw with two fingers.
• Smell – There isn’t any exhaust stink, so my wife won’t send me straight to the showers after I saw logs.

One note about buying a battery saw: The price often doesn’t include the battery and charger.