Yard Tools
Best cordless chainsaw for homeowners
Chainsaws are the one tool where runtime should be measured in work done, not minutes. One manufacturer publishes it that way.
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We have not tested these units. Every spec on this page comes from the manufacturer's own documentation and is linked to it. Every computed figure is arithmetic you can redo. Prices are checked daily — last verified January 1, 1970. Here is exactly how we pick.
Quick picks
Ranked on the published specs and the arithmetic below. Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. We have not tested these units -- here is exactly how we pick.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photo EGO Power+ 18" Chain Saw CS1804 300 published cuts through a 4x4 on one 280Wh pack, on an 18 in bar -- a work figure rather than a runtime figure. | Best overall | 8.8 | |
| 2 | No photo EGO Power+ 10" Pole Saw Attachment PSA1000 70 published cuts from a 140Wh pack at 4.17 lb -- the honest answer for limbs you should not be on a ladder for. | Best pole saw on-platform | 8.1 | |
| 3 | No photo EGO Power+ 24" Hedge Trimmer HT2410 A published 1 in cut capacity on 24 in of forged steel, at 6.17 lb bare -- the numbers that decide whether a hedge trimmer is a hedge trimmer. | Best cut capacity | 8.3 |
#ad Buy links are affiliate links. Prices come from a live daily check; where we have no verified price we say "check price" rather than print a stale one.
Nearly every cordless tool publishes runtime in minutes. A chainsaw is the one where that is close to useless, because you spend most of a session not cutting. EGO publishes work done instead, and it makes the tool far easier to size.
Cuts per charge, not minutes
One important qualification, which EGO states and we will repeat: 300 cuts is on a 4x4 — softwood dimensional lumber. Seasoned hardwood rounds of larger diameter will be a fraction of that. The per-cut figure is a planning tool for the material it was measured on, not a universal constant.
The published specs
| Spec | EGO CS1804 | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Bar length | 18 in | Handles rounds up to roughly 16 in diameter |
| Chain | 3/8 in pitch, 0.050 in gauge, 62 DL | Entirely standard -- replacements are commodity items |
| Motor speed | 11,000 RPM | One of very few published motor figures in this category |
| Cuts per charge | Up to 300 on a 4x4 (5.0Ah) | Work done, not minutes. The most useful spec here. |
| Weight | 14.5 lb with battery | Heavy for extended overhead work |
| Battery | 56V 5.0Ah in the kit | 280Wh, shared with every other EGO tool |
From the EGO CS1804 product page, checked 3 September 2026.
The spec to check before you buy any saw
Chain pitch, gauge and drive-link count. The CS1804 uses 3/8 inch, 0.050 inch and 62 links — the most common combination there is, stocked by every hardware store.
This matters more than it sounds. A chain is a consumable: you will replace it, and you will want a spare in the shed. A saw on a narrow-kerf or unusual gauge means ordering online and waiting, in the middle of a job. Note that EGO's own pole saw attachment uses a 0.043-inch narrow-kerf chain — a different consumable from the same brand, which is exactly the kind of thing worth knowing before you own both.
Bar length: bigger is not free
| Bar | Suits | Trade |
|---|---|---|
| 10-12 in | Limbing, small branches, pole saw work | Cannot handle firewood rounds |
| 14-16 in | Most homeowner firewood and storm cleanup | The sweet spot for weight and capability |
| 18 in | Larger rounds, occasional felling of small trees | Heavier all the time; 14.5 lb loaded on the CS1804 |
| 20 in and up | Genuinely large timber | Beyond most homeowner needs |
General guidance: a bar roughly two inches longer than the wood you routinely cut. Only the 18 in figure here is a published specification; the rest is standard practice.
14.5 lb with the battery fitted is real weight. For cutting rounds on the ground that is fine. For anything at or above shoulder height it is not the right tool — that is what a pole saw is for, at 4.17 lb.
Why the chainsaw is a platform argument
A chainsaw is a high-draw, intermittent-use tool. You might run it hard for an afternoon after a storm and not touch it for four months. That is the worst possible profile for buying a dedicated battery: an expensive pack that spends most of the year sitting on a shelf, ageing.
Buying the bare saw on a platform you already own removes the problem entirely. Your mower's 7.5Ah pack becomes 420Wh of chainsaw — roughly 450 cuts by the arithmetic above — and it is a pack that gets cycled regularly rather than sitting at full charge all winter (which is, as the battery life page explains, the condition lithium cells age fastest in).
The other two tools on this page
Both are here because they share the same 56V packs and cover the jobs the chainsaw should not be doing.
- The PSA1000 pole saw at 4.17 lb, for anything above head height. Using an 18-inch chainsaw overhead on a ladder is how people get hurt.
- The HT2410 hedge trimmer with a published 1-inch cut capacity, for woody hedge growth that is too thick for a trimmer and far too small for a saw.
Safety, which is not a specification
- Chaps, gloves, eye and ear protection. A cordless saw is quieter than gas and no less capable of injury.
- Never operate a chainsaw from a ladder. This is the single most common way people are seriously hurt with one. Use a pole saw or hire someone.
- Understand kickback before the first cut, and keep the upper nose of the bar out of the wood.
- Remove the battery before touching the chain. Instant torque means there is no engine to have stopped.
The picks in full
Specs are the manufacturer's own and linked to the page they came from. Prices come from a live daily check; where we have no verified price we say so rather than print a stale one.
EGO Power+ 18" Chain Saw CS1804
EGO · EGO 56V ARC Lithium · Our score 8.8/10
#ad No verified live price right now, so we show none rather than a stale one. How we're funded.
300 published cuts through a 4x4 on one 280Wh pack, on an 18 in bar -- a work figure rather than a runtime figure.
Published specs
| Bar length | 18 in |
|---|---|
| Chain | 3/8 in pitch, 0.050 in gauge, 62 drive links |
| Motor speed | 11,000 RPM |
| Cuts per charge | Up to 300 cuts on a 4x4 (5.0Ah) |
| Battery (kit) | 56V 5.0Ah |
| Weight | 14.5 lb with battery |
Source: 18" Cordless Chain Saw (CS1804), egopowerplus.com
280Wh (56V x 5.0Ah) over 300 published cuts = about 0.93Wh per cut. A useful way to size a pack: 100 cuts of firewood needs roughly 93Wh, so a 2.5Ah pack covers it with margin.
What the numbers favor
- Publishes work done (300 cuts on a stated material) rather than a vague runtime
- Standard 3/8 in pitch, 0.050 in gauge chain -- replacements are commodity items
- 18 in bar on a consumer cordless saw
- Runs on the same 56V packs as the mower, blower and trimmer
What they don't
- 14.5 lb with the battery fitted is heavy for extended overhead work
- The 300-cut figure is on a 4x4; hardwood rounds will be a fraction of it
your cutting is limbs under 6 in. An 18 in bar is more saw than that needs, and a 10 in pole saw keeps you off the ladder.
How it scores
Scores are our editorial weighting of the published specs above, not a test result. They are deliberately kept out of this page's structured data.
EGO Power+ 10" Pole Saw Attachment PSA1000
EGO · EGO 56V ARC Lithium · Our score 8.1/10
#ad No verified live price right now, so we show none rather than a stale one. How we're funded.
70 published cuts from a 140Wh pack at 4.17 lb -- the honest answer for limbs you should not be on a ladder for.
Published specs
| Bar length | 10 in |
|---|---|
| Max cut diameter | 10 in |
| Chain | 3/8 in pitch, 0.043 in gauge |
| Pole length | 38 in (plus power head) |
| Cuts per charge | Up to 70 (2.5Ah) |
| Weight | 4.17 lb |
| Lubrication | Automatic |
Source: 10" Pole Saw Attachment for Multi-Head System (PSA1000), egopowerplus.com
140Wh (56V x 2.5Ah) over 70 published cuts = about 2.0Wh per cut, roughly double the CS1804's 0.93Wh -- a narrow-kerf chain on a long pole works harder per cut than a saw you can lean on.
What the numbers favor
- 70 cuts per 2.5Ah pack, published
- 4.17 lb attachment weight, published
- Automatic bar lubrication rather than a manual oiler
- Takes EGO's EP7500 extension pole for more reach
What they don't
- Attachment only -- needs an EGO PH1400 or PH1420 power head
- 0.043 in narrow-kerf gauge chain, less common than the 0.050 in on the CS1804
you have one overhanging branch. Renting or hiring is cheaper than a power head plus an attachment for a single afternoon.
How it scores
Scores are our editorial weighting of the published specs above, not a test result. They are deliberately kept out of this page's structured data.
EGO Power+ 24" Hedge Trimmer HT2410
EGO · EGO 56V ARC Lithium · Our score 8.3/10
#ad No verified live price right now, so we show none rather than a stale one. How we're funded.
A published 1 in cut capacity on 24 in of forged steel, at 6.17 lb bare -- the numbers that decide whether a hedge trimmer is a hedge trimmer.
Published specs
| Blade length | 24 in, forged steel |
|---|---|
| Cut capacity | 1 in |
| Blade speed | 3,000 strokes per minute |
| Blade type | Dual-action, fully serviceable |
| Weight | 6.17 lb (bare tool) |
| Battery | Any EGO 56V ARC Lithium |
Source: 24" Cordless Brushless Hedge Trimmer (HT2410), egopowerplus.com
What the numbers favor
- 1 in published cut capacity -- most cordless hedge trimmers publish 3/4 in or stay silent
- 6.17 lb bare, light enough to hold above shoulder height
- Blades described as fully serviceable rather than sealed
- Runs on any EGO 56V pack you already own
What they don't
- EGO publishes no runtime figure for this tool at any pack size, so we cannot compute one honestly
- Sold bare in most configurations
your hedges are soft new growth on a small boundary. 24 in of blade is awkward on a low hedge and a 20 in tool is easier to control.
How it scores
Scores are our editorial weighting of the published specs above, not a test result. They are deliberately kept out of this page's structured data.
Common questions
What is the best cordless chainsaw for a homeowner?
How many cuts can a cordless chainsaw make on one charge?
What bar length do I need for a homeowner chainsaw?
Is a cordless chainsaw powerful enough for firewood?
What chain does a cordless chainsaw use?
Sources
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- Best cordless hedge trimmer
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