Electric vs. gas chainsaws pros & cons for heavy use

[Alan]

I'm considering switching to an electric chainsaw. How do they compare to gas ones when doing a lot of work? What are the good and bad points, and what's it like to use them?

 

[kevinj54]

On a cord or a battery?

My Milwaukee M18 will run about the same time as my Stihl MS180 before fuel or a re-charge.

The Stihl is 3# lighter so for a lot of work it is the gasser.

 

[Deleted member 252]

For smaller stuff, electric is pretty handy but they don't make an electric to handle what I'm usually cutting. But for someone who just does occasional trimming here and there, electric is the way to go. But I also like and enjoy gas saws.

 

[Kyle Thompson]

Yea the rain really helps keep the current-uh-laterrs temperTure within optimal range. and eye only have to remember to put oil in it when it's out when it's out instead of when the saw dies. Also a steady respectful salute like wave when left hand searches for pull cord keeps customers smiling and looking happy walking around waving at me all day. I don't ever have to deal with the blip and die we ith my electric, but I hate that the thing turns off all the time as I can't remember where the button to slow-normalize-or super beast mode button is because normally ud just look for yhe choke and go one click either way, try it, if not then go the other way but these multi flashing lights and several color codes ith double buttons on saw anf batteries are eazy getting usr to. Still can't figure out what to o use mix for...tranny fluid? Definately not assembly lube..plus the lithium pools are very pretty in comparison to dead seaguld covored in oil spills. I guess they pretty fit for the operators of todays day, but grandmas bean oil and 91 smell soooo good it's s tie

 

[Warfarin]

I have corded electric that I use at home when doing clean up. I prefer it, if it can do the job, to the other saws as it stops when I let go of the trigger, so no looking for kill switch. Then move stuff/rearrange etc. Then pick up saw and start cutting without having to restart it.

 

[madpogue]

You really want to wake up a cordless chainsaw? Put a full chisel chain on it. It'll change your mind about how much you're willing to take on with a cordless.

 

[blades]

at current point a e saw equally to 661 or 3120 would be massively heavy. i have 10 hp electric motor on one of my machines it dwarfs my 12 hp 084 and weighs a lot more also- there is a reason why there is a lift ring on it.

 

[John Bruner]

I suppose it depends on how much work you have to do. You would need a lot of batteries to go from job to job.
But as far as processing one or two big trees; battery operated saws are fine. We had a three man crew with half a dozen battery operated saws and enough batteries to process a 60ft 22" oak tree.
Cutting the stump off flush with the ground was 28", and was done with an EGO CSX5000 with a 28" bar