Cutting Edge: A Chainsaw Buyers Guide

Have you ever walked into Bunnings and became completely overwhelmed with the amount of choice in front of you? For the typical home owner, it will probably happen when you go buy a new chainsaw too. How do you decide between the McCulloch, the Baumr, or the Ryobi? How do you determine which would be more suitable for you, Husqvarna saws or Victa chainsaws? Lost yet? Let’s start with the basics.

What are the different types of chainsaw?

Chainsaws can be a pretty hefty piece of machinery (I wouldn’t want to operate a big one, put it that way). Whether you’re pruning, tree felling, bucking or harvesting firewood it’s important you have an idea of what you’re looking out for. There are mainly two types; petrol powered and corded electric. Electric chainsaws tend to have less power than the gasoline ones, but if you’re only planning on using your chainsaw a few times a year then electric may be the best choice for you. You’ll find it much easier to control it and you won’t be deafened by the roaring sound of the gasoline machine, win win!

Durability, weight, and safety all need to be considered before your purchase! You would also need to decide if your project requires a top handle chainsaw or a rear handle. Top handle chainsaws are used predominately by arborists who use chainsaws on a daily basis for professional use. They are often smaller, lighter, and on a whole easier to handle when climbing to the tops of trees and sawing wood.

What are the top chainsaw brands ?

Some argue that STIHL chainsaw models are the top dogs of the chainsaw world. Located in over 160 countries, they claim to be “the worlds leading chainsaw brand”.  A bold statement, when competitors like Husqvarna, boast there top-handled chainsaws are “the very best in the industry”.  With every brand out there claiming to be the best, it gets a little tricky when deciding who to believe. There are plenty of chainsaw names out there, a few having a bigger name for themselves than others. Here are a few brand names to keep an eye out for:

• Victa
• McCulloch
• Husqvarna
• Baumr
• Ryobi

But don’t base your purchase solely on the brand. They’re all pretty good and chances are you’ll be happy with your choice. If you’re a first time buyer, you’re probably best buying a smaller chainsaw that will do the job just fine regardless of the brand.  Just make sure that you don’t get too carried away with your new toy. As a rule of thumb, leave the chainsaws with a guide bar of 20 inches to the professionals!

How much is a chainsaw?

So you’ve done your research, you know what kind of chainsaw you’re after and you even know some of the brands to look out for. But have you asked yourself the question “how much does a chainsaw cost?” The price of your new chainsaw will depend completely on what kind of chainsaw you want. Depending on the brand, smaller, more simple chainsaws can be bought for around $299 and get the job done to a good standard. If that seems pretty pricey, it may seem like peanuts when you compare it to the scary, deafening chainsaws that could set you back thousands. Just look at the Husqvarna XP chainsaw range—one of those could set you back around $1669!

So hopefully this short but simple guide has given you a bit of insight into what you need to consider before you buy your new cutting edge chainsaw. Because let’s face it—it’s a dangerous piece of machinery, the last thing you want is to get the wrong one!

Check out some great options in the Machines4U marketplace.