Are you looking for the best cordless mini chainsaw? Read my reviews, my opinions and discover the guide to choosing.
First, know that the portable chainsaw is a very special tool, designed to actually replace loppers and saws. It is electric and is very similar to a normal one pruning chainsaw, can be used with one or two hands, and is ideal not only for hobbyists and for garden care, but also for professionals. However, despite its simplicity, it is not a toy and therefore requires an in-depth study, also for a matter of knowledge and safety in use.
Note: if you are looking for a standard electric saw and not in mini format, I recommend deepen my article on the cordless chainsaw.
Table of Contents
Features of the mini cordless chainsaw
The structure is very easy to describe, given that we find a comfortable handle often ergonomic and with a non-slip coating, equipped with a trigger to activate the blade. The latter, as I anticipated, is very small and in fact rarely exceeds 10 centimeters in length. Consequently, it is suitable for pruning small branches, with a thickness not exceeding 8 centimeters. However, consider that some products even reach 18 centimeters.
How to use? It is imperative that you press and hold the trigger to spin the blade, as in most cases there is no button for continuous activation. Indeed, in certain models (such as the Stihl cordless pruner) there is a second safety button to be pressed simultaneously with the trigger: it is a lever to be held raised with the upper part of the thumb. If the lever is not raised the pruner will not turn on, so you will avoid any unintentional starting.
Of course, the battery must be mounted on the camera body, at the end of the handle, and has a duration of around 25 or 30 minutes. Sometimes the battery itself has an LED indicator for the remaining charge, which is very convenient because it lets you know in advance if the battery is running low. As for the structure, some pruners have a safety bar above the blade, essential if you want to use it with two hands, and excellent for protecting yourself from splinters.
Best selling mini battery chainsaws
What is the best cordless mini chainsaw?
1. Stihl GA010116900 GTA 26 Pruning Set
I decided to start immediately by dropping the bomb. The Stihl GTA 26 (read my full review) it is probably the best portable chainsaw currently on the market. It has a 10 cm long bar and a maximum cutting thickness of about 8 cm, and also mounts a safety lever to be lifted with the thumb, to activate the rotation of the blade. It is a very important detail, for a safety issue.
- Blade length: 10 cm
- Cutting diameter: 8 cm
- Safety lever: here I’m
Also consider that the Stihl can be used with one but also with two hands, because it has a small horn on top that is used to grip the mini saw with greater precision. This makes it suitable not only for pruning, but also for work related to wood and carpentry in general. Other important details? It has a really comfortable quick chain tensioner, and the ergonomic handle is coated with non-slip materials.
The chain must be oiled manually, and the set includes an oil bottle, a battery with charger, the blade cover and a fabulous folding carrying case. Also, know that this mini cordless chainsaw has a protection bar on the upper part of the blade, specially designed to allow you to cut with a double handle, without running any risk. The battery, on the other hand, has a duration of around 25 minutes.
2. Hangrow Mini Chainsaw Rechargeable 2 Batteries
In this case we are in an economic range, around 60 euros, and the technical specifications are all in all in line with the averages. The Hangrow mini saw, in fact, has a 10 cm long blade and a maximum cutting thickness of about 8 cm. As for the activation of the blade, it has a safety button to be pressed at the same time, which is great news.
- Blade length: 10 cm
- Cutting diameter: 8 cm
- Safety button: here I’m
Excellent equipment of the kit, which among other things includes 2 batteries, the charger, the set of tools for assembly and 2 chains. The tensioning of the chain is manual and not rapid, and there is also the blade cover bar, which rises when the saw sinks into the wood and which prevents the risk of touching the upper part of the chain by mistake. In summary, in terms of safety passed with flying colors.
What are the other features to underline? The battery life according to the manufacturer reaches 4 hours, but in reality if you use it without breaks we remain around 25-30 minutes. This is not a problem though, as a second spare battery is included in the kit. In addition, it is easy to assemble even if the chain tensioner is not quick, and the precision in the cut is more than good, but it tends to fray the bark a little.
3. Faraone4W Mini Pruning Chainsaw 2 Batteries
If you have to go to the savings, know that you will have to compromise, but this model of Faraone4W still manages to offer excellent ideas. At a cost of around 60 euros you will take home a mini saw with a 10 cm blade and a cutting diameter of around 8 cm. Unfortunately, it does not have a safety lever, so it activates as soon as you pull the trigger, and for this I advise you to be very careful.
- Blade length: 10 cm
- Cutting diameter: 8 cm
- Safety lever: absent
As for the other technical characteristics, this mini cordless saw has an interesting peculiarity: the trigger is equipped with a potentiometer, so the intensity and speed of the blade rise or fall according to the level of pressure. In addition, it has an upper protection bar (similar to that of classic pruning chainsaws), but the chain tensioner is not quick, as it is adjusted with a screwdriver.
The kit is quite rich as it includes 2 batteries, the battery charger, a bottle of lubricating oil and the complete set to mount it and to tighten the chain. Secondly, the blade is made of hardened steel and is very solid, while the battery lasts around 30 minutes, and recharges in 50 minutes. Finally, it is easy to assemble and there is no tank for automatic lubrication.
4. Laecabv Mini Electric Chainsaw Blade 18 CM
If you need a cordless mini chainsaw with a longer blade, I recommend this model from Lacaebv, with a full 18cm sword. It is an ideal tool if you need to prune branches with a maximum thickness of around 15 cm, and also the blade is thinner than others since it is a carving, so it is easier to insert in very tight and confined spaces. .
- Blade length: 18 cm
- Cutting diameter: 15 cm
- Safety lever: here I’m
And the safety factor? The locking lever is present, but it is snap-in: it means you can lock or unlock it by turning it, so not lifting it with your thumb as you pull the trigger. It is not my favorite system because if you forget to lock it after cutting, the tool remains active and therefore dangerous. For this reason, I recommend that you be very careful and disconnect the battery after use, as an additional protective measure.
For the rest, the performance is excellent since it is not a cheap tool. Also consider that it has a small tank for automatic lubrication with oil, but it does not have the bar that covers the blade in the upper area of the saw. On the other hand, the battery lasts about 60 minutes with continuous use, and can even go up to 2 hours if you use it occasionally. Finally, it also includes the carrying case, 2 batteries and the key to tension the chain.
5. Laecabv Mini Portable Chainsaw LED Light 10CM
I decided to close my reviews on the best cordless mini chainsaws with another model from Laecabv, with a price slightly higher than the low-end ones. It has a little extra like the LED pointer, which allows you to shed some light when cutting in the dark, while the blade has a length of 10 centimeters and therefore a cutting diameter of up to 8. centimeters.
- Blade length: 10 cm
- Cutting diameter: 8 cm
- Safety button: here I’m
I immediately point out that the safety button is present, which you will have to press simultaneously with the trigger, so as to avoid any accidental start of the blade. In addition, there is the sliding cover on the upper area of the chain and the package includes the battery, the carrying case, the charger, the set to mount it and the screwdriver chain tensioner. Finally, it is not equipped with the automatic lubrication function.
I would also like to point out the presence of a potentiometer, so you can adjust the speed of the blade according to the level of trigger pressure. It’s not the best ever, but it does have some notable features offered at a competitive price. The cover bar is also great for protecting you from chips and splinters, and battery life is on a good level, on average with other products seen today.
How to choose the best cordless mini saw
1. Length of the blade
As I have already told you, the length of the blade is certain battery pruners it is very small, but it is a value to be studied carefully. In fact, there are mini chainsaws with very short blades, from 6.5 centimeters, while others with a length that can reach up to 10 or 12 centimeters, with a few exceptions up to 18 cm. The former are commonly called micro-saws and are more suitable for cutting twigs and for carpentry work.
Conversely, mini-saws of 10 centimeters or larger are ideal for cutting branches even of a certain thickness, and can also be useful in the field of woodworking and DIY. Personally, for gardening I always recommend the latter, because the small blades of the microsaws have a chain that tends to break if “forced” to cut very hard materials of a certain thickness.
2. Cutting diameter
I have already “spoiled” this topic, but I still prefer to dedicate a small chapter to it. The maximum cutting diameter, as you surely already know, not only cannot exceed the length of the blade, but it is better that it be slightly lower. In other words, a 10 cm sword will be able to cut branches with a maximum thickness of about 8 cm. If you buy a 6.5 cm micro saw, however, you will not be able to exceed 3 or 4 cm in diameter.
3. Handle and trigger
The handle is almost always lined with a non-slip coating, which improves the grip of the hand and therefore the grip of the power tool. The elongated shape is great because it gives you the possibility to hold it with one hand, but nothing prevents you from holding it with two hands, for example if you have to make straight cuts in the wood with great precision. In addition, under the handle there is a traditional trigger to be pressed to activate the rotation of the blade.
Consider that in these tools the trigger is almost never equipped with a potentiometer, so the chain will always slide at the same speed, even if you do not push it all the way. Furthermore, in some models – as I mentioned – there is a safety system to be activated simultaneously with the trigger, to prevent the blade from turning on involuntarily. As for the handle, in some devices there is a kind of “horn” that allows you to use the chainsaw with two hands.
4. Safety / lock lever
Since we have mentioned them several times, at this point we might as well go deeper into the discourse on the safety equipment. The activation lever is an extra that I consider very valuable, although some users may not think the same as me. There are those who claim that it is uncomfortable, but it takes very little to get used to and honestly I prefer it to be present, as a protection system. I tell you because a saw without this system can become very dangerous, even if you know how to handle it.
The use of the lever is not complicated, since by holding the tool you can lift it and keep it raised by raising the tip of the thumb a little. In models for ambidextrous the lever is present both on one side and on the other, for obvious reasons, but clearly you only need to lift one. There are also products with a latch lever, which you can insert or disengage, but they offer you a lower level of protection. To give you a concrete example: if you forget to raise it, it will be as if it does not exist, and you will hurt yourself a lot.
5. Upper blade cover bar
Additionally, some cordless mini chainsaws have a protection bar that covers the top of the blade. When you plunge the saw into the wood this section goes up, so as to perform two functions together: on the one hand it protects your hand if you are holding it with two, and on the other it does not prevent the saw from performing its duty. In summary, it is an additional safety system which in any case does not interfere in any way with the quality and precision of the cut.
Be aware that if there is no top protection bar, using the mini cordless chainsaw with two hands can be a risky venture. If your hand slips, in fact, without the bar it would risk ending up directly on the chain. Finally, the bar is also useful because it prevents the chips from splashing in the direction of the operator.
6. Battery life
Battery life is perhaps the only sore point of these power tools, because a battery-powered mini chainsaw will never have a prolonged autonomy. In economic models it often happens to see it unloaded after just 10 minutes of use, while in quality mini saws you can charge up to 30 minutes for continuous use. On the other hand, I suggest you buy a second battery as a spare, if you intend to use it for a longer time and do not want to stop and wait to recharge the main one.
Speaking of the battery, know that the most advanced devices also have an LED indicator that tells you the state of charge. It is another very useful extra in my opinion, because it gives you the possibility to understand where you are and if the saw still has enough “fuel in the legs”. However, this is not a fundamental element but… if it is present, all the better.
7. Manual and quick chain tensioner
Once again we have to make a clear distinction between the budget cordless mini saw models and the top-end portable chainsaw. The former almost always have a traditional chain tensioner, which will therefore force you to use a key in order to loosen or tighten the chain. The tensioning operations are much simpler and faster if there is a quick tensioner, for example with a special knob for adjustment.
8. Chain lubrication
There are few models of microsaws or mini chainsaws with an automatic lubrication system. It means that in most cases you will have to lubricate the chain manually, spreading the right amount of oil from one side and the other, because there is no reservoir. This is not a defect but a normal feature, considering the small size of this device, and its lightness (around 1 kilo in weight).
The automatic tank system is found above all in mini-saws equipped with a sword greater than 14 centimeters, which however have a high weight and a more robust structure.
9. Accessories supplied
The supply of accessories is very basic, and in most cases it is limited to the battery, the charger and the key to regulate the chain tension. In some models you can also find the cover bar for the blade and a pack of oil. Other times the product comes with a carrying case, and may have a second spare battery included in the package.
